Hidayah kerling jam di pergelangan tangan dan kemudian kereta Honda Civic hitam bercermin separa gelap yang di pakir di belakangnya.  Kakinya di hentak ke lantai simen di hadapan pondok pengawal kondominium dengan rentak laju mencari kesabaran.

Hidayah leered at the watch on her wrist and then at the Honda Civic with semi tinted windows parked behind her. Trying to find patience, her foot tapped anxiously on the cement floor  in front of the condominium's guard house.  

“Sori!  Sori!”  Jerit Halimah menuruni cerun jalan apartment yang didiaminya semasa berada di Kuala Lumpur, “satu lif  rosak.  Lambat nak turun.”

"Sorry!  Sorry!" Shouted Halimah as she walked down the incline of the road leading towards the apartment she is staying while in Kuala Lumpur, "one elevator is broken.  It takes sometime to get down."

“Tak pa,”  jawab Hidayah menghulurkan dua beg kertas bertali kepada Halimah.

"It's okay,"  answered Hidayah handing over two paper bags to Halimah.

“You yang kahwin.  I yang dapat hadiah?”  perli Halimah.

"You got married and I got a gift?"  retorted Halimah.

“You tak dapat datang masa majlis hari tu.  Tak dapat cenderahati kenduri jadi I beli ni masa honeymoon kat Beijing,”  jelas Hidayah.  

"You couldn't come to my wedding ceremony the other day.  You didn't get the door gift so I bought you these during my honeymoon in Beijing,"  explained Hidayah.

“Syok honeymoon?”  sakat rakan lama Hidayah itu dengan senyum nakal penuh makna.

"Having fun honeymooning?"  said Hidayah's old friend with a naughty meaningful smile.

Hidayah yang berkemeja denim labuh dan berseluar jeans lemparkan senyuman manis kepada Halimah, “yang biru tu I bagi kat you.  Yang merah untuk Hani you.”

Hidayah who was wearing a denim shirt dan jeans smiled sweetly at Halimah, "the blue one is for you.  The red one is for Hani."

“Hai, Hani pun dapat satu?”  tanya hairan Halimah.  Hidayah tidak pernah pun bertembung, berbual atau bercakap melalui telefon dengan madunya.  Hani hanya wujud dalam perbualan mereka.

"What?  Even Hani gets one?"  asked Halimah quizzically.  Hidayah had never met, talked or spoken over the phone with Halimah's husband's second wife.  Hani only existed in their conversations.

“Entah, masa kat sana tu, tiba-tiba I teringat kat Hani you,”  jawab Hidayah memakai cermin mata gelap yang tadi tersangkut di atas kepala.  “ I dah label baik-baik tu.  Jangan tersilap bagi.  Yang tu I dah buat…beli special untuk Hani tau."

"I don't know.  She suddenly came to mind," said Hidayah putting on the sunglasses that rested on her head before this.  "I've labeled it carefully.  Don't be mistaken.  That one I've made...bought especially for Hani."

“You jampi apa ni?”  gurau Halimah menjenguk ke dalam beg yang dijinjingnya.  Kedua-duanya berisi kotak minuman sarang burung yang sama.

"Did you cast a spell on it?"  joked Halimah peering into the bags that she was holding.  Both contained the same box of bird's nest drinks.

Hidayah senyum sinis.  Cermin mata gelap yang dipakainya menafikan Halimah dari membaca isi hatinya.  “Ingat bagi yang merah kat Hani.  Hanya untuk Hani tau.”  Pesan Hidayah sebelum dia menaiki kereta hitam yang dari tadi menunggunya.

Hidayah smiled cynically.  The sunglasses that she wore denied Halimah from reading what was in her heart.  "Remember give the red one to Hani.  Just for Hani, ok?"  advised Hidayah before she entered the black car that had been waiting.

