"Hi Brian how are we doing tonight?' I asked my regular coffee barrister.
"Baik Kak Q...what can I get for you tonight? The usual?...", Brian asked as he wrote my name on the paper cup. Q = Queen!
"Yes, the usual....how's classes coming along...?', I asked again and passed him my member card.
Brian punched my order and scan my card. "Kak thanks so much for recommending the new tutor. Senang saya nak faham Physics sekarang...". he replied and return my member card.
"Well, I am happy for you.", I said and smiled at him.
"Kak Q, you can collect your coffee at the end of the counter. By the way banana muffin is on the house.", he said and smile back at me.
"Wow....thanks Brian. On the house? Really? I hope it doesn't come out of your pocket.....", aku bergurau.
"Tak lah Kak Q, complimentary from our Manager....you are our regular customer....", Brian explained and gave a broad smile.
"Alright....thank you Starbucks.", and I gave a flying kiss. I walked over to the end of the counter to pick up my order. I left Emir who was next in line.
Credit to Video Lagend and You Tube
I found a table and placed my latte. When Emir finally joined me I took a sip. Just to show him I'm preoccupied. He took a sit next to me instead of my opposite.
"I nampak you bagi budak tu flying kiss..., apa cerita?", he suddenly asked. He open up his coffee cap. "You ada apa-apa ke dengan budak mentah tu....?".
"Apasal you sibuk....?", I answered feeling irritate by his interrogation.
"Apa yang you nak dari I, Emir...?", I asked. "What does it takes for you to leave me alone...".
Emir held tight his hot Americano. He took a deep breathe. "Do you still remember the truth or dare game we played when we were in Alor Setar? Now, I am ready to tell you what happened to my doomed marriage...", Emir bersuara.
Terkejut jugak aku....malam-malam buta macam ni nak buat confession. Layan saja lah......."I'm listening....", aku melirik mata ke kanan memerhatikan Emir. Eeee....benci!
He turned and look at me. "I had two failed marriages. The first was an arranged marriage by Mak Uda. I barely know her but was told she was pious and come from a respectable religious family in Telok Bagan. As I just returned from abroad and tak ada haluan hidup, I agreed just untuk tak menghampakan harapan Mak Uda. She hope I would be tamed and settled down. Kami disatukan and took her to live in Singapore where my next assignment took me. I had a lucrative modelling job and two commercial project which I can't turn down. You have to understand, I am married now, I need to support my wife, family.....", he explained.
I was anxious to know what happened next. "So....,?", I responded.
Emir was still looking at me. "Tak sampai dua bulan she changed. Totally changed. I blame myself because I was always working late and spent less and less time with my new wife. Sedik demi sedikit hilang kesopanan dia. Mula-mula pandai memakai make-up. Some days I had to travel on short notice for photoshoots. Then one day I return she was no longer wearing the hijab when we go out to dinner. I still didn't question her decision. She became more experimental with her appearance. Not the innocent looking kampong girl I saw for the first time. Why the drastic change? She dressed sexier to the point I as a male model felt violated."
Aku tergelak. Tapi aku cepat-cepat berdehem.....my heart blushed....and giggled, violated....?
"Then when I came back from another photoshoot, I caught her in bed with a man she met at a club in my house. She has been to night clubs and discos without my knowledge. So I divorced her. Frankly speaking don't mind her sense of fashion but sleeping with another man, how ever terrible I am as her husband,.....I surely don't deserve it.....".
He stopped and took a few gulps of his coffee. "Yang peliknya, tak sekelumit kuman pun I rasa cemburu when I saw her in bed with another man.
Aku diam dan mendengar kisah hitam hidupnya. "I am so sorry to hear about your marriage....have you any contact with her lately...? Is she okay?", aku terasa pedihnya.
"I ceraikan dia dengan talak tiga and sent her back to Mak Uda without any explanation.", he added. "Last I heard she is out and about in Singapore chasing the night life she crave so much."
"Wow....that's horrible.....", I uttered.
"My second marriage was to a female photographer whom I met in Hong Kong. Smart and beautiful woman. Asalnya dia seorang model but as one grow older, they tend to lose lots of contract. Faham-faham sajalah dunia modelling is very competitive. Instead she learn about photography and became a professional photographer. She produced high quality works and I became one of her regular model.
"I did not know that you were a model?", I said. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt...please go on....".
"Nah...it's okay. For my minion.....apa pun tak I tak marah....", he smiled broadly as he replied.
Then I turn and face him. "Can you stop calling me, minion? I tahu I am not an important person and it is not always I ikut saja apa orang suruh I buat....I bukan pak turut ya.....". I argued.
"Okay...,jangan salah sangka.....bukan macam tu maksud I....pada I minion tu ialah macam you. Cute, petite and adorable. Itu jer....jangan ikut sangat Oxford dictionary translation." he explained.
"I tak kisah apa explanation you.....stop calling me minion. I tak suka!", I stressed my point.
