Soon after the taxy left, she pulled her belonging to the porch and knocked on the door gently. A frail looking man appeared from the door, smiled as he asked, "So late at night?"
She gave him a warm hug and said, "Yes, I bought an evening train's ticket. How's the boys? They are sleeping, aren't they?"
"Yeah, they went to sleep early this evening. Oh.. you bring home alot of stuff?" asked her husband as he tried to haul on of the luggages to the house.
"No.. no .. don't bother to bring them in, I'll do it later. I got some clothes for you and children. On the other luggages there are some books and toys too. Hows your health, love?"
"Mmmm... not so bad. Not coughing too much lately""That's good. Love, would you make me some a hot tea while I take care my luggages?"
"Sure..."
The husband left to the kitchen to make some tea for his wife. He was once a handsome, well-built and healthy man. He was loving, kind and full of prospectives, those were the qualities that made her to fall in love in the first place. They were married when they were both twenty three years old. In early marriage, they were happy couple and made a decent living by running coffee house's business. The presence of their two sons in tow made their life even happier. It was such a family form, everyone would dream of.
Eight years after their marriage, her husband began to suffer tuberculosis symptoms. From time to time, it didn't get any better and took most of their saving for madication. His body was getting thiner, weaker and no longer able to work in the coffee house. Made thing even worse, they had to sell their house in the city and moved to smaller place. Since then, the wife was the sole of the family, running the coffee house in her own. While the husband staying in the house and looking after their children as much as he could. Although their family had gone through alot of unpleasant time, their love remain strong and faithful as ever.
"Love... tea is ready" called her husband."Yeah.... coming!" answered the wife who just had finished putting the luggages into the living room."Mmmm... what a fragrance tea!" she grabbed the cup as she smile seductively and kiss him on the cheeck.
Then, they spent few hours for chit chat before they went to sleep. The night outside was quite as everyone was living in their profound slumber. It just now and then the couple could hear the commotion of the railroads when the trains were passing by.
"This is mine!" said the little brother."No, that's mine Papa said" said the big brother as he snatched the toys from his little brother.The little brother was screaming and crying loudly. The more he cried the more the big brother tried to annoy him. Until then their father came to the living room."Stop it you guys, if you can't sharing I'll take them away!""Noooo... Papa!!""What's going on?!" asked the wife from her room."Mummy...." the boys were running to their mother and she kissed them one by one."No,naughty boys in the house alright or there will be no present"
The wife led her sons to the living room. She told everyone to sit and be quite then began to tell alot of funny stories as she unpack the luggage full of toys and books for her sons. The house filled with laughter and joys. The boys were jumping around agilely. Suddenly, in the midst of their laughter the husband was started coughing badly."Blood! Papa is bleeding from her mouth!" the youngest son was screaming in panic.
"Love!!! Oh love!!! Oh no.. oh no...." the wife grab his husband onto her arms. She was trembling but somehow tried to manage to be remain calm.
"Go to your room sons, your papa will be alright" She held her husband and wipe all the blood in his mouth but he was kept on coughing and breathless. "Hang on love... hang on... we will celebrate Ied Fitr in few more days. You must be alright for me and for your sons too"
She laid him onto the couch and then she picked up the phone to call an ambulance. When she turned around her husband was motionless and more blood came out from his mouth. She was crying uncontrollably and calling for her sons, "Dany, Andy... come. Your papa is passed away, he is no more..."
"Mummy...Mummy...." the boys shaked her body and tried to wake her up.
"Mummy, wake up. Why are you crying?"
She then opened her eyes, her boys were on the side of her bed and there was no sign of blood before her eyes, she was curious. "Papa... where is papa?"
"He is in the kitchen, I think making you a cup of tea" answered her son.
"Oh, thanks God. I was only dreaming"