Hidayah duduk  di lobi resort mewah Tasik Kenyir membaca majalah di tangan.  Kaki yang disilangkan sengaja digoyang mengikut rentak lagu yang berada di dalam fikirannya. 

Hidayah sat in the lobby  of Tasik Kenyir's posh hotel while reading the magazine at hand.  Her crossed legs shook to the rhythm of music that is in her head.

Matanya mengubah pandang ke ukiran kayu yang memisah ruang daftar dengan ruang santai.  Tangannya merasa lembut baldu coklat gelap yang menyalut pemegang kerusi yang didudukinya.  Kain batik Terengganu menghias siling ruang yang sejuk nyaman.

Her eyes shifted to the wood carving that separate the reception and the lounge.  Her hands felt the soft dark brown velvet of the sofa's handrest.  Terengganu's batik decorated the ceiling of the cool cozy area.

Telinganya mendengar bunyi air terjun buatan di sudut ruang.  Cantik hiasan batu-batu sungai dan pokok paku pakis yang di susun di tepi air terjun itu.  Hidayah dapat bayangkan ada ikan koi warna-warni yang bahagia berenang di situ.

Her ears listened to the flow of man-made falls at the corner of the room.  The river rocks and ferns were beautifully arranged around the serene cascades.  Hidayah could imagine the colourful fish that swam in the pool.

“Sori.  Sori.”  Cungap Halimah melabuhkan diri di kerusi di hadapan Hidayah.

"Sorry. Sorry." said Halimah breathlessly as she sat on the sofa across Hidayah.

"Tak apa. Residen arkitek. Kerja enam hari seminggu. Sibuk sentiasa," jawab Hidayah dengan senyum manis.

"It's okay. Resident architect. Works six days a week. Always busy," replied Hidayah with a sweet smile.

"Suami tak ada ke?" Tanya Halimah memerhati sekeliling mencari lelaki tinggi tampan yang tidak kelihatan.

"Your husband isn't here?" Asked Halimah looking around for the tall handsome man who was not in sight.

Hidayah gelak."Dia tak macam arwah Mustapha."

Hidayah giggled. "He is not like the late Mustapha."

“Dia bagi you datang sini sorang?”  Tanya Halimah dengan nada terkejut.

"He allowed you to come here alone?" Asked Halimah in disbelief.

“Tak.  Ni honeymoon lagi,”  Hidayah kenyitkan matanya. “Dia rehat dalam bilik  kat atas tu.  Dia tak jeles macam Mustapha.  Tak de nak control I.  I kata I nak turun jumpa you.  Dia okey aje.”

"No.  This is another honeymoon,"  winked Hidayah. "He is in our room upstairs.  He isn't jealous like Mustapha.  He isn't controlling.  I said I wanted to see you.  He said okay."

“Dia tak macam Mustapha?  Dari segi mana lagi tu?”  Duga Halimah.

"He's not like Mustapha?  In what other aspects?"  Quizzed Halimah.

Hidayah gelak lagi.  “ Isteri dia meninggal enam tahun lalu. Serangan jantung.  Masa tu anak bongsu nak masuk universiti. Anak-anak lain dah kerja.  Dah ada yang kahwin.  Dah duduk sendiri.   Jadi dia biasa urus diri sendiri.”

Hidayah giggled again.  "His wife died six years ago.  Heart attack.  His youngest was going to university.  His other children were already working. Some were already married.  Lived on their own.  He is used to taking care of himself."

“Oooo sekarang you dah ada orang tolong you lah kat rumah?”  perli Halimah melihat seri di wajah sahabat yang dulu kurus dan pucat.

"Oooo now you have someone helping you at home?"  said Halimah seeing the glow on the face that was once thin and pale.

Gelak Hidayah jelas kedengaran di ruang lobi yang luas.  “Tak payah minta tolong.  Tak payah suruh.  Dia buat sendiri. Kami pergi kerja sekali.  Balik kerja dia tolong kemas rumah.  I masak. Dua-dua boleh rehat awal.”  

