Anara got off the bus right in front of the village gate where she lived with Grandma Azizah and her twin brothers Alif and Alfi. With great difficulty Anara walked carrying a tote bag as well as a cardboard box filled with souvenir packages that she had brought from the city.
"Alfi, look at that! That's Sister!" Alif shouted pointing at Anara who had entered the village gate.
"Yes, it's Sister! Let's help Sister!" ask Alif.
The two identical twin sisters ran towards the direction of their older sister, Anara. Alif and Alfi smiled when they stood in front of Anara.
"Are you coming home alone? Why didn't Brother Neo accompany Sister?" Alif's question made Anara smile stiffly.
"Brother Neo is now working, so he is busy. This is all Sis going home alone when Brother Neo is still in the office." Anara explains why she went home alone.
"Why don't you just wait for Brother Neo to come home from work so he can be delivered?" asked Alfi.
"If you wait for Brother Neo to come home from work, you can come home late." Said Anara reasoned.
"You can wait for Brother Neo to take off work!" said Alif.
"If you wait until Brother Neo has the day off from work, that means you only have three days off here." Reply Anara who did not run out of reasons.
"Why is that?" asked Alif.
"Brother Neo does not have a definite day off from work, it could only be one day before Eid and come back the day after Eid." Answer Anara getting lazy.
Alif and Alfi only respond with pouty lips, because they both really hope that Neo can gather with them when Eid comes. Like when Neo's first fast was with them.
"Why are you pouting like that?" Anara asked her twin sisters.
"I want Brother Neo to be here, Sis!" Alif pursed his lips.
"Yes Sis! If there's Brother Neo, we can play together, catch fish together, sleep together. Brother Neo also likes to tell stories when he wants to sleep." Alfi chirped.
"Haaah…?" Anara is surprised by the last sentence that Alfi said.
"Why so surprised, sis?" asked Alfi.
"Indeed, if you want to sleep, Brother Neo likes to tell you what?" asked Anara curiously.
Alif and Alfi looked at each other then they both gave a secret smile, causing Anara to be confused.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you seeing your brother like that?" Anara asked.
"Big Sister isn't deceiving us right?" asked Alif probingly.
"What do you mean by saying that to your own brother, huh?" Anara was annoyed and asked back.
"Sister wasn't fighting with Brother Neo, then ran away from his house?" now Alfi is asking.
"Ish, you guys! You naughty children! Where is a brother like that? Sis, go home alone as soon as possible because you really want Eid here with you and Grandma. What's wrong, hm?" asked Anara pretending to be angry.
"Sister is not wrong!" said Alfi.
"We're sorry, sis!" continued Alif.
"Well that's that then! Let's help Big Sister carry all this stuff." asked Anara to her twin brothers Alif and Alfi.
The three of them walked towards Grandma Azizah's house which was located not far from the village gate. The village atmosphere is comfortable, cool, clean, making Anara always feel longing to be with Grandma Azizah and her twin brothers Alif and Alfi.
"Hey Anara!" Arrayan shouted Anara's childhood friend.
"Rayan? That is you?" Anara's eyes widened when she saw the figure of a handsome young man standing in front of her.
"Yes, of course it's me!" Arrayan replied with a happy smile on his face.
"How are you? It's been a long time since I've seen you since you decided to go to college and move to the city." Anara said.
"I'm fine Anara! How are you?" Arrayan asked back.
"I am as you see now!" Anara said firmly.
Alif and Alfi, who saw Anara's closeness to her childhood friend, became annoyed and showed a disgusted face to Arrayan. Alif and Alfi immediately grabbed Anara's hand to leave Arrayan who was still standing still.
"Why are you playing Tug-pulling Sister's hand? It hurts you know!" whispered Anara.
"Sister, don't get too close to other men. Later Brother Neo will be jealous and then angry with us, how about that? Brother Neo is your boyfriend, and he is very kind to us, Sister and grandmother. So, Sis, don't ever disappoint Brother Neo!" Alfi said making Anara frown.
"Ishhh you guys! Still small but already there his mind! Where are Sister and Brother Neo dating? Who said that, huh?" asked Anara annoyed.
"Brother Neo told us!" Alif's voice made Anara speechless.
Anara didn't want to hear anything more from her siblings regarding Neo, she preferred to walk hastily towards her house. Anara was too tired when she was on her way from the city to the village earlier.
"Let's not talk about it anymore! Come on, quickly! Sister wants to get home soon, he's tired and wants to rest soon." Said Anara reasoned.
Alif and Alfi followed Anara from behind shoulder to shoulder carrying Anara's luggage.
When she got home, Anara immediately looked for Grandma Azizah in the house yes. However, Grandma Azizah was not in the house, then Anara asked about the whereabouts of Grandma Azizah to Alif and Alfi.
"Grandma where?" Anara asked.
"Grandma is delivering cake orders, Sis just wait! Grandma will be home soon." Answer Alfi.
It hurts Anara's heart every time she hears that Grandma Azizah has to go around the village delivering cake orders for customers, which was actually her job before Anara was bound by a cooperation contract agreement with Neo.
"Poor Grandma." Anara's voice is soft while her tears are already flowing, making Alif and Alfi look at her questioningly.
"Why are you crying?" asked Alif.
"Did Brother Neo hurt Sister?" asked Alfi ridiculously.
