My Sweetest Desire

20 : a painting

"Rare moments of Ivan calling me first, che bella sorpresa. What is it, Ivan? I know you have something to tell or ask me. Go for it, don't waste your words and both of our time. I have a lot of works."

"I need to talk to your father. Can you get him on the phone? He didn't answer my call," Ivan melangkah keluar dari biliknya ke balkoni. Tangannya diletakkan di atas pagar di balkoni.

"He.. what's going on? Why did.."

"I need to talk to him, Ilaria. Get him on the phone. Now," arah Ivan dengan tegas, malas hendak mendengar kata-kata daripada sepupunya lagi. Buat seketika, gadis itu senyap di hujung talian membuatkannya merengus. "Ilaria, please. Get him."

"Fine."

"Thank you," Ivan menghelakan nafasnya. Kepalanya didongakkan untuk memandang langit hitam sambil jarinya mengetuk permukaan pagar balkoni biliknya itu sementara menunggu Ilaria.

"Ivan."

"Uncle," Ivan berdiri tegak sebaik sahaja mendengar sapaan daripada bapa saudaranya itu.

"How are you, Ivan?"

"I'm fine." Ivan mengetap rahangnya. "I'm sorry for disturbing you but I need to ask you something," sambungnya. Tangannya mengenggam kuat pagar balkoni sebelum menyuarakan, "Did you hired anyone to take back the painting?" soalnya, nadanya kedengaran tegang.

"Yes."

Ivan mengetap rahangnya dengan kuat. "And did you ask whoever you hired to hurt or kill anyone who had the painting?"

"That's what your late grandfather ask me to do. Find the painting and get rid of whoever had it because.."

"For fuck's sake, are you kidding me?! I told you that I will bring that painting back and shut her up. What you need to do is just stay where the fuck you are."

"You've wasted so much time, Ivan. We lose the painting for almost 15 years and now we knew who had it. We can't risk having the painting tossed here and there again. You know how valuable it is for your father and if it's not for your mother, that painting could be one of the most valuable painting in the world!"

"That painting is hers. It's never dad's. She can do whatever she wants," Ivan mengenggam jari-jemarinya dengan kuat, membentuk penumbuk.

"That's what we know, Ivan. But people think it's the other way around. You know how is your father's reputation. He is that great painting artist and his painting costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars. He is that Nash Kyree. But of course that's before your mother left him."

"Just stop putting the blame on her. She left because he cheated on her. Not to mention he took the credits of all the paintings. You, I and everyone in our family know very well who is the real painter of those expensive painting."

"That's why we need the painting, Ivan. We can't let the outsiders know the real thing. If they know, you know very well what's going to happen to our family. To your father, specifically. So if you don't want me to take the painting with my own way, wake up from whatever useless things you are currently doing there and bring back that painting. And don't forget to shut her up. Do you understand me?"

Ivan mengenggam kuat telefon di tangannya. "I'll bring back the painting as what you all want. But listen, you do not hurt who had the painting now. Cause if you do, I'm going to kill you myself." Usai menuturkan itu, Ivan terus menamatkan panggilannya. Matanya dipejamkan seketika. Wajahnya diraup dan batang hidungnya dipicit, cuba menenangkan dirinya daripada amarah.

Ivan kembali membuka matanya. Dia tunduk memandang ikat rambut milik Arisha di pergelangan tangannya. Bibirnya diketap. Fuck everything, protecting her should be my priority now.

~

Lukisan abstrak yang tergantung rapi di dalam bilik kerja Arisha dipandangnya dengan tatapan tajam. Gunting di tangannya dipegang kuat, berharap agar dia dapat menggunakan gunting itu untuk merosakkan lukisan di hadapannya sekarang supaya lukisan itu hilang terus dari muka bumi ini.

"Ivan."

