Just a Substitute
Chapter 22's

Shanum decided to go to the kitchen to refresh his throat, but he overheard his family talking in the living room. Shanum decided to join them. Tell stories about work, and anything to get rid of boredom.

In the room, Raka had just finished cleaning herself. He came out with a towel wrapped around his lower body. Raka snorted when she did not see Shanum in her room. He threw away the towel, put on his pajamas and lay on the bed.

Trying to be indifferent to the laughter of his wife and family downstairs. Raka did not want to gather with many people. He closed his eyes, falling asleep without Shanum beside him.

"What kind of wife is she? Husband in room was left talking." Raka pulled the blanket, curled her own body.

While below, Shanum tells about the business he pioneered himself after college. A cake shop that has one branch in the same town.

"His father was smart in business, his son also turned out to be no less clever. Now only one branch, next month could be five already." The uncle's babble invited laughter from everyone.

"It's going to trade that we're the boss. No one wants to because we have rules ourselves. We do not have to obey and submit to people because we are the owners. Shanum was like that first principle when starting his cake shop business," explained Hanan, Shanum's father.

Uncle Shanum nodded his head while glancing at his nephew.

"really. Although little is obtained, but still grateful because that is sustenance. There are already people who care" said the uncle so proud to Shanum.

"Yes. Thank goodness, Uncle. Although Shanum used to complain because at the beginning of the business no buyers came, but Shanum did not despair. Shanum believes that one day God will bring buyers, and thankfully now Shanum's customers have been many." There was gratitude on that beautiful face.

A very heavy struggle. At a time when all his friends are competing to be able to get into a famous company in the city, but Shanum chose to open a business according to his ability.Tak bit of scorn that he got from them even, not a little, Shanum is almost desperate if his father does not motivate him continuously.

"Well, it's also called effort. Especially new, it is not possible to directly get customers. Even if there is, there must be protest. This is how it is, when buying it is not how much, but that is the fruit of patience. Always sweet to taste," said the uncle who was not wrong at all.

What his father's sister said was true, there was a lot of protest Shanum got from the buyers, but that didn't stop him. Shanum continued to reorganize himself to the current point.

His patience bears sweet fruit even, sweeter than honey. A few moments of talking until I forget time.

"Udah night. It's good that you rest, pity your husband in the room alone," said the mother ending the conversation.

"Yes already. Shanum said to sleep first, tomorrow must be to the store as well," Shanum said as he stood up and went up the stairs to the second floor.

He felt bad for leaving Raka alone in the room. Shanum opened the door slowly, settling inside. He was stunned to see Raka had been inside the blanket. It is not usually that the man falls asleep. Usually she would wait for Shanum, sleeping while hugging him.

Shanum sighed, acknowledging Raka's condition which might have been so tired that he went to bed earlier. He climbed into the bed, turned off the lights and prepared for bed.

"Yes!" Shanum tried to call her husband. Who knows, not asleep.

"Raka?" Once again he called, but still there was no reply. The man had fallen asleep in his dreamland.

Shanum sighed, then tried to get shut up and drifted away like the man beside him. Secretly Raka opened her eyes, she was still awake, but reluctant to answer his wife's call.

****

Elsewhere, Dzaky had just returned home from a meeting with his future wife. A pesantren graduate girl who is quiet again. Very much different from the personality of Shanum who is cheerful and likes to laugh.

For him, he likes Shanum's personality which of course can meet his shortcomings that are very economical to talk.

"Where was the meeting? Smoothly?" ask the mother while sitting on the chair next to her son.

"Thank God, Umi." Dzaky answered briefly.

"How serious? You like it, don't you? He's a graduate of the pesantren, you know." The mother can't wait for her son to get married and have children.

"Well, to like just judgment. She's a good woman, not a lot of talk, and surely her religious knowledge is good. Maybe even Dzaky who will have to learn with him." The young man smiled as he glanced at his mother.

"Yes, it's okay. You must complement each other. That's the function of the wedding rope bond. Each of you is the perfecter of your partner." The almost old woman rubbed her son's arm. He knows that Dzaky's heart has chosen Shanum, but unfortunately the girl has married despite the force.

"Yes, Mi. Insha Allah if the soul mate will not go anywhere," said Dzaky with all his spaciousness.

He had to give up Shanum for others, and choose his own life.

"Yes, mending Umi rest. It's late at night, not good for Umi's health." Dzaky asked attentively.

The condition of the elderly mother makes it easier for her to suffer from pain. The woman nodded, rubbed the child's head then went to her own room.

As the eldest son, Dzaky became the successor to the father who first left him. Maintaining and caring for his mother was also his youngest sister who was studying religion.

He sighed, contemplating the journey of life he had gone through. Then, choose to move from the family room and enter his room on the second floor of the house.

"A'uudzu billaahi minasy - shaaithoonir - rojiim. O God, I take refuge in You from all the temptations of the devil. Keep the servant away from anything that plunges. Especially the whispers of those who are misleading."

Dzaky lay on his bed, trying to forget Shanum's shadow still lingering in his mind. It would be very difficult for her to erase the girl from memory, because after all Shanum was the first girl to fill her heart.

The night felt long, for the three people who are being hit by anxiety. Their eyes were closed, but their hearts stayed awake glaring somewhere. Dissolved and drifted in the cradle of each other's feelings.

Oh my God, why is it so long tonight? I was bored waiting for morning.

Shanum muttered, getting tired of waiting for the morning to come.