The car driven by Mr. Nuh had arrived in front of Grandma Azizah's house. The beautiful village atmosphere and fresh air made Mr. Nuh chuckle in awe as he looked around Grandma Azizah's yard.
"Is this your grandmother's house, Anara?" asked Mrs. Sonya.
"Yes, Mom!" Anara replied smiling happily.
"Dad, it looks like we have to find a house around here that we want to sell." Mrs. Sonya's chirping made everyone look at Mrs. Sonya in unison.
"What for?" asked Atha who came on a motorcycle with Neo.
"Mom wants to have a house here, honey! Far from the noise, the air is still cool. The environment is really comfortable." Mrs. Sonya answered with sparkling eyes.
"Other people from the village want to move to the city, Mom why do you want to move from the city to the village?" asked Atha making Mrs. Sonya chuckle.
"In a crowded city, baby!" muttered Mrs. Sonya.
Hearing the noise outside her house made Grandma Azizah curious, then she looked outside. His eyes widened when he saw the arrival of Anara and Neo.
"Anara…! Neo…!" cried Grandma Azizah.
"Grandma…!" Anara and Neo compactly replied to Grandma Azizah's greeting.
"Why are you still standing there! Come in! Invite them all!" invite Grandma Azizah.
Anara then invited Neo's family to come in and meet Grandma Azizah. Meanwhile, his twin brothers Alif and Alfi did not appear in the house.
"Assalamualaikum…!" Mr. Nuh greeted before entering the house.
"Wa'alaikumsalam…!" Grandma Azizah replied and invited Mr. Nuh and Mrs. Sonya to enter.
Anara introduced Mrs. Sonya, Mr. Nuh, Atha, and also baby Belia to Grandma Azizah, and vice versa. Anara served the wet cakes that Grandma Azizah used to make for the Neo family.
"Wow… the cake is really delicious, Grandma! Is this what Grandma made herself?" asked Atha, still chewing the moist cake made by Grandma Azizah.
"Yes, son! Grandma made it herself. Usually Anara makes all these cakes to be sold at the market and around the village. Sometimes there are also those who like to order a lot for recitation events or parties." said Grandma Azizah.
"Is it true?" asked Mrs. Sonya.
"Yes, madam! Azizah inherited her talent from her mother, who is good at cooking and making various wet cakes, that's why Anara did not continue her studies because she wanted to help Grandma to earn money for the four of us to live on." Grandma Azizah replied.
"Dad just found out that Anara is good at cooking! When do you cook for Daddy?" Mr. Nuh said making Anara spontaneously nod slowly.
Grandmother Azizah was happy because Anara's employer was so kind and seemed to love Anara. There is no doubt that Anara really does well, so the Neo family loves Anara so much.
"Grandma…!" shouted Alfi and Alif from outside.
"Hi my twin, brother!" Neo say hello.
"Brother…!" shouted Alif and Alfi in unison.
When they were about to enter the house, Anara prevented Alif and Alfi from entering. Anara with her ferocious face showed her true nature in front of Neo to her twin brothers.
"Eh? Is Anara really like that when she's angry with Alif and Alfi?" thought Neo.
"Through the back!" said Anara in a half whisper that Neo could still hear.
"It turns out that you are fierce too!" Neo's chirps made Anara turn around.
Anara glanced at Neo then went inside leaving the handsome young man alone in front of Grandma Azizah's terrace.
"You seem to know the family closely, Anara!" said Atha.
"If you don't know how it is possible for Brother to want to hire people easily like that, what else to take care of Belia. Brother won't play games to choose someone who can take care of Belia." Neo's reply made Atha pout her lips.
Alif and Alfi finished cleaning themselves and joined Neo's family. Currently, Anara is cooking lunch with Neo's family.
Coincidentally, Alif and Alfi have caught fish in the river with Grandpa Badrun, so the fish they net can be served to Neo's family.
"Hmmm… really delicious cooking! Who's cooking, Grandma?" asked Atha.
"That's all Anara cooked herself." Grandma Azizah answered.
"Wow, Anara really made Daddy's wish come true! Atha is right! Your cooking is really good, Anara!" praise Mr. Nuh.
"Mom, agreed!" Mrs. Sonya said chuckling while continuing to chew the lunch Anara served.
Neo only listens to conversations between his family, although he occasionally steals glances at Anara who is enjoying lunch while holding her baby, who is starting to get active.
"Brother, what do you think about Anara's cooking? It's delicious and suits your tongue, right?" asked Atha curiously.
"Brother Atha doesn't know that Brother Neo has often eaten my sister's cooking!" Alfi chirped making everyone turn to him.
"Is it true?" Atha's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hmm. Brother Neo has stayed here for quite a while!" Alif said then surprised Mr. Nuh, Mrs. Sonya and Atha.
Uhuk…
Uhuk…
Uhuk…
Neo choked on his own food hearing Alif's words. Anara, who was sitting near Neo, immediately gave Neo some water to drink, immediately Neo accepted it and drank the water until he was empty.
"Didn't you say that you've stayed here before! When was that, bro?" Atha asked making Neo look at her sharply.
