At nightfall, Dean was hungry because he had only eaten one meal all day. This whole day he just lay in bed, showered, back down again because his whole body aches.

because Niko did not come to bring food for him, Dean finally got out of bed. He walked out of the room to a minimalist kitchen with makeshift cooking utensils, then opened a mini-sized refrigerator.

in the fridge, it provided some cold drinks, bread, and fruit. He took bread and drinks and immediately smeared them with peanut butter which was on the small dining table and only provided two plastic chairs.

“At this time, Jill usually asks for food or milk too,” Dean muttered thinking of Bryana, but he slowly also remembered how when Sofia was a baby, always fussy at night and hard to calm except by her grandmother or Kareen who sometimes came to visit.

“If it wasn’t Stevan …” Dean muttered with annoyance running through his heart again. He then walked with the bread and drinks to the outside of the house through the living room which almost only had an area like the bathroom at Bryana’s house.

Dean sat on a wooden chair located on the terrace of the minimalist house, gazing at the dark and lonely night. He did not know which area he was in, for sure, the place was far from the crowds, as the interior of Jakarta.

Dean’s gaze fell on a Jeep that had pulled into the driveway and stopped. He saw Niko out with a young man who was athletic but not too dashing, of course, the young man was Mike.

Niko led Mike who was walking with a limp and the left arm attached to the arm-sling.

Dean got up from his chair and walked over to greet the new arrivals. “What happened?” he asked.

“There was an incident that made his hand injured quite badly,” explained Niko as he walked towards Mike who looked very annoyed. He stopped in front of the chair and asked his friend to sit on it while he went back to the car to get something.

dean stared at Mike who looked athletic wearing a t-shirt with his sleeves open like he’d been training in boxing or martial arts. “I’m sorry,” he said as he approached Mike.

“I won’t be able to play next Sunday,” Mike said sadly.

“What match?” asked Dean.

Kickboxing Mike explained wistfully. His right hand massaged his dizzy forehead.

“It’s your fault for impregnating someone’s daughter!” exclaimed Niko who had just returned from the car wearing a black backpack. He looked pityingly at Mike who was in pain and wouldn’t be able to play next week’s competition.

“I’ll fight for you,” Dean said without thinking, having been in Mike’s position when he had no money and had to buy Sofia’s milk and necessities. He thought, with a fight could vent his anger all this time.

Mike and Niko immediately looked at Dean with disbelief. Let alone fighting, just to walk Dean looks still weak. They thought that Dean wouldn’t be able to win either because he couldn’t even fight the thugs.

“Oh, don’t make it up!” Niko exclaimed, patting Dean on the shoulder. “Your body is still weak, you won’t be able to train and I’m not sure you can win because you can’t even fight street thugs.”

“I don’t need to train, and I’m sure in the time allotted for the match I’ll be fine and I’ll be able to compete,” Dean said confidently.

“What if you lose?” asked Niko, while Mike nodded and agreed to his friend’s question.

“I’ll be competing in another championship so you guys can make some money, but let me stay here for a while until I have the determination to return to my house,” Dean explained thoughtfully.

“Wait a minute. Can you defend yourself?” Mike asked with a probing look at Dean.

“That’s something that is very closely related to me. Because I’m a bodyguard, but… I stopped and wanted to calm myself with my new world,” explained Dean with a smile but couldn’t hide that he was in a bad mental and heart condition.

“Wow, it turns out I wasn’t wrong to bring you here. I agree that you replace me to compete without practicing, because I am sure you will win,” Mike exclaimed with a satisfied smile. After all, someone was helping him while Niko was curious about Dean’s identity and problems.

__

in another place to be precise on the front porch of her house, Bryana sat pensively staring at the gate that was still closed. She looked restless like she was waiting for someone. Ah yes, of course, she was waiting for her husband who never came home.

“Bryana, you better go in. It’s getting late. maybe, Dean won’t be back tonight,” said Monica who came from the living room. She looked ready for bed because she was wearing pink pajamas with Hello Kitty motifs.

“Then when will he return, and where is he sleeping? I’m surely worried, Monica.” Bryana is still staring at the gate. Sometimes the night wind blew against her thin, bluish-white robe covering her cream-colored dress.

Monica sighed, positioning herself standing next to Bryana looking up at the clear sky because the moon was shining quite brightly. “Dean isn’t a kid who has to sleep at home with his mom. I’m sure he’s probably staying at a friend’s house.”

“I’m not used to sleeping without him,” Bryana muttered.

“Neither am I used to sleep without Raymond. We are the same, Bryana. Therefore, I think I will accompany you to sleep tonight,” said Monica, who also felt upset because she missed Raymond.

Bryan glanced at Monica. “I’ll sleep later. You go first,” she called.

“Come on, let’s go to our room and talk about our experiences as usual. Moreover, we haven’t seen each other for a long time, we have a lot of stories to tell. You have to listen to my story during your honeymoon with Raymond, you also have to tell me about your story during your honeymoon with Dean,” Monica exclaimed while holding Bryana’s hand.

“I’m afraid I’m getting sadder,” Bryana said.

“What makes you sad? it was clear Dean had said that he still loved you very much and he had gone to calm down. Then you have to be calm too, like him.” Monica pulled Bryana and forced her to follow into the house.

“I’m also sad because I can’t be alone with Raymond. I’m even wondering if he has showered or eaten? Or whatever, because during the marriage, I always served him and prepared for all his needs. He even asks for food to be brought.” Monic continued to chatter.

“I’m always served by Dean. he always gets me to eat or make me milk at night,” Bryana said as she continued to walk up the stairs to the top floor with Monica.

Monica stopped and looked at Bryana. “Have you had milk tonight?”

Bryan just shook her head.

Monica sighed. “Okay then, I’ll make some milk for you while Dean isn’t back yet.”

“That’s not necessary, Monica. I’m not in the mood to drink anything,” Bryana shouted back up the stairs until she reached the top floor and went straight into the room.

Monica immediately went to the kitchen to make milk and hot chocolate, then prepared a snack to take to Bryana’s room.. “I obeyed, she may not eat and the baby will be born with a malnourished condition,” Monica muttered, who suddenly became a babysitter to Bryana.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep