INFINITE LOYALTY
IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR HIM

The sound of knocking on the door revived Riani's daydream.

When he turned to the door, his mother was already staring sadly at him.

"May I talk to you for a minute, son?"

"I know what you're gonna talk to me about"

"So...Can you give me time to explain and tell me everything?"

"alright, but...Why do you want to say everything now?"

"Because this was a request from your late father before you were born, he made Mother promise not to reveal your true identity, until finally...I was reunited with your real father, your Rolland papah, but that's not even Mom agreed to it, because I've been bound by that promise"

"Then how does the story go, I can part with Rolland's papah until I meet my father?"

"Will Mom tell me everything...

With a careful and serious face, Riani listened to all the details of the sentence that came out of her mother's mouth...

Widya recounts everything from the beginning of her past until she meets Alfiz Sofyan Pradityo, a man who helps her on the run and is willing to accept what she was when she was pregnant to be his wife, he also sincerely wants to be a father for the baby...

With teary eyes Widya recalled her last moment with her husband and her last words before her departure for good...

"Darling...Am I already the perfect father for our son Riani?" alfiz asked, as the two of them were in bed before going to bed.

"of course...Even you are far beyond perfect as a father, continued Riani...Thank you, dear...Because all this time you've been looking after and bestowing your love on both of us..."

"That's supposed to be a husband and a father do, honey...Can I have one promise for you?"

"What's that?"

"I beg..Don't ever reveal my identity as a father he told Riani, until I don't exist, except...If she finally meets her real father, all decisions come back I leave them to you, because I believe you know what's best for Riani"

"My husband baby...Until whenever for me and Riani you are the best father than the real father, and what does a real father title mean, if your love and affection have exceeded that of his biological father? and I will keep my promise to keep this secret..."

"Thank you baby, but... Still the blood ties cannot betray the feelings as a trace of family"

"Yes, I know that, you don't think too much, one thing is for sure, I'll keep my promise to you, come on, let's go to bed!"

"Alright, hmmm...Good night and Love you My wife..." Say Hafiz, kiss Widya's forehead and lips

"Good night, love you to my husband..."

"Why did you decide to reveal everything now?" riani's question regained consciousness from her daydream and immediately wiped away the tip of her eyes that were almost shedding tears.

"Because I know this is best for you..."

"Then...What about Mom's promise to you?"

"Mother's decision includes Mom's promise to your father as well son...I'm not forcing you to accept your papah right away, just slow down"

"Does Mom still love Rolland?"

"Papah Rolland has been a love in Mother's past, and the person whom I still love is only your Father..."

"If so, then why did you marry Papah Rolland, is it not for me to accept Papah Rolland as my father, you do not need to marry him?"

"Don't you say that, because I know this is best for you..."

"Are you really sure this is what's best for me?"

"Yes boy...This is indeed complicated, the past incident between Mother and Papah Rolland is a misunderstanding, but behind the incident finally I was able to meet and mate with your late father, your father, so we can only accept that our destiny from God must be like that..."

Riani just fell silent and examined her mother's sentence which indeed had a point as well.

"There is, however, a more important reason why mom decided to marry your Rolland papah" Widya continued.

"What is mom?" ask Riani

curious.

"Hhhh...Before that, I tell you and tell you first the genealogy of the real mother's family"

"All right..." Riani replied increasingly curious.

"The real birth name of the mother is ISABELLA VANBELRG, including still the descendants of the people in the Netherlands, and because your grandfather married an Indonesian woman from the class of ordinary people, he said, he prefers to move to Indonesia and build his business empire here.

"So I...?!" riani said speechless, surprised.

"Yes boy, you're the third generation of the Vanbelrg family, but...The pregnancy of the mother out of wedlock at that time, tarnished the good name of the Vanbelrg family, so the mother was removed from the successor of the Vanbelrg family, the family, and I'd rather run away to save you from the big family's desire to abort the mother's womb at that time, until finally I met your father and changed all of Mom's identity"

"You remember when Rolland's mom and dad couldn't keep you company when you went to the hospital?"

