The Fourth Wife In Action

The sun was shining brightly above the sky, the sound of cicadas sticking to the tree sounded very loud. A middle-aged man sprinted towards the stilt house, where on the terrace sat a man in fashionable clothes, with an open laptop at the table in front of him. Hearing someone's hasty steps, the man's attention turned to him.

"What is it?" The man asked, his voice heavy and firm.

"S-sir ...!" The middle-aged man stopped at the bottom of the terrace steps, gasping for breath. "Mr. Sakha, someone fainted in the field!" he cried hard.

In contrast to the man's panic, the expression on Sakha's face did not change. Sakha folded his laptop screen carefully, then stood up and approached the man.

"Where is he?" asked Sakha.

The man hastily showed the way to the field he mentioned.

Sakha followed behind. When they arrived at the field, the sun was getting hotter and hotter. In the middle of the field overgrown with corn, gathered several people who are also agricultural workers who work in Sakha's field, they seem to be crowding something.

"Hey, step aside! I've already called Mr. Sakha," exclaimed the man who had reported.

Then all pairs of eyes turned to Sakha who was walking closer, several eyes stared at him in surprise.

"Mr. Ji! Why call Mr. Sakha? It is broad daylight! How troublesome you are!" Inah scolded, lightly hitting Parji's shoulder, the man was still breathless, busy catching his breath.

"Anyway, how pitiful Ririn is. Instead of leaving her here under the heat, in which case her situation will only get worse, we had better call Mr. Sakha. After all, it is one of his responsibilities to ensure the health and safety of his workers," Parji replied to Inah's words in a low voice.

Right after that, Sakha got close to them and looked straight down at a woman lying on a shabby mat, the sun shining on her, her face pale and sweating profusely, her brow furrowed like someone in pain.

"What shall we do, sir? Her house is quite far from here, we don't know how to take her home," said Parji.

Without thinking, Sakha replied, "Let me take her."

It's the answer his workers had been waiting for; relief was evident on their faces as soon as Sakha said so.

Sakha crouched down, staring at the woman's face for a moment. She looks so shabby, thought Sakha. The shirt must have been white before, but now it was brown and the edges were a little torn. From the folds of her clothes, Sakha guessed she was wearing several layers of clothing. The woman's face was also dirty with dust and pale.

Sakha guessed that the reason for this fainting was due to dehydration. Without waiting any longer, Sakha lifted the woman's body into his arms, he was a little surprised by the lightness of the body, Sakha did not expect it because the woman's body looked full.

"I'll take her home, you guys just carry on with your work," said Sakha.

"Yes, Sir."

"Yes, Sir."

"Thank you, Sir."

Sakha nodded, then turned and walked away.

Working in the middle of the day like this is always hard, but Sakha has managed all the time and he does not want the hot sun to be a hindrance, he even gives more wages to his workers who work during the day.

When they arrived at the rest house hidden in the garden with shady trees, Sakha realized that the woman's body in his arms felt very hot, even though the sunlight was not hitting them too much because of the leaves on the trees.

Sakha entered the house, laid the woman on the bed in one of the rooms there. The room was never used, except for the adjoining room that Sakha usually used to take a nap while waiting for the workers in the fields.

Actually, Sakha didn't know what to do either, so he took out his cell phone to call someone.

"Galih, after you buy the seeds, go straight to the rest house. Bring a car!" said Sakha. After getting the answer he wanted, Sakha turned off his cellphone and looked at the woman. Sakha touched the woman's forehead, which was hot. Sweat kept running down her temples.

Sakha thought what he should do, and then his attention turned to the shabby clothes the woman was wearing. Sakha touched it lightly, slightly disgusted by the dirt, but Sakha tried to ignore it and then took off the shirt she was wearing. And right as he thought, the woman was wearing layers of clothes, which Sakha couldn't help but have to take off, leaving a clean white shirt soaked with sweat.

No wonder she is light, her body is so skinny, thought Sakha. Layered clothes do make the woman's body look fuller.

Sakha then took a small towel, wet it with warm water, and then wiped the sweat on the woman's face.

The long eyelashes fluttered, the eyelids opened, and revealing dark black eyes that focused directly on Sakha's eyes. Sakha was stunned for a moment, his hand that had been moving immediately stopped.

