SR3. 39. Seminar Proposal

Laura's proposal seminar went smoothly with an A grade, which made her more enthusiastic as she entered the final semester of her college. She only needed to complete the data from her research that she had already conducted. Anton, as her thesis advisor, was now more flexible with all of his supervised students, even though he had a busy schedule as a professor and head of the university's research center. Everything was scheduled, from the day, time, and location of the advisory sessions. If he had any sudden commitments, he would reschedule them at another time, ensuring that all his students for the year progressed smoothly, including leading up to their thesis defense in two weeks.

"Look at that belly, just like a balloon, Ara," Laura pointed out as she walked with Arabella towards the faculty cafeteria after their last thesis advisory session before the upcoming defense in two weeks.

"Yeah, it's like a balloon. It can expand and deflate," Arabella replied, panting as she held her aching back with her left hand and struggled to walk due to her swollen ankles.

"Hopefully, you'll give birth after our graduation, just like we promised back then. We'll always be together," Laura said, then reached for Arabella's bag to help her. She looked at Arabella's large belly with a horrified expression.

"Amen. My due date is in less than three weeks, but sometimes I feel like I want to detach my back if I have to walk a bit further," Arabella complained, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Let's go to Andra's office if you're tired. I can buy the food," Laura suggested, concerned. She didn't want anything to happen to her lifelong friend, especially since a few months ago, Arabella had been hospitalized due to dehydration and severe stress while working on her thesis.

Laura understood the situation well because Arabella's thesis advisor was Mr. Bambang, a senior and renowned professor in their faculty. Many students under his supervision took two semesters to complete their thesis, meaning they had to extend into their ninth semester. This was even more challenging for Arabella, who was pregnant.

"Good idea," Arabella replied briefly and then linked her arm with Laura's as they headed towards Andra's office.

As they were joking around, Aurora suddenly appeared and blocked their path with a troubled expression. Laura and Arabella exchanged glances and then laughed together.

"Hey, this kid is interfering with people's happiness. Most likely, she's confused about choosing between Reynald and Dev, the tattooed guy," Laura teased, earning a pinch in her stomach from Aurora.

"For me, it's definitely Dave. Mama and Papa chose Reynald, but I'm annoyed that Dave just gave up like that, even though I'm willing to elope with him," Aurora explained as she followed her friends, her hand resting on Arabella's right arm.

"Why do I feel like I'm walking between elderly guardians, held on both sides?" Arabella protested, but her two friends paid no attention and even tightened their grip.

"Remember, Ra, if you elope, don't forget to bring a younger officiator. It would be a pity if the older one got cramps," Laura teased, successfully annoying Aurora even more. Meanwhile, Laura and Arabella burst into laughter.

Annoyed, Aurora pulled her friends' hands, leading them towards an empty gazebo. She needed a listening ear, not more teasing.

"Can you help me convince Mom and Dad that Dave is a good guy? Even though he looks a bit rough on the outside, you both know he's a good guy. I mean, when I asked him to elope, he refused, saying he wouldn't marry a girl without my parents' blessing. It's frustrating," Aurora complained while ruffling her hair in frustration, and then quickly straightening it.

"Idiot. That means he's a good guy, not impulsive in making decisions like you," Laura replied, poking Aurora's head with her finger. Aurora sighed and rubbed her head where Laura had poked her.

"Right, Ra, just be patient. When Mom and Dad come, I'll try talking to them," Arabella added before their conversation was interrupted by a ringing phone.

Arabella checked her phone's caller ID and answered it. After a brief conversation, Andra arrived and joined the three of them. He then offered to take Arabella home. Andra squatted down and helped Arabella put on her shoes before offering to carry her bag. Aurora couldn't help but notice Andra's considerate actions, which always made her feel envious.

"Alright, Aurora, go home and don't hang out with that tattooed guy too much. If Anton catches you two together again, he'll make that guy regret it," Andra warned while putting his right arm around Arabella's shoulders and carrying her bag with his left hand.

"You're such an idiot," Aurora replied angrily and then grabbed Laura's hand, walking towards the student parking lot.

Laura could only comply with her friend's wishes. She knew Aurora needed someone to talk to right now. Listening to Aurora's story, Laura couldn't help but feel concerned when she learned about the difficulties Aurora and Dave faced in gaining Aurora's family's approval. People's thought processes were unpredictable, as were their judgments of others. Someone's physical appearance was not enough to determine their character. Laura knew that there were people out there who looked pious but had corrupt personalities, using religion as a mere facade.

"Aurora, I'm sorry if my question might upset you, but... has Dave's family found out about this?" Laura asked, studying Aurora's suddenly gloomy expression.

"I don't know, Laura," Aurora replied softly.

"Dave has never mentioned his family issues to me, but he did say that he's from Surabaya, his parents are still together, and he has a younger sister around our age," Aurora explained, her gaze fixed ahead, recalling the sadness in Dave's eyes when he talked about his family. Aurora could sense his sorrow from his eyes. Dave seemed to be shielding himself from others, and Aurora couldn't break through to him either.

Aurora appeared calmer when Aryan came to pick up Laura, and Laura was relieved to be a sympathetic listener, even though she couldn't provide a solution.

"Pray a lot and ask for guidance from God. If it's meant to be, it will happen," Laura advised before parting ways in the campus courtyard.