"Baiklah....no more pet names or name calling.", he agreed.
"Thank you!". I responded.
"Anyway, you nak dengar tak sambungan cerita I?", he was a little irritated that I interrupted his story. Aku mengangguk. "Sambung sajalah.....", aku buat-buat berminat untuk mendengar.
" Okay....,berbalik kepada my second marriage. We work together a lot and at the end we fell in love. Unfortunately being from a different race, religion and background, she find it hard about converting to Islam. Neither would I about converting to her religion, which was Buddhist. We agreed to register our marriage in Hong Kong and maintain our own religion. Somehow, Mak Uda and my family found out about our marriage through some online news portal and I kena marah kaw-kaw....", he stopped and had both palm closed his face.
"Malu sangat....tak terkata. What have I done .......I was so depressed and I had a melt down. I persuade Gina to convert just because I was under pressure. Obviously the marriage didn't last as she was not willing to change her religion. We parted ways and got an annulment. It has been a year and I am not looking.......around for now.....I just want to enjoy life and just be me....", he said.
"Hmm...interesting....your life.....tapi sampai bila you nak enjoy? Didn't you learn anything from all of your crisis....?", I query.
He looked at my with a surprised look.
"Maksud I, you had or have a successful modeling career...I don't know...just guessing....you travel and get to see the world......you dah kahwin dengan gadis melayu then kahwin dengan gadis berbangsa asing....live a comfortable life....so apa lagi yang you want in life? I bukanlah expert dalam hal-hal keagamaan but I rasa kalau you ada masalah you should pray to Allah.....maybe you can seek solace from Him....", I suggested.
I continued. "You ni jenis orang yang buat sesuatu dengan mengikut kata hati. In most circumstances you kena berfikir rational. Itulah kalau tak berpegang teguh pada agama...macam ni lah jadinya. Boleh jadi murtad tau....Eeeee baik you mengucap cepat....
"Hey I rasa pengetahuan agama I lagi dalam daripada you.....", he responded.
"I tak kisah.....at least I don't need Xanax to relax myself...", aku membalas biar dia rasa sakitnya kata-kata aku.
Kali ni mata dia terbeliak maybe he did not expect me to say such thing. "Wah...! ukur baju di badan sendiri okay.....I know what I am doing with my life...", he raised his voice.
I retreat and finish up my coffee. "Well, thank you for sharing your story with me. It's late and I am tired. Can I drop you off somewhere?", I asked.
"Kenapa? Tiba-tiba nak balik......you tak suka bila I cakap macam tu....?", he held my arm. He looked directly at me. Either aku dah mengantuk atau mata aku dah naik rabun....but he does look attractive.
"Kenapa you tengok I macam tu...?", he asked.
Aku mengelipkan mata beberapa kali. "Tengok you? Tengok you macamana...?', I asked him back.
"Nevermind....kita tanya dia....dia tanya kita balik....perempuan ni....sebenarnya pelik and so unpredictable....I tak boleh baca fikiran orang tau....", he complained.
"Excuse me...I tak suruh baca fikiran I pun....tak payahlah you pening-peningkan kepala you....!", I responded and laughed.
I just need to ask him one last question before I call the night off. "So you are a model ya....". I was so curious of his lifestyle.
He smiled and let go of my arm. "I was....once upon a time. Not anymore. I do get offers but I am more selective. I want to get away from all the hectic schedule and live at my own pace.", as he tapped his fingers on the table. "Can you drop me off at Dpulze? I left my bike back there....", he wanted to know.
Aku mula memperbetulkan rambut aku. Tanpa semena-mena Emir melirik jari jemarinya di rambutku. Aku terpaku dan hanya memerhatikan pergerakan tangannya.
"I'm really liking your company but it had to end. One date. That's all I was allowed....", Emir berkata.
"Excuse we, you and I agreed. That was it....only one date and we're done.", I replied softly.
"Q, I nak tanya you..., do you want to out again with me again? Cause I really love spending time with you....we have one life. Live your best life.", he uttered.", he said as his lips getting closer to my face.
Aku terpaku. Terasa kehangat nafasnya. "Emir...", I said. "I think this is not right. We should not be doing this.....".
Bibirnya menghampir telinga aku. Aku memejamkan mata kerana aku takut.....tadi aku tertawakan dia. Sekarang aku terpukau dengan kata-katanya......
"So, are you ready....?", he replied.
And I turn to face him......"Ready? Ready for what...?". I was waiting for his next move.
"Ready untuk hantar saya ke motor saya.....", he answered and laughed at my face.
I was stunned. "You ni kan memang sial tau. Suka mainkan perasaan I. Menyampah! Benci!", I replied and pinched his waist. "Cepatlah....I pun ada hal lagi selepas ini....".
"Imran?", he said. I hated when he brings Imran in our conversation.
"Suka hati I lah....I ada spare.....", I snapped at him and walked away.
Note : Pictures and images are for illustration purpose only and are sources from Google
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