CHAPTER 10 I ALWAYS LOVE YOU
Ungasan, Bali. Present.
Andini just arrived from her work. She came to Sakura's room. She was there with her nanny.
" Hi, Baby. What are you doing today? Is everything good? " she kissed the little girl forehead.
" I do my homework, Mommy. It's painting. Is it look good? " she asked.
" Wow!! It's beautiful, Baby. You're very talented. " she took the painting paper from Sakura and she smiled.
" Can you tell me who is this in the painting, Darling? " Andini saw there was a man in that painting.
" It's Daddy! Today I want to paint Daddy. So everyone will know my Daddy work in Alaska. Look Mommy, there are also wild animals and Daddy was taking a picture in the forest. " Sakura explained.
Andini rubbed the little girl's hair. She smiled at her.
" You're so amazing, Baby. Next after your teacher giving grade to your painting, we frame it, okay. In a few months, your father will return to Osaka. And we'll give it to your father. We will go to Osaka to meet your Daddy in April." Andini put the painting in the table.
" Is that really true, Mommy? "
" Yes, Darling. Just be patient. Are you happy now? "
" Yes, Mommy. I'm so happy. I can't wait to meet Daddy. " she hugged Andini.
Andini patted her head. And she walked out from the room.
She came to her own room. She took a shower and then she sat on the chair and took a light blue paper from her desk drawer. And she started writing.
" How are you at this time, Masaki san? I hope everything will be fine there. Take care of your health. I hope your work is done there quickly.
Today I got another good news about you. On your Facebook Page you write that your work will be finished in a few months. And you will come back to Japan. Hasigawa san also sent me a message about it.
It has been more than seven years since that night in Osaka, Masaki san. I only follow your news from Hasigawa san and your Facebook Page which always tells about your work. To vent my longing for you. The photos and films that you make are great. I love it. I used to watch your documentary films and see those beautiful photos of Alaska that you made, with Sakura. Your daughter. You have a daughter, Masaki san.
You really love your job so much, huh. Sometimes I see you haven't showered in days. If you're like that Sakura always laughs and says: "Mommy. Look, Daddy mustn't have showered yet. He looks dirty and smelly."
And we both laugh enjoying the impressions on your Facebook Page. Pay attention to every detail of your progress. Luckily we can enjoy all about you from there. Then Sakura will say again: " When Daddy comes? I'll bathe him and take care of him so that Daddy looks handsome again like in the photo that Ojisan gave me. "
See your daughter wants to take care of you she said. She's grown up. She's seven years old now. O yeah, she called Hasigawa Ojisan because he asked her. He treat Sakura as his own daugther. And he treat me like his own sister. I really thankful to have Hasigawa san beside us. Shiori also so kind to us. she also loves Sakura.
Today she made a painting. Do you know what she painted? She painted you in the forest holding a camera and she also painted wild animals. It's like she's trying to imagine when you were working in the forest.
How talented and beautiful she is. She looks like you, Masaki san. She have your eyes, your skin and all of yours. Only her hair just like mine. I named her Sakura No Hana. Because at the time we made her when Sakura was blooming in Osaka. She is like an angel sent by God to accompany and protect me. I am really grateful for her presence in my life. I never thought I would find happiness like this with her presence in my life. Her presence fills the blank spot in my heart that cannot have you. I don't know what happens when she's not here. Maybe right now I'm lonely and miss you. Or maybe I have died of missing you.
Hasigawa san always sent news about you in Alaska to us. He also told me about your Facebook Page six years ago after I gave birth to Sakura. "
Andini sighed. She wanted to cry. Then she continued to write.
" Masaki san. Every day I write about your daughter's progress so that one day when you meet her, you can find out everything about your daughter. I also make some videos for you. So you don't feel like you lost the moment when she grew up. There are some photo albums for you too. Which contains all of Sakura's photos from her newborn to the present. Those are all I can do for you.
Actually I don't want to be selfish. Had her alone for these almost eight years and never told you about your daughter. But I thought, you are working in Alaska and I don't want to disturb you about my pregnancy. Moreover that morning we said goodbye and I promised myself not to call or look for you. We had decided that all we did that night was a mere coincidence. We both wanted it that night and nothing more. I also said I didn't want you that morning. But I was wrong. Very wrong. When I came back to Indonesia, I just realized that I fell in love with you because I can't forget about you and what we did that night. And when I got pregnant, I love you more. I love you and still in love with you, Masaki san. I don't know if I have the courage to reveal all this after your return from Alaska.
I'm planning to take Sakura on vacation to Osaka in April. I always tell her about the beauty of your country and the beauty of the cherry blossoms there. And I plan to meet you with Sakura there. Hopefully I have the courage for that. And I'm collecting it. "
Andini paused and played the music player.
Ryu Matsuyama's song " Go through, grow through " was heard.
" Slowly in my vein I can feel the blood insane flowing like a raging river..
Slowly from my hands I felt all my strength fell "Were all my efforts vain?"
But here in my hands a vivid light, a burning flame still lingers over and over again
This life is full of ups and downs but also full of expectations
The only hopes that make us to believe
The only ropes that make us to proceed "