Dusk At the End Please
Semu Hope

"Defending myself not to contact you is the end point of my struggle to catch you" Ahsan stared at her reflection in the water. The two of them were currently in the back of Shanum's house. Ahsan requested permission to perform the Ashar prayer there before continuing the journey to the destination of Ms. Fatimah.

Shanum escorted her, she tried to act ordinary when interacting with Ahsan. He had given the right reason to Bu Fatimah and Indri who were astonished because it turned out that they both knew each other. Shanum said that if Ahsan was his senior brother when he was in college in Bandung, he said honestly. They believe and ask no more.

"It is not always best to survive, sometimes letting go is also the best thing when defending only gives wounds" Shanum replied firmly.

"You always have a reason" Ahsan replied with a straight forward look, without turning a single look at Shanum who had started to get anxious about the two of them being there.

"I'm just trying to be realistic, we can't force things according to our will. There is good planning from the Creator. As long as the effort has been maximized, our next task is to raise our hands and the rest let God intervene. Whatever the outcome, we must accept it with the air and run it as well as possible" Shanum argued at length against all Ahsan's accusations.

"How's your husband doing?" Ahsan diverted the discussion. He took fish food that was deliberately hung on the roof of the babancong and threw it into a fish pond that was right in front of the babancong where it stands today.

Degs....Shanum sighed trying to neutralize the ever-changing feeling when someone asked about her husband. He tried to neutralize his face and voice so that it returned as usual.

"He is in Jakarta, ebaran the third day my mother-in-law and sister-in-law will come to Garut, Shanum replied as is.

"I haven't seen him in a long time. I didn't think you'd finally marry her. We were close friends when we were in college. He's a good person, I believe he can make you happy" Ahsan spoke still with a flat expression and a straight look. This time he did not waste the opportunity to reveal something that he had been alone for so long.

"Alhamdulillah, Bang Haqi is very kind, he treats me with special. I happy. How is Suraya? you guys have kids?" Shanum replied to Ahsan with gratitude and praised Haqi which certainly made Ahsan immediately change his face but unfortunately Shanum did not see it.

Shanum diverted the conversation by asking about Suraya.

"Ck, me and him....." Ahsan sounded clucked, Ahsan's words suddenly paused as Bu Fatimah called out to him.

"Ahsan, is the prayer Nak?" Fatimah came and approached him. He looked around the backyard of Shanum's comfortable-looking mansion.

"Have Mom left now?" Ahsan asked back. The presence of Fatimah immediately stopped the conversation between the two of them. Shanum who realized the arrival of Fatimah immediately came down from Babancong left Ahsan and was about to approach Fatimah but first he turned to the ablution area.

Along with the arrival of Ms. Fatimah, a man who was none other than Andi came and called Shanum.

"Shanum, this is someone who wants to talk to you" Andi called Shanum familiarly, he even patted Shanum on the shoulder who was fixing the water faucet of the ablution area where the water was still dripping.

Shanum turned his head, "Eh Di, I'll take my guest for a second" shanum said and answered a nod by Andi with a smile on his lips made someone who was going down the stairs babancong momentarily stopped his steps. He stared intently at Andi who looked familiar with Shanum.

"Mom, are you leaving?" shanum asked kindly to Ms Fatimah, she wiped her wet hands before greeting Ms Fatimah.

"Yes, it's late afternoon. God willing Mom to come back here sometime. Wanting to eat here, very comfortable place" said Bu Fatimah while reaching Shanum's hand full of tenderness. Ms. Fatimah even stared fixedly at Shanum from a close distance, she felt familiar with the sweet face full of that smile.

Ahsan and Fatimah said goodbye, Shanum apologized for not being able to drive them forward. Andi has invited him to talk to the connected person on his screen.

Before leaving Ahsan looked back at Shanum and Andi who looked familiar. He continued to stare at Andi still with his sharp gaze as if his memory was recording the man's face. While Andi was very enthusiastic about showing something in her net, she did not notice with Ahsan's gaze that had been filled with intimidation since.

"Shanuuuum.." shouted two people who were connected through a video call on Andi's device. They are Nia and Husna, Shanum's best friend when attending Al-Kausar Middle School and both live in Dormitory.

When Shanum grabbed the device in the hands of Andi, he was no less excited when he saw the faces of his two friends on the screen of the device.

"Aaaaaaaaa..kalian, I'm kangeeenn" Shanum cried no less hysterically when the three of them had already met face.

