20 Years Adrift
Chapter 91. Cousin Brothers

Instantly Affan's facial expression turned flat. Inevitably he must fulfill his promise to Aira to take her to visit Hana. Actually Affan was afraid that Aira was sad when she saw Hana's condition that had not shown signs of healing.

"alright. I'm gonna borrow a hospital wheelchair to take you to see Hana." Affan obeyed Aira's wish because she had promised.

"Thank you, Mum." Aira hugged Affan's arm in joy.

Affan rubbed Aira's head gently.

'May Aira be able to accept Hana's state and not feel too guilty.' What happened outside of their plans. No one should be blamed or feel guilty.

After not getting the intake from the infusion, Aira's body felt a little weak. However, doctors say this is common. After resting for a while, Aira's body was able to adjust and gradually improve.

"You don't have to worry, I promised to take you to see Hana. Now the most important thing is that you rest first. Don't force yourself to see Hana now." Affan tried to calm Aira down to rest in peace.

Aira nodded because she liked feeling very weak. Although not yet sleepy he tried to close his eyes. That way he hoped his body would be fresher when he woke up.

Affan kept her company sitting on the chair next to the bed. Aira's calm face looked so peaceful as her eyes closed. To be honest Affan was also sleepy but he held on and stayed awake.

To fill his boring time, Affan opens his phone and looks at the news on the internet. Bimo was too busy with work so as not to reply to his message. Affan wrote in the news search field about the development of the case that befell Sintya.

News that circulated stated that Sintya suffered a mental disorder. This makes the legal process he goes through becomes ambiguous. Before presenting the evidence, Affan must make sure Aira is okay. He will also increase the security around him so that bad events like yesterday do not happen again.

'I'm really bothered by Sintya's behavior. The woman was like a very cunning snake. He would definitely look for an opportunity to hurt and harm Aira until she managed to get what she wanted.' Affan monologues in the heart.

His feelings become arrogant every time he remembers Sintya's very evil behavior. The sound of knocking on the door from outside the room made him forget the annoyance and immediately see the person who came. Fear if he does not open the door immediately will interfere with Aira's rest.

A young man of the same age as Aira and Faya was standing right in front of the door. Affan did not know who he was and felt he had never met him. Affan had no idea why he had suddenly come into Aira's room.

"Assalamualaikum, good day, sir," said the young man.

"Wa'alaikum salam. Sorry who you're looking for, huh?" ask Affan.

The young man tried to look into the room but would always block him because right now Aira was asleep. It could be that her hijab or clothes were blurred as she moved. Affan does not allow a man who is not a mahram to see his wife's letter.

"Can I meet Aira, sir?" ask the young man.

Affan scrunched his forehead increasingly inexhaustible. Suddenly he felt jealous. Although it was impossible for Aira to have an affair but she did not like other men approaching her.

"Sorry, Aira is resting. You can talk to me if you want to chat" Affan said in a flat tone.

"Include my name Ali. I am Aira's cousin from the village. Yesterday I came to visit Aira to your house but the maid in the house said that Aira is being cared for here." The young man introduced himself to Affan.

Affan looked at Ali's appearance from top to toe. It seemed that he indeed had some resemblance to Aira. Carrying is also polite and neat, unlike most city people.

"Don't Aira have no family in the village?" ask Affan to investigate.

Ali looks confused to explain himself to Affan. He did not live in the same village as Aira. His father took him out of the island and never returned to Java.

"I did not live in the same village as Aira. My parents have been living in Borneo since I was not born. Actually I also did not know Aira because only this time I returned to Java. I know that I still have relatives here from my father shortly before he died" Ali said.

Their conversation rang out into the room and made Aira wake up. Aira was curious when she found out her husband was chatting with a stranger. Moreover, when he heard his name mentioned up to several times in their chat.

Before Aira asked Affan, she checked his appearance first. Her veil was very messy after falling asleep as well as her clothes. After making sure she had been tidy Aira prepared to call Affan and ask.

