83: C83 Chapter 83

C83 Chapter 83

ILANA

I was speechless. Never did I think that Reno would do such a romantic proposal in a beautifully decorated place under the stars at night. Above all, he did in front of my mother. It was as if my mother had anticipated this plan, it did not surprise her. She was calmly staying at her seat with a broad smile that her teeth were showing.

It was like a dream that I was too afraid to wake up. I hoped this nice dream would not fade away at the time I opened my eyes. But, he was real.

"Will you marry me?" he repeated. His trembling hands were holding a ring.

I could not deny that I still hesitated. Did he mean it? Reno had been so kind and caring especially for the last one month, how he came to the hospital, made changes to my mother's mental health. For my mother, he was like a therapy and a cure for her long pain. For me, as long as my mother was happy, that was more than enough. Besides, he had always been there in my darkest times since senior high school. Today, he proposed to me. His sincerity and love were all I needed in my life.

"I will," I responded. The ring circled my ring finger.

His face blushed with happiness. He jumped over joy like just winning a million-dollar lottery. I could not even calculate the word "thank you" he expressed. Meanwhile, I was just standing still, reassuring that this moment was not just my delusion.

"Thank you,"

"I lost the count of how many times you did it."

"What?"

"I couldn't figure out how many times you have said thank you."

"You know this is the happiest day in my life," he confessed. He got closer to me and held my hands. "You should know one thing. I have been in love with you since senior high school, in English class when you lent me your pen. That may mean nothing for you. For me, you offered me a friendship. More than that, friendship has turned into love ever since."

"You just confessed." Someone interrupted. We both turned to the woman in a striking red gown with her short hit who was just walking toward us, Vera. "So after ten years, you finally have e nerve to say how you feel about her. It is glad that you are not too late."

"Vera, is it you?" I ran after her. She stretched her arms and I flew into her big hug.

"Nice to meet you again,"

"I miss you."

"I bet you miss me not more than you miss Reno." I pulled myself off her hug. "I’m just kidding."

"How can you get here?"

"Vera and I set all of these." Reno joined us.

"Does it mean you have met Vera before? For how long? What didn't you tell me about her?" I protested Reno.

"Well, I don't think I will ruin the event I have planned. We should celebrate your engagement tonight." Vera excitedly spoke.

"Let me take you to my mother."

"Aunty, how are you? It's pleasing to see you again."

"You...." Ilana's mom furrowed her eyebrows trying to recall something. "You are Vera."

"Yes, aunty." Vera gave my mother a big hug. They cuddled for almost one minute. Then we continued the talk while having dinner.

"So, where have you been last nine years upon graduation?" Vera's question shocked me. "I tried to contact you, you didn't respond. You even rejected my call. I wished to tell you that had been admitted to University you applied for. And... what I wondered, someone, a man answered my call after I did it like seven or ten times. How could your hand phone be in someone else's hand?" I choked out, Vera passed me a glass of drink. "Are you ok?" I sipped the water.

“I was fine.”

"Ilana was kidnapped just before the result of the University entrance test was announced." It was my mother who spoke. Was she fully aware of what she was saying? Had she been recovered? "Her father, who is now in jail, sold her for his debt payment." I inhaled to solace my heart. My mother kept going. "Her life was sucked and that was because of her father." My mother burst into tears. I immediately reached out to her and pulled her into my hug.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I don't expect that you live a terrible life." Vera said while approaching us and hugging us.

"You have raised an amazing girl," Reno commented, still in his seat.

"Yes!" Vera agreed.1

"I don't want to ruin our dinner. Let's enjoy the food," I urged after I got back to my chair.

Tonight had been the best moment in my life. Unfortunately, it had to end very soon. Reno drove us back to the hospital. My mother has recovered. She might be allowed to leave the hospital in few days ahead.

Days passed. My mother's condition got better and better. She could do anything by herself. She started to talk a lot, greeted the nurse with their names correctly. Most importantly, she recognized me well. We often had a conversation.

The doctor just visited my mother. That gray-haired doctor informed me that my mother had shown so much progress. He recommended for my mother to check out the hospital tomorrow. I could not be happier and planned to take my mother to Bandung. Jakarta only lets us with bad memories. So, we decided to live in Bandung. I had notified Reno about it. Be never said no to me.

I packed my mother's clothes; mine anything we brought to the hospital. After everything had been fixed, I contacted my uncle to tell him that we were going to go to Bandung tomorrow. He was glad to hear the news. However, he could not make it to come.

Reno came earlier with Vera on the D-day. They had been waiting when my mother and I were done with checking out and the payment. We got into his car. And he drove the car away. We could avoid the traffic jam at this hour so the car devoured the road faster. On the way to Bandung, Reno's mobile phone was ringing. It was bit weird that he always smashed the reject button every time he got that call from the same person, named Alice. I had no idea who she was. It was not good to ask about the caller at this time. He was driving anyway. It would be disturbing to inquire about a woman name Alice. I could guarantee that it was a woman's name. Who was she? Did they have a special relationship? Those thoughts haunted me.

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