Chapter 6 SIX

"How did it go? Did you go into Farah's room?" asked Salsa curiously.

Cairo sighed heavily.

"I did, but it's not that easy salsa. I also need to adjust with Farah first," said Cairo while opening his office suit.

"I know mas, but the sooner the better, how else do you want to get to know Farah? She's obviously good. She's from the village. She's also quite beautiful. It's just hard to make children," Salsa threw her husband's dirty suit in the clothes basket in the corner.

"What's wrong? Are you jealous that I've been with Farah for so long? Didn't you want this to happen?" the thinly bearded man asked sternly.

"Then if I'm jealous it's wrong? Who's the one who's hurting the most here, mas? I'm the one your mom always insults. Your neighbor, your brother that I'm barren. Am I not hurt mas? I'm doing this all for our own good. Who doesn't want to have children?"

"Never mind, I'm tired. What's the point of all this fuss anyway. I'm going to take a shower," Cairo irritably walked into the bathroom.

"Watch out if you fall in love with Farah," Salsa said softly, looking at her husband's back.

Salsa now waits for her husband to take a shower while playing with her cell phone. Looking at the cute baby photos. It made her want to have a little angel.

Now that Cairo had changed into his pajama shorts, he sat down next to his wife.

"Alright honey, don't pout like that," Cairo picked up Salsa's cheeks.

Salsa looked at Cairo's reddened thighs.

"What's wrong with that? What's that wound, mas?" asked Salsabila in panic.

"Oh it's okay, it's already better."

"It's better now, it's still like that. Why did you get hot water?"

"It was at Farah's house. She accidentally spilled coffee," Kairo replied casually.

"Oh so Farah, how is she so incompetent? I need to see a doctor for this," said Salsa with annoyance.

"No need, no need to see a doctor. Using cooking oil on it will also heal," said the man with a thin beard casually.

"What, cooking oil?" Salsa looked sharply at her husband.

"You're making it up, mas, this must be Farah's teaching, right? It's really disgusting. How can you use cooking oil and then apply it to your skin? It's really dirty,"

"Yes, it's not gross, after all, it's using cooking oil that's still clean. Fresh from the salsa packaging," Cairo said confidently.

"Yes, but still mas. If you're sick, go to the doctor. Take medicine or use ointment. This is using cooking oil instead. Let's go to a dermatologist tomorrow. I don't want our skin to be like that. It's disgusting," said Salsa, looking at the surface of her husband's thigh skin.

Kairo could only remain silent. Salsa was very different from Farah. Salsa overreacted to everything. It made Cairo uncomfortable at times. Salsa who often gets angry just because of small things. It made Kairo sometimes become bored at home.

While Farah was very calming. Making the eyes that see it become comfortable. Her polite speech and attitude made Kairo feel calm seeing Salsa. There was a feeling that he had never felt before.

***

"How's it going Farah? Is everything going well?" asked mama Sinta with a stern face.

"Yes Mah, everything went well," Farah seemed hesitant to answer.

"Don't call me mah, just call me ma'am. Because you're just a contract daughter-in-law. If you have children you will be divorced by my son. So you don't have to call me mamah. Just call me ma'am," said Sinta, a sixty-five-year-old woman.

"Yes, Mrs. Sinta. I understand," Farah, who was on the floor, nodded her understanding.

Suddenly Kairo saw it all.

"Mah, why is Farah sitting on the floor?"

"Uh, your daughter has come home. You're home early," Sinta pretended to be friendly.

"Farah, you stand up now," Cairo ordered firmly.

"What the hell Kairo. Let Farah sit there. She's not part of our family anyway. She's just your hired wife," Sinta said, looking down on Farah.

"You don't deserve to say that to Farah mah!" said Kairo angrily.

Farah sat on the floor because she was afraid of Kairo's anger.

"You dare to yell at mamah? How dare you Kairo," Sinta held her sore chest.

"What's going on?" Salsa came in with her make up glowing.

"Salsa, Kairo was yelling at mamah," Sinta looked up to see Salsa.

Salsa now sat down and hugged her mom who was on the sofa. Salsa stroked her mother-in-law's back.

"Mamah just rest in the room. I'll tell my aunt to make you a ginger drink so it'll be better," Salsa said gently.

Now mamah and Sinta entered the room.

"Are you alright Farah?" asked Kairo as he held out his hand for Farah to stand up.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault," said Farah, feeling bad.

"You can't talk like that Farah. I don't like seeing us treated like that. It's better if you just go home now. Do you want me to take you?"

"No need mas, I can go home by myself mas,"

"I'm sorry for the way my mom treated me," Kairo said with a guilty face.

"Yes, it's okay mas, anyway what your mom said is true. I'm only limited to your rented wife. I'll go home first," said Farah quickly leaving the house.

"Farah?" Called Kairo.

"Mas, we're going to the doctor now!" Salsa shouted a little. She deliberately said that. So that Cairo would no longer linger with Farah.

Cairo turned around to see Salsa who was now looking presentable.

"I just got home from work, I just want to go straight away," said Cairo lazily.

"I'll drive," Salsa immediately pulled Cairo's arm.

They now got into the car.

"I don't want to see your thighs like that. You are a successful businessman. If you're swimming with me, your thighs will show. I don't want that. It's disgusting, you know?"

"Who's watching anyway?" Kairo asked in surprise.

"Well, who knows, right? You have to heal that wound," said Salsa firmly.

Kairo was now silent. He complied with his wife who wanted to win all by herself. In the car, Cairo was still thinking about how Farah was humiliated by her own mother.

"I don't want to see Farah treated like that. I think I need to take action. I'm going to put an end to all this. I must be willing to divorce Farah as soon as possible. Sometimes love requires sacrifice. Maybe Farah isn't really my soul mate," Cairo said in his heart.

***