Penyihir di Pasar Minggu - Kesialan di Pantai

Musim kemarau ini adalah musim kemarau terpanas di Pasar Minggu. Erlin, Julian dan Tamara berdiri tepat di depan kipas angin andalan di Rumah Makan Padang milik keluarga Risjad. Mereka bergantian menggunakan kipas angin untuk mendinginkan tubuh mereka.

“Percuma saja pakai kipas angin. Masih saja terasa panas” keluh Haper.

“Aduh!! Kapan sih panasnya berhenti?!” Tamara ikut mengeluh. “Sayang kapan kita beli pendingin ruangan seperti AC?” Tanya Tamara kepada suaminya Adam.

“Kita gak perlu beli AC, ambil saja es batu di kulkas, lalu masukan ke dalam baju. Jadi dingin kan? Dan bisa jadi deodoran juga” jawab Adam sambil bergurau.

Alya masuk ke dalam Restauran yang dimiliki oleh keluarganya dengan keringat yang bercucuran hingga baju yang ia kenakan basah oleh keringat, Alya pun menngumal tentang panasnya cucaca hari ini.

“Ini adalah musim kemarau yang terpanas sepanjang masa! Ugh.” gumam Alya kepada semua orang yang ada di dalam Restauran. “ Saya habis dari toko sebelah untuk menumpang mendinginkan badan tiba-tiba ada bapak tua yang menggangguku. Oh ya Ma, Alya punya sesuatu untuk Mama” sambil Alya memberikan sebuah obeng kepada Mamanya.

“Terima kasih sayang. Aku bisa menggunakan obeng ini untuk membuka brangkas Papamu dan membeli sebuah AC”

“Papa, bisakah kita menutup restauran untuk sesaat hari ini dan pergi ke Pantai Anyer?”

“Tidak bisa. Kita harus tetap disini, menjalankan usaha restauran kita dengan memanfaatkan cuaca yang panas ini. Kita bahkan bisa memasak telur mata sapi tanpa harus menggunakan kompor!”

Udara yang panas membuat Erlin dan Julian berebutan kipas angin lalu datanglah Noah “Hey semuanya, aku ingin pergi keluar, ke Pantai”.

“Sepertinya Noah tidak sadarkan diri. Ini pasti gara-gara masakan nasi gorengmu tadi pagi. Apa yang kamu masukan ke dalamnya?” Tanya Tamara kepada suaminya.

“Tidak memasukan apa-apa, dia hanya kepanasan saja”.

Noah pergi keluar dari Restoran sambil membawa radio kecil miliknya. Saat dia sedang berada di jalan tepat di depan Restauran, Noah mengeluarkan tongkat ajaibnya dan mengayunkannya sambil mengucapkan mantera, “Bim salabim, kursi pantai dan payung pantai!” Lalu munculah kursi pantai dan payung pantai serta pasir pantai mengelilingi benda tersebut  di tengah jalan depan Restauran. Noah segera duduk dan rebahan di kursi pantai itu sambil mengenakan kacamata hitamnya.

Alya, Julian, Erlin, Tamara dan Adam keluar dari Restauran dan mereka semua tampak kesal dengan ulah Noah.

“Oh, hey semuanya!” Sapa Noah sambil berjemur di tengah jalan “Selamat datang ke Pantai pribadiku!” Tamara terkejut melihat kelakuan anak bungsunya.

“Berejemur saat panas sangat menyenangkan. Hmm, tetapiku merasa ada yang kurang.” ujar Noah.

“Kurang lautnya?” Jawab Alya sarkasme.

“Oh iya! Kurang lautnya! Bim salabim la..”

“TUNGGU JANGAN LAKUKAN ITU!!!” seru semuanya secara serentak dan berhasil menggagalkan mantra Noah.

“Baiklah, kita akan tutup restauran hanya untuk hari ini, dan pergi ke Anyer” Ujar Adam dengan kesal.

“YAAAAAAAAYYY!!!” seru semuanya dengan senang sambil bertepuk tangan. Mereka semua segera masuk ke dalam Restauran kembali untuk berkemas ke Anyer.

Mereka semua sudah siap untuk pergi dan telah mengenakan pakain pantai yang modis. Setelah beberapa jam kemudian akhirnya mereka pun  tiba di Pantai Anyer.

“Ayo dong sayang cepat jalannya!” Tamara memerintah suaminya yang kesusahan membawa atribut-atribut pantai mereka.

“Iya sabar dong. Semoga saja tidak ada barang yang ketinggalan di rumah ya.” jawabnya dengan sabar.

“Aku tahu apa yang ketinggalan Pah. Papa meninggalkan baju pantai Papa yang cocok dengan celana pantai Papa.” celetuk Alya terhadap Papanya.

Tiba-tiba ada bola Voli yang mengenai ke arah Adam dan istrinya Tamara.

“Dasar anak muda genit! Hey apakah kalian tidak melihat saya sudah menikah?!” sambil menunjukan cicin kawinnya.

“Dan saya suaminya!”

Alya dan Erlin mulai menelusuri luasnya Pantai Anyer sambil mengobrol sepanjang jalan.

“Hari ini pasti akan menyenangkan sekali. Aku tidak sabar untuk bermain air, duduk di pasir sambil membaca buku. Oh iya Alya, jangan lupa untuk memberitahuku jika ada anak cowok yang manis dan lucu lewat.”

Lewatlah sosok pria yang manis dan Alya menyiku Erlin dengan cepat sambil tersenyum.

“Aduh! Aahh biasa aja ah cowok itu.”

Julian dan Noah sedang berdiri bersamaan sambil memandang ke arah pantai. Julian menceritakan apa yang ia ingin lakukan di Pantai Anyer.

“Aku ingin berenang dan berselancar di laut” Ujar Julian sambil memandang ke arah laut.

“Hey Julian! Cobalah lihat ini! Ini adalah sebuah mesin peramal!”

“Noah, Noah!! Jangan!!” Adam segera berlari ke arah Noah “ Jangan pernah mendapatkan nasib dari mesin peramal ini! Untuk orang biasa, ini hanyalah mesin arkade permainan biasa. Tetapi untuk penyihir seperti kita, ramalan nasibnya sangat nyata.”

“Benarkah? Mengapa?” Tanya Julian terhadap Ayahnya.

“Mengapa? Karena Caesar berasal dari dunia penyihir seperti kita. Jika ada seorang penyihir yang meminta untuk diramal nasibnya ke Caesar, dia akan mendapatkan ramalan nasib yang benar-benar akan terjadi terhadap penyihir itu.”

“Wow, sekarang aku ingin benar-benar mencobanya” Ujar Alya sambil merengek dengan muka yang sedih.

“Tidakkah kau mendengarkan apa yang Papa sudah katakan Alya? Jangan pernah mecobanya. Kamu bisa saja mendapatkan ramalan nasib yang buruk dan tidak ada cara lain untuk menghentikannya. Pokoknya, jauhi mesin si Caesar peramal nasib, paham?”

“Baiklah”

“Oke aku paham” kata Julian dan Noah.

Alya, Julian dan Noah pun segera pergi dari tempat mesin perama itu dan segera pergi ke arah pantai sebenarnya.

Tamara mendekati mesin peramal Caesar dengan senang “Akhirnya ada sesuatu yang manusiabiasa bisa lakukan dan penyihir tidak bisa melakukannya”, sambil merogoh dan mencari uang receh di dalam tas yang ia bawa.

“Caesar, satu ramalan nasib untuk manusia biasa” sambil memasuka beberapa koin ke dalam mesin. “Caesar!” Kata itulah yang diucapak oleh mesin peramal nasib saat sedang bekerja, dan beberapa detik kemudian hasil ramalan pun keluar.

“ ‘banyak yang suka dengan dirimu’ Aku tak paham, ramalan ini benar sekali” Ujar Tamara dengan bangga terhadap dirinya.

Julian berdiri di tengah pantai sambil memakai sebuah topi pantai dan kacamata hitam, Ia memandang ke arah laut sambil berteriak ke arah para selancar.

“Perhatian para selancar! Sebentar lagi akan ada ombak pasang! Cepat kembali ke pantai!”

“Diam kau wanita tua” cemooh dari seorang selancar ke arah Julian.

