Lara always admitted that she was happy. Yes, certainly happy, although she was just a simple house-wife: a mother of her small one-year-old son, named Budi Kurniawan and a trishaw2 puller’s wife, Fauzan. People always said that happiness lay when you had a lot of money, nice house, fine clothes, jewelry, and good-looking wife or husband. Actually, she had nothing of them but the last one: good-looking husband. Yes, Fauzan is a handsome man of twenty six years old. Bu Muna, their neighbor, said that his face was similar to Dude Harlino. Lara never knew who really Dude was. And she didn’t care of it. Was it a thing that really made Lara happy? Obviously, she would answer: NO.
She and her small family always assumed that happiness came when you felt enough of what you had achieved, didn’t it?
What really kept her smile was that every Monday and Thursday, Fauzan never forgot to bring two or three dates fruit, a very simple thing that her husband used to do. This “habit” appeared when Lara was still pregnant. As an ordinary pregnant woman, she urged Fauzan to buy her dates. Since that, Lara was fond of dates, whole fully.
As they lived in poverty, they made themselves get used to hunger. At the first time of their marriage, Fauzan took Lara’s hands and convinced her that hunger in fasting would get nothing but good karma from Allah SWT. And he found Lara trusted in him.
There was nothing special about the dates fruit, they were very cheap; so much cheap! An old man who sold it was touched hearing Fauzan’s story, and he then allowed this young man to buy two or three pieces of the fruits. While we usually find that dates were sold in kilos or ounces. Fauzan kissed that old man’s hand several times for his kindness. He smiled, showing his brown teeth, remembering his late wife.
The skins of the dates were not smooth: they were rough. It was sticky, and they obviously tasted not so good. Everyone would notice that those dates had bad quality. But Lara and Fauzan believed that it was their love and sincerity which made every single thing for them was nice and delicious. “A very funny philosophy!” someone cried.
“Don’t forget the dates, Bang.” Lara took Fauzan’s hand and kissed it. He nodded and kissed his only son’s forehead. This little boy smiled and hugged his mother’s leg tightly. Fauzan give a salam before he saw his wife waving.
On her way to market, Bu Muna –her neighbour called her. She seemed to have something to say.
“It might be just a new gossip about celebrity or what,” said Lara in the heart. But she still had to give her best smile, didn’t she?
“Yes, ma’am?” asked Lara politely. They walked side by side.
Bu Muna said softly, as if she didn’t want someone to hear it.
“I heard Riana’s husband succeeded in town.” Lara stopped at a stall and looked so busy picking chilies and tomatoes that this middle-aged woman thought she didn’t notice her.
“Lara…,” now she was whispering in Lara’s ear, quite loudly. Lara felt clumsy.
“Ah, yes?” At last she said, not interested at all, “So?”
“Oh, come on. I would ask my husband to stop selling bakso in schools, if only… Do you hear me?” Lara nodded so that she wouldn’t offend her. “If only he were not that old.” Bu Muna smiled; that Lara didn’t even know what that smile was for.
“And then?” asked Lara, again. Bu Muna shook her head. Why couldn’t this young woman touch the ground of this conversation? She thought.
“You may urge your husband to…” before she finished her words, Lara interrupted.
“We think we have felt good to our present condition, ma’am.” She sighed. “In fact, I think living in town is not that really good.”
Before Bu Muna started it over, Lara talked about another topic: asking Bu Muna’s daughter who was studying in North Sumatra University. Every body in their neighborhood knew that it was her favorite topic!
It was not that Lara didn’t wish to live in a cozy living, convenient life, and of course good education for her son. It was just, she had self-esteem that letting her husband away from her, and in a town or a city, would make her anxious. She was not sure about the reason. Is it a jealousy? It could be, she thought. But she didn’t want Fauzan know her real reason.
“I think it was a good idea, Lara.” Fauzan said, that night. It turned Lara’s face warm.
“Letting you leave me and Budi?” Lara pointed their sleeping son with her chin. That infant slept soundly on their only thin mattress. Lara shook her head, hard. Fauzan sighed. How he wished to make a better living for Lara and Budi. He would really feel guilty, totally guilty, if he kept them both in sorrow and hunger; keeping Lara hungry on Monday and Thursday for fasting. One piece of ugly date would never erase this misery. He thought.
“Bang, I hope you never think that living with you in such condition makes me suffered or intend to leave you, not a second!” urged Lara.
“This is for our own good, for Budi’s, dear Lara… Please?” said Fauzan, hoping. Lara felt a lot of mist around her eyes. Too much mist, that it spilled out. Fauzan held her in his firm arms.
***
It had been a few months since Fauzan tried his luck in Medan. At the first time, it was so difficult for Lara. Even, she had to borrow some money from Bu Muna. But now, her condition and son was getting better. Fauzan sent them a lot of money every week. He even never forgot to send dates fruit on Monday and Thursday, a good quality ones. They were put in a very neat box; there were Arabic letters on it. And, their skins were so smooth, very smooth. Lara laughed, at the first time: there was still the stick of the fruit! How nice! She assumed that it got to be very expensive.
Boxes and boxes of dates she had received from Fauzan. But actually, what she really wanted was her husband coming. Once, she was puzzled, what kind of job that Fauzan got, so that he could set an almost perfect living for Lara, now. (Yes, Lara lived in a beautiful house with neat furniture now). But people said that it was just a normal thing. She just really hoped so. They only communicated for this time by phone. Fauzan bought her a cell-phone. But Lara never got an exact answer about Fauzan’s work.
“It’s a halal job, Lara honey.” He said, once.
“Budi and I are missing you badly. Why don’t you come home?”
“I will come home, if the moment is right.”
To her surprise, the right moment that Fauzan ever told her came. Lara felt much messed. Fauzan came, in a luxurious car. Every person in their village came to see them, astonished. There should be a smile on her face that day, if only… Yah, if only, Fauzan didn’t come with a very beautiful woman. This woman looked so well-educated, came from noble family, and… rich, then shook her hand and said, “Sister, I am your husband’s second wife…” Then Lara realized: Fauzan had married a rich woman.
“Fauzan, I want to divorce.” Said Lara in a very sad, sore, and low tone she ever had.
***
Glossaries: 1 dates: kurma
2 trishaw: becak
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