I couldn't fight off my sleepiness. The heavy rain pounding against the roof tiles was loud, and so was the exhaustion weighing on me. I had no idea why I was so tired when I had a new customer to meet tomorrow. I turned off my bedroom light. All I could hear was the rain, and soon I was fast asleep.
Sunlight slipped through the gap in the window where the curtains hadn't been drawn, becoming my first greeting that morning. "Yaaawn..." I stretched both arms overhead as I let out a huge yawn. Since I was on my period today, I hadn't gotten up for dawn prayer. I opened the curtains covering the window and looked around my house, just like usual. Grandma and Grandpa were busy watering the plants, while Grandpa was also making a table out of scraps of wood and plywood he had lying around. To the right, I spotted Emi, my neighbor, diligently sweeping the yards around our homes, including mine. This neighborhood was actually a comfortable place to live, but there were always nosy people who took far too much interest in my life.
After showering and getting ready, I went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast. As usual, there was no "Good morning, my love" message from anyone special on my phone. Once again, I muttered, "Oh, forget it," while biting into a slice of bread spread with my favorite chocolate jam. Then I headed out and took the busway like I always did.
I watched a beautiful young woman step out of a luxury car. Her fair skin showed beneath her skirt as she walked into my boutique. She greeted me politely first. "Excuse me, Miss. Could you tell me what time the designer named Nayla will be arriving?" Her soft voice matched her beauty and left me captivated. "Hi, Miss. I'm Nayla. Were you the one who called last night?" "Yes, that's right. I'm Sarah," the beautiful woman said as she shook my hand. "I'm Nayla. Oh, Miss Sarah, would you like to go straight to the gown collection room, or would you like to look at the kebayas too?" I asked with a smile as I led the beautiful girl toward the collection room. It was strange—customers usually came in pairs. Why was this one alone? Oh, maybe her partner was out of town or at work. Besides, it was a weekday, I reasoned to myself. "Oh, can I request a custom design? I already have a model in mind, and here's an example," the beautiful woman said before looking at my collection. I examined it and saw how neat and meticulous every detail was. There was a heart-shaped pattern made up of ten motifs across the back. There were also five lace details at the left waist and five on the right. Most beautiful of all, the back of the kebaya she'd designed had a trailing train decorated with a motif of ninety-nine waves. "Wow, it's beautiful, Miss. Are you a designer too, Miss Sarah? And I noticed some of the details come in specific numbers. If you don't mind my asking, do they have a special meaning in your relationship?" I asked curiously. "I'm not a designer, Miss. I'm a business owner and a writer, hehe. The details are connected to me—they represent the date, month, and year I was born." "Masha Allah, that's amazing. I thought you were planning to wear this kebaya for your wedding ceremony, Miss Sarah, but it turns out it's for your birthday. But didn't you say on the phone last night that it was for your wedding?" "Oh, haha, yes, that's right. This is a kebaya I designed a long time ago for my wedding. The reason the design only includes my birth date is that I haven't found my partner yet. I'll let the kebaya come first. Once we meet, more details can be added to the design." I was stunned. How could a young woman as beautiful as her still be single, especially when she already had such a successful career? Oh God, the world really is never ideal for anyone, I thought, gaping at her. "Hmm, yes, I agree. Let it be a positive affirmation. Once you've finished it, your prince will come to you, Miss Sarah. After that, I'll add new embroidered motifs or sequins inspired by the journey of your love story." "Hehe, I hope so, Miss. By the way, when you get married, Miss Nayla, you'll make your own gown and kebaya, right? Or will you collaborate with another designer?" "Wow, Miss Sarah, I'm not married either. When I do get married, I plan to make a gown with lots of meaningful details about the journey of our love story, hehe. It's just that I don't have a groom yet," I said with an amused smile. "I thought I was the only one who was destined to remain unmarried even after reaching a certain age, but it turns out there are others too, hehe." "There are actually lots of us, Miss, hehe. Now I'm thinking I should make a gown too, just like you, Miss Sarah—prepare it in advance and use it as an affirmation." "Go for it, Miss. Let's start the design. Oh, since there isn't a wedding date yet, I'm in no rush to have it made. Take your time." "Yes, Miss. I'll still work on it according to the request queue." "Okay, Miss, just schedule it however works. Well, I'd better get going. Thank you in advance." "Yes, Miss Sarah. Be careful on your way home."
I walked her to the front of the boutique and watched her get into her luxury car. My thoughts started racing again. "Yesterday, a pair of would-be corpses visited my boutique, and now a beautiful young woman with no groom in sight has come to have a wedding kebaya made. This world really is something, hehe."