LOVE YOU, UNCLE

“Ghea! What are you thinking, huh? During class, you seemed really down the whole time.”

Denisa, who had been observing Ghea’s movements from the beginning, appeared surprised. It was strange to see her cheerful friend now looking so solemn, as if she had a heavy burden on her mind.

Usually, if something was bothering Ghea, she would always share it. The girl didn’t hesitate at all to call or even meet Denisa in person to vent her frustrations.

“I’m feeling really stressed right now,” Ghea complained while repeatedly massaging her forehead. Her breathing sounded heavy, and her demeanor was that of someone under a lot of stress.

“Let’s chat in the library, shall we?” Denisa suggested.

The girl then got up, reached for Ghea’s wrist, and pulled her to move to a different place. They often did this when they wanted to have a heart-to-heart conversation; the library was more comfortable than the classroom or the cafeteria, which were often crowded with other students.

“Why? What’s bothering you? Are you feeling unwell or something?” Denisa asked, curious, after they had both sat down in a corner of the library.

“Do you remember the guy I was arranged to marry?”

Denisa rolled her eyes, trying to remember the name of the man Ghea had mentioned would be her arranged husband.

“Randy. Randy Walters, right?”

“Yeah, that crocodile cap playboy,” Ghea nodded weakly.

“Why, what’s going on?”

“The engagement is real, I’m going to marry him.”

Denisa’s eyes bugged out. For the first few seconds, it was clear that she was surprised. Then, in the next moment, she seemed as excited as if she had just won the lottery. It was hard to tell if this expression reflected happiness or something else. One thing was certain: Ghea saw her friend acting as if she had just won a prize.

“Oh my goodness, you’re the one who’s getting married, but I’m the one who’s so excited to hear it. This is like a dream come true, Ghea. Seriously, don’t let him reject you. When else can you become the wife of someone like Randy from our class? If you don’t want to, and if it’s possible to switch, I’d gladly take your place to accept him wholeheartedly.”

Ghea sighed. She wondered if her friend was “sensitive” to her current situation. She was the one feeling sad about having to get married so soon. After all, if she thought about it, she still had a lot of her youth left. And now? Ghea had to be prepared to bury her dreams if she really had to get married soon.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Denis. I’m the one feeling down here. And you’re the one who’s over the moon! Show some concern for your friend.”

“Why be sad? Why be concerned? This is a blessing, Ghea. It should be appreciated. Out there, many people wish they could be in your position.”

“Hey, just so you know, because of this arranged marriage, I have to be ready to get married very soon. Maybe next week or the week after, I’ll become someone’s wife.”

“What?!”

Denisa was taken aback, shocked. One sentence Ghea had just said made her react instantly. “Next week? Seriously, next week?”

Ghea nodded.

“Yeah, Denis. My ears are perfectly fine.”

“I thought you’d wait until you graduate to get married.”

Ghea shook her head weakly. Let alone denying it, she couldn’t even ask to postpone the wedding.

“That old man Randy actually persuaded my dad to speed up the engagement and wedding ceremony as soon as possible. Can you imagine, I’m getting married in a hurry, it’s like I’m getting pregnant or something. Seriously!”

Denisa, who was initially concerned, burst into laughter. It wasn’t because of any disrespect; she found it amusing to see Ghea’s clear attempts to reject this arranged marriage.

“Alright then, I guess. I’ll just accept it. Seriously, Ghe. This is your fate. Matters of love or feelings are easy. They can grow over time. Besides, Randy is handsome. How could you not be interested at all?”

Ghea let out a long sigh. She knew that resisting with all her might would be futile. Her stepmother had already given her a warning not to even think about backing out, let alone refusing the arranged marriage plan that had been meticulously set up.

“Whether he’s handsome or not, I won’t be able to back out of this arranged marriage, Denis,” Ghea said weakly. Her shoulders slumped. Even her earlier irritated expression quickly turned into a more somber one, as if she were bearing an extra burden.

“Why is that?”

“Ibu Suri has ordered me to go forward. You know I have no right to object. Besides, she deliberately supports Papa in this arranged marriage so I can get out of their house quickly.”

Denisa smiled faintly. She brought her hand and gently stroked the girl’s shoulder to calm her down and dispel her sadness. She knew exactly who Ghea meant by “Ibu Suri.” Moreover, she was aware of all the intricacies and secrets within Ghea’s life.

It was indeed a pitiable life for her friend. And Denisa thought it might be a good idea for Ghea to accept this arranged marriage in order to escape from what was essentially a living hell.

“Just be patient. If you do end up getting married, I’ll pray that you find happiness. Who knows, what you consider bad might turn out to be good in God’s version. We both don’t know what the future holds.”

Ghea just smiled in response and silently prayed for Denisa’s hope that her decision would bring happiness. Not a new kind of hell that she would have to face in her new life.

***

“Ghea!”

The call was quite clear as Ghea, who had just finished at the library, was crossing the campus parking lot. Turning to the source of the voice, she found the man who had been annoying her since yesterday, now leaning against the SUV he was driving.

Yes, it was none other than Randy. Ghea initially wanted to ignore him and pretend not to know. However, her intentions reversed when she took another step with indifference. Randy called out to her again, even making people around them turn to look.

