The next morning, early in the morning, Casandra had already showered, smelled nice, and dressed neatly. Today, she planned to go to the field behind her house. The field belonged to her father. Casandra wanted to see how her father had been taking good care of it. It wasn’t vast, just using the remaining land.
There were parts of the field planted with papaya, and others with coffee. Along the edge of the field, many sengon trees grew, reaching the height of an adult person.
This field was the only inheritance left by Casandra’s grandfather. Her father had been taking care of it all this time, even without any help, even when he was sick.
“Wow, the papayas will be ready for harvest soon,” Casandra said with shining eyes as she entered the field wearing her boots. Casandra purposely wore them to avoid the danger of snakes and other harmful creatures.
Casandra had never encountered snakes in the field, but her father always reminded her to wear boots whenever she went there. No one knows what the future holds. It’s better to prevent than to regret later if bitten by a snake.
“Hmm… When will I be able to have the wedding night with Mas Alexander?” Suddenly, that thought crossed Casandra’s mind as she walked on the pathway, which led to the paddy fields.
Actually, the reason Casandra went to the field early in the morning was that she was upset because she had not yet had her wedding night with Alexander. Yesterday, the atmosphere was right, and it was romantic. Unfortunately, the mouse that terrified Alexander appeared.
Remembering that incident made Casandra annoyed. She was never afraid of mice because since she was little, she had often set traps for them. Usually, she would roast small pieces of coconut and put them in the mouse trap. The mice would be tempted by the smell of the coconut, get trapped inside the box, and couldn’t get out.
“It should have been me screaming in fear. But no, it’s the other way around. Who would have thought that Alexander, who is so stiff and speaks little, is actually afraid of mice.”
Casandra kept grumbling. Because of last night’s incident, Alexander kept feeling paranoid whenever a mouse might suddenly appear in his room. In the end, instead of being affectionate and having their wedding night, Alexander kept asking Casandra to check if there were any mice that might disturb him.
“I’m just annoyed! So annoyed!”
Casandra couldn’t bear the frustration she had been carrying since last night. She intentionally went to the field alone, without inviting Alexander. Honestly, Casandra was embarrassed to admit that she was upset because she failed to have her wedding night. Moreover, she didn’t want Alexander to think she was too eager to experience the wedding night as soon as they arrived in the village. Uh, wait, that means she would fulfill her mother-in-law’s wishes.
“Later, he’ll think I’m lustful again. I’m not lustful, though. It’s normal for newlyweds to want to experience their first night with their husband. I’m not wrong, right?”
Luckily, there was no one else in the field. There were only a group of birds flying in the sky and some scarecrows that became Casandra’s loyal listeners while she vented her feelings.
“Casandra! Casandra!”
Suddenly, from a distance, a voice calling for Casandra was heard. Casandra immediately turned around. On the pathway, she saw a familiar figure riding a bicycle. Her eyebrows furrowed instantly. How unlucky she was today, as she had to meet Yones.
“Casandra, I didn’t expect you to be back. How are you?” greeted Yones with a cheerful face. His crooked teeth protruded, making Casandra feel a bit uncomfortable.
“My well-being is good. How about you?” asked Casandra casually.
“I’m doing well too. It’s been a long time since we last met, Cas. I miss you.” Yones said it without hesitation, making Casandra feel more awkward.
To be honest, Casandra doesn’t like Yones. He has been crushing on her for a long time. If that were the only thing, Casandra wouldn’t feel uncomfortable. The problem is, Yones is a bit delusional. After talking to her for a short while, he would claim to be her boyfriend in front of others. Obviously, this made Casandra the subject of mockery throughout the village.
“Look, Casandra is going to marry Yones. Ciyeee…”
That’s what Casandra used to hear from her friends. Because of that, she tried to stay away from Yones. Besides the fact that she didn’t like his appearance, she didn’t want to become the subject of ridicule among her friends.