"Who's coming, Mom?" asked Aira with her soft voice.

Affan looked back as soon as he knew Aira had woken up. Seeing that his appearance had been tidy, he then shifted his body to give way to Ali.

"Please enter! Let's just have a chat inside." Affan invites Ali into Aira's treatment room.

"Thank you, sir." Affan smiled happily.

Ali stood in front of Aira and continued to watch her face. The atmosphere became quiet for a while. Affan did not know what to say, he just needed to be patient so as not to be incited by bad thoughts.

"Sorry, is it true that you are Aira?" ali asked with a slight doubt.

The photo shown by Agung and Reni to him looked very different. A photo of a girl in a High School uniform with a plain and simple face. However, the Aira in front of him looked more mature with an enlarged stomach.

"Yes, right. I'm Aira. You who?" ask Aira who does not know who Ali is.

They've never met before. Even if.

"I'm the son of Sumanto, your mother's older brother. Have you ever heard his name?" ask Ali.

Aira seemed to be remembering. His mother had told him that she had a brother who had been living for a long time. For many years her brother never came home or just gave news, even when their parents died her brother also did not return to the hometown.

"Yes, my mother once told me about Mr. Sumanto. He said that Pakde has been wandering since he was young and even though he has not returned to his hometown," said Aira.

"really. In his youth his father worked in the mines and he married my mother. After marriage they plan to return to Klaten and introduce the mother to her family. However, fate said another father had an accident and his leg was broken. Since then our lives have changed. Our finances are not as good as when he worked in mining. My pregnant mother was forced to work to meet our needs."

From the story of Ali, Affan and Aira can already draw conclusions if the reason for their lack of return must be due to circumstances.

"Then how are your father and mother?" ask Aira curiously.

Ali looked sad. From the look of his eyes was like a burden so heavy. However, as a man he did not want to complain and show his weak side.

"Father died about three months ago. My mother also caught up with him not long after," Ali said in a heavy and choked voice.

"Innalilahi wa innailaihi raji'un." Affan and Aira said this sentence almost simultaneously.

For a moment the room became quiet. They dissolve in each other's minds. Ali's situation is not much different from what Aira experienced. Only time and time distinguish them.

"I've been an orphan for a long time. About two years ago I lived with Om the Great and Aunt Reni. Have you met them?" ask Aira curiously.

Ali nodded.

"I am currently living with them. Earlier I went to Klaten and got Om Agung's address from the local RT. They say if you also live with Om the Great but after until I don't get you there." Ali told me how he got here.

Aira. His heart remembered an old wound that he had slowly forgotten. Aira did not know if she could tell Ali about her life or not.

"Aira hasn't lived there in a long time. After marrying me she came with me and stayed with me" Affan explained.

Actually Ali already knew this story from Aunt Reni but she could not believe that the man before her was a perverted man who liked young girls. Despite not knowing Affan well, Ali can feel if he is a good man.

"Great Om and Aunt Reni are definitely talking a no-no about us" Affan added.

"But believe me, we didn't get married by mistake. They just cornered us and forced us to get married" he continued.

Ali was stunned to hear Affan's explanation. He did not know what kind of situation his cousin was going through at that time. Reni's story does corner the two and bestows all the blame on them.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what the real story is. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear firsthand what the chronology is like. But I'm not coercing because this matter is your personal business." Ali responded to this problem in an adult manner.

"I'll tell you. God willing, what I said was honesty. Aira, are you sincerely telling Ali everything?" ask Affan to ask Aira for permission.

The story of the beginning of the journey to halal they went through is not sweet. There are several parts of the story that contain the disgrace of the Aira family. Without his permission, Affan did not dare to reveal it because everything was interconnected.

"I'm ridho, Mas. Hopefully, Kak Ali can take the wisdom of this story. I don't want any misunderstandings in the future either. Hopefully with this tabayun Kak Ali no longer blame our marriage," said Aira.

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Connect ....