Chapter 003: Meeting Only Once
The roar of a motorcycle came to an abrupt stop in front of the Emergency Department.
A tall man jumped off in a hurry. He hadn't even had time to straighten his worn jacket. His long hair was carelessly tied back, while a thin mustache and beard framed a face filled with anxiety.
He rushed into the hospital.
"Excuse me."
His breathing was still uneven when he stopped at the reception desk.
"I'm here about a traffic accident victim... Arga Wiryawan."
The receptionist immediately looked up.
"Just a moment, sir."
Her fingers danced across the keyboard.
"Yes, we have him. Pak Arga Wiryawan, forty-five years old."
"That's right."
"He's in the Red Triage Unit."
She pointed down the hallway to the right.
"Please go straight there. The attending doctor will meet you."
"Thank you."
The man immediately turned away.
He hurried down the hospital corridor. The scent of disinfectant filled the air. Nurses pushed carts past him, but his eyes were fixed only on the signs leading to the Emergency Department.
When he reached the Red Triage Unit, he immediately approached the attending physician.
"Doctor..."
His deep voice trembled slightly.
"I'm Pak Arga Wiryawan's younger brother."
The doctor, who had been reviewing a patient's chart, stood up at once.
"Pak Ardan?"
"Yes."
"Please come with me."
The doctor pulled back a privacy curtain.
A middle-aged man lay motionless on the bed.
An oxygen tube covered his nose. Monitor leads were attached to his chest and arms. The machine beside the bed emitted a soft, rhythmic series of beeps.
Ardan stopped in his tracks.
It felt as though something heavy had settled on his chest.
He could only stare at his brother's face.
The face that had always seemed so steadfast was now covered in bruises and wounds.
Part of his head was wrapped in bandages.
"Bang..."
The word barely escaped as a whisper.
Ardan stepped closer and took hold of his brother's cold hand.
The tears he had been holding back finally fell.
The doctor gave him a few moments before speaking.
"Pak Arga suffered extremely severe trauma."
Ardan quickly wiped his face.
"How is my brother, Doctor?"
The doctor drew a slow breath.
"His condition is extremely critical. We've done everything we possibly can."
He paused.
"But..."
"...his chances of surviving are very slim."
Silence settled over the room again.
Only the steady beeping of the monitor broke the stillness.
Ardan lowered his head.
His jaw tightened.
"...Kak Aisyah?"
The doctor fell silent for a moment.
"Ibu Aisyah arrived with Pak Arga."
Ardan nodded slowly.
"How is she, Doctor?"
The doctor let out a long sigh.
"I'm sorry..."
"We couldn't save Ibu Aisyah."
Ardan's eyes widened.
His body went rigid.
Slowly, he turned back toward his brother.
Four years.
Arga had only spent four years building a life with Aisyah.
Their simple wedding flashed through his mind.
There had been no lavish celebration.
Only family and close relatives had witnessed their vows.
From that day on, he'd watched his brother find happiness again.
And now...
She was gone.
Ardan closed his eyes.
His grip on Arga's hand slowly tightened.
"Bang..."
His voice was barely audible.
"Dan's here, Bang..."
His hand remained wrapped around Arga's weak one.
The oxygen tube and monitor wires covered the man who had always seemed so strong in his eyes.
Now...
He could only lie there, helpless.
"Bang..."
Ardan's voice was scarcely more than a breath.
As fear of losing his brother consumed him, another face suddenly crossed his mind.
Aisyah.
Arga's second wife.
A woman he had met only four years ago.
And also...
A woman he had never truly gotten the chance to know.
The doctor's words echoed once more.
"We couldn't save Ibu Aisyah."
A sharp pain gripped Ardan's chest.
Only then did he realize something.
In four years...
He had met Aisyah only once.
On Arga's wedding day.
The day his brother finally found happiness again after years of living alone.
His gaze slowly drifted into emptiness.
The memory came rushing back.
Four Years Earlier
Arga's modest home was filled with family and relatives who had come to celebrate his wedding.
There were no extravagant decorations.
No grand stage.
Only people who sincerely wanted to see Arga happy again.
Before the penghulu, Arga sat calmly.
He was no longer a young man.
Yet on that day, his smile belonged to someone who had been given a second chance.
Not far away, Aisyah sat with her head bowed.
Having each lost a spouse in the past, they had finally chosen to open their hearts again.
Arga came with a child.
So did Aisyah.
That day...
They chose to build a new family together.
"I accept my marriage to Aisyah binti Adam with a dowry of a complete set of ten grams of gold jewelry, paid in full."
Arga's voice was steady.
The penghulu turned to the witnesses.
"Witnesses?"
"Valid."
"Alhamdulillah."
Words of gratitude and applause immediately filled the room.
In one corner, a little girl wearing a white hijab smiled brightly.
Aruna.
Her eyes never left her mother.
At last...
She was seeing Aisyah smile again.
Not far from her stood a teenage boy.
Gavin.
He was only a few months older than Aruna.
The two of them were still awkward around each other.
Still strangers.
But from that day on...
They officially became siblings.
On the other side of the room, Ardan stood with both hands tucked into his pockets.
His expression remained unreadable.
Yet his eyes never left Arga.
"Bang..."
he murmured quietly.
"You've finally found someone to share your life with."
A little while later, Aruna walked over carrying a plate of food.
"Mang."
"Mom said you should eat."
Ardan accepted the plate.
"Thanks."
That was all.
Aruna gave a small nod before quietly walking away.
She still felt awkward.