Unfortunately, Yones was difficult to be ‘kicked out’ of Casandra’s life. He frequently approached Casandra, even though her facial expressions showed that she didn’t like Yones’ behavior. Casandra even refused to smile whenever Yones spoke.
However, it seemed that Yones was the kind of person who lacked feelings and empathy. Even after being rejected, he remained persistent in approaching her. For him, as long as the coconut leaf (symbolizing a single status) hadn’t curved, Casandra would always be the one he loved forever.
“Yones! Yones!”
Suddenly, a voice calling Yones’ name was heard. Casandra, who was tired of dealing with Yones, felt relieved. Perhaps this was God’s intervention to spare her from any further encounters with Yones.
Apparently, the one calling Yones was his mother. Yones’ mother scolded him for skipping his younger brother’s circumcision ceremony at home. As the older brother, he should have taken care of the family’s needs, not run away like that.
“You’re already grown up. Until when will you act like a child? Let’s go home!” Yones’ mother scolded him and then left in front of Casandra.
Once Yones was completely out of sight, Casandra sighed with relief. Thank goodness. At least she didn’t have to deal with Yones anymore. Honestly, she was afraid to reject Yones directly. Rumor had it that he was vengeful. If hurt, he might do something reckless. That’s why, even though she didn’t like Yones, Casandra couldn’t openly reject him.
Casandra feared that he might do something harmful to her.
Feeling relieved, Casandra decided to return home. When she woke up earlier, Alexander was still fast asleep. Her husband was not the type who liked waking up early. Because Casandra didn’t have the heart to wake him up, and also because she was still upset with Alexander, she let him sleep until noon.
“Casandra! Casandra! Where are you?”
While walking on the footpath, faintly, someone called her name. Casandra’s ears immediately perked up to locate the source of the sound. It was unmistakably Alexander’s voice. Could it be that her husband followed her to the field?
“Casandra! Casandra!”
Alexander’s voice was heard again. She quickly pushed through the creeping vines that served as a green fence beside the footpath to return to her father’s field. Casandra looked around. That’s when she saw Alexander standing tall under the durian tree.
It was the only durian tree that grew in her father’s field. Somehow, it hadn’t borne any fruit yet. Fortunately, the tree wasn’t bearing fruit. If an unexpected durian fell on Alexander’s head, he would surely have a bump and probably faint right then and there.
“Cas, why did you leave without telling me?” Alexander scolded with a concerned look as Casandra stood in front of him. It was clear that he was worried when he didn’t see Casandra after waking up.
“Uh, I was just taking a walk, Sir.” Casandra grinned, feeling guilty for making Alexander worried.
“I thought something happened to you. When I asked Mrs. Lilian, she said she saw you going to the field. I even borrowed rubber boots because I said I wanted to follow you.” Alexander sighed. “Next time, if you want to go somewhere, just tell me, Cas. It’s not for anything. After all, you’re my responsibility now that we’re married.”
“Yes, I’m sorry, Sir. I just wanted to see my father’s field.” Casandra lowered her head with a remorseful expression.
“You could have written a message on a piece of paper and left it on the table. Anyway, next time, don’t go off without letting me know. Wherever you go, you have to tell me. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir,” Casandra replied obediently.
After his anger subsided, Alexander and Casandra strolled around the field. Casandra told the story of how her father inherited the field through generations. Her father even planned to pass it on to her when he’s no longer around.
“Why not sell it?” Alexander asked curiously. “I mean, if the field is large like this and your father can’t manage it, it’s better to sell it, right?”
Casandra shook her head. “My father refuses to sell the field. He considers it taboo. This field has been enough for my family since I was a child, so it must be taken care of no matter what and cannot be sold.”
“Oh, I see,” Alexander nodded.
“Don’t you want to invest in my father’s field? The trees planted on the edge of the field can be sold for a good price when they’re mature. The earnings can reach tens of millions.”
“Really?” Alexander blinked. “So, this is how people in the village earn a lot of money? By utilizing nature?”
