Chapter 10
Medan, 8th November 2018
When the Buddhist nun began to sing the first tone of the final closing prayer anthem, the people beating the Buddhist service musical instruments prepared themselves and got ready. When the nun got into the second letter of the anthem, all the Buddhist service musical instruments started to ring.
Today's Erdie's birthday. Oh, Buddha… Protect him wherever he is. He's planned to return to Medan in January next year. Going back to Medan is better, Son… Staying together with Dad and Mom… Don't face the world's cruelty on your own, Son…
Evidently, Mrs. Florencia Quincy also joined the service that afternoon. Yet, she came late.
The Buddhist nun sang the closing prayer anthem until the final letter. All the Buddhist service musical instruments stopped ringing at once. Kowtowing for three times, the service reached the end. The nun and the Buddhist service musical instruments players went down from the altar. The congregations were dismissed row per row.
The nun saw Mrs. Florencia Quincy come late from the altar. With her warm and friendly smile, she approached Mrs. Florencia.
"Why can you be late, Mrs. Florencia? Usually on the first or the fifteenth of the lunar calendar like this, you always come early and meditate for a while upstairs and then join the service. Why is it?"
"When I was about to come here this morning, my youngest son phoned me, Master. He would love to return to Medan in January next 2019," said Mrs. Florencia with her warm and friendly smile.
"The youngest one? Erdie Vio if I'm not mistaken," asked the Buddhist nun. "Not really remember anymore…"
"Yes, Master… Erdie Vio…" answered Mrs. Florencia.
"Hmm…" the Buddhist nun was seen brooding for a few moments. The Buddhist nun was indeed famous for her prediction which was 80% accurate. "Is there something you'd like to ask?"
Mrs. Florencia was amazed with the nun's subconscious ability. Even when she had not expressed what she really wanted, the nun could already know her purpose.
"It's been five years my three sons are separated in different places, Master. They haven't been talking to one another for five years. They had a big quarrel because of a misunderstanding five years ago. Next year, when my youngest son returns to Medan, I hope that his two brothers will also follow him. Do you think… that wish of mine can come true, Master?"
The Buddhist nun seemed to be a little bit doubtful giving her response.
"You wish your three sons can gather together again, don't you? Gathering… yeah, they can gather together again… Yeah, they can… They can…"
Mrs. Florencia's pair of eyes were slightly sparkling.
"But, you only have one son, Mrs. Florencia. Gathering or separating in different places, is it very meaningful to you?" asked the Buddhist nun softly.
"Yeah, it's only Erick who's my biological son. Erwie and Erdie appeared mysteriously in the morning when I gave birth to Erick. Even though until now I've got no idea where they come from and why they should appear beside Erick when I gave birth to him, I still adore them as my own biological sons. I reckon that's a bounty from Buddha, so that today I can be a mother from three handsome and intelligent boys."
"It can be said that you have triplets, Mrs. Florencia. They look nearly and nearly the same one another, don't they?" asked the Buddhist nun again with a rather queer tone.
"If you glance at them for a while, they nearly look the same, Master… Moreover, their body postures are nearly the same and their height-differences aren't too far. I've reckoned three of them as my biological sons. Since they were kids, my husband and I never discriminate them and we've always been treating them equally."
"But, I see here that your three sons possess a kind of queer and mysterious power, Mrs. Florencia," said the Buddhist nun again, with her flat facial expression.
"Yes, Master… There are lights with three different colors coming out from their bodies when they're using that power. Until now, my husband and I have got no idea what power that is. Since they were kids, we've been emphasizing that behind the power, lies a responsibility – the responsibility to do good deeds and help our fellows."
"Yeah… Yeah… Don't worry much, Mrs. Florencia. Your three sons are kind and gentle," uttered the Buddhist nun. "So, the colors of the things they use daily are the same with the colors of their lights. Is that right?"
"Yeah, it's indeed like that, Master… They tend to choose clothes, shoes, socks, even until towels, jackets, helmets, and the other small things – based on the colors of their lights. Does that… Does that explain something, Master?" asked Mrs. Florencia frowning her forehead.
"It's not been the time," said the Buddhist nun briefly.
"Hah? Meaning, Master?" Mrs. Florencia frowned her forehead even deeper.
"It's not been the time, Mrs. Florencia. There are several things which we'd better wait for the time to answer. When it's been the time later, I'm sure you can understand it on your own. What I can tell you is why there are red, yellow, and green lights within three Makmur siblings' bodies. Red is for love – the love which can neutralize all hatred in the world. Therefore, it's Erick Vildy who gets the light with this color, isn't it?"
