Me : Elo assalamualaikum
Cikin: Waalaikumusalam
Me: Cikin, panggil mama
Cikin : Huh? Kakak mana ni? Kak Aisyah ke Kak Asmah ke Kak Azreen?
Me : Ala awak ni, panggil je la mama.

She put down the phone and from far I can hear she called mama, "Mama..!! Kakak call!! Kak Aisyah atau Kak Asmah atau Kak Azreen kot!".

Aneh sungguh adikku sorang ni, kakak sendiri pun tak boleh nak bezakan. Takpala, us sisters are after all are known to have similar voice and way of talk especially on the phone. It used to cause some confusion between our friends and sometimes for fun, we just go along with it :P

Papa : Alo?
Me : Eh? Assalamualaikum pa. Appa buat apa?
Papa : Huh?
Me : Papa buat apaaa?
Papa : Baca paper..

*silence*

Talking with my appa on the phone has always been awkward. It seems that when not facing each other, my dad can be quite cold. The conversation eventually will be short and end up with me asking to talk to mama.

The opposite with my appa which I enjoy sitting side by side, watching together history documentary or some programme in Discovery or National Geographic. I'll be chatty asking questions about the programme, and he'll answer my question patiently never to raise his voice. Sometimes we watch in silence, a comfortable warmth surrounds us. They are things better said than words.

Me : Pa mama ada tak?
Papa : Em sekejap

Mama : Elooo
Me : Elo maa. Ma buat apa?
Mama : Oh mama kat belakang tadi ngan Mak Long
Me : Aik Mak Long?

She explained Mak Long is here for Kak Halwa's graduation. Abang Chak and Abang Ngah is also here. With Zulhai and Hanif around- my Abang Ngah's mischievous anak, sure mama risau keselamatan barang-barang kaca dia. Then she goes on talking about Abang Cik is preparing lunch for them, so they are waiting for him.

Mama : Aisyaaaah, semalam mama buat 5 kilo roti jala
Me : Heh? Untuk siapa?
Mama : Untuk surau. Mama charge RM18 sekilo, sepatutnya rM20 tapi sebab untuk surau mama tak kesah sangat. Sakit-sakit belakang mama buat dengan Cikin.
Mama : La mama ni, sekarang Cikin boleh la tolong. Nanti kalau takda Cikin camna. Letih la mama
Mama : Oh takla itu sebab mama buat berdiri. Aisyah tahu kerusi computer atas tu? Nanti mama bawak bawah..mama duduk sambil buat.
Me : Emm

She talks about it proudly, like a kid eager to share her victory. Except I don't feel that way.

At her age, I thought she won't do small business anymore. At a very tender age, my mum used to help her mum to make and sells kueh. You see..my arwah tokwan is a policeman and doesn't earn that much to support his 9 children. I remember my uncles told us stories they used to eat nasi with only minyak ikan and kicap. Or they have to sell karipap in school and got scolded by the teachers. They even told us the story about my ma got into an accident after a cooking class. She has the scar on the head to prove it.

Over the years, when she has us, she still does it. Become a Tupperware and Amway agent, selling Indian saries, Italian ornaments, Beijing's bed comforter, Vietnam's bag sulam to name the few. She even used to sell kueh makmur for raya. Oh how I hate to help her during that time.

Till now, it amazes me how she can manage to juggle her small business, the 5 of us and her work in the bank, mostly without my dad around.

Mama: Aisyah dah confirm dengan exhange program tu?
Me : Yup dah.
Mama : Nanti mama tambah.
Me : Em..takpa kot ma. Aisyah nye saving cukup ni
Mama : Takpe..mama ada duit, nanti kalau ada rezeki adalah. Ustaz penah bagitau takyah berkira sangat dengan anak. Allah tambah rezeki kita kalau kita pemurah, InsyaAllah.

Aisyah diam.

JYVG UCFGJ