*****

Time seemed to fly by quickly, and the long wait of four years was about to come to an end with Laura donning her graduation gown. Tomorrow, she would participate in the dress rehearsal for the full graduation ceremony. This marked the beginning of a new, more challenging phase in her life as a full-time homemaker, as Aryan didn't allow her to work. Aryan wanted Laura to be the one to welcome him with a sweet smile when he came home from work each day.

Over the past few days, Laura had felt something strange happening in her body, making her uncomfortable. She was afraid to tell Aryan about it, fearing that it might be the return of her cyst, especially since the symptoms were the same. However, this time her stomach didn't hurt; it just felt tense, like sudden cramps when she was too tired.

Laura glanced at the drawer where she kept a pregnancy test kit. Riddled with doubt and fear, she hesitated. She didn't want to hope, as she feared that the result would only bring deep disappointment and shatter her self-confidence again. She had worked hard to move on from her strong desire to have a baby. She left it in the hands of the Provider of Sustenance.

She knew that many women out there faced similar struggles, perhaps even worse. "To test or not to test, to test or not to test...," Laura muttered to herself while counting her fingers according to the number of letters in her full name. It was a silly answer she usually trusted when she felt uncertain about a decision during an exam.

After a long silence, she stared at the drawer. Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged through her. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited. After emptying her stomach, she went back upstairs to her bed and took a mint candy from her bag. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and checked her menstrual cycle on the calendar. "Five days late, as usual," she mumbled in disappointment.

Laura had secretly set her menstrual cycle date in her phone without Aryan's knowledge. She didn't want Aryan to see her feeling sad when she wasn't pregnant, as Aryan had never brought up the issue. While their relationship had become more harmonious over time, Laura still felt that something was missing – the presence of a child.

Laura surfed the internet to distract herself from her anxiety. Her eyes widened when she saw Aurora's latest Instagram story. It showed a silhouette of a muscular man from the side with the caption 'His Love,' along with the hashtag D&A. Laura didn't expect Aurora to post a photo of Dave on her social media. Maybe Aurora's millions of followers didn't know Dave, but Aurora's family certainly did.

Continuing with Arabella's Instagram story, Laura saw a maternity photo of Arabella with Andra hugging her from behind, their hands interlocked over Arabella's large belly. Baby Azka stood on a chair, kissing Arabella's belly, with the caption 'Baby Girl, perfect family.' Laura's smile widened as she shared in her friend's happiness. Looking back, she felt luckier than Arabella. Laura had never experienced a lack of love from her parents, even though they led a simple life. In contrast, Arabella had gone through many hardships. So, Laura wondered if it was fair for her to feel jealous of Arabella's happiness, which was the result of her patience.

After satisfying her curiosity on social media, Laura placed her phone haphazardly and lay down on her stomach, covering her face with a pillow, hoping to fall asleep before Aryan returned home.

**Grrrrr...** Laura's stomach growled, interrupting her attempt at sleep. "I guess I'm hungry again because of that vomiting earlier," Laura muttered irritably, trying to ignore her hunger, but failing.

"You greedy little worm, you don't know when to stop, do you? You've become a parasite, asking for food again."

Laura quickly got up and headed to the kitchen. Bi Ana, who was cleaning the kitchen, looked puzzled by her employer's behavior. As far as she knew, Laura had lunch just an hour ago, and her bewilderment grew when she found an empty plate with rice, side dishes, and a bowl of fruit.

After satisfying her hunger, Laura returned to her room and immediately fell asleep.

**Click...** The bedroom door opened, and Aryan couldn't help but smile at the disheveled position of his wife's sleep. He undressed from his office clothes and cleaned up, deciding not to wake Laura, who seemed to be sleeping soundly. His original plan had been to return home early and take a shower with his beloved wife before his monthly guest arrived. Aryan knew Laura's menstrual cycle schedule by heart.

"Darling, wake up, it's almost 5:30 in the evening, and we haven't prayed Asr yet, have we?" Aryan said as he gently brushed the hair covering Laura's face.

"Hmm... still sleepy, Honey," Laura replied with her eyes closed.

"Do you want me to bathe you? I don't mind, I'll take another shower," Aryan offered, then gave Laura's lips a quick kiss.

"You're being sneaky," Laura mumbled, but then sat up. Suddenly, Laura hugged Aryan tightly. This kind of affectionate behavior had been making him want to come home early recently. "Bathe me," Laura whispered playfully, and Aryan's body tingled. Without hesitation, he lifted Laura's body into the bathroom, repeating the routine they had been indulging in every evening lately, filled with passion and tenderness.

*****

Aryan panicked when he realized that Laura was not by his side. He rushed when he heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. "What's wrong, honey?" Aryan asked.

"You feel warm," Laura replied while leaning against the toilet, looking pale.

"What are you feeling?" Aryan asked while covering Laura with a blanket.

"My head hurts, and I feel nauseous," Laura replied with her eyes closed.

"You should rest; I'll make some hot tea for you," Aryan said and headed to the kitchen.

Liana, who happened to be in the kitchen to get a glass of water, was startled when she saw her son boiling water in the middle of the night. "What's going on, Fan?" Liana asked, making her jump in surprise.

"Laura is sick, probably just a minor cold," Aryan replied while stirring the tea.

"There are some cold medicine in the first aid box; also, you can rub her body with eucalyptus oil," Liana suggested, and Aryan agreed.

"Alright, Ma, I'm going back to our room," Aryan said as he returned to their bedroom.

After Laura took her medicine, she quickly fell asleep in Aryan's arms. Laura's senses were overwhelmed by the calming scent of Aryan's body, and she couldn't help but take deep breaths, finding comfort in it.