74. THE END

Farah woke up to Athaya whimpering in pain. The twenty-seven-year-old woman rushed over to her daughter and touched her sweat-stained forehead. "Oh God, Athaya, you have a fever again, child?" Farah took the washcloth and basin she used to compress Athaya. She slowly applied the compress to her daughter's forehead. After a while, Athaya fell back asleep. "Pa, Athaya's body is hot again," said Farah when she saw Dayyan taking off his sarong after returning from the mosque. Dayyan immediately approached Athaya. "Yes, the fever has risen again. Even though the doctor said yesterday that this is the final stage of treatment, now she has a fever again, it means we have to take her to the hospital immediately, Ma." Farah fell to the floor of their room. She felt like screaming. It had only been a month since she felt her life was normal again. Just yesterday she went to the elementary school where Athaya wanted to go. Just yesterday she cleaned Athaya's room, got rid of all the medicine that had accumulated and expired because Athaya had fallen ill. Every time she was taken to the hospital, Athaya always left her medicine at home, and when she returned from the hospital, she brought new medicine. So the old medicine piled up on her bedroom table. "Ma, get ready, we'll take Athaya to the hospital as soon as she wakes up." Farah remained silent, her eyes blank. It wasn't that Farah didn't hear her husband's words, but she was too tired to even get up. Dayyan understood his wife's condition. He gently reached out to Farah's body, which had recently started to rejuvenate. Her sunken eyes have been replaced with bright binaries, her gaunt cheeks are starting to fill out, Farah has indeed gained weight lately because she eats regularly and rarely stays up late. "Be patient, Ma. Allah will not test us beyond our ability. Yesterday for a month Mama and Athaya were given time to rest, we can continue our lives calmly because Athaya has improved. Maybe now Allah is telling us to pray more." Dayyan stroked his wife's head as it rested on his chest. "I'm tired, Pa." Farah said softly. Her hands hugged Dayyan's waist. "You've done a great job accompanying Athaya so far, just a little more to go, dear." Dayyan let the silence pass through their respective thoughts. When it comes to being tired, of course he was tired too. But this is life, we have to move, we have to move until Allah says 'go home' and our bodies are returned to the earth and our spirits are in the departed world. "If mom gives up, what about Athaya? What about Papa? You're the heart of this family." Farah still hadn't moved, they hugged for a long time, strengthening each other in silence, until Athaya's moan was heard. "Farah, Athaya is very hot. You're a sick child and you're sleeping so well!" Septin's voice boomed through the house. Farah released Dayyan's embrace and the two looked at each other for a moment. Dayyan nodded. "Let's face it together, you can be tired and rest for a while, but you can't give up, okay?" Farah nodded. "Mama take care of Athaya, I'll get her clothes ready, we'll go straight to the hospital." "I've already prepared the clothes in my bag, Pa. All you have to do is get ready, I'm going to buy some porridge in front for a while, then feed Athya before we leave." "Not just Athaya, we all need to have breakfast, to be strong, cheer up!" Dayyan clenched his fist, making Farah smile. That smile looked very beautiful in Dayyan's eyes. After having breakfast as Dayyan suggested, they immediately took Athaya to the hospital. Before leaving, Dayyan informed Zahra that he couldn't take her to the market today because he had to take Athaya to the hospital. Zahra took a deep breath. She imagined Dayyan and his wife struggling with the uncertainty of their child's condition. "O Allah, strengthen them, what an extraordinary test You have put them through, may they be among those whom You raise their status. Aameen." Zahra then ordered an online motorcycle taxi. Abah Nurman, who saw Zahra being picked up by a different motorcycle taxi driver from the terrace, wondered. "It's not the usual motorcycle taxi. Zahra looks sad, is there a problem?" he murmured. "Abah, here's the coffee," said Mursida, looking down. "Is that what Abah means by Zahra's regular ojek driver? He's so old." "No, he didn't come today, this is a motorcycle taxi driver Abah has never seen before." Not only that day, but the next day Zahra was picked up by a different motorcycle taxi. Abah Nurman looked up from the terrace. Zahra left with a sad look on her face. For days, the motorcycle taxi driver who picked up Zahra always changed. This made the middle-aged man a little uneasy. "Sorry Mrs. Zahra, I still can't take you to the market, Athaya's condition still needs attention," Dayyan said on the phone when Zahra asked how Athaya was doing. Zahra only sent a message asking how her daughter was, but Dayyan immediately made a call. Zahra felt bad for feeling intrusive. "I'm not bothering Ms. Zahra, I was just going out to find lunch for my wife. Actually, I'm also towing but it's close to the hospital, so I can come quickly when needed, I'm sorry, ma'am." "Mas Dayyan is apologizing. Anyway, Athaya comes first, I just wanted to know how she was doing." "Thank you Mrs. Zahra for being so concerned about Athaya's condition. Yes, this is how it is, ma'am. We are still going back and forth to the hospital for control, still have to be a lot patient and continue to make efforts." "Keep up the good work, Mas Dayyan." Zahra hurriedly hung up the phone, because suddenly her heart was beating very fast. "Why did I encourage him earlier? Did I overdo it?" she murmured softly. A few days without seeing Dayyan's face and hearing his voice felt like something was missing in Zahra's life. The girl felt very close to the married man. Emotionally close. So when she couldn't interact, she felt uneasy. "Astaghfirullah," she said in repentance when she realized Dayyan already had a wife. Meanwhile Dayyan also began to feel something was missing. He was buying nasi rames for Farah, when he accidentally saw the seller preparing a rice box, Dayyan seemed to be looking at Zahra. "Here's the rice, Mas." "Yes, ma'am."  Dayyan stammered as he realized that the woman was not Zahra, too young to even be called 'ma'am'. Arriving at the hospital, Dayyan saw Farah's eyes red, her face puffy, she had been crying. "Mom, why?" Dayyan asked gently. Farah didn't answer, but her tears came rushing down without her being able to stop them. "Be strong, Ma. For Athaya's sake," Dayyan whispered. He stroked Farah's shoulder, who was shaking and holding back her tears to keep them from being heard. Her chest was tight as she watched Athaya sleeping on the hospital bed.  Farah was not a crybaby, she was as tough as a rock. She didn't know why she had become mellow lately, her heart always seemed to want to cry. She leaned against her husband's chest, hoping to put the weight on her shoulders for a moment.