The Shackles of Love

"Miss Trisya, someone is waiting for you in the parking lot. To pick you up," the security guard name Anton said.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know, ma'am, a policeman."

"Robby?"

"Not Robby, ma'am… That," the security guard pointed to the car parked not far away. "Is there a problem, ma'am?"

Trisya shook her head.

"I…"

"That's my father…" Trisya interrupted. "Okay, I'm going home."

Trisya walked away from the security post towards the parking lot. She approached Richard's car.

"Trisya, ready to go home?"

"What's up?"

"I happened to pass by here… It's late and you're still at the campus. This area has been a bit unsafe lately…"

"Dad, you don't need to bother picking me up," Trisya opened the door and immediately sat next to Richard.

Richard smiled. It had been a month and two weeks since Trisya had returned. She had also started to get used to calling Richard "Dad."

"It's no bother, I just want to make sure my daughter gets home safely. Do you want to eat?"

"Something light."

"Okay."

"Oh, I might use Anugrah Hotel for my wedding reception. It's a great hotel."

"Wedding?"

"Robby said he's going to propose to me."

"What? Propose to you?"

"Yes… maybe he'll meet Dad as my stepfather."

"But you've only just met, right?"

"Almost four weeks."

"Isn't it too soon?"

"I'm tired of being alone all the time," Trisya answered flatly.

"Alright… If that's your decision."

Trisya's phone rang.

"Hello… Yes, why? Oh… Okay, just keep it. I'll pick it up tomorrow. Oh, but… I need it for work tonight. Can you wait a minute? I'll come and get it. Thank you."

"What's up?" Richard asked.

"I left my laptop in the room."

"Okay, let's go back to the campus."

"Dad, you don't have to take me. I can take a taxi."

"Even though I'm just your stepfather, your safety is my responsibility."

"I'm not a child. Besides, I'm used to doing everything myself."

"To me, you're still my daughter who needs to be protected."

Trisya was silent.

The car stopped in the campus parking lot.

"Why are you being nice to me? Don't you know I don't like you?"

"You don't have to like me to be nice to my own child. Maybe you're just my stepdaughter, but you're still my daughter from a marriage bond."

"I won't be long," Trisya got out.

A piece of paper fell from the folder that Trisya had been holding as she placed it on the car seat.

Richard picked up the paper. It was a painting that looked like it had just been finished by Trisya.

Richard smiled.

It didn't take long for Trisya to walk back to the car.

"Sorry, Dad, you had to wait…" Trisya sat next to Richard. "What are you holding?"

"Something from your folder fell out," Richard gave the paper to Trisya. "Your painting is good."

"It's just a simple painting."

"Is there anything else left behind?" Richard asked.

"No."

"Okay, where should we eat?"

"Just go straight home, Dad… I have some work to do."

"Have a little something to eat. Your brain needs nutrients. Wait a minute. My colleague is calling."

"Oh…"

"Yes, I'm outside… I'm going to accompany Trisya to eat. If I don't keep an eye on my daughter, she'll skip meals. Let's meet at Amir's place."

Richard put down his phone.

"Your colleague is looking for you?" Trisya asked.

"Yes…"

"Then?"

"Just meet at the restaurant."

"With us? Or should I just go home? I'll call Robby, he said he was going to come over."

"You're coming with Dad. Let's go to Amir's stall."

"But I can bring Robby, right? I'm afraid I'll be bored waiting for Dad and your colleague to talk."

"Okay."

The car stopped at a simple food stall. It was called Amir's Coffee Shop. It was simple but very crowded.

"Hi, Richard… Long time no see," a middle-aged man greeted him.

He was the owner of the stall, everyone called him Amir.

"Yes… There are a lot of cases."

"Who's this?"

"My daughter."

"Wow, she's grown up. I didn't know you had a daughter as beautiful as this…"

"I'm waiting for my colleague."

"Ardi? He's inside."

"I'll order fried kwietiau… Seafood. Trisya, what do you want?"

"The same as Dad…"

"I'll go inside…"

"Dad, I'll wait for Robby. He'll be here soon."

"No, no. Wait inside. Come on…"

Trisya followed Richard inside.

"Sir," Ardi greeted them when Richard and Trisya were at the table where he was waiting.

Trisya smiled at the man.

"Dad, I'll call Robby for a second, okay?"

"Okay…"

Trisya left the table.

"It looks like I'll have a son-in-law soon…" Richard laughed. "Where are the files?"

"Here, sir."

"Sorry…" Trisya, who had just finished calling, immediately sat next to Richard.

"Where's Robby? Still on his way?"

"He said he was on his way here when Renata called him… she said Renata's family passed away."

"What?"

"They were on their way to eat to celebrate Molly's engagement. But the car carrying them fell into a ravine…"

"Innalillahi…" Ardi said.

"Who was in the car?" Richard asked.

"Molly, Molly's mother, Molly's brother…" Trisya answered. "Dad, I'll go to Renata's place, okay? I feel sorry for her."

"Alone?"

"I'll ask Robby to come here to pick me up."

"I thinks it's better if you don't ask Robby to pick you up. Call Robby, tell him you're going to Renata's place with Dad."

"But why?" Trisya asked.

"Ardi, how did you get here?"

"With Bayu, sir. He went out for a minute."

"Tell him that you take me and my daughter to Renata's place."

"Yes, sir."

"Come on, Sya."

"I'll call Robby…" Trisya said, walking in front of Ardi.

Trisya smiled when she looked at Ardi again.

"Hey, why do I like looking at his eyes?" Trisya thought to herself.

"Renata's parents are gone, right?" Richard asked.

"Rena's mother passed away when she was in high school, and her father passed away when she graduated from university. Since then, Rena has lived alone. There's her family who lives here. Her father's brother and his children. But they're very toxic!" Trisya said. "They only look for Rena when they need something, but if Rena needs something, they never care. It's not about money, but about their concern."

"You're right. Once, when Rena had to be hospitalized, no one stayed with her at the hospital. At that time, as far as Dad remembers, it was Robby who took care of Renata," Richard said.

"Rena and Robby are pretty close, aren't they, Dad? They've been friends for a long time?" Trisya asked. "Dad… Does Rena like Robby?"

"Why are you asking like that?"

"Before I came back, they must have been very close, right? Because when her family passed away, she didn't call me, she called Robby. Even though we've been friends since elementary school."

"Maybe because Robby is a policeman," Richard answered.

"Really? But Robby is just a traffic policeman?"

"Don't be jealous of your own friend… They've been friends for a long time. It's natural for Rena to look for Robby when there's a tragedy."

"But I've been Rena's friend since I was little, and Robby is the man who's going to propose to me."

Richard looked at Ardi, who was driving the car.

"After this, I'll ask Robby to propose," Trisya decided.

"Don't do that, Trisya. You don't trust your friend?"

"It's not that I don't trust her, I just don't want to fail."

"We'll talk about it later… We're here."

Ardi stopped the car in the yard of Renata's family's house.

They hurried down to join the other mourners.