Three days earlier…
Topan POV
Clack! Clack! Clack!
I had just stepped into the apartment when the sound of a chopping board echoed from the kitchen. It seemed Dewi was cooking dinner.
I loosened my tie and glanced at my watch. 6:25 p.m. I was home early tonight. Ever since Merry started living with us, I'd been making an effort to come home early and have dinner together.
Tap… tap…
"What are you cooking?" I asked flatly as I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of cold water.
Dewi had her back to me, busy chopping something. No answer. While drinking, I walked closer to the pantry.
"Ackhh!"
Huh?! Damn, I was startled and started coughing, spilling water everywhere. Dewi suddenly screamed as she turned around—
"Sssh… this crab!!! I was about to boil it, ughh…"
"Pfft—"
Dewi shot me a sharp glare. I couldn't help it—I laughed when I saw the tip of her nose turning red.
"Why are you laughing, huh? Do you think getting pinched by a crab doesn't hurt?! Hurry up and grab it, quick!"
I tried to hold back my laughter as I bent down, searching for the crab that had jumped off the chopping board.
"Is it there? It shouldn't have gone far…" she asked again. I just snorted softly, my eyes scanning the floor. That thing was good at hiding.
"Hold on, I'm checking—arrgh!"
Damn it. As I reached under the pantry, my hand suddenly felt clamped down on. And sure enough, when I pulled back, the crab had latched tightly onto my thumb.
"Oh my God, Topan, your hand—"
I stood up, carefully prying the claw off before tossing the crab straight into the boiling pot on the stove.
"Tsk… seriously, why did you pick such troublesome ingredients? Wasn't there anything else? Fish or chicken?" I teased while washing my hands at the sink.
Dewi walked closer, carrying a small first-aid kit.
"I'm bored, okay? Besides, Medina sent these. A whole box. We can make them our side dishes for the week," she replied.
I glanced over—and sure enough, near the balcony door were two white boxes stacked neatly. Medina—if I remembered correctly—was Dewi's close friend who ran a seafood farm in Jianju City.
"Give me your hand. I'll put some ointment on it."
I obediently handed my hand over. My thumb had already started to swell.
"That's karma for laughing at me earlier. And you didn't even look before sticking your hand under there."
I let out a low grunt as a cool sensation spread while she applied the ointment and wrapped my thumb with gauze.
"Your nose too…" I dipped my finger into the ointment and gently dabbed it onto the tip of Dewi's reddened nose.
She stiffened and looked at me. Our eyes met for a moment longer than necessary.
Thump
"Sis… I'm hungry… is dinner rea—OH NO, THE STOVE!"
We both snapped out of it at Merry's voice. Dewi spun around quickly and rushed to turn off the stove. The pot had boiled over, water spilling all over it.
"Tsk… if you two want to be lovey-dovey, go do it in the bedroom!"
We both looked away at the same time, embarrassed. I quietly cursed myself for the sudden pounding in my chest earlier. What was that about?
"W-what are you talking about! Who's being lovey-dovey?! I was just applying ointment to Topan's hand. Now wait a bit, okay? It won't take long—dinner will be ready soon," Dewi explained hurriedly as she went back to cooking.
Merry nodded and left the kitchen. I exhaled in relief and looked at Dewi's back again.
"Need any help?" I asked.
"No need. Go change your clothes. Dinner will be ready soon," she said. I nodded in understanding.
As I turned to leave, I didn't know what came over me. I gently brushed my hand over my wife's hair and leaned in close to her ear.
"I'm home," I whispered.
Dewi froze, the knife pausing mid-cut. I could feel her body tense—then slowly relax.
She replied in a soft murmur, and hearing it made me smile.
"Welcome home…"
Her cheeks were flushed, seen from the side like this. I chuckled softly and left the kitchen.
---
A few days later…
Today was the mediation hearing for Dewi's parents—my in-laws. The atmosphere in the car had been heavy the entire ride. Both Merry and Dewi were lost in their own thoughts, and I stayed quiet too, unsure how to start a conversation.
After driving for over half an hour, the car finally pulled into the courthouse parking lot.
The three of us got out. Dewi wrapped an arm around Merry's shoulders, and we walked inside through the lobby.
"I SAID LET GO—!"
Our steps halted at the shout. Ahead of us, Mommy Mira was struggling, trying to free her leg from someone's grip. Huh? Who was that?
"MOMMY!"
