Chapter 4 Kintani Comes to Her Senses

"Well, what else can we do, everything was beyond our expectations. There is no one we can blame for this, including Ridwan and Kintani who did not know since they first met," said Mr. Rustam.

"I am the one who is wrong in this, Brother. Because of the hardships of life in the village, I brought my family to migrate. Since Ridwan was little, I have never taught him or given him an understanding of his own customs and tribe, all of which are my obligations as his uncle," said Uncle Ramli, blaming himself.

"The rice has already become porridge, Ramli. There is no point in us regretting ourselves. The development of the era is one of the causes, so that the traditional leaders find it difficult to provide an understanding to their children, grandchildren, and nephews. Even if it is explained and given an understanding, children nowadays, when they meet and get acquainted, where do they ask about tribes, at most they only want to know each other's names and areas of origin," said Mr. Rustam who did not want to blame his uncle Ridwan.

"Then what is the solution, Brother?"

"After we discussed it between the two parties, we were forced to separate them. Ridwan must accompany you to Jakarta, and I ask him to do it tomorrow morning," replied Mr. Rustam.

"Yes, that is the right solution. I will wait for Ridwan here."

"But he asked to stop by in Padang City first, because most of his clothes are at his adoptive parents' residence. He also wanted to say goodbye to them and his friends at the market," said Mr. Rustam explaining his son's request before leaving for Jakarta.

"Okay Uda, whenever Ridwan leaves we will wait for him here. Just let us know later if Ridwan has indeed left Padang," requested Uncle Ramli.

"Yes Ramli, assalamualaikum."

"Waalaikum salam," Uncle Ramli ended the call on his cellphone.

****

As the call to prayer for Asr sounded, Kintani woke up and got up from her bed, Mrs. Anggini who was sitting not far from her daughter's room which was intentionally unlocked walked hurriedly over to her.

"Are you awake, son?"

"What actually happened, Mom? Why am I lying in my room?" Kintani asked while occasionally touching her head which felt a little dizzy.

"You fainted earlier, Kintani. Then Mom, helped by Dad and your Uncle, brought you and laid you down in this room," answered Mrs. Anggini.

"Ridwan is still here, Mom?" Kintani looked like a dazed person because she had just woken up from fainting and didn't remember that Ridwan had come home earlier.

"You should do ablution and pray Asr immediately," said Mrs. Anggini, deliberately changing the direction of the conversation from Kintani's question about Ridwan.

Kintani got out of bed and walked to the bathroom in her room, after performing ablution she performed Asr prayer in the room, while Mrs. Anggini prayed in congregation with Mr. Wisnu in the living room.

When closing her prayer with a prayer, Kintani shed tears again. She remembered the incident this morning when her engagement with Ridwan was canceled, after 2 years of being in a relationship with joy and sorrow, it had to end in something heartbreaking.

Kintani only went out for a moment to get a glass of water in the back room, then she returned to her room, not long after Mrs. Anggini came back into her daughter's room.

"You haven't eaten since this afternoon, Kintani. Will you get me something, okay?"

"No need, Mom, I don't have an appetite to eat," Kintani prevented.

"Don't be like that, son. You'll get sick if you hold back on eating," said Mrs. Anggini advising her daughter.

"Is there still a feeling that is more painful than what I feel now?"

"This is all a test from Allah, dear. You have to be patient in facing it," Mrs. Anggini tried to calm her daughter's heart again.

"Does Allah also oppose having a relationship within the same tribe, Ma'am?" Kintani's question this time made Mrs. Anggini pause for a moment.

"Maybe not, Kintani. But since our ancestors, our lives have been bound by all the customary provisions that still apply today." Mrs. Anggini answered.

"But neither of us knew about it from the start, until love was established between us."

"Whether we knew it or not, intentionally or not. It still goes against our customs, Kintani."

"I feel like what we have to accept is unfair, Ma'am," Kintani still could not accept all the customary provisions.

"You have to learn to accept that reality, Kintani. You should change your cellphone contact number to a new one," Mrs. Anggini requested.

"Why does it have to be like that, Ma'am?"

"Because it will be difficult for you to forget everything that has happened about your relationship with Ridwan, by changing your contact number, both he and you will find it easier to forget each other."

"Does it have to be like that, Mom?"

"Yes, if you continue to communicate, it will be very difficult to accept reality. Meanwhile, both you and Ridwan must be able to forget each other because it concerns the dignity of our extended family as Minang people who are known for their strong customs," said Mrs. Anggini.

"I don't know, Mom, right now I still can't decide what I should do. It feels like a dream, in an instant, both of us have to forget the love that we have woven for the past 2 years," said Kintani, who was again unable to hold back her tears.

"Be patient, honey, maybe God didn't predestined you to live together. Oh yeah, just now your father asked you to meet him in the living room, he wants to talk to you," Kintani nodded weakly, then stood up and walked to the living room where Mr. Wisnu had been waiting for her since earlier.

"What's wrong, Dad?" asked Kintani who had sat beside her father.

"I know this is very hard for you to accept, but what can you do, no matter how bitter the reality is, we have to swallow it together. Since the beginning of Ridwan coming to our house, I myself admire him because he is a good man and a hard worker. I don't even question his family's job and social status differences with ours," said Mr. Wisnu.

"Yes, Dad, I know that."

"Well, the problem right now is that it is impossible for us to go against the provisions of customs and traditions that have been passed down from our ancestors. So I hope you can understand, son, and don't wallow in sadness anymore," requested Mr. Wisnu.

"I can't promise you yet, Dad, but I will try to forget Ridwan slowly, hopefully I will be able to," said Kintani.