We, From The First
#52. Unexpected
While enjoying her breakfast with Adryan and Nico, Regina suddenly receives a call from an unfamiliar number. Both of his eyebrows shot up for a moment before he picked up his phone.
"Hello?" Say it to the people over there.
Within seconds, Regina's face changed completely. The muscles on his face seemed to stiffen, and his two eyes started to tremble. Apparently, he had just received a phone call from someone he never expected.
"Who are you from, Ma?"
Nico's question kept Regina gasping and hastily turned off her phone. Regina tried to keep looking calm. But Adryan began to understand what was going on now.
"Not from anyone, Nic."
"Related?" Ask Nico about sanctions.
"Yes, Iyaaang..." Regina replied while twisting her son's cheek in a fit of anxiety.
"Yes, Nic. Nana nginep's Sunday night, right? Come on, dinner's out." Regina said again after successfully controlling the situation before Nico.
"Later Nico tanyain first to Nana, huh? Nana's busy revising the thesis."
Nico who did not hold any suspicions continued his eating activities. And so is Adryan.
"When it was only yesterday that Nana first came, Nico continued to get angry. Eeeh, it's a thesis now." Adryan's words were immediately greeted by a misbehaving smile from Nico.
Hearing his Papa's words, inevitably Nico's memory is finally dragged back to the past. In the past, he and Aira were so awkward with each other. He even regretted each time he remembered that he had once forgotten Aira and refused her presence without seeing her face.
Nico grimacing. Suddenly he wanted to hug Aira now. This second too.
...****...
"Arkha, did you bring that woman here?"
That is one question that Regina uttered as soon as she entered the room Dr.Arkha –Dad Rakha. For years Regina lived pretending not to know Arkha, as well as Arkha. But for this one thing, Regina felt the need to talk to Arkha directly.
"Ultimately, you behave like an acquaintance too." Answer Arkha casually.
He then got up from his chair and stepped closer to Regina, "please sit down." Arkha continued while pointing towards the sofa. He then sat down first without waiting for Regina's answer.
"Do you think I have time to sit down now? Just answer my question! Why did you bring that woman here?" Regina's voice started to sound loud and sharp.
"I know you hate Bima so much, Gin. But remember, Bima is still Alvin's biological father. You can't keep them apart."
"NICO!!" Error Regina. Now he screamed a little and made Arkha flinch. "My son's name is Nico. Catch that!" This time Regina's voice sounded a bit soft but also tired.
He had made a lifelong effort to live free without the shadow of the Bimantara, but Arkha had messed up his efforts so easily.
"You can't pretend you don't know Arkha, that your best friend tried to kill his own son six years ago. He wants to kill Nico. How long are you going to be apathetic like this? Is this the attitude of a friend?"
"Bima paid for it!"
"And instead he killed my two best friends, and nearly killed his son. Did you know that the boy is trying to live now? At least for the sake of the child, you don't have to do this." Regina's tears slowly came down. Her heart aches every time she remembers how Geraldy and Shania had to die in her and Adryan's place.
"I know you're a good man, Arkha. That's why I've been quiet all this time. I don't even care when I find out Nico and Rakha are close friends. I'm not afraid it will open our old wounds because I believe in you. I believe you will never disturb Nico's calm. But today, you've proven yourself that I've misplaced faith in you."
Arkha. He regretted what he had done. All this time, he only cared about Bimantara without knowing how Regina's efforts to stay calm and happy without being haunted by the pain of her past.
And Rakha who had been quietly peering into the room through the open door, listened to all the chatter that was going on between her Papa and Mama Nico.
Rakha was able to understand well the conversation of the two people. And that understanding also made him feel as if someone had just splashed a bucket of cold water right on his face.
With a trembling body, Rakha left her Papa's room. He walked over and remembered a photograph he had met in his Papa's study four years ago. It was clear that he felt that his Papa's best friend in the photo was so similar to Nico. Apparently, his father's best friend was Nico's real father. His friend is also his rival.
...****...
"Yes, Na. It's me still at the bookstore. Thirty minutes to go, huh?" Nico told Aira by phone.
