Airin Darmawan, a beautiful 26-year-old obstetrician-gynecologist, smiled brightly as she shook hands with Trisya. They happened to enter a mall restaurant at the same time.
"You're so pretty," Airin complimented, sitting opposite Trisya with a tomboyish woman she called Luna.
Luna was Airin's best friend, also a doctor at the same clinic, but a general practitioner. They'd been friends since high school.
"Thank you. You're pretty too. Excuse me, can I call you as sister?" Trisya asked.
"Sure. Ardi and I are the same age."
Airin looked at Ardi.
"How do you know your wife?"
Ardi smiled.
"Trisya's father is my boss," Ardi replied.
"Oh..."
"Honey... I need to go to the restroom for a minute," Trisya said. "My stomach doesn't feel good. I feel nauseous..."
"Want me to come with you?"
"No, thanks."
"Be careful, dear."
"Okay," Trisya left.
"What's wrong with your wife?" Airin asked.
"She's pregnant."
"Oh? Congratulations, you're about to be a dad."
"Thanks. Just a sec, Trisya's mom is calling." Ardi said, seeing an incoming call on Trisya's phone.
"Hello, Ma."
"Ardi, where are you guys?" Ariana asked.
"We just got Trisya's pregnancy checked, Ma. She's flying to England next week. After we eat, we'll take Trisya shopping for her travel essentials."
"Don't do it all in one day, she'll be exhausted. If you can't take her because of work, call Mama. I'll take her."
"I'll let Trisya know."
"You two should sleep at our house tonight. I have a lot to talk about with Trisya. That girl is stubborn. She won't listen to me because she thinks I'm toxic."
"Okay, we'll head over there after we leave here."
"Okay, I'll be waiting, okay?" Ariana hung up.
Ardi put the phone down.
"Your wife is going to England?" Airin asked.
"Yes, to study."
"But she's pregnant? Are you taking her?"
"No. She's going alone."
"Really? Not worried?"
"It's fine."
Trisya returned and sat beside Ardi.
"Mom called, we're supposed to sleep at her place tonight," Ardi offered her some mineral water.
Trisya took a drink.
"Why?"
"Mom wants to talk to you about a lot of things."
Trisya didn't reply.
"Eat something first."
"No, thanks."
"Just a little bit. So your stomach isn't empty."
"No."
"Come on, sweetheart. Just a little?" Ardi persuaded.
Trisya shook her head.
"Try ordering something else that won't upset your stomach, Di," Airin suggested.
"Should I order something new, dear?" Ardi asked, rubbing Trisya's back.
"No," Trisya leaned her head on Ardi's shoulder.
"Madame..." two 18-year-old girls called out, approaching them.
"Vina... Rani..."
"Madame..." the girls hugged Trisya. "We missed you."
"You didn't come to my wedding."
"Ma'am, your wedding was during our school break," Rani protested. "Oh, right. Sir."
The girls greeted Ardi, who smiled back.
"Come sit here. Is it okay, honey? My students are joining us?" Trisya asked.
"Yes, of course."
"No, Ma'am, it's a bit awkward with Sir," Rani refused.
"It's fine," Ardi smiled.
"Is Trisya a lecturer?" Airin asked.
"Yes..." Ardi replied.
"Oh..." Airin watched Trisya chatting with her students.
Trisya's left hand was in Ardi's right hand.
Airin smiled.
That small smile remained on her face throughout the drive home.
"What's wrong?" Luna asked.
"Nothing."
"Are you disappointed?"
"I didn't expect it would be this late to return and see her. I last heard from her four months ago. If Ardi was still single, I would've rushed to finish everything to move here. I should have seen her sooner. But I kept delaying, hoping he'd hear I was here and come find me."
"His wife... He said she's pregnant?"
"Yes. Blessed with a child right away, huh? She probably didn't expect it to happen so soon. She has to leave for England next week, she said."
"But... from a quick look, it didn't seem like a 5-6 week pregnancy. It looked more like 11 or 12 weeks. They haven't been married for six weeks, right? Didn't you see her stomach? That's not a 6-week pregnancy."
