The Young Masters Replacement Bride

Alzena is now sitting pensively in the campus hallway.  In his hand was a piece of paper.  Alzena was silent as her eyes stared blankly.

 His chest felt tight.  He must immediately find money to pay the UTK arrears.

 "Is it possible for me to take a leave first? Where can I get this much money? Where can I find medicine for mother," muttered Zena.

 He seemed to take a deep breath for a moment.  Zena finally decided to take time off from college first.

 Zena got up from her seat while glancing at the clock on her hand, "It's already 12 o'clock, I have to go home immediately. The Koh Acong stall must be busy."

 Zena walked out of campus with unsteady steps.  In her heart, Zena felt lonely because on the large campus, she didn't have any friends.  Being a poor girl, Zena realized that she was unattractive to the people around her.

 Initially Zena had worked while studying, but since her mother, Halimah, fell ill, her life began to decline.  Apart from working, he also has to take care of all household needs and pay for college fees and his mother's needs.

 This situation makes Zena always late and even in arrears in paying UTK.  Zena went home using public transportation while thinking about how hard life was.

 When he got home, he immediately changed clothes then visited his mother who was lying weak in the room.

 "Mother, how was today?"  Zena asked softly while hugging her mother.

 "You're home, son?"  Halimah replied.

 "Yes, ma'am. Have you eaten?"  Zena asked, trying to think of a way to solve their problem.

 "Yes," answered Halimah briefly.

 "Buk, I'm going to the Koh Acong kiosk now, OK," said Zena.

 A feeling of worry appeared on Halimah's face, she said, "Be careful, son. I'm afraid, Koh Acong will mess with you."

However, with a glimmer of confidence remaining, Zena denied her mother's worries and said, "No way, Mom. I'll try to take care of myself."  Even so, Zena didn't know why her mother always had that anxiety when she was close to Koh Acong.

 Zena gently let go of her mother's warm embrace, holding back the emotion that was increasingly gripping her feelings.  With determination, he immediately said goodbye and went to the Koh Acong kiosk to start working part time.

 "Oh, is there something you want to deliver?"  Zena asked as soon as she arrived at the kiosk with unbeatable enthusiasm.

 "Yes. It's ready on the side. Don't forget, check the notes and items."  Koh Acong reminded him firmly.

 "Ready, Koh," answered Zena firmly, immediately turning around and making sure all the orders were correct.

 With quick and agile steps, Zena started delivering customers' groceries using Koh Acong's old motorbike.  He devoted all his energy to completing these tasks, until just before Maghrib arrived, finally all the orders were completed.

Accompanied by a cloud of evening smoke rising from Koh Acong's cigarette smoke above the kiosk display case, Zena approached Koh Acong gratefully, "Koh, that's all. Here are the motorbike keys," she said as she placed the motorbike keys on the display case.

 Koh Acong looked deeply at Zena and asked, "How is Halimah? Is your mother okay?"

 "Mother is good, Koh," answered Zena with a face full of love, trying to cover up her worry.

 "Hopefully one day I can treat mother and make her recover completely," Zena thought to herself, remembering her mother's prayers which always encouraged her.

 For some reason, when talking to Koh Acong, Zena felt very comfortable and relieved.  Not without reason, from childhood until now Zena has felt a father's love only from the figure of Koh Acong.

 Is this because throughout Zena's life she has always lacked a father figure, and Koh Acong was always there when Zena needed him?

 "Halimah is sick again?"  Koh Acong asked with a worried face.

 "Ah, no Koh. Mom is fine. I hope she doesn't get sick again. Koh, it looks like I'm going on leave from college. I want to raise money for mom's medical expenses," answered Zena.

 "You do your best," said Koh Acong wisely.

 That night, they chatted while enjoying tea, feeling warm and familiar with each other.  Without realizing it, it was time for evening prayers and the Koh Acong shop had to close.  Zena decided to go home.

