Pursuing My Husband's First Love
A Place Full of Memories

It was almost noon when Medina and I came home with a basket of oranges that Medina had picked herself from the garden. Medina continued to hold my hand all the way happily, a thing we rarely do considering my busy life as a novice lecturer. Mother greeted us with some dishes that I had prepared.

"Why so much, ma'am the food?" tanyaku was surprised to see a table full of various menus.

"Yes, I invited Mariam to come with Okta. No papa, right?" mother's words are more like notifications than questions.

"No papa, Mom. It would be rame later if there was Okta," Medina replied with a smile.

I watched every inch of his face, whether he was pretending or not. It could be that his weak heart was always hidden, and that weakness had escaped my attention.

"Medina's gone from the lemonade, ma'am" Medina said as she showed off her orange basket.

"Dibikin orange squeeze Din, it's not really mateng still cool, why not just metik mateng?" ask mom. True, the oranges Medina chose were not yet perfectly ripe only a few were ripe.

"It's something you look at Mom, who knows Okta likes it later. Medina likes the cool one," said Medina while sorting between the mature one and the still mengkel, my mother only smiled at Medina who was attentive to Okta.

I stole a glance at Mother full of questions, did you really think Medina came just to visit her?

"Accoland ...." The sound of Mariam and Okta was soft, the distance of the dining room and the front door was indeed luamayan because the mother's house was a village house.

"Waalaikumsalam," my mother replied as she huddled to greet them.

"Beautiful grandson, how are you?" my mother's voice greeted Okta.

"Emang granny is also Okta's eye?" ask the girl innocently.

"Octa's eyes, of course," my mother replied as she led Okta to the dinner table, "well, it's a delicious meal for Okta."

"Well, there's goleng chicken" Okta exclaimed happily.

My mother looks happy with the presence of Okta, this house has been crowded with chirping. I saw Mariam and Medina embrace each other like a friend.

"Where are you, Mom?" I asked Mom, we only had breakfast together this morning.

"Not yet to return Zan, still looking at the garden. I told people to eat lunch."

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Tonight I forced Mariam and Okta to stay at home, arguing that she was still missing Okta. The day after tomorrow we plan to return to the city of Bogor because of my work.

Mother had told someone to prepare Mas Aaron's room for Mariam, while Okta had agreed to sleep with my mother in her room. Mariam could not resist because in an instant Okta was familiar with my mother.

"Zan, is Mariam not pregnant yet?" ask my mom when we were just the two of us.

"Eeh .. be-yet, ma'am," I replied.

"You're in good health, aren't you, son?" asked my mother again anxiously, I could not be honest about my relationship with Mariam who was still tenuous to Mother.

"Healthy Mom, just pray for the best for us. Someone's set up ma'am."

"But Zan, your wife's second term isn't pregnant yet? I thought Medina was in trouble all this time, but don't you, son? Try to see a doctor, mom already wants a lot of grandchildren."

"Mizan has been to the doctor, ma'am, insha Alloh is all healthy."

"really?"

"Yes." Yeah."

Finally Mother left me confused, I'm sorry, Mom, I decided to go back to the room with Medina. When I passed Mariam's room I saw that the lights were off, maybe she was asleep.

I opened the door slowly, Medina was still awake with a novel in her hand. I don't know since when suddenly Medina liked novels, especially about marriage. I smiled as I approached him.

"Sleep on the Deck, it's night."

"So soon, this is the story."

"Read what the hell, Dek?" my question is to try to understand Medina more deeply by exploring what her world is.

"This is Mas, the story is polygamous as well but it starts with an affair."

"Why read a story like that anyway, Dek?"

"Let Medina learn, how to live this household of ours well. Medina also became very grateful because Mas Musa was not like the man in the novel who liked to lie to the first wife and married secretly with the second wife. Medina will also be angry and not sincere if the way it is, marriage because lust will only destroy, is not it Mas?"

I was stunned to hear his words, perhaps this is how Medina strengthened herself other than by prayer.

"Yes, Deck."

"Medina may often complain when alone, but reading a novel like this makes Medina realize that Medina is still much luckier than those whose household is full of prejudice, and ends up hurting each other. Medina doesn't want us to be like that, Mom. Medina already considers Mba Mariam as Medina's own sister, we can live happily by sharing and side by side. Isn't that right, Mas?"

"So this is how you mature, Dek?"

"Experience is the best teacher, but we can also learn from the experiences of others. Most novels like this are based on true stories."

"Yes, but it's too bad, sleep Deck!"

"Mass? Is Mas Musa going to spend the night with Medina?" medina asked when she saw me lying next to her.

"Yes, do you mind, Dek?"

" But this is still Mariam's Mba ration, remember Mas must be fair to both of us."

"Mariam is asleep, Dek!"

Moments later Medina had fallen asleep in my arms. He will indeed quickly fall asleep when I throng sholawat as his sleep deliveryman. The hour hand shows at half 10 pm, but my eyes can not be closed, maybe the effect of drinking coffee with the Father.

