Little Story About You
CHAPTER 17: THE REOCCURRENCE OF WHAT WAS ONCE IN HIS HEART
Abel and his mother were on their way to the hospital. They perform a health check-up one last time, according to a predetermined schedule.
Along the way Abel was anxious. He thought about the possibility of two things, namely, the chance to meet Ibram who had no news since the last time they separated in the Thousand Islands.
Oh shit, there is no such opportunity.
“Bel.”
“Iya, Ma?”
“Down. We're already sampe.”
Abel's gaze also led to the hospital building in front of him. The girl had been deep in thought for too long, not realizing that the car, which had been driven by her family's Ali─ driver for five years, had parked the car among the ranks of other four-wheeled vehicles.
“Iya, Ma.” Abel opened the door to get out.
***
After carrying out the procedures set by the hospital on the desk of the information service unit and administrative registration, Abel and his mother just waited in the row of waiting chairs in the hospital lobby.
Every time a young male doctor passed through him, whether from his right and left side, front or back, Abel unconsciously turned to observe and convince his vision that the doctors were not Ibram. Abel sighed silently, because for thirty minutes he sat down, there was still no sign of Ibram's whereabouts.
“Bel, it's your name's turn now.” Abel again could not focus if not for the reprimand of his mother.
Abel nodded with a limp look, following his mother's steps towards the Surya doctor's room as before. When he was in front of the door of the room, Abel's view fell on the signboard attached to the door. Long enough Abel stared at the name, until he choked after consciously digesting the name into his memory.
Abel immediately closed his mouth with eyes that were also round. Abel shook his head strongly still refusing to believe that his vision was wrong. However, no matter how hard he lied to himself, the name belonged to someone familiar inside his head.
“Ma, doctor Surya Brata Baskoro his father doctor Ibram?” still half conscious, Abel asked his mother in a voice that was quite attention-seeking to others.
Her mother looked at Abel astonished.“There-there's aja. Did you know your own doctor? You just found out or how?”from the question his mother asked just now, Abel was increasingly convinced that his mother had long known the fact.
“Yaampun. Why didn't you tell Abeeell?” protest with a feeling of anxiety. He felt stupid for not realizing the truth that was clearly in front of his eyes these days.
“Kirain Mama, you already know.” Her mother's response was without guilt.
“Ihh, Mama.” Abel grew increasingly anxious himself, as if struck by panic. She was silent when a nun came out of the room and asked them to come in.
***
It was still hard to believe that the middle-aged and bespectacled man in front of him at this moment was, the father of Ibram, the doctor he had known all along.
The middle-aged man in front of him did not at all describe a figure that looked cold or fierce. Precisely the look in his eyes feels warm, as well as the way he speaks, sounds familiar and pleasant. Not limiting himself that he is talking to the patient or the patient's family.
But if Ibram remembers again, Abel is forced to swallow a deep sense of disappointment, because until that very day, he still saw no signs of Ibram at all. Not even reportedly.
There were negative allegations that haunted his mind, that the man was still angry with him, as well as positive allegations that he hoped were true, the man was still in the Thousand Islands. Given the information that the sisters said on the information desk back then, that Ibram emptied the schedule to this day. So, Ibram could have just returned today from there. Abel is still trying to think positively.
Abel had just finished wearing his own clothes. He returned the patient's clothes that he had to wear during the medical test to the nurse. The girl and her mother returned to the lobby to wait for the results of her examination to come out of the laboratory.
Inwardly, Abel hoped for the last time. He wanted Ibram very much to be present, and it was the man who would deliver his health results like that time.
“Mama knows about Doctor Ibram.” Abel voiced his uneasy thoughts from earlier. He could not bear to keep silent, while his mind was being muddled on a single figure that had not shown itself until now.
“Mama thinks you already know. Yes, so Mama diem-diem aja.” Her mother was so astonished by her daughter's attitude.“What's wrong? Your voice sounds uninspired.”
Abel sighed heavily. “Come to the same doctor Ibram. But Abel doesn't know much about him. In fact, Bang Hugo was a friend of Afreni's during his High School, not much tau.”Distracted speech.
Mama Abel's eyes narrowed at her. “Why do you want to know so much?”
“Iyaaa. Abel must know who Abel's friend is now. Not much of a secret. Abel so does not understand his mind.” His voice sounded increasingly limp and displeased in the last sentence.
“That's a sign you are familiar with doctor Ibram.”
His mama's sentence just now seemed to make Abel new aware of his behavior since then. He was silent as if searching for that truth in his mind.
“Actually Mama also knew from the nurse when you were still being treated. Sister said, doctor Ibram son of doctor Surya.”
Abel looked at his mother.“What else do you know besides that?”Abel was urgent. Frankly, he does not lie, if he is increasingly curious about anything that concerns about Ibram at this time.
“Yang Mama Denger, many nurses have a crush on her. After all his son is handsome, not much talk, not much behavior. Usually men model kayak that like to make curious. Moreover, it does not have many women familiar friends. Anyone who is his girlfriend must feel safe and lucky.”
