(Suddenly) Unexpected Groom

Let's imagine today she's trying to reward herself for almost nine-no, make that ten years!-of dedication as a career woman and the sole breadwinner of her family. So, this morning, this woman wrapped in a warm blanket wants to laze around. It's the last day of her vacation. Oh, if you're curious, she's never taken a vacation before. This is her first time. After... the failure of her engagement with that jerk. Let's just say her vacation is a way to cheer herself up.

She went to Bali, gorging herself on ayam betutu until she was satisfied. Sweetening her day with pie susu. Cooling her aching heart, betrayed as it was, by feeling the chill of Kintamani's air. Enjoying drinks until she was half-drunk in the bars of Seminyak, Bali. Then...

Wait, wait.

Marisa groaned softly, feeling a throbbing pain in her head. Damn! She'd gotten too drunk with that handsome guy last night.

Handsome guy?!

Her long-lashed eyelids flew open. She sat up abruptly, her dark brown eyes scanning the room. A super-soft and comfortable bed. A luxurious, milk-chocolate brown sofa that matched the brown carpet. A glass wall overlooking the beach. Oh, how beautiful... but this wasn't the inn Marisa had booked for a week in Bali!

Oh, God! Marisa wrapped the blanket tightly around her naked body. She panicked, frantically gathering her clothes scattered on the floor. As quickly as lightning, she put on her black jeans, then...

Wait! Where is my oversize shirt?

The woman scrambled around in a panic. She looked under the sofa. Where did they take off that button-up shirt last night until it disappeared like this?

Ah, screw the shirt!

Marisa grabbed a crumpled men's shirt from the edge of the bed. Putting it on as fast as she could, she tiptoed towards the door, clutching her sling bag. Even though there was no one else in the room, who knows if the handsome guy from last night was in the bathroom!

The woman's heart pounded as she roughly brushed her hair with her fingers. It raced as fast as her steps as she managed to get out. She didn't care about the soreness all over her body from last night's lovemaking.

Marisa let out a rough breath, feeling a little relieved when she managed to hail a taxi in front of the hotel lobby and sat calmly in the passenger seat. The fair-skinned woman stared at her reflection in the mirror above the car's dashboard. She wiped her face.

Hopefully, the taxi driver behind the wheel wouldn't notice how disheveled her passenger looked. The faded lipstick from who knows how many kisses. The tangled hair from the warm, strong fingers of that handsome guy. And... a little hickey on the right side of her neck.

Marisa quickly covered the mark with her long, loose hair.

Oh, that handsome guy is so...

Marisa! You're calling a man who just slept with you randomly "handsome"?!

"Oh, shit!"

***

The small house with two rooms was still quiet at six in the morning. A woman, who was enjoying a cup of coffee, was supposed to be alone with her younger sister. Since her parents passed away in an accident, she had to fight to survive in order to take care of her younger sister.

Marisa really wanted a little sister. A sweet little sister whose long hair she could braid every morning and evening, decorating it with various colorful clips and ribbons. She was only seven years old when her mother happily announced there was a baby in her womb. She was eight when Mariana, her sister, was born.

As her sister, Marisa promised to be a good role model and take care of Mariana. Unfortunately, she didn't realize how much sacrifice it took to take care of a younger sibling when their world crumbled. Her parents passed away when she was twelve and Mariana was too young to be left behind.

Aunty Sri and Uncle Yatno took care of the two girls until Marisa was able to stand on her own feet and support the family. She decided to live independently and separately from Aunty Sri's family, taking care of the family's finances and Mariana's future.

At the age of twenty, Marisa worked part-time while finishing her studies. Luckily, Aunty Sri's husband often gave her additional work as a local tour guide for tourists from the tourism department. Six months of English courses after graduating from high school were enough to make Marisa proficient in foreign languages.

Marisa and Mariana's lives had been peaceful. Both girls were obedient and excelled in their studies. As the elder sister, Marisa was incredibly proud of Mariana, believing that her younger sister would grow up to be a beautiful and successful woman. Perhaps many men would want to be with her. But... why did it have to be Rama?

"Just landed yesterday?"

The hoarse voice, typical of someone who had just woken up, shattered Marisa's thoughts. The woman, who had been staring blankly at the steam rising from her coffee, looked up. A pang of sadness hit her as she saw the man, looking far from the ideal image she had held in her mind since college, standing in her living room.