Julian pun malu dan menyalahkan Ibunya karena telah memberikan Julian sebuah topi pantai yang terlalu feminim.

Erlin memasang kursi pantainya disebelah kiri Alya berada. Saat saja ia baru mau duduk, Ayah Alya, Adam membawa pemanggang barbekyu ke arah tempat dimana Erlin yang baru saja ingin menikmati harinya di Pantai Anyer.

“Erlin, saya ingin menggunakan spot ini untuk memanggang barbekyu agar asapnya tidak ke arah kita.”

“Baik, aku akan pindah.”

Erlin pun mencari spot yang lainnya, yaitu berada disebelah Mamanya Alya, Tamara yang sedang ingin berjemur.

“Maaf Erlin, tapi saya membutuhkan spot ini untuk payung pantai saya. Karena saya ingin menggelapkan warna kulit kaki saya.”

“Baiklah, aku akan mencari spot yang lainnya” Erlin pun mulai kesal.

Ia membawa dan memindahkan kursi pantainya ke sebelah kanan Alya dimana Alya sedang berjemur sambil mendengarkan lagu dari telepon genggamnya.

“ALYA!!!”

“Apa?”

“KAU BERNYANYI TERLALU KERAS!! Aku tidak dapat fokus untuk membaca buku!”

“Oh, maaf.”

Alya mengambil buku besar, Ia menggunakan buku besar itu untuk menutup bagian sebelah mukanya dan lanjut bernyanyi dengan keras dan nada yang tidak karuan. Erlin membalikan badannya berlawan arah dari Alya berada, Ia menutup kupingnya dan berusaha membaca buku novelnya.

Noah kembali berada di tempat, di mana mesin peramal Caesar berada. Noah melihat keadaan sekitarnya untuk memastikan jika Ayahnya tidak ada di sekitarnya dan dia pun segera memasukan koin ke dalam mesin peramal tersebut.

“Noah APA YANG SEDANG KAU LAKUKAN?” Teriak Julian kaget melihat apa yang sedang dilakukan adik bungsunya.

“Ayolah Julian, Papa hanya khawatir jika kita mendapatkan nasib ramalan yang buruk. Aku yakin ramalan nasibku akan baik hari ini. Ayo kita lihat apa ramalan nasibku..” “kamu akan mendapatkan sesuatu yang enak”

“Oh, itu tidaklah terdengar buruk”

Tiba-tiba seorang pria yang sedang mendorong gerobak, memberika dua es krim gratis kepada Noah dan Julian.

“Es krim gratis? Terima kasih tukang es krim! Dan merk dari es krim ini ‘Enak’.”

“Gila! Ramalan nasib ini tepat sekali, wow!” takjub Julian.

“Iya ya. Mungkin kau perlu mencobanya Julian!”

“Tidak, tidak, tidak!Karena kamu telah mendapatkan ramalan nasib yang baik bukan berarti aku akan mendapatkan yang sama.”

“Yasudah, terserah” Noah lanjut memakan es krimnya.

“Jujur, aku penasaran tapi Papa telah memperingati kita. Tapi kau baru saja mendapatkan nasib yang baik, mungkin aku akan mendapatkan ramalan nasib yang baik juga”

“Ya, mungkin saja.” gumam Noah.

“Berhenti bergumam, aku akan mencoba mesin peramal itu.”

Julian berjalan ke arah mesin peramal itu dan memasukan uang koin ke dalam mesin. Mesin peramal tersebut mulai menyala “Caesar!”. Keluarlah ramalan nasib Julian dari mesin tersebut, “Kamu akan menarik perhatian dari seseorang yang tidak dikenal”. Tidak berapa lama lewatlah seorang gadis cantik di hadapan Julian, gadis itu tersenyum ke arah Julian sambil melambaikan tangannya dengan genit. Julian segera menyapanya “hai” tetapi, gadis itu hanya tetap jalan dan berlalu darinya.

“Apakah kau lihat itu Noah? Cewek itu menggodaku dengan lambaian tangan genitnya! Ini keren sekali!!” Ucap Julian sangat girang.

“Yup!”

Alya dan Erlin beranjak dari spot mereka untuk mengelilingi dan melihat-lihat di sekitar pantai. Tak sengaja mereka bertemu dengan Julian dan Noah. Julian dan Noah memberi tahu Alya bahwa mesin peramal Caesar yang berada di Pantai ini memang berfungsi.

“Alya! Mesin peramal Caesar sungguh berfungsi! Noah dan aku mendapatkan keberuntungan dari mesin peramal Caesar!” seru Julian terhadap Alya

“Ya, benar sekali apa kata Julian! Alya, kau harus mencobanya!”

“Baiklah, sini beri aku koin”

Noah memberikan Alya koinnya, Alya memasukan koinnya ke dalam mesin tersebut, “Caesar!” dan hasil ramalan nasib Alya keluar.

“ ‘Katakan selamat tinggal kepada hidupmu’, APA-APAAN INI? INI HAL BURUK!”

Mereka berempat tidak menyangka bahwa Alya akan bernasib buruk. Alya duduk dan merenung. Dia sedih akan hasil ramalan nasib ini. Yang lain pun bingung apa yang harus mereka lakukan akan hal ini.

“Katakan selamat tinggal pada hidupmu?” Renung Julian sambil memegang hasil ramalan nasib adik perempuannya. “Ini benar-benar hal yang buruk..”

“Kau sungguh tidak mendapatkan ramalan nasib yang ‘enak’ Alya.” Ejek Noah.

“Apa yang akan kita lakukan sekarang?” Tanya Erlin dengan khawatir.

“Dengar ya, aku akan mengatasi ini layaknya aku mengatasi semua masalah di kehidupanku. Aku akan mengabaikannya, oke? Ayo sekarang kita balik ke pantai.” Ucap Alya upaya menenangkan dirinya dan yang lain.

Pada saat mereka sedang bergegas untuk kembali ke pantai, tiba-tiba ada golok yang melayang tepat ke arah Alya tetapi tidak mengenai dirinya.

“Wow, tadi itu tak mungkin aku abaikan..” Ujar Alya dengan kaget.

Mereka berempat, Alya, Julian, Noah dan Erlin kembali ke tempat di mana Mesin Peramal Nasib Caesar berada. Alya segera meminta mohon kepadanya, tetapi tidak ada respon dari Caesar.

“Tolonglah Caesar, tolong ubah nasibku. Kami semua tahu bahwa kau berasal dari dunia penyihir.” Alya memohon-mohon kepadanya tetapi tidak ada jawaban darinya. Noah pun kesal dan menendang mesin tersebut dan Caesar pun bereaksi

“Hey hentikan itu anak muda! Dan bukannya kau sudah tahu apa yang akan terjadi? Jadi pergilah.”

“Caesar aku tahu ini bagian dari pekerjaan kau, tapi aku tak mau meninggalkan hidupku seperti apa yang dikatakan di kertas itu. Aku masih muda!”

“Anak muda bernasib malang.”

“Alya, mungkin kita perlu memberi tahu Ayahmu..” Ujar Erlin.

“Tidak, tidak. Kita hanya perlu meyakinkan Caesar. Hmm, Noah tunjukan golok yang tadi. Hey Caesar, aku punya sesuatu untuk kau.” Noah pun segera mengambil dan mengangkat golok yang hampir melukai Alya dan menakut-nakutin Caesar.

“Baiklah, aku akan menolongmu!” Jawab Caesar ketakutan.

“Aku mau kau mengubah nasibku!”

“Sebenarnya aku tak bisa melakukan itu, tapi mungkin kita bisa membuat perjanjian”

Caesar menyebutkan hal apa yang ia mau, yaitu keluar dari mesin ini dan ia ingin menghabiskan waktu di pantai dan makan makanan laut segar. Tetapi Caesar tidak bisa meninggalkan mesin peramal nasibnya begitu saja, ia membutuhkan seseorang untuk menggantikannya selagi Ia pergi menghabiskan waktunya di Pantai. Jika Alya menyetujuinya, Caesar akan menarik ramalan nasib buruknya.

“Salah satu dari saudaraku akan menggantikanmu sementara”

“dan bukan aku tentunya. Aku tak suka tempat yang sempit.” jawab Julian dengan cepat.

“Aku akan melakukannya!” Ujar Noah dengan semangat.