Andi who saw it was also happy, he smiled to see his three best friends meet for the first time after years apart.

Shanum was engrossed in the chat with his friends, he did not realize that the device he used was not his. Suddenly a little girl grabbed her robe, Shanum stopped the conversation and turned to the little boy.

"My father" the boy's words surprised Shanum, he noticed the device in his hand. Shanum completely forgot that he was using Andi's device. He had not even met the Andi family.

"Adududududu .. sorry sweet sister, Teteh forgot. Sorry sorry sorry, just a moment to stay with the tight friends" Shanum crouched down and grabbed the little boy he believed to be Andi's son.

"Nia, Husna I close first huh. I forget that again wear gawainya Andi's son nanyain" said Shanum by displaying his griny face that was hugging the girl who was beside him and in reply with a headband by his two friends.

"Beuh... gening geus so urang city ge angeur we pohoan nana mah (beuh.ternyap already a city people also need to be forgetful)" said Nia while smashing her lips.

Shanum just grinned at his two best friends who were mocking him. They ended the conversation after Shanum mentioned his phone number to be kept by the two of them.

Assalamu'alaikum, chest.hh" concluded Shanum as Andi's screen blackened.

"Who's name is beautiful?" Shanum turned to question the girl.

"Adiba" the little boy, about three or four years old, replied with a lisp.

"Where is your father?" so cool to chat with his two best friends Shanum did not even realize Andi's departure from his side. Adiba pointed at the table occupied by Andi and his family, andi waved at Shanum.

Shanum carried Adiba to the table where Andi and the family gathered. He introduced himself as a schoolmate of Andi's Junior High and apologized for his boredom using Andi's device. Shanum did not expect Andi who is famous for being the most nosy among his male friends turned out to be now the village head.

Adhan Maghrib reverberated, after chatting with his wife and family Andi Shanum pamit to break the fast and allow Andi and his family to enjoy the dishes that have been available at their table.

Time shows at seven o'clock, stall visitors have begun to recede. They gradually left the mother's stall because it was time to close. Andi and his family also say goodbye, not forgetting Shanum gave snacks for Andi's children who numbered three people.

"When you come back here again, wait" Shanum told Andi's three children after they were in the car.

Andi who closed the door after making sure all family members entered was prepared to turn towards the steering door. But previously he had whispered half ridicule Shanum but still heard by all.

"You don't want to be called by my children's neighbors, the beaches are called uwa" Andi sneered as he sauntered away to the car door.

"Call teteh yes children shaleh, dadaa..hh wa'alaikumsalam" Shanum waved his hand at them with a car that began to go along with the greeting farewell.

While in the car that Ahsan was driving. Fatimah looked to find something from the bag she was carrying.

"What are you looking for?" tanya Ahsan who saw Bu Fatimah looked busy by herself. After breaking open together and chatting briefly to release kangen with old friends, Ms. Fatimah decided to leave because the journey they took was still very far away. And now that they were on the road to the south Garut, Ahsan drove his car at a moderate speed. The atmosphere of the night and the winding road to Pameungpeuk made him very carefully drive his car.

"Mother looking for Neng Zahra's phone number paper, the mother got from Indri" replied Ms Fatimah without turning her head, her hands still looking for a piece of paper that read Shanum's personal phone number.

During this time Ms. Fatimah ordered catering to a special number of stalls that are only active at certain times. Ms. Fatimah deliberately requested Shanum's personal number from her cousin to confirm something.

"Lho...didn't my mother communicate with him often?" ask Ahsan wonder.

"If it's a number that is used specifically for stalls, after all, you don't know who replied to your message, Neng Zahra or Neng Indri" explained Bu Fatimah.

"Oh" Ahsan just rounded her lips.

The atmosphere was silent again, Ms. Fatimah was still searching for the paper while Ahsan stared at the road straight ahead.

Dughh.. suddenly Ahsan's car passed through the path deep enough to make his passengers jumped in shock.

"Son..be careful" exclaimed Ms. Fatimah with her panicked face.

"Sorry Mom, there is an invisible hole" Ahsan replied, but she realized that she was daydreaming about her meeting with Shanum.

"You tired?" asked Fatimah to confirm Ahsan's condition. They have traveled quite far.

"Sorry Mom, I'll be more careful" Ahsan replied regretfully.

