"Heka did Clancy not tell you if her sister's marriage was postponed." Heka's mother asked gently as they stepped inside their modest home, the fading light casting long shadows across the floor.
"No." Heka answered briefly, his voice low and distant from his room. Without another word, he moved toward the window and pushed it open.
He closed his eyes for a moment, recalling the conversation he had just had with Ansel.
He murmured to himself, the words feeling heavier than they should. "Stacy's wedding has been delayed to next month. Should I meet Ansel's Grandpa tomorrow to receive Soul Delivery? Anyway I have to do it because yesterday I already said it."
He did have to do it and accepted Soul Delivery. He also knew that he shouldn't change his mind and took back what he had said before.
Especially the part about the Bloody Marriage. Ansel had insisted it never happened. Hence, he had nothing to worry about.
Yet, despite the reassurances, a shadow of uncertainty lingered. He had no reason to refuse the Soul Delivery, but neither did he feel entirely at ease accepting it. The unknown stretched out before him like a dark path, and he wondered what lay at the end.
Heka grabbed his phone and typed a message to Ansel.
There is no Bloody Marriage. It's just that my friend's marriage is cancelled. So stop boasting something unimportant.
Not long after, Ansel immediately replied to his message.
I know you won't believe me right now. But I beg you to be careful because something bad will happen after you. Then, you will realize what I say is true and not just a daydream.
Heka smiled sarcastically for the message from Ansel. He just asked Ansel not to brag. But Ansel actually made sure for everything he said would definitely happen.
Then another message came from Ansel.
Then are you going to change your mind and don't want to accept Soul Delivery?
Heka sat quietly, his mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. Above all else, he knew the most important thing for him right now was the Soul Delivery.
Meanwhile, the incessant boasts of Ansel echoed in his ears, loud, arrogant, and utterly unimportant. Heka recognized that these were nothing more than distractions, attempts to unsettle him or assert dominance.
With a steady breath, Heka made his decision. He would accept the Soul Delivery, not just for his sake, but to silence the empty boasts and prove to Ansel that he was not to be underestimated.
Tomorrow I will come to your house.
Heka was confident that the decision he made this time was the best for him.
Okay, I'm waiting.
****
July 12, 2022, was supposed to be the most memorable day for Heka. It was the day he had taken the first step to change his life, the day he finally resolved his long-standing insomnia. In his mind, this day was destined to be unforgettable.
"I will remember this day forever, and it will be an unforgettable day." He had told himself with quiet determination.
But reality had a different plan.
Just as he was beginning to feel a rare sense of peace, his mother's voice echoed from the other room, breaking the calm.
"Heka Clancy is coming." His mother called out, her tone urgent.
Heka took a deep breath, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. he muttered to himself. "I think I have to take back my word. The day that I will never forget is not today. I can't possibly leave Clancy just to meet him. She came here for sure to explain about her sister's canceled marriage."
With a reluctant sigh, he left his room and walked toward the living room where Clancy was sitting with his mother. Clancy's face lit up with a warm smile as he approached.
"Hi, Clancy…" Heka greeted, trying to keep his voice steady despite the curiosity bubbling inside him.
"Hi, Heka…" Clancy replied cheerfully, though there was a hint of nervousness beneath his smile.
Heka's eyes searched Clancy's face, eager to understand what had really happened. He began cautiously. "About your sister's wedding…"
"Heka, Aunty, I'm sorry about that to you guys. I'm sure you must be very disappointed." Clancy took a deep breath, glancing down at his hands before meeting their eyes again.
"It's okay, why is the wedding annulled?" Heka's mother, always the voice of calm, spoke up gently.
Clancy also explained in detail. "Literally, the reason was hilarious. It was my most embarrassing moment ever. Yesterday, suddenly, Arnold's sister had contractions and had to be taken to the hospital immediately. It happened at five in the morning. Arnold's parents really wanted to witness the moment their grandson saw the world for the first time. So they decided to cancel yesterday's wedding, because they wanted all the family members to gather and witness Arnold's wedding. Then we followed them to the hospital."
"You must be disappointed…" Heka's mother said softly, her voice filled with genuine empathy, as if she truly understood the weight of Stacy's feelings.
