"Oh wait, just a moment… I nearly forgot!" Zein said, a sudden thought crossing his mind.
He hurried to his car, opened the door, and retrieved several bags of gifts he had purchased earlier.
Seeing Zein laden with so many presents, Abdullah and Hajjar could not suppress their smiles.
A quiet sense of pride and warmth stirred within them.
No matter how wayward a child might be, when he arrived bearing even simple gifts, it was enough to soften a parent's heart and draw a genuine smile.
"Here are some oranges, apples, pears, mangoes, grapes, and bananas, for you and mom!" Zein said, presenting the bags.
Helping to carry some of the gifts, Hajjar smiled, "You really go to a lot of trouble, Zein…"
"No worries, mom!" Zein replied, then moved to the kitchen to place the fruits neatly on the table before the fridge.
"Leave it, Zein! Let me put them in the fridge!" Hajjar said kindly.
Zein nodded and proceeded to the sitting room, where Abdullah was already waiting.
Once seated, Abdullah began, "Zein… I wish to speak with you about something."
Zein nodded respectfully, "Go ahead, Dad!" He said.
Abdullah inhaled deeply, "To be honest… your mom and I have long hoped to see grandchildren from you."
"We are no longer young, and we wish to see you continue the Al-Ghifari line, ensuring our family's legacy endures."
Zein fell silent. His father's words stirred a faint sense of guilt within him.
Abdullah continued, "You must move on, Zein. Angelique is gone. It wouldn't do for her spirit to watch you dwell endlessly on the past."
Zein remained pensive, the weight of his father's words penetrating deep into his heart.
Although they already had grandchildren through his sister Fatima, deep down, his parents longed to see a grandchild from Zein's own line.
"I understand, Dad!" He said, bowing his head slightly. "But…"
"A prospective wife?" Abdullah interjected swiftly.
Zein nodded, "It isn't easy to find a wife like Angelique, Dad…" He said with a sigh.
"I know, Zein!" Abdullah replied. "But at least you ought to try seeking someone with other qualities."
"If that…" Zein hesitated, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Abdullah laughed softly, "I know it's difficult for you. That's why I've asked someone to help you find a match!"
Zein's eyes widened, "Someone? Who do you mean, Dad?!" He asked, curious.
"Your cousin, Hamid!" Hajjar chimed in, having just finished placing the fruits into the fridge.
"What?! Hamid?!" Zein exclaimed, astonished.
"Yes. Hamid's in Subang city at the moment. He says he has a friend who's also looking for a partner!" Hajjar continued.
"Ah… Why didn't either of you ask me first? If Hamid's in charge… that's too much…"
"Too much what, Zein?!" Abdullah asked, exchanging a glance with Hajjar.
"Too much chaos, Mom…" Zein admitted honestly.
He sighed deeply, then began recounting how disastrously Hamid had handled finding a partner for him.
"Well, Mom… Hamid once introduced me to a woman. She was beautiful… but, it turned out, she was already married. Can you believe it?!" Zein said, frowning.
Abdullah and Hajjar gawked in astonishment.
"And… there's more. Once he introduced me to a woman who said she was single, but she turned out to be a widow with three children, and… a former convict for embezzling cooperative funds!"
"Hamid didn't say a thing at the time. I only found out when we spoke face to face!" Zein continued, shaking his head.
"Even worse, there was another… she claimed to be a dangdut singer, but when we met, she asked me to transfer money to 'pay her stylist'. We'd just met!"
Abdullah chuckled softly, while Hajjar covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"That's not the half of it!" Zein went on. "There was also one who said she worked at the tax office, but she was freelancing online, and all she talked about were discounts, sponsorships, and Korean skincare!"
"I still can't believe Hamid even gave them my photo. He didn't tell me first, and suddenly the girl was already smitten!"
"Because… well, they saw my photo and apparently thought I was 'handsome', 'cool', 'like a Turkish actor', they said!"
Zein turned to Hajjar, "I finally told Hamid, never give my photo to anyone again if he introducing me. It's unfair to them, and unfair to me as well!"
Hajjar smiled, gently stroking her son's arm, "Ah… no wonder you always refused every introduction Hamid made. I thought you were still traumatised by Angelique!"
Zein nodded slowly, "That too, Mom. But honestly… if all the introductions are like that, it just makes the trauma worse, doesn't heal it!"
"So what about Hamid then? He's in Subang city, isn't he?" Abdullah asked, perplexed, more accurately, slightly panicked.
"Let him be!" Hajjar replied calmly. "Give him one more chance!" She added with a small smile.
"Alright, I'll see later how the woman Hamid introduces is!" Zein said, though his expression remained doubtful.
Abdullah and Hajjar nodded in agreement. Afterwards, the three of them continued their warm, light hearted conversation in the living room, occasionally laughing at amusing memories from the past.
The house was once again filled with the familiar warmth of family.
*****
Meanwhile, at Zara's house…
Hamid Basrah, thirty two years old, Zein's cousin, had just arrived at Zara's home.
He had travelled all the way from Solo city to Derisa city, where Zein and his parents lived.
His original plan had been simple, that is to stay temporarily at his uncle's house, feeling weary of his own household.
Hamid was, in fact, married and had two charming, delightful children.
Yet lately, the atmosphere at home had felt stifling.
His wife was notoriously talkative, and Hamid found his mind exhausted each day.
He had bid his wife farewell under the pretext of business, but in truth, he intended a little 'mental holiday'.
Upon arriving in Derisa, however, Hamid was immediately given a 'noble task' by Uncle Abdullah and Aunt Hajjar to find a suitable match for his cousin, Zein.
"I suppose I have no choice!" He muttered to himself. "I'll just have to do this for them!"
He had wanted to refuse, but he could not deny the hopeful expressions on the faces of Zein's parents.
By chance, Hamid had grown close to someone he had met through the online chat app WaveChat.
The young woman, Zara Aleefa Ash-Shiddiq, was independent, charming, and engaging, at least from their conversations.
They had often exchanged stories, teased one another, and occasionally confided in each other.
Unconsciously, Hamid felt Zara would be quite suitable, at least in terms of appearance and manner of speech, to be introduced to his cousin Zein.
Now, Hamid sat leisurely in the living room of Zara's house, idly scrolling through his phone, contemplating the best way to bring together two people who had never met.
"تفضل اشرب أولاً، يا حامد."
"Please, have a drink first, Hamid," said Khalid Ash-Shiddiq, Zara's father, with a warm smile.
He gestured for his guest to sample the tea he had just poured.
Hamid bowed his head respectfully and replied,
"شكراً، يا عم."
"Thank you, Uncle."
His tone was polite, though there was an awkwardness he could not quite mask.
Fadhillah Noor, Zara's mother, seated beside her husband, sought to ease the atmosphere.
"لا داعي للإحراج، يا حامد."
"No need to be awkward, Hamid," She said, smiling kindly, attempting to lighten the mood.