Ahsan escorted Ms. Fatimah from Bandung, during this time she lived in the boarding school in Pameungpeuk. The arrival of Bu Fatimah to Bandung was none other than to prepare Akhtar's house in the foundation. The latest news that Bu Fatimah received from Ahsan was that Akhtar was aware and could return home. During this time Ms. Fatimah had never visited Ahsan abroad, she never got any news about Ahsan from her ex-husband and ex-best friend.

Mr. Furqan never contacted Ms. Fatimah at all, the existence of Ms. Sopia with him made him not free to contact Ms. Fatimah. Moreover, Ms. Sopia who had threatened and always warned Mr. Furqan to never get in touch again with Ms. Fatimah.

But secretly Mr. Furqan gave news of Akhtar's health development to Ahsan and asked him to tell Ms. Fatimah. He also asked Ahsan to look after him, he was worried about the safety of his ex-wife considering that Sopia could do anything as he wished.

Ahsan also said, he was happy to take care of Ms. Fatimah and convey all the information about Akhtar's health development abroad. Photos of Akhtar sent by Mr. Furqan immediately Ahsan sent to Bu Fatimah.

When he heard the news that Akhtar had realized, Ms. Fatimah immediately headed to Bandung. He took the initiative to clean and tidy the Akhtar official house. Ms. Fatimah did not care about the threat of Sopia, all she thought about was her son. Ms. Fatimah was happy her do'a-do' was granted. Really, he misses Akhtar a lot.

After a week in Bandung, Mr. Furqan never gave any news when Akhtar will return home. Ms. Fatimah finally decided to return to Garut to coincide with her school reunion. He also took the initiative to become a consumer donor at the reunion event on behalf of the son of course. During this time Ms. Fatimah always routinely gave food in the name of her son, accompanied by do'a Bu Fatimah hoping for healing for her only son.

His prayer was answered, now Ms. Fatimah slightly breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the video sent by Mr. Furqan to Ahsan's number. In the video, Akhtar is sitting in a wheelchair, he is taken by a nurse to sunbathe in the morning. No words were spoken from Akhtar's lips. He just looked at something, but his eyes looked blank.

Ms. Fatimah could only cry looking at her son's current state. Akhtar who always appear dashing with his athletic height now lives a memory. He looks thin and fragile. Nevertheless, Ms. Fatimah is grateful that her son has now awoken from his long sleep.

"Yes, you have Neng Zahra's personal number?" Ms. Fatimah remembered that Ahsan and Shanum claimed to know each other.

"Zahra Feng? who's she?" Ahsan asked in wonder.

"That was the owner of the mother's rice stall, you were chatting, he said you were his level brother when he was in college" Ms Fatimah reminded Ahsan again.

Ahsan who was just grumpy with that name nodded his head.

"Shanum meant mom?" tanya Ahsan made sure

"Shanon?" Fatimah looked to the side waiting for Ahsan to answer.

"Iya Shanum, the owner of the mother's rice stall earlier" Ahsan again explained.

"Isn't his name Zahra?" asked Ms. Fatimah again, she went back to looking for Indri-given paper in her bag.

"Yes Bu, Zahra is his last name, his full name is Shanum Najua Azzahra" Ahsan continued to answer the astonishment of Ms. Fatimah.

"Shanum Najua Azzahra" muttered Bu Fatimah, she seemed to remember something.

"Ko mother feels familiar with her name" said Ms. Fatimah with her forehead still shriveled remembering.

"He's Akhtar's friend as well Ma'am" Ahsan explained.

"You mean, she's Shanum's first love Akhtar?" asked Fatimah Curious. Ahsan nodded his head in a sign confirming Ms Fatimah's guess.

"Alhamdulillah, finally able to meet" said Mrs Fatimah happy to know the reality. For several months waiting for Akhtar in the hospital, Akhtar was conscious and Bu Fatimah heard if Akhtar muttered to mention Shanum's name in his subconscious.

"He's married Mom" Ahsan again reminded Bu Fatimah of the facts about Shanum, he seemed to be able to guess the mind of Bu Fatimah if he hoped Shanum could be a cure for Akhtar's recovery

"Huh!!!" sontak Bu Fatimah also closed her mouth in shock at the fact she had just known. It turned out that the woman his son loved was so close to him. Just a pity, Miss Fatimah just remembered that Shanum is married.

He remembered that which made Akhtar very bad until the wedding day. Plus the bad news he received about Raina, making him even more devastated until finally the accident happened. Hope Bu Fatimah Shanum can help Akhtar's recovery evaporate just like that.