SR3. 35. Laura's Disease
Aryan could only gently pat Laura's trembling shoulder. He was confused about how to calm his wife. Since returning from the hospital the previous night, Laura had been silent in her room. Aryan had been shocked by the results of Dr. Rahma's explanation that Laura had been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. This was the reason for Laura's recent abdominal and hip pain, as well as her occasional fever and nighttime vomiting. What pained Aryan even more was that he had been unaware of Laura's illness. Regret. That was the feeling weighing heavily on Aryan's chest now. He felt like he wanted to pound his own chest in frustration. His heart shattered as he looked at Laura's sad state, a promise to never make her cry that he had now broken.
"I'll get you breakfast first," Aryan said softly as he kissed the top of Laura's head before leaving the room.
Aryan walked to the dining room with a heavy heart. Instead of finding his parents there, he saw Ana, their maid, covering the dishes on the dining table, which remained untouched.
"Ana, where are my parents? It's past 7, and they haven't had breakfast yet?" Aryan asked, puzzled because by this time, they usually finished their breakfast.
"They're in the garden, sir," Ana replied politely.
Aryan made his way to the garden, which was on the left side of the house, to find his parents. He smiled when he saw Liana feeding her beloved koi fish, and Andre, who was affectionately embracing Liana's shoulder.
"Mom," Aryan called out, which startled both of them, especially Liana, who quickly wiped away the tears that had moistened her cheeks.
"Mom, why are you crying?" Aryan asked in a panic, glaring at Liana.
"It's nothing, dear. Your mom's just PMSing, you know how it is with young folks, right?" Andre casually explained, but his calm demeanor infuriated Aryan even more as he was left wondering.
"Dad, seriously, I'm asking a serious question, and you're joking around," Aryan protested, getting increasingly annoyed with his father's laid-back attitude.
"Aw, come on, son," Andre chuckled, provoking Aryan's frustration further.
"Is Laura having breakfast?" Liana asked, intervening before a heated argument could ensue between father and son.
"Not yet, Mom. I was about to bring her breakfast, but when I went to the dining room, it was empty, and you both hadn't eaten either. So, I came here. Well, I'll head to her room now.," Aryan explained and quickly excused himself.
"Aryan, wait. Let me bring Laura her meal," Liana suggested. Aryan stopped in his tracks, looked at Liana's eyes that seemed filled with sorrow, smiled, and nodded before walking over to his father, embracing him, and heading to the dining room together.
Laura stepped out of her room, leaving it spotless and orderly. She arranged her bed, neatly folded the blanket, and arranged the pillows that had been her companions through the night. Laura then turned off the room's air conditioner and opened the curtains and sliding glass window to let in some fresh air. She needed the fresh air to clear her mind. She was determined to undergo all the procedures recommended by the doctor, even though the thought of post-operative pain was daunting. She didn't want to see everyone who cared about her sad. The image of her mother-in-law, Liana, being upset immediately flashed through her mind, followed by the reactions of her family, especially her father. She didn't want to burden everyone with her worries.
Three pairs of eyes were still fixed on Laura as she descended the stairs with her usual cheerful demeanor. She wore white jeans paired with a navy blue T-shirt. Aryan had been scrutinizing her neat attire and then moved on to her makeup, which appeared subtle and natural, effectively concealing her pale complexion and swollen eyes.
"Dad, Mom, I want to go home. I miss my parents and my siblings. Is that okay? Besides, Ara isn't at home; she's attending the closing ceremony for her KKN, and Aurora has classes," Laura explained, reaching out to greet Liana and Andre one by one.
"I'll take you there. Just wait a moment while I change," Aryan said hesitantly, still captivated by the sight of Laura in front of him. He then quickly snapped back to reality and rushed upstairs to his room to change.
After a few minutes, Aryan returned, dressed and ready to take Laura home. Together, they left the house and headed towards Laura's parents' home, their hands tightly intertwined. The bond between them, tested by recent events, had grown stronger, and they were now more determined than ever to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
After getting ready, Aryan left his room with the car keys, Laura's jacket, and her medication. He heard laughter and cheerful chatter coming from the dining area, unmistakably Laura's voice. Aryan was still puzzled by his wife's sudden cheerfulness, considering that she had been silent and crying in her room since the previous night.
Aryan grew more concerned. Laura seemed to be masking her sadness, pretending to be her usual cheerful self, even though she had been in tears since last night. She was adept at deceiving everyone, but not him. His heart knew that Laura was trying to make others not worry about her.
Recalling the early days of their marriage, Aryan had initially viewed Laura as a woman who had approached him solely for money. Laura had indeed agreed to their marriage contract for financial reasons, but the money was not for herself; it was to support her financially struggling family. She was willing to sacrifice her own future for the sake of her family's needs. Imagine if it were true that they had to divorce after only eight months of marriage. At the age of 21, she would carry the label of a widow, a title often negatively perceived by society.
"Wear this," Aryan ordered, his gaze unwavering. Laura complied as Aryan put the jacket on her.
