Bond of Love
Drafts

The atmosphere seemed so silent, so awkward and definitely tense.

Two people who had been married and had been separated for quite a long time, now sat together on a balcony chair that was only limited by a table.

The gazes of the two husband and wife were thrown far ahead, looking at some tall buildings that were still brightly lit.

Black coffee smoke puffed up, giving off a soft aroma until sniffed by each other's noses as well as being the two's chatting friends tonight.

For a long time they kept quiet, finally one of them made a sound.

"Did Kayl have fussy sleep?" Ask the man while lowering his head.

"Nothing" replied Shanum lirih.

"I thought because it was so happy to meet her mommy and be able to stay together, she would be difficult to close her eyes, apparently not"

"Why think so? Kayl was in the arms of the woman who gave birth to her, she would definitely feel comfortable and instantly be able to sleep"

"Is that so?" Ben smiled faintly.

Back silence. They are busy with their own thoughts.

"You want to talk, why shut up?" Say it after a few minutes.

"Is our marriage happy?"

Instead of answering Shanum's question, the man gave a wry smile.

"Why ask like that?"

"Why not just answer?" Shanum asked back.

The man returned with a smile.

"Very happy" Ben said.

"But why would Fabian say that you've tortured my mind and my body?"

"That's not true, and do you believe what he's saying?"

"It was hard at first to believe who, but after I pondered, I chose to stay here all for Mikayla's sake"

"I know you're not a strong mother, whether it's for who's sake, this is the right decision" Ben said, glancing at Shanum who was looking down at his fingers.

"And you're still faithfully waiting for me?"

Not immediately answering, Ben looked at his wife intensely.

Aware of getting a gaze from the man beside her, Shanum finally ventured to return her legitimate gaze to be her husband.

Ben took off as soon as their views met.

"Why?"

"Because you asked me to stay faithful forever"

Hearing Ben's reply, Shanum's eyebrows swooped sharply.

"I asked for that?"

"Yes" Ben turned his eyes back.

"There are four things you always want to hear once you open your eyes in the morning"

"Four things?"

"Hm"

"What" asked Shanum curiously.

Before replying, Ben grabbed a cup of coffee that had warmed up, then took a sip. "Every waking" he said, putting the white cup back on the table. "You always say, 'Dear, don't leave me, please me, stay loyal to me, and never hurt me"

Ben's mind was far away to look to the past, remembering Shanum's old words that he had memorized even to this second.

"You also asked me to say that and promise"

"What promise?"

"I will never leave you, I will always make you happy, stay loyal to you, and never hurt you"

Swallowing, the woman seemed to not believe what Ben said just now, Shanum said five seconds later.

"Listening to what you said earlier, it feels like I'd like to go back to remembering my past"

"You can remember that, Sha"

Shanum smiled smirk. "I'm not sure" his response lowered his head.

Ben looked at Shanum again. "I'm sure why aren't you?"

"I'll make you remember me, that's my promise"

"I'll try to get your love back" Ben added without hesitation.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Nonik says I went home alone to Jakarta after giving birth, why did you let me go home alone from Macau to Jakarta?"

"Because you believe all the words of someone who lied to you"

"Lied me?"

"Yes" said Ben. "There's someone telling you that your family had an accident. Without waiting for me who was abroad to take care of business, you are determined to go home alone, you leave Kayl to mama, ask mama to tell me to immediately follow you if I come back"

"Did you catch up with me right after coming home from abroad?"

"Of course, just after you called me and told me you were coming home, I went straight back to Macau, but unfortunately I was late because you left without waiting for me, I didn't let you go home alone at the time"

"Is the person who lied to me like that Fabian?"

"That's what I need to find out, Shanum"

"Why Fabian? She's my cousin, why would you do that?"

"Because your cousin loves you"

"What?" Shanum. "love me? How can a cousin love his own cousin?"

"He's just a cousin who has no blood relation to Anita's mommy family. He's just your foster son"

Swallowing spit, Shanum was completely in disbelief. "Lifting child?"

"Yes, he's not Gracia's aunt's son"

"Where did you know Fabian wasn't Gracia's aunt's son?"

"Who else are you from?" Answer Ben honestly. Shanum tells the story of Fabian who was not the son of his aunt.

"From?" Shanum.

While Ben nodded steadily.

"You said that when Fabian was seven years old, Aunt Gracia hit the bike that Fabian and his father rode on, both of Fabian's parents died on the spot while he survived. Because Aunt Gracia felt guilty, be the aunt adopted Fabian to be her son. And it just so happened that Gracia's aunt had no children after four years of marriage"

"Why don't I know about this? I mean, after losing my memory, no one told me Fabian wasn't my cousin?"

"Ask that to mommy Anita or papa Emir" Ben got up from his seat, then put both his hands in his pants pocket. "But maybe it's because they're too busy taking care of their business and thinking about your recovery, so they're not thinking about telling you"

"Ben looked back, meeting his neutrals with the dark netra of the wife.

"After night, the air is already very cold outside, go in and sleep. We'll talk again tomorrow"

"Don't think anything, about anyone, just focus on being happy with yourself and your daughter, the rest I'll take care of" Imbuh Ben tried to calm his woman.

"Where are you going to sleep?" shanum asked before agreeing to Ben's call to sleep.

"I'm going to sleep on the TV room couch. You can sleep in this room"

"No need, I'll sleep with Mikayla, you sleep in this room"

"Kayl's bed isn't too big, you'll have trouble moving later"

"No problem"

"But I'm a problem" Ben responded.

"Come in, let Kayl sleep alone, don't worry about anything, sleep well"

"alright. Good night"

"Good night"

When Shanum was about to lift the tray containing the two cups of coffee they had already drunk, Ben knowingly stretched out his hands and directly touched the sides of the green tray.

"Give it to me, I'll take it to the kitchen"

"Thank you" Shanum let Ben do it.

...****************...

As Ben ordered, Shanum fell asleep in the man's room. After several nights of not being able to sleep well, now he again felt the pleasure of wandering in the dreamland.

All Ben said, as if able to make him calm and comfortable.

Seriate