Mrs. Florencia was seen nodding her head several times, "Yeah, that's it… A light of love for Erick Vildy who's emotional, temperamental, and bad-tempered. But, this Erick Vildy, Master… He's easy to get hot, and easy to get cool as well. Among the three, he's the most sensitive, and the most sensible and considerate as well."
"Those are indeed his characters. Next, yellow is for wisdom and quietness – which can neutralize all the stupidity in the world. It's more suitable for Erwie Vincent who's calm, relaxed without any fluctuation. Is that right?"
"Yeah, Master… Erwie is indeed quiet, always talks softly and gently and very relaxed. Yet, he's the one who's unshakable with his decisions and principles."
"And the green light symbolizes self-satisfaction and optimism – which can neutralize all the greed in the world. It's more suitable for Erdie Vio who's always full of spirit, enthusiasm, and always looks at the life with full optimism. Is that right?"
"Yeah, Master… Your estimation is quite right. Among the three, Erdie Vio's got the fullest spirit, always full of enthusiasm, and always looks to the front with full optimism," said Mrs. Florencia. "Anyway, Master… Because today is Erdie's birthday, could I ask Master to pray and wish the best for him, so that he can pass all the obstacles and hindrances?"
"Hah? If I'm not mistaken, last 21st of September, you also asked me to pray for Erick Vildy, Mrs. Florencia. Is that right? Are your three sons' birthdays different one another?" the Buddhist nun raised up her eyebrows.
"Yeah, they're different, Master… Their birthdays are based on the dates when I registered for their birth certificates. At the time, my husband's company had got a few problems. My husband had to be in the office for whole day, so that he couldn't accompany me registering for their birth certificates. Consequently, I registered for three birth certificates on the three different days."
"Praying for the best of him, isn't it?" said the Buddhist nun again in her flat and straight tone. "Now, he's very good. His lover is preparing anything, so that tonight she can celebrate his birthday."
Of course Mrs. Florencia was very astonished listening to the Buddhist nun's reading.
"And so is Erwie Vincent, Mrs. Florencia… He's very well right now. His lover is also preparing anything, so that she can celebrate his birthday at the end of this month. Do I say the right thing?"
Mrs. Florencia was startled for a while. Erwie and Erdie have got lovers outside there? Who are those girls? When they phoned back to Medan, why didn't they say anything? I'll ask them directly via Line tonight… They must explain it in details to me.
As though the Buddhist nun could read what was on Mrs. Florencia's mind, she opened up her mouth again and uttered,
"Erick Vildy has also got a lover outside there, Mrs. Florencia," this time the Buddhist nun was seen slightly grinning.
"But, when they phoned back to Medan, they didn't say anything, Master…" said Mrs. Florencia after being able to cool down herself.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Florencia. Your future daughters-in-law are three women coming from the good family with satisfactorily-well backgrounds. The dark side of their past love stories has passed by. Their new futures which are full of dreams and hopes have just begun. I can tell you merely until here, Mrs. Florencia. About the rest, the time will tell, okay…?"
"I'm still curious why they can possess such queer and mysterious power, Master."
The Buddhist nun was seen smiling relaxingly this time, "It's not been the time yet, Mrs. Florencia."
Mrs. Florencia nodded her head afterwards. She knew that the Buddhist nun did not want to continue her prediction anymore. Yet, at least she knew that her three sons' past gloomy love stories with the deceiver girl, Stella Kuangdinata, had passed by. This time hopefully, everything could turn smooth and her three sons could find their own happiness.
***
Singapore, 8th November 2018
Of course Sabrina Marcelina asked her sweetheart to a café in the town center. Bringing a cake with small candles on it, Sabrina Marcelina sang the happy birthday song based on the background music being played in the café.
"Happy birthday… Happy birthday… Happy birthday… to Erdie…"
The cake arrived on the table. Feeling sheepish because he became the center of the attention from the whole café, Erdie Vio squinted his eyes and wished the best for himself, for Sabrina Marcelina, for his parents, for his two other brothers and for all his friends. He blew out the candles which were on the cake.
Sabrina Marcelina clapped her hands. The Happy Birthday background music changed back to the cool, calm, and romantic music.
"I've thought so… It's not usual you ask me to the café like this. This is evidently the reason," said Erdie Vio with his broad and charming smile.
"Before you celebrate it with your fans tomorrow, tonight let me celebrate it with you first," said Sabrina Marcelina while giving a box of her gift to her prince.