The uncle her parents often talked about really wasn't much of a talker.
But he didn't seem to reject her presence either.
He wasn't warm.
Nor was he rude.
He simply...
Kept his distance.
Aruna chose not to force anything.
It was her mother's happiest day.
She didn't want to spoil it just because she felt uncomfortable.
She turned and walked away.
"Vin."
Aruna approached Gavin.
"Grandpa's looking for you."
Gavin, who was helping himself to some food, looked over.
"Yeah. I'll go in a minute."
"I'm eating first."
Aruna nodded.
"Okay. I'll leave you to it."
After Aruna left, Gavin sat down beside Ardan.
Ardan glanced toward Aruna as she walked away.
"You get along with her?"
Gavin shrugged.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"There's nothing wrong."
"She's fun to talk to."
Ardan raised an eyebrow.
"She's?"
He looked Gavin up and down.
"Aren't you a kid yourself?"
Gavin immediately gave him an exasperated look.
"I'm only three months older than her, Om."
Ardan clicked his tongue.
"Listen to you."
"Three months older and you're already acting like a grown-up."
He nudged Gavin's leg under the table.
Gavin shot him an annoyed look.
"Why are you getting worked up?"
"Aruna doesn't mind."
A faint smile tugged at Ardan's lips.
"I'm just reminding you."
"Don't get carried away."
"Relax, Om."
Gavin smiled confidently.
"Aruna and her mom are good people."
"That's why I get along with them."
Ardan was silent for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
"That's good."
"Take care of her."
"She's your little sister now."
Gavin nodded.
"Yeah, Om."
Ardan then began gathering his things.
Gavin immediately noticed.
"You're leaving already?"
Ardan glanced at him.
"Why?"
"You gonna miss me?"
He raised an eyebrow with a teasing grin.
Gavin snorted.
"As if."
"But..."
His expression turned slightly serious.
"Dad spends a lot of time just staring off, thinking about you."
Ardan stopped moving.
"So what's your problem anyway?"
"Why can't you stay home once in a while?"
"You're always wandering off somewhere."
Ardan simply looked at him.
"Kids don't need to know."
He flicked Gavin lightly on the forehead.
But Gavin wasn't finished.
"Adults ought to know too."
"How can you lose to someone like me who's still in middle school?"
"I've never made Dad cry."
Ardan's hand froze.
The smile slowly disappeared from his face.
He lowered his head.
For a brief moment...
There was no trace of teasing left.
Because without realizing it...
Gavin had struck the one wound Ardan kept hidden from everyone.
Back to the Present
Ardan slowly opened his eyes.
Four years ago, he had left his brother's wedding without saying much.
He thought there would still be plenty of time to mend their relationship.
But now...
His brother lay before him, with no certainty he would ever open his eyes again.
Ardan stared at Arga's face for a long time.
"Bang..."
His voice was low.
"Don't scare me like this."
He pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down.
For the first time since arriving at the hospital, his body seemed to lose all its strength.
The man who usually appeared so carefree now stared silently at the floor.
A few moments later...
The door opened.
The doctor who had spoken with him earlier returned.
"Pak Ardan."
Ardan immediately looked up.
"Yes, Doctor?"
The doctor walked over.
"Pak Arga's and Ibu Aisyah's babies are still under close observation."
Ardan nodded slowly.
"May I see them?"
"Once their condition is more stable."
The doctor paused.
"But there's something I'd like to tell you."
Ardan waited.
"Both babies were delivered safely."
Ardan simply stared at the doctor.
"Safely?"
"Yes, sir."
The doctor nodded.
"They're twins."
At last, Ardan let out a long breath of relief.
"Twins..."
he murmured.
A small smile appeared on his face without him realizing it.
"My brother's children..."
The doctor watched him quietly for a moment.
After hours of nothing but bad news, there was finally a glimmer of hope.
"Where are they now, Doctor?"
"In the NICU."
"They still need close monitoring because they were delivered under emergency circumstances."
Ardan nodded quickly.
"Okay."
"The important thing is that they're alive."
But the doctor's smile never came.
His expression turned serious again.
Ardan understood immediately.
There was more.
"Doctor?"
The doctor sighed quietly.
"We also need to transfer Pak Arga to the ICU."
Ardan looked back at his brother.
"Why?"
"His condition requires much closer monitoring."
The doctor paused.
"And as I mentioned earlier..."
"...his condition remains extremely critical."
The small smile faded from Ardan's face.
He nodded slowly.
"Then transfer him."
His voice was firm.
"Don't worry about the cost."
"I'll take care of it."
The doctor nodded.
"We'll make the arrangements immediately."
Ardan looked back at his brother.
"Bang..."
he whispered.
"You heard that, didn't you?"
"Your children are alive."
"You have to see them."
He lowered his head.
"So don't give up."
Several seconds passed.
Ardan turned toward the doctor.
"Doctor."
"Yes?"
"If my brother wakes up..."
He paused briefly.
"Please let me know."
"Of course."
A short while later, Arga was transferred to the ICU.
Ardan could only stand in the corridor, watching his brother's bed slowly disappear into the distance.
Nurses hurried past him.
But to him...
Time itself seemed to move more slowly.
He had come to the hospital because of an accident.
In a single day...
He had lost a sister-in-law.
Gained two nieces or nephews he hadn't even had the chance to see.
And nearly lost the only family member who had always stood behind him.
The ICU doors slowly closed.
Ardan clenched his fists.
Not out of anger.
But out of fear.
Fear that this time...
He would never be given another chance to make things right.