Arriving in Surabaya, Berto and Dewita took Bobby straight to the hospital. On the way, Dewita said that at first, they wanted to introduce Lisa faster. Lisa would study in Malang, staying at Bobby's house, so they would get to know each other.
All of those plans suddenly had to change. A few months ago, Amara, Lisa's mother was attacked by liver cancer. Her condition dropped very quickly. Hearing all of that, Bobby's heart became increasingly erratic. The situation he was about to find himself in seemed to be even worse than he already knew.
They entered the emergency room. A woman laid weakly on the bed. She was looked skinny and pale. Her stomach was swollen from the pain. She was sleeping. Various medical equipment stuck to several parts of her body. Beside the bed sat a beautiful girl. Her skin was white with straight hair falling, jet black. Her face was sad and she looked very sad.
"Lisa ..." Dewita greeted Lisa.
"Auntie, Uncle ..." The girl turned her head, greeted Dewita and Berto also.
"How is your mother?" Berto asked.
"Nothing has changed," said Lisa sadly.
"This is Bobby, Lis." Dewita introduced Bobby to Lisa.
Bobby greeted her. Lisa glanced at Bobby, then she bowed her head down.
"Go to the canteen. You must have not eaten yet. Let me and Berto stay here with your mother," said Dewita. She purposely so that Bobby and Lisa have time to get acquainted.
"Alright," Lisa answered curtly.
Bobby and Lisa left the room, walking towards the hospital cafeteria. Down the hall, they didn't speak to each other. Bobby glanced at Lisa, the girl walked with her head down. Bobby could understand the sadness Lisa was experiencing seeing her mother lying helpless.
"I'm sorry about your mother." Finally, Bobby started the conversation.
"Thanks for coming to see me," said Lisa.
"We're the same age, right? We are just graduated from high school this year?" Bobby asked.
"Yeah," Lia answered briefly.
"I ... don't know what to say either ..." Bobby felt awkward. "But ... after this, you will ... be my wife."
Lisa immediately burst into tears hearing Bobby's words. Bobby was of course confused to see it.
"Uh, come on, let's sit over there." Bobby invited Lisa to sit on a chair in the park they were passing. It was quiet, so it was safe for them to talk there.
"I'm sorry, but my heart is very sad, Lis. I never imagined I would come in this situation," said Bobby. He wanted to be honest and forthright no matter what happened.
Lisa just looked down. Once and twice, she wiped her wet cheeks. Bobby remembered Yuana. Yuana was also very easy to cry.
"I'm sorry, because of me, you have to sacrifice. Your plans and also your girl. I know, I hurt you both." Lisa said sadly. Stared at Bobby for a moment then looked down again.
"I think you are also the same. But we have to live it. What happens we have to certainly face," said Bobby. He himself was surprised how good the sentence he said was, even though his heart was broken.
"I feel like a bad person. Why wasn't I born as a boy? So, our parents couldn't match us both. I can't bear to see my mom like this. If my mom was healthy, I might have chosen to run away. And I don't know what to say about my dad. Since my mom was sick, he seems to have lost control. He is very sad and fragile. In fact, it seems he is about to lose his life." Lisa couldn't hold back the pain she felt. Her lips seemed to be unable to close and say everything that was on his mind.
"Lis, believe me, everything will be fine again later. We have to be strong no matter what we're going through." Bobby felt like a hypocrite. He said things that calmed Lisa down, while he himself was very upset.
"Thank you," said Lisa. "You know, I was so scared to meet you. I imagine you must hate me. You're angry and rude to me."
"I won't." Bobby watched Lisa. Yuana was still more cheerful than Lisa. Lisa seemed shyer and more introverted.
"Come on, let's go to the cafeteria. You must be starving," said Bobby.
The two of them went to the cafeteria and bought some food. Less than half an hour later they were back in Lisa's mother's room.
In the room Amara was awake.
"Are you Bobby ...?" she said weakly.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm Bobby." Bobby approached Amara.
"You are a handsome young man." Weak Amara spoke. "Bob, please take care of Lisa … I won't be long to stay ... I'm so tired ... I love Lisa very much ... I'm relieved that before I leave, she has somebody ..." Amara held Bobby's hand. Bobby felt her thin, warm skin. Her eyes looked at Bobby expectantly.
"Yes, Mom ..." Bobby said quietly with mixed feelings in his heart. That situation really put more pressure on Bobby. In fact, Bobby had no choice but to agree with his parents' decision.
Lisa was standing at the end of the bed trying to hold back the tears that had gathered in her eyes.
"Thank you ..." Amara forced a smile to form on her lips.
"Lis ..." Amara called her daughter.
"Yes, Mommy ..." Lisa looked at Amara.
"Come here, near Bobby," Amara asked Lisa to stand next to Bobby.
Lisa stepped forward and stood by Bobby.
"You have to serve Bobby well. He will be your leader. Be faithful ... obey him. Take care of him ... well," said Amara, advised Lisa.
Lisa nodded and tears rolled down her cheeks. She could no longer hold her tears.
"There's one more thing I want. This might not be nice. But I ..." Amara watched Bobby and Lisa. The two of them also looked at Amara.
" I hope you will get married here. I can't get out of this room. I want to see you both married," said Amara.
"Sure. We will arrange the wedding here," said Berto. His heart aches too. His only son had to get married so soon, under these circumstances.
Yes, he really wanted Lisa to be his daughter-in-law. But of course, it was not the situation he hoped for. Dewita had gone back and forth to wipe her wet eyes. She couldn't bear to see all of this.
Bobby swallowed. Married to a stranger, in the hospital, in front of her terminally ill mother. Totally complete ...
"Whatever happens just let it happen," Bobby thought.
*****
Berto took care of permission to the hospital to hold a wedding in the patient's room. He also contacted the pastor who would help carry out the wedding. In just two days everything was ready.
That morning, Bobby and Lisa were officially married. Bobby wore a white shirt with a black suit and pants. Lisa only wore a simple white knee-length dress. Her face was made up very simply. Dewita who signed it. The only one who seemed happy that day was Amara. She felt calm. Whenever God called, she didn't worry about Lisa.
What Amara needed to do was to strengthen her husband. Widyo had to be strong, for Lisa's sake. Amara knew that Widyo had been very upset since she was sick. And it was the reason why Amara was forcing Lisa to marry. Because Widyo couldn't be relied on to take care of Lisa.