A week had passed since the soil over Adisti and Rendy's graves was still damp, yet the clouds in Aruna's heart seemed unwilling to move on. Gavin's luxurious apartment, usually quiet, had now become a new battlefield for two people who had suddenly been "demoted" to foster parents.
For Aruna, losing Adisti meant losing her entire world. But she didn't have time to keep drowning in tears. Kenzie woke up every night, screaming and crying as he searched for his Mom's embrace.
That night, the wall clock had already reached two in the morning. In the middle bedroom, Kenzie's cries broke out again, shrill enough to split the silence of the night.
"Una... hic... Eji wants to be with Una... Yayah..." The two-year-old's sobs were heartbreaking. His body was slightly feverish, the result of a longing and confusion his little mind couldn't yet process.
Aruna woke with bleary eyes and a throbbing headache. For the past week, she had barely slept soundly for more than three hours at a time. With unsteady steps, she picked Kenzie up and patted his back while gently rocking him.
"Shh, shh, sweetheart... Auntie is right here. Go back to sleep, Kenzie," Aruna whispered hoarsely. Her own tears nearly spilled when she saw her nephew's flushed face, wet with tears.
Aruna left the bedroom while rocking the still-crying Kenzie in her arms. She glanced toward Gavin's tightly closed bedroom door. Remembering the agreement they had made three days earlier, irritation began to tighten her chest.
So they could take care of Kenzie without neglecting their respective responsibilities, Aruna and Gavin had made a schedule dividing up childcare duties, which they had taped to the refrigerator door. Tonight was supposed to be Gavin's turn to stay with Kenzie. But the man was sleeping soundly in his room, completely undisturbed by Kenzie's crying.
With what little energy she had left, Aruna walked to the kitchen to make Kenzie some warm milk and calm him down. According to the note in the light-blue notebook Adisti had left behind, Kenzie would only drink formula at a lukewarm temperature—it couldn't be too hot or too cold. In the middle of her overwhelming exhaustion, Aruna's hands trembled as she measured out the milk powder.
Crash!
In her panic while making milk for her nephew, Aruna accidentally knocked the bottle with her hand. It fell to the floor, spilling the milk everywhere. Startled, Kenzie cried even louder.
"Waaah! Unaaa!"
"Shh, shh, shh, I'm sorry, sweetheart. Auntie's sorry," Aruna said, her voice trembling violently as she tried to soothe Kenzie in her arms.
Aruna's defenses crumbled. In front of the messy kitchen table, beneath the dim light, she began sobbing too as she held Kenzie tightly. She felt so useless, missed her sister so much, and was exhausted both physically and mentally.
"Sis Adisti... What am I supposed to do? I can't do this..." she whispered through her tears.
The next morning, the atmosphere in the apartment had not improved. Aruna sat at the dining table, dark circles under her eyes stark against her pale skin. Kenzie had calmed down a little after eating some porridge and was now sitting on the carpet, listlessly playing with his toy cars.
At eight in the morning, the master bedroom door finally opened. Gavin stepped out looking neat and freshly showered, his hair slicked perfectly into place. His unbuttoned flannel shirt revealed the white T-shirt underneath, making him look incredibly stylish—classic Gavin, always concerned with his public image.
"Morning, Aruna. Morning, big guy," Gavin greeted them with the charming smile he usually used to attract women. He looked completely refreshed, hardly like someone who had lost a family member just a week ago.
Aruna fixed Gavin with a piercing stare. "It was your turn to watch Kenzie last night, Vin. He was screaming from two until four in the morning. Where were you?"
"Are you deaf? How could you not hear Kenzie crying last night?"
Gavin straightened his collar in front of the mirror near the hallway, then turned around with an innocent look on his face. "Oh, Una... I'm really sorry. I was completely exhausted after spending all day handling Sis Rendy's company. I wore earbuds to bed, so I didn't hear anything. Sorry, okay?"
"You didn't hear him, or you just didn't want to?" Aruna shot back coldly. "We made an agreement, Gavin. I'm tired too. I lost my sister, and I have to put my own feelings aside to take care of our nephew. But you? You look incredibly relaxed."
Gavin sighed, walked over to Aruna, and leaned against the edge of the dining table in what he considered a charismatic pose. He looked at Aruna with eyes that he deliberately made seem full of sympathy, then gently stroked the top of her head.
"Don't be so feisty. You'll ruin your pretty face. We're both grieving, but life has to go on, right? I also have to handle Rendy's company and my own. If I don't take care of both of them, my company and Rendy's could go under. Besides, I have an important appointment today," Gavin said casually, glancing at his expensive watch.
Aruna knocked Gavin's hand away from her head. The irritation in her chest had reached its breaking point. "What important appointment? Today's Tuesday. According to the schedule, it's your turn to watch Kenzie and take him to his pediatric checkup at ten! I have something I can't put off."
Gavin lightly slapped his forehead, pretending he had just remembered something. "Oh, right. But, uh... what am I supposed to do, Na? I have a meeting with a client at ten too. It's a huge project—I can't reschedule it. You know that after Rendy died, I'm the one who has to support all of us financially, including Kenzie's future expenses."
"But this doctor's appointment was booked two weeks ago by Sis Adisti, before... before that accident, Gavin!" Aruna's voice began to tremble as she held back both tears and anger. "This is Kenzie's important immunization appointment!"
"You can just take Kenzie in a rideshare, Na. I'll transfer you the money later, okay? Or ask Mr. Sidiq to drive you," Gavin replied airily. He walked over to Kenzie, who was sitting on the floor, and knelt in front of him.
"Uncle Gav is going to work now, okay, sweetie? I'm going to make lots of money to buy you new toys. Don't be naughty with Auntie Una, okay?" Gavin ruffled Kenzie's hair, then gave the boy's cheek a quick kiss before standing and adjusting his sunglasses.
"Gavin, you're selfish!" Aruna shouted, her eyes glistening with tears.
Gavin merely turned away, giving her the quick flirtatious wink he usually used to charm people, as though Aruna's anger were nothing more than a passing breeze. "I'm heading out, Una. Don't miss me too much. Take care of yourself too."
Without waiting for another answer, Gavin strode out of the apartment, leaving behind the sound of the door closing firmly.
Aruna stood frozen in place. As she stared at the closed door, loneliness and a heavy burden once again pressed down on her chest. She looked toward Kenzie, who was now watching her with wide, innocent eyes, as if asking why their home suddenly felt so strange and cold.
As tears slowly began to fall again, Aruna approached Kenzie and hugged his tiny body tightly. In her heart, she vowed to endure for this child, even if she had to face the world alone—and deal with Gavin's shallow attitude.
"It's okay, sweetheart. Auntie Aru is here. Auntie will give you the same love your Mom and Dad gave you. Pray that Auntie Aru can make it through these hard days, okay, sweetheart," Aruna said before placing a lingering kiss on Kenzie's forehead.
"Tomorrow, I'll start teaching again..."
To be continued...