Late
Fahira stepped out of the car, carrying a plastic bag from Anna Bakery. As she opened the front door, she noticed a pair of sports shoes, one of which belonged to her brother-in-law, Ariel, placed next to a woman’s shoes. With various questions swirling in her mind, Fahira entered the house. Instantly, the sound of laughter from a girl accompanied by Ariel’s voice greeted her. Unconsciously, she moved closer to the source of the sound.
“Hey, Fahira!” the girl greeted as she got up from the comfortable sofa and hugged Fahira, giving her a kiss.
“Oh, Rania, who did you think was coming?” Fahira replied, glancing at Ariel with a meaningful look.
“We’re just friends, Fahira!” Ariel quickly interjected before Rania could finish her sentence.
Suddenly, Rania’s expression darkened upon hearing Ariel’s response. His words shook the special feelings she had kept to herself for the young man. Rania quickly put on a smile as Fahira looked back and forth between them.
“That’s great! You both need to focus on pursuing your dreams first. Go to college and build your careers. Only then should you consider dating. In fact, why not skip dating altogether and get married directly,” Fahira’s words made Rania’s pretty face blush. What Fahira said was true, but deep in her heart, she wanted Ariel to make their relationship official. Otherwise, Rania would choose to continue her education abroad as her parents wished.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“What do you have there, Fahira?” Ariel pointed to the plastic bag in Fahira’s hand.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot. I suddenly had a craving for these pastries. You can have them. I’ll go change first,” Fahira said, then handed the bag of pastries to Ariel.
After making sure Fahira had entered her room, Rania quickly grabbed her backpack, intending to bid farewell to Ariel. Her mood suddenly became uncomfortable.
“Why are you leaving so quickly, Ran?” Ariel asked, looking directly into Rania’s eyes. The girl appeared nervous when their eyes met. Ariel was no fool; he knew Rania was offended by the response he gave to Fahira earlier.
“Are you mad at the answer I gave Fahira?” Ariel’s question froze Rania’s body, her face flushed immediately.
“N-No, of course not, Riel,” Rania replied hesitantly, quickly breaking eye contact.
“In that case, stay here. I still want to be with you!” Ariel said, still holding onto Rania’s arm. The grip began to loosen, sliding down to her hand, where it stopped at her slender fingers.
“Tell me, do you still want to leave?” Ariel looked at the girl in front of him, who seemed uneasy, while holding her fingers tightly.
“Tell me, Ariel! I just need certainty from you, then everything will continue or end,” unfortunately, those words could only echo in Rania’s heart for now.
“Of course not, Ariel. Why would you think I want to stay here? Well, of course, I’m going home.” Rania chuckled nervously, trying to cover up her uneasiness. Her intense gaze from Ariel made her heart race. Not to mention her legs, which suddenly felt like jelly as warmth spread from her toes to the top of her head when her fingers were held firmly by Ariel.
As Rania tried to change the subject, Fahira came down from her room wearing casual clothes.
“Are you disturbing them, Fahira?” she asked, noticing their nervous expressions.
“No!” they both exclaimed simultaneously. Fahira smiled inquisitively, then took a seat on a single sofa in front of them.
She casually grabbed a piece of the mocha-flavored pastry. “This is seriously delicious!” Fahira said, thoroughly enjoying the taste.
Ariel’s eyebrows furrowed as he observed Fahira relishing the mocha pastry. He remembered that Fahira had never liked anything with a mocha flavor. As far as he knew, she wasn’t a fan of coffee either, despite occasionally sipping his coffee.
“Is it unusual for you to like mocha-flavored pastries, Fahira?” Ariel couldn’t contain his curiosity.
“But this one is really good, dear,” Fahira replied, disregarding the curious gazes of the two teenagers.
After finishing one mocha and one blueberry pastry, Fahira went to the kitchen to prepare dinner for them. Ariel and Rania resumed their cheerful conversation, and without realizing it, Ariel ended up sitting closer to Rania, almost touching.
Ahem… A clearing of the throat at the entrance startled Ariel from his place. Darian entered, carrying his work bag, and greeted Ariel and Rania, who looked flustered.
“You two can continue!” Darian said as he saw Rania getting up and placing his bag on the table near her.
Darian headed towards the kitchen, Fahira’s favorite spot. He kept his promise to come home early, not because of the promise itself, but because the thought of his wife, whom he left abruptly that morning after teasing her, made him unwilling to stay at the office. A smile spread across Darian’s face as he saw Fahira seriously preparing spices in the kitchen. He slowed his steps and positioned himself behind Fahira.
“Miss you, Honey!” Darian whispered as he tightly hugged Fahira. Fahira’s body tensed briefly, surprised by Darian’s sudden presence.
“It’s unusual for you to come home this early, darling,” Fahira said without stopping her activities.
