YOUR MONEY, MY MONEY

Fatir looked down at his wife Yanti, who was sitting face down on the living room sofa. There was a flash of disappointment in the eyes of the man who had just turned forty. He let out a harsh sigh.

"I hereby divorce you. Tomorrow morning, I will take you to your mother and father's house."

Yanti was stunned in disbelief. She lifted her head and covered her mouth with one hand. The window to her heart showed both pain and regret. A puddle formed in her eyes and then flowed. Like a river.

"Dear ... forgive me, please, Dear. I promise I'll finish it," she begged. She was stunned.

Fatir shook his head. "I warned you, but you didn't listen. You destroyed our home."

Yanti covered her face with both hands. Sobs began to come from her lips. She was devastated.

It all started six months ago.

Yanti stared at the message on her cell phone. A conversation with Arham, her second brother, through the WA application. Confusion and worry shackled her heart and mind.

[Arham] Please, lend me 300 million. Sinta is in debt with a loan shark. The loan shark threatened to report her to the police if she didn't repay by the end of this month. Please.]

[How come? Did you not know when Sinta borrowed money?]

[I didn't know. Sinta just told me today. She was crying and apologizing and kneeling at my feet. So much help. I don't know who else to ask for help.]

[I'll talk to Mr Fatir first, Bro..]

[Okay. Please. Let me know as soon as possible. I want to sell my house. Once it's sold, I'll pay it off."]

At night, while preparing to sleep, Yanti finally got up the courage to tell her husband and ask for help.

Fatir looked at Yanti. "Do you have that much money?" She put down the book she was reading.

"Yes, no. It's just that I still have savings from my shopping and salary. I want to borrow the rest from you," Yanti explained.

"Did you pay off your brother's debt to buy the car yesterday? The sixty million."

"No, only thirty million."

"Well, the promise was to pay it off in five years, in installments of one million a month. It's been seven years. That's money saved for the kids' schooling. So now you want to borrow five times as much?"

"Yes, you've asked for leniency several times. Because he has other needs. He promised that once his house is sold, he'll pay off all his debts to us."

"I don't have that kind of money. If you don't have it, don't push it."

"But... it's a pity, My Dear.. If Sinta goes to jail."

"Well, if we can't afford it, what else can we do? Besides, it's not that easy to put people in jail. How could a loan shark report to the police, do they even have a debt agreement?"

Yanti shrugged. Actually, she didn't know the exact nature of her brother's problem. Just... she couldn't bear to see her family in trouble.

"So what do we do?" Yanti was stunned.

"Well, let them look for themselves. Our ability is limited. We have a small family to think about too. A lesson for us, don't get into debt easily. Be good at saving money. Don't be a bother to people! Also, don't go into debt without telling me."

Yanti's family is not a wealthy one. At first, Yanti's father worked odd jobs because he dropped out of high school, becoming a mechanic, a driver - buses, angkot, trucks - until he was finally accepted as an errand boy for a private company and then appointed as a permanent employee.

Her modest economic situation taught Yanti to be a hardworking and resilient woman, unlike her four siblings who were more laid-back and lazy.

Since childhood, Yanti has been the mainstay of the family. The task of helping with household chores was almost entirely delegated to the girl, because she was the only daughter. Meanwhile, the boys were free to play. In fact, she often did their homework.

Yanti was also diligent in saving money given by relatives who visited the house, Eid al-Fitr money, or pocket money, which was only a little left because it was often requested by brothers and sisters.

However, once collected, there is something that makes it run out. They borrowed from relatives, even their mother, but there was no news afterward. Yanti felt reluctant to ask for it back. In fact, in order to collect rupiah, she had to endure thirst and hunger at school.

Incidentally, Yanti was also a smart child, full of achievements. She was the only one in her family who was able to get a scholarship to a state university and had the most successful career.

Family comes first, that's what Yanti's parents always emphasized. Siblings must support each other.

All of her brothers and sisters always came to her when they had financial problems, citing the need to buy cell phones, houses, vehicles, children's schooling, medical expenses, even motorcycle servicing and vehicle registration renewals. Sometimes the money is returned, but often they have to give it up. Even though they work with a good salary.

And now, as the child with the most established life, Yanti seems to be required to always help relatives who are in trouble.

She is haunted by guilt if she doesn't intervene. Moreover, if they refuse, they then become hostile with hurtful words.

"You said you didn't have money, but you bought a new refrigerator."

"Since you got married, you've become stingy."

