My Mom and My Love Story

Located at the end of the hallway on the fourth floor, specifically near the storage room and far from shared access, this room has been empty for years. Not many workers are willing to occupy it; in fact, as far as I remember, the last time it was occupied was about a year ago, and that was only because a building maintenance worker happened to need to stay overnight.

Inside, there is almost nothing, except an old safe and a bed without a mattress. That's why I brought a thick blanket instead, at least so that Ilham's body wouldn't be in pain later. I also brought pillows and blankets, a water heater, and several packs of instant noodles. Just in case Ilham gets hungry at night, so he doesn't have to go down to the kitchen on the ground floor.

The best part is, the bathroom works well even though it took me two hours to clean it. Not being used for a long time caused some parts to become moldy and dirty, making the water I used for cleaning look like coffee. I'm sure Ilham won't complain about this, but who in their right mind would make their partner itch? I certainly don't want to be as cruel as my mother. Wasting a poor man's share like Father—who, somehow, I see Ilham becoming more and more like my father each day. Too good, obedient, and honest; it's just annoying.

Sometimes I wish Father could resist occasionally when Mother starts humiliating him. Similarly, I also want to make Ilham a bit naughty and not always obey my commands. Because his overly gentle demeanor seems to make me always have to be careful. I'm afraid that without realizing it, I might end up resembling my mother. Then, making my household and Ilham eventually become my parents' second edition.

"Apparently, there will be a new resident at the nursing home," said Devara.

Even though she was grumbling, Devara still helped me tidy up. She helped me mop the bedroom floor with warm water.

I, sitting on a short stool in the bathroom, turned around. "Really?"

"Yes. I got a tip-off from Sari. The form has already been sent via email. New Year, if I'm not mistaken. New Year's, if I'm not mistaken. New Year's, the person will be escorted."

For those who do not understand, a nursing home might sound terrifying. As if it were a nightmare and always a form of a child's disobedience, but believe me, it's actually not that bad. Indeed, there are those who are intentionally placed in nursing homes by their children unilaterally, but there are also many who choose to go there themselves. Moreover, nowadays there are many nursing homes with excellent facilities that make their residents comfortable.

Many of the grandmothers and grandfathers actually enjoy being in the nursing home because they feel lonely at home. Children work, grandchildren go to school, and being alone can lead to boredom, which eventually results in a decline in abilities. In fact, the elderly need many activities to maintain their health. And being in a nursing home with peers will allow them to engage in more activities, have fun, and potentially slow down the onset of dementia.

I am happy to be here; it reminds me of my late grandmother and great-grandfather, who passed away when I was still a child. Even though almost every time I come back, my mother and my grandparents will complain about the same thing. "People in the big city have lost their empathy. They abandon their own parents? Oh, my goodness. Very cruel. Maybe it's because they chose the wrong son-in-law. I don't want to have a bad son-in-law who hates me. Or, I will be sent to an old folks' home."

It's clear that this is the effort they are using to attack Ilham.

They hurt my poor boyfriend much more, instead of the other way around. They mocked Ilham's family, who were considered suddenly rich. Every time they shopped at the vegetable vendor and stopped in front of the house, together with the neighbors, they would mock Mrs. Husna, my future mother-in-law. Mother would talk about how successful I am, how proud she is of me, and of the noble blood she carries.

I must admit that there is still a bit of noble blood in Mother's veins. My great-great-grandfather was still of noble descent, but me? Mother married Father, who was just an ordinary person, which clearly made us lose that damn blue blood. I am an ordinary person, just like Ilham. So, there is no longer any reason for him to boast about that title. Embarrassing.

My phone rang; I hurriedly washed my hands and ran to grab the phone that was on the table.

"Hello, May!" Ilham's crisp voice sounded from the other end, making my heart bloom. "I've arrived," he said. "Can you come out for a moment? I wasn't allowed to enter by the security guard."

Eh?

What did he say?

I, confused, turned to look out the window. Sure enough, he was already at the front post with Mr. Martin. The striking dark blue jacket—it's clearly him.

"Isn't he coming tonight?" Devara leaned out the window, right next to me.

I shook my head. "I don't know."

Then, I immediately ran down to approach him. I hugged Ilham's big body, while he immediately kissed my cheek. His body is a bit chubby, but that makes him even more handsome. His brown skin and curly hair, just by looking at them, make me very happy.

"I deliberately lied about the departure time," he said while laughing. "Because I wanted to surprise you."

Oh my! Isn't he very sweet?

*_*

Have I ever told you that my boyfriend is romantic?

I have known him for a long time since we were both little. I even came on the day he was born. I was only five months old when Ilham was born; my mother took me to visit the newborn at his house, which was right next to ours.

In the past, Ilham's house was very small. In contrast to my family's large house, made of genuine teak wood and with many rice barns. Ilham's house is even smaller than our family's goat pen. But now, look! How amazing this young man is. He changed his family's destiny.

How lucky I am to witness the success of my future husband.

Just like Jeng Yah fell in love with Soeraja's hard work in the novel Gadis Kretek by Ratih Kumala, I love Ilham for his perseverance. I just hope our story doesn't end tragically like theirs. I want this story to end happily, at least to be a different version of the two.

I started loving him when we were both sitting on the bench in middle school. He joined the volleyball team back then, and when his team won, he used the prize money to buy me a new pencil case. That really touched my heart. Even though according to my mother, "What's so great about it? Mom has already bought you a more expensive and nicer pencil case, Maya. Mom doesn't want you to use junk at school. Later, people won't find it appropriate to see."

But who cares?

What do people say?

Why should we care about other people's opinions? After all, I am happy with Ilham. I always believe in his abilities. So far, Ilham has never disappointed me. He is perfect.

"So, he deliberately gave you the wrong schedule to surprise you?" Devara said as she approached me while I was making lunch in the kitchen.

I nodded. "Yep."

"Nothing has changed," Devara muttered. "You both should get married soon." No need to delay. Later, Ilham might be taken by someone else." Even though it sounds sweet, Devara's expression is actually cynical.

"It's not Maya, but I should be the one afraid that Maya will be taken by someone else!"

I turned towards the stairs; Ilham, who was already fresh, was there. His hair was wet and roughly combed with his fingers. "Ham?"

"There are a lot of handsome guys here, right, Dev?" said Ilham.

Devara replied, "Of course."

"Many people like Maya?"

"So many. Many grandmas and grandpas offered him to be their daughter-in-law."

"Really, May?"

I shook my head and almost hit Devara's head with the spatula. "What are you talking about? Don't listen to Deva, darling. You wait a moment; I'm still making you food. Pineapple fried rice, your favorite."

"Don't change the subject," said Ilham. He looked straight at me now. "Don't mess around, May."

"Oh God, Ham. Do you believe Deva's joke?" I asked.

"Just kidding, Ham!" Devara exclaimed while shaking her head. "Oh right, what souvenirs did you bring for me?" Don't say you didn't bring anything.

Ilham replied, "It's in the room. You like jenang, right?"