“hi, welcome back”
“thanks, dear. Seems I wanna order too hehehee..”
“ ok, now please tell me what does make you look so happy but seems to confuse too?”
“Cara, you know what?”
“I don’t know, because you don’t tell me yet.. hehehehe”
Again I tease her with a joke, but she is not angry.
“Cara, please come on be serious”
“hehhee,, okok, dear.. sorry. So please tell me now”
“Car, I was proposed.. and I will marry on next Saturday” Diana tells me this with her happy face and exiting expression.
“are you sure, Di?” “it’s only a week for preparation, dear?”
“it’s serious, darling. It’s not a joke at all. Last night Derry came to my house and talk to my parents and propose to me. Ya, the first time my parents surprised too and didn’t believe this. But Derry could convince my parents and gave the reason regarding the short time for preparation.
“I see. Wow… congratulation, dear Di… “ I hug her too
“so can you please tell me, why is the time so short for preparation? Is everything ok?”
“yes, everything is ok. It’s like that because a company where Derry works will send him to Netherland. And he wants we marry before he goes and if there is a chance for me to go with him, then he will take me too and will stay with him there. So the marriage will just simple way. I’m happy too that my parents didn’t request something that difficult for our marriage and they understand about Derry’s situation, also from Derry’s family.
“Di, it’s so beautiful.. congratulation for both of you and Derry.. I’m so happy to know this.” And we hug each other.
“so I’m lucky that I waited for you here because I got very nice news from my dearest friend”
Then we laugh together.
I surprise to hear this because they must prepare all only in a week. Too short the time that they have for a marriage or wedding party. But on the other side, yes I’m very happy to hear this. It’s very good news.
Another happiness that we got together today J
***
Last night Diana called and tell me about the dress code for her wedding party. So after work, I will go to the mall to find a good dress.
Just arrived in the mall and it’s Maghrib shalat time here, so I go to the Masjid that is in the mall. I like this mall because there is Masjid here. So don’t worry to miss or cannot to do ibadah when I am here.
Alhamdulillah.. feel better after shalat.
Oke, I’m ready to hunt the dress…. Hehehe..
Before I go from the Masjid, I take some kinds of stuff that I put in the locker before I perform shalat. And there are two people who stay there to handle the locker and help the people who want to put their stuff there. Nearby there are some chairs for sitting. Usually for them who need to sit when they want to wear shoes. Ok, the same as me too. Due to I wear sneaker so difficult to wear it while standing. I find an empty chair and sit and wear my sneaker. There are some other people’s shoes too around my sneaker.
“excuse me..”
“oh yes”I rise my face to react with the voice that I got and I’m sure that this person is trying to talk to me.
“I’m sorry..i just wanna take my shoes, over there” he explains and also pointing the shoes that are beside my sneaker.
“oh yes, sure. It’s ok. Please take” I moved my feet and sneaker to let him take his shoes.
“thank you” and he sits on the chair beside me.
“you’re welcome”
Ok, I’m ready to go now. But something stops my movement.
“are you Caramella?” the same man again start to talk to me.
“yes. I’m sorry.. seems I don’t know you. Or maybe I forget”.
“I’m Robert,” the man said his name.
“ohh hi, Robert” I still don’t know him. And seems he can read my face that I confuse.
“hi. I’m the same Robert who sends you email and It’s me who said that cannot wait to read the next book that you are writing now. And it’s me too who wants to meet you.
Mashaa Allah… is it real? It’s serious. In my heart, I talk to my self. Because I really surprise. And I still don’t believe with this man actually.
“are you sure? … I’m sorry, but how can.. ?” before I finish my sentence suddenly he explains more.
“yes, sure. This is me. It’s ok, I can understand. Even I surprise that I can meet you here. About how can? I think God knows well about the answer to that question because I don’t know exactly. I never know that I can meet you here and now, even I never expect that today I can talk to you directly like this. Because usually I only can talk to you through to the email. After I perform shalat and I searched my shoes, then I found a face that seems I knew. I doubt a little to myself too that this is really Caramella or someone who is just similar to you or just my imagination. But after I talked a little to you when I took my shoes and sat beside you, I’m more sure that you are really Caramella. Then I tried to ask you. Well, I thought it was better if I asked first rather than I didn’t ask then I didn’t know the answer. Alhamdulillah, that I’m right.
The first expression that I show is a smile. I still surprise with this.
“I’m sorry if I disturb you or take your time by holding you here and listen to my explanation”
“no, it’s ok. Thank you for explaining. And thank you for reading my books” I reply with smiling.
“you’re welcome. So does someone wait for you to do some works or for shopping maybe?”
“ohh yes, I mean no one is waiting for me, and I come to this mall for buying something. And I think, I have to go now because I need time for choosing.. hehehe”
“ohh yes, sure. Thank you for talking. And I hope we can meet again one day and seems I will bring all of your book and I request your signature on them.
