“I’m sorry, Sis. I absolutely don’t want to be a second wife. What’s happening right now is a mistake and a misunderstanding. I’m ending things with Honey Hanan.” Alya turned and walked away.
“Wait, Alya! Please help me. I don’t want Honey Hanan to divorce me. He’ll definitely divorce me if I stubbornly refuse to have children. I don’t want to share my husband either, but … if my husband’s other wife were someone like you, I might consider it. It would be better than him marrying some other woman, who knows what she’d be like.” Maudy grabbed Alya’s hand.
“I can’t, Sis. I’m sorry.” Alya smiled, slipped her hand free from Maudy’s grip, and hurried out of the living room.
Maudy clenched her fists. For some reason, she was furious. She should have been happy that Alya didn’t want to marry her husband. So why did she feel so upset instead? She had no idea.
“Alya, we need to talk first,” Hanan stopped her. He stood up to follow Alya, but Maudy pulled him back.
“Where do you think you’re going, Honey? Didn’t you see? She obviously doesn’t want to be your second wife. So stop acting like that! You already have a wife, and you’re still chasing after other women! Come on, we’re going home!” Maudy pouted as she dragged her husband out of Alya’s house.
[Alya, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you. The truth is, I’ve wanted to tell you about this for a long time, but … I was still looking for the right moment. Please don’t be mad, okay?]
Alya only read the message. She felt completely disappointed and played for a fool. How humiliating! she thought.
If she had known from the beginning, Alya never would have opened her heart to Hanan. But now it was too late to undo what had happened. Alya had already fallen in love with him. Facing the truth of what was happening now made her heart shatter into a thousand pieces.
Enough, Alya! He’s someone else’s husband. Forget him! she told herself.
Alya wiped away the tears running down her cheeks several times. Her eyes were badly swollen. Ever since Hanan and Maudy had arrived that afternoon, Alya had done nothing but cry.
It hurt far too much.
“Sis, Alya! Hello … Assalamualaikum.” The girl knocked on the door. “Geez, where is she? It’s almost sunset, and why aren’t the lights on?” she grumbled.
The girl opened the unlocked door and waltzed right in. She was already that close with Alya. Her name was Arin—Alya’s cousin.
She turned on the living-room and porch lights, then hurried to Alya’s bedroom.
The door wasn’t fully closed, leaving a crack for Arin to peek through. She saw Alya sobbing.
“Sis, Alya. Can I come in?” she asked softly, then opened the door wide. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Alya quickly wiped the tear tracks from the corners of her eyes. But her swollen eyes couldn’t hide the fact that she had just been crying.
“Hey, no, it’s nothing. I’m not crying.”
“Come on, don’t lie. What kind of bride-to-be looks this miserable? That’s not funny.” Arin teased her as she sat beside Alya on the edge of the bed.
“Oh, look. Honey Hanan’s calling you. Ooooh … hurry up and answer,” Arin said, nudging Alya’s arm.
But Alya hurriedly turned off her phone. Arin furrowed her brow. “Wait, why’d you turn it off? Oh, I know. You’re fighting with Honey Hanan, aren’t you?”
“Arin, there’s something I need to discuss with Uncle and Aunt. They’re home, right?”
“What is it, Sis? Don’t make Arin nervous. Is it about your wedding to Honey Hanan? Don’t get married so soon, Sis. Arin doesn’t want you to be taken away by Honey Hanan.” The girl hugged Alya. “Get married later, okay? Arin still wants to stay close to you.”
“Okay, enough. Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not marrying Honey Hanan anymore.” Alya pulled away from Arin’s embrace.
“What?” Arin was shocked. “Don’t joke around, Sis.”
“I’m serious. That’s what I need to discuss with Uncle and Aunt. Honey Hanan already has a wife. He wants to make me his second wife. I don’t want that.”
“Are you serious, Sis? Really?” Arin stared at her in disbelief.
“Have I ever lied to you? He came here this afternoon with his wife. I feel completely deceived and humiliated. Honey Hanan’s wife got angry and cursed me out.” Tears streamed down Alya’s face again.
Arin hugged Alya and patted her trembling back. “Don’t cry, Sis. You’re making Arin sad too. There’s no way Honey Hanan could be that cruel. Arin still can’t believe this is real. Be patient, Sis, okay? At least you found out now. Just imagine how much worse it would hurt if you’d already married Honey Hanan.”
“Arin, come with me when I talk to Uncle and Aunt, okay? I’m afraid I won’t be strong enough to say it.” Alya sobbed. Her tears were becoming impossible to hold back.
“Okay, Sis. Arin will come with you to talk to Dad and Mom later. For now, let’s pray, okay? Maybe you’ll feel calmer afterward.”
Alya nodded. She wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes yet again.
If Alya’s parents were still alive, they would probably be the people grieving the most right now.
That same night, after praying, Alya and Arin hurried across the street to the house where Arin’s parents lived. Arin’s mother was the younger sister of Alya’s late mother. Ever since Alya’s parents had died in an accident, Arin’s mother had treated Alya like her own daughter. Whatever happened to Alya, Arin’s parents always stood on the front line to protect her.
“That bastard! How dare he play games with Alya!” Arin’s father clenched his fists. Hanan had some nerve, he thought.
Anger filled the middle-aged man’s chest after Alya told them what had happened to her that afternoon.
“Call him. I want to talk to that man! If necessary, ask him where he lives. I’ll go to his house myself!” he said emphatically, his distinctive Sundanese accent thickening.
“Dear, don’t yell. The neighbors will hear. Be patient,” Arin’s mother said, rubbing her husband’s arm.
“How am I supposed to be patient? Hanan didn’t just play games with Alya—he humiliated our entire family too. Everyone in the village already knows Alya was going to get married, but now look what’s happened! He’s brought shame on us! Alya, hurry! Call him!” Alya’s uncle urged her.
Alya’s hand trembled as she took out her phone. Hanan had been calling and sending her countless messages, but Alya hadn’t responded. And now they were telling her to call him. She wasn’t brave enough.
“Give it here. I’ll do it so we can get this over with.” Arin’s father snatched the phone from Alya’s hand.
“What’s the password?” he asked.
Alya didn’t answer. She lowered her head in silence. Then Arin spoke up. “Sis Alya’s birthday, Dad.”
“Write down the password for me, honey. I don’t remember Alya’s birthday.” He handed the phone to his wife.
“When do you ever remember important dates? You even forgot our anniversary,” Arin’s mother grumbled as she entered the string of numbers.
The phone unlocked. He searched for the contact saved under Honey Hanan’s name.
“Here, dear. It’s ringing.”
Arin’s father immediately took the phone and pressed it to his ear.
The call connected in less than a second. Apparently, Hanan had been waiting all this time for Alya to respond and reply to his messages.
“Assalamualaikum. Alya, finally, you—”
“This is her uncle! How dare you make Alya cry? Come on, tell me where you live!” Arin’s father cut him off sharply.
“Un—Uncle … I—I can explain. It’s not like what you think, Uncle,” Hanan stammered.
“Don’t talk so much! Just tell me your address! I’ll come over there myself!”
That was what he meant.