"Ishhh you guys! Nothing to do with Brother Neo at all! I feel sorry to see that Grandma has to go deliver cake orders to customers. Sister should have done that, not Granny! If Sister…" Anara did not continue her words.
Anara remembers that Alif and Alfi are still too young to know the problems she is facing right now, forcing her to enter into a cooperation contract agreement with Neo. Even Grandma Azizah and Grandpa Badrun themselves didn't know about this problem. Because, indeed only Anara and Neo know and do not involve any party.
"What if Sister? If you marry Brother Neo?" asked Alif ridiculously.
Pletaaakkk…
Anara suddenly hit Alif's head with all her might, until her sister winced in pain and held her blushing forehead.
"Aww… ouch it hurts, Sis!" Alif grimaced in pain.
"Watch your tongue! If Brother Neo hears that, Sister…" Anara's words stopped.
"Sister happy? Or are you shy?" Alfi teases Anara even more.
"Don't be shy, sis! Brother Neo told us that he would marry you as soon as possible, so that Brother Neo would not be separated from you forever. Just like before Sister left Brother Neo alone, Brother Neo finally followed Sister here by bringing Belia the other day." Alif's words surprised Anara.
Anara just found out that Neo had gone that far talking to his two younger twins Alif and Alfi, even though they were only 12 years old, but it seems that Neo is actually deliberately asking for support from his two younger twins in that way.
If Grandma Azizah has openly left all decisions in Anara's own hands, Alif and Alfi are different. Even though they were still small, they both gave full support to Anara if Neo later became brother-in-law for them both.
"Don't dream high. If you fall, you will end up getting sick too!" said Anara reminiscent.
"Who's dreaming?" asked Alfi with pursed lips in annoyance.
"Dream…!" muttered Anara.
"Alif! Let's go! Just leave your sister alone at home! Let me feel how lonely Sis' life is when you're alone without Brother Neo!" Alfi runs as fast as lightning because Anara is ready to hit him.
"Ishhh, you naughty boy!" Anara shouted when Alif and Alfi had already left before Anara hit him.
Anara sat stunned in her house. Immediately an image flashed when the whole house was enlivened with the laughter of Neo with Alif, Alfi, and Grandma Azizah, as well as the chattering and crying sounds of Belia's baby.
Test…
Not felt the tears running down the pretty face of the veiled girl. Instantly there was a feeling of longing in his heart for the two figures, Neo and baby Belia.
"Brother…! Forgive me! I left without saying goodbye to you first. I know you must be very angry with me, that's why I deliberately didn't tell you that I'm going home this soon." Anara buried her face into the folds of her legs by hugging her legs.
Without Anara realizing that since Alif and Alfi left earlier, Grandma Azizah was already at her house by entering through the back door and watching Anara from behind the wall. Grandma Azizah had heard all of Anara's complaints, even Grandma Azizah had just found out that Anara and Neo's relationship was getting worse and not doing well.
"Anara!" Grandma Azizah's voice surprised Anara.
"Grandma?" Anara spontaneously got up and hugged Grandma Azizah tightly.
"What is it? Why are you crying, Anara?" Grandma Azizah asked feigning ignorance.
"I really miss Grandma, hiks..." Anara's hug tightened even more.
"You came alone?" Azizah's grandmother diverted the conversation.
"Yes, Grandma!" replied Anara.
Grandma Azizah broke her hug and looked at Anara with a sad face. Granny Azizah's old face, which looked tired, made Anara feel deep sadness. Love for Grandma Azizah provoked Anara to cry again.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Grandma Azizah to help wipe Anara's tears.
"I'm sorry, Grandma! If I didn't choose to work for Mr. Nuh's family, I wouldn't let Grandma be tired like this." Anara's face was getting wetter.
"That's enough! Grandma is okay. The important thing is that you enjoy your job. Granny here can still work to tire You are looking for money to keep this house ours." Said Grandma Azizah.
Anara cried again when she remembered the departure of her parents, apart from leaving deep wounds. The family of the other victim is suing the father because he was negligent in driving, causing another victim to die because of the incident.
The family sued Grandma Azizah as a family. With resignation, Grandmother Azizah accepted the demand, even though in a peaceful and family way, it was still very burdensome for Grandma Azizah who did not have as much wealth as the demands requested.
That was why when little Anara was willing to help Grandma Azizah selling wet cakes to earn rupiah, so that she and Grandma Azizah could support her two twin sisters who were still very small at that time.
Added to this is the burden and responsibility to the other victim's children, who become alone after their father and mother died when the incident occurred. Even though there was an uncle who took him away, the uncle still made demands on Grandma Azizah in order to continue the child's life.
"Tomorrow morning I will make a pilgrimage to the graves of your father and mother, Grandma! Will Grandma accompany me?" Anara asked.
"Of course! Granny, Alif and Alfi will come with you, Anara." Grandma Azizah replied.
"Then now help me open the souvenirs I brought for Grandma, Alif and Alfi. These are all entrusted by Mrs. Sonya and Mr. Nuh for you." A sweet smile grew at the corners of Anara's lips.
Even though she was still smiling, Grandma Azizah knew that Anara was currently hiding her sadness. I don't know what kind of sadness Anara hides from Grandma Azizah, one day Grandma Azizah will find out for sure.