Alya segera mengayunkan tongkat ajaibnya, dan mengucapakan sebuah mantera “Bim salabim, Noah dan Caesar bertukar tempat!” Mantera yang dilakukan Alya berhasil. Noah berada di dalam kotak mesin peramal nasib dan Caesar berada di luar kotaknya.

“Akhirnya aku bisa merenggangkan kakiku! Lihatlah kakiku yang indah ini!” Ujar Caesar dengan girang dan memandangi kedua kakinya.”

“Whoaa, aku memiliki kumis dan jenggot sekarang! Dan uhm, mereka sedikit membuat mukaku gatal.. tepat seperti apa yang kubayangkan!” Ujar Noah dengan bangga sambil memainkan kumis dan jenggot barunya.

“Alya, aku akan tetap tinggal disini. Kau tahu kan aku harus menjaga tingkah laku adikmu ini” Kata Julian ke Alya.

Alya dan Erlin pergi dengan Caesar untuk menemaninya menghabiskan waktu di Pantai. Hal pertama yang Caesar laukan pertama kali yaitu membeli sebuah es krim. Selagi Alya dan Erlin menunggu Caesar yang sedang mengantre membeli es krim, tiba-tiba ada sebuah palu besar yang melayang ke arah Alya dan hampir melukainya. Setelah kejadian buruk tersebut terjadi dan Caesar telah selesai membeli es krim, mereka kemudian berfoto-foto ria sekalian menghabiskan waktu dan bersenang-senang di Pantai. Tetapi, Alya tidak terlihat senang. Selama Alya menemani Caesar berkeliling-liling pantai, ada saja hal buruk yang menimpa dirinya dan hampir mencelakainya.

“Menghabiskan waktu di Pantai sungguh menyenangkan ya!” Seru  Caesar dengan semangat.

“Iya, mungkin buat kau menyenangkan” Jawab Alya dengan kesal

“Caesar ayo hapus ramalan nasib buruknya. Bukankah kau sudah bersenang-senang di Pantai hari ini? Kasihan dia sudah tertimpa hal buruk lebih dari 5 kali hari ini”

“Belum saatnya. Aku masih belum bertemu dengan cewek-cewek cantik di Pantai”

Caesar pun langsung jalan dan pergi. Erlin dan Alya mengikutinya dari belakang dan tiba-tiba ada besi yang jatuh tepat didepan hadapan Alya.

“Astaga Alya, hampir saja!”

“iya itu barusan nyaris sekali membunuhku dan membuat kepalaku hancur.”

“Eh, kemana si Caesar? Ayo kita berpencar saja.”

“Tidak Erlin, kau harus menemaniku.”

Mereka berdua pun lanjut berjalan dan mencari Caesar. Alya mendorong Erlin untuk jalan didepannya agar ia bisa bersembunyi disebaliknya.

Julian masih setia menemani adiknya, Noah yang berada di dalam kotak peramal itu. Noah sangat suka dengan kumis dan jenggot yang ia miliki sekarang. Bahkan semua ramalan nasib yang ia buat berhubungan dengan kumis dan jenggotnya. Hal ini sungguh tidak masuk akal bagi orang yang membaca hasil ramalan nasibnya. Hasil ramalan nasib yang dibuat Noah sempat mengejek kumis seseorang pria, pria yang membacanya menjadi kesal tetapi Julian berusahan meredamkan emosi pria tersebut dengan mengalihkan perhatiannya dan membuatnya pergi.

“Noah, kenapa kau terobsesi sekali dengan kumis dan jenggotmu itu?”

“Saat kau menjadi pria dewasa, kau akan tahu.” Jawab Noah dengan nada yang serius.

Caesar yang berkeliling pantai sendirian, akhirnya berhenti di suatu spot di pantai. Ia duduk di sebuah kursi pantai dan di sebelahnya ada seseorang wanita yang tampak menarik.

“Hey apakah kamu baru pertama kali ke pantai? Whooo! Ini baru pertama kalinya saya pergi ke pantai dan saya sungguh suka dengan indahnya pemandangan pantai.” Ujar Caesar kepada wanita yang berada di sebelahnya.

“Aku sudah menikah. Itu disana, suamiku sedang membelikanku es kelapa muda.” Jawab Tamara terhadap Caesar, pria yang tak dikenal.

Alya dan Erlin melihat Caesar yang tampaknya sedang menggodai Ibunya Alya. Mereka berdua segera menghampiri Caesar dengan perasaan yang kesal.

“Caesar! Ayolah, aku sudah bersenang-senang di pantai dan bahkan kau menggodai Ibuku. Menjijikan. Sekarang waktunya kau menarik ramalan nasib burukku!”

Tiba-tiba ada sebuah panah yang melayang ke arah Alya hal tersebut menangkap perhatian Adam. Alya terlihat panik dan khawatir saat panah itu hampir melukai dirinya.

“apakah kau ingin menceritakan apa yang terjadi kepada papamu Alya?” Tanya Erlin

“PAPA!” teriak Alya sambil lari menghampiri Papanya.

“Papa! Alya butuh bantuan Papa” ujar Alya sambil memeluk Papanya. “Aku meramalkan nasibku kepada Caesar dan dia tidak mau menarik hasil ramalannya tidak peduli apa yang aku lakukan. Maafkan Alya, seharusnya Alya mendengarkan perkataan Papa. Ini apa yang Caesar telah ramalkan”

“ ‘Katakan selamat tinggal kepada hidupmu’?” Ujar Adam sambil membaca hasil ramalannya.

“Astaga sayang…”

“Sebaiknya Om dan Tante jangan dekat-dekat Alya dulu deh.”

Adam, Tamara dan Erlin menjauhi Alya.

“Pah, dia berjanji kepadaku unutuk menarik ramalan nasibku jika aku mengizinkannya menghaiskan waktu seharian di pantai, tetapi dia terus menunda.”

Mereka menghampiri Caesar yang berada di dekat alat pemanggang Adam yang ia bawa dari rumah. Rupanya Caesar sedang asyik memakan ikan bakar yang Adam buat untuk keluarganya.

“Hey Caesar, putri saya Alya sedang dalam bahaya. Dan saya dengar kamu telah membuat janji. Dan kau telah memakan ikan bakarku!?”

“Iya, ini ikan bakarnya enak sekali” Sambil tetap memakan ikan bakarnya.

“Oh iya makasih, ini resep rahasianya itu ada di jeruk limao yang saya pakai serta bumbu sambal kecapnya yang saya bikin sendiri. Saya pastikan bumbunya meresap ke dalam daging ikannya.”

“PAPA!” Alya bergerutu.

“Oh ya! Caesar, tolong tarik kembali ramalan nasib putri saya!”

“oh tentang itu, saya masih ingin bersenang-senang menghabiskan waktu saya di pantai.”

Tiba-tiba terdengar suara gemerusuh, suara banyak orang yang komplain tentang ramalan nasib yang mereka dapatkan.

“Tenang semuanya tenang! Ini hanyalah ramalan nasib omong kosong.”

“kau menyebut ini ramalan nasib? ‘tumbuhkan jenggot dan masuklah dalam kelompok para jenggot yang telah saya bikin’ Apa maksudnya?”

“Dengar, jika kalian ingin menghancuri alat ini, baiklah, hancurkan bangunan ini.”

“Mereka berdua akan menghancurkan mesin ramalan nasib yang telah saya buat selama 2 abad. Saya harus kembali kesana!” Gerutu Caesar sambil menarik lengan Alya.

“Oke, Aku akan mengembalikanmu kesana, tapi kau ingatkan apa yang kau janjikan padaku?”

“Baiklah, baiklah. Aku tidak dapat membuang nasib burukmu, tapi aku bisa memberikannya ke orang lain yang menggunakan mesin ramalanku.”

“Aku tidak keberatan dengan itu. Aku hanya mau yang terbaik untuk putriku. Ayo Alya, sekarang kembalikan Caesar kedalam kotak mesin peramal itu.” Ucap Adam.

“Terlalu banyak orang di sekitar sini, aku tidak dapat melakukan mantranya.” Jawab Alya dengan pasrah.

Erlin yang sedang melihat ke arah pantai, dia seperti melihat sesuatu yang terjadi di Pantai.

