Short story

An Expectation

Rindung Cahyono, S.Pd

 

One day morning in a City Park, there was an old man took a sit in the desk beside of the park’s fountain, he might had a great memory with the place. Like the days before, he brought a piece of paper in the right hand and a bunch of rose in the left hand. The old man looked so weak, his body was very thin and messy. He absolutely didn’t realize that he was 50 years old. Sometimes while mumble, he was dropping his tears and beaten his heart stronlgy. Once time, he red the letter again and again. Apparently, the letter was from his girl friend 20 years ago but he still kept it carefully. The old man took a look so deeply to the fountain in front of him, he met his girl friend for last time there, but before sparated they promissed that they would meet again in this place in the next.

The old man had a strong faith that someday she would back to him, so he decided to not got married with others. In his mind, there was only one girl that made him amazing in spent his life. He still remember when he tried to proposed her, but the the girl’s parent refused it because he just a poor man and had nothing, they argued that they had matched their daughter with another guy from rich family, they also believed that their daughter would be suffer if she get maried with him.

Tweenty years was not short time  for him in waiting his princess, he just lived alone in a small hut near the traditional market. He never cared about his condition, he only expected that God would bring his loving back. Suddenly the sky was dark and the rain came down, the old man didn’t care it. He was still in his desk while waiting a miracle would come to him. A few minutes later, there was an old woman came toward him and took a sit beside him, once more he didn’t care about it. He looked so deeply to the fountain in front of him. The old woman looked so sad, she was about 45 years old but her face shown that she had a spirit to survive and ex­pected something. Suddenly the old woman looked so confused, her body was trembling when the wind blowed into her tiny body.

Some hours have passed, both of them still there, the old woman looked so busy with something. In the right hand she held a piece of paper, she also took a look so deep to the flower in front of her. Apparently, she had a greatest memory with her loving. She remembered that her boy friend always gave her a bunch of rose when they had a meeting there. Once time she just smile but also droped her tears into the ground.

When the old woman cried, unfortunately the letter on her palm dropped into the ground under the oldman leg. The old man was sur­prised to know it, but he tried to take and gave it to her immediately. Before giving it to her, The oldman was so corious because he guessed that he recognized the written and signature in. He looked to the letter with full attention, he found the writer’s name was John Bulgary-London dated on 24 July 1985. The next, the old man asked to the old woman, “Where did U get it Madam?”, the old woman still enjoy in her silent. The old man asked her for second time “Where did U get it?”, He looked so angry with her. “I got it from my boy friend namely Jhon, he gave it to me 20 years ago before I left him. We met for the last time here, this park has been a witness of my love with him for 20 years”. The old man was trembling to hear it, “What is your bussiness?” asked the old woman to him. John dropped his tears and said “I think I know that guy, I can help U to find him soon”. “What are U talk­ing about, how do you know that he is still alive?” said the old woman courious. She looked to the old man deeply, she guessed that she recog­nized the voice.The old woman didn’t realize that the old man in front of her was the man who was being looked for by her for many years. “Why U look at me so deep?” asked the old man.

A courious was appear in their face, each of them had the same question on their mind, it was about their identity? They still afraid to judge it, they tought it was too early to take the conclusion. The old man stood and walked toward the rose plant near the fountain, then he picked a bunch of rose and gave it to the old woman. “What are U do­ing?” asked the old woman, “It’s okey Madam, I just want to present it for you because your loyality in waiting for him, U also remind me to her”, said the old man. “Actually I am same as you now, I have been waiting for my girl friend for many years, we often spent the great time in this place, her name was Marry and she was very worthy to me”

The old woman looked so con­fused hear about it, “I still kept one of her present to me before she left me”, said the old man. The next, He took something from his pocket and showed the thing to her.”It was her beloved necklace, she divided it into two parts and it was one of them”. The old woman surprised when the old man showed the necklace closer to her, she was trembling and said something that was not clear enough. The next she looked at the old man so deeply, apparently she tried recognize his face while expect­ing that she would know something. “What’s your name, I guess I know U!”, “My name is John and I comes from London but I live in a small hut around here madam” the old man answered. Suddenly the old woman reached the old man right hand, then she took something from her purse. “I have a necklace similar with yours, but another part was missing be­cause I had given it to my boyfriend before leaving him. I promissed to him that I would be back soon for him” add the old woman. Jhon just kept in his silent, then he took a part a necklace on her palm and tried to match it with his necklace part. They were surprised, the necklace could be joint to be one part and match, and then they just looked each other. “How come is it?” said the old woman, they were in their silent for a long time. Then the old woman asked to the old man “Are U Jhon Bulgary?”, the old man still in his silent but im­mediately he noods his head. “Are U Mary Ismawaty?”, Mary gave a little smile to him. “Yes Jhon, It’s me”!. Jhon was very happy heard it and then he reached Mary’s hands and embraced her immediately. “I have been look­ing for U for many years, I couldn’t believe that U are standing in front of me now”. “Thank you my truly God, You have sent her back to me”, Jhon said. Thirty minutes have passed, they still embraced each other and didn’t care although the rain came down. “Where are U during this time my sweetheart?” asked Jhon. “Deeply sorry Jhon, I had left U because my parents asked me to get married with Martyn. He was the son of my father’s friend, but after nine years lived with him, I couldn’t be happy because ev­eryday we just quarrel. He also very rude to me, that was the reason why I left him and try to find U because we had promissed that we would meet again in this place” said the old wom­an while crying. “Would U go home with me my Dear?” ask Jhon to Marry Ismawaty while begging down on her knee. Marry was confused, but imme­diately she answered “With Pleasure my Jhon” Marry answered it.

John held Mary’s hand very tight­ly, He promised to her that he would never let her get in suffer anymore. He brought her to his small hut near the lake, “Now we would live together here and always spend the time to­gether, continue our time but please don’t leave me again my princess”. Heard Jhon’s request about it, Mary just smile and said “I’ll never my Jhon, you have been a part of my life for a long time, when I left you that was my great mistake in my life, for many years I was in my regression.

Jhon and Mary finally got mar­ried on their old age, they never care about the age because they have been waiting for it since a long time. They lived in a small hut near the lake in out of city, everyday they spent their time together to threat the fish­es in that pond. Some years passed, Jhon and Mary still lived in their hap­pines. Although they didn’t have any children, they thank to God because in the end they could be united. They believed and have proved that their love strength couldn’t be destroyed by anything. Life is so mysterius, but as loong as we still have commitment and believe to the Power and love of our God, everything can be possible. Isn’t it?

.................The End.................