Erdie Vio opened up the gift with a lot of curiosity. Evidently, it was a brown blackish jacket.
"Sorry… Sorry… I don't get the green one, so I select the brown one. You can still wear a dark green shirt inside, can't you?" said Sabrina Marcelina a little bit guilty.
"It's okay, Dear…" said Erdie Vio landing a kiss onto his princess' forehead. "I know whatever you choose is the best for me."
Sabrina Marcelina smiled sparklingly. She leant her head onto her sweetheart's shoulder while taking a photo of her and her prince. Erdie Vio took a piece of the chicken steak with his fork. The chicken steak was directed into his sweetheart's mouth. His sweetheart instantly gobbled the chicken steak.
The romantic background music kept flowing throughout the whole café.
***
Medan, 12th November 2018
It had been four days. Being too busy with her social regular meetings, Mrs. Florencia forgot to phone one of 3E. This morning, while having breakfast, finally Mrs. Florencia remembered her sacred and important task. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Florencia had already been seen pressing her cell phone constantly.
Mr. Faiz stared at his wife for a while. Yet, he didn't say anything inasmuch as the maids were still going to and fro between the kitchen and the dining room, serving the vegetables and the other dishes that morning.
Mrs. Florencia frowned her forehead for a while insofar as there was nobody answering her call. She was still listening to the waiting tone.
"Who are you phoning?" asked Mr. Faiz while eating his chicken porridge that morning.
"Erdie, Faiz…" his wife said. "I don't know what time it's now in Sydney and Los Angeles, so I decide to call Erdie who's in Singapore. Why doesn't he answer the call? Is he busy with his shooting schedules again? He's really…"
"You say that Master Ce Hui has confirmed that the three women being 3E's partners at this moment are coming from good backgrounds and quasi-well families. It's alright then… Wait until they're here and you can ask them. Why are you so busy phoning them now only to ask them simple matters such as dating & relationships?"
"Yeah, I'm curious, Faiz," mumbled his wife again. "They're silently having their relationships out there. Furthermore, when they phoned back here, they didn't say anything about their lovers and relationships."
Mr. Faiz sniffed for a while. It had been the natural thing that women would always be curious about others' privacies, particularly those were their sons' privacies.
"So, Master Ce Hui didn't explain anything why 3E can possess such queer and mysterious power?" asked Mr. Faiz diverting their conversation to another topic.
"No, Faiz. She said it would be the time when we would know and understand everything automatically by ourselves, would understand why 3E can possess such queer and mysterious power," said his wife shaking her head slowly.
Mr. Faiz kept quiet after that. This Master Ce Hui is indeed famous with her predictions and estimations which are 80% correct. Even though it's like this, I still don't understand. Why doesn't she say it directly? Why do we have to wait until the time tells? It's indeed as queer and mysterious as the power possessed by my three sons then…
Mrs. Florencia put aside her cell phone and started to eat her noodles that morning. The rest of breakfast that morning was continued within the conversations about the couple's company and business affairs.
***
Los Angeles, 28th November 2018
"Happy birthday… Happy birthday… Happy birthday, to Erwie…" sang Julia Dewi while bringing a medium-sized cake in front of her sweetheart.
Erwie Vincent smiled relaxingly. He guessed there had to be a surprise for him tonight. It was not usual his princess asked him for a dinner in a five-star hotel like this. From the roof of the five-star hotel, Erwie Vincent could sweep the whole Los Angeles city. The freezing cold air began to flow throughout the city. Everywhere, people wearing thick clothes, hats, and thick shawls around their necks, could be seen.
Erwie Vincent appeared in dark yellow that evening – the dark yellow which looked nearly the same with light orange. Even, the thick shawl around his neck and his hat were also in dark yellow. Meanwhile, Julia Dewi appeared in her winter pink outfits, but her shoes, hat, and her shawl were also in dark yellow.
"I've thought before there must be a cake," said Erwie Vincent calmly, still with his relaxed smile.
"Why are you so sure?" asked Julia Dewi a bit grinning.
"It's impossible I myself can forget my birthday, is it?"
"Yeah…" said Julia Dewi in her laughter, "I planned to ask you to my favorite ice cream café. But, it's very crowded and noisy over there. I don't want your birthday night to be ruined by the crowded and noisy atmosphere around you."
"And finally, you can't enjoy your favorite ice cream," uttered Erwie Vincent in his skeptical tone.
"Not really… Tonight is your birthday, so you're the protagonist here. I know there's lamb chop with mint sauce here, which is also one of your favorite dishes. So, I eat that then."