“ASTAGA!! ADA KEBAKARAN!!!” Jerit Erlin sambil menunjuk ke arah pantai. Dan kericuhan pun mulai terjadi. Semua orang yang berada di dekat mesin peramal Caesar lari meninggalkan lokasi dan melihat ke tempat kejadian kebakaran.

“Terima kasih Erlin, ide yang bagus!” Ucap Alya dan dia tersenyum.

“Alya, aku serius! Itu, panggangan Papamu yang menyebabkan kebakaran!”

“AAAAHHH IKAN BAKARKU!!!” Teriak Adam.

“AAAAAAHH BUKU NOVELKU!!!” Teriak Erlin.

“AAAAAHHH PAYUNG PANTAIKU!!!” Teriak Tamara.

Alya berdiri tepat di depan mesin peramal nasib si Caesar dan di mulai mengayunkan tongkat sihirnya. Alya mengucapkan sebuah mantera dari mulutnya, sinar bewarna kuning keemasan keluar dari tongkat sihirnya lalu bertukar posisilah Caesar dan Noah kembali ke seperti semula.

“Sihir yang hebat Alya!” Ujar Noah kepada Alya sebagai ucapan terima kasih. Noah merasakan sesuatu yang janggal, Ia segera memegang kumis dan jenggot, dan ternyata

 “HA?! LHO KUMIS DAN JENGGOTKU KOK HILANG?!” Ucap Noah dengan histeris.

Alya tampak kesal mendengar ucapan Noah tentang kumis dan jenggotnya yang hilang.

Bunyi sirine pemadam kebakaran yang nyaring dan derakan langkah dan larian pemadam kebakaran terdengar dengan jelas dari kejauhan dimana Tamara, Adam, Julian dan Erlin berdiri. Tamara memperhatikan para pemadam kebakaran yang berlalu lalang di sekitar pantai sambil memegang cincin kawin yang ia kenakan di jari manis tangan kanannya. Adam mulai kesal dengan tingkah laku istrinya yang genit, Adam pun mengajak semuanya untuk pulang ke rumah.

Pada saat mereka hendak berjalan untuk pulang, mereka berpapasan dengan sebuah keluarga yang terdiri atas Ayah, Ibu dan anak perempuan yang berusia sekita 10 tahun. Keluarga ini hendak menggunakan mesin perama nasib si Caesar. Alya pun berhenti sejenak sambil memperhatikan anak kecil itu yang sedang memasukan koin dan menggunakan mesin tersebut.

“Eh tunggu, anak kecil itu akan mendapatkan nasib yang sama dengan nasibku sebelumnya. Ini sungguh menyedihkan.” Ucap Alya ke Erlin dengan raut muka yang sedih. “Caesar!” Bunyi mesin peramal nasib si Caesar yang bertanda sang gadis kecil itu telah mendapatkan hasil ramalan nasibnya.

“Sungguh gadis yang malang.” Alya tampak sedih.

Tidak lama kemudian datanglah seorang pria mengenakan setelan jas dan berambut sedikit putih sambil membawa sebuah mikropon. Pria tersebut adalah seorang pembawa acara realiti di salah stasiun TV. Pembawa acara tersebut serta kameramennya menuju ke arah gadis kecil itu.

“Diam disana gadis kecil. Saya Haikal, pembawa acara dari acara realiti ‘Hadiah Kaget!’. Katakan selamat tinggal kepada hidupmu! Karena, kamu mendapatkan uang sejumlah 1 milyar!” Keluarga tersebut tampak bahagia sekali saat sang pembawa acara berkata demikian sambil berjabat tangan dengan putri kecilnya.

“APA-APAAN?!?! ITU UANG SAYA! ITU UANG SAYA! ITU UANG SAYA! ITU MILIKUUUU!!!!” Teriak Alya secara histeris ke arah sang pembawa acara dan gadis kecil yang telah memenangkan uang tersebut. Erlin segara meraih Alya dan menariknya secara paksa, Adam membantu Erlin dan meminta maaf kepada keluarga tersebut atas tindakkan Alya yang memalukan. Keluarga tersebut tampak bingung dan ketakutan, Ayah dan Ibu dari gadis kecil tersebut memeluknya dengan erat saat Alya berteriak-teriak secara histeris. Gadis kecil itu tampak ketakutan oleh tingkah laku Alya.

Alya, Erlin, Julian, Noah, Adam dan Tamara mereka akhirnya pulang ke rumah. Sesampainya di rumah mereka langsung menyalakan kipas angin kesayangan mereka di ruang keluarga. Mereka menggunakan kipas anginnya secara bergantian dengan cara menghidupkan mode mengayunnya.

“Ahh ademnya.” Ucap Adam dan Tamara secara bersamaan. Mereka berdua tampak kepanasan.

“Siapa yang butuh AC lagi?” Ucap Julian sambil menikmati tiupan angin dari kipas angin andalan keluarganya.

“Kumisku pasti sangat menikmati buaian angin ini.” Noah mengucapkannya dengan nada yang kesal.

“Di rumah dengan kipas angin jauh lebih baik daripada seharian di pantai.” Ucap Alya dengan perasaan yang lega.

“Masa bodoh, aku akan tetap membaca buku yang telah gosong kebakar ini.” Ucap Erlin sambil memegang buku favoritnya.

Mereka semua terlihat tampak lelah atas apa yang telah terjadi hari ini di Pantai Anyer.

Saat mereka sedang menikmati sejuknya angin dari kipas angin andalan mereka. Tiba-tiba saja mesin kipas anginnya berhenti menyala. Semua tampak frustasi dan kesal.

“Kipas anginnya rusak! Kipas anginnya rusak!! Bagaimana cara kita memperbaikinnya?” Teriak Julian sambil bangun dari tempat duduknya.

“Tenang saja akan aku perbaikin.” Ucap Alya dengan tenang sambil ia mengeluarkan tongkat ajaibnya, dan mulai mengayunkannya sambil mengucapkan sebuah mantera. “Bim salabim perbaiki lah kipas anginnya, Bim salabim buatlah anginnya bertiup kencang!” Seperti biasa sinar bewarna kuning keemasan keluar dari tongkat sihirnya, dan mantera sihir yang diucapkan oleh Alya bekerja.

“Terima kasih Alya sayang.” Ujar Tamara kepada anak perempuan satu-satunya.

Angin tertiup kencang dari kipas angin andalan milik keluarga Risjad ini. Tak lama kemudian angin bertiup sangat kencang, hingga menerbangkan barang-barang dan kertas-kertas yang berada di ruang keluarga milik keluarga Risjad.

“WHOAA ANGINNYA KENCANG SEKALI!!!” Teriak Alya sambil mengayun-ayunkan tongkat sihirnya, berharap bisa memberhantikan angin yang bertiup kencang itu.

“MATIKAN KIPAS ANGINNYA! MATIKAN!!” Teriak Noah yang sibuk mengambil kertas-kertas yang beterbangan.

Adam berusaha menerjang kencangnya hembusan angin di ruang tamunya yang berasal dari kipas angin andalannya, Ia berusahan untuk mencabut kabel kipas anginnya, dan dia berhasil mencabutnya.

“Hari yang sungguh sial di musim kemarau yang sangat panas dan kering ini.” Ucap Alya sambil menghela napas.

*Cerita ini diadaptasi dari TV series Disney Channel, berjudul: WIzards of Waverly Place - Season 4 Episode 17*

THAT ONE SPECIAL STAR

Star has an interesting way on saying hello to earth.

They are amazing, on

How they shine so bright. 

How they twinkle like diamonds at night.

How they show their unique personality with a single light.

How they wouldnt die into a supernova without a fight.

how they excite me to go outside and see them.

How their beauty emitted like gem. 

how the constellations embellish the night sky like diadem.

How their elegance encourage me to write this poem.

Yet,

Even thought its cliche

Even though they are Millions of lightyears away

Even though theres billions of twinkling lights faraway

Even though there is a sun eradiates allay

I still choose you

I still choose you from the moment i saw you

I choose you to be my star

To accompany the moon at night.

To give in a sight.

Yes i still choose you,

Even though i know

Even though i clearly know that

When the sun rise,

When the night dies,

When the moon pales,

When the dark becomes light,

When the cold becomes warm,

When everything slowly change like there was no tomorrow,

You'll disappear.

The star i choose that day disappears.

