I had just finished changing Arkan's clothes when I saw Kala's name appear on my phone screen. Just as he promised to take Arkan and me out for dinner, Kala had been asking me what time he could pick us up.
"I think I'm already in front of your house," said the voice on the other end. I had given him my full address—something I had never done before with a man I had just met.
"Oh, wait a second," I said, quickly heading outside.
"Mom, where are we going?" Arkan asked, confused as he saw me hurrying toward the door.
"We're going to have dinner with Mom's friend," I replied with a smile. Arkan followed closely behind until I opened the front door and saw a car I didn't recognize parked right outside.
After our phone conversation, I finally agreed to Kala's offer with one condition—that I had to bring Arkan along, since I couldn't leave him home alone. Maybe by meeting and talking in person, I could learn more about our potential collaboration.
A man stepped out of the car as I opened the door and walked toward me.
"Kala, can you wait a moment? I haven't changed my clothes yet," I said, while Kala gave me a probing look.
"I'll wait here with Arkan," he said, reaching out his hand to Arkan.
"Are you ready, Arkan?" he asked, and Arkan nodded.
"Come on, let's go with Uncle," he invited, and surprisingly, Arkan walked over and sat beside him without the usual drama. What Arkan did made me breathe a sigh of relief—he was usually not that easygoing with strangers.
"Wait a moment," I said and rushed back to my room. I never expected that the director of Boga Rasa, whose face I'd only seen on social media, would come to my house and take me out to dinner. It felt like a dream.
I didn't know where Kala would take us to eat, so to be safe, I chose a casual outfit that would suit any place.
"Let's go," I said, my eyes falling on Arkan, who was now sitting on Kala's lap. The two of them seemed to be discussing something. Arkan looked serious, occasionally pointing at something.
"I asked Arkan what he wanted to eat, and he said fried noodles," Kala said, glancing at me.
"How about we go to my favorite Chinese restaurant? Their fried noodles are amazing," he suggested.
"I'll go wherever you take us," I replied, reaching out my hand to call Arkan over.
"Fried noodles with lots of shrimp, okay, Uncle?" he requested without hesitation.
"Mom's fried noodles are good, but there are too many vegetables. I don't like that," he added, making Kala laugh.
I glanced at Kala, who looked relaxed in shorts and a t-shirt. I was thankful—I hadn't overdressed. It seemed like he really did plan to take us somewhere casual.
I then followed Kala's steps toward his car. It was only our second meeting, yet oddly, I felt a sense of familiarity with him. Especially after seeing how close he was with Arkan.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow," Kala said once we were inside the car.
"Where are we going?" I asked with a confused look.
"Have you forgotten? We're going to Boga Rasa for a meeting with the production house," he replied, glancing briefly in my direction.
"Oh, right! How could I forget?" I responded.
"Too many plans for tomorrow?" Kala asked, and I just chuckled at his words.
"Not really, I've just been forgetful lately," I replied with a smile.
"No need to pick me up. I can come on my own," I added.
"You're a guest at our company, so it's only right to treat you well. Picking you up and dropping you off is part of that," he said.
"That's just something you would do," I replied, and he laughed. Arkan, who was sitting beside me, stayed quiet, listening to our conversation until suddenly, he turned toward me with a puzzled face.
"Mom, what's this man's name?" he asked out of the blue.
"Huh? Didn't you two already have a long chat? You didn't even exchange names?" I asked, holding back laughter.
"Let's introduce ourselves properly. You can call me Uncle Kala," Kala said, offering his hand to Arkan.
"Arkan, Uncle," he replied with a big smile. Maybe Arkan was confused because I rarely had male friends other than Dewo, who was almost always at the house for video work.
"Are you happy to have a new friend?" I asked, leaning down slightly to meet his eyes.
"A new friend?" he repeated, still confused. I nodded, but his expression remained puzzled.
"He's absolutely adorable. I have a lot of nieces and nephews, but none around Arkan's age," Kala said.
"I don't want a new friend," Arkan replied suddenly, catching both me and Kala off guard.
"Why not?" I asked, confused by his train of thought.
"I want a new dad," he said, leaving me speechless.
"There's no new dad, Arkan," I quickly cut in before he could say anything else I didn't want to hear. I was momentarily at a loss for words, while Kala chuckled, making me glance at him.
"Arkan is so innocent," he commented. I gave Arkan a wide-eyed look, silently pleading for him not to continue this awkward conversation—especially not in front of Kala, who was still a stranger to us.
"We'll talk about this at home," I said seriously to Arkan. I didn't want to sound threatening, but this wasn't the time or place to have this conversation, not with Kala around. Arkan probably didn't understand the weight of his words, but I still didn't want to discuss it here.
Arkan had never asked about his father before; he might not have even known such a figure existed. But ever since he started school and saw his friends being dropped off by their dads and talking about them, he began pestering me.
Ugh. Did he think finding a new dad was as easy as mixing cake batter?
"Don't frown like that. I don't think Arkan really understands what he's saying," Kala said, glancing at me.
"Sorry if you got dragged into this conversation," I said regretfully.
"It's no problem. I'm not bothered at all. Honestly, I'm touched. Kids like Arkan are the most honest when it comes to what they want," Kala replied.
"I was raised by a single parent too. So I understand what Arkan feels, longing for a father figure," he added. I frowned and quickly turned to look at Kala. That was something I hadn't known.
"The woman I call my mother now isn't my biological mother," he explained, as if reading my thoughts. I had always thought Hendra Kusumaatmaja's wife looked so motherly. Turns out, she's his stepmother.
"I don't blame Arkan. It's just that his words are so candid, sometimes I don't know how to react," I said honestly.
"And he said it right in front of you, someone who barely knows us. It made me uncomfortable," I continued. Kala chuckled softly before responding.
"I told you before—I don't want you to treat me like a stranger. Remember that?" he said, and now I was the one who felt uncomfortable.
"So don't stop a child this young from expressing what he feels," he added. I went silent after Kala finished speaking. I wasn't sure why he seemed so eager not to be considered a stranger. Was this about our work relationship?
"We're here. Let's get out." Kala's light tap on my shoulder snapped me out of my thoughts. I smiled and helped Arkan out of the car. My little boy's face lit up, his eyes wide as he looked around.
"It's so crowded, Mom," he said.
"It's crowded because the food here is really good," Kala explained. The two of them held hands and walked toward an empty table.
"What do you want to order?" Kala asked me.
"Fried noodles too, same as Arkan," I replied.
"Don't want to try something else?" he asked, and I shook my head.
"I might not finish it," I answered.
"I'll order the garlic fried chicken too, okay?" he offered, and I figured he'd order it anyway even if I declined.
While waiting for the food, Kala ordered mango juice for Arkan. Arkan looked very happy, quietly sipping his drink while his eyes wandered around the room. The lively atmosphere seemed to spark his curiosity even more.
"Mom, what about Arkan's camping trip?" he suddenly asked, just when I thought he was focused on enjoying his drink. Clearly, something else was on his mind.
"Uncle Dewo said he'll go with you," I replied with a smile. Arkan had insisted I not go with him, since most of his friends would be accompanied by their fathers. His expression instantly turned sour at my response.
"Camping?" Kala asked, having overheard our conversation.
"A half-day school camping trip," I answered.
"And who's Dewo?" he asked again, frowning.
"My cameraman," I said briefly.
"I don't want to go with Uncle Dewo. I want to go with a dad," Arkan chimed in, making me hold my breath. He was at it again with that impossible request.
"How about I go with you instead?" Kala suddenly offered, and in an instant, Arkan's eyes lit up with excitement. (*)