Erwie Vincent replied his sweetheart's statement with his relaxed smile. He called the waiter and ordered their dining menu that evening.
"So…? Only cake…? No other gifts?" asked Erwie Vincent with his naughty smile.
Julia Dewi took out her present wrapped within a white gift paper with some yellow polka dots outside.
Erwie Vincent instantly opened up the gift in front of the giver. Julia Dewi was waiting nervously. Evidently it was a yellow belt and a yellow tie.
"Tie? Belt?" Erwie Vincent burst out in his laughter. "Hold on… Hold on… Hold on a moment… It seems that I've ever heard the meaning behind these tie and belt given as present. The meaning is…"
"The meaning is to tie you up forever, Wie…" said Julia Dewi feeling a bit hotter on her cheeks and ears.
"Tie me up… Where, Darling?" whispered Erwie Vincent. With his hoarse wet voice, he was the most suitable guy being crowned as the most romantic guy when dealing with love and feelings.
"Of course tying you up forever by my side, Wie Wie…" said Julia Dewi dabbing her sweetheart's nose.
Erwie Vincent burst out in his laughter, "Okay... Okay… I see… I see… Then…? Is there any more gift for me?"
"No more! What on earth again can I give you as a gift then?" protested Julia Dewi feeling slightly sheepish.
Erwie Vincent put his index finger onto his cheek. Julia Dewi laughed for a while. An intimate and warm kiss was landed on her darling's cheek.
Erwie Vincent seized his princess to his hug. Julia Dewi inserted her head deeper and deeper into the warmth. Silently, ripples of happiness were reacting in their lively ways.
***
Sydney, 12th December 2018
"Okay… Today the lesson is until here, Kids," said Erick Vildy closing his lesson book. "It begins to snow already recently. Be careful on your way home… Go home directly and don't go anywhere again unless for something necessary."
One of his students raised up his hand and asked, "Mr. Erick Vildy… May I ask something about the reincarnation topic being discussed in the text just now?"
"Yeah… Why is it? Is the topic from the text book just now a bit tickling?" uttered Erick Vildy in his meaningful smile.
Erick Vildy stared at his real Australian student from his hair to his feet. Oh, Buddha… This Australian student mustn't be a Buddhist. How am I supposed to explain this super sensitive topic to the non-Buddhist people?
"What do you want to know?" asked Erick Vildy again.
"Will the people having passed away be born again?" asked the student. Erick Vildy stared straightly and deeply to the student's eyes. He instantly knew that this student might have lost one of his beloved people. It could be sibling, parent, or even best friend.
"Okay… The others can go home first," said Erick Vildy to his other students.
Shortly afterwards, the class became empty. Those were merely Erick Vildy and his student asking about the reincarnation question being in the class.
"Okay… The answer is, of course everything having died already in this life will be born to the next life. That's indeed been the law of the universe," said Erick Vildy gently and softly.
"There are some people living solely for a while in this world and they just go away like that. Why is that?" asked the student again. Evidently, Erick Vildy was quite right. This student might have lost somebody whom he adored and loved deeply.
"Who's that, Ben?" asked Erick Vildy to the point.
"My mom, Mr. Erick Vildy," answered Ben Carter and when he raised up his head and gazed out of the window, Erick Vildy could see a pile of tears stagnate at the edge of his eyes.
"Your mom has gone?" asked Erick Vildy feeling a bit sympathy. "May I know because of what?"
"When I was little, Mr. Erick Vildy. Due to her kidneys failure… When I was five, my mom wasn't by my side anymore. When I was eight, my dad got married again and now I have a stepbrother. For these dozen years, I've always been thinking that my dad and my stepmom adore my stepbrother more than me. I've always felt that suppose my mom were still around, all this would never happen. I'm sure my mom would always listen to my sadness, problems, and laments."
Erick Vildy put his hand onto his student's shoulder.
"Can't we call back again the people having passed away, Mr. Erick Vildy?" asked Ben Carter again.
"Of course we can't, Ben… We can't… People having passed away from this life have instantly been born to the next life. They can be born to anything, anybody, and can be born anywhere – depending on their good and bad deeds in this life."
"My mom is a kind woman. I'm sure she'll be born in a better place – she won't ever suffer from kidneys failure again. Is that right, Mr. Erick Vildy?"
Now, the tears were rolling down from Ben Carter's eyes. Erick Vildy turned his sight to another direction. He could not stand watching the touching crying scene like this. But, inasmuch as he was also a teacher, he had to listen to his student's laments.
