He's The Unaffordable
Chapter 47 - Home

We let the family take each other off. Aunt Lindsey and Aunt Claudia did not hold back any longer. They both hugged their two grandchildren tightly. Feeling someone wrap their hands around my waist, I turned my head. Mama pulled me closer and grabbed me too Papa.

“I wouldn't be able to imagine being apart from my children for a dozen years. Away from you guys for just a few hours, I've been worried wondering if you guys are okay.” Mama put her head on my arm.

“Clarissa is home, so you must prepare to part from our eldest son, dear,” Papa said teasing Mama. We both looked at Papa in surprise. “I'm sure Claudia will not delay her plan to unite him with her grandson.”

“Hadi and Mila are still in college, Claudia will not do that now.” Mama shook her head slowly. “Again they have been separated for a long time, we cannot force them to be together just for the sake of their selfish mother and grandmother's plan.”

“Splitting for a long time does not prevent our son from falling in love with the girl.” Papa blinked one eye at me. I'm laughing a little.

Mama looked at me with a frown. “Hadi? You and Mila .. you guys ...” He looked at me and Mila in turn.

“There is nothing between us, Ma. Papa is overreacting.” I shook my head.

“Oh, I'm not overdoing it. The way you saw Clarissa wasn't quite the way I saw my wife who I loved so much.” Without caring about the place where we were, Papa lowered his head in order to kiss Mama's lips. “But I know you're heading there. And if you are not careful and act fast, once people know who he is, other young men will be queuing up to be his girlfriend.”

Imagining what Papa just said made me feel uncomfortable. I can't accept there's another young man being her boyfriend. Mila is Clarissa, the little girl whom Aunt Claudia promised to be my wife. He cannot belong to another man.

“You saw for yourself, ‘kan, darling? Our son is in love with Clarissa.” Mom and Dad laughed. I looked at the two of them sharply.

Not likely. I'm in love with Mila? We met and talked a few times. I don't even know what his favorite food is. Papa must have misjudged my attitude towards the girl. When I asked him to talk after the lecture that Papa gave me a few weeks ago, it was purely because I wanted to know what his relationship was with Colin and why he was so similar to Aunt Abby. Not because I was interested in him.

Yes, I admit that lately I feel something different every time I accidentally touch him physically. I want to be with her more often, want to be closer to her, even these few days she is always the person I think of before going to bed. That's not a sign of a man in love, ‘kan? I was only worried about him because of the test results.

Aunt Lindsey invited us all to sit together in the room. He and Aunt Claudia were happily sitting flanking Mila, while Charlotte sat down with her lover, Wyatt. My parents and I sat on the same couch.

They are grateful for what we have done to help them find their lost grandchildren. Aunt Lindsey asked Aunt Qiana to help take care of all the bureaucratic needs so that Mila could return officially to Clarissa. He also asked Papa for help to talk to the campus about it.

“Do you mind your name? If you like the name Mila, we can put that name on all your personal documents,” asked Aunt Lindsey.

Mila immediately shook her head. “That's not my name and I don't know why they chose that name. I like the name Clarissa and don't mind using it.” He's looking at me. “Mila is a girl whose origins are unclear. I want to go back to being myself.”

“Good. In that case, starting today we will call you by your real name,” said Aunt Lindsey with a moved face. “Claudia chose that name for you. He and Zahara discussed what name matched Hadi. Abby is a good boy. He just agrees with all the suggestions your grandma.” has put forward

“Ah, you happen to be alluding to that,” said Aunt Claudia with happy sparkling eyes.

“Why not? Me and Mason will be back in America soon, I won't let anything go unresolved when we get back.” He immediately raised his hand as I just opened my mouth. “I don't want to hear your protest. Girls first, so I'll ask Clarissa.”

Clarissa smiled meaningfully. He must have known where this conversation was going. Hopefully she is really the girl who acts cautiously. “About what, Grandma?”

“So, while you were still in your mother's womb, Zahara and I intended to marry you both,” said Aunt Claudia.

“Hadi told me this,” Clarissa said slowly. Aunt Claudia and Aunt Lindsey looked at him in surprise. Everyone simultaneously looked at me, then smiled meaningfully. I really don't like being in this place at this point.

“Then, what do you think of Hadi? Do you want to be his wife? Ooh ... You guys are going to be a very compatible couple!” exclaim Aunt Claudia happy. His four companions laughed amusedly at his reaction.

“Aunt, we haven't even one month know each other.” I felt the need to express my sense of protest back. “And also we are still in college, why suddenly talk about marriage?”

“This child is really impatient. Your turn to talk will come. Now it's Clarissa's turn.” Aunt Claudia rolled her eyeballs. They all laugh. “So, what do you think, Clarissa? Don't worry about Hadi. He's a good young man. Although I rarely visit Indonesia, I follow his development since he was a child.”

I turned to Papa and Mama for support, and they smiled meaningfully. Papa even gave me a look as if to say, what did I say? Couldn't Aunt Claudia choose another day to talk about this? We just faced great danger, and then this family got back together, and all that big stuff has to be added to the marriage?

“May I think about this first, Grandma? I know that Grandma and Grandma only think about what's best for me. But the fact that I'm part of this family is a big surprise and a big burden. I believe I have to adapt and prepare myself so that I am worthy to be a member of this family.

“If I too have to go through as serious a marriage, I'm not sure that I'm ready for all this. I'm not against Grandma's good plans with Aunt Zahara. I just asked for time.” Goody. She is a wise girl.

“Darling, no one mentioned about you getting married soon. We can hold a small event as a symbol you will be loyal to each other. Think of it as an engagement, but only between us. When you are ready to formalize your relationship, we will hold an official event in front of everyone. If you want to get engaged first, please. If you want to get married straight away, that's even better,” said Aunt Lindsey explained. “How?”

“Good, Grandma.” Clarissa nodded in agreement. What say? Ok? Did he not know that they were trapping him with that sentence?

“Nah, Hadi, I already know what you think, so I won't ask again,” said Aunt Claudia broke her own promise. I looked at him in disbelief.

“I haven't even said—” my protest quickly.

The door of the room suddenly opened. I turned around and prepared to scold anyone who had cut before I finished speaking. It turns out that the one who came was Dira. When did he get home from school? I didn't hear the sound of the car coming into the yard.

“I've brought Kak Hadi's suit! Are we going to do the show now!?” ask her with happy eyes. I stared in disbelief at my suit wrapped neatly in the protective plastic she held up high.