Destiny

The Little Boy's Birthday Party

Takkan pula c Don yg pigang bahu sya. Sya tingu dorg teda sdh sana d balkoni atas. Mangkali c Om tu tukang kebun Mr Liam. Mgkn dia mau marah sya p tapuk2 sana pokok bunga dia. I am thinking, shud I turn around or not? Pdahal palan2 sya toleh blkg sdh. Fuhh! Sya urut dada. Nasib sya baik, bukan c Om or Don. Senyum2 Iam tingu sya. Oh my putera hati WHY so hensem tonight?

‘What r u doing here? Mau main tapuk2 ka?’ Mau ja sya katuk tu kpla Mr Liam. Bikin jantungan seja. Palan2 sya tunduk, pungut tu paper bag. Xbrani sya balas pandangan dia. He look dazzling with his Pompadour haircut do. Sya fkr sya seja yg melawa, dia pun berhensem2 ah. No! He will make the other lady melting!
‘I almost kena heart attack u know.’ Sya cuba kasi tapuk debaran dlm hti sya. Sya jln dpn dia, dia hulur tgn lg. Sya xsmbt. I can walk by myself. Angkuh kunun sya bjln. Smpt sya kibas rmbt p blkg.
‘Bella..’ Mr Liam panggil sya lg.
‘Apaaa?’ Sya xtingu dia. Sya jln kasi limpas dia ja. Mcm sya kana suluh lampu ja, terang sdh skit td kn sya btapuk d tmpt yg glp skit. Dia tarik tgn sya kuat.
‘Arrhhhhh!!’ Sya hilang kesimbangan bdn. Gara2 Mr Liam laini. Sya tutup mata sdh. My hair! Lonad suruh jangan kasi rusak. Tp sya rasa mcm bdn sya terapung, xjd jatuh dtnh.
Palan2 sya buka mata. Dua2 ba tgn Mr Liam d pinggang sya. Mcm kmi mau menari Tango. Dia kasi tunduk lg tu kpla dia dkt muka sya.
‘You look gergous, Bella.’ Dia kiss leher sya lembut for a while. Sya gigit bibir, mata sya otomatik terpejam rapat. The feeling is just like enjoying the rhythm of the piano.

‘Errr thanks..’ Sya paut bahu dia, sya berdri palan2. Tgn dia masi d pinggang support bdn sya untk bgn.
‘I almost not recognize u.’ Dia pigang pipi sya. Thanks to Lonad.
‘You too, why so snazzy.’ Xtahan sdh sya mau puji dia.
‘I want to look equal with u, so no one will dare to look at you.’ Terketawa sya. Siapa juga yg mau sya ni?
‘In which terms?’ Sya saja mau uji dia. I know he will always has something to say.
‘In evry terms. How do u think I am? So people dont mistook I am ur uncle.’ Sampai begitu sekali dia fikir. Xpernah pun terlintas d fikiran sya bgtu. He think too much tis time. Sya xsuka dia fkr bgtu.
‘Iam..’ Sya bisik nama dia lembut.
‘What?’ Dia tingu mata sya terus jatuh d hati.
‘I love u just the way u r..’ Sya senyum smbl usap2 pipi dia. Even he is in his 30s I never feel a gap in our love. People said age is just a number. Kalau sya anggap jurang umur kami itu masalah dri awal2 lagi I wont fall for him.
‘I know.’ He kissed my forehead. Xbuli kiss lips, nti hilang tu magic lipstick sya hahaha
And why u r here?’ Sya tingu dia lg. Xsdh tu dub dap d hati sya. Pdahal bukan pun bru hari ni Mr Liam act sweet like that. Tp mlm ni mcm lain. I feel like this party is for us only hahaha
‘I saw Lonad car just now, so I keluar lah tgk. I can feel u coming..’
‘Bah jd kita bgnilah smpi bisuk?’ Sya paut leher dia smbl gigit bwh bbr sya.
‘I don’t mind.’ Dia kasi rapat sya lg d badan dia.
‘People look at us.’ Sya tingu sekeliling smbl tulak2 bdn dia. He even hug me tight.
‘Where? Nobody here. Only u n me.’ Dia kuis2 anak2 rmbt sya dkt tlnga. Why I love this man so much? Bilang tu hati sya. I keep on fall for him, hundred times and repeat.
‘Owen..’ Sya hmpr lupa. This is Owen birthday.
‘He is waiting for you. Jum.’ Dia kasi hint suruh paut lengan dia. Sya buat ja. We smile in love. Dia tulung pigang tu paper bag lg. I feel like I am walking with a prince charming.

