THE OTHER WOMAN

I am a divorce woman who has a fashionable appearance and a life full with wealth. People will get jealous of me, especially if they know my past. I'm just a village girl who works odd jobs. It's hard to find food to eat. I once married a poor man and accepted that burdensome life as part of destiny.

However, an incident made our household fall apart. Like it or not, divorce happens. Now, I have everything. Outsiders saw that I was lacking in nothing, but they did not know where this wealth came from. The stakes are huge, lives are being targeted.

It was Norma Wilhelmina who was after us. She's the legal wife of Hendrik, a billionaire who owns companies around the world and he made me his mistress.

Call me Kantil, a pseudonym. A mother who's her daughter died on her father's bed while holding a test pack. My daughter's name is Keynara. She is only fifteen years old and still in third grade of Junior High School. We usually call her by Key.

Key has wide eyes with eyelashes that--we Javanese call it--tumingo ing tawang. Key's hair is like mine, curls from birth. She is the only granddaughter in my family and the family of Roni, her father.

When she was five years old, Key always said that when he grew up he wanted to be a dangdut singer. Roni and I laugh every time we see her imitating Inul Daratista's sway. By collecting the money from sewing, I was able to buy her a new DVD complete with a dozen dangdut tapes. My daughter is very happy. Every day she practiced singing and dancing. Seeing her great interest, I promised that when I had the money, I would register for vocal and dance lessons. However, our economy has not improved.

Now that I have everything and I able to full fill all of Key's needs, my beautiful little daughter like a Barbie doll died in the hands of a ruffian. Her vital organs were swollen, there was dried blood stuck to her thighs. Key was found naked. Until I write down this story, still unknown who killed her.

Near Key's corpse was found scattered fetal laxative drugs. However, the autopsy results stated that no traces of the drug were found on her stomach. Most likely, she was murdered and the drugs just to distract investigators.

Maybe the killer thought I wouldn't do the autopsy because the killer though I didn't have money. However, the killer was wrong. The money I collected while being a slave to Mr. Hendrik's lust was more than enough to buy his head.

Although, the culprit hasn't been found yet, I suspect someone. Roni, who is Keynara's father. My suspicion is not without reason. The reason is, Key often said in our conversations on the phone that her father often held her while she was sleeping. At first, I ignored it because after all, Mas Roni is her biological father. As savage as a man, he certainly will not prey on his own child. When Key told me the second time I started to suspect. Key said Roni accompanied her to sleep in the room. Even though Key is not a child anymore, she was twelve years old at the time.

At that time, I could not immediately take firm action against Roni because I was in Paramaribo. There is a contract with Pak Hendrik that binds me. The contract I signed five years ago, for a much better future for Keynara.

About my story, a village woman who prostituted herself to a conglomerate finally brought to American continent but in the other hand my daughter died horribly, I will tell you after this.

January 27, 2013

Yu Marsiyah, is my distant cousin came to the house with a face that I can't describe, a mixture of sadness, surprise, and haste.

"Roni. He was trial in the house of the Waru village headman. Your husband caught having sex with Wati, Pak Bayan's wife. It was crowded. Luckily your husband was not beaten badly by the residents."

"Could not be him, Yu. Roni is in Ngawi visiting his sick mother. Yesterday he just got a text message from his sister."

"How could I be wrong? I just from there. That guy is really your husband. Come on, I'll take you there if you don't believe me."

I doubted with what Yu Marsiyah said. The reason is, yesterday Roni showed a text message from Rina. His sister reported that my father-in-law had a stroke and was being treated at the hospital. When I wanted to join with him, Roni forbid it because of Keynara would be exhausted beside that Key has to go to school. If we go in the long time, Key will missed her lesson.

Earlier I asked Roni to leave early in the morning, before the sun began to rise. In fact last night I owed my sewing boss for the cost of visiting my mother. Understandably, Mas Roni's money has been used up for the cost of daily meals.

Now is 9 P.M. Keynara is sleeping with my mother. Finally, I accepted Yu Marsiyah's invitation. I took a jacket to protect myself from the cold. Afternoon, it rained until it was Asr time. January is the peak of the rainy season. People in my place make it an acronym that January equals to everyday rain.

Yu Marsiyah took me on her motorbike. On the way we did not talk because of the noise of passing vehicles. I didn't really think about Yu Marsiyah's statement, I'm sure she was wrong.

Ten minutes later, we arrived at the house of the village head of Waru village. There are more than ten motorbikes parked in the yard. Before I got down, Pak Bayan, who was standing in the doorway, had already pointed his finger at me. The man in black stepped closer.

"Well, that's his wife. See, what your husband did, Til. I left for training Jaranan in Lombok Village, your husband rape my wife. Both of them were still doing it when I entered the room. Your husband is savage, Til. Savage!"

