Meeting

The story is the continuation of the "New Journey".

The general station is full of people, which is quite shocking because today is the third day of Syawal. It seems that the Aidilfitri celebration is still going strong. She has booked a car from the e-hailing app after leaving the train platform around 20 minutes ago. From the app, the car should arrive anytime from now.

Sincerely, she is really nervous right now. She does not know what to expect with today's open house. It has already been ten years since the last time she stepped into this station. That night is the most humiliating event that happened in her life. Chased out of the family by her own mother. Her own mother. Called a disgrace by her own family, and the decision is disagreed only by a few of her family members but to no avail. She still remembers her father’s tears and her baby sister’s sobbing when they are sending her off. Her mother and her two oldest sisters were nowhere to be seen that night, humiliating her more.

Now, after ten years, she is in the town again. After many years of celebrating Aidilfitri far from here, she is coming back home. Is the manor still home for her? Sincerely, she did not know. She spent years building her life in the North, continuing her education, and currently working as an assistant manager in a quite famous fabric and craft store in her current place of living after being a part-timer there during her university years. The salary is just nice for her living. Even though the salary is not too much, she enjoys working there. The environment is good even though her job is quite tough. She works six days a week, nine to six, but with a balanced work environment. She cannot complain much when the shop opens every day and the owners come to the shop every single day. 

She is grateful for having a good job and employer. They are strict but sensible. She was shocked when her seven days leave application was approved immediately last week. They said that in her ten years of working there, she rarely applied for leave except for emergency and appointed rest days. When she applied for the leave, they approved it because she deserved a long break too. Deep in her mind, she truly hopes that she will enjoy this break too.

Her phone is ringing and she takes the call. A woman's voice comes from the other side of the line.

"Good evening Ms, I am very sorry for the lateness. There is an accident at the junction to the station. I should arrive in the waiting area in 5 minutes."

"It is okay, Ms, I understand. Please be careful."

True to her words, the driver arrives after five minutes. She enters the car, bringing her backpack and weekender with her. The driver apologised again and began the trip. The trip should take around an hour. She decided to take a nap during the journey. 

***

"Ms, please wake up. We are stopped by the guards. They want to know who you are."

Opening her eyes slowly, she begins to fathom her surroundings. They have arrived in front of the estate, at the main gate. There are two guards at the gate. One at the post, one currently outside the driver's door. One may not realize, but she knew that they are not ordinary guards. They are a part of the family's personal guards, some of them are family members that are trained in security sectors or/and practiced martial arts. Like her previously. She is ready to bring out her crafted dagger to show who she is before he heard a voice, 

"Let them in, they are my guest."

That's her baby sister’s voice! She truly missed that voice. She only received the open house invitation through the emails that were sent by her father and youngest sister. She looks in front of the car. Her sister is currently standing in front of the car, wearing custom-made baju kurung, with her family colours and her own flower motifs. Her hijab is plain and her shoes complement the outfit perfectly. Suddenly she feels underdressed. She only wears a plain hijab, the long baju kurung from Aidilfitri a few years back, and colourful sneakers, not really suitable for the open house. Her sister come to the driver's side and said with a smile, 

"Peace upon both of you and welcome back, Third Sister."

Her baby sister is now inside the car from the gate. She has to be inside the car to show the way to the driver. The open house is held in the main house, in the centre of the estate. After some twists and turns, they have arrived at the parking lot for the main house. She has paid the driver for the trip, but her sister has insisted that the driver come to the open house before going to her next e-hailing trip. At first, the driver does not want to go she agrees to go after her sister's coax. When three of them arrive in front of the main house, a lady comes to greet all of them and brings the driver to the hall for the feast. The lady’s face is quite familiar but she cannot recall the name. Quite a lot of the attendees have arrived as well, having their lunch while chatting with their acquaintances. 

“That’s Ellisya. Elder Mawar’s youngest children. Do you still remember her?”

“Not really, Usu (in this case referring to her youngest sister”. Oh, she still holds the position?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Who’s after her?”

“Second Sister.”

Oh. She forgot that her second sister’s flower motif is mawar (rose). It has already been a long time. Both of them are in silence, still digesting their meeting after ten years. 

“How are you, Usu?”

“I will answer your question, but we will see Ayah (father) first. He is waiting in your room.”

“It is still my room? I thought they had given the room to another person.”

Usu shook her head,

“Ayah and Mak Usu (youngest aunt) fought the elders to keep the room as it is. Ayah and I cleaned that room nearly every week since your departure. Sometimes, Ayah slept in there when he really missed you. He is still heartbroken with that decision.”

They arrived at her room after a few minutes. Her sister opens the door. Her father is sitting on her bed while looking at old family albums. Tears are running wildly on her face. Ayah looks so old. So fragile. Oh, God. Her heart is broken into pieces once again. Her voice wavering with sadness,

“Ayah, I am back.”

Her father’s face is full of joy when he sees her. She rushed to hug him and cried on his shoulder. Ayah called her baby sister to join the hug too for quite some time. They spent quite some time catching up with each others’ stories. Her father is now busy planning for his retirement in the next few months. Her baby sister is now working as a junior programmer at a multinational company in the capital instead of working with one of the family’s (or clan’s) owned companies. She is rebelling towards the family in her own way. 

An hour later, three of them decide to have their lunch feast at the main hall instead of the family’s dining hall. She left her weekender in the room, following her sister's permission. She knows that Ayah and Usu do not want to see other family members, especially elders see her. Those guys are such an annoyance. The lunch plan backfires when she sees her two eldest sisters standing in front of them. They speak in unison,

“Ayah, Usu.”

Her father and youngest sister just nodded and started walking towards the food area in the main hall. Unfortunately, her way is blocked by the two women in front of her.

Her eldest sister comes forward with a glare,

“What are you doing here, Uda?”

She just looking at them while answering,

“I am here for the open house by the invitation from your family’s Fourth Young Miss.”

Her second sister is the one that opens her mouth this time,

“Uda, You are not welcome here. Why do you come?”

She is truly pissed off right now. Her nervousness is gone now.

“First of all, I come here because your Fourth Young Miss asks me to. Second, who is Uda? I do not know her. Now, the one who invites me is currently waiting for me to have lunch. Stop wasting our time.”

“Third Sister!”

She gives her coldest glare to both women,

“You lost your third sister ten years ago when you made that choice of yours. Pay for it. Now, let me have my lunch.”

She continues her way to the food area to take her lunch and go to the table where her father and baby sister sit. They continue their talk while ignoring glances towards them. Today is their happy day after years of separation, and nobody is permitted to disrupt it.