After Dea returned, Zulfa immediately cleaned the dining table which contained several dirty dishes. She sighed tiredly, again Farel did not eat her homemade food. What's wrong with trying to eat this simple food? Is Farel's tongue too expensive to taste her cooking?
Ah, she forgot, Farel Putra Brahmana. A great director who is known as the CEO of his own father's company. A man with a perfectly sculpted face, but too cold a face. Luxury has been abundant in his life since childhood, even when he was still in the womb she was sure her mother-in-law wanted something expensive.
And it's only natural that the dishes she makes don't match the tastes that are usually pinned on Farel's expensive tongue. What does it mean? Self-aware enough? Of course not. Trying harder is the key to everything, armed with the deepest determination.
"Madam, just let me take care of all this. Besides, Madam hasn't rested yet, you'll be sick."
Ah, Zulfa forgot that there are several people here who help with all the housework that she couldn't do on her own --because Farel's orders told her not to work harder, she said relying on other people's power--. One of them is Ijah, who has served in this house for a long time, upholding loyalty in her heart. Of course, she knew how ruined her master's marriage was.
How Zulfa's pain was accompanied by heart-wrenching tears, how Farel always thought that Rani was still worthy to come to this house, and how Zulfa survived in this unconscionable marriage relationship. Ijah knows everything, it's bittersweet for the people at home to have this myriad of luxuries.
But Ijah chose silence at Zulfa's request, she didn't want to make the woman's family worry about this situation. Imagine if her parents knew how bad Farel's behavior was, it was certain that this marriage relationship didn't last long at all. Only Zulfa, Ijah, and some of the workers in this house were forced to silence this heart-wrenching fact.
Zulfa with her patience, maybe if her life is made into a novel or a feature film, she is one hundred percent sure that it contains onions (very sad). A bad start will of course invite bad things in the future. The laws of nature can never be challenged.
Zulfa looked at Ijah gently who had taken over the plate in her hand. "You want to help me?" She asked because she felt bad if her job was taken over by someone else, it felt like she had a debt of gratitude. After all, she could still do this herself, even until everything was clean she could.
But again, it's not Zulfa who will be reprimanded for this. However, according to Farel, workers who are not good at doing anything, are affected.
"Don't worry, it's my job. You just sit down to rest, I'll make you hot tea later," said Ijah with a look in her eyes that showed confidence that she didn't need help, of course, this was the most gentle way of rejection with a heartwarming smile. She was quite sorry for Zulfa's very pitiful fate, how could she be so strong?
When other women need a shoulder to lean on when she is at the lowest position in her life, Zulfa is determined to get up without anyone making her a pillar. No matter how strong she is, her heart is as if it were made of steel.
Hurt many times, but refuse to leave. Worse yet, Zulfa prefers to endure the pain so Farel doesn't leave. Stupid? No, that woman had a soft heart, to the point that she didn't want to lose someone who had hurt her, she just didn't want to.
Zulfa nodded, agreeing with what Ijah said. Rather than constantly like she was fighting for a job, it was better for her to give up. "But don't add too much sugar, Ijah." She said while giving a very sweet smile. Remember, behind that smile is a wound that most people don't know. A smile is indeed the most effective mask to let the world know that he is fine.
"Afraid of diabetes huh?" asked Ijah while slipping a little humor, a small chuckle was heard.
Zulfa shook her head, a sign that she didn't agree with what Ijah had said to her. "No, but because I'm already cute." She replied with a chuckle showing a row of neat white teeth, making Ijah, who was tidying up the clean glasses on the table, laugh too.
This is one of the best diversions to hide your sadness, at least it works, even if only temporarily.
"All women are beautiful, but I feel very far compared to madam. I feel my sins are very many because I am this old but have not moved like Madame." She said while stroking her chest softly while muttering 'mashallah as if amazed by Zulfa's appearance which made many women feel rivaled by her because she had not succeeded in covering her aurat, including Ijah.
Zulfa shook her head, then gently stroked Ijah's arm, which was wrapped in a nightgown. "Jah, Hijrah in the context of Islam means leaving what you hate for what you love. Hijrah is difficult, don't use this as an excuse to judge others, especially forbid and deny things that are contrary to what is understood." She said in a soft tone so polite it reached the ear.
Ijah was amazed to hear a simple narrative but with a very deep meaning that came out of Zulfa's mouth. "Did anyone object when Madam decided to emigrate? Or even criticized her because she didn't like it?" She asked curiously. The reason is, it is rare for women to wear robes every day like Zulfa. Long headscarves, wear cuffs if the sleeves don't cover up to the wrists, Subhanallah, this is a real sense of peace.
Zulfa smiled a little, she felt guilty for making others feel rivaled by her, even though it was a good competition. But still, he is learning to always be on God's path. "Believe me, it happened to me. But people's opinions differ. I also can't get them to like me. Everyone has a different point of view. And I try to use that as motivation for me." This means an explanation comes out of her mouth again.
If Farel knew how holy a Zulfa was, perhaps he wouldn't dare to hurt her presumptuously like this.
Farel should be grateful to find a wife who understands religion very well, is even good at cooking, and still has a strong desire to do housework alone. But unfortunately, Rani's presence blinded everything. Loss of direction that leads to forgetting the way home is very difficult, often happens to someone who is rarely grateful for what is already in his life.
"If Mr. Farel loves you, surely everything will feel perfect," said Ijah, smiling sincerely. She was sure one day, the miracle was true. As a middle-aged woman who has tasted almost all the bitters and sweets of life, of course, she immediately felt like Zulfa when she saw such inappropriate treatment. Pain, tightness, and soreness mixed into one.
Zulfa smiled bitterly hearing Ijah's words, Farel was reluctant to see herself while sleeping. How can love exist if habits are not created? "That's not possible. Well, I want to watch television first. I'm waiting for the tea made by you," she said as she walked away from Ijah to walk towards the long sofa not too far from the television room and kitchen.
She prefers to be immersed in the spectacle on the TV screen than watching a painful video that plays continuously in the performance of her brain. She wanted to unwind for now by pampering herself on the soft sofa. At least, this was all he could do. Want to cry? She was tired of crying over things that had no light until she felt his tears had dried up.
To be honest, Ijah felt sorry for Zulfa. Farel's character and attitude deviated far from the husband category. She wanted to rebuke or even say what was at least right and what was wrong. Farel's always intimidating face made her choose to remain silent and not know anything. But she was sure if one day there was an atmosphere that required her to advise the man.
If you can't love, at least don't hurt. If you don't like it, just hide it, don't treat the person like the wind. Because the pain of a woman is always buried without wanting to share. Because she doesn't want the person she loves to turn around to worry about her, it's a woman's nature to pretend to be strong.
It's a broken marriage.
Confessing with what it felt like was a waste. If you tell someone else, you will blame the whole situation on Farel. Even though Zulfa was sure that she also had mistakes that made her husband act like that.
See, how good is Zulfa who doesn't want Farel to be labeled bad in everyone's eyes? How sincere is a woman's heart when she decides to devote her day to someone?
"God has bigger plans, madam. Everything takes time," murmured Ijah who kept praying for the best employer like Zulfa. Because a good woman will find a destiny that is much better than before.
Many things are beautifully engraved after a storm that can destroy the mood. Just wait for the right time to feel that way, because God is always just.
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