Riani just nodded her head, she remembered when her mother and Papah Rolland were in a hurry to meet someone who looked very important, it was seen from the way they called her with disdain, although Riani herself did not know who exactly they called her.

"At that time we will both meet the direct envoy from the main family in the Netherlands who requested the family documents of our grandfather and family for the legal sequencing and verification of the genealogy of the Vanbelrg extended family"

"I see now why you two decided to get married, it's because of their request right?"

"It's more or less like that, but the most important thing we want is what's best for you and your future grandchild"

"Then, what about Maulana Bu, has she been told anything about this?"

"For your identity as the biological child of Papah Rolland, let him not need to know, because I do not want his feelings and attitudes to change after knowing the truth"

"Mom knows that, too, but...Let it stay that way, just walk..."

The sound of knocking was heard from outside the room door.

"Yes, Who?! answer Widya.

"I'm Auntie, Nando!"

"Let's go Nando!"

Slowly Nando opened the door, his eyes hesitant, making Nando not enter the room.

"Come on Nando! it's okay" said Bu Widya who saw Nando still standing in front of an already open door.

"Good Aunt" replied Nando, politely.

Then Diq walked towards Riani and Bu Widya.

"What's up, son?" ask Bu Widya as she gets Nando in front of them.

"Sorry aunt, I'm worried about papah..."

"What happened to your dad, son? she was okay?" ask Widya, worried.

"Every time papah is very depressed, sad and agitated, then the pain will recur"

"What is Nan really sick about?" riani asked, worrying too.

"I also do not know for sure what the term papah disease, but whenever he experienced such feelings then he would be silent, immersed in his own world without regard to eating, he said, drinking and the people around him, even shutting themselves up for days..."

"Why can you have such a disease, son?!" ask Bu Widya again, surprised.

Riani saw sadness in her mother's eyes.

"I don't know Aunt either, but the doctor said the cause was prolonged acute depression"

"Is there a cure for it?"

"The doctor only gave her sedatives and therapy regularly, but the real cure was her happiness..."

"Then now Papah where is Nan?"

"He's still sitting in the living room, tap...Aunt, Mba...I apologize for asking you guys for something..."

"You mean son?" ask Ms. Widya.

"I beg to give happiness to Papah, I know you are the best antidote and remedy for his heart and mind from the chronic poison of depression in his body..."

"So Nak Nando already knows who we really are?"

"Yes Aunt, Papah told me about Riani's DNA test results, so...Will Auntie and Mba Riani accept me being one family with you and help Papah?"

"Of course, son..." Widya replied gently.

"Thank you Auntie, Mba..." Without hesitation Nando hugged warmly Bu Widya and Riani.

"There's two things Auntie wants to ask of you, Nak Nando"

"What is Auntie?"

"The first is to keep the Secret about this from Maulana and others, Aunt wants everything to go as usual, and the second Aunt wants from now on you to call Aunt with Mom, like Riani and Lana calling auntie, how can you not Nak?"

"Of course it could be Auntie, I mean Mother..." Reply Nando touched.

"Now let's meet your papah!" bring Bu Widya.

"Good Mom!" answer Riani and Nando compact.

The three immediately walked towards the living room where Rolland papah was located.

And true as Nando said, when he got there was seen by Riani, the state of Papah Rolland who sat staring with a blank look and unblinking eyes.

Riani's heart was sad, because just this time seeing Rolland's papah, her biological father looked so pitiful like that.

Without a second thought in the embrace of his blood father's body tightly.

"Broth...Riani's here, come back Pah...Riani is very affectionate and misses Papah..." Whisper Riani on the sidelines of her cries.

As if awakened from the world between her brahtah, Rolland's pupils re-enlarged and immediately returned Riani's embrace tightly, then sounded sobbing...

"Riani...Forgive Papah..." He said with trembling lips.

Riani nodded many times, powerless to hold back her mixed feelings, between sad and happy.

Nando smiled with relief as he saw that his papa had returned to normal.

While Widya was drifting in full crying when she saw father and son hugging each other like that.

For Riani though it was too late to know the truth of her biological father, but it was not too late for her to accept and acknowledge Papah Rolland as her biological father, even though her late father was still the best for her...

...☆☆☆...