Letter of Happiness

Blog post ini dibuat dalam rangka mengikuti Proyek Menulis Letters of Happiness: Share your happiness with The Bay Bali & Get discovered! http://www.thebaybali.com/

Smile from Family

Friday Morning…

“Finally I meet you both!”  I said loudly when I saw mother and sister in lobby of The Bay Bali Resort. Honestly, I miss them so much. It has been three years I did not meet my beloved mom and beautiful sister. They had never changed, included their beauty. They were always being the prettiest woman in my life.

“Hi Austin,” said my mom then hug me tight. I knew she always wanted me to live with her. I was the only boy she had but I choose to live by myself as a waiter in Hong Xing Club & Resto at The Bay Bali. I got an opportunity to invite anyone to stay in this beautiful resort. So I asked my family to come here and stay about two days.

“I miss you so much, Son. How are you?” Mom asked to me.

“I’m fine and always be,” I said after she hugs me. I saw Sharon, my sister has grown up as a teenager. She was very beautiful. If only I were not her brother, I would marry him soon.

“Sharon, it’s been a long time I did not saw you.” I said to her.

“I miss you actually, Austin.” She replied.

“Well, where will we go? I can’t wait to go around this luxury hotel,” mom said.

“Wait a minute, Mom. I’m waiting for someone, we must go together.” I said.

“Who is it? You’re waiting for your girlfriend?”

“No, Mom. No one wants to be mine,” I said.

I was really excited when my first man walked here. He was different from the last I saw him on the court. He looked as brawny as a hero. I always admire him as a role model. Actually I wanted to be a lawyer like him but I did not graduate from university so I just became a waiter. Never mind, that was my choice.

“Dad!” I wave my hand to him. He considered quickly and ran into me.

“No!” My Mom spoke loudly. I knew her feeling after divorced with my dad. She had never wanted to meet daddy. That was my purpose, I wanted they back as family. Mom, dad, and Sharon were my treasure. I couldn't find the happiness without them. Happiness was when you could do the something free like smile, hug, kiss, and laugh. We could do it first with your family.

I had never felt that happiness since my parents divorced. I did all by myself without smile from family. I worked abroad to erased my sadness. I had moving from Adelaide to Bali with a few of money but lucky I found a job in The Bay Bali, the ultimate place to spend a holiday. I became a hardworking person to divert my broken home problem.

“Mom, Dad, this is my purpose. I invite you to come here for talk something unspoken. I know that you both are misunderstanding until divorce. Mom, Dad, please think about your child, we need you both. So please enjoy your holiday here,” I convinced them to stay together after hug my beloved daddy.

“No, he destroyed my life. He leave me alone, he had never called me instead. I will go home!” my mom scolded at my daddy. I knew she disappointed, I saw that my daddy betrayed my mom’s love but I saw something hide inside. There was something I couldn't explain. Suddenly my father’s hand holds my mom’s hand.

“Gwen, please stay. This is our child’s wish, they lost a love from family since we broke up.” My daddy said to my mother about us.

“I don’t hope that you will come back as a couple. I just want you both together as our parents. Please bring back our happiness, honestly I can’t smile relieve without Mom and Daddy.” I said.

“Mom, I want you and Dad stay here. I miss our togetherness,” Sharon cried. Oh my God, she stills a tearful girl. I caress her hair softly, I understood her feeling, it just the same as mine. Every child would really sad when their parents were separated.

I thought my parents touched with Sharon’s tears. They saw each other and smiled. I knew what would they said. Light of hotel’s lobby became a witness of our family gathering. So finally, we walk together on marble floor. Yeah, my mom held my arm tight and daddy with Sharon. My parents did not want to close. Alright, it was a beginning but hopefully my plan would be happy at the end.

*

The Bay Bali was the most wonderful place in this world. I stayed on a room across the swimming pool and relax place like grottoes  relaxing chair, and trees. The environments here were really comfortable to spend a holiday. This resort was near the Nusa Dua beach. I could saw amazing sightseeing from our cottage. White sand, sound of wave splashing, coconut tree, smooth wind was the fantastic view I could saw. I stood beside frame of wide window on the room. I enjoyed the scene of midnight. I saw Dark outside but light inside my heart. My gladness was happen today, I make my broken family together again. Even if it just couple days.

 I closed the curtain and looked toward behind, so I whispered…

“This is happiness.”

I smiled cheerful to saw my family was slept on the bed. Mom slept alone, while Sharon slept one bed with daddy, I was really sure that she long dad that much. They might be so tired after flight from Adelaide.  I had been living alone without their cheerfulness finally I could met all of them. I felt so complete with family. They brought happiness to me. From the bottom of heart, I just wanted to say “please back as a family, I will be the happiest person in this world.”

*

First day in Bali

I opened my eyes and saw a smile from all family. One by one said ‘good morning’ to me. Mom always wake up earlier than us, she had been tidy and beautiful. She took a glass of water to me. That was great, it erased lonely of my life. Sharon and dad just awake, they looked so fresh.

“What will we do today?” mom asked to me.

“How about go around The Bay Bali by bicycle, beach activities. We are able to do a lot of things here.” I said.

“Sure! I will spend my summer holiday here. I’ll let the sun go down on me and tanned my skin.” Sharon said. 

“Come on! Be ready and go!” mom said.

I, my dad, and Sharon prepare our self sooner. I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Yeah, I knew I did not take a bath because I got a planned to swim on the beach with Sharon. I would like to let my parents together. I thought maybe they would talk something we did not know. 