Ivan tersentak dari lamunannya saat mendengar suara lembut Arisha menyapanya. Dia menoleh pada Arisha yang melangkah ke arahnya dengan kerutan di dahinya. Serta-merta, air muka Ivan berubah tenang bila gadis itu berdiri di hadapannya. "Princess."

"Awak buat apa dekat sini?" soalnya. Matanya mengerling pada lukisan yang tergantung di hadapan mereka itu. "The exhibition is going to start in 10 minutes," tuturnya kemudian.

"Oh.." Ivan mengangguk. Dia meletakkan kembali gunting di tangannya di atas meja yang berdekatan dengan mereka. "Should we go then?" pelawanya.

Arisha diam sejenak, meneliti wajah Ivan. Dia kemudiannya memandang lukisan yang tergantung di dinding bilik kerjanya itu. "Awak nampak tertarik dengan lukisan ni. Is there anything wrong with this painting?" soal Arisha.

Ivan mengetap rahangnya, cuba mengawal riak wajahnya. "Nothing. I'm just curious kenapa lukisan ni satu-satunya lukisan yang ada dalam bilik ni," dalih Ivan biasa. Dia duduk pada sisi meja sambil meluruskan kakinya. Tangan Arisha ditariknya agar gadis itu berdiri di antara kedua-dua kakinya. Tangannya mengemaskan helaian rambut Arisha.

"Lukisan ni diberi oleh orang yang penting dalam hidup saya. She is the reason why I started to get into this life. She's my inspiration. That's why saya letak lukisan ni dekat sini. Sebab kalau saya hilang semangat nak melukis, saya akan tengok balik lukisan ni," cerita Arisha biasa. Tangannya memegang lembut tangan Ivan dan ditautnya jari-jemari mereka.

"So you won't give up on this painting? I mean, what if ada orang nak beli lukisan ni? At a good price, while at it," tanya Ivan berhati-hati, cuba menyembunyikan nada tegangnya.

"No. This painting is precious to me," Arisha menggelengkan kepalanya. Dia kembali memandang lukisan itu. "Orang yang bagi lukisan ni dekat saya tengah sakit."

Air muka Ivan yang tadinya tenang bertukar bila mendengar kata-kata gadis itu.

"Disebabkan penyakit dia, she doesn't remember me. So, this painting is the only think I can look at if I missed her cause everytime I look at this painting, saya rasa yang dia tengah tengok saya dan cakap yang dia bangga dengan saya," sambung Arisha lagi. Bibirnya mengorak senyuman kecil sebelum dia kembali memandang Ivan yang menatapnya. Keningnya dijongketkan. "Kenapa saya tengok saya macam tu?" soalnya.

"Hah?" Ivan menggelengkan kepalanya dan mengorak senyuman kecil. "Nothing. I'm just amazed with your beauty," ujarnya. Tangannya bermain dengan rambut Arisha yang jatuh melepasi bahunya. Dia memandang wajah Arisha yang bertukar kemerahan itu, mungkin kerana pujiannya tadi. Senyuman manis terukir di bibirnya. "Your cheeks are pink, princess," usiknya.

"Shut up." Arisha menutup pipinya yang terasa panas. "We need to go now, anyway. Kak Julia dengan Kak Airis mesti tengah tunggu saya," beritahunya sambil menapak beberapa langkah ke belakang. Tangannya mengemaskan gaun yang dipakai olehnya. Blazer yang dipakainya juga turut dikemaskan sebelum dia kembali memandang Ivan.

"Jom," ajaknya.

Ivan hanya mengangguk. Tangan Arisha diraih dan disatukan dengan tangannya. "Is your brother here as well?" soalnya sambil mereka menyusun langkah keluar dari bilik kerja Arisha, menuju ke ruang pameran lukisan galeri itu.

"Of course. Kak Airis kan ada sekali," jawab Arisha.

"I need to control myself to touch you then," balas Ivan membuatkan Arisha memandangnya dan tersenyum kecil.

"You sure does respect him."

"Because he's your brother."

•••••

che bella sorpresa (italian) - what a surprise