Chapter 1 Commotion after the four-day tahlil event

Four days have passed since the death of Mr. Arga and Mrs. Aisyah. Ardan only comes back at night. He always misses the tahlil at home. Therefore, he again became the talk of the town. Likewise, Aruna's absence at home, who only appeared occasionally to arrange for a change of clothes while she was in the hospital, waiting for her two younger twin siblings. Because of all these things, Gavin was the only one left at home to take care of all the needs during the mourning.

''Cing, This isn't true... Ardan, he won't be able to take care of it," said Tono, one of Ardan's cousins.

"What do you mean?" asked Grandma Halimah with an annoyed expression when she saw one of her nieces being impolite for raising her voice at someone who was clearly much older than her.

''He hasn't been to the tahlilan event for four nights. This tahlilan is for his older brother... There are only two brothers, that's all that's left of the tahlil, but he still doesn't care," replied Tono in a tone that clearly showed that he was annoyed.

"Uncle Ardan has something to do with..." said Gavin, keeping his voice low.

He was annoyed, but because he was much younger, he tried to remain polite to his relatives who were much older than him.

''What business is it?!'' Rustam shouted, ''Unemployed but pretending to be very busy...'' he added with a very annoying sneer.

''How did you know that Uncle Ardan was unemployed?!'' Gavin asked with an annoyed face.

Gavin's young blood was boiling, he tried to hold back his emotions but it was difficult amidst the onslaught of words that hit his feelings.

"Well... Vin, you've seen a lot of people... Uncle, you're just wandering around incoherently," Rustam answered back, his voice starting to rise. He didn't like seeing Gavin's expression, which seemed to be challenging him.

"Yeah... I also saw him hanging out with thugs in Tanjung Priok," said Tono again, confirming Rustam's words.

"Just maybe he works there," said Gavin loudly, not wanting to be outdone.

"What work?" said Minan, "He's just a thug there," added Minan. He is one of Gavin's cousins. Rustam's son also responded curtly.

''Bro... There's no proof yet, don't just say anything!'' Gavin shouted back in annoyance.

"Vin, I know he's your uncle, your father's little brother... But that's not how you defend him," said Marta, joining in the conversation, he was Minan's younger brother. ''Many have seen your uncle's behavior... Sometimes in Tanjung Priok, sometimes in Senen, sometimes in Bantar Gebang...''

''That's right. Gavin, you hear me...'' said Tono in response, ''We have good intentions for you and for your little brothers and sisters who are in the hospital. Don't trust Ardan too much!"

''It's no longer only one or two people... Many eyes have seen your uncle's behavior. He always gathers with people who are quite annoying. What else do you need proof?" asked Rustam, joining in confirming the statement of Tono and the others.

"Still, it's all unclear..." said Gavin, still firmly defending his uncle.

''Gavin, you have to remember, there are two babies you have to take care of! "I'm afraid, then... Your father's property will be criticized by Ardan," said Rustam, again confirming his opinion.

''Cang, don't think badly like that! Uncle Ardan isn't like that," cried Gavin, still not wanting to lose, he was still trying to defend his uncle even though he was the only one among all of them who was skeptical of Ardan.

''Gavin... You're still a kid,'' said Grandpa Marwan, he was the oldest among all those gathered there. ''You have to listen to what your parents are saying, we all mean well. Don't just keep trying to refute everything we say! You have to listen to all of us! Then you think carefully about what we're saying. It is not all for other people, but for you, for your younger siblings too..."

Grandpa Marwan spoke with a firm expression, emphasizing his authority. He is the oldest brother of Gavin's grandfather.

"It's true, Gavin... it's not easy to take care of two twins... just one, it's already stressful, here are two..." said Grandma Sundari, Grandpa Marwan's wife.

"That's true, Vin. Your little boy won't be able to... I don't have small children anymore. So your little siblings, I will take care of them. But, you know... my husband's salary is not much. Give me one or two doors, from your father's rented house, to buy diapers and milk...'' said Sarna's grandmother. She is one of the distant relatives who is still in the same family as Ardan's grandfather.

''You won't have a problem taking care of both of them, leave it alone, I'll take care of one. The important thing is there is a share of milk and diapers. I need income like Uwak did...'' said Demi, one of Ardan's cousins, Rustam's daughter.

''Vin, if not, let me take care of it. "I'm still young... I still have full energy," said Carnih, Demi's younger cousin. She was still young, still in her early twenties.

''Hei, you, Carnih! You're still a kid, you don't have any experience," said Demi, annoyed.