"You fainted, I was trying to help you," said Sakha, but the woman didn't seem to hear him. When Sakha was about to speak again, the woman's eyes closed again.

Sakha stared at her silently, then took off the towel in his hand and took his phone again, called Galih, telling the subordinate to hurry up.

Not long after, Galih came. How surprised he was to see his boss in the room with a shabby and dirty looking girl on his bed.

"Take this girl home," Sakha said.

Galih stood frozen in the doorway, his mouth open.

Sakha glared at him. "You heard me, Galih, take her away."

"What have ...?"

"She passed out in the cornfield so I had to carry her all the way here."

With that brief explanation, Galih approached, looked at the woman's face.

"You know her?" asked Sakha.

Galih nodded. "She's the daughter of Head of the Neighborhood, who is a debt collector," Galih replied. Actually, Sakha didn't need that kind of answer, but the important thing now was that he knew where Galih had to take her.

Sakha was just about to leave, but then he remembered something. "Since when did the man's daughter work in my field?" he asked in surprise.

"Oh no, this isn't Mawar and Melati, her name if I'm not mistaken is Ririn."

No wonder, Sakha thought, he didn't see this shabby woman the last time he visited the house of Fahrul Jamal, Head of the Neighborhood, the debtor that Galih had spoken about. Because as far as Sakha knows, Jamal only has two daughters who are very beautiful and are often nicknamed the village flower, or the most beautiful woman in the village. Who would have guessed that the shabby girl in front of him was now also the man's daughter?

"You have conveyed my message to the Head of the Neighborhood, right?"

"Yes, Sir, last night. He seems a bit shocked, but also has no other choice."

"Hm. In that case, good."

"Ngh, Sir."

"What is it?"

Galih looked doubtful. "Have you ... talked about getting remarried with all the madams in the house?"

Because of Galih's question, Sakha squinted at him. "Who called you?"

"Mrs. Henia, Sir," replied Galih.

"Hm, since when did you have a bucket mouth like that, Galih?"

"I-I didn't tell her, Sir! Mrs. Henia said she only heard the rumors from gossipy villagers."

Sakha was silent for a while, muttering, "I shouldn't have brought them here." Having said that, Sakha walked away.

***

[to be continued]

Sakha returned to his home, his main house in Telaga Waru Village. Several workers greeted shortly after seeing Sakha enter through the gate in a shiny black car. Sakha returned their greetings with a nod and a brief smile. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky; Sakha was sweating and really needed a splash of water to get rid of the stickiness all over his body.

When Sakha went inside, his wives who were sitting in the living room immediately greeted him.

"Mas*, you're home!" Aisyah Safitria Putri, or as Sakha often calls Ria, was the first to greet him and immediately approached Sakha to kiss his hand.

"Yes," replied Sakha briefly.

Ria is Sakha's first wife, the beautiful woman immediately pulled Sakha into the living room. And Sakha did not refuse.

"You don't usually come home early, Mas," said Henia, kissing Sakha's hand.

"Hm, I'm only going home for a while."

Agistia, Sakha's second wife was the last to shake Sakha's hand. "What do you want us to cook for you? It just so happens that it's lunch time."

Sakha refuses with a smile. "I'm only here for a moment. You guys eat lunch first."

"Mas, let's just have lunch here together. Mas rarely come home in the afternoon, only often in the fields," Ria interrupted, half whining, she was still clinging to Sakha's left arm.

"Yes, but I want to take a shower first," replied Sakha, while gently releasing Ria's hand from his arm.

"I'll help you to the room," Nia replied, following Sakha into the room.

While Nia helps Sakha prepare clothes in his room, two of Sakha's other wives go to the kitchen to instruct the household members to prepare lunch immediately.

Tia is the only wife of Sakha who can cook and often helps in the kitchen. For almost three years as Sakha's second wife, Tia has been very familiar with what foods her husband likes. Sakha likes chicken stew with yellow yeast, so that is the menu Tia will make this afternoon.

While Tia is busy in the kitchen, Ria goes to her room and starts to dress up. Of the three wives of Sakha, Ria is the most beautiful and the most diligent in taking care of herself. Moreover, as the first wife as well as the eldest, Ria feels that she must always look attractive to get more attention from her husband.

