Love Redux: Fated to the Handsome Doctor

The day had turned into evening. Unconsciously, Lara fell asleep on the sofa. It seemed like she was very tired. Melati approached her cautiously, probably so as not to wake her up from her deep sleep.

“What’s wrong, Mela?” Lara asked softly as she quickly sat up and straightened her back, although it felt a bit stiff.

Melati approached her slowly, looking concerned about Lara’s condition just waking up from a nap on the sofa.

“Ma’am, how are you feeling?” she asked gently.

Lara smiled at her, feeling grateful to have Melati as a caring servant. “I’m fine, Mela. Is there something you want to say?”

“Um … it’s about Mr. Seno, ma’am.”

Lara frowned, feeling that something was wrong with his behavior. “What about Mr. Seno?”

“Mr. Seno hasn’t come home as long as you’re not here. I don’t know if he’ll come home tonight or not,” Melati said fearfully. Maybe she felt sorry for Lara. But strangely … Lara was used to it.

“Just let him be, Mela. Maybe there’s unfinished business at the office. Mr. Seno might be working overtime.”

Lara brushed off Melati’s unnecessary curiosity. “Alright, Mela. Then, I’ll tidy up again. Please drink your herbal tea,” Melati handed her a glass of warm tea, and Lara felt happy.

“Thank you, Mela. You may go.”

The girl shuffled towards the kitchen to continue her activities while Lara felt hot, wanting to freshen up. It was futile to wait for Seno to come. He seemed unwilling to come home again today.

***

The next day, Lara just realized that the reunion event would start soon. Only one more week left. Should she come? Is it good for her? “Hhh ….” she just sighed deeply, feeling futile and uninterested in attending.

She checked her phone, maybe there was one motivation that could catch her attention to attend the reunion.

“Mahya?”

She squinted, looking at the picture of the girl with a ponytail that became the banner on the alumni Facebook group page. Mahya would be speaking and sharing tips about her work as an investigative reporter on one of the international news channels. “Interesting. Mahya is indeed great,” she whispered with a hint of jealousy.

In the past, they were close friends. Unfortunately, Lara ended up being a housewife like this, without any achievements like hers. Deep down, she was a little envious of the achievements of her friends who became career women and had outstanding achievements.

But, there was also a part of her heart that felt lucky because she could soon become a mother – having a baby from her own womb. Imagining a cute little creature that looked like her was very enjoyable.

Suddenly, her phone rang, reminding her that there was a message. She opened the message and found a pre-event invitation to the reunion. Her heart fluttered a little, and she decided to read the message.

“Mrs. Lara, we sincerely hope to meet you again at the alumni reunion event. Many are eager to know your latest news. Please come to share experiences and memories together. Warm regards, reunion committee.”

Lara looked at the message with mixed feelings. On one hand, the curiosity and longing to meet old friends were so strong. But on the other hand, discomfort and anxiety crept into her mind. What if she’s asked about her current life?

Melati entered the room carrying delicious afternoon snacks: freshly baked pastries. “Mrs. Lara, please enjoy.”

She smiled at her, taking a piece of warm bread and immediately devouring it. It tasted so delicious, filled with chocolate. “Thank you, Mela. The pastry is delicious.”

Mela bowed, accepting her praise. Before leaving, it seemed like she was observing Lara a little.

“What’s wrong, Mela?” she asked, not wanting her to leave without asking if she was curious about something.

“Um … what makes you worried? Since this afternoon, you seem gloomy.”

She couldn’t believe it, Melati was indeed sensitive. She didn’t want to make her worry more. “It’s nothing, Mela. I’m just pondering a bit. The alumni reunion will be held soon, but I’m still unsure whether to come or not.”

Melati then asked for permission to sit next to her. She placed the tray and started chatting with her like a friend. “Why are you hesitating, Mrs. Lara? Surely many of your friends want to know about you. Some time ago, I also went to a high school reunion event. It was so much fun, Mrs.!”

She chuckled at her funny expression. Her round eyes sparkled, indicating the deepest joy in her heart, according to her age, which was still in the late teens. Somehow, since they first met, Melati’s attitude towards her had been a bit cautious. Even though their ages were not far apart.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, ma’am. Mrs. Lara should come! I’m sure your friends will be surprised by Mrs. Lara’s increasing beauty,” she said without hesitation.

She laughed again, feeling entertained by her small praises. “But my face looks a bit dull, there’s a pimple growing under my chin.”

“Mrs. Lara is pregnant, it’s normal. My neighbor who is pregnant, far from having a radiant face, instead looks untidy. Pregnancy hormones are like that, ma’am.”

“Has Melati ever been pregnant?” she teased.

“U-um. No. But, my grandma has a lot of children. My grandma is the same as my neighbor. When she’s pregnant, her face looks more untidy,” Melati stuttered, as if she wanted to dig up her mistakes, even though she was just kidding.

“Sorry, Mela. I was just kidding. Your grandma is your mom, right? No need to hold any secrecy here,” Lara chuckled.

“Yes, ma’am. I mean, my mom. I have 12 siblings, ma’am. A lot, right?”

“Wow? That’s a lot!”

They continued talking about Melati’s family in her hometown in Sukabumi. Lara understood why Melati’s behavior was not like most young women. It turned out she came from a village. She liked her more and more.

“So, Melati originally worked here, and Mr. Seno asked you directly, right?”

“Um … that …,” Melati looked confused this time. What happened?

“So?”

“So, that … my grandma took care of it, ma’am. I don’t know anything. I was just told to work in Jakarta, that’s it.”

She nodded, understanding her confusion. “So, should I just come to the reunion event?”

“Yes, Ma’am. Just come.”Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

“But, Mela, what if they ask about Seno or my current job as a housewife? I feel like I don’t have any achievements to be proud of.”

Melati smiled gently. “Forgive me if my words are too bold, ma’am. But in my opinion, being a housewife is a great achievement. You play an extraordinary role in guiding the family. It’s hard nowadays to find women who want to be servants to their husbands, ma’am.”

She looked up and met Melati’s gaze. There was warmth in her eyes that made her heart feel lighter. “Thank you, Mela. Sometimes I need someone like you to remind me. Right. I do want to dedicate myself to my little family. I don’t want to work outside the home.”

Melati held her hand gently. “That’s right, Ma’am.”

They exchanged smiles. Shortly after, Melati said goodbye to continue her activities in the kitchen: cooking dinner. It seemed like she was very busy. If only Bi Yani was here, her work would be much easier.

***

The conversation with Melati gave warmth to the corner of Lara’s heart. She became more confident about attending the reunion invitation.

Once again, she surfed on her phone screen. Unintentionally, Mahya’s image still lingered in her mind. She decided to find out more about her. Maybe learning about Mahya’s inspirational activities could provide additional motivation for her to attend the reunion event.

She searched for Mahya’s profile on social media and found various articles and investigative reports she had made. Her success amazed her. The girl always seemed to be at the forefront of uncovering suspicious things, and strangely enough, she always succeeded!

“I’m proud of you, Mahya.”

The jealousy in her heart was replaced by pride in Mahya’s success, who used to be her closest friend. This world indeed needed the touch of psychopathic hands who were never afraid of anything.

She became curious about who else she would tear apart and serve to her viewers.

She really didn’t know about it … until a big event finally made her realize her mistake all this time.