Chapter. 1 New Life
It was four o'clock in the morning. The Sun was still immersed in its sweet dream. It was like the sunlight didn't want to show itself yet. Mike was still enjoying sleeping under his warm blanket. Mike faintly heard someone opening the door. Followed by sneaking steps that still made the wooden floor of his house squeak softly.
"One! Two.... Three...," Devina murmured softly, which brought a smile to Mike's lips. Because he could guess what his wife was going to do. It was exactly as Mike had predicted. On the count of three, Devina jumped on top of his body, which she thought was still asleep on the bed. "Come on, wake up Mike. Wake up!" Devina said, while tickling Mike's waist.
"Hahaha. Yes, I'm awake. Hahaha. That's enough!" said Mike, while trying to block Devina's hand to stop the action. If someone tickled his waist like that, he really couldn't help but be amused. And of course, Devina knew his weakness very well.
"Hahaha. Nope. I won't stop until you stand up. So, let's get up quickly!" replied Devina, while continuing to tickle her husband's waist mercilessly. However, it's not Mike if he can't fight back and control his wife. Mike grabbed Devina's wrist. Then he pushed her body until she fell on his not-so-soft bed. Without giving a pause, his body immediately fell on his wife's body.
"What do you want me to do?" asked Mike in a wet, husky tone. His lascivious smile was perfect.
"Ih. Don't start the pervert. Better hurry up and take a shower. The others 'll leave behind you," Devina reminded.
"Ah, let it go. I can catch up later. The important thing now is that I want to make love with you first," said Mike, while resting his head on Devina's shoulder.
"Ish. You haven't changed since then. Let's take a shower," said Devina, while patting Mike's shoulder lightly. However, the man did not move at all. He closed his eyes tightly again. "Ish. How come you're sleeping again, anyway. Come on! Wake up, Mik. Wake up! Want me to tickle you again?" threatened Devina, which finally made Mike's head rise.
"Kiss first. If not, I won't move an inch," Mike replied spoiledly. While pursing his lips towards Devina and eyes that were still closed. Devina had no other choice. No matter how long they argued, Mike would still win. So, instead of wasting time on something unimportant. Finally, Devina raised her head to close the distance between her face and Mike's face. Until the moment, their lips almost clashed. Suddenly....
"Dad! Mom! What's wrong? Isn't it noisy early in the morning?" asked a ten-year-old girl. Standing in the doorway of her parents' wide-open bedroom, she rubbed her eyes several times.
"Caca," said Devina and Mike together. Of course, Devina immediately pushed Mike's body down from on top of her. With a triumphant smile, Devina immediately got up from her bed.
"Caca. You're awake early?" said Devina while getting off the bed. Devina immediately released Mike's hand that was still holding her wrist while sticking her tongue out at Mike.
Mike could not reply. He reluctantly released his wife's hand. 'Yeah. I failed to get the morning sex,' Mike thought as he ruffled his own hair. Annoyed. However, Mike soon caught up with Devina, who was already standing with her beloved daughter.
"This is your diligent daughter. She wakes up really early," said Mike half sarcastically. While lifting his child's taller body into his arms. She's Cahaya Almira. Mike and Devina's first child that they love very much. "Until the father failed to make a baby," Mike added, muttering. Devina, who heard Mike's words, immediately pinched Mike's waist. "Aw. It hurts," Mike protested.
"Who told you to talk weird in front of your child?" Devina muttered back.
"What are mom and dad talking about? I want to have a sibling, right?" asked Caca innocently. Mike immediately turned to Devina with a meaningful look.
"Yes. You should. But, Mom doesn't want it yet. That's why Caca told Mom. Let Caca be given a sibling as soon as possible. It's nice when Caca wants to play. She doesn't need to find friends anymore. Because there's a sibling to play with. How would Caca like it?" Mike teased. Devina could only glare at Mike, who stuck out his tongue. Mocking.
"I want to!" replied Caca enthusiastically. "Caca wants a brother!"
"That's right, her daughter wants to have another baby. Don't you?"
"Already. The baby sister or brother thing is easy. Now you better hurry up and take a shower. I've prepared the provisions from early in the morning. Don't let it go to waste because you missed the others going to sea."
"Yes, Commander!" said Mike as he saluted Devina. "Caca. Dad, get ready first. You with your mom first," Mike added as he sat Caca down on one of the dining chairs.
"Ready, Commander!" Caca replied with a gesture that imitated her father. Mike also ruffled his son's hair anxiously. Before he finally walked towards the bathroom. When passing Devina, Mike took the time to grab Devina's waist and kissed her briefly.
