The next day, Lastri came to see Anton. Since morning, she had been thinking only of Farhan. The boy missed his father terribly and couldn't bear being away from him, especially after hearing that Farhan had fallen ill.
The moment she saw Anton, Lastri went straight over to him. Her face looked exhausted, but she tried to hold back all her emotions.
"Anton, come home. Farhan is sick. He keeps asking for you," Lastri said softly.
Anton, who was standing near the table, immediately turned around. His expression changed slightly.
"Sick? What's wrong with him?" he asked anxiously.
"He has a fever. His body has been burning since last night. He won't eat, either. Since yesterday, he's been saying that he wants to see his father."
Lastri swallowed. Her voice began to tremble as she spoke about their son.
"Farhan is still young, Anton. He doesn't understand our problems. All he knows is that he misses his father."
Anton fell silent for a moment. He was very worried about Farhan. The boy was his favorite.
"He's only been sick for a day, and you're already making a fuss? What drama is this now?" Mona asked as she came out of the kitchen with coffee for Anton.
Lastri frowned.
"What do you mean? I'm not making a scene here. Farhan really is sick."
Anton let out a harsh breath. He stared at Lastri with disbelief. Perhaps she had tricked him into coming to her house.
"Don't come here every time Farhan gets sick. If the boy's really ill, take him to a doctor. Don't use Farhan as an excuse to make me come see you. You probably just want to ask for money," Mona said.
Lastri immediately fell silent. Those words felt like a slap. She had never intended to use Farhan to get Anton's attention. She had come because their son truly needed his father.
"Anton, I never meant that."
"Then what is it?" Anton cut in. "You think I don't know? Farhan's only been sick for a day, and you've already come looking for me. He only has a fever. It's normal for children to get fevers," Anton remarked.
"Because he's asking for you!" Lastri finally raised her voice. "He's not an object I can simply order to be quiet. He's our son, Anton. He misses his father. He's never been away from you all this time."
Anton clenched his jaw.
"Don't use our child to get my attention, Lastri. Mona's right. You're just looking for an excuse to ask me for money, aren't you?"
Lastri's eyes began to redden. She tried to hold back the tears that had been filling her eyes.
"If you don't believe me, come and see for yourself."
Anton didn't answer.
Lastri took a step forward. This time, her voice was softer, but it sounded even more pleading.
"Anton, I'm not asking you to come home for me. I'm only asking you to come see Farhan. He misses his father."
Anton turned his face away.
"Farhan will be fine. If you come, he'll definitely be calmer," she continued.
"Lastri! I'm busy!"
Anton's voice was loud and firm. Lastri, who had been standing in front of him, immediately fell silent. Her fingers, which had been clasped together, tightened.
She hadn't come to argue. She only wanted to ask Anton to come see Farhan, who was sick.
"Anton..." Lastri's voice was soft. "I won't be long. I'm only asking you to come home for a little while. Farhan really misses you."
Anton didn't even look at her.
"I already told you I'm busy."
Lastri drew a deep breath. She tried to hold back her tears.
"Since when have you been too busy for Farhan? You were never like this before. Whenever Farhan got sick, you always came."
Anton finally turned to her. But his gaze was cold.
"Don't bring up the past. Things are different now."
"How are they different, Anton?" Lastri asked quietly.
Before Anton could answer, Mona, who had been sitting on the sofa, finally spoke. She put on a worried expression, though the corners of her lips looked as if she were holding back a smile.
"That's enough, Lastri. If Anton says he's busy, don't force him."
Lastri turned to her.
"I'm talking to my husband."
Mona gave a thin, mocking smile. "Your husband?"
She glanced at Anton, then looked back at Lastri.
"Anton is my husband too," Mona replied.
Lastri shook her head.
Mona immediately put on a sympathetic expression.
"Poor Anton. He already has so much work, and now he has to deal with problems like this."
Anton sighed.
"That's enough, Lastri. Go home."
Lastri stared at Anton in disbelief.
"Anton..."
"I can't go."
"Just for a little while."
"No."
"Farhan is waiting for you."
"I said no! He only has an ordinary fever, and you're panicking like this," Anton snapped.
His voice made Lastri flinch.
Her tears finally fell.
She quickly wiped them away, but the more she wiped, the more tears came.
"You really don't want to come?"
Anton didn't answer.
Lastri looked at the man who had once always worried whenever Farhan had a fever. Back then, Anton could leave work just to buy medicine or sit beside their son's bed.
Now, he wouldn't even come see Farhan. Lastri lowered her head.
"All right."
Her voice was barely audible.
"I'll go home."
She turned and walked toward the door. Her steps felt heavy. As soon as she got outside, Lastri covered her mouth so no one would hear her sobbing.
Inside the house, Mona watched Lastri leave from behind the window. Once she was sure the woman was gone, a faint smile appeared on her face.
Meanwhile, Anton was still standing there silently. Mona quickly approached him and touched his arm.
"Don't feel guilty. Lastri is always like that. If you keep giving in to her demands, she'll come around even more often."
Anton remained silent. Mona smiled faintly.
"You'd be better off focusing on your life now."
Anton didn't answer. Outside the house, Lastri kept walking and crying. She no longer cared about the people who might see her tear-streaked face.
The only thing on Lastri's mind was Farhan. Her son was sick and kept longing for his father, yet Anton wouldn't even come see him.
Lastri wiped away the tears that fell onto her cheek again. She lowered her head and continued walking home. Her pace was slow. Her mind was still in turmoil as she thought about Anton's words.
Every now and then, she drew a long breath, trying to calm herself.
"Farhan must still be waiting for me to bring his father home," she murmured.
She imagined her son's face as he lay in bed. The thought of Farhan possibly still waiting for his father made her chest tighten even more.
Lastri walked along the side of the road without paying much attention to her surroundings. Her eyes were still wet, making her vision slightly blurry.
As she was about to cross the street, her thoughts drifted back to Anton.
She didn't notice a car speeding toward her. The sound of its engine grew closer.
But Lastri remained standing there, her mind elsewhere.
"Honk!"