"Yes, I saw," Airin replied.
"Your ex seems to have gotten serious with the commander's daughter."
"Looking at Trisya's perfect beauty, that smooth skin... who wouldn't be tempted? Ardi's only human with desires."
"Let it go."
"Ah, why did I take so long to decide to come back?" Airin sighed.
Ariana stared at Trisya sitting in front of her.
"What do you want to say, Mom? You've just been staring at me silently??" Trisya's question broke Ariana's thoughts. "If you don't have anything to say, I'm going to bed!"
"Sya... Don't talk to your mother like that," Ardi scolded from the living room.
"Yes."
Trisya grabbed her bag.
"I'm going home," Trisya said.
"Sleep here. Mama wants to talk to you."
"You come to our house instead. Say goodbye to Papa for me, okay?" Trisya walked to the living room. "Let's go, Bang."
"Goodbye, Ma."
"Take care of Trisya, Di."
"Yes, Ma." Ardi took Trisya's hand and left.
"Don't go back to the past, child..." Ariana thought.
Trisya and Ardi arrived home at 10 pm. Trisya immediately took off her dress and lay on the bed.
"Please turn on the AC, Bang," Trisya asked. "It's so hot."
Ardi turned on the AC, he looked at Trisya lying face down on the bed and shook his head. He opened the closet and got a nightgown. He placed it beside Trisya.
"You'll catch a cold," he put his phone on the table.
"Are you afraid I'll catch a cold or are you afraid of being tempted seeing me in just my underwear?" Trisya teased. "We're married, Bang? Why are you afraid of being tempted seeing me like this?"
"Your mind is something else," Ardi flicked Trisya's forehead.
"Ouch. Hey, where are you going, Bang?"
"Outside."
"Where else at night? Are you going to get arrested?"
"Just to the porch."
"Don't smoke, Bang. You promised you wouldn't smoke at home."
"It's outside, dear."
"No. Stay here!" Trisya pulled Ardi's arm. "Keep me company watching TV."
Ardi sighed. He sat beside the bed.
Trisya smiled, hugged Ardi, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Honey."
"Hmm..."
"What if I just cancel my trip?"
"Why?"
"What if I'm far from you?"
"It's okay. We can video call every day?"
"But I can't sleep hugging you like this?" Trisya caressed Ardi's chest.
Ardi looked at Trisya. He stroked Trisya's back.
"Yeah. It's up to you."
"Ugh. You're not loving your wife. They say that once you're married, you have to love, you have to care," Trisya pouted.
"Well, that's your dream. Loving a wife means supporting her dreams."
"But I'm pregnant with your child? If I go that far, I won't have anyone to accompany me when I give birth. Don't you want to see and hold your child when they're born?"
"Okay, don't go."
"You're so fickle."
"Whatever."
Trisya smiled.
"Honey," Trisya called.
"What else?"
"Buy me martabak."
"It's late, dear."
"I want it. Come on, honey. It's close by, by motorbike it's less than 5 minutes away."
"It'll take a long time to wait, dear. Tomorrow."
"Will it take less time to wait tomorrow? You don't want to fulfill your pregnant wife's cravings."
"It's a myth."
"Come on, honey. From before we got married until today, why do you always make me angry?" Trisya whined.
"Just a little longer, dear?"
Ardi changed the TV channel.
"Hey, don't change the channel, Bang. The drama I'm watching is about to start."
"Yes..." Ardi picked up his ringing phone.
"Hello, Za... I'm at home. Why?" Ardi asked, removing Trisya's hand from his thigh. "Wow, I have to ask the wife first. I'll come if she says it's okay, right? Haha... Yeah, how about that? I used to be single, now I have someone at home. Okay, I'll head over if I can."
Ardi put down his phone. He looked at Trisya who was seriously watching TV.
"Dear."
"What?"
"I'll go out for a bit, okay?"
"Where to?" Trisya asked.
"Some friends are coming over. They're inviting me to hang out at a cafe."
