06 Helping Dad

Author’s POV

Naomi stepped out of her house and met her father who was getting ready to go to sell mie ayam and bakso. 

"Well, today Naomi will join you, won't me, Dad?" Naomi asked very strongly, it could be seen from her holding Benny's hand as a form of her request. She wanted to join her father sell their wares together. 

"What about your work, is everything done?" asked Benny to which Naomi nodded,

"It's okay, I am free today," she said, and she immediately ran towards the cart that his father was supposed to bring. This time she took the initiative to push the cart, replacing her father who always did it.

Benny could only nod slowly as he followed his daughter who had already started to push the cart. The two of them walked hand in hand with Naomi pushing the cart.

Arriving at her father's usual place of selling, she wiped her sweat, waiting if there were buyers who would buy her father's wares. This wasn't the first time that girl had come along with her father to sell things like this. But indeed sometimes she has other jobs, so she does not often come with his father,

One by one buyer began to appear and it was getting busier, making both of them almost overwhelmed. Until the two of them started to rest when all the customers were already seated and enjoying their wares. Naomi imagines how tired her father was working alone when she didn't join in selling with his father. 

"Is it always swamped like this, dad?" asked her who was shaken by Benny.

"No," he said, trying not to make his daughter worry about him, "Starts tomorrow, Naomi will accompany dad selling until Naomi gets a job," she claimed to her father. 

Benny didn't look surprised because his daughter always act like this toward him, but this time he looked disapproving, “What about your freelance? Are you not freelance anymore?” Benny asked. He just didn't want his daughter to get too tired. 

“I can do it at night, no need to worry, well…” she said lightly without any burden. 

“Naomi…” Benny called, indicating his objection to Naomi's request. Naomi clenched her fists, determined that if she still wanted to help her father,

"I just want to help dad, can't I?" she asked as well she take her hand to her chest. 

Benny sighed, his only girl had always been stubborn, so he wasn't surprised by that. He understood that Naomi did everything because she was worried about him,

But Benny was worried about Naomi, what if she was too tired? What if her work could be delayed, and all her worries also came together? But seeing her unshakable determination, he finally nodded in resignation. Because no matter how he forbade Naomi, she would still refuse and force herself to come with him,

"But, don't force yourself to always go with me, promise me..." he said, which was nodded enthusiastically by Naomi. Like Naomi, Benny also smiled. Seeing his daughter's charming smile, reminded him of his wife who had already left them. He felt so lucky to have Naomi with him,

Besides Naomi being able to treat his longing for his wife, Naomi is also a typical girl who was not hesitating in terms of helping her parents.

While the two were still resting, a woman appeared to approach them. This woman wasn't a  stranger to Benny, because she was his customer who comes every day to buy his wares. That woman looked like a crazy rich woman, Benny wonder why did this woman interest in their wares? She can go to other pricey restaurants rather than buying their wares which is cheap for a woman like her. 

"Wow, there is a beautiful girl here. Is this your daughter?" asked a woman who approached them in a friendly manner. Naomi smiled and nodded to her,

"Ehehe, yes, auntie, I'll help you this time," she said, scratching the back of her neck.

What a humble personality.

So in Naomi's mind,

"Yes ma'am, she insists on going with me," said Benny who was elbowed by Naomi, without losing his smile to the woman,

"Well, that's good, it means that she is diligent," said the woman named Lina with both thumbs that she threw in the air,

"I'm into you, auntie," she agreed, supporting what Lina was doing,

"Of course, yes!" said the woman who saw it well.

"Oh I almost forget, sir, I want to buy all the bakso and mie ayam, okay..." she said. Naomi held back her pleasure with a smile that couldn't leave her lips. As for Benny, he frowned because Lina always bought up all his wares,

 "Is there any party or any else, ma'am? How come you almost buy my wares every day?” asked him curiously,  

"Um... My family loves your bakso and mie ayam, so I just bought them all so I can eat as much as I want hahaha," she said while scratching the back of her neck that didn't itch.

"What's wrong with you, Dad? Isn't good if this auntie whole buy everything?" she whispered to her father who had asked like that. Quickly, she immediately wrapped all of her father's wares. With the help of Benny, the two of them started to plasticize all the bakso and mie ayam which they later gave to Lina.

As soon as they finished, she smiled and gave everything to Lina. Lina also spent more money on both of them,

"Here, just make the change, okay..." Lina said when Benny was about to reach into his pocket,

"Again?" said an incredulous Benny. Lina was a customer who had also recently become a customer of Benny's. And every time she came, she used to buy Benny's bakso and mie Ayam. That grey-haired woman also often gave more money which she always did not receive change from Benny,

"Yeah... just accept it... I'm sincere," said Lina, who was nodded enthusiastically by Naomi. She looked at his father who seemed suspicious of Lina.

"Thank you, Aunt..." said Naomi politely,

"Okay, you are welcome. I had to go..." said Lina who started to walk away from them. After that woman was far from them, Naomi turned to Benny and folded her arms in front of her father,

"Why does Dad act like that? Wouldn't it be nice if someone bought our wares?" asked Naomi confusedly,

"I just don't understand. Every day she came, every day she also bought whole or our wares. If it's once or twice it's still okay, but she's done it more than 3 times," said Benny confusedly,

"That's good, so we sell our wares quickly," said Naomi without any suspicion, which only Benny could nod. Naomi looked around, there were still some people sitting and enjoying their food. She looked at his watch, it was already 3 pm which was too early to go home.

Finally, she chose to wait for some of the customers who were still eating and when no one else was eating, the two then rushed home.

Along the way, she pushed the cart with her father beside her. Today her mood is good because it is unexpected if someone buys up her father's wares until it runs out, moreover there was still time until the evening when she does her work for the deadline a few days later.

"What about your proposal? Has there been any news?" asked Benny breaking the silence that had filled their atmosphere.

"Hmm... today is the last day of registration, well... I also doubt that I can be accepted at that big company," she said languidly,

"Really? But no wonder... Seira's office is a great company in Indonesia," 

Naomi looked at Benny, showing her distrust of the CV she had sent. Louis Studios is a very large gaming company, of course, she has to compete with people who are more skilled and experienced than her,

“It's a big company, I'd love to get in there. But my competitors must also be very many and skillful," she said while looking down,

Her father drew closer to her and patted her on the shoulder to give her strength,

"I didn't force you to be accepted into that company. Don't take this as your burden, understand?" said Benny, to which Naomi nodded in understanding.

He's right, she shouldn't be depressed by what would be the result. Although she expected a lot, making it a burden would certainly torture her