''Teh Demi, you're already old, are you really strong enough to carry a child?! I am still young and just got married yesterday, but I have a mother. She can teach me later," said Carnih, replying and even making a sarcasm of Demi.

''Demi, Carnih is right, I can help teach Carnih to take care of the twin babies... just relax... Gavin, your twin sibling, we will take care of them," said Elis, chiming in. She spoke up in defense of her eldest child.

Gavriel's emotions had been provoked from the start because they were badmouthing his uncle right in front of him and now they were fighting over each other for rations. It made Gavin even angrier because whatever he said was ignored by the elders, or his other relatives, who apparently only wanted the property of his recently deceased father, behind their advice and words of sympathy. Gavin was only nineteen years old, he had just finished his high school final exams, but that didn't mean he didn't know anything.

''Enough! What do you want to make a fuss about? The twins' affairs, Aruna is there to take care of..." said Gavin, mediating the conversation which was getting even more chaotic between the cousins.

ARUNA!

In unison, they all answered Gavin in surprise and annoyance. Gavin's uncles, aunts and cousins. They were all shocked by the answer just now, there was a look of anger in some of them. They glanced at each other, those who had previously been talking loudly here and there, now suddenly used sign language.

''What's wrong?!'' Gavin exclaimed loudly and firmly, he reiterated his words, ''The matter of looking after the twins has been mandated by the father from the start... Father has warned that Aruna will be the one to look after them. ''

Gavin was quite annoyed to see the looks that were starting to look condescending, and he knew who it was directed at. Of course, his half-sister, Aruna Hashifa, officially became his younger sibling four years ago.

''Gavin, your father was in bad condition at that time...''

Rustam immediately paused his words, he had been very vocal earlier. But, still, he is also a human who still has feelings. He didn't feel comfortable saying straight out that at that time Gavin's father was dying.

''Cang! Father may have been dying at that time, but he made the right decision, according to me."

Gavin immediately answered, confirming what Rustam had not said out loud.

''Gavin, what is this all about, Aruna and you are still kids?!'' Demi exclaimed in a curt tone.

"Not only is she still a child, she's just a half-sister to you..." said Kartiah, joining in with Demi, with quite a scary expression, with bulging eyes.

"But, she still has the same mother as the twins!" said Gavin, answering the two of them.

''Father's blood ties are stronger,'' said Kartiah loudly, cornering Gavin.

Just like the others, he also strongly disagreed with the existence of Aruna, who had no kinship with them, especially after the death of Mr. Arga, her stepfather.

''Gavin knows. That's why Gavin is also guarding them..." said Gavin curtly. He was starting to be unable to control his emotions, which were starting to become clear from his behavior.

"But you...," said Kartiah, trying to reply, but was immediately cut off, "QUIET!" shouted Grandpa Wawan, standing up straight, after all this time just watching their argument in silence, "There's no place for the fuss! Arga's grave is still wet. What are you making a fuss about?! Stop, all of you go back home now!" added Grandpa Wawan with an angry expression, scolding them all.

He was annoyed to see everyone pushing Gavin into a corner, while he was still in a state of mourning now. He was also sad to see that his wife felt hurt. Mr. Arga had just died, and the tahlil event had not even been reached for seven days, but they had all started to look at his inheritance, even though Gavin and the twins were still the legal heirs to the property.

#NOTE

''Cing''/ ''Encing'' is a pronoun for aunt or uncle. The younger sibling of the father or aunt in the Banten and Betawi tribes.

''Cang''/ ''Encang'' is a pronoun for Aunt or Uncle. Siblings of an older father or mother in the Banten and Betawi tribes.

''Mang''/ ''Mamang'' is a pronoun for Uncle. Especially for men only. Used to address father's or mother's younger siblings. Used specifically by Sundanese tribes but Betawi and Bantenese tribes also sometimes use it.

''Wak''/ ''Uwak'' is a pronoun for uncle or aunt. The older sibling of the father or mother. Widely used by the Betawi, Banten, and Sundanese people.

''Om'' is a pronoun for Uncle, specifically for men only. The father's or mother's younger sibling. Used generally by more modern Indonesian people in urban areas.

''Teh''/ ''Teteh'' is a pronoun for an older sister or a girl/woman. Can be used for siblings or girls/women that we will think we have to respect them.

''Bang''/ ''Abang'' is a pronoun for older brother or a man. Can be used for siblings or men when we think we have to respect them. In the culture household, this pronoun is also used for the wife calling her husband. Even if the husband is younger than the wife, it is polite to call her husband not by his name.