The Amazing Love, Patience of Love.
(A man who gets many surprises because of the patience of his love)
By: KhareenGanzorig
Sunday, 8:14 AM Jakarta Time.
Danny Widjaya got out of the cab, in front of a huge high-walled house, then he pressed the bell on the left side of the fence door. It wasn't long before he heard half-running steps from behind the wooden fence that blocked the view from outside. The fence opened, a middle-aged man appeared, with a friendly face welcoming Danny's arrival.
"Good morning, Mr. Danny," he greeted as he opened the gate wider.
"Morning, Mr. Parto." Danny bowed a little to Parto, the house butler.
"Please come in, you've been waited," Parto gave Danny a way before closing the gate again.
Parto led Danny to the front porch of the big house, where he saw an old man sitting and reading the newspaper, seen from his clothes as if he had just finished jogging.
He is Professor Suhardiman, a retired major professor of Social Psychology at Pitaloka University in Bandung City, but is still asked to teach as a guest lecturer at several universities across the country, in addition to filling out seminars that require his thoughts. He also owns large royalties of paid books, journals and scientific articles, which are the main references of lectures in many universities, especially on Human Behavior in Social Life. What is quite famous about him, for his colleagues and students, is that he is a accurate mind reader, so many of them are nervous and feel anxious when dealing or talking to him directly. You won't be able to lie to him at all. Despite that he often denies as a mind reader, he prefers to be called an analyst of human behavior. He said that human gestures always show the same meaning as they thought at the time.
Since before coming to this house, Danny has been preparing to control himself to minimize the possibility of Professor Suhardiman reading his moves, he doesn't want the deepest secret in his heart to be laid out when he's supposed to have a conversation with him.
Danny didn't come for him, but for his wife, a 40-year-old woman, principal lecturer of Social Psychology at Batavia University Jakarta, Danny's boss, Professor Merry Maharani Suhardiman. Danny's been her assistant for the last five years. Today, until the next two days, Danny will accompany his boss in a scientific lecture at two universities in Bandung. Just this time Professor Merry didn't use her personal driver to take her out of town, and instead asked Danny to help her prepare her lecture contents, and also to be her driver too.
Based on the their biographies, that Danny often read from the back of the book, which written by Suhardiman or Merry, they ages are 29 years apart. Merry was one of his students. Their major of study is Social Psychology, and so is Danny. However, their two daughters chose different majors, the eldest, Sabrina, took medical education in Britain, while her sister, Alya, in Bussines Management, in Germany.
"Good morning, Professor," Danny said as his steps were at the end of the porch.
The old man lifted up his face, stared at Danny for a while and then smiled cheerfully, showing his teeth to look intact to someone who's almost 70 years old. Only the hair is now only a little left on both sides and back, it's already bleached. He folded his paper and put it on a small table next to him, took off his glasses, and then stood up to greet Danny.
"Ah, Danny, good morning." Danny bowed to him before they shook hands.
"Please sit down, Merry's still getting ready," Suhardiman pointed to the empty chair across the table, before he sat back down.
"Do you still choose read print newspapers rather than online news, Prof?" Danny smiled at the newspaper lying on the table.
Suhardiman laughed.
"I'm a product of the past that can't adapt to such a thing." Danny laughed, trying to make up his defense so that his feelings are not read by Suhardiman.
"Sir, coffee or tea?" asked Parto who was still standing next to them.
"Coffee please, no sugar, thank you."
Parto nodded and passed backwards.
"Hmm, your taste hasn't changed yet. Do you still smoke?" Suhardiman asked.
"Yes, sir," Danny blushed, then immediately realized his defenses were down, but he felt it was too late when he saw Suhardiman laughing, and his eyes looked even sharper.
"Merry also still smokes, it's hard to tell her, Sabrina always gets upset if she comes home and smells cigarette smoke in this house."
Danny tried to maintain his smile, without commenting.
"I heard rumors about you, you've divorced...who's her name? Aisha?" he asked again.
"Yes,... sir." Danny tried to turn his eyes to the other way.
"May I ask, why?"
The question trapped Danny back face-to-face with Suhardiman.
"Oh, it's just not the usual thing that people hear about the reason for divorce."
Suhardiman laughed again before commenting on something Danny didn't expect, and that he was worried about.
"When Merry and I attended your wedding reception, we had to separate during the banquet, as the room was separated between male and female guests. At that time, I told Merry that it would be hard for Danny to survive his married life, and Merry agreed with my prediction. She even said that you must have super patience if you want your marriage to last."
Danny was momentarily silent.
"And I... didn't have that," Danny said carefully.