"Mom and Dad, we're leaving," Aryan said as he bid farewell to Andre and Liana. He then put his arm around Laura's shoulders, and they walked together towards the front of the house, with Liana and Andre following them to the porch.
Seeing their two children getting lost in each other, Andre couldn't help himself. He put his hand on Liana's shoulder and stole a kiss on her cheek. "Oh, you're such a flirt, Papa. Embarrassing us, we're not that young anymore," teased Liana as she pinched Andre's stomach, and they both burst into laughter. Memories of their youth flooded back into their minds.
Shortly after, Aryan's car left the house, making way for Andra's car, which had pulled up in the driveway.
The honking of Andra's car horn interrupted their laughter. "These kids are always disrupting us," grumbled Andre, but his smile was wide when he saw Baby Azka getting out of the car, dragging her small suitcase. Andre quickly stretched out his arms to welcome his beloved grandchild.
*****
"Honey, aren't you going to the office? I'm perfectly fine," Laura said as they sat in the car. Aryan glanced briefly at Laura before refocusing on the busy road ahead.
"You are more important to me than anything I have," Aryan replied, his left hand reaching for Laura's hand and kissing it.
"Don't worry about my work. I called Jefri last night to take care of it. I will always be by your side," Aryan explained, instantly warming Laura's heart and sending shivers down her spine.
"If you don't work, your savings will be depleted for my medical expenses," Laura replied with a forced smile. She really didn't want to burden her husband with her illness.
"My savings are more than enough to meet all our needs until we grow old," Aryan boasted, making a joke although it was true. His savings were more than sufficient to cover their needs for seven generations.
"Oh, you're so arrogant. Remember, no matter how good we are, if we're even a little bit arrogant, heaven will reject us, and I don't want you to take me into hell," Laura teased, pursing her lips because her serious statement was met with Aryan's playful response.
Aryan laughed and kissed the back of Laura's hand. Sometimes, he missed Laura's playful side from the early days of their marriage, a side that never failed to irritate him.
"Just kidding, dear," Aryan replied and gently caressed Laura's cheek.
Before long, the car carrying them pulled up in the spacious yard of Laura's house. Johan, Laura's father, who was cleaning the yard, was taken aback by the sudden arrival of his daughter and son-in-law. Laura immediately rushed into Johan's arms, which surprised and raised suspicions in Johan. He quickly set aside his broom and returned Laura's hug. Johan then looked at Aryan with a questioning gaze, but Aryan just smiled and nodded in response.
Laura held onto Johan even tighter as he tried to release her. Aryan asked for permission to enter the house first to meet his mother-in-law, leaving Laura to reconnect with her father, as he knew Laura was closer to her father.
Aryan cleared his throat to shift Della's attention from the kitchen, where she was busy with spices. Della quickly washed her hands with soap, dried them, and then approached Aryan.
Now the four of them were chatting in the living room, but neither Aryan nor Laura dared to reveal the purpose of their sudden visit. The call to prayer for Dhuhr (noon prayer) sounded, and Johan and Aryan went to perform ablution (wudu) together before heading to the mosque.
As the call to prayer (iqama) echoed from the mosque, Laura began to feel nauseous. Unable to bear it any longer, she quickly rushed into the bathroom and vomited. Della panicked and followed Laura, massaging her neck as Laura emptied her stomach.
Della's face lit up with joy as she suspected that their sudden visit was to share happy news about Laura's pregnancy. She gently guided Laura to the sofa in the living room and then left Laura for a moment to prepare a warm drink.
The sound of greetings came from the front door as Nancy and Ricard arrived home together. They were shocked to see Laura slumped on the sofa with a pale face. They hurried over to Laura in a panic. Laura raised her hand to signal her younger siblings to be quiet as the pain returned, stabbing her abdomen and radiating to her hips.
Aryan and Johan heard the commotion as they reached the front porch of the house. Aryan panicked and immediately ran to Laura. "Nancy, please get the medicine from Aryan's jacket pocket in the bedroom," Aryan instructed, then embraced Laura. "Hold on, sweetheart, just a little longer, please," Aryan murmured as he rubbed Laura's back. Nancy, feeling both panicked and confused, rushed into her older sibling's bedroom to retrieve the medicine. Meanwhile, everyone else remained frozen in place, unable to move or speak.
Aryan helped Laura take her medication and then held her tightly until the pain gradually subsided, ignoring the bewildered gazes of the onlookers who remained silent.
"I'm sorry, Mom, Dad, Nancy, and Ricard. We'll explain later. Let Laura rest for now," Aryan explained and then lifted Laura's body, carrying her inside the bedroom. After 10 minutes, the medication took effect, and Laura fell asleep. Dr. Rahma had prescribed pain medication with a sedative to help Laura relax.
Aryan returned to the living room to meet with his anxious family. He shared all the details of the doctor's diagnosis. Johan slumped in his chair, Ricard quickly fetched his father's asthma medication, and Della and Nancy could only cry.
"So please, I need all of you to help me persuade Laura to agree to the surgery because it's the only way to prevent the cyst from growing," Aryan explained with a sense of relief after revealing the whole truth.