Hurry back home, Dad!

It's been more than an hour I've sat daydreaming in the garden, imagining being able to take a vacation to Puncak breathing the cool air while spoiling my eyes with the beauty of the tea plantations. After that, maybe I will stop by the Safari Park to feed deer, lions, and other animals or can enjoy the calm of a hot bath in Ciseeng. Puncak is the right place to unwind. Oh, I think I can too.

"Aria!" My beautiful daydreams shattered when Mother called.

"Yes, Mom?" I answered.

"Already evening now. Come on in, get ready to break the fast. You make the compote, you know. "

Well, maybe this is an alarm to end my daydreams that will somehow come true. Since the outbreak of a virus that has shaken the world lately, my older sister, Ema, and my younger brother, Rafa, and my mother, have had to go through days of fatherless fasting.

My father is a doctor, after the corona case in The City increased sharply, he could not go home. The four of us can only greet him occasionally via video call. Apart from his busy schedule, he doesn't want to take the risk of becoming a carrier if he has to come home every day. The backbone of our family now lives in the quarantine house provided by the hospital. The house was used as a temporary residence for medical personnel.

Saturdays or Sundays, we usually go to Timezone to play various games or choose to just watch a movie together at home. Even when the month of Ramadan feels good, we can have a meal and break the fast together every day. For now, maybe we should take a break from dawn and break the fast.

It was even more heartbreaking when I found out that my father had been in contact with a dishonest positive patient. My mind immediately messed up. Do you wear complete personal protective equipment? Is he well enough to handle this patient? Was he in direct contact with the patient? And there are still many questions that arise in my head.

To minimize the risk, of course, he must be isolated. Several times I had the desire in my heart to go to the hospital to make sure my father was really well and could bring him his favorite vitamins and ginger.

God is really all good. After 14 days of isolation, my father's swab test was negative. I feel that being grateful is not enough to thank God. Even so, the rare communication left me haunted by anxiety.

The worry that builds up can't go away until it's over. In fact, I might even have run out of words to express it. Not infrequently, I feel like crying seeing the many medical personnel who have died. Can not imagine if it is father.

It is furious when I see so many selfish people hanging out and underestimating this virus. Not to mention, the many dishonest patients made it even more complicated. Are these people not heeding the government's advice? In fact, massive recommendations from the government have been broadcast on various communication media to stay at home if you don't have important needs.

Being at home for a long time is not a pleasure. Our brains become bored with doing the same activities every day. Not to mention, we have to deal with the pressure of reporting about positive cases that are increasingly becoming. Even so, that doesn't mean we all can unwind by hanging out in cafes, right? This saturation is very disproportionate to the medical personnel who work every day. In fact, they have to endure homesickness in order to protect those around them.

"Mom, Dad when are you coming home?" said Rafa when we were eating together.

"In a few days maybe Daddy will come home, honey," said Mother.

Rafa often asks when dad will come home. Understandably, he is still five years old. Cry too often too. Sometimes I can't bear to see it. Not only Rafa, I know that Mother also has a lot of worry for my father. It can be seen from the look on his face, which occasionally looks clear, showing a hint of longing. Father and Mother are sharing tasks. Father takes care of his family by not coming home, Mother keeps his family at home.

When I passed the calendar, I immediately thought. Next month is my birthday. Every year without being absent the whole family always celebrates my birthday. Father, Mother, Brother, and Rafa, who although only five years old, also celebrate. But apparently not with this year, maybe I can call to make sure he can come home or not.

"Hello, Aria. Sorry, this is Sister Mila, your father is still in the isolation room handling patients. Sister will tell you later if you call. "

"OK, Sus. Thank you."

Again, I failed to contact Dad. It's been three days I haven't gotten a call from him. Even though I know he's fine through the photo he sent this morning, I'm still nervous because I haven't heard his voice lately.

"Why haven't you slept yet? It's hard to get up for the meal, ”asked Mother, feeding me apples.

"Mom sad, no, with the situation like now? Usually, right, we are always busy joking with my father during the fasting month. "

"Yes, it is sad for sure. My mother is also tired of having to wait for everything to go well, while many people just don't want to work together. Your father is not young anymore, Mother is very worried about his health. " I listened carefully to my mother. “This kind of situation definitely nobody wants. Wait, yes. Hopefully, everything will end quickly, "he continued.

The only thing that goes through my mind every night is when will this all end? Is there a guarantee that you will always be healthy? Stay healthy, Dad. Aria really missed it.

The end.

Thanks to Anthony Tran for sharing their work on Unsplash.