"Ye! Daddy and Mommy are dating!" Caca cheered while clapping her hands happily. Devina's cheeks immediately turned red, like boiled crabs.
"Ish. Go take a shower," Devina replied while pushing Mike's body away. Mike smiled seductively at Devina as he walked away.
"Yeee....! Daddy and Mommy are dating! Courtship! Hooray!"
"Hust. Don't be so loud. It's embarrassing for the neighbors to hear. Let's take our ablutions and pray at dawn. Let's go!"
"Come on, Mom!" she said excitedly.
The time passed quickly. Noon is now approaching. At the bottom of the seawater in Jakarta Bay, Mike picks up one by one the green mussels that are ready to be harvested. This is his profession now. Leaving behind his profession as the leader of the most powerful gangster in the city that once afforded him luxury. Since meeting and falling in love with Devina. He chose to make do with his new profession as a green mussel fisher.
At first, Mike struggled to be like other fishers who had been destined to be main sailors since childhood. In the past, he could not dive. Even swimming was difficult for him. However, in order to be with Devina. He was willing to risk his life to join the fishers and learn to dive little by little.
After about eleven years passed. Now Mike looks like any other fisher who is good at diving. In fact, he could spend up to three hours at the bottom of the sea. Just like now. His two other friends were anxiously waiting for him on the boat. Even though they knew Mike wasn't a newbie anymore, they were still worried about him doing something wrong down there.
"How's it going? Didn't show up yet?" asked a middle-aged man who was the captain and owner of this fishing boat.
“Not yet, sir. If it doesn’t show up in fifteen minutes. I’m going down. I’m afraid something’s wrong,” replied the much younger man.
“That’s right. He’s not a native from here. Who knows happen the wrong with him in there.” Just as the man finished speaking, an air bubble appeared on the surface of the water.
“There he is,” said the young man, pointing towards the surface of the sea water. And sure enough, soon Mike’s figure appeared trying to get on the boat. With a sense of solidarity, Mike’s two fishing buddies immediately helped him.
“Thank you,” Mike said in a voice that was not very clear.
“You’re welcome,” the two replied together.
Once on top, Mike immediately removed the simple breathing apparatus that was powered from a noisy device they called a compressor. Huft. Mike could finally breathe freely again. However, he still had work to do. He turned around and pulled out the mesh bag containing the green mussels he had collected. Mike lifted it with all his might. Because, the contents are arguably a lot.
“Wow, looks like you got a lot?” teased the skipper.
“Not bad, Mr. Karsim. There was a lot of mussels down below.”
“Okay. Since it’s getting noon, and the results are already decent. Let’s go home,” said Mr. Karsim.
“Yes, sir,” replied Mike and Kang Ganjar. Mr. Karsim immediately walked to the helm of the boat. Meanwhile, Mike and his partner sat on the edge of the ship.
“I was worried earlier. You were in the sea for three hours. I thought what happened to you?” said Mike’s partner. Mike smiled.
“Thank you, Kang Ganjar. I’m okay. I was really happy to see a lot of mussels down below. I lost track of time,” Mike replied with a smile on his face.
Actually, Kang Ganjar is not originally from here either. He used to live in East Jakarta. It’s just that he moved with his parents when he graduated from elementary school. Since then, he learned to swim and dive here. Because his parents did not have the money to continue his education at the junior high school level. When he remembers Kang Ganjar’s story, Mike feels regretful. In the past, he chose to run away from school. In fact, if he wanted to stay until he graduated from high school. Mike would have a certificate to apply for a job at the factory. ‘And at least. I can provide for Devina and Caca better,’ Mike thought as he looked at Kang Ganjar’s face.
“I like the way you work. Tenacious and never give up. You’re new, but you already look like you know how to dive. In fact, this job is about risking your life,” praised Kang Ganjar.
“Haha haha. Kang Ganjar is exaggerating. I used to live hard, Kang. For me, my life is not that important. The most important thing is the lives of my child and wife. I’ve worked more dangerous jobs than this. This is nothing to me,” Mike replied while shaking his head slowly. He smiles wryly at his lips. Imagining the profession he once practiced was even more death-defying than diving to the bottom of the ocean with the help of simple tools like this. “Oh, yes. It’s not like I can be like this because I learned from Kang Ganjar and Mr. Karsim. If not, maybe I’m still like a kid learning to swim,” Mike added, trying to divert attention.
“Hahaha. You’re just making things up. But I used to be worse than when you started learning.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” They chatted happily until the ship finally arrived at the pier.