Elegi Of Rose

But that night, she fell asleep in her room without bothering to try figuring out about her situation. She couldn't just ignore and avoid her husband for the rest of their months together because that would be stupid. By morning, Roy was busy in his office which was a relief for her.

She was about to call Rin for coffee when Herland called her.

"Hey," she said with a smile.

"Just wanna check up on you," her friend said from the other line. "Want to go visit Roni?"

"Uh, no. Sinta and Lis could be there and I don't want any more trouble."

"Well, as a matter of fact, I'm here with him and the two tigers are not here. They're out for a day or two."

"Okay, I'll be there in an hour," she said without further hesitation.

"Want me to pick you up?"

"No, it's okay. I'll drive," she said proudly.

"You can drive now? Oh, yes. I remember you climbing out of the driver's seat the other day."

"Of course. It's chicken. See you soon?" She clicked off before he could ask her if she already had a license. Of course she didn't.

She went to Roy's office and knocked.

"What?" his voice asked from behind the door.

Ayu opened it a crack and announced, "I need to borrow your car keys."

His frown deepened. "Where are you going?"

"The hospital? I'm going to see Roni," she said truthfully.

"You don't have a license. I'll go with you," he said, standing up and grabbing his crutches.

"It's okay. I can drive alone-"

"You are not allowed to drive my car alone for a month. You ruined my bumper," he reminded her as he took his jacket. "Let's go," he opened the door widely and walked past her--limped was more like it. Humbly and like a puppy that was deprived of a cookie bone, she followed him out the door.

She didn't have any more excuse to give him so she went directly to the driver's side and waited as he sat himself beside her at the passenger seat. Amazing how the fear and the claustrophobic feeling were gone like a bubble and she could breathe more easily. Well, not that easily when her husband was sitting just inches away from her.

"Why do you want to see him all of a sudden?"

She shrugged, "I just found out from Herland that Sinta and Lis were not there."

"But why do you want to see him?" his brows were already forming a straight line as he stared straight on the road.

"I want to know how he's doing," she said loudly. And I was hoping I could stay away from you for a little while.

"You should get over him," he said more gently.

She did not feel too defensive because she understood what he meant. He thought she was still hanging on to Roni. What a moron. If you only knew, she said dryly. "I'm over him," were the nearest words to I love you she could utter. "Then why the need to see him?"

"I thought I already told you the reason?"

"Yeah, I forgot. You feel responsible to what happened to him. And I also told you-among other people-that it was not your fault."

"I don't care. And Roni was special to me-he still is special to me-and I couldn't just leave him like that."

He did not answer, his gaze not leaving the road. She could sense he was trying to control his temper and she knew she had to keep her distance and shut up. Any words about Roni could make him burst in fury. When they reached the hospital, he followed her up to Roni's room and into the room when he found out Herland was inside.

Men, she grumbled.

"Hey," Herland greeted her, completely ignoring Roy. Her husband, already used to having no conversational relationship with her friend, except that one time they talked on the phone, found a seat near the door and sat down. Ayu wanted to laugh out loud, wondering how he felt being in the same room with two men who were special to his wife, one completely asleep and the other standing too near beside her near the bed. "He's still the same, isn't he?" Herland smiled.

She just nodded, looking down at Roni's face. She reached out to hold his hand.

"Hey, Ron, we're here to see you. Glad your sister and your best friend are not here though, no offense," she joked.

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"Hey, bro, did I mention to you she dumped me again?" Herland said, giving her shoulder a light tap.

Ayu frowned at her friend. It was weird to say something like that to Roni. Yeah, they were best friends but-anyway, he shouldn't say stuff like that even though Roni couldn't hear him. She was about to sit on the bed beside Roni when something weird and really shocking happened.

"Uh, Hern, is he supposed to be doing that?" she asked carefully, looking at Roni's eyes.

Roni looked undisturbed. "Sometimes, coma patients open their eyes. It's some kind of a reflex," he shrugged.

Ayu tried to ebb the hammering of her heart. That was scary! Roni suddenly opening his eyes was the first time for her but apparently, it was not... her thoughts halted as she felt something else.

"Uh, Hern, should he be able to grip my hand? Like he's really holding it?" she asked, looking down at her hand clasped by Roni' pale one.

"Don't joke something about that, Yu, it's not funny," Herland snorted anyway.

"I'm seriously serious," she said with growing anxiety. "Oh my God, Hern, his hand is moving!"

With her words, she saw Roy stand up and walked near them with his crutches.

"What?" Herland suddenly turned serious when he saw Roni' hand holding hers, then he brought out a penlight and checked his friend's eyes. "Roni?" he asked aloud. And as if he came out from nearly drowning, Roni opened his mouth and a tiny raspy sound escaped his throat.

"Oh my God!" Ayu cried out, her tears falling on their own without warning. "Hern, he's awake!" she smiled widely while crying. Herland grabbed for the buzzer and punched the button to call the nurses. He was too excited to wait so he rushed out the door and called at the top of his lungs.

Inside the room, Ayu covered Roni's hand with both of hers, and looked into his opened eyes. She laughed crazily, her tears running freely down her cheeks. She turned to her husband who was frowning with curiosity and seemed lost with what was happening and uttered, "He's awake! Roy, he's awake!"