"You can't be said as a boy anymore, Ben. You can be said in your early stages to your maturity. A man ought to be able to see a matter from some different sides, Ben," said Erick Vildy.
"Different sides?" Ben Carter raised up his eyebrows, showing he did not really understand his teacher's latest sentence.
"Yes, Ben… There are three different perspectives which I can give you here, Ben. First, isn't that better if you think that your dad and mom adore your brother more than you?"
"What's better, Mr. Erick Vildy?"
"Of course, that's better, Ben. If your dad and mom adore your brother more than you, that means your brother is weaker, is more delicate, and he needs your parents' attentions more than you do. Is that right? You've been reckoned more mature, stronger, and you can differentiate which one is right and wrong based on your own spectacles, so that your dad and mom think that they don't really have to pay you so many attentions. Okay, now… whose position is better?"
Ben Carter kept quiet. He was seen needing some time to digest what had been explained by his teacher.
"Second, if you mom were still alive, she definitely didn't want to see you sad for these dozen years. Every mother in the world must want the best for their children. Your mom didn't want to see you sad and lose your spirits like this, either. She would be more delighted seeing you grow become a mature man with your focused and directed dreams as well as goals. Is that right?"
Ben Carter was still quiet.
"Third, every human comes alone to this world, Ben. There will come the time when each of us will leave this world in our own paths. There's no eternal togetherness, and there's no immortal separation. When there's no more fate of karma anymore, everything will be separated. If there's still fate of karma, everything will be together again."
Listening to his teacher's explanation, Ben Carter was amazed for a few moments, although there was approximately 80% which he did not really understand.
"The form is the emptiness – but, this emptiness is also the form," said Erick Vildy.
Ben Carter could merely look at his teacher with his bigger eyes and gaping mouth.
"There's no eternal togetherness. That means your fate of karma with your biological mom has ended. That means you have to let go something which has already reached its end. So, what fate of karma still exists right now? Your fate of karma with your dad still exists. You've never thought how sad he was that he had to lose a wife in the past. Suppose you're further and further away from him, don't you ever think that will make him even sadder inasmuch as right now, he also has to lose a kid? Ben… There's no immortal togetherness. Before it vanishes and is gone with the wind, cherish and appreciate it. Understand, don't you?"
Ben Carter nodded his head steadily. His tears were seen rolling down even more swiftly.
"I'd like to go home now. Don't go home too late. It begins to snow. The roads are rather slippery," said Erick Vildy putting his right hand on his student's shoulder.
"Okay, Mr. Erick Vildy… You can go home first. I can go back by myself later," said Ben Carter.
Erick Vildy walked towards the door of the class. When he was stepping out of the class, he could still hear Ben Carter break down in his crying at his seat.
Outside the classroom, evidently Melisa Rayadi had been waiting for him since a few moments ago.
"What a touching preaching for me, Mr. Erick Vildy."
"Don't mock me!" grumbled Erick Vildy. "Why didn't you come in just now and give me a sign so that I could know you'd arrived? Then, I could make my preaching a bit faster."
Erick Vildy was seen slightly joking. Melisa Rayadi merely smiled naughtily. She clung a bit coyly to her prince's arm. Both of them were seen walking towards the school gate.
"Exactly… I was afraid of disturbing your preaching. I saw you were so serious giving your student a kind of preaching," said Melisa Rayadi. "I heard he'd lost his mom since he was little, right?"
"Yeah, quite right…" uttered Erick Vildy with a bit sympathy flocking deep within his mind. "This is human's life…"
"There's no eternal togetherness," said Melisa Rayadi with a little bit queer tone of hers.
"Yeah… Thus, I always cherish and appreciate the moments of our togetherness. In January next year, I think we ought to return to Medan, Mel. However, I think our relationship still requires some approvals from our parents, doesn't it?"
Melisa Rayadi nodded her head with her enthusiasm.
"But, there's another thing which also requires a clarity, Rick," said Melisa Rayadi stopping her sweetheart's steps.
"What's that?"
"How about 3E's reunion? Is it obvious that 3E can reunite and make up again?" asked Melisa Rayadi in her flat and calm facial expression.
Erick Vildy was brooding for a few moments before finally he said, "That depends on 3E's own fate of karma, Mel."
"Yeah… The fate and the karma lie on your own hands, not on others'," said Melisa Rayadi slightly grumbling.
"Alright… After lunch, we can discuss about that again," muttered Erick Vildy a little bit grinning, "What are we going to have in this snowy afternoon?"
Melisa Rayadi clung again to her darling's arm.
"Get on to the MRT first. In the MRT later, it's not been late to discuss about it."