I Know What You Did In Bandung

I Know What You Did in Bandung It's been five years today since mom passed away. My life was just my dad and I, and it was so flat until a guy came to my life. This guy is a sweet guy that I've been dated for two years. He's been a very good friend and a beloved one of mine. Yeah he's accompanied my sad time after losing mom. His name is Mark. I met him in a church a couple months after my mom died. We used to be friends, but we realized that we are meant to love each other. However, my happiness is not completed yet. I cannot be such a selfish daughter for daddy who's still sad towards mom. Daddy has changed a lot since mom's death. He prefers to be at his room doing nothing, that what I thought so until I accidentally found a photo in an old frame a year ago. He wasn't in his room at that time. He was walking "Miko". There were a beautiful young lady whom I didn't know who she was and right beside her holding her hand a young guy whom I similar with. He was daddy, but "Who is she?" I wondered myself. I've talked to Mark about this, and he asked me not to discuss about this. But it's been a year, and I often see dad gazing at that photo. I'm not mad at dad, but I'm just a bit upset and jealous. "Why the photo isn't the photo of daddy and mom instead?" I can't stop thinking of it. Five years ago today mom passed away, and today I just want dad to be honest and tell me everything. I look at a clock in the wall, and it's 08.00 a.m. I'm ready with myself, and I have cooked for the breakfast. "Sweetheart, I will be there in thirty minutes. You must have cooked yummy food," Mark texts me. I simply reply him, "Hurry up baby." "Knock knock... dad...dad are you inside?" I knock his room door, but there was no answer, so I open the door and there's no dad inside. There is only a tidy bedroom with maroon blanket covers it. I turn my eyes to the table beside his bed, and there it is I can see my parents wedding's photo. "Oh mom you're so beautiful," I come closer to the table. A pink glass box tied with a pink ribbon lays on the table. I can see some envelopes are inside it. "What a cute box, I want to open it. I must open it! " I'm thinking myself. I open the pink glass box carefully, and there are not only some letters but also some photos. The persons in the photos are my dad and that stranger young lady that I saw in the previous photo. "Who is she? Mom, don't you angry with dad? He had adored other woman while he was with you?" I talk to myself in furious. I can't believe I feel my tears are falling down right now. Then I see one photo there's a women with pink rose in her ear and my dad is happily smiling and there's written," Bandung, November 1983. I know you'll study hard there my man. I'll be waiting you here. Sincerely your best friend-Alma." In the same time I hear the gate is opening, and my dad is calling me "Ma...Alma." I put the photos back to the box and take one photo in my hand. I hurry myself up to welcome dad. I see Miko moving his tail to daddy's leg. He looks so energetic, and so does dad. I run myself to dad and give him a big hug. "Oh oh what makes you so interested to hug a sweaty old man like me dear? He smiles anxiously. I remind silent and keep hugging him. "Dad you are smelly, I'll let you to shower!" I try to make break the silent. He tries to object, but I push him to his room. "Ok ok you're a bad girl! Don't forget to take Miko to the stable, "He walks to his room. "Daddy looks happier today. I should be happy too," I'm thinking myself. However that fact doesn't make me happy at all. The jealous feeling a lady who has same name with me "Alma". "Oh who is she. Is she the reason dad gave me the same name like her? Did mom know it?" I furiously think myself. I take a seat and think in upset. I hear someone is calling, so I take my phone. "Dear, I'll be couple minutes late. I get stuck in traffic jam, I'm so sorry," Mark tries to explain. I say , "Ok take care!" The last word I hear from him is he is wondering why I'm not mad at him. I'm not in mood to be mad to Mark. I just can't stop thinking about that lady, the lady who took my dad attention for his entire life. "Oh what's wrong with me? Why this unknown woman drives me mad? Why dad?" Those questions are bothering my mind. I don't even realize if my boyfriend, Mark is already here. He is sitting next to me in silent and watching at me. I can see there are so many questions in his mind. It is just shown clearly in his face. But as usual he's always there for me, reminds silent until I tell him what's going on, so I just hug him. He knows there's something wrong with me so he just keeps silent until I take the photo of dad and the woman called Alma. "That photo? Again? And that's what makes you like this sweety? He asks me in very soft voice. I just nod and tell him, "There are also some letters. I can't keep quiet, I have to ask dad about this woman. I don't want to be suspicious all the time I'm tired." "Ok, we've gotta talk to dad. Don't be upset again. Don't let daddy see you like this," he cheers me up. I