Reality, it seemed, could be harsh. Marisa had taken a deep breath and turned to leave. But then, a hand grabbed her wrist.

"Is this how you punish me?" he asked. His dark eyes, deep-set in his face, stared intently at Marisa.

"What do you mean?" Marisa yanked her wrist free.

Rama ran a hand through his hair roughly. "You're ignoring me, Cha! You promised everything would be alright if I took responsibility for Riana, didn't you?"

"I'm fine if you want to know. Look at me, I'm healthy and I can still survive even though my heart is broken," Marisa said without looking at him.

Deep down, she was still aware that those dark eyes were still her weakness. Rather than looking pitiful by lingering in front of the source of her weakness, Marisa chose to move. She abandoned her warm morning coffee before leaving.

However, this time, Rama's grip was tighter. He pulled the woman in her black pajamas until their bodies were close. Marisa had no time to react when the man suddenly leaned in. Rama's expression was cold and unyielding. His hand gripped her wrist tightly, pulling her closer. But then, what could she do when, in truth, there was still a lingering feeling?

Marisa's heart pounded. Her heart and mind were at odds. Initially, her body resisted. But as his lips pressed against hers, she softened. The strength in her fists loosened, replaced by a muffled sob. Then, in a small act of defiance, she returned his kiss before he pulled away.

"Please, wait for me to finish everything. After that, I promise I'll fix our broken relationship," Rama whispered, their foreheads touching.

Their breaths still mingled. There was a warmth that Marisa longed for, but the hatred stirred in her chest, a feeling that had always been there, a wound that could never fully heal. As tears began to fall, Rama's tight embrace loosened, leaving Marisa to sob into her hands.

"You bastard, Ram! Bastard!" she cursed, her voice muffled.

And she always found it difficult to break free from the chains of feelings that still lingered, even though things were no longer the same. It was painful, but it was hard to let go. After all, three years was a long time to build a relationship towards a more serious commitment.

Marisa wanted to end everything. Perhaps it would be best if she simply left.

Anyone, God, please send anyone to help me out of this painful situation.

These words always echoed in her mind, almost every moment.

***

The blue ID card still dangled precariously in his hand. A gentle breeze occasionally swayed it as it hung from the back porch railing. Seven days he'd been in Bali, frequenting numerous bars in Seminyak each night. All his efforts... in vain.

The woman had vanished without a trace after fleeing.

Tama was utterly bewildered. How could a woman he'd been with simply disappear without a word? Forget about demanding responsibility, she hadn't even said goodbye.

Tama felt a growing sense of guilt and responsibility for everything that had happened. Despite his clear recollection of events, he couldn't deny that they had both been quite drunk that night. It was a reckless indulgence that had spiraled out of control.

The thought was loathsome. Two people of opposite sexes, driven by base desires, had crossed a line. They were neither friends nor lovers, not even acquaintances.

Tama muttered under his breath, resting his head on one hand.

"So, you came all the way back from Bali just to ask your dad to help you find a new job?" The elderly man, who had been feeding the fish in the pond, finally spoke. Baskoro, Tama's father, sat back down on the folding chair near the pond. He stared at the koi fish swimming in the clear water.

"Dad, are you disappointed?" Tama asked, straightening his back.

The old man pursed his lips. "You've healed from your heartbreak, have you? You're not doing anything bad, are you, Tama?"

Tama's long, dark eyelashes fluttered.

"I heard that Pita, your sister, went to your apartment in Bali and found a woman's shirt," Baskoro said, his eyes narrowing.

Tama quickly looked away, but he could feel his face turning red as he heard his father's words.

"Don't listen to Pita!" he protested. "She likes to exaggerate."

Baskoro chuckled. "Go see your mother in her room. She wants to apologize to you."

Tama's gaze softened. His jaw clenched. "Apologize for what?"

The old man in a plain t-shirt took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Your mother knows now why your marriage to Alika was canceled."

Tama lowered his head and then looked up at his father with a little smile. "I'm sorry, Pa..."

Baskoro simply nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Papa understands, you must have a good reason. Papa... is proud of you, Tama."

A moment of silence passed before Baskoro clapped his hands together on his legs. "Well, our kids are all grown up now. It seems like Papa and Mama have been too overprotective in trying to set you up with our friends and business associates. You have the right to make your own choices now. Go see your mom."

