ILANA
“What do you come here for? You have owned what you desired.” I took a breath in and out for a moment. “Congratulations on your wedding, by the way.” I initiated the conversation when we had stood on one side of the dock. There was a long dock connecting the cottages to the sea. Even from this place where I was settling at the moment, I could view coral reefs under the crystal clear blue water. The coconut trees with their waving leaves lined up, not far from here.
“I wish I could.” I turned to her with a wondering face. “I lied to you. I tried to manipulate Reno so that he could marry me. The game is over now.”
“I don't get what you mean.”
“The baby is,” she stroked her belly slowly and compassionately, “Kevin’s child.
“W-what?”
“I apologize to you,” She stared at me intently, “for all my wrongdoing, my fault in the past. I know it must be hard for you to forgive me. I have hurt you too deeply. I bullied you, humiliated you, kidnapped you, and attempted to snatch Reno from you. I have reaped what I have sowed.” She diverted her sight yet I could catch the tears flooding her cheek. “Kevin is a playboy. He doesn't want to marry me when he knows I have been pregnant because of him.” Kevin was a real bad man. He even dumped Nina. She had to move to Bandung and hid her pregnancy from all her relatives after she refused to abort her fetus.
“I think you can sue him if he did it against your will.” I showed my commiseration. She was one of Kevin’s victims, after all.
“He gets crazy after her mother is sentenced to death for the murder case.” My eyes widened. “Reno must have told you that Kevin’s mother is the culprit behind her mother’s death. She put poison into her food. Then, that woman camouflaged her death as a car incident, like a mother, like a son. I think Kevin should live the rest of his life in the mental hospital. Yeah, that’s the thing he deserves, after what he did to me and Reno. He took all of Reno’s father’s property and lost it. His company got bankrupt just after her mother was arrested. And I almost committed suicide because of him. But, this baby in my belly has a right to see the world. She is the only reason why I am still alive. And my sin to you is another reason why I am here. You don't have to pardon me if you mind. At least, I have confessed that I am guilty.” She moved away and left me alone.
A week passed after the last time we talked. Angeline sometimes strolled around the beach or relaxed on the beach chair while stroking her belly like she usually did. I also often saw her standing and pondering on the edge of the boardwalk with her elbow on the plank and chin resting on one of her hands. She might have atoned and contemplated her fault.
I bumped into her this morning and she greeted me. We had short chats before she waved goodbye. She would get back to Jakarta today and started her new life from the beginning. We parted afterward.
It was almost midday. The sun burned my skin. I walked back to my cottage. It was the time for lunch, anyway. My mother had prepared a delicious meal for us, I bet. On my way to the cottage, I eyed someone familiar. That woman was walking toward me excitedly. The distance made me hardly see her. I thought that it might be Angeline. But, her figure was different. She had short black hair.
“Ilana... Vera!” We shouted out in unison and then we ran toward each other. She gave me a big hug. And I did the same way.
“How could you get here? I never told you that I came here!”
“Well, I contacted your manager, your ex-manager, I mean. She said that you are here after I forced her to spill the information. You know, it took million times for me to persuade her to finally reveal where you are. I directly flew to Berau Regency and headed to this beautiful place. You are great at finding the best destination for the holiday. You are on your holiday, arent you?”
“Well, just suppose it is,” then we laughed out loud together. “Why didn't you give him a chance for an explanation?” Vera said when we were striding to my cottage. She was talking about Reno.
“I have. But, all is too late now. Angeline just left this resort. She has told me everything. Reno is not the father of her baby.”
“As I told you, you should have trusted him.”
“Yeah...and everything seems late now.” My words might sound hopeless on Vera’s ears. I admitted that I regretted my decision to annul the wedding in a rush without discussing it with my mother or other family members, my adoptive parents. What I witnessed in Reno’s office burned my heart that I instantly exploded it out.
“There is always a second chance. That’s what I believe in.”
“I hope so.” We walked down the street leading to the cottage. My mother welcomed Vera happily and excitedly. They engaged in a long conversation after lunch.
***
Vera asked me to accompany her to see the sunset. It was her first time to be at the beach. Living with her aunt made her life like a hell. She had no even an opportunity to go on holiday even though she had the money for that. I was delighted to see how enthusiastic she was to get to the beach. The dusk was still a long way off, though.
The beach looked different today. People decorated the area of the shore beautifully with red roses and white chrysanthemums. That was a perfect combination. Colorful lights had been ready to alter night into day. In some spots, I saw a buffet of food. The smell watered my mouth. One of the resort owners probably organized an event here. That was very common for those with a lot of money to do that, for a wedding or even just a birthday party.
Vera pulled my hand to get nearer to the wave rolling to the shore. She played with the ripples and sand. She acted like a child. Her face exuded happiness. I just followed her running back and forth, avoiding the high wave. The breeze toyed her short hair.
“I never thought that being at the beach can be this exciting,” she muttered when she was resting due to being tired of enjoying the ripples and the waves. I landed by her side.
“That’s why I don't want to go from here.”
“Does that mean that you plan to live here forever?”
“I don't know. It depends on my mother.”
“May I have your attention, please?” someone announced from the center of the stage in that event organized luxuriously. A man in a dark tuxedo was standing with the microphone on one of his fists. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a pleasure to welcome you to this event. My name is Ardian and I am the MC of the event tonight.” I did not pay attention to what the MC said next until he mentioned my name. “Before I open this big event, I would like Ms. Ilana to join me here on this stage.” The voices roared all parts of the beach area. The people's eyes were searching for the woman referred to by the MC. Vera stood and yanked my hand and silently led me to the stage. She did not allow me to say anything or dispute her. I was clueless about what it all meant. I was straightening on the stage in wonder. All attention was on me.
All of a sudden, someone, a man in the silver suit was proceeding toward us. The closer he got, the clearer his face was. I was numb with my mouth mute to see that it was Reno who was climbing up the stage. In a second, he kneeled before me and in front of many people who were cheering on him. He took a red box out of his suit pocket and fished out around a golden perfectly decorated object, a ring.
“Will you marry me?” They spontaneously yelled out “Yes”. It was the second time Reno proposed to me to marry him but this moment was more thrilling because many people witnessed it and it was organized incredibly under the sunset at the beach. It was what every woman wanted. I turned my head to where Vera was. She bowed her head slightly and my mom who had stood shoulder by shoulder with Vera just gave a big smile.
“I will.” And all the people there cheered happily.
I never thought Vera and Reno had prepared this scenario for a month. Knowing where I was from my ex-manager, Vera directly contacted Reno and planned this proposal event. I never imagined that I would experience this amazing moment in my life. I could see the joy in my mother’s eyes. That was more than everything for me. A week after the proposal, we got married.
---- The End ----