Mirah’s Pov
There were no special talks, beautiful wedding dresses, grand reception buildings, expensive catering, or hundreds of invited guests. Don't even start dreaming about choosing a perfect wedding date. Peyton decided to hold quite a simple wedding, way too simple I guessed.
Exactly one month after my arrival here in Indonesia, the marriage took place so simply, so perfunctory. I only rented a white kebaya at the boutique. Pey didn’t even want to spend any money for the sake of our marriage ceremony. Oh yes, he decided to eliminate the reception, only to marriage ceremony with the number of guests to not more than 15 people, including the 4 workers in our house, Mr. Iman, and 3 aunts who worked with us from the moment my family moved into this house. Even then, I had to beg for Aunt Ana and her family to attend. Pey, on the other hand, did not invite any guest from his side. I don't know why. Somehow, I just thought he was trying to cover up this marriage. But I just don’t know the reason.
What’s even more ridiculous is that until our wedding day, Pey never even talked to me or invited me to a dinner. I once came to the office, entered his room, and invite him to lunch with me. But all he did was turn briefly to me and said that he had an appointment with someone else. Since then, I knew his intentions were sinister.
Marriage ceremony has been conveyed; the core of the event has been completed. Now, I am officially the wife of Peyton Cann, a Chinese-Australian mixed blood with a Sasaknese mother. I myself am of genuine Indonesian descent. You can tell by my very Indonesian name; Mirah Dewi Kusuma. I saw my dad. His eyes were still red. No happy smile at the wedding. It felt like almost everyone knew the purpose of this marriage.
Dad decided to move to our apartment in Kuningan which is near to the office and asked us to move to his house. Pey also had a pretty big house, but I got no clue why dad asked us to move to his house.
After marriage ceremony, and all the guests left, Pey asked Aunt Siti to move all of his clothes to the main bedroom. I was still sitting in the guest room removing my makeup, I was actually quite happy even though our wedding was quite simple we had a reputable photographer and makeup artist. The results of our wedding photos were splendid even though they have not been printed yet. And the makeup, wow… it was so divine. Definitely one of the best.
I removed my makeup contentedly that night until Pey brought a suitcase which had my clothes and asked my aunt to pack all my belongings to move to one of the maid's long-empty rooms that was cornered in the hallway. I queried Pey, but he just looked at me, smiled a little, and turned up the stairs to his office. I paused for a moment and we discussed it in his office.
"Why?" I asked through the workspace.
"Oh, I’m sorry. You want to sleep with me that much?" He cynically replied without the slightest glance to me.
"No! But why the heck would you move me to that room" I asked seriously.
"Why don't you want to sleep in the maid's room? Do you look down on them?" he added.
"No, but the room is so humid, dusty, the walls seeped in the air, and had not been occupied for three years. I had suffered badly with dust, Pey! We have a guest room and I could still live in my old room, right? There are still 4 other empty rooms that I can occupy” I pleaded.
"No, sorry, you belong to that room," he replied simply, ignoring what I said.
I looked at him sharply, Pey really didn’t give a damn. I had no choice but move to the room to avoid more debate, trying to clean it without involving anyone. Pey allowed none to help me.
The sound of the door banging woke me up this morning. My chest felt tight, my eyes were blurry trying to look at the clock. It's already 7.30 in the morning. I guess I overslept. I had to clean up the room until 2 in the morning. I open the bedroom door. It’s Pey outside, banging on the door like some lunatic.
"Does it really have to be like this? Ugh!" I exclaimed.
"Well yeah. The maid who missed her duties gotta be scolded." He answered.
"Maid?" I repeated softly.
"You! Do you understand your duty in the morning? Has Bi Asih explained to you what you gotta do?" he countered roughly. I frowned, felt so confused and a little annoyed.
"Come with me now," he concluded. "Bi Asih!" calling with a high tone. Bi Asih rushed out approaching us.
"Yes, madam, sir?" she responded.
"Have you told her what she has to do?" Pey mouthed.
"I’m sorry sir, but I can take care the house keeping tasks on my own. Madam doesn’t have to help with anything." Bi Asih chimed in while glancing briefly at me and bowed her head back.
"I don't want any of you calling her madam. Call her by her name!" Pey added, raising his voice, trying to make sure the others listened to what he said.
"But, sir?"
"No arguing over this, you understand?" while raising his hand toward Bi Asih's face, letting her know he doesn’t want to hear any more words. "Now explain to Mirah what her duties are."
Bi Asih bowed to my direction, I could tell her body language seemed very uncomfortable. “So the duty is Madam Mirah, in the morning you need to prepare coffee and breakfast for Mr. Peyton, before 7 o'clock. Prepare his clothes, from suits to socks, ironing them and make sure you get up no later than 6.30 in the morning. Make sure his workspace is tidy. At 12 noon, lunch must be sent to his office because he doesn’t want to eat out. Before bedtime, he wants his pajamas to be on the bedside. He only wants his clothes to be washed and ironed by you. Dinner has to be ready at 6 pm and you have to open the door whenever Mr. Peyton arrives home.” Bi Asih, tried to explain while keeping her head down.
“Let me repeat it for the last time, there is no madam or non, call Mirah with her name, understand?”
"Neng, may I, sir?" Aunty insisted
"Whatever" Pey replied.
*Neng is usually used in Sundanese area to call younger girl. Back then, this word is used to call younger girls that have respectable parents. Nowadays, the word neng is used to call any younger girl, or every girl that looked young enough based on our own opinion.
*Kebaya is an Indonesian traditional blouse-dress combination that originated from the court of the Indonesian Kingdom of Majapahit, and is traditionally worn by women in Indonesia and become a national dress
*Aunt (Bibi/Bi follow by name) An aunt is a person who is the sister of a parent. Aunts are second-degree and share 25% genetic overlap when they are the full sister of one of the biological parents. Known alternate terms include Auntie or Aunty. Nowadays, the word Bibi/Bi is used to call maid.