The Household Ark
Meet Max

"Shanti. you finally came too..."

Max is in disbelief after a long wait if Shanti finally comes and meets him.

at first he thought that Shanti would not come. he already knew that Shanti already had a family, even children who had grown up.

so Max is not so sure about Shanti's arrival, although he is very hopeful that he will be able to meet Shanti today.

"em. I'm sorry I'm late."

Shanti herself felt bad for coming late, not only late but this was already an hour from the time Max promised.

although at first he was also hesitant, but finally he decided to come too.

flash back an hour earlier

"mas.lunch is ready."

shanti told Ridho by phone.

"owh yeah.. mas to the house now..."

Ridho turned off his phone and immediately rushed home for lunch with Shanti.

arriving at the dining table Shanti has prepared lunch with her favorite menu.

"this delicious deck pindang patin.. you haven't cooked this for a long time.."

the husband's carefree face made Shanti smile.

"yes mas, because yesterday I went to see the catfish is big and still alive, so I bought it.."

Shanti immediately brought rice and side dishes for Ridho.

"this is mas, the hunt is eaten later cold hunting is not good..."

" yes! you don't eat Shan either?!"

"yes, I'm going to eat some mas, too..."

Shanti then filled her own plate and sat next to her husband.they ate deliciously. Because the children had not come home from school.

Ridho ate in silence enjoying the wife's cooking which he thought was very good, until the rice in his plate was left.

"Alhamdulillah full.. it's delicious indeed your Shan cuisine..."

"Hum..."

Shanti just cleared her throat and nodded.

" dw...!!"

before Ridho moved from his seat Shanti called out to him.

"yes deck...! what's up?!"

"i want to go out later and meet a friend at the cafe xx can what not?!"

"friends?!"

"iya mas. she was having problems with her husband.so she wanted to confide in me. But she was ashamed of you. so she invited me to meet at the cafe."

Ridho just kept quiet and thought about his wife's words.

Shanti deliberately lied to Ridho, because it is impossible that he said if in fact he wanted to meet Max's ex-lover who until now he still loves.

Ridho then nodded his head.

"yes, you may go. but go home not late in the afternoon.kasian children.."

unsuspecting, he lets Shanti go.

Ridho thinks there is no harm in Shanti also meeting her theme. anyway Shanti also definitely needs to meet with her friends and talk to them, exchange stories.

"thank you, I wasn't long after I finished going home."

Ridho just smiled, he reached out his hand rubbing Shanti's head.

"you enjoy chatting with your friends, so you are also not stressed at home."

"yes..."

"yes it's a mas in the future again yes, the children also want to change their food..."

"iya mas.. already this I also want to go directly mas..."

"yes, be careful not to speed the bike."

after saying that, he went straight to the warehouse.

flash back off

although on the road earlier he had thought maybe Max was no longer there because an hour had passed from their promise.

but Shanti continued to drive her motorcycle towards the cafe. she thought if it was no longer able to meet with Max, she could just sit there enjoying her own time to unwind if she had to sit alone at home.

"i thought you were gone, Max, because it's been an hour!"

"in the beginning I wanted to go home, but I don't know why my legs refused to walk..."

" Hey..."

Shanti just nodded her head.Suddenly an awkward atmosphere enveloped the two of them.

Shanti just lowered her head not daring to look at Max's face.

while Max himself was just fixated on staring at Shanti releasing longs on the face that once filled the space of his heart.

"what do you want to order?! lunch yet?!"

Max tried to melt the atmosphere.

"i ordered a drink. I ate at home..."

"owh.. well, what do you want to drink? let me order it!"

"ice strawberry milk alone.it looks good..."

Max does not answer Shanti. just fixated on hearing Shanti's order.

"you haven't changed Shan. still really likes strawberries..."

"Hem.. very...!"

nodding his head Shanti smiled towards Max.

"so did the look in your eyes for me Shan. never changed!"

Shanti no longer memahuti Max's speech, he was downcast with a sad face that he hid did not want Max to see it.

Max immediately went to order a drink and a few snacks to accompany them to chat.

'my feelings for you haven't changed, Max. It's just the wrong time to meet us now..'

in his heart Shanti muttered while watching Max's back slowly drifting away.

Shanti took her breath in holding back the heart that had been rumbling since earlier.I don't know what made her like this.

what was her lie to her husband that made her like this, or her love for max that made her heart turbulent like the waves of sea water that could not stop gliding.

after finishing ordering the max again memorize Shanti and sit right in front of her.

"Shan.. doesn't feel like we haven't met in 18 years..."

Max tries to open the conversation while waiting for their order to come.

" more precisely 18 years, 8 months, 21 days..."

"you counted Max?!"

"there is not a day I miss without thinking of you..."

Shanti just bowed to hear Max's words because Max's words she felt Max also still loves her at this time.

Shanti feels guilty to her for not being able to wait faithfully for the man, even though all of that was due to her compulsion and not her desire.

"Shan. I'm sorry. I know you already have a family, but I can't help my heart wanting to see you..."

Max paused his words for a moment because their order had come.

"i miss you so much, Shan..."

Shanti was surprised to hear Max's words.he looked up at Max's sad face and his eyes radiated a very deep longing to look at him.

"Shan.. at our meeting yesterday actually it's not the first time after all this time..."

"max you?! have we met before?!"

"more precisely I saw you Shan. 15 years ago.! it also made me decide to return to Java to continue my education..."

"i don't understand what your max is, Max...?!speak more clearly Max!"

"i saw you in the hospital parking lot waiting for your husband to come...!"

Max was silent for a moment.he closed his eyes remembering those painful memories for him.