The orange sky is shown to me. The Sun setting far in the west deliberately telling me to get fast on my journey. I'm still outside, on the side of the road watching cars and things passing by in front of me. I have to walk from place to place after selling my car to the dealer.
It's the best thing I can do. I selling my car so my love and life not suffering from this difficult time.
But it came again, it has been 60 days since then, the hopes ...
A wind of hope passed in my mind, telling me to jump off this long bride. But I choose to skip the hopes and faithfully get this life into my nerves as a pleasure experience, rather than getting stressed and making things worse ...
"I only hope she didn't leave me..." I murmured as remembered my lovely wife.
After an hour of walking from the job interview places. I finally can see a small white color house that I bought by combining money from the piggy bank since childhood and my first job money for a total of 25 years of savings. This house is the only thing I can keep after survived from the pandemic.
I grab the door hold and the cold rose into my right palm.
"She's not home yet?" I said while looking at the little plant that become frowned, "Huh... Let me take care of you."
***
I sat at the small dining table, just for two people, me and my wife. I look at the plant, then start chopping and cutting the shriveled leaves. I'm doing it as my wife did in the pandemic confusion. I remember everyone doing the same thing at that time ...
The social media era is gold back then. Everyone shows their skill.
But, my wife did better than them. She smiles brightly and will teach me how to become a gardener with kindness.
Now the situation is kind of different. I'm all alone because she went to her childhood house or my mother-in-law's house in the village. She wants some new scene for the work-from-home environment, therefore she chooses to live in the village.
She invited me to accompany her, but I denied it.
Her parents don't like me because I'm only a Househusband. I've been jobless for 12 months straight after getting kicked out of my latest company, due to the pandemic cut.
Even though my wife said our little family was doing good with or without me going to work, her family still reject such objection. After that accident, I must be the person obligated to know my place.
I didn't want to become a NEET either, it was just a matter of time, I said it to my wife before she leave me alone.
Therefore I apply for whatever jobs in town, but none of them want me as a worker, even a cleaner company didn't want me around their things. They tossed me to the lowest ground like garbage.
In my town, every worker that gets kicked out because of the pandemic is almost seen as a useless worker. We're ...
"Finished... Let me feed you up." I open the fridge, took an apple, and peel the skin. Then dump it into the dirt.
I've been eating an apple and bread for months. I looked at the plant, eating an apple, and watering the plant while my thought traveled beyond time and mind.
In such a condition, it just matters of 'If only I did', thinking about the world as if it was only for me ...
"I know it never works like that, especially after the huge hit of the pandemic, the realization for mankind and me—"
—Knock-knock
I heard the sound of wood coming from the front door. I didn't even have the will to shout something to answer the call, but I took a walk to the door while the knocker still going for the sounds.
Like a woodpecker.
I click the key and open the door ...
"Who are you?" I asked because witnessing such light grabbed my eyes and didn't let me figure out the person.
"What do you mean 'Who'?! I'm your wife!" such a beautiful voice replies to my concern. My ears and brain took it as the best harmony.
Then, my eyes welcomed such a sweet and warm feeling from her appearance. Her smile and eyes just tighten my mind to hug her confidently, at the front door ...
"I miss you..." I said to the light of my life.
"Honey... What's wrong with you? I thought you don't want to be bothered...."
The words she delivered even made me pull her closer and tight. I'm so happy to smell her again after those mad-long days, I love the scent of home and ease in my life, and I just realized it actually comes from my wife.
I look at her, then said, "Don't leave me again..."
Her eyes become watering and blushing within one blink. She looks deep into me, then smiles more brightly than ever, "I will never do that to you..."
She hugged me back, but I just noticed that someone else looking at us. I become frown just at their poker face.
"Did you always do that so people can see the jobless man can have a beautiful wife? Get your hands off my daughter!"
"Dad?! You promised to me to not say anything!" my wife turn around and give me a little protection from my in-laws.
"You didn't talk back to me! If only I knew this house earlier, I will never accept your husband! Let me see your house!" he walking toward us.
"No!"
My wife rejects the request, but my father in law rushing inside, knocking me and my wife to the side. I didn't have anything to say, his huge appearance shock me, because this is the first time I see my father-in-law after my married party.
It was three years ago.
He looks in any direction with excitement. My house only has 2 rooms for work and a bedroom, then the small one for bathroom and toilet. My father-in-law broke the door without stopping even in a single breath.
He touches everything ...
I and my wife's shoe stack, wardrobe, cabinet, and even the fridge. He slowed the pace and reach out to the small dining table with two old wood chairs. He played with the chair and the squeak of wood echoed through the white color wall which began to peel off over time.
I can do nothing but look with wide-open eyes. The wind of hopes passed again, now it telling me that my married will come to an end. but it comes differently...
It telling me to kill my in-laws
Or
I will lose...
"Maybe you're right..."
"Hunn???"
I already grabbed an umbrella with a sharp tip, my secret weapon for the intruders ....