Novel Full Chapter 6 - Going Home
The long night had turned to early morning. The excitement around the streets in the middle of the capital began sinking into silence. A collection of stalls and street vendors that had been neatly lined up circling the streets of the capital city gradually disappeared into the earth. This was how life was in the capital city.
A car drove at full speed through the alley, across a fly-over, crashing into the capital's intersection in the early hours. Inside, there were a man and a woman who seemed to have just returned from their night routine.
Previously, Dimas was reluctant to drive Lisa home when she got drunk, but now he had to do it. Instead of letting his close friend be escorted by a strange man, he better delivered the woman himself.
Dimas could not understand what Lisa's mother would think if the woman was escorted by a strange, blonde-haired, blue-eyed man. It could be that Lisa was accused of being a naughty woman with no morality or whatsoever and would definitely get kicked out of her house.
Lisa was still asleep in the back seat of the car from getting drunk last night. Dimas was racking his brain in the driver seat trying to figure out what to tell Lisa's mother when he arrived. Even though he fully understood that it was not the first time his friend got drunk and ended up in the seat of his car, Dimas was always anxious and worried about Lisa and her family.
"Lisa you crazy girl, how come you don't think about the fate of your sick mother and your sister who is still in college?" Dimas said to himself.
The streets of the capital weren't as crowded as usual, so he reached Lisa's house in just half an hour. The car entered the slum area where Lisa and her family lived. The residential area was perhaps the oldest area in the capital and a somewhat shabby one compared to other residential areas. The road that brought Dimas' car to there also appeared to have holes in it and was not maintained.
Arriving at the house, Dimas carried Lisa who was half drunk and still asleep. The man was worried about the response of the neighbors who were still awake when he saw him carrying a sleeping woman. This was also why he was always reluctant to take Lisa home when she passed out from getting drunk.
Dimas knocked gently on Lisa's door so as not to attract the attention of neighbors who always wanted to know other people's business. Lisa was still asleep in his arms. Someone then opened the door not long after he knocked several times. As Dimas guessed, it was none other than Kumala, Lisa's biological mother.
The middle-aged woman looked worried to see her daughter lying limp. Kumala carried Lisa inside. Dimas was still standing in the doorway thinking about words that would be appropriate to say.
"Um, I'm sorry, Lisa seems to be stressed from working so..." Dimas said, trembling a little with worry.
Having not had time to continue his sentence, Kumala hurriedly interrupted, "Oh my God, why does it always end like this." Her voice was weak, there was a note of anxiety and concern in her words.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, for failing to look after Lisa." Dimas said softly, his voice conveying regret.
Lisa's mother was a widow with two children. Since she got separated from her husband several years ago, Kumala Setiani had to move and settle in a house that was not very livable. The Kumala family's financial situation did not allow her and her two daughters to live in a proper place to live.
Kumala was too old to work, especially after she was diagnosed with acute diabetes. Lisa's younger sister, Bella Soewandi was still in college and still had to focus on her studies. Lisa was Kumala's only daughter who became the backbone of the family even though her income was still mediocre.
"Since Lisa's father separated from me a few years ago, Lisa has often lost control. The money that should have been used to pay for this occupancy tax and other dependents was used for leisure purposes!" Kumala began to shed tears, "Really... I failed as a mother ..."
Dimas did not have the heart to see his friend's mother crying over her child's condition. She tapped Kumala on the shoulder, showing his sympathy.
"Mrs. Kumala, don't worry. I am careless and I don't look after Lisa well." Dimas said softly, "Next time I will pay more attention. Please just take a rest, I'm afraid your health will be affected if you're stressed."
Dimas still felt guilty even though this was not his first time driving Lisa home after she got drunk in the bar. He thought, Lisa got drunk because of him. The woman wouldn't have passed out from drinking if he had paid more attention to her.
True that he'd done his job as a bartender very well. However, if Dimas was able to limit the number of bottles of alcohol that his friend ordered, he believed with all his heart that Lisa would be able to bring her mother and sister a more decent life than they were now.
However, it'd also put his career as a bartender at risk. Limiting the amount of alcohol a customer ordered, right? Every bottle of alcohol he sold was a mouthful of rice to him! It was his sole source of income.
Dimas wanted to cry to see Lisa's mother who was now curled up holding back sobs. It was hard for him to look at a middle-aged widow who had to give up her career because of a serious illness, especially when she still had so many things that hadn't been paid off.
He could not imagine what he would do if he had the same fate as Lisa.. Maybe, he would also get drunk, especially if he was tricked by someone he loved and lost such a great amount of savings that he had worked so hard for.