After ending the conversation with Aira, Nico immediately put his phone in a bag and immediately paid for the book he picked up at the cashier. As soon as he finished, he went straight out of the bookstore, and intended to buy some snacks and groceries at a supermarket that was still in the supermarket.
"A—Alvin?" Said a middle-aged woman who had just patted Nico on the shoulder. His voice sounded vibrating. There is a sense of doubt in it.
In an instant, Nico instantly dropped some of the snacks he had chosen right into the trolley. He was shocked to find the woman. Fifteen years have passed, but Nico still knows him well.
The middle-aged woman was Diana Danadyaksa. Brother of his biological father. Bimantara Danadyaksa's.
After recognizing the woman, Nico felt her heart as if it were melting. Did he not see wrong? Did he not hear wrong? How can Aunt Diana be in Harsa City? And since when? Those are some of the questions that are roaring Nico's head right now.
"T—tante Diana?"
The woman's tears slowly came down with her bitter smile.
...****...
"Why is it so long?" Aira protested in annoyance as she opened the door of her apartment to Nico.
Instead of answering the protest that Aira had filed, Nico instead walked in through Aira just like that. A voice in his memory appeared.
"Papa you went to jail six years ago. She's the defendant from a deadly accident that killed a couple six years ago."
Nico's legs feel weak. He fell on the couch with a confused mind. Chests rumbling. A very terrible possibility now overshadows Nico completely. What if... the couple who died in the accident caused by her father were... both of Aira's parents?
Suddenly Nico felt his whole body shudder. He was afraid to imagine that his estimate could have been correct. Then if so, how does Nico have to deal with Aira after this?
"Tante has tried to contact your Mama, but there is no answer. Aunty just wants to see you, and explain your Papa's situation now. That's it, Al."
Aunty Diana's words continued to spin around Nico's head and made it difficult to just catch her breath.
Meeting his Mama, and asking what happened was actually the only thing Nico could do to prove his estimate.
Aira, unaware of Nico's gurgle, walked towards the pantry and opened Nico's grocery bag. While continuing to nag, he stuffed Nico's groceries one by one into the refrigerator. However, Nico who was the target of his frustration was unable to listen to Aira's nagging at all. Nico's thoughts still drifted away at his unexpected encounter with Aunt Diana an hour ago. The encounter that finally drags a secret full of mystery before Nico.
"You may still hate your father, Al. But please, just meet him once. He misses you so much. He had already regretted all his past deeds, and he was paying for them now."
But, how could Nico just meet her Papa?
Nico sighed softly, then rubbed his face and leaned his tired body on the back of the sofa. Moments after that, Nico turned her attention to the back of Aira who was still busy separating the groceries in the kitchen set. As much as possible, Nico tried to clear his mind. He tried to pull over everything that was bothering him, before he finally walked towards Aira and grabbed the tiny body of the girl from behind.
Right now, he really needed Aira's embrace to calm him down.
Aghast Aira immediately turned his head and looked at Nico's face that was already leaning comfortably on his shoulder. At that moment, Aira immediately realized that there must be something wrong with this young man.
"Nic, what's wrong with you?" Aira asked softly as she touched Nico's face with her hands.
Nico shook his head while keeping his eyes closed. He then flipped over Aira's body and hugged her back. His embrace was so tight, and felt different than usual.
The fact that he was the son of a murderer who could have killed both of Aira's parents, filled Nico's heart and mind.
Aira who still knew nothing, only returned Nico's embrace without intending to ask again. Four years of dating Nico, made him deeply understand all of Nico's attitudes and traits. And when Nico was in trouble, he needed a little time before he could finally tell a story.
For moments like this, all Nico needs is a warm hug that calms him down.
Nico then untangled his embrace with both hands still wrapped around Aira's waist. Their eyes met each other. In a slow motion, Nico draped Aira's hair behind her ears.
"Na, I'm home, huh? I just wanted if there was a task that I should be done. Tomorrow's the deadline."
"You're all right, right?" Ask Aira. His face looked really anxious. He was afraid something bad might be happening to Nico right now.
Nico who could read Aira's mind through her eyes, slowly nodded her head while commenting on a single smile on her face.
"I'm doing fine. You don't have to worry, do you?" Nico said as he gently rubbed Aira's face with his right hand.
To Be Continued...^^^