Trisya's words kept playing in Richard's head. He only came back to reality when there was a knock on his office door.
"Come in."
The door opened. Kalisha stepped in.
"This is Mr. Yacob's file, sir."
"Oh, okay. Is Ardi here?"
"He hasn't come home yet, sir. He said he went to the crime scene earlier."
"Okay."
"Excuse me, sir."
"When Ardi comes later, tell him to meet me."
"Yes, sir."
Kalisha immediately left. She bumped into Trisya.
"Ms. Trisya," Kalisha greeted.
"Is Dad here?"
"Yes, Miss."
"May I come in?"
"Sure, Miss."
Trisya immediately opened the door and stepped in.
"You?"
Trisya closed the door and walked in.
"What's up?" Richard asked.
Trisya sat in front of Richard.
"I'm bored. Keep me company for lunch, Dad."
"I can't. I already have a lunch appointment."
"With Mom?"
"No."
"Is Mom mad at you?"
Richard didn't answer.
"Dad."
"Don't discuss it."
"Okay. I'm going home. Can I ask Ardi to keep me company for lunch?"
"I've told you. Don't waste Ardi's time just to take care of you!"
"I just asked him to keep me company for lunch?"
"Ardi has work!"
"Just lunch won't interfere with his work."
"You've been bothering him a lot, Trisya! Someone saw him leaving your house at 4 am yesterday! What kind of trouble did you cause that he, who should be resting at home, had to spend his time for you."
"I was drunk. He drove me home after I was harassed by three men at the nightclub. I called you, Dad, but you didn't answer."
"Why were you at the nightclub?"
"Don't blame me! Blame your wife who destroyed me with her outrageous behavior by attacking me in public as if I were a homewrecker!"
"You did what she accused you of, Trisya."
"I didn't steal you, did I? I let Dad stay with her. Unless I pull Dad to live with me. Okay, I'm going home!"
"Be careful."
Trisya looked at Richard.
"I'm serious about what I said. I love you. I'll wait for you at home tonight, Dad?"
Trisya left the room.
Richard sighed.
"This is crazy. I can't follow her game."
Trisya walked down the stairs. She bumped into Ariana.
"What are you doing here?" Ariana asked.
"Meeting my lover."
"What?"
Trisya smiled.
"Are you crazy?"
"I think I love Dad."
Ariana pulled Trisya's arm to follow her. She took Trisya into her car.
Ariana looked at Trisya.
"YOU'VE ALREADY REPAID ME ENOUGH, Trisya! Don't seduce Dad anymore."
"I'm not seducing Dad. I just admitted to Dad that I love him."
"Don't let your actions ruin Dad's career!"
"When did I make Dad's career threatened?"
"Stop making Dad keep looking for you! He drove you this morning, didn't he? Did you have breakfast together?"
"Wow.. Your eyes are amazing, Mom. You know where Dad went before going to the office."
"Don't ruin the career that Dad has built," Ariana begged.
"I won't ruin the career of the man I love. You are the one who will destroy it. With your actions that make the public suspicious because you intimidate me like a homewrecker. Be wise, Mom. People won't know if you share a husband with your daughter if you don't make a fuss about it and treat me like your rival in front of society. I will protect Dad's name in public so that people will see Dad is with his eldest daughter. Not the woman he loves."
"You're crazy! Dad has always been known to be clean. Do you dare make Dad fall because of your mistake?"
"My fault? Mom, Dad won't be destroyed as long as you keep quiet and let me have him."
"Dad won't make a mistake if you don't seduce him!"
"I'm too lazy to argue!" Trisya said. "I'm going home."
Trisya got out of the car.
"Trisya!"
But the girl was already gone.
"I won't let you ruin Richard!"
**
That night..
Trisya had just finished reading a book when there was a knock on her house door. Trisya walked to open the door.
"Dad?"
Richard stepped in.
"I thought you wouldn't come."
Without answering Trisya's words, Richard immediately hugged Trisya and kissed her.
Trisya looked at Richard's face.
"How can you make me go insane?" Richard said.
"Me?"
"How can you make me unable to stop thinking about you just by hearing you say you love me, while I know that what you said was done just to make your mother upset?"
"I'm serious. I love you. But you are cruel not to look for me after what happened that night between us. You are even cruel not to ask how I am after thatasked Ardi to drive me to the hotel that night."
Trisya released Richard's hug.
"I never demanded anything, but why are you so cruel to me?" Trisya cried. "Maybe even beggars on the street get more attention than me. Someone still comes to them with pity.." Trisya cried.
"When did I not pay attention to you?" Richard asked.
"You didn't even look for me after I was humiliated by Mom that day. I called you repeatedly but you never answered. Then when I asked Ardi to keep me company. You got mad!"
Richard wiped Trisya's tears.
"Come on, let's go out.." Richard said.
"Where?"
"Maybe you need fresh air.." Richard held Trisya's finger to follow him.
"Where are we going?" Trisya asked when they were in the car.