Hidayah's laughter could be heard throughout the huge lobby.  "No need to ask for help.  No need to give directions.  He does it on his own.  We go to work together.  When we come home, he cleans the house.  I cook.  Then we both rest early."

“Kami dua-dua anak dah besar-besar jadi hujung minggu dia bawa jalan.  Dua minggu lepas Pangkor.  Minggu ni Kenyir.  Tengoklah kalau ada rezeki, kami nak pergi Jepun.  So you macam mana? Sibuk macam biasa nampaknya?”

"All our children are grown up so weekends we travel.  Two weeks ago Pangkor.  This week Kenyir.  If we have resources, we are going to Japan.  What about you? Busy as usual I see?"

“Projek sanctuary I dicalon untuk Anugerah Arkitek Malaysia.  Sibuk bawa juri tengok.  Lepas tu nak serah projek lama dan dah mula projek resort tepi pantai pula.  Sebulan-dua ni dua-tiga projek bertindan.  Busylah…”  

"My sanctuary project is nominated for the Malaysian Architect Award.  Busy bringing the juries for site inspection.  Then there's the handover of old projects and already started on the beach front resort.  A lot of overlapping work.  Busy..."

RING!  RINGGGG!!! RIIINGGG!!! Ayat Halimah diganggu oleh telefon yang berdering.  “Ha.  Hello?  Apa?  Ya ke?  Ok! Ok!  I datang.”

RING!  RINGGGG!!! RIIINGGG!!! Halimah's phone rang and interrupted her sentence.  "Ha.  Hello?  What?  Really?  Ok! Ok! I am coming."

Hidayah renung rakan yang panik.  “Ada kecemasan ke?”

Hidayah looked intently at her panicked friend.  "Is there an emergency?"

“Anak tiri I yang umur dua belas tahun tu…sakit.”

Halimah bangun dari kerusi yang separa panas, “Dah dua minggu demam.  Kelmarin masuk hospital.  Baba dia…Husband I kata ada kidney failure.”

Halimah got up from the half heated seat.  "Fever for the last two weeks. Yesterday he was hospitalized.  His father...My husband said kidney failure."

Hidayah pandang lantai berpermaidani warna krim.  Fikirannya berlari laju.  Dia tarik nafas panjang mengawal jantung yang kini berdegup kencang, “Doktor dah buat ujian darah?”

Hidayah looked at the cream coloured carpet.  Her mind raced.  She took a long deep breathe trying to control her fast beating heart. "Have the doctor done blood tests?"

“Semalam.  Doktor kata jangkitan kuman,”  terang Halimah yang melangkah keluar dari lobi.  

"Yesterday.  The doctor said he has an infection,"  said Halimah walking out of the lobby.

Hidayah ikut setiap langkah rakan karibnya itu.  Dia mula rasakan kepalanya semakin ringan.  Kaki dan tangannya terasa sejuk.  “Leptospirosis?”  bisik Hidayah.

Hidayah followed each and every step that her best friend took.  She felt light headed.  Her hands and feet were getting cold.  "Leptospirosis?"  whispered Hidayah.

“Tak tau.  Mana budak tu nak dapat penyakit tu?  Dia bukan pergi perkhemahan mana-mana.  Suami I tak bawa anak-anak pergi berkelah kat air terjun, kat sungai,”  airmata Halimah mula mengalir mengenang anak tiri yang terlantar di hospital.

"Don't know.  Where would he get that?  He didn't go camping.  My husband didn't bring the kids for picnics at waterfalls or rivers,"  Halimah's tears rolled down as she thought of her step son who was in the hospital.

Darah mula mengalir keluar dari wajah Hidayah.  Wajah yang memang putih menjadi pucat lesi.  Fikirannya cuba menyusun perkataan untuk menjadi satu ayat tanya.  Pertanyaan yang perlu di utarakan walau jawapannya mengerikan Hidayah.

