I sat on the mosque veranda, desperately holding back my tears. I had no idea where else to go, and I had only fifty thousand rupiah left in my hand.
I didn't know what had been going through my mind when I left home just like that.
My heart and mind were utterly exhausted by everything in my marriage. Every kind of problem had been piled onto my shoulders alone. My eyes grew hazy as I remembered all the scattered pieces of the past.
“Miss, where’s your home? Why are you carrying such a big bag? Where are you going?” a middle-aged woman asked as she approached me.
“Uh, well... I’m originally from Surabaya. This, I—”
“Come on, follow Auntie. Don’t sit here crying like that. It’s not good for people to see.” Before I could finish answering, she cut me off, grabbed my hand, and casually took my bag. Somehow, I trusted her just like that, certain she was a good person when I saw the prayer garment still wrapped around her body.
We entered a large house whose owner I was sure had to be incredibly rich, judging by the elegant ornaments and furnishings inside.
“Sit down for a bit. I’ll make you something to drink. You must be thirsty.” Without waiting for my answer, she simply left for another room.
“Here, drink this.” She held out a glass of warm, sweet tea to me.
“Thank you.”
“Where are you going?” she asked again.
“I... I don’t know, Ma’am. I don’t know where to go.” Once again, clear tears broke free from the corners of my eyes.
“Hmm, just call me Auntie. Auntie Sum. I understand your situation now. Just stay here. Auntie would love to have another woman around. Actually, this isn’t Auntie’s house. Auntie only works here. Thank God, the owner is kind. Before I left, I asked permission to bring you here. Thank God, he allowed it.” Auntie Sum launched into a long explanation without me even asking.
“Thank you so much, Auntie, for letting me stay here. But I’m sorry... I can’t tell you about my problems yet—about how I ended up like this.”
“It’s okay, dear. Oh, what’s your name?”
“Ayu.”
“Okay, it’s okay. Calm your mind first. Come on, I’ll take you to your room. The Young Master usually comes home once a month. He’s still overseas right now. The day after tomorrow, the Young Master will be back.” Auntie Sum spoke without pausing as she continued walking through the rooms of the house.
The house was incredibly grand. I had no idea how many rooms we passed before our feet finally stopped in front of an entirely pink room, the signature color of a young woman. When Auntie Sum opened the door, I saw an enormous bed. Beside it stood a vanity styled for a teenager. It looked like this room belonged to a girl in her teens.
“This used to be the room prepared for the future daughter-in-law of this house. But unfortunately, the Master never got married.” I nodded repeatedly. So that answered my question about who the room belonged to.
I stepped inside slowly, taking in every corner of the room, which looked both magnificent and shrouded in mystery. Several expensive perfume bottles still sat neatly arranged on the gold-carved vanity, along with a jewelry box that lay empty beneath a thin layer of dust. The room was so quiet, as if reflecting the loneliness left behind by its original occupant. A vision of a luxurious yet hollow life suddenly crossed my mind. So often, worldly splendor failed to guarantee peace in the heart of its owner—just like my own marriage, which looked whole in the eyes of others but was rotten inside.
“Why don’t I sleep with you, Auntie?” I asked, feeling uncomfortable about having to stay in the former fiancée’s room of the house’s owner.
“Well, Auntie shares a room with her husband. Besides, this is the only room left. The Master said you could stay here, so Auntie has to obey.” I grimaced, feeling uneasy. But if I refused, where else would I stay?
After talking for a long while, Auntie Sum left me to rest. It was only one in the afternoon. I lay down on the soft bed, and soon fell asleep from the exhaustion weighing me down.