Hearing Alexander’s words, Casandra couldn’t help but laugh. “Your words are funny, Sir. Of course, we, as villagers, live by utilizing nature. Basically, all humans can’t be separated from nature, right? Because you’re a city person, used to urban transactions and advancements, you find it a bit strange what people in the village do in general.”
Alexander nodded. “Hmm, you’re right. But your suggestion is good. I will consider it. I will talk to your father about it later.”
“Great,” Casandra replied with a smile.
Conversation after conversation flowed smoothly while Alexander and Casandra were in the field. Casandra shared a lot about her father’s field and her life while living in the village. Although Alexander wasn’t too open about his life, he listened carefully to Casandra’s life story.
“How about we take a walk to the rice fields later? There’s a rice field nearby. We just need to push through the bushes and there’s a footpath to get to the rice field area,” Casandra suggested enthusiastically.
“Sure,” Alexander replied. Due to a slight distraction, he accidentally bumped into something that turned out to be a wasp nest hanging from a tree. Because of his height, Alexander didn’t realize he had inadvertently disturbed the wasp nest, making its inhabitants angry.
“Oh my goodness, Sir!” Casandra screamed in surprise and quickly ran away as soon as she noticed the wasps flying around Alexander.
“Go! Hurry up! Before you get stung by wasps!” Casandra called out from behind a big tree.
It was too late! The wasp immediately stung Alexander’s exposed arm. He let out a loud shout and began waving his hand that got stung.
“Aww… it hurts!!” Alexander rubbed his stung arm. It was so painful that he jumped around like a little child.
Seeing Alexander’s reaction, Casandra burst into laughter. His behavior was truly comical, making Casandra unable to resist laughing at Alexander who had just been stung by a wasp.
“Haha!” Casandra’s laughter didn’t stop, and it made Alexander annoyed. Instead of helping, she just laughed at him like that. Who wouldn’t be irritated?
“Are you done laughing?” Alexander sarcastically remarked.
“I’m sorry, Sir. I’m sorry.” Finally, Casandra tried to stop her laughter, albeit with difficulty.
“You ungrateful wife. Instead of helping your injured husband, you laugh at him,” Alexander said coldly, intentionally teasing Casandra again.
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry, Sir.” Casandra chuckled. “You better go home so you won’t get stung by wasps again. You should immediately apply cold water to the area that got stung. Don’t scratch it. Just compress it with cold water if it itches or stings.”
“Where are you going? Why aren’t you the one taking care of me?”
“I still have to inspect the field again, Sir. There’s a bamboo tree nearby.”
Slightly sighing, Alexander reluctantly followed Casandra’s advice. He went home to tend to his arm that had just been stung by a wasp.
***
As soon as he arrived home, Alexander immediately administered first aid for a wasp sting, as instructed by Casandra. His arm still felt sore. But eventually, the pain started to subside, although there was a hole in his arm from the wasp sting.
“Darn it. How could I get stung by a wasp? Stupid wasps!” Alexander grumbled, feeling annoyed.
After feeling a bit better, Alexander waited for Casandra in front of the house. Suddenly, an unfamiliar man appeared, giving Alexander a suspicious look.
“Where is Casandra?” the man asked arrogantly.
Alexander was immediately puzzled. Who was this person? What business did he have with Casandra, he wondered.
“Casandra is currently at the field. May I ask who you are, Lex?” Alexander asked politely. Although he didn’t like the man in front of him, he couldn’t just chase him away like that.
“Who are you? Why are you loitering in front of Casandra’s house?” the man asked again with a flat expression.
“Um, I am Casandra’s husband,” Alexander replied in his usual flat tone.
“WHAT?!” the man exclaimed loudly. “Don’t joke around. I am Casandra’s future husband. My name is Yones. Don’t pretend to be her husband. Look at yourself!” Yones retorted with a haughty face.