"That Henia, that flirtatious woman is always rude, disrespectful. She should have respected me in the first place, instead of just snooping around." Ria grumbled while applying makeup to her cleansed face. During this time, they always seem to get along, but secretly the three of them compete with each other for more attention.

Unlike Tia, who respects her more, Nia really does monopolize Sakha, not giving Sakha's first and second wives a chance. As for Tia, that woman is always shy and puts Ria first when they are together. However, in hindsight, Ria knew very well that Tia was also competing with her, teasing Sakha in ways that often made Ria jealous. Tia is the type of woman who is very romantic; she cooks for Sakha, invites Sakha to dinner at a luxury restaurant alone, and always whines to go on vacation whenever Sakha has free time.

Even so, all this time, Sakha had always been fair to them. Sakha never treats them differently, and sometimes that is what irritates Ria. It would be better if Sakha treated her differently than when she treated her two young wives. Ria feels more entitled because she is the first woman Sakha married.

After finishing applying makeup to her face, Ria immediately left the room. Their rooms were always separate, either in this country house or in their main house in the city. That is another form of Sakha's justice, even Sakha also gave them a house one by one for them to live in, but the three of them chose to live together with their husbands at the same time.

When Ria reached the dining room, she only saw Tia there who had also just arrived. The woman had finished cooking and also did a little makeup on her face just like Ria.

"Where's Nia?" asked Ria.

"She has not come yet?" Tia asks back.

Ria's previous annoyance is getting worse, but Ria doesn't show it at all. "Wait here, I'll call them." Then Ria went from the dining room to the top floor where Sakha's room was.

When Ria arrived at the door, she heard Nia's giggling voice calling for Sakha in a spoiled voice. Ria knocked on the door on purpose, not long after that Sakha appeared, her face looked annoyed.

"Mas, lunch are ready," said Ria, putting on an innocent face.

Sakha nodded. "I see," but his expression still looked annoyed.

After Sakha left, Nia came out of the room. Ria immediately spit it out. "You pissed him off again?"

Nia pouted. "What's pissed him off, Kak*? It was Kak Ria who had made him angry. We were making out, but you were bothering us."

"You think I'll believe it?" replied Ria. Because they all know how fair Sakha is to them. Were it not for the time of day that Sakha had set for them, Sakha would not have approached one of his other wives to make out. Moreover, tonight, also tomorrow, is the schedule for Tia, the second wife.

"Shh! Kak Ria doesn't know. After all he's a man, it wouldn't be surprising if he made a mistake."

"Don't be like that, Nia. You have to take care of Tia's feelings."

Nia with her innocent face answered, "What do you really feel for Mas Sakha? Aren't we all the same?"

That statement silenced Ria's mouth, but it made her anger rise even more. "Watch your words! Or I will report this to Mas Sakha," she said with a warning.

Nia was silent, looked down, and then walked away past Ria with an annoyed face.

***

After lunch, Sakha returned to the fields, leaving his three wives at home. During that lunch, no one noticed Sakha's bad mood, not even Ria who knew earlier that Sakha was upset. However, Sakha is a man with high self-control; he rarely shows his feelings through facial expressions. In other words, he was a cold man with an expression that was always flat.

Even so, Sakha responded to all of his wife's chatter one by one. Sakha was always kind to them like that, never discriminating.

After Sakha left, Tia immediately spoke up. "I heard rumors from those who work back there, they say Mas Sakha wants to get married again?"

Ria who heard that was very surprised, in contrast to Nia who looked normal.

"I've heard since yesterday. It's true," replied Nia.

Ria looks at her. "Who did you hear that from, Nia?"

"From village women who used to shop for vegetables in front. They don't know yet that I'm Mas Sakha's wife, so I pretend to be shopping while eavesdropping on their gossip."

"Maybe it's just a rumor, right?" said Tia.

"I've also called Galih, Kak. Mas's future wife is the daughter of Head of the Neighborhood, who said he had a lot of debt and he probably couldn't pay it off."

"Mr. Jamal?!" Ria said in disbelief.

