n

n

nAfter work, Lisa decided to visit her mother's apartment. She hadn't seen her mother and younger sister in a long time since she moved in with Oscar. Just how much she had missed seeing the smile from that middle aged woman! Lisa also missed the cheerful laughter of her younger sister whenever she told her stories from her work.

nLisa opened the apartment's door with a spare card she kept a few months ago. She turned the doorknob and saw a man leaning casually on the living room sofa.

n

"Rangga!?

" Lisa said, surprised.

n

"Lisa! You're here!? Wow, what a coincidence I just bought some food for you!

" The man walked over to Lisa and hugged her. Lisa didn't think Rangga would come to visit. She wondered how the man knew where her mother and sister lived.

n

"Wait a minute. I don't think I've ever given you my mother's full address?

" Lisa asked suspiciously.

nRangga shrugged and said,

"What the hell did I not know!?

" Rangga leaned back on the sofa. His two legs were stretched forward.

nLisa threw her tote bag over Rangga's stomach. The man was stung and smiled mischievously.

"Ouch, it hurts Lisa! Uhuhu....

"

n

"You don't have to be cute, you know! So where is my mother?

"

nRangga pointed to the kitchen where Kumala was busy preparing dinner. The middle-aged woman could not hear Lisa's voice from behind the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.

n

"Mother!

" Lisa screamed from the living room.

"I'm home!

"

nThe middle-aged woman came out of the kitchen and saw Lisa in front of her. How happy Kumala was to see her eldest daughter who she hadn't seen for ages.

"Daughter, I really miss you! Come on, wash your hands. Dinner is ready, kid. Tell Rangga to come too, sorry for the wait!

"

n

"Mom, let me help you. You must be really tired since nobody helps,

" Lisa said while cleaning the dirty dishes in the sink.

nThese past few days, Lisa had no passion for life at all. This week had been very stressful for her. Her husband often worked outside so that she believed the man got in touch with his ex-girlfriend again. Worse yet, the woman confronted her telling that her husband didn't marry her out of love and that she was the only woman that her husband would ever love, and not her.

nHelping her mother in the kitchen and seeing her sister was the driving force of her life for now. At least Lisa still had something in her life that was worth fighting for.

n

"Lisa, how come I rarely see Oscar here with you?

" Kumala asked, stirring the soup in the pot.

nHearing Kumala's question, Lisa immediately changed her expression. The smile that once decorated her tiny face became flat and gloomy. Lisa still didn't want to tell all the bitter things she'd had with Oscar recently. She did not want to worry her mother fearing her disease would recur.

n

"Oh, Oscar has been busy working out of town for the past few days. It's normal, all presidents are like that!

" Lisa replied, trying to convince Kumala that her relationship with Oscar was fine.

nKumala nodded, the woman moved the pot on the dining table.

"If Oscar is not busy, don't forget to take him here, okay? I've prepared Oscar's favorite meal, and just learned how to cook European food. Oscar must like it!

" Kumala said proudly.

n

"Mom, don't tell Rangga that I'm married, okay? I'll tell him when the timing is right!

" Lisa suddenly said.

nKumala frowned.

"Lisa, what's wrong with telling him that you're married? Besides, Rangga has been your friend since childhood, there's no need to hide anything from him!

"

n

"Oh, I don't mean to cover it up, just stay put. I'll tell him myself! Not now anyway, the timing is not right!

" Lisa replied hastily.

nAfter the dinner was ready, Lisa called Rangga who was still leaning on the sofa and watching TV casually so that he could join in the dining table. The atmosphere at the dining table felt very familiar and warm. It made Rangga remember when he was a child, he used to visit Lisa's house to have dinner together and help Kumala wash rice. It had been years since Rangga had seen Kumala, and the thing he had been waiting for the most for today was tasting Kumala's cooking after years of not seeing her!

n

"Don't hesitate! Auntie cooked a lot because Rangga must be very hungry. Come on take it please!

" Kumala handed Rangga a plate and cutlery. The man accepted it with enthusiasm, he couldn't wait to finish the dish that was served in front of him!

nRangga took the rice and other side dishes, devouring them very quickly. His longing for Kumala's cooking was finally relieved!

n

"Wow, auntie, your cooking hasn't changed from years ago! Even a 5 star hotel cooking will lose to this!

" he said with satisfaction.

n

"Oh, don't be like that, auntie's cooking is simple,

" Kumala replied blushing.

n

"It's really delicious! If I own a restaurant, I must recruit auntie as the chef!

" Rangga said while spooning the rice on the plate.

n

"Hey, slow down when you eat! You're handsome and wearing bulberry suits but still eats like a coolie, what a shame!

" Lisa said after accidentally finding Rangga chewing his food greedily.

n

"Duh Lis, I swear I really miss your mother's cooking! High-end restaurant food always makes me bored, Lis! Street food suits my taste and tongue better!

"

n

"Damn, are you saying my mother's cooking is like street food?

"

n

"Well, roadside cuisine is actually better than hotel cuisine! My tongue can't be deceived by delicious food Lis! And this is a compliment!

" Rangga replied excitedly.

"Auntie don't be offended! Street foods are better than expensive restaurant dishes, trust me!

"

n

"By the way, where is your sister Bella?

" Rangga asked curiously. He added the rice and side dish for the 6th time to the plate.

n

"She likes to lock herself in her room at night like this! If not, she stays at her campus studio and then comes home in the morning just to eat or take a shower and then goes back to campus again!

"

n

"What's her major, Lis?

"

n

"Interior Design. You know how the life of an engineering student is like,

" Lisa said while scooping her rice.

n

"I haven't seen Bella since I came earlier. Maybe it's true what you said. She may be still on campus.

"

nAfter dinner, Rangga and Lisa helped Kumala clear the dining table. Lisa picked up all the dirty plates and bowls and handed them over to Rangga to clean.

nKumala returned to her room and asked for permission to sleep early. She was old and didn't want to stay up too late so that her illness wouldn't recur.

nIn the living room, Rangga grabbed his briefcase and coat which he placed on the back of the sofa. The man glanced at his watch, it was already 10 and so he had to go home.

n

"I'll go back first, okay? Do you want me to drop you off your house?

"

n

"Yes, please wait.

"

n

"Okay, but whose house is that by the way?

" Rangga asked idly.

n

"I rented it together with my office friend, it's very close to the office so I won't be too tired when leaving in the morning. You know for yourself what traffic jams are like in Jakarta.

"

n

"Oh, I see. It's so big though?

"

nRangga and Lisa went straight to the lobby and headed for the parking lot. The secret of Lisa's relationship with Oscar almost got leaked in front of Rangga.. For the time being, she didn't let her old friend find out that she was married.

n