Darian brushed aside Fahira’s tied hair and planted a wet kiss on her fair neck. “Come on, Honey, don’t be like that. Ariel and Rania will see us,” Fahira said, trying to break free from Darian’s embrace.
“Let them see. They’re dating, right?” Darian asked curiously. He had seen Ariel and Rania together several times. He thought they were a cute teenage couple, but unfortunately, Fahira didn’t support their relationship. So Darian chose to remain silent instead of arguing with his wife, as it would likely end up with him having to sleep on the sofa all night.
Fahira didn’t dislike Rania. She just wanted Ariel and Rania not to get caught up in the freewheeling lifestyle that many teenagers nowadays seemed to adopt, especially in a metropolitan city like Jakarta, where everything seemed to be permissible.
“They’re not allowed to date, dear. Let them focus on learning first,” Fahira replied, and Darian simply nodded. He chose to stay silent to avoid making his wife angry, as it might lead to him having to sleep on the sofa all night.
The worry Fahira felt was valid and understandable, but separating Ariel and Rania, who seemed to have feelings for each other, would be a cruel act. However, Darian felt helpless. He had only recently experienced falling in love himself. Just the thought of parting with Fahira, even for a short while when she was angry, caused him great distress.
“But, Yang, shouldn’t we give them a chance? I’m just worried that they might get hurt. Try talking to Ariel calmly. You can help them understand each other better. At least let them have a healthy relationship. Truly healthy, my love. That’s why our support is necessary so they don’t do anything reckless or go overboard,” Darian explained, trying to express his thoughts.
Fahira sighed deeply, then turned off the stove after making sure her cooking was done. She untangled Darian’s hands from her body and faced him. “What you say is right, but…” Fahira paused, looking at Darian with a doubtful expression. “I’m just worried that hopes won’t match reality, Bang. Sometimes, even after a couple has been together for a long time, fate doesn’t bring them together. Destiny is Allah’s secret, but it’s better to be cautious than to be hurt even more later,” Fahira continued, taking off her apron. “You should change your clothes and rest!” She moved towards the sink to wash her hands with soap.
Darian wrapped his arm around Fahira’s shoulder and walked towards the staircase leading to their bedroom. Darian smiled faintly when he noticed Fahira’s gaze fixed on the two teenagers who were happily chatting below. Fahira had been in that position before, where she fell in love for the first time, but fate had other plans.
Fahira had once been in a serious relationship with a senior at her university. Her boyfriend had even sought approval from both of their parents. However, they were forced to separate due to an accident that claimed both of Fahira’s parents’ lives. She and her brother, Ariel, were left stranded in Jakarta. To this day, Fahira and her ex-boyfriend had not officially ended their relationship.
Darian stared intently at Fahira’s melancholic face. She had been serious when she mentioned her past. He looked into her beautiful eyes, searching for the truth.
“I admit it, Honey. I once fell in love with someone, but we had to separate because of the accident that took both of my parents,” Fahira said, not blinking as she met Darian’s gaze.
Darian released his embrace and sat on the edge of the bed, avoiding looking at her. Fahira’s confession truly hurt him.
“That was in the past, Honey. Now, I love you,” Fahira said, sitting on Darian’s lap with a smile. “It might have been just a teenage crush. The proof is that I’m here with you now!” she continued, planting a brief kiss on Darian’s lips.
Darian still didn’t react when Fahira kissed him again and nibbled on his lips. He found Fahira’s sudden aggression rather odd.
“Are you angry, Honey?” Fahira blinked, looking at Darian, who remained motionless.
“Of course, I’m angry. I’m jealous that you talked about another guy in front of me. Do you still love him?” Darian cupped Fahira’s face, gazing into her eyes, which blinked several times.
Unexpectedly, Fahira burst into laughter. “Honey, you’re funny. Well, you’ve never been in love before!” Her honest response sounded dissonant to Darian. It felt like a mocking remark, hitting his ego.
“Oh, now you dare to tease me?” Darian grinned and pulled Fahira’s body closer. He kissed her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent, then left a trail of kisses there.
A stifled moan escaped Fahira’s lips as she felt Darian’s hands begin to explore her chest. “Darian, I think I might be late for my period!” Fahira said in a hoarse voice.
Darian immediately stopped what he was doing. He looked at Fahira’s beautiful face, now flushed with desire. “Are you serious, Yang?” Darian re-buttoned Fahira’s shirt and gazed at her intently.
“Yes!” Fahira nodded shyly. “But I haven’t seen a doctor yet, and it’s only been a week late!” she admitted.
Darian sat back, silently contemplating Fahira’s confession. He then lay beside her, cradling her in his arms, preventing her from getting up.
“From now on, you can’t be tired, okay!” Darian said, holding Fahira tightly.
Fahira surrendered in Darian’s embrace, even though doubts still dominated her feelings. From the various sources she had read, there were many signs of pregnancy, but she hadn’t experienced any of them, except for feeling dizzy earlier that afternoon before meeting Galih.