“That means never had a boyfriend?”Abel drew his own conclusions.
“Maybe, Darling. Who would dare to decadent doctor Ibram if his attitude is that cold. Fear dicuekin. They said it was the same Mama.” He looked at his daughter now, as if waiting for a response but nothing. Then he continued speaking.“Mama to listen also, Ibram doctor was not arrogant or like a pretentious man, he was friendly.” then his mother docked to Abel and whispered. “But stingy smile and irritate by the way.”
“Iya Abel agrees.”
“That you already know.”
“Abel can guess during the same deck him.”
“Oalah.”
“That's it, Ma?”
“Have a hobby of traveling and what yes.. photography, yes, if not wrong.” Her mother tried to remember.
Abel nodded, for even this one fact he already knew. Because he had witnessed the hobby firsthand, since knowing the man. Abel's attention was focused on the information service unit and administrative registration, located not far in front of him. He looked at the table for a long time to weigh something in his mind.
***
“Suster.”
“Iya?”
“I─”
“Did doctor Ibram.” The sister had apparently memorized Abel's face, who always came to ask similar questions.
Abel smiled clumsily. “Udah any news, Sus?” tanyanya.
“According to its empty schedule it is indeed to this day. But no word from him until now.” The nurse explained with her hospitality. His attitude remained patient, although Abel always came to ask about it-that's it.“Anything else you want to ask?”
Abel shook his head slowly, it was clear that his facial water had turned grim upon hearing the information.
“Thank you, Sus.” He said, which was responded with a nod and a warm smile of the sister.
Abel returned to the waiting chair, where his mother was still patiently waiting for their turn.
“Udah?” ask mama.
Abel just nodded slowly, but suddenly his gaze was fixed on a woman to the left of her mother. It looks like the woman is fond of fondling a cell phone. As if just remembered, the girl immediately thought of her cellphone that had received a message from a line of foreign numbers owned by Ibram.
Highlight Abel's eyes instantly flashed with pleasure. Abel immediately took the phone from his bag, long enough he stared at the line of numbers to decide to contact Ibram.
Abel brought the phone to his ear slowly with a hesitant gesture. Even his heart was currently pounding not a sigh. He touched his chest. Moreover, after hearing the number ringing actively, he almost jumped up in excitement. Long waiting for his call to be answered, finally the owner of the phone across voiced.
“Halo?”
Abel had just smiled broadly at the heavy voice across there. His previous grim facial water, instantly glowing brightly in line with the twinkle in his pair of eyes. He was not aware of all his attitude just now.
“Iya hello? Ibram..it's Abel.” The girl unconsciously bit her lower lip.
“Iya Abel's. What's up?”
Abel almost screamed at the soft voice Ibram responded to himself talk.“Ka, you're fine, right?” he asked carefully, afraid to make Ibram misunderstand.
“Iya. I'm kind. What was? Need something?”
Abel let out a sigh of relief hearing that calm reaction. Moreover, the voice of Ibram was heard not ogah-ogahan responding to every question he conveyed. His voice remained warm and light, as if what had happened in the Thousand Islands that time, was not a burden of thought or a burst of anger of the man.
“Can we meet today?” Abel immediately bit the tip of his nail. Afraid that Ibram would refuse his request. If that happens, he won't see Ibram again. Abel immediately rejected his thoughts just now, not not to meet, but to vent his anger blatantly.
Abel waited long enough for Ibram to be silent to agree to his invitation. But Abel can hear the noisy voices of people talking to each other on the phone. That time lag made him feel anxious and insecure.
“Abel, what did you just say?”
Ibram asked back. The sign that the man did not hear clearly his invitation earlier, made Abel feel disappointed and decided to hold it himself.
“Ngak, coke. I was just asking how are you?”abel said with a faint voice. Abel lowered his head to hide his lesion.
Ibram smile. “Yakin? Nothing else?”
“Iya.”
“Yaudah, I can hang up now?”
“Ehm.”
Abel's feelings were like being smashed to pieces after their conversation ended fruitlessly. In fact, Abel was sure to say the invitation clearly. Either because Ibram deliberately changed the topic, when there was a pause between them earlier. Abel is not sure about this.
Ibram's reaction was completely out of step with Abel's expectations. Suddenly he felt uneasy. Even since then his palm felt cold and stiff, but once he heard the voice of the man back to relax. Unfortunately, the relief was short-lived.
Abel kept his phone back in the bag with a stiff face after his conversation with Ibram ended.
“Udah chat with doctor Ibram?”
The voice of his mother returned Abel from his mind. Abel nodded. “Iya.”
“Keep doctor Ibram angry with you?”
Abel shook his head slowly.“Doctor Ibram is not angry, Ma.”
“Thankful for that. Well, it's our turn now.” Her mother pointed to one of the screens hanging from the ceiling of the hospital, just above the desk of the information service unit and administrative registration.
***
