"What time did you get home last night?" Adelia asked, her voice soft but with a hint of tension. The living room light illuminated her tired face, but her eyes sharply observed Akhzam, who was engrossed in telling his grandfather, Ikhwan, a story. Akhzam, an eight-year-old boy, seemed so cheerful as he recounted his adventures playing in the park near their house.
"Almost 3 AM, Mom," Naufal replied, his voice a little hoarse. He rubbed his face, feeling tired after a long day at work. The aroma of the coffee he had just brewed still lingered in the air, but it couldn't dispel his sleepiness.
Adelia glanced at Akhzam for a moment, then turned her gaze to Naufal, who was now sitting near her. Naufal pulled out a dining chair so his mother could sit next to him. A brief silence enveloped them, broken only by Akhzam's laughter and Ikhwan's occasional voice from afar. The silence felt oppressive, filled with a lingering uncertainty.
"Son..." Adelia began, her voice a little heavy. She hesitated, finding it difficult to start a conversation that would reveal a secret that had been hidden for so long.
"Yes, Mom," Naufal replied, placing his half-finished cup of coffee on the table. He turned to his mother, waiting for further explanation. He sensed that something important was about to be discussed, something that felt heavy and ominous.
"Raisa... where does Raisa live?" Adelia asked, her voice hesitant. The question hung in the air, creating a palpable tension between them.
Naufal stopped himself from taking another sip of coffee. He looked at his mother with an unreadable expression, a mixture of surprise and worry. "Mom knows about Raisa?" he asked cautiously, his voice almost a whisper. "Did Uncle Revan tell you?"
Adelia shook her head slightly. "No. I accidentally overheard your grandfather talking to Uncle Revan last night, before Uncle Revan went home." She took a deep breath, gathering the courage to continue this difficult conversation.
Naufal was silent. He knew that the secret he had been guarding all this time had finally been revealed. "I didn't mean to hide it from Mom, but..." He hesitated to finish his sentence. The words seemed to catch in his throat. He was afraid of his mother's reaction. He was afraid of the consequences of his decision.
Adelia was silent for a moment, her mind drifting back to the past. The image of her husband, Fatar, sitting in the airport waiting room holding hands with Chintya, her own best friend, haunted her again. The friend she had helped escape from domestic violence, the friend she had helped return to her hometown, had now repaid her kindness in the cruelest way possible. Chintya had stolen her husband, the father of her children, and run away with all their money. Adelia had to leave the house her father had bought her as a wedding gift and move to a small, cramped, and simple rented house. The bitter memories still felt so real, piercing her heart like a dagger.
She was lost in thought for a long time, filled with deep pain and disappointment. Tears began to wet her cheeks. She felt how broken her life was, how great the betrayal she had received. However, she had to remain strong, for the sake of her children.
Finally, she spoke, her voice trembling as she held back tears, "Chintya may have been wrong. But Raisa is not. She is alone now at her young age. She is even younger than Akhzam," Adelia said bitterly. "No one can deny that the blood that flows in Raisa's body is also the blood that flows in your body." She looked at Naufal, trying to convey the message implied in her words.
Naufal looked down, feeling guilty. He knew that he had made a big decision without his mother's knowledge. He was afraid of the consequences he would have to bear. However, he also felt that his decision was the right thing to do.
"She's sick, Mom," Naufal said, his voice soft. "It feels so cruel if I let my sick sister stay in an orphanage." He raised his face, looking at his mother. He hoped his mother could understand and forgive him.
Suddenly, Ikhwan's voice broke the silence. He came towards them with a cold and angry face. "Leave that child alone! Don't ever think about bringing her to live among you!" His voice was loud and firm, full of unrestrained anger.
Adelia looked towards the television, worried that Akhzam was still there and would see his grandfather's anger. However, her youngest son was no longer in the room. It seemed that Ikhwan had asked Akhzam to leave the room before he approached Naufal and Adelia. Adelia felt worried, but she also had to face her father's anger.
"Raisa is sick, Grandpa. She is innocent. She is alone facing this cruel world."
Ikhwan raised his hand to Naufal's face. He pointed at Naufal with his trembling index finger. "You are disobedient! That illegitimate child is not our responsibility!"
"She's my sister, Grandpa!" Naufal retorted, holding his cheek. "My father's child, my own sibling!"
The argument grew heated. Adelia tried to calm them down, but Ikhwan's anger had reached its peak. He couldn't accept the fact that his step-grandchild would live with Adelia, his daughter.
Adelia looked at Naufal, her eyes filled with tears. "You go to the office, son. Let me talk to Grandpa." She had to protect Naufal. She had to face her own father.
Naufal hesitated, but he saw the determination in his mother's eyes. He knew his mother was trying to protect him from his grandfather's anger. With a heavy heart, he nodded and left. Adelia watched her son's back as he walked away, her heart filled with worry. She had to face her own father, face the unstoppable storm of anger, for the sake of her children's future and perhaps, also Raisa's.
"Dad..." Adelia called.
"Remind your son! He's gone crazy!"
"Chintya is dead. Fatar is God knows where with another woman. Naufal can't possibly leave Raisa out there alone. Anyway, like it or not. Willing or not... Raisa is a little sister who can't be ignored."
"I said no! And enough talk about that child! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR HER NAME AGAIN! I don't want to tear open your old wounds again!"
"But..."
"If Naufal insists on bringing that child into his life, don't ever set foot in this house! Also, don't live with him and Akhzam anymore! You tell him this!"
"Dad..."
"I used to follow your son's wishes to let his father go with that damned woman. Even though Revan and Kevin were actually able to find his whereabouts. He was right, there's no need to look for that trash. He and his woman are trash that is not worthy. But this time... There is no accepting the presence of their child! Not even with the excuse of being sick!"
Ikhwan left the room, taking his anger with him.