The sound of clockwork clanking echoed into every corner of the room. I decided to release my hand from Medina slowly so she wouldn't wake up. By skipping, I set foot out of the room to get fresh air.

"Astaghfirullohaladzim" exclaimed Mariam in shock as I reached outside the room.

"Your mariam hasn't slept? I'm sorry I surprised you," I said, no less surprised.

"I'm out of the bathroom, I can't sleep because I'm a stranger here."

"Oh, just as I can't sleep, it's fresh air."

"Where?"

"Balai next to the house as before, you forget? Um.... Would you like to come, Mar?" Mariam nodded as she walked after me.

The cold and cool air makes my eyes more fresh, especially with Mariam with me. We sat enjoying the stars in the night sky, the attacks of our past memories I could not contain anymore because it was in this village. Like an old book that opens one by one page because it is blown by the wind. A river that rumbles and flows.

"Zan's? How's Medina? What made him leave? You guys quarreling?" I shook my head slowly.

I don't know what my two wives think, every time she's with Medina she always asks, how is Mariam? Every time he was with Mariam he always asked, how is Medina?

"You sure?" ask Mariam again.

"I'm sure Mariam," I said firmly.

"Thank God," he murmured.

"I'm sorry, I forced you to stay overnight and you're not comfortable."

"Yes, I'm just not used to it."

"Are you all right, Mariam?" ask me to realize the unhappy gurgle of Mariam.

"Ehhhm, I .. i-"

"Why you?"

Mariam set her breath for a while, her attitude was like she was holding something big.

"I feel strange" he said.

"Why?"

"With us, I still don't think any of this is real. But being in this place makes my feelings even more strange and ...other," said Mariam reluctantly.

"I also feel the same way, all the places in this corner of the village are reminiscent of our time, right?" It turns out that I'm not the only one who feels it, Mariam is the same. We both experienced explosions of the past.

"Ehm, yes," he replied timidly. Could Mariam be opening her heart again?

"I used to pray, ask you to be my soul mate with a sincere heart, and then I pray again so that I can give you a sincere heart too" said Mariam.

" Well, now what do you pray for me?"

"I'm resigned, following His destiny" Mariam replied as she cast her gaze into the sky.

"Look at me Mariam!" Mariam slowly turned her face and looked at me doubtfully.

"Now be honest, do you still love me?" Mariam looked nervous and misbehaved at my question.

"Evictory Mariam!" my insistence.

"I ... I-I ..." Mariam was unable to continue her sentence.

"That's it, I know your answer now. Why are you holding him? Since when do you love me again?"

Mariam was silent, our eyes intertwined with each other in a sad and haru sight. Without a word Mariam has confessed her feelings, this place has made Mariam feel back our memories. I held her hand as if we were both back in time where we were still naive.

Mariam has returned, with all her love and warmth. All the things that always make me miss and fall in love. Even though it was only through the eyes of all our love had been revealed.

Something exploded inside me, a love that waited for 10 years to come together with halal. A beautiful wait and full of steep twists. I slowly approached Mariam's face, I kissed her forehead, Mariam closed her eyes and for the first time Mariam no longer rejected me.

"I've always hoped that God would open Mariam's heart again." Mariam looked at me with tears.

"I'm sorry for making you wait." The words that came out of Mariam's mouth made me even more confident that her love had returned, I hugged her because I was happy and unexpectedly Mariam also returned my arms tightly.

"I tried to forget, tried to leave, tried hard and tried hard. But I was tired from pretending to forget, I was tired from pretending to want to leave, and I was tired of pretending to be tough and strong. The more I want to look away the more real those memories become and I. A-I love you, Zan!" mariam.

"What is a love statement?"

"No, I'm admitting my weakness!" Mariam let go of her embrace and looked me in the eye.

"My love is still the same for you Mariam, never changing or decreasing it is increasing! You are the woman who has always been in my dreams who has been the spirit of my every struggle! I have to pass I have to prove it to Mariam!"

"really?"

Happiness makes us both shed tears, our complicated and twisted story. Despite having to wait for a very long time, I was finally able to have a female figure in my dream. Not just his body, but his soul and love. We are both just naive teenagers who dare to fall in love, until fate allows us to be together.

"Mariam .. Can I ask you for my rights as a husband?"

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At 3am, I woke up with Mariam beside me. I smiled remembering everything, her hard and hurt heart was gone now, Mariam back to being a warm person like 10 years ago.

I lifted the blanket and kissed her forehead, "Alhamdulillah, for all your grace and affection."

I immediately went for a junub bath and immediately prayed the night.

"Hueeek ...! hueeeek ...! hueeek!"

I had finished the bath when I heard the sound of people vomiting in front of the bathroom. I opened the door to see who was sick.

"Dad?"

Medina stood in a place of ablution with a pale face.

"Mas," he said.

"Why you?"

"I don't know, Medina's belly suddenly got nauseous."

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