 "Koh, let me go home first," said Zena.

 "Hey, here's pocket money. For you and Halimah, buy meatballs," said Koh Acong with a gentle face.

Koh Acong handed Zena a green bill, which immediately glowed.  Zena felt happy as if it were beyond measure.

 "Wow, I can buy mom a delicious dinner," muttered Zena with a big smile.

 Hearing Zena's words, Koh Acong also laughed out loud.  That's the feeling of comfort, relief and happiness that Zena always feels when she is with Koh Acong.  At least, there are people who care about him and his mother even though they are not related by blood.

 Zena went home feeling happy.  When he got home, he immediately washed his feet and hands in the bathroom at the back of the house.  After that, he met his mother in the room.

 "Mother. What do you want to eat tonight?"  Zena asked kindly.

 Halimah, who had closed her eyes, immediately opened her eyes slowly.

 "Zena, I'm not hungry. You eat first," said Halimah, lying.

 Actually, now he is slumped and helpless.  Halimah feels very down right now.  Only Zena is always beside him.

 "Okay, let's make it quick, let's just buy Javanese bakmi ahead," said Zena enthusiastically.

 "It's up to you, son," said Halimah.

 Zena immediately turned around and walked towards the Bakmi Jowo stall in front of her house.

Meanwhile, Halimah looked gloomy.  He was remembering his very painful love story.  That's the main factor that made him the success he is today.

 "Mas, if we were together, it wouldn't be like this," muttered Halimah.

 Halimah was hit by a stroke, and she couldn't even do anything alone.  He could only shed tears.

 So, in the morning, Zena prepared all the food beside the bed, there was a small table that was used to store food.  Meanwhile, to defecate, Halimah always uses adult-sized diapers.

 Meanwhile, Zena was turning around because she had already bought dinner for her and her mother.  Even if it's just a plate of fried rice for two.

 When Zena came home, she immediately took cutlery to eat together with her mother.

 "Mother, let's eat first," said Zena enthusiastically as she opened the package of fried rice.

 He also painstakingly fed spoonful after spoonful of g to his mother.  Halimah also felt very happy to be treated in such a way as her own daughter.

 "How lucky, I have Zena. Even though I had to lose her father, I am still grateful that I have Zena with me," thought Halimah as she enjoyed bite after bite that Zena gave her.

Zena finally decided to take time off from college.  Now he can focus on working at the Koh Acong kiosk from morning to evening.  Like that day, Zena was enthusiastic about working.

 Zena works very deftly and very actively.  Until finally, at noon Zena went home as usual to feed Halimah.

 "Koh, I'll go home first," said Zena.

 "Oh, be careful," said Koh Acong

 On the way home, Zena felt bad.  He started to speed up his steps.

 Zena ran home panting.  For a moment she didn't pay attention to anything around her, Zena's thoughts were only focused on her mother who was at home, alone.

 His anxiety was getting worse, "What is happening to Mother? Why does this feeling keep haunting me?"  Zena thought.

 As soon as she arrived home, without hesitation Zena walked quickly towards her mother's room.

 His heart was pounding hard, it felt like there was a pressing wind bringing unwanted news.  How shocked Zena was when she saw Mrs. Halimah's body lying pale and helpless on the bed.

 "Mother... Oh God, what happened to Mother?"  Zena shouted frantically, shaking Mrs. Halimah's body, trying to wake her up.

 But there was no reaction from his mother.  Panic increasingly overtook Zena, she immediately left the house to seek help from the nearest neighbor.  Tears began to flow freely, indicating the fear and pain that Zena felt.

 "Mother, Zena only has mother, don't go," he whispered to himself.

Not long after, Mrs. Halimah was taken to hospital with the help of neighbors.  On the way, Zena kept crying and begging her mother to be strong.  Upon arrival at the hospital, Halimah's mother immediately received emergency treatment, while Zena waited anxiously, sitting cross-legged in front of the emergency room hallway.