Tama got up from the gazebo and walked over to the identity card with the photo of a young woman. "Promise you'll help me get into this company?"

Baskoro chuckled and went back to feeding the fish. "It depends. If you can convince Mama, then Papa, okay!"

"Okay! I'll handle Mama's approval, I'll take care of it." Tama made a circle with his thumb and index finger.

Baskoro's son smiled as he walked away. In truth, he was relieved to see Tama regain his purpose in life and stop thinking only about work. Baskoro knew it wasn't the tour and travel company that Tama was aiming for, but the girl in the company's ID card.

***

The woman was still nibbling on a piece of apple reluctantly. She had been sick for three days. Only today could she get up and start eating properly.

"Busy bee, aren't you, Mas? It seems like you only visit Mama when she's sick," Rima said, glaring at him.

While her mother continued to stare at him with an annoyed expression, Tama just scratched his head, which wasn't itchy.

"Mama... still mad?"

"Of course."

"Really?"

Rima placed a piece of unripe apple on the plate on her lap. She stuffed the slightly sour fruit into her mouth again. She still wasn't interested in talking, even though Tama was waiting.

The woman sighed heavily. "Why didn't you tell me that your fiancee was pregnant with someone else's child, so your marriage was canceled?"

"Ma..." Tama pleaded. He really didn't want to talk about the past.

"You..." The woman with shoulder-length hair paused. "You had the nerve to lie to Mama? You said you cheated, that you couldn't feel anything for women, that..."

"Her name was Alika, Ma. In case you forgot," Tama reminded her gently. He reached for Rima's hand and patted it softly. "Mama, you've lost weight these past three days."

Tears welled up in Rima's eyes. She quickly wiped away the corners of her wet eyes. "You're so cruel to make Mama upset and ignore you because you couldn't accept that you cheated on Alika. You're so cruel to make Mama not know the truth, that it was actually her who betrayed you, Mas."

There was a deep pain in a mother's heart as she poured out her feelings that morning. For seven months, she had avoided the public eye because she was ashamed of her son's failed marriage, while Rima had taken Alika everywhere and introduced her as her future daughter-in-law. For seven months, she didn't know that Tama was actually trying to protect his ex-lover and her family's reputation by saying that he had cheated.

"Sorry. I'm so sorry, Mas," Rima's eyes welled up with tears. She pulled her hand away from Tama's and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Mama is not wrong. It's me who couldn't bear to see Mama hurt when she knew the truth." Tama wrapped his arms around the woman who was sobbing in his embrace.

For a long time, Rima just cried in her son's arms. Tama cleared his throat.

"I forgive you, Mama, but..."

"But what? You want to forgive your own mother with conditions?" The woman's swollen face suddenly looked irritated.

"It's easy, Ma! I don't ask for much!"

"Okay, what is it?" Rima straightened her posture, looking impatient.

"Please give me your blessing for this girl. If you give me your blessing, I promise I'll pursue her seriously until I get her." Tama showed Rima the identity card he had just taken out of his shirt pocket.

Rima took the card from her son's hand. She looked at the photo of the sweet and innocent-looking girl. "She's pretty. But who is she?"

"You have to give me your blessing, Mama. You can't say no." Tama knew his mother would ask many questions, so he tried to push her for an answer.

"Yes, but Mama needs to know who she is first. How did you meet her? Where does she live? If I don't know her, how can I give my blessing?" Rima argued. She couldn't afford to have her heart broken again after what happened with Alika's failed marriage.

"Just give me your blessing first. Say yes so I can feel relieved."

"Why do you have to rush? Don't you need to get to know each other better before committing to a serious relationship? So you won't make the same mistake again?"

"It's too late for that, Mama!" Tama snapped, irritated.

"Too late for what?"

Rima's son sighed deeply. He slowly leaned back. "Promise you won't be mad? Tama promises to take responsibility."

"Yeah, I promise I won't be mad. What happened?"

"I... I accidentally... slept with her because I was drunk."

Rima's eyes widened in shock. "Oh..." And then, two seconds later, her eyes flew open in surprise. She exclaimed, "Oh my God, Mas! That's a sin!"

