Goodbye

Towards lunch break, from the open door of the study, Mrs. Rina seemed to be fully concentrated in front of the computer screen. Several silvery strands adorned her left loose hair. Reading glasses perched sweet in the middle of the nose bridge. The leader remains elegant in her long-sleeved white shirt. She draped her blazer on the back of the chair.

“Excuse me, Ma'am,” Kalyana said, knocked on the door of the study.

Bu Ani turned her gaze towards Kalyana. “What's up, Na?” she asked. “Come on, come on, sit down!” she asked, nodding at the empty chair in front of her desk.

Kalyana's heart skipped a beat. Swallowed hard and cleared her throat slowly, she entered Mrs. Rina's study and sat on the chair. “Look, Ma'am,” she said after sitting up straight, “in two months I will most likely have to resign.”

For a few seconds, Mrs. Rina just stared at Kalyana deeply. Then, slowly she took off then folded the glasses, and put them on the table. “You mean,” she said in a soft voice, “you want to leave our art gallery?”

“Yes, Ma'am,” Kalyana replied, nodding.

Without speaking, Mrs. Rina stood up, walked toward the entrance, closed the door tightly, then sat back down on the chair.

“What is wrong, Na?” said Mrs. Rina then, “Is there anything that makes you feel uncomfortable here?”

“Uh, there isn't, Ma'am!” argued Kalyana hastily.

 “I, uh, want to get married, Ma'am,” she continued, blushing.

Mrs. Rina smiled. “That ring?” she asked, nodding her head to Kalyana's right hand finger.

“Yes, ma'am,” Kalyana replied. Her face was getting hotter.

“Congratulations, Na!” exclaimed Mrs. Rina, smiling broadly, “but you can still work here after marriage, you know. There is no company regulation that prohibits employees from getting married.”

“Yes, ma'am, but Armand plans to take me overseas after marriage.”

“Oh,” said Mrs. Rina briefly, her smile fading. She took a deep breath, then continued to say, “Well, what can I do if that's your plan.”

Kalyana only smiled.

“Even though I had just drawn up a new organizational scheme that we discussed a few months ago,” Mrs. Rina commented as she turned the computer screen towards Kalyana.

Kalyana glanced at the diagram on the screen. Her eyes widened when she saw that her name was listed as the leader of the auction house that was about to be formed by Mrs. Rina.

Bu Rina smiled, seeing Kalyana's reaction.

“The auction house is being held, ma'am?” muttered Kalyana softly.

“Of course!” exclaimed Mrs. Rina in a low voice, “Just because I haven't discussed it in a while, doesn't mean we shouldn't start this business unit, Na.”

Kalyana took a deep breath. She has been eyeing the new position for a long time, since the first time she conveyed the idea to build an auction house to Mrs. Rina.

“How about it, still want to resign?” asked Mrs. Rina with a small laugh.

“Yes, ma'am,” replied Kalyana, “Do I have to live in Indonesia when Armand moves overseas?”

“You will stay there forever?”

“I don't know, Ma'am,” replied Kalyana, “Armand just said he would be in their office in Barcelona for a few years. Whether after that we returned to Indonesia or not, he has not explained.”

“That is it,” said Mrs. Rina, “Is it not a shame if you give up this opportunity, if in a few years you will return to Indonesia?”

Again Kalyana took a deep breath. Her fingers play the ring on the ring finger of the right hand. “Well, you're kinda right, Ma'am,” then she muttered, “but ....”

Bu Rina smiled, holding Kalyana's hand on the table. “Never mind, don't think about it. Just go accompany your husband to work out there, rather than later he will be taken away by a foreign girl,” she said, “although in my opinion, it would be a big loss if he did that and lost a girl as beautiful as you.”

Kalyana just smiled awkwardly. Again, her cheeks felt hot.

Mrs. Rina took a deep breath. “You said goodbye to Mrs. Diana, right?” then she asked, “what did she said about your departure?”

“Not yet, ma'am.”

“How come you haven't even said goodbye to your direct supervisor?”

“Mrs. Diana is still on leave,” Kalyana protested.

“Ah, yes,” said Mrs. Rina, “Alright, later I will discuss with her about your replacement and who we can give the position of leader of the Auction House. Do you have any ideas?”

‘From this office, it is only me, ma'am, who deserves that position!’ Kalyana screamed to herself. “I, uh, don't know, ma'am,” she replied a little haltingly.

Bu Rina smiled again at the sight of Kalyana. “All right, Na, I agree to you to resign, as long as you have prepared a task transfer to anyone who will be appointed by Mrs. Diana.”

“Thank you, ma'am,” said Kalyana. “Well then, ma'am, I ask permission to go home early today.”

Mrs. Rina raised an eyebrow. “What's up, Na? Wedding preparations?”

“No, it is not!” exclaimed Kalyana hastily, “I just want to go to Jogja for personal matters.”

“Is your work done for today?”

“Yes, it's already done, ma'am.”

“Then, go home!” said Mrs. Rina with a smile, “later I will send the concept of this establishment proposal to your email. Monday, please help check out, OK?”

 “Yes, ma'am, and thank you for the permission!” Kalyana replied as she stood up and left the room.

As soon as she arrived at her desk, Kalyana immediately turned off the computer, carried a backpack containing an electronic tablet and several pieces of clothing, then walked towards the toilet. Before long, her work clothes, blazer suits, straight skirts, white shirts, and high heels, had been replaced by more casual clothes. T-shirt, casual jeans, and sneakers are now attached to the little girl's body. After considering it for a moment, she decided to let her hair curl up. Kalyana then put on a light jacket and walked towards the front door of the gallery. Arriving at the lobby, the taxi she ordered was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Kalyana immediately went in there and asked the driver to go to the airport.

On the way, Kalyana picked up a phone and then dialed a number from the list of favorite calls.

“Hello, Na?” says the recipient of the call.

“Mand, I'm going to go to Yogyakarta now,” said Kalyana.

“All right, be careful on the way!” replied Armand, “Let me know when you get there, OK!”

“Sure!” replied Kalyana, “See you later!”

“Okay!” replied Armand.

Kalyana ended the call, then stared at the congested Surabaya traffic in the afternoon towards the weekend. Her mind began to regret the journey she had taken in such a hurry. The novel had been ignored for several weeks. She gave up. Somehow that night she felt the need to finish as soon as possible before she left Indonesia.

Mrs. Rina was also annoying, because she intentionally showed the plan she is working on. Maybe she felt that she could prevent Kalyana from resigning.

Kalyana grunted irritably, then closed her eyes, trying to sleep so that the trip to Juanda could past soon.

***