Dating : From: Your Son — A Prequel from ‘Son’

Bogor, a year ago

I parked my motorbike in my ride-hailing-bike base camp this Saturday evening. The highway was crowded with vehicles with the people after work, or they just heading to the cafes or malls to hang out welcoming the weekend ahead.

I looked around this base camp. This place is almost always full of my drivers coworker who having their break time before or after delivered their customers — or their customers’ needs, but tonight’s different. This base camp seemed empty. I wondered most of my coworkers haven’t back from their ride yet and it’s already 08.00 pm. They might still be stuck in the middle of the traffic jam.

While felt grateful inside my heart because of the luck to arrived at this basecamp earlier than the others, I decided to order a cup of hot black coffee on the small stall that stood right beside the base camp.

“Hi Kresno, seems like you’re lucky enough to be here before night. The traffic jam is crazy right now, you know? I just watched the news.” greet the seller who already memorized my name. He smiled widely at me, knowing that he would get a friend to chat with. “Ah, since you’re here, what can I get you for now? Hot black coffee as usual?”

I smiled as a response. “Yes, please. Less sugar. Thank you, To.”

‘To’ — is short for ‘Yanto’, his name.

Having a career as a ride hailing-bike driver has become my full-time job until now. This career has no certainty for each day, just as we — the drivers — depend on the ordered tasks in the app.

“Here you go. Enjoy.” Yanto came back as he delivered my black coffee.

I thanked him and started to take a sip, feeling that warmth and caffeine slip inside my body. This is the simplest reward after being on the road for hours today.

“See? That’s what happening everywhere right now.” Yanto pointed out at the television inside his stall that showing the news about the busyness on the highways this Saturday evening. “You’d better not going home soon after watching this news.”

I gave a small smile as a response. “Actually, I wanted to go home right after I finish this black coffee.” I said, and Yanto gave a glance as ‘are you sure?’ at me. As an explanation, I immediately took out the item inside my green jacket. This time, Yanto gave me his shocking expression.

“You made to buy it?” he asked.

I smiled widely, feeling extremely grateful. “I did.”

“As far as I know, this item is quite expensive, right? Tell me, you’ve paid it off already?” Yanto clearly didn’t want to miss any information about this purchase, remember I’ve told it long ago.

“Thank God, yes, I have paid it off. One of my loyal — very kind — customers gave me some of his money so that I could buy this for my son.” I explained and sigh, thinking what my son could think after he knows that his dad bought this important item for him.

If you’re wondering, that item — which Yanto and I talked about — is a hearing aid. Galih has a special condition where he could not hear as normal people do. This specialty he ‘received’ since he was five years old.

Honestly, I had some difficulties when taking care of Galih since his mother was died after giving birth to him. I realized that Galih doesn’t have a mother figure since then, so I decided to take care of him with my mom’s help — until we found out at five years old, he could not hear a normal sound as normal people do.

But, another problem is, our life was not easy either. Erratic work have had become my main job ever since the biggest laid-off hit this country. I had to work super hard to make more money. My mother’s also not strong enough to help me taking care of Galih, also, Galih’s school has had to stop because we’re running out of money.

Now, as I started my main as a ride-hailing biker a year ago, little by little, that money started to collect.

“Galih’s ready to get into another school after this. Soon enough.” I told Yanto again, and his eyes sparkled with joy. As a person with whom I told most of my stories, he could feel my struggles to make my family happy and content again.

Yanto nodded his head and grinned excitedly. “Good for you, Kresno. Good for you. May God always blesses you with health.” he said, and I smiled as a thank you.

After I finished my black coffee and had another chitchat with Yanto, I went back home and the streets were already looked empty. As I keep drove my motorbike, all of sudden there was a young girl — maybe around ten years old — who ran right in front of my motorbike when I drove around the alley to get back home.

“Oh God,” I gasped and immediately stopped my motorbike to approached that young girl who already looked in pain.

“Are you alright?” I asked with a concerned tone. This alley is emptier than usual, most of the people already took some rest inside their home or having quality time with their loved ones.

That young girl just gave me her painful expression without even answered my question. Right after I decided to take that young girl to the nearest clinic, another — more men came around me, and just like that, they assaulted me like they wouldn’t stop. Now I know, I was being trapped by this young girl and all these men.

Not just my body was in painful after being assaulted, my money for Galih’s new school was also robbed — and also my motorbike. They’re gone just like that.

Running out of energy and felt a lot of pain, I became unconscious when people from the alley came because of the noise to helped me.

It was 03.30 am that Sunday midnight and I found my mom and Galih sleep together beside my bed. My God, I just said I am the luckiest one because of my good fortune last night, and now I lie down at the hospital.

I looked down at my mom who wore her green shabby cardigan. That’s the gift that I gave her on her birthday five years ago. Tears welling up in my eyes. What have I done all this time to make my mom happy?

Beside her, Galih laid his head on the armchair. I let out a deep sigh and thought have they had dinner last night?

Suddenly, Galih opened up his eyes and looked directly at me. He blinked some times and smiled. His hand moved as he asked, ‘You’ve up, Dad. Are you still sick?’

I nodded and gave a reassuring smile to him. Slowly, I gave my response with my hands that being bandaged. ‘I’m good, these wounds have done nothing to me.’

Galih frowned. ‘You’ve been unconscious for seven hours.’

‘I just lack sleep. Now I’m good again.’ I answered as nothing happened inside my body. Frankly, I just felt all the pain the second I passed out, until now.

When I saw Galih was ready to move his hands to respond, I immediately told him, ‘Could you please take out the item inside my pocket, please?’

Galih looked confused. Without any argument, he immediately reached one of his hands inside my pocket jacket. Soon after he knew what he grabbed, some tears of joy welled inside his eyes. His face was getting red because of holding back the tears.

‘Is this for me?’ he asked.

I nodded, and that excitement, Galih wore that hearing aid on one of his ears. His eyes sparkled when he wore them.

“Can you hear me now?” I asked, again, with a soft voice.

Now I can see another spark lit on Galih’s eyes. ‘My God, your voice is even more melodious, Dad.’ his hands moved rapidly as he was truly excited about his brand new hearing aid.

I laughed. “Galih, I hope that you could hear many beautiful sounds out there. Hear all the kindnesses. Hear all the help.” again, I saw Galih’s eyes welled with tears. “That hearing aid would be very helpful for you.”

‘Thank you, thank you, Dad.’ Right after that, Galih hugged me. He managed to make me moan a little in pain as my wound was still fresh. We smiled at each other, and then my mom opened up her eyes.

“Oh, since when you two were awake?” she asked and walked to my bed. “My God, son, how are you? Last night must’ve been a terrible night for you. Are your wounds still hurt now?” she patted my shoulder and my arm.

I smiled at my mom’s old but beautiful and eternal face. “They’re still hurt, but I’m fine now. Nothing to worry about.”

Just like that, my mom’s face changed into an angry one. “How come?! Which mother isn’t worried about hearing the news of her child being beaten at night?” she snapped after a long time I’ve never heard that again, and it’s only 05.00 am.

I grinned with guilt. “I’m good now, Mom. It’s still 05.00 am, and you could wake everyone up this dawn.” and then, I glanced at my son, and smiled, “besides, Galih could hear you snapping at me.”

Of course, my mom did not believe it right away. “Don’t you dare joke in this condition, Kresno — ”

Right after that, Galih touched my mom’s shoulder, and said with his hand gesture, ‘It’s okay, grandma. Daddy will heal soon.’

And my mom’s widened eyes finished up that morning session.