TWENTY FOUR

                                    

                                          
Dear diary,
We're going on our holiday! Yippie!! I just can't wait for this day! I have been asking so many questions, I think Danial was having a hard time shutting me up.
That's for teasing me all the time.
Love,
S.H.
---
Danial
The moment they boarded the ferry, Danial saw Sofea was in awed with everything on the ferry. For him there was nothing to be awe at. There were the seats and windows and the sea. It's a common thing he see on a sea transportation.
Sofea was smiling widely like a small girl when she sat next to the window. Danial sat next to her and wedged their shared luggage in between the seat in front and his legs. 
"How long is the journey?" Sofea asked him for the umpteen times. Danial rubbed both his eyes with his thumb and fingers and sighed inwardly. She was definitely getting on his nerves with all these questions.
"45 minutes Sofea. 45 minutes," he whispered loudly. 
"Ok. Chill. I was just asking."
When the ferry moved, Sofea was almost out her seat, looking outside the window. 
"Woah!"
Danial glanced outside and saw the sky turned grey. He had hoped that it would not rain today. He had planned to have brunch before checking in, afterall they have about 2-3 hours before checking in. 
His head was starting to feel dizzy. He knew he should have pack the motion sickness medicine just in case. He took his bottle of water from him backpack and gulped down till it was halfway empty.
"Sofea."
Sofea turned around in her seat and Danial caught a whiff of her perfume. Suddenly he felt sick. He quickly took a plastic from his backpack and vomitted into it.
Sofea stared at him in disgust. It took her a minute or two for her to get her brain to function. She rubbed Danial's back and asked him, "Are you ok?"
Danial wiped his mouth with his bare hands and glared at Sofea, "Do I look ok to you?"
Stunned at Danial's snappy remark, Sofea held up her hands in surrender. "Gosh! I was just trying to help. You're being snappy all morning. You just ruined my mood."
Danial rolled his eyes and decided to make his way to the gents. 
"Where are you going?"
"Toilet. You want to follow?"
He did not bother to glance back to his wife and went straight to the bathroom. He dumped the plastic into the rubbish bin as soon as he found one. 
What's wrong with me? I was never this mean to Sofea. And since when did I have motion sickness?
He washed his hands in the basin and rinsed his mouth. He looked himself in the mirror and took a deep breath. 
"Maybe it's just because I have not eaten anything yet."
---
Sofea
Sofea was being careful around Danial all morning. She tried to speak only when he spoke to her. He did apologised for snapping at her but she felt that maybe he was in one of those easily-annoyed mood. 
The sky was dark when they reached Batam. But it does not rain, only windy. Danial brought her to a mall nearby the ferry station to have something to eat. 
He had asked if she wanted to eat fast food or something heavy. Of course she choose fast food. So they had a quick meal at Burger King. 
Before they could start eating, a small child about the age of five or six, came up to them begging for something to eat. He had a small dirty shirt which was torn at the sleeves and shorts that could fit a younger child. His face was smudged with dirt and his hair was messy.
Because they bought exactly two set of burgers and fries, Sofea was reluctant to give hers away. Afterall she was really hungry. 
However Danial gave his burger and drink to the child and asked where does he stayed.
The child bit his lips and shook his head. "Don't know."
"Do you have any family members?" Danial asked again.
The boy nodded his head and replied shyly, "Two younger siblings. They are with my mother."
"Ok. You wait here. I'll buy you 3 more burgers to give to your mother and siblings."
Danial left the seat and went to get more food. Sofea was left with the boy and she was clueless about what to do about it. She was never good with kids. She was afterall the only child and there was no younger children living with her.
The small boy looked down at his dirty slippers and stood still not moving a muscle. 
"So.. how old are you?" Sofea asked trying to not make the situation any awkward.
"Seven."
"Not schooling?"
He shook his head, still looking at his feet.
"Do you do this often? Going around asking for food?"
"If we can find food in the garbage, we wouldn't be begging for food. My dad left us on the streets when I was just three."
Sofea was shocked at the revelation. She knew that there were still people living on the streets in certain parts of the world, but to actually encountered it through this boy's story makes her heart break.
Suddenly she felt guilty for not wanting to give her food just now. Here she was having money and food and shelter, and there's this little boy begging for food from strangers. 
Danial came back with a paper bag of burgers for the boy and a tray with another set for himself. He gave the boy the bag and gave the boy some money. 
Sofea saw the boy's cheeks glistering with tears and immediately her tears rolled down her own cheeks. 
"Take this. Tell your mother to get you some new clothes. And go along."
When the boy left, they ate in silence, each attending to their own minds. 
Sofea watched Danial's face as she ate her fries. She couldn't help feeling blessed to have such a kind and compassionte husband.
"Why are you crying?" Danial asked, frowning.
Sofea quickly wiped the tears and smiled at him. "Nothing."
Danial nodded, not wanting to pursue the questions. 
"You know my dad always said to me. Find a partner that has a big heart and compassionate, responsible and takes good care of my wellbeing. I think he brings you to me."
Danial's frown dissappeared and replaced by a warm smile. "It was never your dad. It was Allah. He brought us together. And I thanked him everyday for that."
"Hmm.. so why are you so snappy at me today?"
Surprised at Sofea's question, Danial froze for a moment. Then he laughed, "I've apologised. And I apologised again. I'll make it up to you when we reach the hotel." With a wink, Sofea's cheeks turned crimson red. 
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A/N: i have nothing to say here. So hope you like the chapter. Like or comment ya. Thanks!