"Please, calm down. Calm down," asked Yu Marsiyah.

Roni and I knew Mr. Bayan's family very well. He has an underwear convection business. I used to take stitches there. Pak Bayan's words made me start to believe in Yu Marsiyah's statement earlier. Ignoring the crowds gathered in front of the Lurah's house, I walked in an orderly pace, wanted to confirm the truth about the man who was cause of the commotion.

In the living room of the Lurah house, there is a wooden table surrounded by rattan wicker chairs. Some men are sitting there. I didn't know them, but the faces were familiar, maybe we had passed by on the road because the village was really small. On the chairs sat a man and a woman. The woman has a long hair. Both of them I yet seen their face of.

When I get closer, Mr. Waru village headman stood up. My heart skipped a beat when I saw a mole under the ear of the man sitting with his back to the door. The man turned. Seeing his face my head was like being electrocuted. The world seems like spinning.

"Roni."

The woman whom sitting next to him turned her head too. Her eyes were red and swollen. I wanted to spit out a million curses, but all the words were swallowed back with my spit. Nora Candrawati, Mr. Bayan's wife who is Roni's mistress, is much older than me. Because of the wealth she is able to dress fashionable.

I stood there silently, like a soldier who lost the battle. It's already hurt to forgive Roni. Trust and relationships are like glass to me. My late father said, glass means if broken could not be fix. After all, living with Roni never gave me better life. The wages as odd jobs are sometimes enough, sometimes not.

When I want to get back to my house with full anger in my chest, I stopped this step. I turned my face to Roni's back.

"Our marriage is end. I will package your clothes to Ngawi. So, you will no need to set foot in my house again."

Roni stunned. His cheeks are bloated because of Mr. Bayan's big hit. I turned and ran outside. Yu Marsiyah tried to catch me.

"Are you sure, Til? Please think about it with a cold mind."

"I can't. He has not giving us a better life. And now cheat? Who you think I am? It's better to live alone and raise my daughter."

Yu Marsiyah only silent. She started the motorbike and took me home.

When I reached home, my mother greeted me. She seemed confused to see me out at night with Yu Marsiyah.

Before she asks, I tell her everything.

"Don't be too fast to make such as decision. Calm down. Think about it first. Maybe Roni right now make a mistake. Look at your daughter. Don't be so tough," asked my mom.

"This is my life, Mom. Just pray for me. That's it, Mom. I want to clean up that crazy person stuff."

I rushed go to my room.

I opened the wardrobe that standing next to the TV. Roni's clothes are on the top shelf. I threw all his belonging to the floor. I've been holding back my anger as much as possible. The weird one is the tears didn't fall, but my muscles felt very stiff. Want to toss, want to punch.

The sound of Yu Marsiyah's motorbike getting far away. My mom comes in.

"Let me send all of these to the expedition tomorrow, Mom," I said.

"Calm down, love. Everything can be discussed. Besides that, the cost of the divorce is expensive."

"I'll sell the sewing machine for paying of the divorce, Mom. It's a big machine and still in good condition, it sellable more than two million."

Keynara came out from her room. The ten years old girl rubbed her eyes.

"Why did you take out dad clothes, Mom? Where is he?"

Hearing my daughter question, the tears that I have been holding on for a long time finally drop. I hug her tightly.

"He won't be coming home, love. We are now living with grandma. Don't ever ask about your Father again. I will work hard so that you can go to singing school as soon as possible."

I felt the girl nod in my arms.

Early March 2013

I was standing under the Trembesi tree in a Chinese cemetery. For decades this place has become a gathering place for women who used to peddle themselves. Since a month ago I have a special customer, a rich businessman. Usually his driver will pick me up and take me to meet with his boss at his house or branded hotel.

Sari, who had been sitting on one of the gravestones, walked up to me. Sadly, she hasn't gotten a single call yet. Because, I haven't heard the Manusia Bodoh song as her cell phone ringtone.

"Gees, I yet receive a single call. I've been so often uploading sexy photos on Facebook."

"Not a lot of people got money now days."

"Day after day, I only get kuota from little kids that I knew from the social media."

"How come?"

"Chat sex and phone sex."

"Greedy, ha ha."

Sari smirked.

Our conversation had to end because a black luxury sedan stopped right in front of me. My customer's chauffeur has arrived. Before leaving, I gave Sari a bill with a picture of Soekarno-Hatta in it, as a form of solidarity as fellow night workers. She currently off client, at least the money will be able to sustain her life for the next day. Well anyway, it was Sari who introduced me to this fast-money job.

"Come in, Miss. The master has been waiting for you for a long time. I am little bit late because I had to queue at the gas station," said the driver who was wearing a white shirt and black pants. Every day he looks like that. Maybe Mr. Hendrik's work rules require him to wear the same colored clothes from day to day.