Sisters by Danielle Steel (Novel Summary)

SISTERS

By: Danielle Steel

( 413 pages )

CHAPTER 1

The photo shoot in the Place de la Concorde in Paris has been going since morning. The model stood in the fountain for hours on end jumping, splashing, laughing, her head thrown back in praticed glee. Unlike other models as she is, Candy is always easy going, sweet, funny, and suprisingly naive after the success she has enjoyed since the beginning of her carrer. She is a nice person and an incredible beauty. Her face is actually perfect for the camera. She stood six foot one in bare feet and weighed a hundred and sixteen pounds. She isn’t likely to eat that much, she only consume galons of water which what all the models did. Candy has never gone to college. Her first big modelling carrer has happened in her senior year in high school.Candy lived in a penthouse apartment in New York. Candy looks nothing alike like the other women in her family. She has 3 older sisters who doesn’t live in the same state with her. They’re Sabrina, Tammy and Annie. She also has a dog. This summer on 4^th of July, she and her sisters will visit their parent’s house in Connecticut.

CHAPTER 2

Annie has lived in Florence for 2 years after finishing a college with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts at the Rhode Island School of Design. She has rented a tiny garret apartent in a crumbling building, which suited her to perfection. She has recently become romantically involved with a young artist from New York named Charlie that she met 6 months ago when she got back from spending christmas with her family in connecticut and their romance has been hot and heavy ever since. Days before Annie left to Connecticut, Charlie wanted to go to Pompeii with her but she couldn’t because her motto is “family comes first”.

CHAPTER 3

Tammy has a job producing the most successful hit show on TV, and a home she loves in L.A.'s Hollywood Hills. Tammy is a stunning looking woman with a mane of long curly red hair that is so lush and luxurious. Thanksgiving and Christmas are harder for her as it is the middle of their season and the ratings battles are always tough. But she goes home then too, no matter what. She takes two cell phones with her and her computer. She’s a very busy woman. She has a house in Beverly Hills, which she loves. And also she has a dog name Juanita.

CHAPTER 4

In New York, oldest sister Sabrina is an ambitious young lawyer, she lives in an apartment with her dog Beulah that her boyfriend , Chris got her as a birthday present. Chris works as a lawyer too but in different field. Sabrina and Chris has been together for 3 years but Sabrina doesn't want to get married yet, she will somedays but not at the moment. She likes how her relationship the way it is at the moment and she does not want to ruin it. She's kinda afraid of divorces because she sees it everyday and Chris understands.

Just like her other sisters, this summer she will visit her parents house in connecticut to celebrate 4th of July with them. When she's about to leave Chris tells her to call him as soon as she arrives and Sabrina nods. Just like what Chris tells her to do, as soon as she arrives she calls her and she misses him already.

When she arrives, her sisters are already there except Annie cus she flies all the ways from Europe to America. She's so excited when she meets her mother and her parents.

CHAPTER 5

Today is the day, 4th of July. their mother is waiting in the kitchen for them, ready to prepare a special breakfast for each of them. Their father has eaten breakfast hours earlier and was outside.

From all those 4 sisters, Sabrina is an early riser and is the first to get up, she comes downstairs and greets good morning to her mother. Then Tammy and Annie comes downstairs to have breakfast and Candy is still asleep safe and sound.

As they gather together her mother tells them to eat the breakfast that she cooks for them. Annie comes upstairs to wake Candy so she can have breakfast too. They're all eating their breakfast now even Candy is eating too! They all seem happy.

In the afternoon Jane and Annie is going to the store that is 15 minutes far from their house to buy things that they need for their party tonight and their dad has requested them to get him pickles because he loves pickles.

When they're heading home and are about to talk about Charlie, Annie's boyfriend. A truck hits their car, and Jean got stabbed by steel pipes that have gone straight through their car and she loses control of the wheel. Annie hears herself screaming and tries to grab the steering wheel, and as she does there is a sound of metal being crushed, breaking glass, and brakes screaming all around them. It happens so quickly. The drivers of all three vehicles have been killed, along with a total of five passengers. And there’s only one survivor, it is Annie. She has been pinned under the steel pipes. It takes them half an hour to get her out of the car. She is unconscious as the ambulance drives her away. They drive her to the trauma unit at Bridgeport Hospital, she is barely alive, clinging to life by a thread.

CHAPTER 6

Two police men ring the Adam’s doorbell and it takes few minutes until someone opens the door and it’s Tammy who answers it. She asks them why are they here, they’re looking for Mr. Adam, and he’s already behind her . They tell them that they have found Annie’s id card which lead them here to her parent’s house and tell them that Mom and Annie just had an accident and Mom already passed away but the good news is Annie is still alive but she some serious damage on her head and her sight. All their face just turned into really white pale. As soon as Sabrina hears this news, she immediately call Chris and tell him to get and come to connecticut as soon as possible and tell him everything what just happened.

As they’re heading to the hospital their dad is blaming himself for letting them to go to the store. When they arrive at the hospital Tammy and Sabrina ask the doctor to see Annie, the doctor has warned her about Annie’s condition and how she looks at the moment, she looks pretty bad. Annie is completely falling apart.

Annie will have the brain and eye surgery. While Annie is having the surgery, Sabrina and Tammy stay all night in the hospital, Candy and Dad are leaving to the house. Sabrina calls all the guest lists to inform what just happened to their mother and Tammy calls the funeral home to arrange the schedule of her mother’s funeral. Few hours later, the doctor comes and tells them the brain surgery was success but unfortunately not with the eye surgery. Annie is blind. Tammy and Sabrina start crying together, they don’t know how to tell about it to their sister Candy and their father.

CHAPTER 7

Since Annie is still not awake theres no use for them to stay, the doctor tells them to go home. When Sabrina and Tammy are home, Candy ask them how’s Annie’s condition and Sabrina answers that Annie is doing okay but when Candy asks them how are her eyes, Tammy lies about it she says she has no idea. And they feel bad for lying yet they’re not ready to tell them the truth its just too painful seeing them sad.

The next day Sabrina and Tammy are visiting to the funeral home, they choose things and arrange everything. And when they get home, they tell Candy and Dad the truth that Annie is blind. Their father is angry when he hears that news, he cant accept the truth. Tammy and Sabrina agree to call charlie this time. When Sabrina calls Charlie and tells him what has happened to Annie, Charlie cant take it, he cant accept that she’s blind now and doesnt know what to with her and their relationship because shes blind now, both of Annie’s sisters shock when they hear Charlie’s reaction about her sister being blind, he’s completely a jerk and doesn’t deserve to date Annie.

The funeral will be held tomorrow at 3pm.

CHAPTER 8

Annie’s eyes are still bandaged when they visit her this time, they all miss Annie, so does she. But Annie doesn’t talk much. Later that night, all her sisters are making a plan on what to do with Annie’s life. Sabrina has a plan to rent a house in New York and live all together four sisters and Chris could stay too. It seems like a good idea for them, but they’re still not sure about the plan.

CHAPTER 9

Today is their mom’s funeral day. No one knows that Annie is now blind even the Priest doesn’t know about it. The family is going to be together until till the end of the week, and then Tammy will go back to California, Chris is going back to work and eventually their father will too. When Sabrina is alone in the library after the ceremony, she calls the realtor in New York and tells her what she’s looking for. It’s a bit challenging for the realtor to find something that she asks but it’s not impossible, the realtor promise to call her back as soon as she has something to show her.

All these 3 sisters are visiting Annie in the afternoon, when they get to the hospital Annie is still having a nap. When she finally wakes up, Annie can sense their presence, she can tell who is who even though she can not see them. Annie ask them where is mom, and they finally tell what has happened and all the truth about the accident and mom is passed away because of the accident, but they haven’t told her yet the she is now blind. She begins flailing wildly trying to touch them and clutches hard at their hands. All three of them are crying as they watch her and so is she.

It’s seven o’clock when they finally leave the hospital. They find their father laiding out all of their mother’s jewelry on the dining room, in neat rows, the familiar rings and bracelets and earring she has worn. The girls start to choose and pick things what they like, they also do it for Annie.

