New Leaf

Chapter 10

Next Monday

The cab stops in front of my house, I pay him his fair and step out of the car closing the door behind me. I step on the sidewalk while the driver pulls away, I look at the windows to check the lights and I find them off. I check the time it's 3 am 'the girls are sleeping' I tell myself before going up. 

I open the front door quietly before entering and closing and locking it behind me, I walk to my room silently I don't want to disturb the girls it's already late. Once I'm inside my room I put my bag on the floor, strip out of my clothes and into my pjs before jumping on my bed for a much needed sleep. 

I close my eyes and my mind wonder on the event of the past week 

'How could that party night ended differently if I didn't get that phone call' I tell myself before letting the darkness take me over. 

I wake up at the sound of my phone ringing, I groan while reaching for it on the night stand

"Hello" I answered without checking the name

"Morning sleepy head, when are you coming back we miss you here?" Meryem's voice came through the speaker

"What time is it?" I ask her while rubbing my eyes

"1 pm, you never sleep to this time" She tells me

"I arrived at 3 am you were both sleeping, I didn't want to wake you up. I must've been tired more than I thought I am" I tell her now fully awake and sitting on the edge of the bed. 

"Yey can't wait to see you tonight" She screamed

"I'm making dinner tonight" I tell her 

"Can't wait" She beamed before hanging up

I walk out to the bathroom to have a shower before starting what's left of the day, I play music on the phone and put it on the mirror before stripping out of my pjs and step inside the shower. 

Fifteen minutes later I stepped out of the bathroom with my phone and back to my room, looking for something comfortable to wear before recording my video journal for the event of the past week. 

I sit on the dining table at the balcony with my laptop on and I press the record button

^^^

What Made Me Leave Suddenly 

I really wanted to get to know that mysterious man at the party but once my phone rang I thought that my best friend (Nava) was just checking in on me but way was I wrong, once I heard hor voice I figured she was crying and realized that she needs me with her right away. All I was able to say to her to not do anything stupid before I get to her and I ran as fast as I could to be with her because I know that she tried to kill her self twice in the past, I bought a ticket online and went back to the house to change and took a pair of extra clothes with my passport before heading to the airport.

On my way to the airport I made a phone call to our mutual friend (Tarek) and informed him about the situation so he could be there with her until I arrived, I need four hours and a half to arrive while he can get to her faster. Few minutes later and I was on the first plane leaving to Dubai, I felt like this trip will take forever, I was praying for her to be safe and kept on wishing that my Tarek got to get in time. 

Once I'm out of the plane I headed for the exit and took the first cab I lad my eyes on and gave him the address, the sight in front of me told me that I was right and that of made the right decision by telling Tarek to come here before me. Nava was a mess, depressed and crying. I knew that my sudden trip here will take longer than just couple of days, I made my call with the girls informing them briefly of the situation at hand. 

Briefly the week passed with us trying to help her, it turned out that her husband was not only cheating on her but also abusing her and stealing from her. I've been trying to convince her for awhile to leave him but she wouldn't hear me and this was her last straw, we kicked him out of her house, talked to a lawyer for the divorce and custody.

With her father's help and money the divorce was finalized and she got the custody of their daughter and he got deported, once that was done we book her a ticket for a retreat with her sister tagging along. After making sure that she's alright and on the way to her vacation I bought a ticket bck to Istanbul, I spent the last day with Tarek. I told him about the party and the mystery man I met that day, he had a feeling that I will find him again though I wasn't convinced myself but I was hoping for the best. 

Now that I'm back I have to concentrate on finishing my building and find a job my inheritance money are about to finish, my last two interviews blowed up and I was starting to lose hope on the other places that I've submitted my CVs to to call me back. 

^^^

I closed my laptop and headed for the kitchen to make dinner before the girls return home, I decided to make corn soup with veggie noodles and chicken cashew nuts. I set the table, served the food and the wine just as they walked in the house.

After greeting them we eat dinner while making small conversations, than we cleaned the table before sitting in the living room and starting to fill each other on the events of the past week. Although I kept my story short and brief without too much details, I gave them their gifts and than we decided to watch a new movie on Netflix called (Work It) before we call it a night and head to our beds.

We made plans for tomorrow, I'll meet Define at her office during her lunch break, she will take the rest of the day off. We will meet Meryem at her favorite restaurant to have lunch before heading to my building and see the progress that's been made in my absence. 

'I just can't wait for tomorrow I have a feeling that it is going to be a great day' I tell myself before I drift off to sleep.

***

Lunch Break

I've just arrived to the building where Defne works, the receptionist pointed me to Defne's office. I found her concentrating on her laptop that she didn't see me in front of her so I caughed to get her attention and was successful she raised her head answer once she saw me she smiled

"Sit down for a minute I just have to finish a few things before we leave" she tells me, I nod my head and sit down on the chair opposite to her desk. She ordered me a cup of tea before returning to the task at hand, I reached for my phone to entertain myself with it. Defne walked out somewhere doing something I wasn't really paying attention but a few minutes later I felt someone staring at me before I heard the person's voice saying "excuse me who are you young lady and what are you doing here?" 

I lifted my head and saw an old man around his late fifties, has grey hair, wearing glasses, has few wrinkles covering his face, soft blue eyes, a warm smile. He was wearing a grey suit with white button up shirt and a grey tie, looking at me with indescribable softness in his eyes

"Ahh" was all I managed to say, I felt my mouth go dry and I was in a loss for words

"This is my friend Iz, she is waiting for me to finish up so we could leave together sir" I heard defne say coming back behind the old man, I nod my head in agreement of each word

'Thank god she came to my rescue' I think tell myself while sighing

He ignores her answer and keep on staring at me, it was starting to annoy me and before I could stop myself

"Can I help you with something?" I asked with annoyance

He smiles and say "what's your name young lady?" 

"Ahh... Excuse me!" I say dumbfounded 

He chuckles and say "you remind me of an old friend of mine his name was Altan, Altan Özdemir. I haven't  seen him or heard about him in a long time" he sighs

I feel the blood drain from my face and just stare blankly at him, when Defne sees my face she panics and start calling my name while  shaking my shoulders roughly trying to bring me back ton reality. I swallowed the lump that was created in my throat before saying in a crooked voice "that was my father" the mysterious man's eyes grow wide and Defne froze in her place choked.

"I didn't know he had a daughter, but I know he always wanted to have one. How is he?" He asks me with a smile on his face

"He passed away 3 years ago" I say with a sad smile on my face 

"I'm sorry I didn't know" he say shocked and sadness covered his face "I would really like to get to know you, if you don't mind would you like to drink a cup of coffee with me in my office while Defne here finish up?" He ask me while putting one hand on my shoulder and the other pointing to the door behind Defne's office, I look from Defne to the old man and back to the door before nodding my head and saying "sure" I say.

He tells Defne to get the office boy to bring us our drinks before he leads me to his office, we entered his office and headed to sit on the couches at the left side while my head was swimming with a lot of questions that needs to be answered, the office boy brought us our drinks and left closing the door behind him leaving us alone to talk.

He was sitting on the couch facing me wearing his soft smile, he took off his glaces and his blue eyes reflected the warmth inside him. He broke the silent by telling me the story of how him and my father met, I got lost in the story and stopped paying attention to the passing time.