"Yes, Sir," I replied as I entered the car.

I wasn't a member of Pak Hendrik's family or as an important guest in that mansion so the driver didn't open the car door. Such treatment is only for big people, not parasite like me.

The car runs pretty fast, but didn't feel the shock. That because the driver is an expert and the car has a good engine. I've seen on the internet the price of this kind of car can ranges from eight hundred million to two billion can be more. Want to sew until the legs swollen this vehicle will never be bought by me.

"May I ask you a question, Miss Kantil?" the driver started the conversation.

"Yes. Why? Don't call it that. Just call me by Kantil. It will be simpler," I asked the driver. It's been a few days since I wanted to say that, but forgot.

"Okay. Have you been working like this for a long time, Til?"

"No. I do it since I get divorce from my ex-husband about a few months ago."

"Oh. So you were married, huh?"

"Of course, yes."

"How do you know Mr. Hendrik?"

"I'm a peddler, he's a buying man. Of course we met."

Through the rearview mirror, I saw the sharp-nosed driver nodding. From his face, this man's age is younger than me, maybe around twenty-seven years or so.

"Sorry, if I want to ask again. As you can see, I'm a curious person." The driver named Marzuki chuckled.

"Just ask, I'm not your boss. Even if your question offends me, you won't get fired."

"The jokes on you. Why did you decide to work like this? Sorry, if my question is very presumptuous."

"For paying the divorce, I sold a sewing machine and an over lock machine. Those were the tools I previously used to make money. I thought at that time the important thing was that I could get out from that savage man. It turns out so tough to look for money now days. I have my mom and my 10 years old daughter with me. I can't just stood silent while my debt hunting me."

"By that time I went to Sari, an old school friend whose life is more prosperous now. My intention was to borrow her money to pay off the debt in the shop. I am not get the money. In the other hand she even offered me a job like her. After I think about it I'll go with her. It's seems like better now."

"What if your ex-husband finds out? Don't you feel ashamed?"

"My ex-husband went back to Ngawi. No, I don't think so. The last news I heard he came back to my village and rent a house there. But, I don't know, I less care about it anyway. Nobody in my village will knows, because the journey by motorbike from here to my village for about two hours. It's quite far, isn't it?"

Marzuki nodded again.

"Doesn't Mr. Hendrik have a wife, right? But why every time I went there I did not meet her?"

"He has. His wife has gray eyes. She's about a hundred seventy centimeters tall and has white skin. Half-Indonesian-Dutch."

"She must be beautiful, right? How come I never meet her?"

"So beautiful indeed. She just doesn't want to meet you."

Marzuki's answer made me ponder. Is it true that there is woman who is silent when she knew that her husband bring other woman to the house? I was so curious that I asked Marzuki.

"I don't know about that, Til. Rich people have their own thought. Not like us. It's like we are crawling on the ground, but they can split the sky," he replied. The man seemed reluctant to discuss about his boss personal life.

"Then if he has a beautiful wife why is he still look for other woman?" I just getting curious.

"I don't know, Til. For me, the most important thing is just to do my work, obeying the boss' orders, and getting paid. I don't care about their family matters."

It's true what Marzuki said. Rich people have their own mind. It is difficult for little people like me will understand. If I could understand the mindset of those people, I would be rich like them.

Without realizing it, we had arrived at the courtyard of this magnificent three-story house. So far, I've only been to one room, namely Pak Hendrik's room which is behind the big stairs. I am yet been to the second and third floor. Maybe his wife stays in that floor. That means I have to be more careful from now on.

I stepped on the dark-floored veranda, while Marzuki took the car we were driving in to the underground parking lot. I am yet know the underground parking lot look like.

It wasn't until I rang the bell that the door opened. A waiter in white and black pants asked me to come in. Even though it's been a month since I entered the house, I still don't know the maid's name. Maybe, I can ask that later. Now the important thing is that I have to go to the room near the living room.

The rule is that before I meet with Mr. Hendrik at his room, I have to change clothes in that room. The clothes were already prepared in a glass cupboard which is two feet long. This time I chose a black knit dress with a low slit. I sprayed the perfume that also been prepared, after it walked gracefully toward Mr. Hendrik's room. The house was completely deserted. Who would have thought that his wife also lived in the same roof.

Arriving at the door of the tall man's room, I knocked on the door. Without waiting for an answer I entered. Mr. Hendrik room. One month with him I started to get to know the man's character.

"You have arrived?" he greeted as he got up from the bed. Today the brown-skinned man was wearing dark blue pajamas.

He walked closer; I put a smile on my face. He was getting closer, my heart was pounding. The scent wafted into my senses of smell even though our bodies were still a few steps apart. If he wasn't a handsome man, this job would be disgusting for me.