"Looks like your brother did the right thing, Young master Atha! Your brother asked Anara not to take care of Belia's baby carelessly, he must first know how Anara's daily life is. That's right, isn't it?" Grandma Azizah broke the ice making Neo breathe a sigh of relief.
"Yes, Granny is right!" continued Neo.
The atmosphere returned to silence as they were enjoying lunch with grilled fish that Anara had cooked with the choice of spices, which was very suitable for the Neo family's taste buds.
Luckily Grandpa Badrun brought lots of fish he caught, so Grandma Azizah didn't have to be embarrassed when she asked Neo's family to have lunch with Anara's family.
"Grandpa lives alone?" asked Mr. Nuh.
"Grandpa lives alone. But here are the twins Alif and Alfi who like to accompany Grandpa to the garden or to catch fish by the river. Sometimes when I'm lazy to cook, Grandpa also eats here. It's like now, hahaha…" Grandpa Badrun's laughter filled the room.
"Then where does Grandpa's family live?" asked Atha.
"Grandpa's only son, son-in-law, and grandson live in the city. They rarely go home because they are busy, usually it is during Eid that they will come and spend about two weeks on vacation here. Even if there is no urgent office work." Grandfather Badrun answered with a deep breath.
"How old is Grandpa's grandson now?" asked Mr. Nuh then.
"He is the same age as the current Neo. Maybe he finished college and started working." Grandfather Badrun replied with a proud smile towards his grandson.
Neo saw a sad streak on Grandpa Badrun's wrinkled face when he talked about his grandson. Neo could feel how sad Grandpa Barun felt to hold back his longing for his grandson and his only child.
It was late afternoon, Mr. Nuh and Mrs. Sonya were quite comfortable at Anara's house. The introduction to Anara's family made him forget the time.
"Dad! It's already this afternoon! We're going home now!" invite Mrs. Sonya.
"Yeah, come on!" replied Mr. Nuh.
Finally Mr Nuh, Mrs. Sonya, Atha and Neo, who were carrying their baby Belia, said goodbye. Anara shed tears when she saw the baby Belia sleeping in Neo's arms.
"Okay nephew, Aunty! Don't fuss with big Daddy! Aunty will be back later for you, honey!" Anara kissed Belia's chubby cheeks.
"Brother! If anything happens, let me know!" said Anara.
"Hmm." Neo replied with a mumble.
Neo immediately got into the car with the baby in his arms. It's not only Anara who is sad to be temporarily separated from Belia's baby, Neo also feels sad and lonely when he leaves Anara.
It is inconceivable how Neo's life will be for the next few days without Anara. Neo was used to seeing, hearing, and even interacting with Anara during these two months.
"Be careful!" Anara said softly.
"You too!" Neo replied staring closely at Anara.
"Eheeemmm…" Mr. Nuh's coughing voice surprised Neo and Anara.
Anara immediately backed away and made way for Mr. Nuh to drive his car. After Neo's family car disappeared from sight, then Anara, Grandma Azizah, Alif, Alfi and Grandpa Badrun returned home.
"The Neo family is very kind and considerate of you, Anara! Do you enjoy working with them?" asked Grandpa Badrun.
"Grandpa's right! They are very kind, especially Mrs. Sonya and Mr. Nuh. They already consider me like their child. Grandpa Know? Neo gave me a big room, even all the facilities that I never had when I was in my own house. Neo gave it. I don't like using skin care but Neo and Nuh Dad gave it to me." said Anara with a big smile on her lips.
"You have a lot to be grateful for, Anara! Good fortune brought you to their family. You also have to be careful in taking care of the young baby." Grandma Azizah's message.
"Of course, Grandma! I really love baby Belia like my own nephew. He's a cute baby and very adorable." Praise Anara.
"Is Belia's baby the same as us, Sis? She has no father and mother?" said Alif.
"Baby Belia still has a father, but she doesn't live together because her mother, Belia, is the child of Nuh Dad and Sonya Mom. Belia's father lives elsewhere, only occasionally visits young baby during holidays." Reply Anara.
Grandma Azizah was sad to hear Anara's story. He remembers his daughter and son-in-law who are gone. Fate had made his three grandchildren orphans since childhood.
"Grandma, why?" she asked.
"Tomorrow we make a pilgrimage to the graves of your father and mother!" that was the only word that came out of Grandma Azizah's mouth.
"Yes, Grandma! Answered Anara, Alif, and Alfi in unison.
"Then I'll go home! In a little while at dusk I want to get ready for congregation at the mosque. Alif, Alfi, do you want to join Grandfather in praying at the mosque?" invite Grandfather Badrun.
"Want, Grandpa!" Alif and Alif answered in unison.
Almost four hours drive from Grandma Azizah's house, brother Apparently Neo's family car has arrived in their yard.
"Owekkk… mamamamama…" Belia's baby chatter made Neo smile.
"We're here, honey!" Neo kisses Belia's chubby cheeks fondly.
"Ouch... it's so cute to kiss Belia's cheek where Anara's lips are there!" Atha quipped which made Neo freeze spontaneously.
Neo didn't realize at all that the cheek he kissed Belia was the trace of Anara's lips that kissed Belia, moments before they parted ways.
"Reasonable! Let's just say I kissed Anara's lips through Belia's cheek." Inner Neo smiled barely perceptible.