Then, Tama could only remain silent, enduring the burning sensation of his mother's pinch on his ear and a pinch on his right side.

Tama knew he was wrong. He and his siblings were taught to respect the sanctity of marriage after the vows were exchanged at the altar. Therefore, no matter where that girl went, Tama would pursue her.

***

Notes:

* Mas is term used in Indonesia to refer to eldest son in a family.

"There's going to be a change of director. Do you know, Mbak Cha?" Tina, the curly-haired girl, interrupted Marisa's concentration.

"Really? Why so suddenly?"

The girl with braces grimaced and scratched her itch. "I forgot to tell you when you called to ask what happened in the office while you were on leave."

Marisa rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance. "I told you not to be so sudden, Tina..."

"Morning..." A greeting like a murmur passed by Marisa and Tina's desks, which were side by side.

The man in a checkered shirt paired with dark blue jeans had just arrived. Hearing the greeting, Tina nodded with a faint smile. Marisa, on the other hand, only replied with an imperceptible sigh.

He sat in the very last cubicle-which had been moved at some point, but Marisa felt lucky. That way, she didn't have to bother feeling uncomfortable and suddenly awkward sitting next to Mariana's husband.

"I get so annoyed when I remember he's still here. He should be the one to leave, Mbak. Not Mbak Cha!" Tina whispered, glancing disdainfully at the desk where the man was.

"Tsk, don't say nonsense! Personal matters shouldn't be brought to the office, Tin." Marisa avoided the conversation by busying herself staring at the computer screen in front of her.

She was busy making a travel itinerary for her client. All the work had to be finished at least until she had fulfilled her quota of being a tour leader three times this month. Marisa wanted to rest. To stop working until she forgot about time. She wanted to relax and start realizing her own dreams. No longer thinking about others.

"If Mbak Cha resigns, I'll definitely be lonely here. Then there won't be anyone to nag me every day. Don't you miss nagging me, Mbak?" Tina continued to persuade in a whisper.

"Oh, come on. Do you even listen when I nag you? You just let my words go in one ear and out the other."

"Mbak Cha ...."

"Hm?" Marisa just hummed as she adjusted her reading glasses on the bridge of her nose.

However, after a few seconds of waiting, the petite girl beside her remained silent. This chubby girl would only calm down when something surprising happened, when she watched Korean dramas, or when a handsome man passed by. This time, perhaps the third reason was the right one. Because when Marisa turned to her, Tina seemed to be stunned with a bright, sparkling gaze and two hands clasped tightly in front of her chest in excitement.

Tina looked towards the glass partition between the corridor and the workspace. Mr. Agus-the director of the place where Marisa and Tina worked-was seen walking casually in his old brown suit. It wasn't the plump man who made Tina's gaze seem hypnotized. Besides, their director, who had been leading for five years, wasn't that handsome.

Right beside the man, the figure walked with one hand tucked into the pocket of his black slim-fit pants that matched his suit. Occasionally, the manwho was probably in his thirties-smiled thinly when Mr. Agus laughed loudly at his own jokes.

Marisa's two eyelids blinked. It felt like she was having déjà vu looking at that man's gaze and smile. "I feel like I've seen him before," she muttered.

Then, when Marisa's eyes fell on the blue string in the right hand of the man who was walking side by side with Mr. Agus, she widened her eyes spontaneously. "Oh, my God!"

Again. Her heart pounded uncontrollably. Memories of a night filled with sweat and hot flushes flashed by along with the panicked movements of searching for a hiding place. Under the table felt too conspicuous if she forced herself to hide there. Pretending to be busy was also too obvious in this spacious and quiet room.

Marisa started to squirm like a worm on a hot pan. She became even more restless when the dark eyes that had once stripped every inch of her body under the glow of a bedside lamp locked directly onto her.

"Run!" Marisa muttered quickly. She got up without looking left or right.

The woman who suddenly panicked stood up just as a canteen guard carrying a tray of cups of coffee and tea approached her table - a daily morning routine in the office always had warm drinks on the table.

"Oh no, my goodness! It spilled!" exclaimed the old man in a blue uniform and a skullcap.

Marisa quickly raised both her hands in the air, bowed, then lamented her white shirt which was wet on the shoulders and chest. Unfortunately, the wet clothes weren't enough to cover the lacy underwear underneath.