Blood flowed out of HIdayah's face.  Her fair complexion turned white as sheet. Her mind tried to put words into a question.  A question that needed to be asked although she cringed at the suspected answered.

“Imah…hari tu…I bagi sarang burung untuk Hani.  Hani minum ke?  Dia tak bagi kat anak-anak dia kan?”  

"Imah...the other day...I gave bird's nest drink for Hani.  Did she drink it?  She didn't give to her children, right?"

“Entah mana I tahu…”  Halimah pandang tepat ke dalam mata Hidayah yang kelihatan risau dan takut.  “You buat apa?  You bubuh apa dalam air tu?  Racun?”

"How would I know..."  Halimah stared into Hidayah's scared and worried eyes.  "What did you do?  You put something in the drink?  Poison?"

Hidayah hanya boleh berdiri kaku.  Tiada jawapan yang dapat keluar dari bibir pucatnya.

Hidayah stood extremely still.  No words came out of her pale lips.

“Leptospirosis…”  sebut Halimah perlahan.  “You bubuh kencing tikus?  Suami you?  Dia tak kena penyakit tu sebab perkhemahan?  You bubuh dalam minuman dia?  You bunuh dia?!”

"Leptospirosis..."  mentioned Halimah softly.  "You put rat urine?  Your husband?  He didn't get it from camping?  You put it in his drink?  You killed him?"

Hidayah kekal kaku.  Hanya airmata yang mengalir di pipinya.

Hidayah remained frozen.  Only tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You kejam!  Tak berhati-perut!  You nak kejar kebahagiaan, you nak kejar lelaki hensem, suami baru,  itu bukan caranya.  Apa you tak ingat dosa, Dayah?!”  Marah Halimah.  

"You are cruel!  Heartless! You chased after happiness, you chased after a handsome man, your new husband, that is not the way.  Didn't you think about sin, Dayah?"  scolded Halimah.

“Jadi you dah ambil satu nyawa.  Nak ambil satu lagi mudah?  I tak mahu bahagia yang macam ni.  Bahagia yang di curi.  Kalau you lupa dosa-pahala.  I masih ingat lagi, Dayah.”

"So you took one life.  Taking another is easy?  I don't want that kind of bliss.  It's stolen.  If you've forgotten about rewards and sins, I havent, Dayah."

Halimah buka pintu kereta, hempukkan dirinya dan hempas pintu itu di hadapan muka Hidayah.

Halimah opened her car door, sat and slammed the door in front of Hidayah's face.

“Biar I terangkan…”  kata Hidayah perlahan.

"Let me explain..."  said Hidayah softly.

“Tak!  I tak nak dengar apa-apa pun dari you.  You pembunuh dan you khianati hidup I.  You bukan lagi kawan I.”  jawab pantas Halimah sambil menekan minyak keluar dari pakir hotel mewah itu.

"No!  I don't want to hear anything from you.  You are a murderer and you betrayed me.  You are not my friend."  retorted Halimah stepping on the gas pedal as she exited the luxury hotel's parking lot.

Hidayah rasa kepalanya seolah-olah berpusing.  Pelepah pohon-pohon pinang yang berderet di tepi kawasan pakir hotel itu melambai-lambai Hidayah yang kini terduduk di atas batu berjalur hitam putih di tepi jalan.

Hidayah felt her head spinning.  The leaves of the palm trees that lined the parking area waved at Hidayah who sat on the black and white striped boulders by the roadside.

Airmatanya sudah berhenti mengalir.  Jantung Hidayah kembali berdegup tenang.  Tangannya menekan telefon bimbit yang dari tadi dicengkam, “Dean…tolong Dayah.”

Her tears had stopped.  Her heart beat regularly.  Her hand pressed on the handset which she had been gripping, "Dean...help me."

Mungkinkah...pembunuhan?Malay

Was it...murder?English

A. Huda

Malay

English