Nia nodded with an annoyed face. "That's why we have to tease Mas often so that he stops having the intention to remarry. It has only been a year since I married; I still have hope of getting pregnant. Why should he rush to get married again anyway?"

Nia's tirade that sounded sarcastic was ignored by Ria and Tia.

It is true, of the three wives of Sakha, none of them succeeded in having children. Not yet, to be precise. However, Sakha from the beginning really wanted a child to be the successor to his business; an heir.

It is a shame that until this moment his three wives were not pregnant.

"As far as I know Mr. Jamal has two daughters," said Tia.

"That's right," said Ria, "two girls with the nickname the village flowers."

"No wonder Mas is desperate."

"Hush! Don't be careless when you talk!" Ria warned because Nia's words sounded rude to their husbands.

"I'll ask Mas later tonight," said Tia.

"Mas will definitely introduce the new woman to us before they actually carry out the marriage contract, like Mas used to do right before marrying me," replied Nia.

Ria and Tia nodded in agreement.

***

[to be continued]

~notes~

*Mas: a word that means brother, used to address men who are older or respected

*Kak: a word meaning sister, used to address women who are older or respected

Sakha returned to the field feeling still annoyed. He regretted having gone home earlier, even if only for a moment. Because his third wife, Nia, never stopped teasing him even though she knew that day was not her schedule. Sakha does not really like aggressive women and is always willing to interfere in his affairs. Nia knows that, not to interfere in Sakha's business, even though they are husband and wife. The three wives of Sakha know this, but sometimes they often forget because they are controlled by their own feelings.

Earlier, Nia had mentioned Sakha's plan, which Sakha had never told anyone other than the person concerned. Sakha was so irritated that his wives began to feel entitled to take control of his life.

"Sir!" Galih, who was watching the workers transporting sacks of corn that had been harvested into the box car to be taken to the warehouse, greeted Sakha who had just arrived.

"Tonight," said Sakha after standing beside Galih.

"Why, Sir?" asked Galih confused.

"You go to the Head of the Neighborhood's house again and claim the promise," replied Sakha.

Galih cleared his throat. "Don't you want to get to know your future wife, Sir?"

"I don't have time because tomorrow afternoon I have to arrive in Jakarta," said Sakha. "But one thing," he continued, pausing, "I want you to judge them for me."

Galih nodded in understanding.

"Hmm. Do you remember the type I mentioned earlier?"

"I do, Sir. Just leave it to me."

"Then, I will leave for Jakarta tonight. Does your job well, Galih."

"Yes, Sir."

Having given such an order, Sakha turned and walked away from before his servant. Galih stared at his boss's back for a moment, a frown of doubt appeared on his forehead.

Galih more or less knows the reason Sakha wants to rush to get married again. It's not that he attracted to Mr. Jamal's daughter who is growing up in the village, it is just that Sakha has other agendas. That is an heir.

He is already head of three, but has not been blessed with children even though the women in his house have almost fulfilled the quota.

Sakha will not care if his fourth wife is Mr. Jamal's daughter or not. The important thing was that the woman was able to give him a child. Even so, Sakha certainly did not want to be fussy. It just so happened that Jamal owed Sakha a lot and most likely couldn't pay it because the man was now sick and unable to work. Jamal also happened to have beautiful unmarried daughters.

Actually, beauty is not included in the criteria that Sakha has mentioned. As long as she is a woman who is able to conceive and has the qualities and attitudes that Sakha wants. However, Galih saw from Sakha's wives that all three had very beautiful faces, then Galih included 'beautiful' into one of the criteria that his master's wives must have.

Galih also suspected that Sakha was interested in marrying someone here to strengthen his position further in this village as an immigrant. So that no more envious people who try to knock and throw him out of the village.

While doing his job supervising the workers, Galih thought about which of Jamal's biological daughters would meet all the criteria Sakha had mentioned to him.

The big sister, Mawar.Or the little sister, Melati. Or maybe, Ririn?

Nevertheless, from Sakha's meeting with Ririn yesterday, it seems that Sakha doesn't seem interested in women who look like that. Sakha didn't even know that Ririn was also Jamal's daughter, because when compared to her two sisters, Ririn was clearly very different. So Galih removed Ririn from the list of criteria he was looking for.