Once the door open, all eyes on us. Ramai juga ni org. Mcm sya nmpk ada yg bisik2 sesama dorg. Tiba2 sya rasa xselesa. I think I know WHY.
‘You feel not comfortable?’ Mr Liam tnya sya. Mgkn dia perasaan air muka sya lain2.
‘A bit.’ Sya dongak tingu dia. I smile in a grin face. Tp sya masi paut lengan dia.
‘No worry I am here.’ Sya xtau mana Mr Liam mau bawa sya. Sya xmau peduli mulut2 yg berbisik mengata sya. Bukan pn sya minta beras dorang.

Kami pg sana laman belakang. Ada 10 table for 8 seat. Di tepi2 and corner ada cocktail table yg tinggi. Sana tu kana buat real party. Mgkn guest2 cit cat d dlm sementara tggu tu party start. Dari jauh sya nmpk Sarra sana pentas mini. Owen, the clever boy. The moment dia nmpk sya, laju terus dia blari p tmpt sya. Sya pakai heels ni, takkan dia mau minta dukung. But for him, I don’t think I care I wear heels or flip-flops kalau Owen mau minta dukung.

‘Mum!’ Owen paggl2 sya sdh. Beberapa mata tingu2 sya. Sya nmpk parents Mr Liam lirik2 kmi ja sana d corner minum2 sama guest lain. Ini xnampak mcm party budak2, its look like adult party. Where all his kiddo frens? I saw only few kids run there run here p ambil snack2 sana meja snack in evry corner d laman tu. I forget, Owen kan budak tua! Malar perasan big boy.

‘Owen!’ Sya membongkok separuh duduk terus kasi depa tgn sya. Terus dia gapus leher sya. Mr Liam tingu kami ja smbl senyum2. Sarra lambai2 sya ja dri jauh. Konpom dia yg jd hos ni mlm. Where is the guy with her just now? The Don, I cant sense his presence!
‘Got miss mum ka?’ Sya usap2 blkg dia.
‘So much.’ Dia kasi lepas pelukan sdh. Dia pigang kpla sya, dia kiss dahi sya. I feel so loved. Sya kiss pp dia dua2.
‘Happy Birthday my baby. Mum got present for Owen also from jie jie Nani and Lonad.’ Sya ambl hadiah dlm tu paper beg yg Mr Liam hulur dgn sya.
‘Thank u mum. Wats tis?’ Dia guncang2 lg. Smbl lumpat2 kcl. 
‘U will know later.’ Sya bdri sdh.
‘Now, put the present on the table there.’ Mr Liam suruh Owen letak tu hadiah d mija d ats  mini pentas.
‘Okay dad.’ Laju dia blari.
‘Owen is grown up so handsome.’ Senyum2 sya tingu Owen dri jauh. Sya nmpk dia pass tu hadiah dgn Sarra. Lepas tu sya nmpk ada budak kcl tarik tgn dia. Baru sya nmpk dia mcm budak2 skit.
‘Just like his dad kan?’ Mr Liam rangkul pinggang sya.
‘Perasan!’ Actually the answer is Yes.
‘Why so malu mau mengaku?’ Malu itu harus ada. Tp jgn kasi banyak2.
‘I love you.’ Sya bisik tiba2 d telinga dia. Terus sya tingu2 saaaaaaana, xtau d mana.
‘I love you too, always.’ Cup! Panas terus muka sya. Adakah dia p kiss sya dpn2 org bgni.
‘Your face is red, I think u r blushing.’ Dia senyum2 nakal.
‘Nolah, its blusher..’ Mau lg sya cover. Maka muka sya membahang sdh, malu2 kuceng.