Clancy sighed, her expression a mixture of frustration and resignation. She admitted. "We are a little disappointed, but we can't do anything. After all, the marriage was not canceled at all. It is just a delay. It will be held next month. Arnold's family has also paid all the compensation for the sudden cancelation."
Her words tried to defend her family's honor, but Heka could sense the underlying shame and disappointment that clung to them like a shadow. Stacy's marriage failure was a heavy burden, one that had affected not just her but everyone close to her.
Heka, wanting to understand more clearly, asked. "Then, when will the marriage hold anyway?"
Clancy hesitated for a moment before replying. "I don't know, the most important thing is next month."
Then, reaching into her bag, Clancy pulled out a small, carefully wrapped package and handed it to Heka's mother. "Aunty, this is for you." She said with a polite smile.
"Clancy thank you, but what is this?" Heka's mother accepted the gift, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"It's just a small gift. My mother ordered it to distribute all the catering that had been ordered to all guests as a sign of apology." Clancy smiled gently.
"Thank you for your mother." Heka's mother said warmly, touched by the thoughtful gesture.
Clancy nodded, returning the smile. "You're welcome." After a brief pause, Clancy glanced at her watch and said. "Heka, aunty, I have to go. I can't take too long because I still have a lot to meet."
Before she could leave, Heka's mouth moved almost on its own, surprising even himself. "What if I accompany you?" he offered quickly, despite remembering that he had promised to go to Ansel's house.
Clancy looked at him, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, but then she nodded. "That would be nice. Thank you, Heka."
As they prepared to leave, Heka felt a strange mix of anticipation and uncertainty. The day had taken a turn he hadn't expected, and though the wedding was delayed, the ripple effects of that postponement were already shaping the days to come.
Actually, it was his excuse. He didn't really want to face Ansel, who was still boasting about vague words.
It made his mother immediately look at him with a sharp look. As if she understood that her son liked Clancy.
But Heka couldn't help but notice the way he stared at his mother blankly and innocently. His eyes reflecting a quiet worry he tried to hide. There was something unspoken in his gaze, a mixture of hope and fear.
"Okay, I think I have to go." Clancy said softly, a hint of relief in her voice.
Heka nodded and went to her room to retrieve his phone. The device felt heavy in his hand, but strangely, he didn't glance at the screen once throughout the entire day. Messages, calls, notifications, all ignored.
Finally, with a sigh, he placed the phone back down on the table, as if setting aside a burden he wasn't ready to face.
"Be careful on the way!!" His mother called out, her voice filled with genuine concern as she escorted them to the car.
Clancy turned to wave goodbye, her smile warm but tinged with a hint of sadness. "Aunty, see you later."
Without a word, Heka slid into Clancy's car, the door closing with a quiet thud behind him. The silence between them was comfortable, yet charged with unspoken thoughts.
"Heka, thank you for accompanying me." Clancy said, breaking the silence with a bright smile that seemed to lighten the mood.
Heka returned the smile, feeling a rare warmth spread through him. he asked, curiosity piqued. "Then, where are we going?"
"To Pamela, my sister's friend who should be the Bridesmaid." Clancy replied. As if to lighten the moment further, Clancy tapped Heka's shoulder. "Hey, can you not be cold with your own mother."
Clancy did know Heka quite well. He knew that Heka was quiet and cold. But he felt that Heka shouldn't be cold with his own parents like he just did. Although quite trivial, for Clancy it was important.
Heka simply responded with a big smile, a smile that carried more than just politeness. It was a silent declaration of his decision.
He would accompany Clancy. For this moment, he chose to set aside everything else, especially the looming presence of Ansel and the obligations tied to him.
"I forgot that I had to tell Ansel because today I can't see him. But… just let it be. I don't want to think about it." A fleeting thought crossed Heka's mind.
There was something deeper, something more personal that made him feel innocent about making Ansel wait. Heka sensed that Ansel was trapped in a cycle of dwelling on unclear matters, endlessly circling around doubts and fears that never seemed to resolve.
Heka was tired of the constant tension, the unresolved questions, the emotional drain. He didn't want to hear it anymore.
Ironically, what Ansel was fixated on was something crucial, something that could change the course of Heka's life.
There was something else that made him feel innocent to make Ansel wait. He thought that Ansel would keep dwelling in things that were not clear. He was fed up with it and didn't want to hear it.
Even what Ansel really cared about was so important to his life.