I smile to hear what he said “insya Allah.. “
“Assalamu’alaikum… “
“Wa’alaikum Salam…” he replies.
I go and leave him.
***
This evening I stop by in the same Masjid where is nearby the coffee shop. Then after shalat, I plan to spend my Saturday evening in the coffee shop to hang out alone. The previous time, I like to spend with Diana sometime, if she was not busy with Derry. But now, seems I have to spend alone most of the time because she is just married to Derry so impossible if I take her here, beside it I don’t want to disturb them.
Ya, today was a little busy day but also a happy day for me, especially for Diana and Derry. Finally, they married today. There wasn't a big party as Diana said, but it was one of a beautiful wedding, I think.
Ok, I just arrive in Masjid now and will perform shalat first. It’s a happy and comfortable feeling when I am in Masjid. Feel safe and enjoy to be here.
Done for my shalat then I wear my flat shoes. Just wanna leave the terrace, someone calls me.
“Caramella..!!”
I turn my head to see who is calling me. And I find him, Robert. I still remember his face.
“hi, Robert. You are here too?”
“good that you still remember my face. Yes, just finished performing shalat.” 😊
“yes, I still remember” 😊
“Thank you. So do u like to perform shalat here or just because you are around here so you perform shalat here?”
“actually yes, I like to perform shalat here when I’m around here J”
When he wants to talk more, suddenly his phone rings.
“Wait a minute please,” he asks permission to me to pick up the phone.
“yes, please”
Less of a minute he picks up the phone and talking with someone out there. Not long seems less of 5 minutes.
“hi, sorry.., my friend called and he has been waiting for me, so seems I have to go now. He will call again and again if I don’t go now.. hehhehe”
“ohh..it’s oke. It’s really fine..” J
“Thank you. And I hope we can meet again one day. As I told you in the last time we met also after we performed shalat that I hoped we can meet again and Alhamdulillah I meet you again now.. 😊
“yes, you’re right” J
“ok, see you, insya Allah. Wassalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb.”
“see you, Insya Allah. Wa’alaikum Salam Wr. Wb.”
***
Seems I’m lucky today, because the situation of the coffee shop still is not so crowded, so yes, I can choose the cosy place again. Seems I want to taste hot dark mocha and cheesecake, sounds good. Ok, now let’s move to the place where I have pointed to myself.
Ohh..the phone is low battery, good that I bring the charger so I can charge it. Some kinds of stuff on my table now, my drink, cake, phone and my laptop. Seems just want to surf on the internet now.. hehehe..utilize the free wifi here.
“Assalamu’alaikum..”
A sound of someone seems he is trying to talk to me. Then I rice my head to check it.
“Wa’alaikum Salam.. ohh hi.. “ Robert is here and surprise me.
“hi, surprise that I can see you again here. Are you waiting for someone or working here?”
“oh no.., I’m just spending my free time before I go home. How about you?”
"Before I answer your question, may I sit here?” He asks me first before he sits on an empty seat in front of my table.
“yes, sure, have a sit please” J
“Thank you. I don’t know how we can meet again here. In fact that I just said that hoped we meet again one day before I left you in Masjid terrace today, and not until a day, I meet you again. Mashaa Allah.. 😊
“yes, me too. I mean I never know or think that we would meet again so soon, in fact, we never make an appointment or something like that. And I never know that you would go here after we met before.. 😊
“ya. Actually, I had an appointment with my friend here. When i talked to you in Masjid and my friend called me, he has been here. And then we sat nearby the door over there. And when you walked into this coffee shop and ordered then chose to sit here, I saw all. I didn’t call you or say hi to you since before, because I thought that I would let you do your order first and have a seat. After that then I tried to come here and check you are free of busy or working. But I’m lucky that you are in free time. So maybe I can join you here and talk to you. If you don’t mind of course?
He explained all and ending it with smiling.
“yes, it’s fine. You can sit there” I let him sit there and talk to me.
Not long then another man comes and starts to talk to Robert.
“Hey, bro… do you will let me stay there alone and you move to sit here?”
“ooppsss..sorry, bro... I forget that you are still there” hehehee..
“Oh ya, Caramella, this is my friend Joe. And Joe, this is my favourite writer Caramella” Robert introduces me with his friend.
“hi, Caramella. Nice to meet you”
“hi, Joe. Nice to meet you too”
“so, bro, how about me now?” Joe asks Robert about where he should sit and he does it with kidding style.
“may my friend join us too to sit here?” Robert asks me first before he answers his friend.
“yes, it’s fine.” J
“ok, you may sit here and join us, Mr. Joe.”
“Thanks for both of you.. hehehe”
***
... to be continued ...
#Levina R.
