His Substitute Wife

Lies and Goodbyes

Aleena waited in anticipation for her father's surgery to end. The moment Aleena had agreed to Nihal's condition, Nihal wrote down the check for her father's operation with confidence that her friend would keep her word. They then agreed that as soon as Aleena's father's surgery was complete and as soon as he was back to his regular life, she would follow through with her promise. 

"Murat Yildiz's family?" the surgeon suddenly called as he walked out of the surgery room. 

Aleena bolted towards her with her heart in her mouth. 

"How did it go?" she breathlessly asked, feeling as if she was going to drop any second from the stress. 

"There's nothing to worry about," the doctor smiled. "The surgery was a success. We're going to move him to the recovery ward now. Once he's conscious, we'll run some tests and then he's free to go home." 

Aleena felt the weight on her shoulders diminish after hearing those words. She felt so relieved and so happy that she started to cry again. 

"Why are you crying?" Nihal asked, pulling her friend to her chest. "You heard the doctor, he's healthy!" 

Aleena quickly wiped her tears and nodded. Her friend was right. She had no reason to cry anymore. 

"Thank you so much!" she smiled at her friend, so purely and so genuinely that Nihal felt guilty for using her father's health against her. 

"It's not a problem at all. I really appreciate what you are doing for me." 

The two had a mutual give and take agreement and both were equally as grateful towards the other. 

"Let's go see your father now," Nihal said with a grin as the two girls went to find Aleena's father. 

Although Murat had a weak heart, he was a strong man so his recovery took less than a week. Once the week was over, he was back to his usual duties much to Aleena's frustrations. She wished he would just take it easy and relax. At least until his heart completely healed, which according to his doctor should have been about three to four weeks. 

But Murat was a strong man and no matter what anyone said, he would have been living his regular life whether or not he got the doctor's acknowledgment. It was a relief to Aleena that he did, that way she would feel more at ease when she had to move away.  

"Baba?" she hesitantly walked towards her father with weary look on her face.

"Yes, dear?" he asked as he watered his plants. 

He suddenly put the watering can down and turned to face her. Her dad looked at her with so much love that Aleena felt terrible about the lies she was about to spew.  

"I have something to tell you," she said in a low voice. 

Her father's face automatically fell and adopted a very worried look. 

"Oh dear, what's wrong? Are you alright?" 

Aleena realised her mistake and quickly lifted her hands and waved them in front of his face. 

"Please don't worry, it's nothing serious," she quickly explained. Her father visibly calmed down and walked to the kitchen to prepare dinner. 

"What is it then?" 

With her father's back now facing her, she closed her eyes and quickly blurted out. 

"I got a scholarship to complete my internship in the capital," she lied. 

She had never lied to her father before so her heart was beating really fast in guilt. She wished that what she was about to do wasn't so bad that it would result in his deep disappointment in her but that no matter how much she thought about it, she knew her father wouldn't understand. He already felt guilty enough that Nihal was the one who had paid for his surgery, if he found out what his daughter was about to do to pay back his surgery money, he would surely have a heart attack right then and there. 

"Oh ho," her father laughed, "well done, my darling! I always knew you would be able to do great things!" 

Tears filled Aleena's eyes and she all but ran into her father's arms. 

"You're worried because this is your first time living away from me, right?" her father translated her tears. Although that was one of the many reasons she was crying, it definitely wasn't the main reason. "How long will you be gone for?" 

"Six months," she sniffed. 

"Such a big reaction for six months?" he laughed. "This is good. I always wondered how you would get married with this attachment." 

"Baba," she groaned. "Why are you always talking about marriage? You're always so eager to get rid of me!" 

She pushed away from him with a fake pout and moved away to place the plates on the table. 

"If I could, I would live with you and look after you my whole life," her father smiled a sad smile. "But unfortunately I am old now and death isn't too far of a reality for me. I just don't want to see you alone in this world. I want you to find someone who loves and respects you and someone who will take care of you. Is that so much to ask?" 

Aleena sighed but didn't respond. Her father's biggest dream in life was to see his daughter walk down the aisle. What pained her the most was that she was walking down the aisle now, but he couldn't even see her because it was not a respectful marriage. It was a fake marriage that would end in six months time. 

"I have someone like that already without having to get married," she told him with a fake smile. 

"If Deniz loved and respected you, he would have asked for your hand already," her father scolded. 

Since he had first found out about Deniz, Murat did not like him. He claimed that he was not respectful to the elders and that he was only playing with Aleena. They had been seeing each other for about eleven moths now yet he had not even mentioned marriage yet. 

"We're modern people," Aleena defended her lover. "No one gets married without getting to know each other first. Besides, I'm only nineteen!" 

"Modern, modern," Murat spat. "When he breaks your heart, I'll show him modern!" 

Aleena couldn't help but smile at her father's behaviour. He was a pretty chill man and never forced Aleena to do anything she did not want. He let her live her life the way she wanted and he supported her in all of her decisions. It was why their relationship with each other was so good and it was also why they had no secrets between each other. 

That was, until now. Aleena wished she could tell her father the truth but she knew for a fact that he would never accept such a thing. He would rather rip his own heart out than allow it. 

"So you're alright with me moving out for a few months?" she asked her dad after they both sat down on the table. 

"There's nothing I want more in this life than for you to live a long and healthy life without any worries. If this internship will help you get a respectful and well earning job, then there's nothing that would make me happier than you moving out." 

Tears filled her eyes again. She couldn't imagine what he would feel once he finds out that she put her education on hold for the next six months. He worked so hard so she could study and she was repaying his kindness and support in the worst way possible. 

"We're not going to see each other for six months," she argued, although she wasn't even sure why. She needed him to agree with her because she had already made a promise. So despite the fact that she didn't want it to, things were going really well with him. 

"How can someone so modern forget the existence of technology?" her father joked with a large smile. "Just because we won't be able to see each other in person, that doesn't mean we can't talk on the phone. We can even turn our cameras on and see each other whenever we want!" 

"You're right," she said with a sad smile as she looked down at her plate and started eating her food. 

"Of course I am, I'm your father," Murat grinned down at his daughter. 

Deep down, he was feeling really sad over her departure too but he knew that this was best for her future so he swallowed his feelings and supported his daughter wholeheartedly. He just wished she didn't look so sad because it desperately made him want to change his mind and tell her that she wasn't allowed to leave. 

"When will you be leaving?" Murat asked his sulking daughter. 

"Next week," she told him with wide and wet eyes. "In five days, specifically."