Huh? Ugly? Alexander felt like laughing at being called ugly. Among the many women he had known, most of them called him handsome. No one ever called him ugly. If he were to compare himself to Yones, who had slightly protruding teeth, Alexander looked more handsome than him. Well, Alexander didn’t want to boast, but that was the fact. Alexander was indeed more handsome than Yones.
“It seems like Mr. Yones got the wrong person. Maybe there is another Casandra living here? Because if it’s the Casandra who lives in this house, she is indeed my wife,” Alexander said calmly.
“You’re so full of it! You…” Yones started.
“Oh my goodness, Yones…!” Suddenly, a shaking voice was heard, startling Alexander. He turned to the side and saw a middle-aged woman approaching with a bamboo stick pointed at Yones.
“I told you to stay at home, but you ran away again! What are you going to become, Yon? Aren’t you already a burden to your mother? Now, you’re asked to help take care of your younger sibling after circumcision, but you ran away again. Repent, Yon. Repent!” The woman chased after Yones with the bamboo stick raised.
“Forgive me, Mom. Forgive me!” Yones screamed as he stumbled away from Alexander.
Alexander, witnessing the scene, was simply stunned. He still couldn’t digest what had just happened. Who was that man named Yones?
***
As soon as Casandra returned from the field, heavy rain accompanied by a storm suddenly hit her village. She hurriedly entered the house, luckily arriving just in time. Otherwise, she could have been drenched during her journey back.
“I’m home, my Lord,” Casandra greeted as she entered the living room. Strangely, instead of welcoming her, Alexander stared at her with a piercing gaze.
Seeing this, Casandra couldn’t help but feel a little startled. Was her husband still angry about the incident in the field earlier?
“What’s the matter, my Lord?” Casandra asked timidly.
“What’s your relationship with Yones? Why did he say he’s your future husband?” Alexander questioned.
Hearing Alexander mentioning Yones’ name, Casandra widened her eyes. “How does the Lord know Yones?”
“Just answer my question. Who is he?” Alexander’s jealousy was evident in his tone.
“Oh my goodness, Yones is just a delusional person. How does the Lord know him?” Casandra curiously inquired.
“Of course I know him. How could he claim to be your future husband? Could it be that you flirted with him before you knew me?” Alexander stepped forward with a jealous glint in his eyes. His hand suddenly gripped Casandra’s arm.
“Ouch, it hurts, my Lord…” Casandra whispered in pain. She had never seen Alexander act so rough with her before. Moreover, why did he suddenly become jealous of Yones? It’s Yones, the delusional guy she didn’t like. How did they even know each other?
“Come on, answer me. Did you flirt with Yones?” Alexander asked again.
“No, my Lord. Don’t be ridiculous. I’d rather jump into a pool than get close to Yones. He’s a bit delusional. He’s had a crush on me for a long time, but I never entertained him,” Casandra explained.
“Is that true? Don’t lie to me!” Alexander snapped angrily.
Because of his outburst, Casandra felt a bit offended. She immediately pushed Alexander’s hand away. “It’s up to you to believe or not. What’s certain is that I would choose you over Yones any day!” She said loudly.
Hearing her words, Alexander seemed to lose control. He suddenly grabbed Casandra’s body and kissed her lips.
Casandra was taken aback, but the atmosphere allowed it, so she accepted Alexander’s embrace.
Unfortunately, suddenly…
They heard the sound of the roof collapsing and flying off due to the storm hitting their house. Coincidentally, it was the roof above the kitchen area, which didn’t have a ceiling.
Both Alexander and Casandra were stunned as they saw the roof being carried away. The passionate atmosphere that had just ignited between them was interrupted by the unexpected incident.
“My Lord, the roof…” Casandra began.
“Yes, I see, Cas…” Alexander sighed.
Reluctantly, Alexander and Casandra had to put an end to their romantic moment. They sat with a dejected expression. Once again, their love affair was thwarted by circumstances.
“Cas, let’s go back tomorrow.”
Casandra nodded.