Merry was the first to react, calling out loudly. Our arrival startled Mom, and as we rushed closer, the words that came from that person made us freeze in shock.
"Mer… Merry isn't Andri's biological child…"
What was going on?
Everything—their past—suddenly became clear. Especially when Mom broke down in rage and deep hurt. I didn't hesitate to follow Dewi as she ran out of the building, chasing Mommy Mira into the parking lot. They both collapsed onto the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, and my chest felt like it was shattering along with theirs.
Hug
"Let's go home, babe. Mom, please… come home with us."
Dewi looked surprised and turned to me. I gave her a small, reassuring smile. Slowly, they stood up, and I guided them toward the car.
This time, I drove more slowly. In the back seat, Mommy couldn't stop crying and whispering in pain, while my wife could only hold her tightly, lending her strength.
Topan POV END
---
Cklek!
Topan turned his head as he saw Dewi stepping out of the bedroom. He hurried over to his wife. Both froze, unsure of what to say.
"Come here." Topan opened his arms a little. For some reason, he just wanted to do this. Dewi flinched slightly, but her eyes welled up, and she couldn't hold back anymore.
"I… I don't know… what to do… I… what should I do? Everything's too… hikss…" Dewi's face buried itself in her husband's chest. Her shoulders trembled violently. Topan understood. He really did. She had carried too many burdens on her shoulders for too long.
The man slowly, a bit stiffly, wrapped his arms around her. He would try to be her safe place.
"I… I'm scared… my family's falling apart… but, hikss… the truth is… their past was way worse than I imagined!"
Topan could feel the emotions behind her words.
He lifted one hand to gently stroke her head, and Dewi's tears fell even more freely.
"I'm here…Just cry… it's okay…" Topan murmured softly.
While the couple was still hugging, Dewi's phone suddenly rang. Both jumped. She quickly let go and reached for the phone on the living room table. She saw her father's name and immediately answered.
"Hello—"
"Dewi? Sweetheart? Where's your mom? I just wanted to tell you that Luna has passed away. I'm taking care of her funeral now—"
Bam!
The bedroom door slammed open. Mira's frazzled face rushed toward Dewi and snatched the phone from her daughter's hands.
"What did you say? Luna's dead? You're lying, huh?! Where's my daughter?! Where's Merry?!" Mira shouted harshly, clutching the phone tightly.
Dewi tried to calm her mother, who was being consumed by emotion.
"I'm not lying. It's me—"
The line went silent, then they heard the youngest sobbing on the other end.
"Mom… Mom? Hikss..Mama is gone…"
Mira froze, stunned. The phone almost slipped from her hand, but Topan quickly caught it.
"I need to go there…" Mira whispered. Her eyes glistened as she looked at her eldest daughter, and Dewi nodded.
"Okay, Mom. Topan and I will go with you too." Dewi looked at her husband, and he gave a short nod.
●●●●
A few hours later…
Twilight started painting the western horizon. The city was still blanketed in snow, but evenings in Florentia always had a beauty of their own.
Some family members had already left the cemetery, leaving only a few near Luna's grave.
Since earlier, Mira had been quiet, but her arms instinctively held her youngest daughter, who still sobbed occasionally.
"M-Mom, hikss…I can still call you Mom...right?" Merry's soft words shocked everyone.
Hearing that, Dewi stepped closer, embracing both of them.
"What did you say? You think we're not your family, hm? We'll always be your family!" Dewi said firmly, stroking her sister's hair with love.
Andri, Topan, Satya, even Ratna, who was still standing there, smiled at Dewi's words. Merry felt a little of her sadness lift. She smiled as her sister comforted her once again.
"Your sister is right, dear. We're still a family. Mom will always be your mom, Dewi's your sister. Dad too. We all love you, Merry."
Andri's words brought her closer to the three women who had been her world. She kept a little distance, smiling sadly as Mira refused to look at her.
"And I… I also want to sincerely apologize to all of you, especially you, Mira. Forgive me…" Andri said. This time, he had made a firm decision—he would no longer stand in the way of his wife wanting a separation.
"My mistakes probably can't be forgiven. Your wounds are too deep, right? If separating helps you heal, then I'm ready to sign the divorce papers," he added.
This time Mira turned and looked flatly at Andri, who smiled wryly at him.
Everyone there fell silent. No one dared speak. All the decisions rested with them. Dewi and Merry could only hold the tightness in their chests as their parents finally decided to separate.
"Alright. Let's get divorced tomorrow!"
TO BE CONTINUED…