"If you want to help, just help. Don't ask what for. Especially when you don't end up borrowing."

At that time, Yanti and Fatir were still newlyweds who had moved into an empty rented house, and were waiting for the birth of their first daughter. They had to sort out which interests should be prioritized.

Fatir and Yanti's savings were almost nonexistent because they were used to cover all the costs of a simple wedding at home. They didn't want to burden their parents.

The night after the discussion with her husband, Yanti couldn't sleep well. She was anxious about the fate of Arham's family.

In the past, Yanti did work. Every month, half of her income was sent to her parents who were no longer working.

Not only that, whatever additional needs her mother and father had - renovating the house, replacing worn-out furniture, medical expenses, electricity, gasoline, telephone calls, and entertaining overnight guests, even when the extended family gathered - Yanti took care of.

Meanwhile, the four brothers are hands-off on the grounds that their salaries are only enough for their wives and children. They only occasionally give what they can.

However, it's been a year since Yanti decided to quit her job because she wanted to focus on taking care of her two children, who soon needed more attention. As agreed, it was Fatir who took care of Yanti's parents after his wife resigned.

"Please Yan, I have no more acquaintances to ask for help. Get a loan from your friends," Arham pleaded the next day. The brother's face was pitiable.

Apparently he still had outstanding debts to the office, as well as installments to the bank for the purchase of a house, so he could no longer apply for a loan. The certificate for his small palace was still being held by the bank.

Arham planned that if someone was willing to buy her house, she would pay off all her debts and redeem the ownership certificate.

"What is Sinta borrowing for, Brother? She got stuck like that."

Once Yanti posted an Islamic article in the family's WA group, warning against making it easy to get into debt. Sinta immediately responded by expressing offense and leaving the group. Since then, her relationship with Sinta has been strained. She avoided interacting with Yanti.

"I don't know for sure either, she said it was for her business and family. It's my fault for trusting her," Arham lamented. He looked desperate.

Yanti was pensive while biting her lower lip. "Inshallah, I'll try, Brother."

Unbeknownst to Fatir, his wife had pawned all her jewelry including the wedding dowry. Because she still didn't have enough, she also pledged to the bank the house certificate that Fatir had bought in Yanti's name. She thought, after all, Arham would pay off as soon as the house was sold. Fatir wouldn't know.

However, six months later, Arham's house had not been sold. Meanwhile, she was unable to repay Yanti's loan to the bank.

In order to cover the arrears that continued to swell, while the savings had been exhausted. Yanti began to cut various budgets. This included withholding the salaries of household assistants and reducing the kitchen budget. The children were forced to be provided with makeshift side dishes. It was something that made Fatir wonder, but Yanti was always able to get away with it.

The secret hidden from Fatir was finally revealed. Fatir was shocked when the bank called him at home. It was embarrassing for someone in a managerial position like him.

Anger and disappointment mingled, making his chest tight. Fatir's breathing was ragged, his face bright red with a fiery look in his eyes. As if ready to burn anything that caught his eye.

Inevitably, Yanti had to face the consequences of her actions.

"As a husband, I've really failed to educate my wife. I told you, we'll help her as much as we can. But don't force me beyond my ability." Fatir's hands clenched into fists.

"Now, you can't even be trusted to look after my children, property and honor!" he snapped.

Yanti fell at her husband's feet. She begged for forgiveness.

Fatir took a long, deep breath. This was the first time he had been so overcome by anger. The man who was usually calm, reassuring and quiet had reached the limit of his patience.

He often reminded Yanti not to spoil the family by always giving them what they asked for. Apparently it was a habit that was hard to break.

"I have also warned you repeatedly. Give help that makes you independent. If you help but make yourself dependent, you're not helping, you're destroying yourself and the person you're helping." Fatir's voice shook with a wave of emotion.

She seemed to be trying to keep the volume of her voice down, as if she was afraid of waking up the sleeping jewels of her soul.

"The children are coming with me. You can see them every day. But they have to stay in this house. Tomorrow my parents are coming to watch the children. Mrs. Yuyun will keep working as usual." Fatir stood up and went to the guest bedroom.

His heart was heavy, he loved Yanti so much. A patient woman with a gentle heart. Never asking for personal needs or fun.

However, a bitter decision had to be made. There was no other way. This was the only way to educate his wife.

Yanti sobbed to herself. She didn't expect such a sad fate. Love and sacrifice for relatives led to disaster for herself and her own family.

--Finished--