"Oh my God, Mbak Cha!" Tina shrieked in surprise.

***

The girl sat restlessly, pulling Tama's black jacket closer to her chest. She hadn't spoken yet, only biting her lip occasionally without bothering to look at Tama.

They were sitting at the corner table in the canteen. It wasn't a fancy place. In fact, this travel agency office wasn't as big as Tama had previously imagined. Most of the clients who used the services of the agency where Marisa worked were middle-class people. They often cooperated with schools to handle school trips. Only occasionally were there clients from government offices who wanted to go on a personal tour to Bali, Singapore, Thailand, or Malaysia.

Forget about the condition of the office where the girl in front of Tama worked. It didn't matter. After all, Tama's intention to take over as director of a travel agency in Jogja wasn't to actually settle down here. He wanted the girl in front of him. Marisa Yanuar. The most praised and reliable Tour Leader, they said.

Tama sighed deeply. With the next exhale, he pushed Marisa's ID card. "It fell near the sofa. And this..." Tama reached for the paper bag on the empty chair next to him and placed it on the table. "You stole my shirt that morning."

The girl's face suddenly turned red. She lowered her head and hid herself in the fold of her hands. "Sir... can you just forget about that night?" she said after raising her face again, looking desperate and embarrassed.

Tama raised his eyebrows. "Forget?"

Marisa nodded and Tama clicked his tongue in frustration.

"I was stressed for a whole week looking for you all over Seminyak, Bali. Every night I woke up because that night's incident always came up in my dreams and made it hard for me to sleep again. My work was a mess because I didn't get enough sleep. I came all the way here and you just say... forget it?" Tama's jaw tightened. There was an unwilling gaze at Marisa's unilateral decision while he hadn't said anything yet.

"What else should I do? I won't burden you. Just forget it, pretend it never happened. I'll continue with my life and you with yours. I..."

"How can you say forget it so easily?" Tama interrupted.

"Well, is there any other way? It's already happened..." Marisa looked miserable.

"But I can't just forget like that, Risa. How can I live peacefully without a burden?"

"Well, don't make it a burden. Let's both forget. I promise I won't ask for any responsibility. Besides, I..." Marisa paused, looking around, then lowered her head and whispered, "I'm not pregnant."

She let out a relieved sigh and leaned back in her chair. Apparently, the woman thought the problem was solved when she had managed to give Tama the news.

Tama exhaled roughly. He leaned forward, staring deeply into Marisa's black irises, which suddenly shrank. "I'm the only one who's ever slept with you."

Marisa bowed her head again, biting her lip, and her body moved restlessly.

"You're a virgin, aren't you?"

It was a direct hit. Because the first time would certainly be difficult to forget so easily. Sure enough, the next second, the woman's two cheeks suddenly turned bright red, and she avoided Tama's probing gaze.

Tama sighed wearily. It felt like this was the first time he had started a serious conversation with a woman since he decided to focus back on work. He tapped his right index finger on the white table. The two cups of coffee in front of them were almost cold, and they hadn't decided anything since then. So, Tama chose to take the initiative to decide on the matter that had made him restless for almost ten days because the woman's whispers were always ringing in his ears every night.

"Because I'm a responsible man, we should just get married next month," he cut her off abruptly.

And once again, Marisa's slender body shifted restlessly. "What? You can't just do that, Sir," she protested angrily.

"Why not? Why make it complicated? Don't make me upset anymore by running away without an explanation. Stop calling me Sir, it annoys me." Tama was just as stubborn.

"Marriage isn't something you do just because you accidentally slept together and then get married. I don't want to..."

"You don't want to marry me?" Tama interrupted quickly.

Marisa closed her eyes, shook her head in confusion, and massaged the bridge of her nose. "I'll only marry you if there's love between us. Not because you feel burdened and guilty and then feel forced to marry me. Don't do that!"

"Then let's make love. I want love from you."

"Ha-hah?" One hand that was originally holding Tama's jacket tightly to her chest suddenly let go. She looked up with her eyes wide open.

Damn it, the strap and cup of Marisa's black underwear were distracting Tama. Again, he would probably have a hard time sleeping tonight. Just blame Marisa!

***

Notes:

1. Mbak is term used to address older women, particularly in the Javanese community in Indonesia.

2. Cha or Icha is a nickname for Marisa or Risa.