Leila Chudori - Home

“That’s how we do in Europe!” she said.

Everyone laughed and invited the others to sit down. The ensuing conversation revolved around the subjects of the demonstrations, the price of fuel which was slated to rise the following Monday, and the president’s upcoming trip to Cairo.

Retno noticed how flushed Lintang looked. “How have your interviews been going?” she asked her niece. “Have you had any luck?”

“It’s been much harder than I thought.” Lintang glanced at Alam and Bimo. “It looks like I’ll have to follow their advice and try to be more patient.”

“I’m sure it will work out,” Alam said with a smile. “If it’s difficult tying down the others, she can interview my mother first. That will be the easiest.”

“Your mother? That will be the hardest one, I bet,” Bimo joked. They all laughed, thinking of how prickly Alam’s mother could be with the foreign journalists who frequently asked to interview her.

As the others continued their conversation, Rama contributed little, somewhat miffed that his own conversation had been interrupted. Just then, the phone rang, and later Andini came into the living room.

“Hi, Lintang! Did you just get here? Your mother is on the phone,” Andini said.

“Is something wrong?” Aji interupted to ask.

Lintang waved her hand dismissively. “I’m sure she just wants to know how I’m doing. Don’t worry,” she said to her uncle, “Maman is always checking on me.”

Lintang stood and went to the telephone stand in the back. Alam and Bimo then began to talk of how all the university student organizations and NGOs in the city were united and ready to move. “Even the private universities have lined up: Trisakti, Indonesian-Christian, and Atmajaya,” Alam said, looking at Rama when he said it because Rama was an alumnus of Trisakti. Rama showed no reaction.

“Almost all of the universities are setting up free-speech platforms on their campuses to discuss the increase in fuel prices,” Bimo added as he stole a look at Rama as well.

Lintang returned to the room to join the circle with a serious look on her face.

“What is it, Lintang?”

“Maman called to ask about the news, but also to tell me that Ayah is having problems with his liver and that he’s refusing to go to the doctor. She wants me to give him a call.”

Aji gave Lintang a look of concern. “What’s wrong with his liver?”

“A few weeks back, Ayah collapsed at the Metro station,” she started to explain. “He went to the hospital for tests and had everything checked out, and they gave him some medicine to take.”

“And so?”

“He’s in out-patient care for now, but it looks like he needs to go back in again. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what’s wrong. I never saw the results of the tests, and Ayah refuses to talk about his health.” Lintang conveyed this news with a heavy look.

“Still as hardheaded as ever,” Aji muttered. “Well, I’ll give him a call. You three can have dinner here tonight,” he then added, looking at Lintang, Alam, and Bimo in turn. Then he stood and asked Rama to follow him into the dining room.

Once in the dining room, he reminded Rama what he had told him earlier. “Remember this, Rama: you have two choices.”

“I want to marry Rininta,” Rama said to his father. “And all I want from you and Mama is for you to be my parents.”

“And all I want from you is to be my son — to admit to being the son of Aji Suryo and the nephew of Dimas Suryo.”

Aji then went to the telephone stand, intending to call his brother.

“Wait, Papa!” Rama said loudly, stopping his father from picking up the telephone receiver.

Aji turned back. “Is there something else?” “I also came here to invite you to a dinner with Rininta’s parents.”

“When?” Aji asked with a frown.

“Tomorrow, Papa. For the whole family. I’m sorry it’s so sudden. They told me last week but I didn’t come before because…”

“Because you weren’t sure whether you wanted to invite your family,” Aji stated. He didn’t know whether to be angry, insulted, or disappointed. Maybe it would best if he could feel nothing at all. Wasn’t he already immune to emotion? Aji glanced at the calendar but all he could think of was that this was the end of a peaceful weekend. He took a deep breath. He knew that his wife, even if she were angry or upset, would still try her best to accommodate her son’s wishes.

“Ask your mother. I have just two requirements: one, that you tell them about us, and two, that Lintang comes along.”

“But, Papa…”

“Lintang will come with us. She’s family too!” With that said, Aji left Rama standing alone in his confusion. At the moment he felt it far more important to call his brother and persuade him to go to see the doctor than to deal with his son’s personal issues.

Rama bowed his head. How was he going to explain his family history to his girlfriend and her family before the next evening?

Aji pulled his van to a stop directly in front of a two-story house at the end of a street in the residential area of Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta. He didn’t immediately remove the key from the ignition. Retno, who would usually be checking her face in the rearview mirror before getting out of the car, this evening sat silently lost in thought as she twisted her wedding ring round her finger. In the back seat, Andini and Lintang waited for their elders to make a move. Through the front window, Aji and Retno could see Rama’s car parked directly in front of their Kijang van. Through the side rear window, Lintang studied the Priasmoro family home, an affluent-looking home with a large front yard, a water fountain, a high protective fence, and a watchman’s post on the corner of the street where the house sat.

“Well, are we going to get out?” Andini asked loudly.

Aji took a breath. “Can you see Rama anywhere?”

Andini pointed toward the house where her brother was standing in the front portico.

“Watch your tongue, Dini,” Aji said in warning as he turned towards his bright but saucy daughter.

Andini giggled and stuck out her tongue, causing her father to laugh.

The van’s occupants opened the doors of the van and got out slowly, as if there were chains on their ankles.

Rama, when seeing his family come up the walk towards the house, almost wanted to fly away, but he made himself stand in place. Next to him was his girlfriend, Rininta, who was dressed that night in long loose black slacks and a white satin blouse — a striking young woman with the beauty and delicacy of a smooth and flawless porcelain vase.

“Mama, Papa, this is Rininta.”

Rininta immediately took Rama’s parents’ right hands and kissed them lightly with her lips.

Andini and Lintang gave each other a questioning glance.

“This is my sister, Andini, and my cousin, Lintang.”

“Rama said you just came in from Paris,” Rininta said to Lintang.

“That’s right,” Lintang said, smiling politely.

“I’ve only been there twice, on trips with my parents to Europe,” Rininta said. “I look forward to talking to you,” she added amicably. Lintang smiled and nodded.

Once they had been ushered inside, the house, with its high ceilings, seemed even larger and more spacious than it had from the outside. Lintang felt like they were ants trapped at the bottom of a huge and empty upturned bucket. The quartet of guests stood in place, unsure if they’d be able to stop themselves from gaping at the large hanging chandelier overhead, falling over at the sight of the immense display of family photographs covering the room’s walls, or sinking into the soft plush carpet beneath their feet. But before Lintang could even to try to guess how rich Rama’s future in-laws must be, Mr. and Mrs. Priasmoro appeared before them and greeted them warmly.