The Most Beautiful Gift

"I wait for you in a roar, like waves hugging a rock, patient with dew to warm the morning and faithful to dusk in orange."

Haziya was full of emotion holding the tespack, her eyes turned to the ocean, tears rolled down her cheeks and the veil she was wearing. He was so impatient after coming home from the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test, he went straight to the bathroom after placing the bag carelessly on the bed.

"Alhamdulillah, O Allah, I have waited this long." His knees were weak, his body was shaking from the joy of getting answers to his prayers for almost a year. Allah has granted the groaning in the third of the night.

Haziya couldn't stop smiling looking at the two red lines. Her husband must also be very happy to hear this happy news.

Crack!

The door was pushed from outside. Haziya flinched from her seat, then stood up when the figure of her husband appeared.

"Bro, I...."

"Why haven't you cooked yet? The front room is so dirty, have you been sleeping since morning? It's already 1pm." Shabir chided Haziya with a question, his face strained.

Haziya could catch the anger in her husband's eyes, the man couldn't even see Haziya's damp face so blinded by emotion. Haziya immediately put the tespack in her shirt pocket then walked over to Shabir.

"Bang, don't be angry, please. Come on, sit down!" Haziya grabbed Shabir's hand and carried her husband onto the bed.

"Adek grab a drink first, for a moment." Haziya wiped her tears quickly before turning out of the room. She didn't want to get carried away after being scolded by Shabir at a time when the flowers were in bloom.

Soon Haziya came back into the room carrying a bag of food that she bought earlier after coming from the pharmacy. She had estimated that there was not enough time to cook because her husband would come home at Zuhur time. From morning washing clothes and washing dirty dishes, after that he rested for a while because he felt tired and also had cramps in the left lower abdomen. When he woke up, it was only twelve o'clock, he had slept for two hours.

Haziya intended to sweep and cook. However, his stomach felt so sore. After a few days of her menstrual cycle, she felt so hopeful when she had a dream in her sleep. Plus, when you smell a bedroom that has been tidied up since you woke up, your smell is different. Even though he had been sprayed with a distinctive fragrance that was routinely used, he still smelled bad. Haziya wanted to settle her curiosity so she went to buy a tespack. Tried to call my husband to let me know, but the number is off.

"It's a drink, Bang."

Shabir's face was no longer as red as before, he took the glass from Haziya's hand and immediately took a sip of water.

"Brother hungry? This is eating nasi padang, my sister bought it at the shop." Haziya handed him a plastic bag filled with food, but Shabir didn't take it either.

"You like spending money, not that I've bought rice and vegetables. Mom said the eggs are still there too. The tuna is in the fridge too."

Haziya listened carefully to her husband's words, she was no longer surprised by the arrival of her in-laws even though the house was locked, her husband's mother had a spare key. That is the reality, not only the building shop where Shabir earns a living supervised by his in-laws, but the house they live in also does not escape Bu Karni's eyes. Since moving here five months ago, Haziya's life has changed drastically. Day-to-day pressured by the rules of Mrs. Karni who lives not far from the hallway of their house.

"Eat first, Bro. I bought this from my pocket money. I didn't buy it for me." Haziya patiently unwrapped the rice and gravy and rendang typical of the field.

Haziya's stomach rumbled, even Shabir heard it when he had just eaten a mouthful of rice.

"Are you hungry too?" Haziya wanted to shake her head, but the tone of her stomach tightened. Spontaneously he chuckled as he touched his flat stomach, slowly starting to bulge in a moment.

"Our child is hungry. Wait a minute, son." Shabir's hand tightened on the spoon when he heard his wife's words.

"Did you say just now?" Haziya looked up, she smiled even more. Staring at her husband who threw a confused look made her even more tickled to laugh.

"Bro, I'm pregnant." Haziya immediately hugged Shabir, her laughter had subsided into sobs of joy. "I'm pregnant with our child, Bang."

Shabir was too shocked to hear the news, even his hands were stiff not returning Haziya's hug.

"Here, look, two red stripes!" Haziya exclaimed after letting go of the hug, immediately took the tespack from her pocket, and showed it to Shabir.

"Brother not happy?" Shabir shook his head, he didn't know how to express himself.

"Are you really pregnant?" Haziya nodded quickly over and over again, she could be relieved now that she would no longer receive scorn from her in-laws, sister-in-law, siblings, and neighbors as well as from those who knew her.

"You love to eat snacks, you don't want to get pregnant yourself, how can you get pregnant? Shabir just find another woman who is still fertile. Your wife is so thin, she can't give birth."

Haziya thanked her, from today onwards Mrs. Karni would not insult her again. She can rest easy as Shabir doesn't need to be polygamous.

"I went to the pharmacy, my stomach cramped, so I haven't had time to wash it. Sorry," Haziya admitted. Shabir held Haziya's hand, he also apologized for yelling at him earlier.

"Alah, I'm just pregnant and I've even neglected my homework." Bu Karni stood in the doorway, her spicy mouth greeting the two of them. Haziya sighed before turning around. He didn't know what to do with his father-in-law who loved to enter the house without permission, even daring to walk into their room.

"Still, if you're pregnant, you still have to be a useful wife," sneered Bu Karni sarcastically.

"Mom, she's just pregnant, let her rest for a while so that the womb is okay." Haziya smiled at Shabir's defense.

Mrs. Karni grimaced. "Keep pampering him, he will reason baby, womb. Even though he's lazy."

Haziya stood up, not wanting to have a debate with her in-laws. "Bang, I'm going to the kitchen first, okay?"

"You just eat first, I don't want our child to starve." Shabir told Haziya to sit back down. "Mom, have you eaten yet?"

Bu Karni did not answer, her face turned red, turned her face away and left the room. Haziya knew her mother-in-law was angry because Shabir denied what his mother had said.

"Bang, take Mother home," said Haziya gently, however she didn't want to be a dissident, even though her in-laws were not friendly with her, but she still had to respect Mrs. Karni.

"Okay, you eat it, you don't have to cook. Brother will just buy rice at the front stall."

Shabir reached for his motorbike keys on the nightstand, said goodbye to Haziya and followed his mother.

"Son, forgive your grandmother, yes." Haziya stroked her stomach before eating the delicious nasi padang.

"You have to be strong, kid. It's fine there, mama really wants to see you born healthy."

Haziya finished her lunch, then stepped into the bathroom to perform her ablutions. She has to sweep to keep her house clean when Shabir comes home.

'Dek, Brother directly to the store, yes. Have eaten at my mother's house and prayed too. You just rest, don't move much just yet. Don't think too much for the sake of our children.'

Haziya wiped her tears after reading Shabir's message. Although sometimes she has to be patient when her husband is influenced by the in-laws' instigation, she is now moved because Shabir is still thinking about his condition and the baby in the womb.

"Honey, we all love you."