“Just give us whatever money you have in your savings. If it’s still not enough, we’ll figure out the rest,” Selvi said.
Raka and Naila exchanged glances. They both looked shocked by the request.
“Sorry, Selvi. We still have a lot of needs that haven’t been met either. So we really can’t help you,” Raka said calmly.
Selvi immediately scowled.
“If you couldn’t help, why didn’t you say so from the beginning? You should’ve told us when Dimas called if you never intended to help. We went through all the trouble of coming here in good faith, and now you’re sending us home empty-handed,” Selvi said angrily.
Naila, who had been silent until then, finally looked at Selvi.
“We never told you to come here if you were going to borrow that much money. And we only said that we couldn’t afford to help with as much as you were asking because we’re barely getting by,” Naila said quietly.
Selvi snorted.
“Can’t afford it? You just bought a new oven, and a new phone. I heard your cake orders are starting to pile up too. Don’t tell me you don’t have any money.”
Raka let out a long sigh.
“Selvi, having a few new things doesn’t mean we have a huge amount of savings. We bought the oven because Naila’s business needs the equipment. The phone is for my work as an ojol driver. None of that is because we have a lot of money saved up.”
Selvi fell silent for a moment, but her expression still showed her dissatisfaction.
“Whatever. I’m disappointed,” she said before rising from her chair.
Dimas, who had been silent the whole time, finally stood as well.
“That’s enough, Sel. Let’s go home.”
They walked toward the door while Raka and Naila merely exchanged glances.
Naila actually wanted to stop them, but Raka quickly held her back.
“Let them go,” Raka said.
In the end, Dimas and Selvi left Raka and Naila’s rental house.
An hour after Dimas and Selvi left, Mrs. Marni came to their rental house. The moment she walked in, her face already showed her displeasure.
“You two are incredibly heartless toward your own family. How could you let them come here to borrow money and then refuse to give them any?” Mrs. Marni said.
Naila stayed silent, while Raka took a deep breath before answering.
“I’m sorry, Mom. It’s not that I don’t want to help. It’s not that I’m unwilling to give them anything. But the amount they borrowed is simply beyond what we can afford,” Raka said.
“You always have an excuse!” Mrs. Marni cut in sharply. “I see that you have a new phone. Your oven is new too. This rental house is full of new things now. So why do you say you have no money?”
Raka was silent for a moment.
“Naila bought the phone for me so I could work. We also bought the oven to support Naila’s business. That doesn’t mean we have a lot of money, Mom.”
Mrs. Marni snorted.
“I don’t care where you got those things. All I know is that your younger sibling needs help.”
Naila, who had been silent until then, finally looked at Mrs. Marni.
“Mom, we’re also trying to save for the kids and our family’s future. Where are we supposed to get that kind of money?”
Mrs. Marni immediately turned toward her.
“So now you care more about your own future and don’t want to help your sibling even a little?”
“What’s wrong with us thinking about our future, Mom? Besides, they’re asking for an unreasonable amount. If we could afford it, why wouldn’t we give it to them?” Raka said.
Mrs. Marni glared at Raka.
“Ever since you got married, you’ve become impossible to advise. You won’t even help a little!”
“Look, Mom. I already told them that if they were borrowing five hundred thousand or a million rupiah for business capital, I might still be able to help. But they’re borrowing fifteen million. Where are we supposed to get that much money? We’ve only just managed to get back on our feet ourselves,” Raka said. “We actually need capital too, Mom. It’s not just them!”
Raka took a long breath before continuing.
“We only dared to get back on our feet because Naila has the skills and already has several customers. We just bought a new oven, and everyone’s making a fuss! What was it that I didn’t help with before, Mom? Please try to understand!”
Mrs. Marni still looked dissatisfied.
“You’re willing to give your sibling five hundred thousand or a million rupiah. What can anyone even get with that amount? It wouldn’t be enough just to buy snacks for your niece or nephew!”
Raka looked at his mother.
“Mom, five hundred thousand or a million rupiah may not be much to someone who has plenty of money. But for us, that amount still matters.”
“When your sibling asks for business capital, you offer them chump change,” Mrs. Marni shot back.
Raka was silent for a few moments. Then he answered in a calm but firm voice.
“I’m sorry, Mom. If that amount is considered chump change and useless, I’d rather use it to buy snacks for my own kids.”
Mrs. Marni’s eyes widened. She never expected Raka to say something like that to her.