“Hooray! Beach!” me and Sharon shouted loudly in front of the Nusa Dua beach. I let the foam of wave touched my feet. Hmmm… smell of the sea was very relaxing. I felt fresh sun light, I thought it could tan my skin. Although I worked here, I swam on Nusa Dua rare because my times were only used for served the visitor. I should thankful to my boss who gave me time to spend a holiday.

My parents’ relationship was going well. They talked each other like before. I thought they would have a chance to back. I hope so. My wish almost comes true when I saw mom and dad sat on ancient bicycle behind us. Daddy would drop mom off to saw the exotic side of The Bay Bali.

“Sharon looks!” I said to my lovely Sharon.

“Mom, Dad!” she said. I really glad to saw that. My invitation was not useless. So I celebrate my happiness with swam on the beach. I enjoyed the sunshine freely. Who said there was nothing’s free in this world? Sun and air were gift from God. I had to thankful. Money made you happy but it could not bought you love, moreover love from family.

“Austin, let’s make a sand castle!” asked Sharon.

Sharon asked me to make a sand castle. My memories come suddenly, ten years ago; we made a same castle in Glenelg beach on Adelaide when our parents still together. My family was fine until a woman comes to our life. She said that she pregnant with my daddy. My Mom sad and decide to divorce. I was 17^th at the time and had a right to choose live by myself, so I came here to Bali. I worked everything to live, surfer, shop keeper, until I found this heavenly place, The Bay Bali Resort. I could heal my sadness here with work as a waiter.

I and Sharon build a high and strong sand castle. We laugh as free as a child. No one could make me smile like this.

“Sharon, let’s take a photo!” I asked. Sharon took a digital camera on her bag in beachside. She took a photo of me and sand castle.

“You’re really handsome, Austin!” she said after look a result of my picture. We took a self picture after. Sharon smile cheerfully beside me. I held a camera and shot. Nice photo, I and Sharon looked good. Then I saw mom and daddy passed by ancient bicycle. They smiled us; I just took their photograph suddenly. I saw the result. It showed how my parents still in love. I was sure that misunderstanding broke our family.

“Austin, will mom and daddy come back again?” Sharon asked.

“I am Sure, Sharon.”

Then, we continued to swim at the shore. Suddenly my mom and daddy change their clothes to swimming suit and joined us to swim. I shout happily. We were swim on the Nusa Dua beach together. We shout, laugh, and prayed so that time went slowly. I did not want let this sweet togetherness end. I wanted live like this forever with my family.

*

I, mom, daddy, and Sharon saw the beautiful of sunset this afternoon. Orange light illuminated the sky and huge circle drown at the west were a gift from God. I was so glad to enjoy the panorama with my complete family. Then we back to the cottage and prepared for dinner in Hong Xing cafe & resto.

This cafe was a cozy outdoor place on a wide garden. Obscure light adorned under the trees. I choose a seat on the circle ceramics in front of a tree. I sat with Sharon and my mom sat next to daddy. How sweet it became, it was like a complete family. I had even forgotten that they had divorced three years ago.

We talked about my job at Hong Xing, Sharon’s school, my mom’s restaurant, and my daddy’s job which had to solving corruption problem of a cabinet minister. My daddy asked me to join a postgraduate scholarship at Swinburne University Melbourne. He offered me an opportunity to be a lawyer. I just smiled and told that I would back to Australia if I have a complete family. Either I had a wife or my parents back again. My parents saw each other and kept silent. I understood their feeling.

Then, we went to Ocean Walk, a beautiful corridor to our cottage number 23. In this path, we could saw beseech people sculptures with fountain below.  We walked between the fish pool and under dull light. We entered our room to get relax but unfortunately daddy took leave at the morning because he had to work. Two days felt like a two minutes. My family went home after couple days gone. So I stayed here with memories deep inside.

*

Three months later…

I decided to leave Bali for a moment because Sharon asked me to go home. I thought maybe there was something I had to know. So I took the first flight to come home. I took a week furlough to meet all my family.

Snow fell on my head when I arrived in Adelaide. No one picked me up like another people. I just walked around the airport to call a taxi. Driver would drop me off to home. Nothing changed on my home, just a small grey house with no gate. I just realized that the day after tomorrow was Christmas. Sharon might invite me to celebrate a Christmas day. It would be something less without daddy. He was in Melbourne.

I opened the door and…

“TADA! WELCOME HOME AUSTIN!” mom, daddy, Sharon shouted loudly. Sharon blew a trumpet and gave me a tart cake. I was so confused, it was not my birthday.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“Mom and dad back as parents,” mom said cheerfully.

“What?”

“Yes, we back again after confirmed our misunderstanding. A woman did not pregnant with your daddy. He got a slander from his lawyer rival. She was jealous with daddy’s succeed so she ruined our family. So, we’re back again.” Mom said.

“Why did not you tell me, Mom?” I asked.

“Surprise!” all shouted loudly and got me to living room. We played up beat music and dance free. We also build a Christmas tree together. We enjoyed dinner happily. We smile, laugh, chat, all together. No more loneliness and emptiness. So I decided to leave Bali and stayed here with them. I would not leave them anymore.

 Finally, I got my family back and after long time waiting. I could get the conclusions of my story that happiness was a condition when we could do anything free, without burden or problem. We will get it all with complete family. Smile from family could make more happiness than you could imagine.

END