Chapter 9 RAMA'S POV (My Wedding Party)

"Do you have a child out of wedlock?"

My mom's eyes widened halfway as I said it cheerfully.

"Oh dear!"

Swiftly, she grabbed the ashtray on the table to smack it over my head.

"Ouch, Mom!" I grumbled, rubbing my head.

"How could you bring shame, Ram? If your father finds out you have a child with Mayang, what will he think?"

Yes, Dad would be furious, of course. We pondered for a while, and eventually, a smile spread across my mom's lips. She patted my shoulder with pride.

"Thank God! I finally have a grandson, even if it's from your thoughtless actions, Ram. A child is innocent; what's wrong is your behavior."

Thankfully, Mom wasn't angry. She had always longed for a grandson for our family. Since I'm the only child Dad has, our lineage would continue through my son.

"But still, Ram, that child was born out of wedlock. How could he be a source of pride for the family? It would be embarrassing to bring him to big family gatherings, meeting your uncles and aunts in Siantar."

I pondered again as I let Mom munch on half a plate of fried bananas on the table. Occasionally, she'd punch the couch cushion in frustration over a dramatic TV scene.

"Mayang asked me to marry her, Mom," I said.

Mom turned to me. "Well, that's good, then. At least we know Mayang is a better choice than Naina. If you want to marry her, go for it! I support you. Maybe we'll get a legitimate grandson."

"So what should I do? Should I marry Mayang or not, Mom?" I asked impatiently. "How about a simple marriage first?"

"Just do polygamy. Tell Naina."

"Let's just go for a simple marriage first, Mom. The contract is more important. We can handle the legal paperwork later. It's complicated. We need to talk to Naina first. Nowadays, there's even a law that requires the first wife's permission for the marriage to be legally recognized."

"Alright, then, arrange it however you think is best."

"But, what about Dad, Mom?"

Mom and I agreed to keep this from Dad to avoid his interference again. This time, I wouldn't back down from marrying Mayang just for Dad's ego.

I quickly shared the good news with Mayang. She was so happy when I came to her house. Her warm hug made me feel honored and loved.

"It's okay if we have a simple marriage first. We can get Naina's permission later. Oh, by the way, you'll have to come to my village to arrange everything," Mayang said.

I released the hug, leaning back comfortably as I took off my jacket to cool off.

"It's perfect timing, actually. I have work in Kisaran for three days. I'll leave tomorrow. I'll talk to your family and handle the necessary documents while I'm there!"

Mayang smiled and hugged me again. Not long after, Yudha came in after playing with his friends outside. The little boy ran over to me, looking up sweetly.

"Aren't we going out again, Uncle?" he asked.

"Yudha," I greeted him, gently stroking his cheek. "From now on, call me Dad, okay? No more 'Uncle'!"

Yudha's eyes looked confused, and he glanced at his mom for an explanation.

"Yes, Yudha. Uncle Rama is your dad."

Yudha nodded innocently. I embraced him in the warmth of my arms.

"Yes, Dad."

Ah, this is the family I've longed for. If only Mira were here.

*

"Ram, my stomach hurts," Naina said suddenly as I was getting ready to leave for Kisaran.

My wife took a steady breath, holding her belly as she sat restlessly on the living room sofa.

"What's wrong? Are you in labor, Nai?" I asked, worried.

She didn't answer. A moment later, her breathing steadied, signaling she was comfortable after the contractions.

"The contractions started this morning. Maybe today or tomorrow."

I clicked my tongue, lifting the large backpack from the room.

"You've been having contractions since yesterday too, and the baby hasn't come, right? It's just false labor, Nai. Be patient! Besides, the due date is still four days away, right?"

"Well, it could come sooner, right?"

I didn't answer again, and I quickly said goodbye to Naina and Mirna, then left for Kisaran by bus.

A few hours into the journey, I arrived in Kisaran. The team of technicians went straight to the assigned accommodation for our three-day task.

While unpacking, I checked my phone. I was surprised to see many missed calls and messages about Naina, who had already given birth.

"What's up, Ram?" Agus asked me.

"Thank God, my child's been born. But I guess it's not worth going home now, right? I just got here."

"But who's helping your wife? How's she handling the paperwork? You're her husband, Ram."

After thinking it over, I arranged my bag in the corner of the room. "She'll be fine. There's my mom, Putri, my dad. Her family is there, too. It's not like they'd wait for me to get home first. It's probably already handled."

Agus just shook his head, hearing my response. It's not that I didn't care, but it would be inconvenient to go back. Besides my job, I had important matters to handle: permission to marry Mayang.

After my assignment in Kisaran, I went to Mayang's hometown to meet her family. She had been an orphan since elementary school, so her marriage guardian was her father's younger brother.

"Are you okay being the second wife, May?" Uncle Amran asked his niece.

Mayang smiled, reassuring him. Her uncle gave me a sharp look.

"Your first wife knows, right, Ram?"

"Y-Yes, but she's in labor. After this, I'll hurry to the hospital. I've also arranged for Mayang's family to stay in Medan. Let's have the ceremony there and take them sightseeing."

My persuasion brought smiles to the younger members of Mayang's family.

The next day, I rushed back to Medan to sort everything out. My mom helped as well. I made a quick stop at the office to pick up extra pay from my trip to Kisaran, which would be a nice addition to my pocket.

"So, where's Dad, Mom?" I asked when I got to her house.

"Your dad went to Stabat; your grandfather is sick. Oh, has Naina given birth? I haven't visited yet," she said.

I quickly took out my phone and showed her a photo of my newborn daughter, peacefully asleep.

"She's beautiful, isn't she, Mom? Adorable," I said, beaming.

"Yes, she is, but another girl," Mom replied, letting out a frustrated sigh.

I already have a son, so it doesn't matter if Naina can't give me a boy. That's why I need to make my relationship with Mayang legitimate.

Three days later, the marriage contract was finally held. Mayang's family was brought by my mother to her sister's house to stay temporarily. I was ready for my second wedding, and Mayang looked beautiful in her white kebaya.

"You look so pretty, sweetheart," I praised her, pinching her cheek.

"Oh, you're just flattering me."

I couldn't wait to marry Mayang, my old flame, rekindling passionately in my heart.

But then, a commotion broke out.

"Rama!"

I was shocked to see Naina come in, causing a scene. While I was nervous about being caught secretly marrying, I was more surprised when she came with someone else.

Faiz, her ex-boyfriend, who hadn't been around for a long time. Have they been seeing each other all along?

Naina was furious, and Mayang's family had to step aside for a moment so I could calm the situation down.

"We'll talk about this at home, Nai. Let me finish the ceremony first. Wait! We'll go home together," I pleaded.

I took a deep breath of relief as Naina left with her ex. I needed to finish this marriage ceremony first.

I approached Mayang and her family, bowing slightly to apologize.

"Sorry, I'll handle everything later. Let's just continue with the ceremony, sir," I persuaded.

"Oh, that's why you wanted a simple marriage, Ram. Your excuse about the paperwork being hard to process at the office was just a cover. Turns out you haven't asked your wife's permission!" Mayang's aunt chimed in, stirring up tension.

I could only give Mayang a look, signaling for her help. After all, they're not Mayang's real parents. What right did they have to control her marriage?

Mayang spoke and managed to calm them down. The ceremony proceeded. We would be husband and wife, legally in the eyes of religion, though not yet in the law.

"I accept the marriage of Mayang Amanda Nasution, daughter of Khairil Akhyar Nasution, with a dowry of a four-gram ring, paid in full."

A vow that brought me relief.

After that, I took Mayang to the hotel I'd booked as our honeymoon suite. Mayang was now my wife, legal but not yet registered in the official records.

"Bang," Mayang called as she sat on the edge of the bed.

I approached her, sitting beside her. "Yes, May?"

"What's next? Naina will surely hate me. Will she want to live together?"

I thought about Naina for a long time. Suddenly, I remembered the tears that streamed down her cheeks earlier. A pang of pain arose in my heart.

"I care about Nai too. But ... she doesn't love me. As a husband, I want to be noticed, loved, adored, and seen as her one and only."

Mayang listened patiently to my complaints while wiping off the last of her makeup.

"It turns out she's close with her ex again. No wonder she struggled to fall in love with me," I muttered again. "She probably wants to get back together with him."

"But if Nai asks for a divorce because she doesn't want to be in a polygamous marriage, what will you do?"

"Yes. That would definitely be her excuse. But in reality, she wants to rekindle things with her ex."

After Mayang finished cleaning her makeup, she hugged me again.

"We'll think about all that later."

Ah, she's right. It's better to enjoy my wedding night with my beautiful, fragrant, and slender wife.

I'll resolve the issues in my household. Just the three of us. Outsiders have no right to interfere-not even my in-laws or my father.

Rama's POV END