The Professor's laughter grew louder and louder, making Danny try not to look agitated by laughing too.
"If I'm not mistaken in my analysis, you guys went through it without love. Aisha, with her background and environment, she is not an ordinary person, she only has love for God and her parents. On the other hand, you still have a thing to one person, that you thought you couldn't reach, and just kept in your heart." Suhardiman's gaze was sharp, so Danny gasped. Had the Professor read his feelings all along to...?
"Morning, Danny," a soft voice from the doorway made them look together, safe by the bell! Professor Suhardiman's attention is distracted.
But it wasn't long, Danny was stunned to see who greeted him. He hardly recognized his boss, Professor Merry Maharani. It was the first time he saw her dressed so plainly and simply. She wears a light summer blouse, patterned on the island of Bali, and a knee-length jean skirt. Light blue tennis shoes, the same color as the skirt. Before this, she was always seen wearing a similar formal outfit that almost covered her entire body from legs to neck, the only difference being the color. Once he saw her wearing a kebaya at his wedding reception. This time, his boss looks twenty years younger, Danny sees her so beautiful even though she is 40 years old. Her hair, which is usually in a back bun, now looks like it was cut and shoulder-length, adding to her beauty. Danny almost lost self-control because for the first time she looked at him with a gentle gaze and smiled at him.
"Mor... ning, Prof." Danny stood up nervously and bowed.
"You've had breakfast?"
"Oh, I had breakfast at my place earlier, Prof. Uh... are you... are we.... ready to go?" Danny completely lost control and forgot about Suhardiman's presence.
"Not yet, I was going to offer you to have breakfast with me, in case you haven't," Merry smiled again, a smile that was warm, but made Danny's heart flutter.
Danny could only nod his head and sit back down. He immediately turned to Suhardiman, who seemed to be reading one of the folded sections of the newspaper, without his glasses, and... there was a faint smile on his lips.
What does that mean? I'm going to die
, Danny thought.
Then Parto appeared, brought a cup of coffee and placed it near Danny. Danny thanked him with a slight bow.
Danny was worried, because he was sure Professor Suhardiman would interrogate him again in his sneaky way, which could inadvertently read his feelings from every answer. Actually, Danny had already started to analyze someone's feelings from the way they spoke or behaved, he learned from Professor Merry, and... Professor Suhardiman was the expert, so he should have been worried.
"Dan, you know, besides her attitude that is disliked by almost all students, no one can survive being her assistant?" Suhardiman looked back at Danny after putting down his newspaper again.
Danny just nodded before sipping his coffee. Everyone at work, the lecturers, staff and especially the students knew Merry as a fierce Professor, cynical, arrogant, bossy, and almost never gave A's for every exam she gave. She was prone to cursing, never relented in an argument, and could always refute any criticism or suggestion. Most famous among her students were the words "Did you hear me, stupid?" that preceded her answer to every question on her lectures.
Yeah, no one could survive being her assistant for more than one semester. Danny became her assistant shortly after he got his master's degree, under her guidance. He broke the record by staying for five years now, even though Danny was like a dumb cow during that time, but he always tried to work as perfectly as possible for her. He had never gotten a smile from her, until... just a few moments ago. Usually Merry always showed a flat expression when they worked together or discussed about her lectures or materials.
Danny didn't visit his boss's house very often, only for urgent matters regarding work, and only on the front porch. Not once had he gone inside the house. During that time, he saw the atmosphere of the house as normal as a family. Occasionally he would chat with Suhardiman about general matters. Merry's attitude towards him was almost the same as her attitude at work. No smile, flat, and arrogant.
"Yes, sir." That was Danny's answer after carefully putting down the coffee cup.
"How can you be patient with her, even... It's been five years? While you can't be patient with Aisha, it hasn't even passed a year?"
Danny realizes that Suhardiman's question is a trap.
"The form of patience between both of that, I don't think can be compared, Prof." Danny tried to make a defense.
Suhardiman burst into laughter, Danny could no longer foresee the trap Suhardiman was directing at him, between his question or his laughter?
"I think, you have something in common with Merry." Suhardiman looked intently at Danny. "You both have hidden patience."
What does "hidden patience" mean? Danny began to break out in a cold sweat. He tried to stare back without sharpening his gaze. However, Suhardiman laughed again.
"You know, Merry has been patient with me for twelve years? And there are four years that she has to face to complete her patience."
Patience in what cases during it? What did his next sentence mean?
Danny was confused.
"You'll know soon, if you use your head." Suhardiman seemed to have read the question in Danny's head.
"
How could I know
?" Danny admired... in his head.