‘I’ll be back..’ Mr Liam pigang tgn sya kijap then dia lepas. Sya nmpk Sarra lambai2 tgn sma Mr Liam. Mcm dia mau ckp something.
‘Ok..’ Sya senyum. Finally, I can be alone to enjoy the party. Bukan bah tp kalau dgn Iam malar tgn dia melingkar sana sini, segan juga sya. Sya p corner snack ambil jus. Tekak sya rasa kering sdh skit. Tonight full of peach colour for ladies and black suit for the gentlemen. Betul2 ni party teda tema kids mcm tu Superman ka or any hero yg jd fav budak2. Owen xsabar mau besar mengkali. Td pn baju dia kemeja hitam long sleeve with jeans. Rambut dia don’t say, mcm c bapa juga. Senyum sdri sya tgk gaya c Owen ni. Kecil2 sudah mau hensem2. Silap2 kecil2 jd rebutan sdh. Nanti sya tnya dia ada golpren ka x.

Sya teguk jus orange, sekali dua. Gulp! Skit sya tersedak. Sya tutup mulut, batuk2 sdh sya. Sya nampak mama Mr Liam senyum2 mcm mo dtg p tmpt sya. Mcm jantung sya terima panggilan kecemasan ja. Terlampau laju itu digdug digdug.

‘Hi..’
‘Issabella.’ Sya bilang smbl bls pelukan sma cheek kiss dia. Habislah! I shudnt say it. Kana tulak la point sya ni. Sya xmau bah dia fkr sya Emily lg. I don’t like it! 
‘I know..’ Dia bisik d tlnga sya, smpt dia tepuk2 blkg sya lembut. Mama Mr Liam ni berwajah lembut tp tegas.
‘Apa khbr Issabella? Or may I call u Bella? Pndk skit mau sebut.’ Dia pigang bahu sya sikijap.
‘Ya, sure..sya baik2 saja. Aunty? Uncle d mana, sya xnmpk pun..’ Dlu pn dia minta bnr mau pggl sya Bella. Sya tingu2 sekeliling lg.  Awkward btl sya rasa. Xtau apa mau cerita sma dia. Lain sya tingu, Mr Liam pula yg ngam2 d mata sya. Dia senyum2 smbl angkat ibu jari dia. ‘It will be ok’ itu yg sya buli agak dri gerakan bibir dia.
‘Aunty mengganggu Bella?’ Smbl dia tingu d tmpt sya tingu. Cpt2 Mr Liam kasi alih pndgn tmpt lain. Tiba2 dia bckp2 sama tu guest. Pandai dia berlakun ah.
‘Err xlah aunty, sya….’
‘I know, its Iam kan. He is a good man, Bella. I hope u can help me look after him from time being.’ Mama Mr Liam terus potong ckp sya. Ya, Iam miming lelaki yg baik, bapa yg baik juga. I think I earned my point back. Yes!
‘Ya. I will do my best aunty.’ Segan btl sya mau ckp bgtu sbnrnya. Apalgi mau mengaku yg sya syg btl sma Iam.
‘Jgn peduli apa yg org cakap. Ingat pesan aunty. You have my bless and support. I know, you are Issabella not Emily.’ Dia raih tgn sya then dia usap2 lembut. Punya sya terharu dgr mama Iam ckp bgtu. Berkaca2 balik sdh mata sya. Sya speechless.
‘Don’t cry Issabella, nti make up cantik kmu luntur.’ Dia usap2 lembut bawah mata sya. Dalam keterharuan sya tergelak kecil dgn gurauan mama Iam. Such a lovely lady!

‘Hi mother. I think I heard you mentioned my name!’ Otomatik kmi dua tingu empunya siapa tu suara. Sounds arrogant and rude!

‘Emily!’ Riak muka aunty Daisy berubah  (Iam’s mother name, lupa kasi intro). Merah.

Oh no! I feel a maleficent is losing her way to here and I hate it!