Stay or Leave

“Leukemia Sis” Ayunda answered sadly.

For a moment after Ayunda said that, Leo and Lisa were silent.

“Since when?” Leo asked Ayunda as if he couldn’t believe that his sister had a deadly disease.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“It’s been a few years, and it’s been a year since I underwent chemotherapy,” Ayunda answered with teary eyes.

“Why didn’t you ever talk about this with your older sister, Ayunda,” said Leo.

“Before or now it’s the same sis, Ayunda won’t last long” Ayunda said.

“Did David never know about this?” Leo asked Ayunda

“At that time I had shown the test results from the hospital because I had been pregnant for a long time but David didn’t open itMas David thought it was a normal test result, that’s why David didn’t really want to know and Mas David calmed me down to be patient waiting for my pregnancy,” Ayunda said.

“Then what do you want to do now Ayunda?” Leo asked again.

“I want to get pregnant as soon as possible, brother and sister, I beg you, don’t tell David about this,” Ayunda pleaded with Leo.

“Okay, brother, I’ll keep it a secret from your husband,” said Leo, who actually couldn’t hold back his tears.

****

Ayunda was relieved after telling the only sister that Ayunda had. Now Ayunda is at her husband’s house but it turns out that David has not come home.

Ayunda was in the kitchen cooking dinner assisted by Bik Iyam.

“Mbak Ayu, where have you been yesterdayThere was no Ms. Ayu yesterday, Den David’s appearance was very untidy, Ms. Den David also didn’t have breakfast at home,” said Bik Iyam, telling Ayunda about David.

“Ayu wants to refresh Bik,” said Ayunda without replying to the discussion about David.

Then they started cooking again. Ayunda has finished cooking to coincide with David’s return.

“Mas” Ayunda called when she saw David going up the stairs.

“Yes” David answered as he stopped his steps and turned to face Ayunda.

Ayunda approached David and greeted him by taking David’s hand and kissing it.

“Do you want to take a shower first or have dinner?” Ayunda asked David accompanied by a smile that graced his lips.

“Take a shower first dear” David replied then grabbed Ayunda’s slender waist as he walked up the stairs to his room.

***

Currently Ayunda, David and Bella are having dinner together. Ratih’s mother, who is none other than Ayunda’s mother-in-law, can’t see her nose when Ayunda came home this afternoon.

“Mas, tonight you sleep with me, okay. I’m not feeling well”. Bella said in between chewing her food.

“Yes” David answered without asking his first wife’s approval, even though tonight it was David’s turn with Ayunda.

Ayunda just silently enjoyed her meal, although in her heart she wanted to protest but Ayunda was tired. let David be with Bella as long as later if Ayunda’s examination results come out and Ayunda can get pregnant, then somehow Ayunda has to make David with her.

“I’m done, mas, I’ll go upstairs first,” said Ayunda to David when he finished his dinner.

“Yes dear, sorry, mas, tonight you have to accompany Bella” David regretted, which Ayunda smiled back.

*****

The night is getting late, Ayunda still hasn’t closed her eyes.

“Mas David, what if I’m gone you’ll always remember meeven if you don’t remember me anymore, at least you will still see me in our children later. Hopefully I can get pregnant as soon as possible,” Ayunda muttered while rubbing her flat stomach and then changing positions by leaning on the head of the bed.

“This hair is getting thinner day by day, it seems I have to wear a wig to cover my hair which is almost gone and my cheeks are getting thinner, no wonder Mas David rarely touches my cheeks” Ayunda is still muttering to herself while holding her body which is starting to changefrom the hair to the body that used to be full is now thin. Ayunda is undergoing chemotherapy, so Ayunda’s hair is slowly falling out.

****

“Mas, can I come to your office today?” Ayunda asked David while he was helping to tie a tie for his husband.

“Of course you can honey,” said David.

then they went down together, he saw Bella sitting in the living room with Mrs. Ratih who arrived there early in the morning.

“Mum has been here all this time?” David asked his mother.

“Yes, there is an important matter that Mama wants to talk to you about, it just so happens that your wife is also here,” said Mrs. Ratih, pointing at Ayunda.

“What do you want to talk to David about? Is this important?” David asked Mrs. Ratih and then sat down to join Mrs. Ratih and Bella who were already sitting in the living room, followed by Ayunda.

Ayunda could only sigh at the cynical words of her mother-in-law pointing at her.

Even though Ayunda just last night felt relieved because there was no mother-in-law but this morning Mrs. Ratih had arrived at her son’s residence with news that seemed uncomfortable for Ayunda. The reason is from the tone of his voice he doesn’t like Ayunda. I don’t know what else Ayunda’s mother-in-law will say to David.

“Why don’t we talk about it tonight. David has a meeting this morning.” David continued, looking at his wrist to see what time it was.

“No, Dav, this is very important,” said Mrs. Ratih firmly.

“But really, David can’t leave this meeting.” David tried to negotiate with Mrs. Ratih who was none other than his mother.

“Okay, take a good look at this later when you’re not busy.” Mrs. Ratih finally relented but Mrs. Ratih gave David a long envelope that she had been holding.

“Yes, David, let’s go first,” said David to his mother and then turned to Bella, his second wife.

“Honey, mas, let’s go,” said David to Bella, kissing Bella’s forehead. Mrs. Ratih who saw it smiled happily, but it was different from Ayunda who turned her gaze to another direction. After all, Ayunda is still jealous by seeing her husband’s sweet treatment for other people, more precisely his honey.