The first thing most people do when they are in trouble is to call the police. But it doesn't apply to Lisa. What she did when she got into trouble was to call Andien, as if the woman were her private police.

When Andien heard Lisa's request from across the phone, she asked back, "Lisa, are you okay? What's wrong that you suddenly want to move into my apartment? Are you in Jakarta now?"

Lisa fell silent on the other side of the phone. She hasn't told Andien about her pregnancy and plans to tell her everything over the phone but she is hesitant. Not having time to reply to Andien's question, her friend added, "Sorry, it's not like I don't want you to live in my apartment, I'm just wondering what your problem is. Don't you work in Bekasi?"

"It's really complicated if I tell you over the phone. I'll explain once I arrive at your apartment, okay?" Lisa replied hastily.

"Okay then, I'll wait for you in my apartment after work as usual," Andien replied firmly.

"Alright, thanks a lot Ndien. I'll be there in half an hour."

Then the call is closed. Lisa started packing her belongings and peeking out of the room, making sure her mother was asleep. After packing, she left a piece of paper with a small note on the dining table for her mother and ordered a taxi. Lisa didn't dare to wake Kumala just to say goodbye. After all, the two of them were not doing well.

From inside the room, Kumala was actually half awake. The middle-aged woman slowly got up from her bed and peeked. She heard footsteps in the dining room toward the living room. She had guessed that the person she heard in the living room was Lisa. They have not spoken to each other for a long time since Lisa told her about her pregnancy. The middle-aged woman didn't even care about her daughter, who suddenly walked out of the house without even saying goodbye.

Right after the front door was closed and locked, Kumala came out of her room. Her house suddenly became lonely. Lisa's room was empty at once. Then her eyes fell on a piece of paper Lisa left on the dining table, so she picked it up and read it.

"Mom, forgive me. I'll go and find another place to live but I don't know when I will be back. Thank you for taking care of me until this moment. I will definitely come back after I give birth to my child."

The letter made Kumala's eyes water in an instant. She crumpled up the paper she had just read, she would be lying if she wasn't worried about Lisa walking out of the house. Kumala felt so guilty because after all, Lisa was her own daughter. Her instinct as a mother makes their invisible bond stronger.

In her heart, Kumala really wanted to contact Lisa on her cellphone but she was hesitant. Her hand tightly gripping the cellphone, the anger inside her heart burned her even more. Every time Lisa leaves without telling her directly makes Kumala feel as if she isn't Lisa's real mother. Thinking of this, her anger was boiling even more. She put his cell phone on the dining table then returned to her room.

***

When Lisa arrived at Andien's apartment, she was warmly greeted by her best friend. But Andien was pretty much different— she wore a surprised face and locked lips as she looked at her best friend's belly.

How could she not? Andien hadn't heard any news about Lisa since they both separated. They are equally busy, so they don't have time to talk to each other.

"Lis, how come your stomach is so big? What's the story now!?" Andien asked, surprised and curious.

Lisa led her inside and sat on a chair at the dining table. She told Andien everything that happened while she was in Bekasi. Hearing her story, Andien was not surprised. 

"Oh, that damn foreigner! How could he try to divorce you but keep making you suffer like this!"

"I'm not heartbroken anymore, I swear it's okay now!" Lisa said dryly.

"What? You got pregnant with that bastard foreigner and now he doesn't marry you. What are you going to do? Do you want to be a single parent?" Andien replied, unable to hold back her anger. She really despised Oscar with every fiber of her being. It frustrated her how Lisa seemed to be okay with her current condition.

Compared to her, Lisa seemed very calm, her voice sounded heavy with a hint of sadness. However, it also had a tinge of happiness that most people could not easily understand.

"I want to give birth to this child, and I want to take care of this child alone!" Lisa replied firmly without hesitation.

"Lis, do you realize that being a single parent is really hard? I mean, if you abort your child, you still have a chance to marry another guy. If you gave birth to your child, I'm not sure if there's still a man out there who wants to marry a widow with one child like you. Let's think about the future," Andien said bluntly.

Lisa's mind was foggy, she couldn't think rationally. The problem is that the child in her womb has grown up and is ready to be born. Obviously she doesn't have the heart to abort it.

"Ouch, how come you suggest that to me? I know I might not get married after I give birth to this child, but I can't leave my child. I don't have the heart to abort this child! Why don't you understand how I feel?" Lisa argued, looking annoyed.

Andien rolled her eyes while screaming, "For god sake, Lisa! Look at your situation!"

"I know! Let's just say I have a tendency to be masochistic! So quit scolding me!" Lisa said casually.

"Oh I know what you are, you don't have a tendency to be masochistic. But you're the queen of masochists!" Andien replied bluntly.

That day, Lisa poured all her worries and feelings into her best friend, as if the woman was her personal waste basket. They talked all night long until they fell asleep.

***

The next day, Lisa got up earlier than Andien. She woke Andien and reminded her that she had to go to the office.

Lisa has to go to the doctor to have her pregnancy checked today. She got ready, put on her thick jacket and then went down to the apartment's lobby and ordered a taxi.

But she accidentally ran into a very familiar black Mercedes, which pulled over in front of her. The driver of the car then lowered the window and said, "Lisa! I'll give you a ride!"

"Do you know where I'm going?" Lisa asked in surprise. Her eyebrows knit together.

"Yes, you want to see a gynecologist, right? Come on, no need to spend your money for a taxi," said Rangga.

"You deliberately picked me up to send me there?" Lisa asked again, becoming increasingly suspicious of Rangga.

"Yes, your doctor said that your condition is special, so you need someone to accompany you. That's why I think it's better if you don't go there alone," Rangga said casually.

Lisa was about to refuse the curly haired man, but she had no choice. She also had to save money to take taxis less often.

"What's wrong? Instead of wasting money on taxis, I can give you a free ride. I'll even buy you a delicious meal!" Rangga said to convince Lisa to get into his car.

This man had a point though. Lisa then decided to ride with him instead of taking a taxi to save up more. She opened the front passenger's door and entered.

During the trip, Lisa looked at Rangga's face with giddy feelings. The man had always been nice to her from the first time they met. Rangga's good attitude, without realizing it, made her heart soften. She knows she shouldn't be careless because Rangga still loves her, but today, she is very touched by his kindness.

Regardless of how kind Rangga is to her, Lisa must not fall in love with him.. She doesn't want to deal with romance anymore, especially with a childhood friend like Rangga.

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