USTADZ
43. Go To Al-Raudhah

A week passed quickly. During that time, Bulek was still nagging and often scolded Syahla, but Syahla chose to be quiet and accept it with a chest of air. After all, one week was not a long time, so he decided not to exaggerate the problem.

It was time for Syahla and Ustadz Amar to leave the house. Before leaving, they say goodbye to the whole house.

"I say goodbye to Bulek" Shahla hugged Bulek, which must have surprised everyone. "Thank you for guiding Syahla all this time."

Bulek was initially only able to blink his eyes quickly so surprised. However, he then returned Syahla's embrace tightly. "Excuse Bulek yes Nduk,"

Ah, Syahla felt overwhelmed. It turned out that just hearing the sorry words of the person who hurt him made his heart feel so good.

"I'm also sorry for making Bulek so angry,"

"Don't come here again,"

"No way, Bulek. I will come again," Shahla smiled gently. After saying goodbye, he and Ustadz Amar then left by taxi. They refused Papa's offer to deliver them out of fear of trouble.

"I'm proud of you" Ustadz Amar said after the taxi they were riding. "You can forgive Bulek who often scolded you,"

Syahla took a long breath. "Bulek must have a reason why it's like that. Sometimes we only see someone from the outside, without knowing how many bitter pills he has swallowed throughout his life. I accidentally learned of Bulek's bitter pill, and finally decided to take it."

Ustadz Amar looked at his wife with pride. "I think you're more mature now."

"Oh yeah?" Shahla cupped her two hot cheeks. "Did Husband like my adult charm?"

"Like it, love it" Ustadz Amar was about to kiss his wife's forehead until he realized the taxi driver was watching them.

"Ekhem," The taxi driver felt wrong because he was caught eavesdropping. "I'm sorry, I thought you were om and niece,"

"Haha, that's natural sir. The distance between us was indeed quite far," Ustadz Amar replied awkwardly.

"Oh, pantesan, because it looks like his wife is very small. It doesn't fit to be called husband and wife,"

"Eh, Sir! Don't talk, yeah! I am an adult! Already college! My husband is still young, still in his twenties! His face was also much more handsome than most young people! Maybe even more handsome than my father!" Spray Syahla pissed.

"Eh, uh, why is it talking like that anyway? Not polite," Ustadz Amar immediately smothered his wife's mouth and turned to the driver. "I'm sorry my wife sir,"

Fortunately, thanks to Syahla's spray, Mr. Driver chose to be quiet throughout the trip and not comment on them again.

...----------------...

A few hours passed, and finally they arrived before the gates of the Al-Raudhah pesantren after struggling through the streets that could not be called roads. Looks like the regional leader deliberately made a road program with a thousand holes to train the endurance of his people.

"Oh, my back," Shehla stretched her body until her waist rang so hard on her feet. Ustadz Amar opened the trunk of the car and pulled out their luggage.

"Thank you, sir" he told the taxi driver before entering the cottage gate.

Syahla took a deep breath before stepping her foot in. Perhaps, if the two of them had come here four months ago, Shahla would not have entered side by side with her husband. Where's the face going? Almost all of his contemporaries knew how much Shahla hated Ustadz Amar. Surely they will all scoff at him who is like affected by karma. But now Syahla chooses not to care about it.

"Welcome to my son" Abah Ridwan, the nanny of the Al-Raudhah boarding school, welcomed their arrival. Nyai Siti's mother, Abah Ridwan's wife also welcomed enthusiastically.

"Yuk, come in, mbak santri have prepared special dishes for you," Abah Ridwan has embraced Ustadz Amar tightly as if he did not want his favorite santri to be captured by others. Syahla also followed Nyai Siti's mother who took her into the house.

Syahla sat on the dining table chair awkwardly. Ustadz Amar sat beside him, while Abah Ridwan and Nyai Siti's mother sat in front of them. In addition to the four of them, there is also Gus Adil, Abah Ridwan's second son who only differs from Shahla, and Gus Ridho, Abah Ridwan's young son, only fifth grade Elementary School.

"Come, please eat Nduk," Nyai Siti's mother invited. Shahla nodded her head awkwardly and picked up a little vegetable and side dish. Not that he did not like the food served, only this was the first time he was at a dining table with his kyai, so he wanted to keep his image as a polite santri.

Ustadz Amar seemed to pay attention to his wife's behavior, he then took the initiative to take a large piece of fried chicken thigh to the wife.

"Eat a lot, you haven't eaten before."

Syahla. No, not really being a husband!

"Oh my goodness, the romance is Mi" said Abah Ridwan who noticed them. "Once we were newlyweds, we were also romantically rich."

"What the hell, Bah? How come Umi doesn't feel romantic with Umi?" Nyai Siti's mother seemed to remember.

"Yes, my dear, my love. Has your husband not been paying attention to you all this time?" Abah Ridwan looked at his wife with a sad look, and both of his hands were in front of his chest. "Do I need to split my chest to prove my love for you?"

"Oh, Abah! Beaah!" Nyai Siti's mother covered her face. "Then Amar and Syahla!"

Ustadz Amar laughs. She was used to the sight, while Syahla could only laugh a little, she had only seen the other side of Kyai and Nyai's mother whom she respected the most.

"Where will you sleep? It just so happens that the guest room is still empty, you guys just sleep here huh?"

"Young..." Shahla turned her head towards her husband hearing Nyai's mother's question. Actually they had expected something like this to happen, so they had been deliberating during the trip.

"We want to sleep in the dormitory only, ma'am" Ustadz Amar refused subtly. "We miss our friends in the pesantren."

"Ah, what a pity," Nyai Siti's mother muttered in disappointment. "When the room we have prepared since long ago."

Syahla and Ustadz Amar looked at each other. How'sthis? If Nyai's mother had spoken so, they would have no chance to refuse at all.

"Then we stay here, ma'am," Shahla finally relented. "When you meet your friends, you can meet anytime. Looks like the dormitory room is also full, fearing that our addition will be narrower. Isn't it Mas?"

"Ah, yes it is," Ustadz Amar stammered. He was surprised for a moment because of the call 'Mas' pinned Syahla on him. "We'll just sleep here,"

"Alhamdulillah!" the look on Nyai Siti's mother's face turned happy. "Let's tell mbak-mbak ndalem to clean his room now! Actually, it was cleaned this morning, but I'm afraid there's some dust left!" Nyai Siti's mother immediately stepped away without being prevented.

"Later we talk about the program njai ya Le," said Abah Ridwan after the departure of his wife. "That I've prepared a new program, Abah needs your opinion."

"Good Bah" Ustadz Amar smiled. Abah Ridwan has not changed at all. Always happy to discuss the program for the students with him.

"Well, because the biological child has come, the adopted child goes first," Gus Adil who had just quietly moved from his chair. "Monggo Gus" he told Ustadz Amar, then turned around and left the dinner table. While Abah Ridwan, Ustadz Amar and Syahla saw the departure of Gus Adil with surprise.

"Not to think about it" Abah Ridwan said later. "From the beginning was he so? Well, let's just continue our discussion. Where was it, huh? Oh yeah, the new program is like this..."

Shahla just listened to the conversation of the two men while nodding her head. His mind was still fixed on Gus Adil's words earlier. Why does he feel like Gus Adil does not like the presence of Ustadz Amar? Or is it just his feelings?