A Joke

"Wear it! Neat, beautiful makeup, don't be shy. We're going to meet my old partner and his family." Yuni said after throwing a large paper bag in front of Laras.

"Why should I come?" Laras asked, ignoring the half-opened paper bag.

"Because you are also my family."

"Are there any families that have their members as free maids?"

Yuni chuckled. "It's okay! You just have to obey what's so hard, huh? You were a bother to me yesterday. To the point that I had to cancel all my meeting schedules because of you. Now, consider it a return for yesterday." Yuni was about to leave Laras' room, but before closing the door, the woman spoke again. "Thirty minutes from now, I'll be waiting in the living room."

Blam!

Laras sighed tiredly, she grabbed a paper bag which turned out to contain a set of dresses complete with a sling bag and beautiful flatshoes. With a sweet peach color, it looks like it will suit Laras' skin which is also olive.

"Why does it look like you're going to an invitation, anyway?" Laras cursed when she found Yuni and Iwan who were dressed in the same color as him.

"Laras, I ask that you be polite to my colleagues. Please don't use the inappropriate sentences you always say at home." Iwan said to Laras who was sitting in the back seat alone While he was driving, Yuni was also sitting beside him.

"What kind of inappropriate words? Everything I say is fact, so, well, accept it."

"That! Just now a warning has been violated! Remember, Laras. If you mess up this meeting, I guarantee you will not finish your studies until you graduate. And don't forget the disgrace that I can spread to your friends so you are embarrassed! " said Yuni.

Laras just looked away when her eyes accidentally collided with Yuni's stoning netra. She realized that Yuni would also be carried away by her good name if everyone found out that Laras was pregnant out of wedlock, and unfortunately the man who was the lover and the perpetrator ran away without any responsibility at all.

A bustling restaurant with a classy style, that's roughly Laras' opinion on a place that is said to be the location for the meeting of the uncle and aunt with his colleague. A large table with six sets of chairs has been booked. Laras sat between Yuni and Iwan. Sitting waiting while reading the menu because he was forbidden to bring a change of cell phone. Not without real reason, this is just a punishment because Laras almost went to jail yesterday. Laras accepted, without objection as usual. Because honestly, she was starting to give up. There is only one hope left, Iwan. The man says there will be a man in charge of him.

While hoping anxiously, that the man Iwan meant was Randi.

Hopefully.

"Sorry I'm late, it was a bit of a traffic jam." Laras cash stood up after Iwan and Yuni, but her eyes didn't want to look up to see who was coming.

"It's okay, it's natural, Jakarta is jammed." Iwan replied with a joke, followed by conversations about rampant corruption as well as a suicide case that went viral two days ago.

"Hey, we've met before haven't we?" Laras looked up when Yuni gently touched her elbow as a signal to stop looking down.

A frown appeared on her forehead when she saw a middle-aged man of her father's age smiling. "I?" Laras asked, pointing to herself.

"Yeah, you're the girl who cried on the side of the road for bumping into a meatball vendor, right?" Laras glared. It turned out to be a nice but fierce man!

"Oh, yes." Laras is so awkward. She could not look at the face of the man she had troubled that night because of her.

"So this is her daughter?" Laras looked up again, looking at a beautiful woman with a white coat attached to her body.

"Beautiful, just like her mother." The woman continued.

"Auntie know my mother?" Reflex Laras asked. Her heart swelled to meet one of his late mother's friends. Hope this woman will voluntarily bring Laras from Yuni and Iwan's trap.

"You know, she was my best friend when I was in high school. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to meet her," She said with a bitter smile.

Laras also smiled softly. She knew that her mother was a kind woman. Have many friends as well as friends from various circles. She also knew that the news of her mother's death had spread widely. So many condolences on Laras' cell phone. Most of them apologized for not being able to attend the funeral, and some of them sent something to Laras. Which, of course, is not something cheap. Some of them even bought several stock slots for Laras, he said, as an investment as well as condolence money.

"Sorry, yesterday I couldn't be at your mother's funeral. I'm so sad to hear the news, but honey, I can't leave my job."

"It's okay, Auntie. It's too late."

There was a silence before the voice of the man who was Iwan's partner was heard. "So, you are Laras? My name is Satya Wijaya, and this is my wife." Laras replied to Satya's handshake. "Laras, Uncle."

"Widia Arum," said the woman who was her mother's best friend.

"Laras, Auntie."

"Ah, yes. Where is your son? How long did it take him, did he forget because he was so busy at the office?" Iwan asked while staring at the entrance.

"He must have come. I also know him, a child who has big responsibilities at such a young age. It is impossible for him to break his own promise." Yuni replied.

"Ah! There he is."

Laras took a glance as the main door opened, revealing a man whose face was a little familiar in Laras' eyes. She thought she had seen the man before, but where?

"Hello, Uncle, Auntie. Sorry I'm late, there was a small incident on the road." The man politely greeted Yuni and Iwan. He also had time to nod while smiling when he found Laras who was staring at him.

"Well, Laras. Introduce, this is my son." Satya glanced at the child.

"Ah, yes. Hello, I'm Panji." The man stretched out his hand.

"I'm Laras." Laras said as she returned the handshake.

"So, do you want to talk directly or eat first?"

"Just talk about it while eating."

Before long, the dish arrived. Laras gets cheese pasta which happens to be her favorite. They all ate quietly, until finally Iwan spoke up. "So, let's just tell her, shall we?" Both Yuni, Satya and Widia nodded simultaneously. Make Laras surprised to see it.

"So ....?" Iwan hangs his sentence. He glanced at Satya, asking him to explain more.

"So, my family has agreed to have an engagement session at the end of this month. How about it? Anyone disagree?"

Laras frowned. "Who's the fiancé."

"You and Panji."

Damn, what kind of joke is this?