New Breath
Chapter 3

The sound of crying of the three-month-old boy echoed filling the room. I don't know why this morning the little guy was so fussy. Nadhira was a little overwhelmed to see the baby. He gently stroked the back of the little one who was now in a sling. Channeling the comfort he had so Radin could calm down.

"What's up, Ra?"

The head of the veiled woman turned towards the source of the voice. He looked at Mama who was approaching with a worried face. Then he answered only with a soft slack. "No idea, Ma. Radin was suddenly fussy like this. Not usually. In fact, just a few minutes ago Nadhira love ASI."

Mama took over Radin from Nadhira's sling. He did the same thing as what Nadhira did to the little baby. Chant the shalawat until the child stops his broken cry.

Nadhira's smile rises. He felt relieved. "Thank you, yes, Ma."

The ringing of the phone lying carelessly on the bed echoes in place of Radin's crying voice. The owner glanced at the thing. No doubt Mama did the same.

Nadhira moved quickly and grabbed his phone, scrolling the screen of a green phone icon to answer incoming calls. For a moment he was stunned to hear the caller's words before his tears fell down his cheeks. It bites the lower lip as the painful pulse rises in the heart. How could that fact be so happy to make her cry?

"What's up, Ra?" ask Mama to worry. The middle-aged woman touched the shoulder of the daughter-in-law who was shaking violently.

The sad look with tears turned through Mama's netra. The tongue is just for saying a word. The chest tightness felt hearing such a cruel and savage reality hit him. He fell down, sniffed in silence.

Next to the wrinkled hand Mama cupped Nadhira's face gently. He raised that face until the gazes of the two collided back. "Why, Son?"

The soft voice snuck into the recesses of the veiled girl's ears. Tears that had paused now decay and plunge hit his smooth cheeks. "Critical cadit" he replied quietly in between strong sobs.

Mama was shocked to hear her daughter-in-law's words. He held onto Nadhira's trembling body. "Go to the hospital now, son. Look at Radit's condition. Let Radin be here with Mama. There's no way you're taking Radin to the hospital."

The woman nodded quickly. He immediately tidied himself up and said goodbye to Mama.

"Titip Radin, yes, Ma."

Mama smiled in response to Nadhira's words. Deep down in the middle-aged heart it thrashed full of worry. How not? His grandson, Radin's twin, is now lying helplessly in a hospital in a coma. Just like the father, Reyhan.

The veiled woman with the chaotic face immediately passed with wide steps from the room. At the middle of the stairs he remembered. He has not asked anyone for permission. The step back up the stairs. It stopped right in front of the door of a room. Before his soft hand touched the door knob, the first thing he did was to strengthen his heart and also mentally.

"Bismillah" he whispered and opened the brown door. As before, the girl's heart ached as she stared at the body without the superior's clothes. With cables and tools that look strange attached to his thin body.

Nadhira stepped slowly, but surely. He tried desperately to withstand the turmoil in the heart. Tears ready to jump. He no longer wanted to hold back in front of the man lying on top of the place.

"Hey!" sapanya after successfully landing the body on the lip of the bed.

"I let go, yes," the voice said from Nadhira's thin lips. He touched the chin of the husband that felt rough, because the fine hairs had begun to grow. Then, he landed a warm kiss on both cheeks which was very pronounced jaw protrusion Reyhan firmly.

After the permission of the man who will not answer it. Nadhira passed soon. It felt like he wanted to quickly arrive at the white building that he was getting used to visiting. In fact, Nadhira's time is almost half spent in a place that he never imagined would often be pitched.

*****

"Assalamu'alaikum, Mother."

"Radit has passed his critical period. You take it easy, yeah, son."

There was a slight sense of relief in the heart of the light blue veiled girl. However, his heart still felt sliced to see the condition of his son who was not much better than Reyhan's condition. Is this how God tested Nadhira's patience?

The girl walked up to Radit who was still at peace in her silence. Staring at the three-month-old baby's face with a broken feeling. On Radit's face he could see Reyhan's face. The corner of his lips lifted into a thin smile.

"Not tired of sleeping, huh, son?" The question sounded subtle and poignant. As much as possible Nadhira held back tears so as not to spill. That woman is really fragile. How could her husband and son be in the same state at the same time?

Nadhira plays his thumb on the baby's tiny hand. It was longing to hear Radit's cry echoing in his room. Since a week ago the baby boy is more happy to be shut down. Perhaps he just wanted to accompany the father who did not want to open his eyes.

Liquid droplets soaked the veiled woman's tapered cheeks. As a human feeling, he is clearly powerless to resist the pain of seeing the condition of two men who are very instrumental to his survival. One as the support of the family, the other was born as the next generation.

He raised his face when a gentle touch landed on his left shoulder. His gaze is still hard to interpret. However, the line of the arch rises tracing beautifully on the face of his father.

"You must be strong, son," said Mother to strengthen the favorite girl. He presented Nadhira with a warm kiss. Hopefully it can provide a positive stimulus and make Nadhira feel stronger accepting the reality that God destined for him.

Suddenly the tears of the girl shed hearing Mother's words. It's not that he's not strong. However, he was moved and very grateful to have such a kind and loving parent, who always tried to be a reinforcement when fragile greet.

However, in fact Mother was trying to be a booster to drip liquid and wet the cheeks wrinkles that have consumed time. Not much different from the girl, Mother is also a great feeling woman. His old hand moved agilely stroked the soft top of Nadhira's head which had now sunk his face in the abdomen. Women who enter the age of twilight really understand how the child feels. Yes, Mommy is much earlier to enjoy the predicate of mother. And the painful pain for a mother is when she sees the weak child helpless.

Nadhira wrapped his hands in the abdomen of Mother. He looked up at the netra that still left the liquid thing. "Thank you for being a booster for Adek, Mother."

Curved line rising decorate Mother's face. The line that managed to increase the amount of wrinkles on his old face. He cupped the child's face. Gently caress with that smooth white leather thumb. "No need to thank you, son. It's Mother's job."

Nadhira turned back to face Radit. The calm face of the tiny baby was able to hypnotize Nadhira to smile sweetly. Yes, even though in the heart of the girl still feels unsettled.

"Where's Radin?" ask Mother after a while to dissolve in silence.

"Dadk tipped with Mama, Mommy. Mama also did not ngizinin bring Radin here," replied Nadhira slowly with a reluctant look turned from Radit's face.

"Now you go home. Let Mother accompany Radit here."

Nadhira. "I just came, Mother. I still want to accompany my son," she said with a clear face.

Mother who understands the condition of the child can only nod resignedly. After all, which mother could bear to see her child sprawled weakly on top of the hospital gurney.

The hijab-wearing woman, who is twenty-one years old, still stares faithfully at Radit's peaceful face. In his heart he did not stop making do'a so that his son immediately opened his eyes. Do not forget the dignity in the sky for the husband whose condition is not even much better than the state of Radit.

Given that two men who are so important in life are in a terrible condition makes Nadhira sometimes think, that God is so unfair to put His destiny. Or does God not want to see her happy? So who is Radin? Didn't Radin always make Nadhira happy so far? Wouldn't Radin's presence make him feel strong?

The woman's head shook until her long headscarf moved with gravity. Depriving all thoughts that should not rest in the mind, doubting the justice of God in setting the destiny of life. He realized now that life is balanced. Life is about acceptance.

The girl's lips lifted. He was sure that nothing was born without wisdom afterwards.