CHAPTER 10

The girls have spent Thursday afternoon and Friday morning at the hospital with Annie. She’s getting restless and her head still hurt which is hardly surprising. A physical therapist comes to work with her and she breaks down and cries several times about their mother. She still can’t believe what has happened and neither can they. Within days, she would know that she is blind. The bandages are due to be taken off on Saturday. And all three of her sisters feel sick, thinking about the impact it would have on her. Reality is coming toward her with lighting speed.

Their father went to see her on Thursday night. She thanked him for her mom’s jewelry, she hasn’t seen it yet but she remembers the pieces that the girls has described ans she likes them all. She’s happy with the choices they have made on her behalf. Annie spends the whole day with surrounded by her sisters. They leave the hospital late Friday afternoon, all three of her sisters look tired. They have all agreed to be there the next day when the ophthalmologist comes.

When Sabrina is in the kitchen of her parents house, she gets a call from the realtor, she has two interesting options for her which is a fabulous apartment in the old meatpacking district and a brownstone on East 84^th street. The apartment sounds really nice and its a brand new but the price is so expensive, the brownstone sounds nice too but its smaller yet cozy and dogs are allowed to live there and also the price is cheaper too sounds like a good deal for Sabrina but she has got to ask her sisters first about it. When she tells about it to them, all the girls think the brownstone sounds like a good possibility and even Chris was enthused.

All three sisters leave for the hospital at ten o’clock in the next morning. None of them have had the guts to prepare Annie for whats coming, The doctor in charge of her case has said to leave it to the surgeon. He is used to dealing with these things and will know what to tell her and how. When the bandages are taken off, she can only see light a little, like a very pale gray and black around the edges but nothing else. When the doctor holds a hand in front of her face she litteraly can’t see anything, the only thing she sees is black and darkness, she’s confused by that. Then the doctor tells her in a polite way that she’s blind, she’s freaking out when she hears that. She begins to cry and lay in Tammy’s arms as they give her the shot. The doctor has given Sabrina the name of a psychiatrist earlier that week, who specialized in working with blind people. After what they have just been through , Sabrina is going to call her.

CHAPTER 11

Tammy is going back to LA, Sabrina and Candy are going to meet the realtor to see the brownstone on East 84^th street. The house is quite small but its cozy and warm, has enough room for them sisters, kitchen, living room and some unique and antique furnitures. Sabrina and Candy like this house already and want to take it and live here. The house will be available on August first which is soon. She’s going to spend a week or two at their dad’s. and once Sabrina and Candy get the house ready, they can move in. But the the realtor offers that she can get it for them sooner and Sabrina thinks that might be a good idea.

Sabrina and Candy go to see Annie at the hospital and they get there she is asleep. She stirrs when she hears them walk into the room. Sabrina comes to give a surprise to Annie but she looks glum because lately the suprises haven’t been so good and they all agree. Sabrina explains that she just got from the city and went to see a house. “a house?!” Annie asks and looks panicked and thinks her dad is moving to the city. She doesn’t want everything to change soon. She loves her parents house and doesn’t want her dad to sell it. Then Sabrina explains her that this is a house for us, Sabrina, Annie and Candy. She looks mournful and hopeless. Sabrina tells her to go to school for blind people in New York, but Annie refuses it and she doesn’t want to burden her sisters by being blind. She wants to go back to Florence and live together with Charlie and also she asks Sabrina and Candy to leave her alone.

The next day, Annie gets dumped by Charlie over the phone, he tells her the he has found somebody else while Annie in the US which is a lie. He breaks up with her because she’s now blind. Annie is depressed about Charlie but she enjoys being with her sisters and she’s willing to move in with them to the new house that they get for her in New York.

CHAPTER 12

The psychiatrist sees Annie at the hospital as promised on Wednesday afternoon, and she calls Sabrina after she has seen her. She can’t disclose any of what Annie has said to her, due to confidentiality laws, but she tells Sabrina that she is satisfied with their meeting, and is planning to see her again, once more in the hospital before her discharge, and hopefully on a regular basis once she moves to New York. Annie still hasn’t told Sabrina that she moving into the house. But it sounds as though she will. And Sabrina has signed the lease the night before.

The psychiatrist reassure Sabrina that her sister is not suicidal or even unusually depressed. She is going through all the emotions that were to be expected after that kind of trauma, and losing both her mother and her sight as result. It is a major double bow. She suggested, as the surgeon had, that Annie needs to join a rehab program that worked with people who have lost their sight, but she says the doctor will make those referrals before Annie came home. In the meantime, she is satisfied. For Sabrina, that’s good enough.

CHAPTER 13

By the third of the week of July when Annie is released from the hospital, all three girl are excited about the house and living togeter again, in spite of why they are moving there. Annie’s first days at her father’s house are difficult. Being there without their mother is newer to her than to the others. They have already been there for three weeks without her. For Annie, it’s all fresh. She knows the house perfectly but in every room, she expects to hear her mother’s voice. It’s agony at times being there, and reminds her again and again of her last vision of the steering wheel slipping of her mother’s hands as she flies out of the car. The memory haunts Annie, and she speaks of it during every session with Dr. Steinberg. She can’t get it out of her mind, nor the feeling that she should have done something to stop it, but there hasn’t been time. She even dreams of it at night, and losing Charlie after the accident makes things worse. In some ways she’s glad she’s moving to New York, and not back to Florence. She needs a fresh start. But her father has agreed not to give up her apartment there for a while.

Sabrina is beginning to feel more like Annie’s mother than her sister. She’s responsible for everyone now. Annie, Candy because they’re still young and irresponsible at time and their father who seems to be getting more helpless by the hour. He lose things, break things, cut himself twice and can’t remember where anything is or worse, has never known.

Annie’s doctor wants her to have follow-up CT scans after her brain surgery, and he has strongly recommended that she attend a training school for the blind in New York for 6 months. He has told her and Sabrina that it would allow Annie to become independent, and able to live succesfully on her own, which is ultimately their goal. Annie has been sullen about it for days and after they talked and wanders around her father’s house looking depressed.

Annie is determined to bathe herself alone and forbade her sisters to come into the bathroom with her, although she has never been modest before and no one in the family really is. Her second day home, her bathtub has overflowed and as water pours through the dining room chandelier directly below it, Sabrina realizes what has happened and runs upstairs. She pounds on the door and Annie finally let her in. Sabrina turns the tub off for her, standing in two inches of water on the marble floor.

It takes Annie two more incidents to agree to at least think about going to school in September to learn how to deal constructively with being blind.

CHAPTER 14

Candy, Chris, and Sabrina leaves Connecticut at six in the morning on Saturday. Chris drives, Sabrina checks her endless list and Candy files her nails. She says she has booked a massage at her health club that afternoon. They’re at the house on 84^th Street at five minutes to eight o’clock, after stopping at Starbucks. The movers are already there when they arrive, and get started quickly. By one o’clock they have unloaded the truck and spend the rest afternoon unpacking the boxes and crates. By six o’clock there are things everywhere. The place is a total mess and Sabrina is trying to put her belongings away where she want them with Chris’s help. Candy has left 2 hours before for her massage and says will be back by seven. They still have a long way to go and days of work. And they’re supposed to move in officially the following night. She is thinking of asking Candy and Annie to wait a week to move in, so she and Chris can finish the job. Annie can’t manage with boxes all over the place and everything is a mess. When she arrives, everything would have to be neat and in its place so she could learn their locations.

In Connecticut, her father has made Annie dinner. She doesn’t want to complain, but the frozen spring rolls have been awful, although the soup is halfway decent. He apologizes for his shaky cooking skills, and Annie laughs with him. While Annie is eating the desert she hears the doorbell is ringing. Her father goes to answer it, while Annie waits in the kitchen. She could hear a woman’s voice talking to her father and the words “what a surprise” from her father but she doesn’t pay attention to it until she finishes her desert and follows the voices to see what he is doing and who it is. Her father is talking to a woman whose voice she doesn’t recognize. All she could tell is that she sounds young.

The woman is Leslie Thompson, when Annie hears that name she feels familiar with that name. Now she remembers her. She is older than Tammy and younger than Sabrina. They had been horrible social climbers and her mother didn’t like them. She remembers the girl being a pretty blonde who Sabrina said was a slut when she made a pass at Sabrina’s boyfriend. She doesn’t want her father talking to that bitch again.

Annie is excited about the new house and moving in the next day.