"You said you were tired from being asked to buy martabak. When your friends invite you to hang out, you immediately want to go," Trisya pouted.
"Yeah, I'll buy it, then I'll go, okay?"
"No," Trisya hugged Ardi's waist.
"Just for a little while, dear..."
Trisya didn't answer.
"Dear," Ardi called.
Trisya kissed him while hugging him.
"Choose. Go out with friends or wrestle with me until you're tired?"
Ardi laughed.
"Why are you laughing?"
"The choices, you know."
"I'm ready, honey," Trisya winked.
Ardi patted Trisya's hip before picking up his phone to call Reza.
"Za. I can't make it. Next time, okay? My wife can't be left alone. Okay, say hi to the others."
Ardi put down his phone and looked at Trisya with a smile.
"Goodness. Wrong offer. Your mind is really naughty," Trisya pulled the blanket over her body.
Ardi pulled Trisya into his arms.
"Should I pass up a wife who's seducing me?"
He caressed Trisya's face.
"No way. We already did it last night?" Trisya pushed Ardi's shoulder.
"Who started it?" Ardi embraced Trisya and kissed her lips.
"I'm pregnant."
"There's no prohibition against having relations with a pregnant wife?"
"I don't want to. I'm tired."
"Just for a little while."
"Tomorrow," Trisya pulled the blanket up to cover her face.
Ardi lifted the blanket covering Trisya's face.
"Why wait until tomorrow, dear?"
"The martabak is for tomorrow too, right?"
"Come on, dear."
"Ugh... You're something else."
Ardi laughed as he released his embrace.
"Get some rest. I'll go out for a bit."
"Where to?"
"You said you wanted martabak," Ardi grabbed his motorbike keys.
"Cappuccino flavor, Sir."
"Okay. Put your clothes on!"
"Okay. Thank you, dear."
Ardi waved as he walked out.
Trisya smiled. She picked up her ringing phone.
"Mom?"
Trisya sighed before answering the call.
"Hello..."
"Are you home, Sya?"
"Yes, why?"
"Nothing. Mama just wanted to hear your voice."
"Don't be dramatic!" Trisya hung up. "Toxic Mom!
***
The next morning...
"Didn't you ask Trisya to sleep here last night?" Richard asked.
"Yes... But she went home."
"Did you guys fight?"
"No. That girl just suddenly got angry because I hadn't started the conversation yet. Her manners are really bad."
"A child's bad manners begin with their parents' wrong upbringing," Richard reminded.
"Why didn't you come down when she came with her husband? Couldn't bear to see her happy face?" Ariana asked.
Richard didn't answer.
He walked out.
"How can I let you live, Richard?" Ariana lamented.
Richard arrived at the office a while later. He saw Ardi who seemed to be talking on the phone with Trisya.
"I can't, dear. I have a lot of paperwork to finish this afternoon. Yes. No promises, okay? Okay, I have to work, don't call again, okay? Ok, bye."
Ardi put his phone down on the table.
Ardi looked at Richard standing at the door.
"Sir," Ardi greeted.
"Bring the files to my office," Richard stepped into his office.
"Why does he look so cold?" Tari asked. "He doesn't like your marriage to Trisya, Di?" Tari asked.
"How could he accept it, if the woman Ardi married is the woman he loves?" Andika interjected.
"What did you say, Dik?" Tari asked.
"Well... I mean, maybe Dad isn't ready for his daughter to get married," Andika said. "Especially pregnant before marriage. Right, Di?"
Ardi smiled faintly.
"The important thing is to be responsible, Di," Tari said.
"I'll go inside, Kak," Ardi left the room.
"Yes..."
Ardi knocked on Richard's office door.
"Come in."
Ardi opened the door.
"Sir..." he closed the door before walking to Richard's desk. "Here are the files."
"Sit down."
Ardi sat in front of Richard.
"Trisya called me earlier. She said she's canceling her plans to study in England. Did you ask her to?"
"No."
"She returned the house and car keys I gave her. She also transferred back the money I gave her for her studies in England."