***

Airin opened her eyes, feeling her body so heavy and stiff. Pain hit her head like a hammer. Suddenly Airin groaned while holding her forehead.

"Mawar doesn't want it, Father! No matter what, Mawar still refuses! Why do you have the heart to me?!"

The sound of a woman's shrill cry could be heard outside.

Airin realized that it was because of the commotion that she woke up. However, for a moment, Airin stared confusedly at her room and the clothes she was wearing, as well as the towel lying on the nightstand beside her bed. When the memory of the cornfield and the scorching sun entered Airin's head, Airin understood why she was here now.

Since two days ago, Airin actually had a fever, but it wasn't too bad. Therefore, Airin kept forcing herself to come to work without telling anyone about her condition. As a result, she fainted in the fields.

It must be the workers who brought her home, Airin thought.

She lowered her feet to the floor then stood up, turned to the mirror against the wall and stared at her deathly pale face. Airin chuckled in amusement at her appearance that seemed far from good. However, because of Airin's high curiosity about the noise outside, she forced her feet to step out of the room.

"Mawar, marrying Mr. Sakha wouldn't hurt, right? He is a good and responsible person, your life will definitely be guar-"

Jamal's voice was cut short by his daughter's frustrated scream. "I do not want! I do not want! NO MATTER WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT!"

Airin backed away for a moment, surprised. The scene before her was so unusual. Mawar was kneeling on the floor with Mother trying to calm her down, Father sitting on the sofa with a difficult expression. While Melati was sitting not far from him; sobbing.

What is really going on? Airin thought. She was about to approach them to ask herself, but Airin refused and chose to eavesdrop behind the door of her room which she opened slightly.

"Why me, Father?" Mawar's whisper sounded sad. "Why not Melati? Or Kak Ririn?"

"Melati hasn't graduated yet, she still has to finish school. As for Ririn ... you don't have the heart to choose Ririn. During this time Ririn has sacrificed a lot for us, she is the backbone of the family now since your father is sickly,"explained Jamal carefully. "Just accept it, Daughter," Jamal continued again, sounding like someone who had given up.

If you speak in such a desperate tone to Airin, Airin will do whatever you say, even if Airin doesn't want to. As long as the most important thing is that I can reduce the burden on your back.

The sound of Mawar's cries grew louder and louder. Airin was compelled to go outside, but her head was spinning with the voices of Mawar and Melati, and Mother's soft voice trying to calm them down.

Airin then walked unsteadily to her bed and lay there with her eyes closed tightly, while feeling a painful throbbing in her head. From what she heard just now, it seems that this has something to do with Father's debt to Mr. Sakha, no wonder Galih came to the house yesterday and chatted with him for a long time.

Apparently, Airin thought, it turns out that Mr. Sakha wants Mawar or Melati to be his wife.

Of course, their family will get many benefits if they marry a rich person like Sakha. Nevertheless, if Father agrees, he has indirectly sold his daughter to the perverted boss.

Airin did not have a good impression of Mr. Sakha. She only knew that the man already had three wives who he even brought with him to the village to participate in the corn harvest at the end of this year.

Even though he already has three, he still feels like it's not enough. What's his name if he's not a pervert?

Airin doesn't like Mr. Sakha. She doesn't know why she feels that way even though she doesn't really know her boss very well. Every time Sakha comes to supervise workers, Airin always tries to avoid him when other workers are actually dying to get closer in order to gain the trust of their big boss.

This dislike seems to be supported because Sakha is not a monogamist. Airin never liked polygamy even though it was allowed in religion. Which woman is willing and able to stand when her husband asks to marry repeatedly? Moreover, a man who likes to be ambiguous like that really has a low value in Airin's eyes.

Then now Mawar, Airin's sister whom Airin loves very much, will be married by the perverted boss and become his fourth wife.

Even though Airin's head was dizzy and her whole body was in pain, Airin was still able to think. And aware, that she will never support the marriage. She will not let the marriage happen.

If Sakha wants all the money that Father have borrowed, Airin promises to pay for it all. All she needs is more time to collect it. Now even Airin has started saving.

After all, how much does Father owe that man?

***

[to be continued]