CHAPTER 15

Sabrina comes out alone to pick Annie up on Sunday. Candy stays in the city at the new house. And Chris has gone to a baseball game with friends that day after spending the first night in the new house with Sabrina.

Sabrina finds Annie and her father sitting at the pool with the dogs. Zoe and Beulah are friends now. Sabrina asks his father if he would mind keeping them for a while.

She and Annie drives back to the city after lunch. They’re halfway to the city when she finally speaks up. Annie asks about Leslie Thompson to Sabrina out of the blue and told her that she visited their father’s house and brought an apple pie too. They’re talking about her and being paranoid about their father is going to date that bitch named Leslie Thompson.

When they arrive at the house, Candy is still asleep. She eventually appears at the top of the stairs in pink satin thong and a see through T-Shirt, yawning and happy to see them. Annie begins feeling her way around. It’s important to her to try to figure out where the furniture is so she could be comfortable getting from one spot to another with ease. After she get through the living room and den concentrating intently, she makes her way upstairs and wound up in Candy’s room instead of her own and instantly stumbled over a suitcase and nearly fell.

It’s dinnertime by the time Sabrina checks on her again and Candy wanders in too. It seems the perfect time to tell Candy that a girl she had known in High school had dropped by to hit on their dad. Candy looks stunned as Annie chuckles and sits down on her bed. She is exhausted, but she has gotten everything unpacked. She hasn’t brought much from Florence and it is all she has.

They tell Tammy about it that night when she calls, and Chris when he comes by after the ballgame with a friend. He is another attorney from his law firm,a good looking young guy and he almost fainted when she sees Candy in short shorts and a skimpy halter top. She looks breathtaking as she pranced around. But Chris thinks Leslie’s visit is probably innocent.

They all decide to go out to dinner and go downtown to a little neighborhood Italian place in the Twenties. Annie doesn’t want to go initially, but they insist she come with them. It’s the first time she has been to a restaurant since the accident. She is wearing dark glasses and keeps a tight grip on Candy’s arm. It’s confusing for her, but afterward she admits she has had a good time and says Chris’s friend seems nice.

Chris has decided to sleep at his place that night and let them get settled on their own. He would like to stay, but he doesn’t want to intrude Candy and Annie. That’s the one thing he doesn’t like about Sabrina’s new living arrangement. He doesn’t want to bother her sisters, although they all have insisted that he doesn’t and that the love him. But he goes home anyway. He tells Sabrina he would spend the night on Tuesday, when Candy and Annie goes back to Connecticut to stay with their father. Sabrina is staying in town all week.

They settle in to their new rooms that night and as Annie lays in bed, with her cell phone in her night table, it starts to ring and for the flash of an instant she hopes it would be Charlie, having changed his mind and dumped the other girl, wanting her. She almost didn’t answer and finally she did. She has her caller ID but she can’t see it. “Hello?” she said tentatively and then is startled to realize it is Sabrina, calling her from her bedroom upstairs. She has been thinking about her and decided to call her before she went to sleep.

“Good night, sweet dreams!’ Sabrina says and hang up as their voices echoed in the house and Candy goes back to her room. Annie lays in bed afterward thinking that, in spite of everything that has happened, she is very lucky.

CHAPTER 16

Time seems to be moving with lightning speed. Tammy has finally found a new star for the show, and is able to fly out on Friday night for the Labor Day. Sabrina picks her up at the airport. It is hard to believe that their mother has been gone for two months. So much has happened since.

Tammy asks how they all like the new house, Sabrina says they love it. It is perfect. Her only concern is that she might not see as much of Chris. He seems a little shy about intruding her sisters.

Her sisters and her father are happy to see Tammy. They stay up late that night, as they always do when they get together and haven’t seen each other for a while. Tammy has been gone for nearly six weeks. The time has flown for all of them.

In the morning Chris comes out , and it’s an easy, fun weekend. They play Scrabble, Liar’s dice and and read the Sunday paper. But Annie could do none of it, and at one point Sabrina sees the look of her face and mentions to the others to put the games away. Annie knows instantly what they have done and why and insists it doesn’t bother her, but it is obvious it does. They lighten the moment by teasing their father about Leslie Thompson’s visit and her gift of an apple pie.

He tells them what has happened to Leslie’s life and then goes inside shortly after that, Sabrina comments that he is innocent that he is going to be easy prey for some woman who wants to take advantage of him and she hopes Leslie isn’t it.

The rest of the weekend speeds up by too quickly and they are leaving on Monday morning so they could show Tammy the house in town. Their father looks sad when he waves goodbye, and Candy and Annie promise to come back soon and this time they take their dogs with them, since they are settled into the house. He says he will miss them all.

Tammy loves the new house when she sees it and says they have already done great things to it. It has a happy cozy feeling to it. Sabrina’s things look pretty spread around the house, and she and Annie have gone to buy a carful of plants. The basic bones of the house are good, and the decor is charming, as the realtor has said. And when Tammy sees the small bedroom across from Sabrina’s she falls in love with it. Everything in it is pink and it looks like a candy box and even though it is small, it has a nice feeling.

They have dinner in the kitchen that night. Everyone pitches in. And afterwards Sabrina drives Tammy back to the airport to catch the last flight to L.A.

Tammy hates to leave. She is looking at her sister sadly. They cling to each other for a long moment before she leaves her to board the flight.

The flight arrives in Los Angeles at one a.m pacific time. It’s too late to call her sisters again. When she turn on her phone, she has a message from each of them as she walks into her house that night. She has never felt so lonely in her life or so far away.

She is exhausted in the morning when she goes to work. And as usual, all hell breaks loose the day after the holiday weekend. Sound technicians are having problems, directors are complaining, actors are throwing tantrums and threatening to quit. One of their biggest sponsors drop out. The head of network is blaming her for it. And their pregnant start is filling a suit for replacing her instead of giving her the option to work, even though the doctor has said she couldn’t.

Hard as it is to believe, the next day is worse. They are hit with a wildcat strike

CHAPTER 17

Annie’s first day at the Parker School for the Blind has been a disaster. She has liked Tammy’s suggestion, passed on by Sabrina and has taken a cab to the school, which is in the West Village, a lively neighborhood these days, but a long way from where they live. Traffic is terrible getting there ans she is late when she arrives. She has taken her white stick with her and insist that she knows how to use it. She has refused to allow Sabrina to take her there, like a five year old.

She has arrived at school after paying the cab. She gets out, unfolds her white stick as she has be taught to do, extends it and immediately falls over an unusually high curb, and skin both her knees right through her jeans. She has torn them and could feel blood trickling down her legs.

A monitor standing outside the school comes forward to help her, as Annie walks into the school. He takes her to the office and put band-aids on her knees himself, then escort her upstairs for orientation. He point her in the right direction and she gets lost immediately, and wound up in a sex ed class for advanced students, where they are showing them how to put condoms on bananas and as she listens, Annie realizes that she has come to the wrong room. She gets lost again afterwards and ends up crying, until someone sees her and escorts her to her group.

While Annie is having lunch there’s a voice next to her. It’s a boy’s voice. His name is Daxter, he’s a graphic designer. He went to Yale and he’s blind and gay. They feel lucky to meet each other and become best friends ever since that.

When Annie is going home, she explains to one of the guides that she needs a cab, and he tells her to wait and he will come to get her when he has the cab. She was standing in the main lobby, feeling lost again, when someone speaks to her. He has a calm, pleasant voice. Which happens to be the head of the school, who’s about a hundred years old.

As they speak, the guide comes back inside to get her. He has a cab waiting outside. He greets Brad informally, she says goodbye and the guide took her outside and helps her into the cab. She thanks him and gives the driver the address.

When Annie gets home, Candy is still packing for Milan, and there are suitcases all over her room. She is leaving for three weeks, but after Sabrina’s lecture this morning, she has kept all of it in her room, so Annie won’t trip and fall when she walks in. And then she sees the knees of her jeans. They’re torn and soaked with blood. Candy looks instantly sympathetic and asks her what happened to her. And Annie answers her question and tells her everything what has happened to her today. It seems like an acceptable first day to all of them.