feel so relief and relax now. I ask mark to call daddy so that we can eat and pray for mom together. When he calls daddy out, I take some plates and prepare some other things for breakfast. ***** Daddy leads the pray, and seems so devoted. He says some words for commemorating the fifth year of mommy. "We will always love you here Elisa," he ends the pray. "Hmmmmm, why don't you take me some of the potato and the meat dear?" Mark breaks the silence. I take dad and Mark the meat and potato, and I myself eat the potato and the meat. It's too bad they don't taste so good. However dad and Mark seems enjoying them a lot. ***** "Alma... Mark... why don't you sit in here with me?" Daddy calls us to come in scattered voice. Mark and I come near to dad and sit beside him. Mark sits near me and holds my hand so gentle. I look at dad's face and I can see some nervousness and tiredness in his old face. "It's been five years since your mom passed away. I know I have been hiding and mourning for a half decade," he stops for a while. "Keep going Rudy!" Mark adds I become so emotionally and can't hold my words. "Dad, I love you so much, but I love mom too." "What do you mean? I love her too," he answers I can see his red face which tells me that he is nervous and threatened. "If you do, then who is the pink rose woman in the photo? Who is another Alma? How come you did it to mommy?" I cry out Mark tries to calm me by caressing my shoulder. I can see dad's taking a deep breath. I know he just won't win against me. ***** I dressed so neatly on that day wearing a shirt and blue jeans. At least I think it was neat. I didn't even care if I looked neat or not. All what I care was I was going to meet my best friend Alma. "Yeah best friend, only best friend" I lied to myself. That day was my 17th birthday, the day that I wouldn't forget in my life. I stepped my feet from the orphanage and went to Sapu Lidi Lembang to meet my sweet Alma. I stopped in the florist and bought a stalk of pink rose. I smiled all the way along to meet Alma, and I could see some anxious eyes gazing at me. When I got to Sapu Lidi Lembang, I saw Alma was already there. It wasn't surprised since her house was near from there. She wore a very cute pink dress. As usual she always looked nice in her favorite color. I parked my old bicycle and ran to her. "Calm down Tom, what's the matter with you? You'll fall down?" she laughed at me. I just laughed at her back and thought myself how beautiful she was. I just got down on my knees and gave her the pink rose that I bought in the florist. She was surprised by it, but she turned her face from me away. "You don't like, do you?" I asked her in sad voice. "How come I like it if you'll fly to USA tomorrow?" she began to cry I stood up and wipe her tears, and I encouraged m self to hug her and to say. "I am sorry. That hurts me too. But I promise I'll come back home in four years." She was surprised when I hugged her, but then she said "Oh I am stupid, I'm sorry what kind of best friend I am? I am such a childish," she blamed herself. "Shhhhh, no you are not. I'm sorry," I broke the flower's stem and put the flower in her ear. "Rudy, can we take a photo together? I want this remembered!" she put out camera from her bag. ***** Daddy stops his words, and his face is so unpredictable. "So she was best friend and your lover as well?" I ask him. Mark keeps holding me and as it shows me to calm down. ***** "Bandung, here I come again, " I cried out at Husein Sastra Negara airport. "I will meet my Alma." I walked to the Sapu Lidi Lembang as we promised to meet. But when I got there I couldn't find her. I asked to everyone there, but no one knew. I tried to search her in her house, but it didn't look like her house anymore. It was actually "Ruko". "Oh where should I find her?" I shouted at myself. Then a man suddenly came near me. "Who are you looking for?" He asked me. "Do you know where the family of Alma Sustanegara has gone?" I asked him in big hope "Oh... that's a long story," he answered and asked me to follow him. There it was her name written in the gravestone along with her mom and her dad names written in the gravestones. I cried aloud. I asked for his explanation and what came from his mouth was only "The family of Sustanegara is being murdered by the Mr. Sustanegara business's rival." I decided to come back to USA and to never come back to Bandung. I got nice job and met your mom. I told to Elisa about Alma, and I told her that I could never forget her in my life. She decided to give you name Alma. ***** I come near dad and hug him. He looks so pale and sad. "So do you still love her dad? More than you do to mom?" I ask him "Well that's okay dad, and I am sorry," I add I do love Alma and your mom too. But I love my beloved Alma more that is now hugging me now. I smile and hug him tighter. "I think I won't disturb dad and his lovely daughter enjoying their moments," Mark pretends to say in jealous tone. "Mark you won't go anywhere! Come back!" I shout at him With giggling smile he winks his eye, "I am all yours my darling!"