"To a place that can make you happy," Richard answered.
They didn't talk during the whole trip. Until finally the car stopped at a crowded area.
"Come on.." Richard got off.
"Where are we?" Trisya asked as she followed Richard out of the car.
"You don't know this place?"
Trisya shook her head.
"Have you ever been here with the children?"
Trisya shook her head again.
"This is a pop-up night market. I don't know either, they usually move around. There are all kinds of games inside, lots of snacks too." Richard explained.
"Oh, I know.. I used to hear my school friends talk about going to the night market, there are a lot of games. Carousel, haunted house, throwing balls." Trisya said. "But I've never been there once, every time I asked Mom.. Mom always said no need! In my whole life, I only played once in the amusement park at the mall.. that too because it was my birthday".
"Did Mom take you?" Richard asked.
"No.." Trisya shook her head. "Miss Tania. Mom never took me anywhere. Especially when she was dating Uncle Lucas. She was picked up in the morning and came home very late at night. I was left with our neighbours Miss Nora, after school I often had to wait for hours for her to pick me up. She said she was working. I don't know what she does. I'm used to doing everything myself. Sometimes from after school until night, I sit at home alone. I was scared when it rained and lightning struck until the power went out. I could only sit alone hugging my pillow."
Richard was silent listening to Trisya's childhood story.
"Other children have mothers who pay a lot of attention to them, why don't I? When I was in high school, when I could think, I felt.. Why didn't Mom just kill me when Dad left us? I once wanted to find my Dad, hoping my life would change. But Mom answered, Your Dad was taken by another woman. Maybe he doesn't want to see you," Trisya said. "I never even knew what my real Dad looked like.."
Richard put his arm around Trisya.
"It's okay. Don't hold a grudge against your past. Because from that past, you are who you are now. You should be stronger and tougher."
"No one loves and cares for me like you, Dad." Trisya looked at Richard.
"Come on. You can play as much as you want inside." Richard said.
Trisya looked at Richard with sparkling eyes.
"Seriously, Dad?" Trisya asked.
"Come on.." Richard pulled Trisya into the area.
They had been circling the area for over 3 hours.. Trisya played almost all the games. She also had several bags of snacks in her hand.
"Dad.. The doll," Trisya pointed to a big teddy bear doll.
"You want it?" Richard asked.
Trisya nodded.
"Buy it.."
Trisya hurried to the doll seller.
"I want that doll," Trisya pointed to her target teddy bear.
"Sure, Miss.. How about playing the throwing game, Miss? If you win, you'll get this cat doll."
"Dad. I want to play," Trisya called. A little bit loud.
"Ok.."
"Come here, Miss. You can throw all the balls and they fall, a bag of dolls will be yours.."
"Can I play many times?" Trisya asked.
"Of course, Miss. Until closing time too.. It depends on whether you want to pay or not until I close my stall?" the merchant laughed.
"I'll play by myself until all the prizes are mine. My Dad will pay. Right, Dad?" Trisya looked at Richard.
Richard gave a thumbs up as a sign of agreement.
"Don't worry. My Dad will definitely pay for whatever I want."
"Wow, what a dream.."
Richard's phone rang.
"Hallo..Dista?"
"Where are you?" Dista, Richard's friend, asked. "It's so noisy."
"Accompanying my daughter.. What's up?" Richard asked as he gave his wallet to Trisya and moved away from the place.
"Zakky called me. He invited me to have coffee and have a reunion. He's already at the cafe with Denny, Brian and Rini.. I can't go, it's already 11 pm."
"I can't promise if I'll join or not."
"Ok. Let me know, okay?"
Richard hung up the phone when he saw Trisya approaching with a lot of dolls.
"So many?" Richard asked.
"I won a big prize," Trisya answered proudly.
"Anything else?"
Trisya shook her head.
"It's getting late. Let's go home, Dad."
"Here."
"Thank you, Dad.." Trisya took Richard's arm, walking towards the car.
"Can we come here again another day, Dad?" Trisya asked.
"Sure.."
"I haven't entered the haunted house.."
"Why didn't you go in earlier?"
"I'm scared.."
"Scared?"
"It must be very dark inside, right?"
"You're not going in alone, Dad will accompany you."
"I don't want you to hear me scream in fear."
Richard laughed.
"Why?"
"My screams are ugly."
Trisya looked at Richard.
"Today I can feel what it's like to be a little kid who goes out to play as much as she wants with her father. Shopping as much as she wants, buying snacks and treats. I will never forget this precious moment.."
Richard looked at Trisya.
"Anything you've never done as a child. Just tell me. I'll accompany you," Richard promised.
"Really?"
"Yes.."
"You won't break your promise?"
"Hopefully.."
Trisya extended her pinky finger.
"Let's link our pinky fingers.." Trisya said.
Richard laughed.
"Come on, Dad.. Don't laugh."
"Promise.." Richard linked his pinky finger to Trisya's.
"I love you, my man.." Trisya hugged Richard.