CHAPTER 18

Tammy’s week goes from bad to worse. Problems with actors, problems with the network, problems with the unions and the scripts. By the end of the week she is a total mess. And she feels guilty everyday for not being her sisters to help deal with the aftermath of her mother’s death. On Monday morning, she has made an appointment with the senior executive producer of the show and another appointment with the head of the network. She wants to speak to them both. She has decided to quit the job she has in L.A and she is willing to move out to New York to help her sisters. She would leave by the following Friday. She has nine workdays left, and the her career in television virtually over. And she might never get a decent job again. She knows that as she leaves the office. Her last day at work is heartbreaking for her. Everyone cries when Tammy leaves and so does Tammy.

Sabrina is stunned to see Tammy with four enormous bags and Juanita in her tote. Sabrina helps drag her bags up two flights of stairs. Tammy knows she has done the right thing moving in to New York and live together with her sisters. It has been worth everything for her sisters.

CHAPTER 19

Tammy’s arrival at the house has changed the dynamics considerably. She is another responsible adult to share the burdens with Sabrina, which is precisely why she’d come. Tammy thinks they need someone everyday to help them to clean the house so, she hires a maid her name is Mrs. Shibata she can’t speak English very well. Tammy is also getting a new job since she has no friends in New York and her sisters are all working. She wants to be too. She announces it at dinner, her sisters look at her and stare. It makes Sabrina feel mildly guilty to think of what Tammy had given up to come there, and she has done it to help her. But to be with Annie too, which is the whole point. Tammy doesn’t seem to regret leaving L.A .

CHAPTER 20

Once Tammy is working, life at the house on East Eighty-fourth street seems to speed up considerably. Tammy has to admit the program is working, but it was definitely tough love. Her biggest problem is that she has no social life. She has few friends in New York and is shy about going out.

Candy has a new male friend that she has met him the first time in Paris, at a party Valentino. He’s an Italian prince who has dated so many models, his name is Marcello. He takes Candy to all the trendy spots in New York, and some fabulous parties. And one night, Candy is going to his apartment.

CHAPTER 21

Sabrina, Chris and Tammy are busy with their jobs. Annie is busy with school and is getting closer with Brad, he’s a nice guy. And Candy hasn’t been home for almost twenty-four hours. When the night time comes, Tammy and Sabrina are worried about her. They’ve been trying to contact her but it’s useless. They call Candy’s model agent and ask her if she knows where she is. The agent gets worried too and tell them to meet her at Marcello’s apartment. He kidnapped and raped Candy. Candy was not the first one. They immediately call an ambulance and cops too. By the end of the week, Candy is on her feet again and she goes to shrink everyday. Her sisters would never forget what they’ve seen when they found her, nor would Chris. Despite what  has happened, Candy is a very lucky girl. Marcello is deported and extradited to Italy by the end of the week. He would be punished in his own country and Candy would never see him again. He is gone.

CHAPTER 22

On the last day of school before Christmas holiday, Brad Parker stops Annie in the lobby to say goodbye and he’s also wondering and asking Annie to go out with him and have some coffee and she says yes. When they’re at the restaurant they have ice cream and mochaccino. They’re talking about Italy and art, her time in Florence, his in Rome. They also talk briefly about school and his hope for it as it grows. They have a very nice time together, and he walk her home up Third Avenue, as they talk about multitude subjects. When he’s in the house, he meets everyone and the dogs, he’s suprised to know that Candy the supermodel is actually Annie’s sister.

He calls and invites Annie to dinner three days later. And Annie is very pleased and excited about the dinner date with Brad.

CHAPTER 23

All three of Annie’s sisters help her dress for her dinner date with Brad. She has tried on four different outfits and each of them has a different opinion about what she should wear for a first date. In the ened, Candy picks out a perfect outfit for her. She looks beautiful and young and uncluttered. On their first, they’re talking about their personal lives. They sit at the table until the restaurant has closed and then he walk her home. It’s late and he wish her a merry christmas.

They’re going to Connecticut to celebrate christmas and visit their father. It’s the perfect christmas weekend for all of them. They gather around the kitchen table on the last day, and eat an enormous lunch that they have all helped prepared. Her father is announcing that he’s going to get married with Leslie Thompson and all four his daughters get shock when they hear it. Without commenting further on his announcement, they leave his house and drive home to New York. They don’t even know where the wedding is going to be. All they know is that they hate her and are furious with their father.  They are all disappointed in their father. And as they drive home from Connecticut, Chris very wisely said not a single word.

CHAPTER 24

None of them have spoken to their father for the rest of the week. All of them are off work so they have plenty time to talk about it. None of them have exciting New Year’s plans, and they have decided to spend it quietly at the house. On New Year’s Eve, Chris and the girls cook dinner. The biggest surprise of the evening is Candy’s friend from L.A. he’s probably the most famous young actor on the planet at the time and it turns out that they have met three years before on a shoot and become good friends. Chris and Sabrina slip away early. He asked her to come upstairs with him shortly midnight. When Chris closes the door to Sabrina’s bedroom, he kisses her. And as he kisses her, he takes a small box out of his pocket, holds her close to him, opens it with one hand, and slip a ring on her finger. It is a beautiful engagement ring he has picked out on his own. He has been planning this for months. He gets down on knee and gaze at her solemnly from the floor, “Will you marry me?”. As he asks her, her eyes filled with tears. This is not what she has in mind. It’s just one more shock. Unfortunately, Sabrina rejects it. Not because she doesn’t love Chris. She loves him a lot but, she’s just not ready for the commitment, she loved what they had before. Instead of getting engaged, as he has hoped they would, they have broken up. It’s not the New Year’s Eve he had wanted or planned. He has dreamed of this moment for so long, and her reaction to it has pushed him right over the edge. And in her room, Sabrina sits on her bed and sobs. The others haven’t heard about it until the next morning, and when Sabrina tells them, they are shocked.

While Sabrina is broken-hearted, her sisters are getting close with guys. Annie is dating Brad, Candy is hanging out with Paul and Tammy, she has met a guy at her work his name is John Sperry. They start to hang out together ever since he called her.

CHAPTER 25

Valentine’s day is a mixed blessing at their house. They all wake up knowing that their father is getting married in Las Vegas that day, and it weighed heavy on their hearts. It makes them miss their mother even more. They have sent their father and Leslie flowers to their hotel room and champagne.

As for Valentine celebrations, Brad is taking Annie to dinner that night. Tammy is amazed that John have asked her out for the evening. And Paul is planning to come down from Brown for the night to see Candy. Everyone has something to do except Sabrin, who is planning to stay home, and do some work. The others feel terrible when they leave her. Sabrina is alone at home and she can’t stop thinking of Chris. She has lost the man she has loved for nearly four years. She buzzes the intercom downstairs and hears his voice for the first time in almost two months. Just hearing him is like the oxygen she has lacked for six weeks. They both know, their lives is miserable without each other, and they know they both love each other no matter what. She spend the night with him on Valentine’s day. She and Chris go back to the house in the morning, looking a little sheepish, but happy to be together again. Her sisters throw their arms around and hug him, like their long lost brother. It is a happy reunion for them all.

CHAPTER 26

Tammy is having a great time with John Sperry and she gets a call she would never have expected in a thousand years. The network has an idea for a new show, and they want her to develop it and produce it, for a prime-time TV out of New York.

Candy is excited. She’s leaving the next day for two-week shoot in Japan. It is big money for her and she already has plans to visit Paul at Brown when she gets back. Annie is happy with Brad. Chris is back. All is well in their world.

Annie’s graduation from school is very moving and is attended by everyone’s family and friends. Annie has done huge amount of work toward her diploma and is doing well with the dog, although they still need to do some more work.

In May they charter a sailboat out of Newport, Rhode Island, to use in July on a communal trip. On the morning of the Fourth, the girls hold quiet ceremony on deck, and each of the throw a single flower into the water. Annie throws in two, one for her mother and the another for her eyes.

It has been magical cruise so far, and at dinner Brad squeezes Annie’s hand to give her the sign. Annie takes a breath, and waits for a lull in the conversation. Moments of silents and rapt attention are hard to come by, so Brad clinks a glass with his knife. Annie is smiling and holding his hand. She says, “we have something to tell you… We’re getting married in December”.

As they sit on the boat, the four women look at each other. They don’t have to say anything. They’re thinking of their mother. The gift she had given them, of each other, is in the fact the best gift of all. As hard as it has been, in some ways, this has been the best year of their lives.