She wasn’t my grandma. She was the link to hubbster’s family in KB. The reason I can call KB my ‘kampung’. The place we spent the last Raya at. But she was nice to me from the start, even long before we were engaged. She used to be at the house a lot, spending weeks or even months at a time at her many childrens’ homes in KL. She interviewed me, asking what kind of engineer I was, and would translate my answer as “Ooooo engineer api..” She went back to KB and told everyone that one of her favourite grandsons has a girlfriend who is an ‘engineer api’ and ‘come budaknya’ (read with Kelate slang). She came all the way down to JB for the engagement, she was the one to put the ring on my finger. She was there during the akad nikah.. she was a big part of the family. She pestered her grandson to bring me to KB to visit her, and we did just that, in the middle of last year, when she happily brought us around to visit places and all.

She bought me food she thought I’d like to eat, she made ‘chickeng pa’ (read: chicken pie in kelantanese) and kuzi and she always had a full set of teeth to smile at me with. She loved me just like I was her own descendant. She was so happy when she heard the news about the baby, we couldn’t wait for her to see the arrival. But she didn’t make it.

All the children and grandchildren made their way back to KB on Friday, upon hearing news that she was struck with stroke and in a coma in hospital. Doesn’t matter we were tired from work and all, we did the 8-hour drive back. We went to see her and speak to her and kissed her on Saturday morning. It was heartwrenching to see her with all the tubes and monitors and the life-support system pumping air into her lungs forcefully. Our eyes were fixed on the pulse and blood pressure monitor, hoping for it to go constant, or for her to somehow snap out of it. But she wasn’t expected to. Slowly, the pulse dropped, getting slower and slower, and tears all around streamed much faster.. and before long, it flatlined.

Though my memories of her is limited, some is better than none at all. Though brief, I kept her close at heart. I couldn’t help but feel the sadness too. I couldn’t help my tears from falling too. Coz I did love her too.

Innalillahiwainnalillahirajiuun.. she’s in a much better place now. Rest in peace Mok. KB and the old house by the road will never be the same without you.

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