The Girl who Lets Him Go

Once, a girl and a boy met up under a tree near a river. It would be more romantic to story-telling if the tree was a willow or cherry. But they only found a mango tree by the river, so it was nevermind. Who would care about the tree when the one who always filled your dreams sitting beside you?

The boy didn't say anything, so did the girl. Sometimes they would just glance to each other ("Is that a rainbow in her eyes?" said the boy, deep in his heart), too shy to start a conversation. Was that around 30 minutes? An hour, or even more? They both never counted. As the time flied and days passed, they finally knew each other names and addresses.

Listening to their story, maybe modern-couples like you would laugh out loud. How come a couple didn't do anything except glancing at each other in a date? Was that even called a date, without going to cinema, holding hands, chatting about each other feelings, or perhaps a kiss?

But that was how their story began. That was how they put their first foundation of their trusts. They built it slowly, stone by stone. But it would be stronger, it last longer.

With his knowledge about the girl's name and address, the boy gained his courages. By an old bycicle, he went to the girl's house that was far away from his house. He knew not about her parents, he knew not about the awaiting destiny that would stirr-up his entire life.

With sweats and stupid courage, he knocked the girl's door. A man showed up and his presence was like a huge mountain blocking the boy's steps to his destined girl.

"Let me have your oldest," he said, and, "please..."

You might be reminded to a song that almost all the girl had in their gadget these days, about marrying a daughter. Maybe that was a template used by most of guys when the time came for them to lower their pride in front of a man with a daughter. That was a simple sentence, but could make all the girl's hearts pounding. The girl behind the door waited for his father's respond while cursing the boy for being stupid enough to come without even wearing proper clothes.

The man in front of the boy didn't say anything. Many thoughts stroke his head like bullets. He felt like being betrayed by the world, seeing the poor and pitiful boy in front of his door asked for his precious. Until their humble wedding that only close relatives came (not because they wanted a private wedding, but because both of the family couldn't afford more money for more people), the girl's father didn't say a word except "It's your choice. Don't dare you regret, ever!" to his beloved daughter.

The boy wore a black suit like a midnight without stars. The girl wore a very humble white dress. That was just a dress she usually used for a formal meeting, but in the boy's eyes, she looked like a blossom jasmine.

So did they, like other couples, living their lifes with some quarrells, laughs, and tears of joy and despair, and of course some financial problems, till He gave them three joyful chances of having children. They never said about love or about forever. Being together while waiting for His call was wonderful enough.

So did the boy and the girl promised to be together till the end of their time. So did the girl had fulfilled the promise. She was there, holding her closed-eyes-husband's hands, praying so that after years of his life, her husband would end up in a better place. Much better than the life by her side.

Written in Depok, June 2015
Annisa Qurani