“Darling… are you still angry with me?”

In front of a crowd, without any hesitation and in a nonchalant manner, Randy shouted that sentence. Immediately, Ghea turned her head and even ran a little, approached, and then placed her hand over Randy’s mouth to silence him.

“Uncle, don’t be crazy!” Ghea whispered, glaring at her interlocutor. She really wanted to hit the man in front of her because his previous words had undoubtedly attracted the attention of the people around them. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you making a scene? Besides, how did you even know I was studying here?”

Randy then brought his hand and gently removed Ghea’s hand from his mouth.

“I called you nicely. But you ignored me. It’s not difficult to find out where you study. I even know your phone number. If necessary, I can investigate your other numbers,” the man said while glancing at the girl in front of him.

“You’re insane! What do you want, coming all the way to see me like this?”

“I have something important to discuss with you.”

“What else do you want to talk about?”

“Let’s find a better place to talk. In a café, restaurant, coffee shop, or something like that. It’s not possible to discuss it here while standing like this, is it?”

Ghea didn’t nod. Instead of agreeing, she scanned Randy’s appearance from head to toe, as if evaluating him.

“No, I don’t want to go with you.”

“Why?”

“I’m afraid of being kidnapped.”

“Oh, Ghea. I won’t kidnap you. Besides, you might not even sell well with your skinny frame.”

For God’s sake, Ghea wanted to pinch Randy’s mouth for always talking so carelessly. In her heart, she wondered why there were men in the world who were as talkative and careless as Randy.

“Alright, don’t overthink it. We’re here to discuss the marriage. I promise it won’t take long.”

Ghea sighed lazily but eventually agreed and got into the car Randy was driving. They both went to a more comfortable place to have their conversation.

“So, what do you want to talk about?” Ghea asked when they were sitting calmly in a coffee shop.

“I hope you don’t have to waste any more energy rejecting our arranged marriage plan. Just resign yourself to it. Besides, you should be grateful to have a prospective husband like me.”

Ghea pursed her lips as if she were about to mock. Why was Randy so self-assured from the beginning and not losing that confidence?

“Why are you so insistent, Uncle? Are you not finding anyone else? Or are you so frustrated that no one wants to be your wife, Uncle?”

Randy squinted his eyes. He didn’t like being called unattractive. After all, there were many beautiful and sexy women out there lining up to be his partner, let alone his wife.

“I’m not unattractive. If it’s just a date, I can have one in a second. But because this is about marriage, of course, I have to be selective.”

“Well, why me then? Why not someone else? I’m sure your parents didn’t just suggest my name, did they?”

Randy nodded.

“That’s right. They even suggested several other women who are more beautiful, wealthy, and perhaps smarter than you.”

“Then what? Why choose me if there are better options?”

“It’s my choice. I’m not crazy, Ghea. The problem is, I don’t want to marry a man I don’t like.”

“Don’t play hard to get, Ghea. I’m giving you credit for your heart and feelings, it’s a new experience for me. Just so you know, I don’t have time to search or select other women to be my wife anymore. Among all the options, I honestly clicked with you.”

Randy was getting frustrated. He tried his best to persuade Ghea, but she rejected him with equal determination. Something was definitely wrong with the woman he was arranged to marry.

“Alright, relax. As we spend time together, you’ll eventually like me,” Randy continued as if he wasn’t satisfied with his previous explanation. “As the saying goes, familiarity breeds fondness. Maybe, after getting to know each other for a while, you’ll develop feelings. Besides, why wouldn’t you want to have a mixed-race partner like me?”

Randy continued to provoke. He used every trick in the book to make Ghea accept his offer. Moreover, was he so unattractive that Ghea wouldn’t even give him a second look?

“Sorry, Uncle. I’ve had a mixed-race partner before.”

“Oh, really? What was the mix?”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Half Indonesian, half scoundrel. Because he was a cheater!”

Randy wanted to laugh, but he tried to keep his image and just smiled.

“Don’t worry, if we do get married, you won’t have to change much. Besides, we both know that this marriage is not about more than formalities or pleasing our parents. If we do become husband and wife, you can still continue with your activities as usual. I won’t restrict you in any way. We can both maintain our privacy. If necessary, we can make a prenuptial agreement so that neither of us feels disadvantaged.”

Ghea was surprised by the final offer Randy presented. He offered to make an agreement, which she might be able to request or propose for the common good after they got married. Furthermore, she had no chance to refuse, as her stepmother had warned her to accept this arranged marriage. But because Randy had just made this offer, it might be a good opportunity for her to protect herself after the marriage.

“So, Ghea, what do you say? Don’t take too long to think, or my offer might expire.”

Ghea, who had been lost in thought, finally woke up. She blinked, and then nodded in agreement.

“Okay. I’ll accept this marriage proposal. But before we officially become husband and wife, I want both of us to make an official agreement about what you mentioned earlier.”

“Deal!”

Randy extended his hand, inviting Ghea to shake hands. “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to a notary. We’ll create a prenuptial agreement together. Tomorrow night, please think carefully about what you want to request. I’ll do my best to accommodate your wishes.”