That morning Indra had just finished jogging. His mother-in-law had also gotten up early to water the plants and invited him to talk for a moment outside. They discussed whether it was necessary for Priska to work in the early stages of her pregnancy, but Indra reassured her that Priska wanted to work and that her decision couldn’t be stopped.
“She used to be busy with work, Mom. Ever since she became my girlfriend, Priska has been frustrated because she doesn’t have enough things to do,” Indra said.
“Yeah, I get it, Ndra. But... I’m still worried. This is my first grandchild, and I just want to make sure both the mother and baby stay safe,” she replied.
Indra patted his mother-in-law's shoulder and smiled warmly. “Don’t worry, Priska is always under my watch, and this is also my first child.”
They both chuckled a bit, as Priska’s pregnancy was a first-time experience for many. However, Priska herself was still hard to persuade, and Indra had to give in. He asked for permission to go inside and check on his wife. His mother-in-law nodded and went back to watering the plants.
Inside, on the floor above, were Indra and Priska’s room, and Rica’s room was at the end of the hall. The bathroom was outside. Indra smiled slightly when he saw his wife still curled up, hugging her pillow. Priska stretched under the blanket, her forehead creased, and Indra gently stroked her head.
“Hey, why’s it so hot? Are you feeling feverish, babe?” Indra asked.
“Maybe? I don’t know,” Priska murmured.
Her forehead was warm, and she had been feeling sore all over, not wanting to get up. Pregnancy indeed weakens a woman's immune system to avoid rejecting the developing fetus in her body.
Indra got up to find some medicine, and Priska watched him leave until the door closed behind him. She felt so tired, even though she hadn’t done anything too exhausting yesterday—just a short walk with Indra. She had met Faby at the store, then came home to cook dinner with Rica and her mother.
Her sister, Rica, was still in college, and had just turned 21 recently. Priska hadn’t heard her voice, which usually rang loudly as she searched for clothes in the morning. Rica often argued with Indra, too. Those two were always at odds, fighting for Priska’s attention.
A little while later, Indra returned with a cup of tea, nausea medication from Dr. Dara, and vitamins from the doctor. He helped Priska sit up to take the medicine. “Don’t keep lying down, Pris. Take your medicine first.”
“Sis! Let’s go shopping later!” Rica exclaimed.
The youngest entered the room without permission, panicking when she saw the couple just sitting there. Rica started asking lots of questions about her sister’s pregnancy, whether Priska could get out of bed, and so on.
Indra rolled his eyes, and Priska giggled at Rica’s dramatic reaction. For Priska, this was a new and heartwarming experience. She had a younger sister who was energetic and very caring. Rica was always needy in various situations, asking for opinions, and often competing for Priska’s affection.
“Seriously—are you okay? Do you want to see the doctor?” Rica asked.
“Yeah, just tired,” Priska answered calmly.
Rica frowned, pinching her nose and looking at Indra. “Ew, Mas Indra smells like sweat. Go take a shower!”
“I just finished jogging. Besides, you’re still young, sleeping at this hour when your mom’s already busy watering the plants,” Indra replied.
“Let it be!”
“You’re such a Princess Syndrome,” Indra teased.
Rica and Indra exchanged sharp glares, and it was clear there was some rivalry between them, but Priska knew it was just a small quarrel. As Indra’s wife and Rica’s older sister, she had to get used to these little spats. Indra left the room with a clean towel, and Rica climbed into bed, resting her head on Priska’s shoulder. The little one had gotten clingy with Priska from their first meeting, even though they had different fathers.
“He is so mean, Sis,” Rica muttered, complaining because Indra always answered her in a raised voice.
“He’s actually nice,” Priska gently stroked Rica’s head.
“He’s only nice to you.”
Priska smiled amusedly. Rica’s words weren’t entirely wrong, as Indra was her husband, and now Priska was pregnant with their child. Indra had become sweeter and more attentive than when they were just dating.
Then, Priska brought up what Rica had said the other day about being mesmerized by Indra and wanting a boyfriend who was as fierce as him. Priska teased her sister, who was smitten with Bisma. Rica shyly responded, thinking the guy was very cool when he acted decisively and impulsively. But Rica changed her mind after hearing all about Bisma Bonaventura, Priska’s calm and kind-hearted friend.
***
Afternoon, Priska and Rica finally went shopping, but not at Mom’s department store. They went to another shopping center. Earlier that morning, Indra had asked Rica to take Priska out shopping until she was satisfied, but to keep an eye on the time. Indra also gave Rica some extra money to make sure she followed through with the task. Since Indra would be coming home late due to an important matter, he couldn’t accompany Priska.
Rica picked out various clothes for both herself and Priska. They also watched a movie before heading back home. On the way, Rica asked a lot of questions about Priska’s job before she got married, and she was especially curious about how Priska met Indra. Rica promised that she would teach Priska to drive anytime in exchange.
“What if Mas Indra gets jealous? Like, if someone has a crush on you, Sis,” Rica asked.
"Rica, we're married, and I have a baby growing inside me now," Priska replied, amused that Rica and Indra had the same thoughts.
What’s there to be jealous about? For Priska, it hadn’t been easy to build a relationship with Indra. Even now, she still felt like it was all a dream. If it weren’t for Indra, who had worked so hard to build trust and protection, patiently and with full love, Priska wouldn’t have dared to dream about marriage. She also didn’t think she could meet her biological family like this.
Rica glanced briefly at Priska’s still-flat belly. “I wonder if it’s going to be a boy or a girl, my nephew?”
“I don’t know, as long as the baby is healthy when born. It’s still only a few weeks along, the ultrasound is still tiny, but Mas Indra wants a girl. He’s even picked a name,” Priska answered.
“Who?” Rica asked, staring at her sister.
“Inka.”
Rica immediately scrunched her face. “You mean, Indra and Priska, right? Oh my God, Mas Indra is big physically, but his behavior is so teenage when he’s with you,” Rica commented.
“That was the first thought that crossed my mind too, Ca, but when I thought about it, the name actually sounds beautiful,” Priska replied.
“Whatever. Okay, let’s talk about Bisma Bonaventura, Sis. That cool criminologist, please,” Rica requested.
A sweet smile spread across her younger sister’s face, and Priska chuckled at Rica, who was always curious about Bisma. The 26-year-old criminologist was very gentlemanly. It was no surprise that Rica had become interested in him during their first meeting at Indra and Priska’s wedding.
“I’m curious about you, Sis. Why did you fall for Mas Indra instead of Bisma, who was chasing you all along?” Rica giggled.
“Well, if Bisma had been my soulmate, you wouldn’t be his soulmate, would you?” Priska teased.
Rica’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Ew, Sis… I just have a crush on him. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t even know him. We’re still complete strangers. He wouldn’t be interested in me even if he knew that I’m your sister,” Rica said.
“No one knows where love comes from, Ca. I never thought I would marry Mas Indra. He’s such a fierce guy.”
“He’s more than fierce. Mas Indra is wild!” Rica laughed.
“You’re right,” Priska agreed with a smile. “But it’s getting better. He used to be like a raging fire, now he’s more like a blue flame from the stove, and he can control his emotions.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Always defending your husband,” Rica teased.