[•Nuri's POV•]
I reached the palace early and first checked the fridge. "Aha! He hasn't eaten you!" I said to myself. "What's not eaten?" I turned around, Idris was awake and came to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. "Good morning big guy" I said and smiled. He smiled and sat on the chair in front of me. "Good morning... your name is Nuri right?" He asked yawning, "Yep, and you are Idris?" He nodded. "Who were you talking to?" "To the custard" I replied, he giggled. "What were you telling the custard?" "I said nobody ate him and he sighed" the boy laughed even more. "Will he mind if I eat him?" He asked again, "Let me ask him" I said and pretended to talk to the custard, "He said he won't mind as long as you have brushed your teeth" I said and smiled. "Alright then, after I brush my teeth, tell him to be ready" I laughed and he ran off. I returned to my job when Özgür came into the kitchen.
"Hey, good morning" he said, "Good morning, Özgür bey" I replied. "I have to go to a place for some time, will you stay with Idris till then?" He asked, "It will be fine, I'll do it" I said and smiled. "Good. Then after I come back will you give me your number?" he asked in a cocky way. "See you, Özgür bey" I said giving him my fake smile, and returned to work. He left, annoyed.
Idris came back to the kitchen and I gave him the custard. "It's so good!" He said digging in, "Won't you have breakfast?" I asked, "I will... But after I eat this, please don't tell my uncle, Nuri" and he looked at me with puppy eyes. I laughed, "Hmm... fine, I'll keep your secret" I said. "Idris, don't you have school today?" "Nope, our class this term ended with the field trip yesterday. I wanted to go to a boarding school this year. Next term onwards, I will stay here in Istanbul" he said. Idris seemed like a very sweet boy and I loved to hear him talk.
"How come you speak English so well?" I asked and he suddenly fell silent. "What happened?" I asked him, "My parents wanted me to go to an English medium school" he said and sniffed. I went near him, "Idris, are you alright?" "You know even after the accident, I wanted to go to an English medium school to not make them upset" he said and his eyes welled up. I felt really sorry for him, "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. "Nope" he said, rubbing his eyes.
"Okay then, in that case, what do you want to do?" I asked, "After breakfast, let's play till lunch" I laughed. "What do you want to play?" I asked him, "With water guns" he said, "But won't we get wet?" "I will make our shields with cardboard" he was smart too, "Alright then, I will give you cereal now, and then you will go make shields. While you do that, I will finish cooking, is that fine?" "Super!" He said and gave me a high five.
×××
It was nearly lunchtime and Idris came back to the kitchen with two big pieces of cardboard. "Nuri, look! I even made handles for it" he said handing me one. "It's really well made" I said and he blushed. "Did you finish cooking?" "Almost done, after ten minutes, I will take the pan from the oven, then we can play, okay? " He nodded and went to the living room.
Idris was very excited to start. We played in the yard and he went and hid behind the stairs leading to the courtyard. I pretended not to see him, then suddenly he came running towards me. "I heard the car's sound, uncle is coming! Let's hide behind the sofa. When he comes to take the newspaper from the table, we'll shoot together!" He said. I really wanted to slap Özgür instead, but revenge could work either way. Also, even if I do, he can't fire me, only Ferit bey can. "Okay!" I said, and we swiftly ran and hid behind the sofa.
I bent low behind his tiny figure and he hid behind his shield, even I had mine but kept it low. Our guns were loaded, "He's coming, he's coming!" Whispered Idris, "Can you see him?" "If I look then he will catch us, I can hear him walk... On the count of three... 1... 2... 3!" We jumped and with full force, pulled the trigger. I hid my face with the shield and we both were overjoyed, I hope to see Özgür's wet face and ask him if he still wants my number!
Until Idris dropped his gun, "Ferit abi!" He exclaimed surprisedly, I lowered my shield. My gaze met with the cold and familiar eyes of the handsome man in front of me. I was dumbstruck. He looked as if he just came from under a waterfall. Then I came back to my senses realizing that I was gawking at him... did Idris just call him 'Ferit abi'?
I dropped my gun and the man wiped the water from his face. "I thought it was going to be Özgür uncle, sorry abi" said Idris with his puppy eyes, but what was gonna save me? "You got your revenge as you wanted isn't it deli kız?" Suddenly it clicked, that day at the bar, the same guy, the argument, the bath of alcohol... "I am talking to you, what are you doing here?" "I... I... Uh... You... are you Ferit bey, I mean... Ferit Aras?" He sighed and looked at me, frowning, "No, I am the trapeze artist... Of course, I am Ferit Aras! And you are on my lawn. Aren't you supposed to answer my question first?" "Uh... Yeah, about that... I... Uh... I am your... Chef" I said stuttering.
I had never felt this embarrassed before, He bent his head and raised an eyebrow, "Sorry, my who?" he asked, probably water went in his ears. "Your chef" I said again, "So you mean to tell me you are Nuri?" I gave an uncertain smile and nodded. He was still dripping wet. "Abi, you didn't know her?" Asked Idris, "Now I do. Idris why don't you take these guns and cardboard pieces inside, I need to talk to Miss Nuri alone" I shivered.
Idris took the things inside and we both were alone. He looked at me with his cold eyes and bent brows. "I will find you a towel" I said and as I was about to escape, "Stay" said Ferit bey. I froze and he faced me again. "I am terribly sorry Ferit bey for today and... Umm... that evening" I said looking at the ground, "Look at me" he said.
I looked at him out of uncertainty. "I have not seen Idris this happy with someone outside the family" he said, the man could at least smile while giving credit. "He is a very sweet boy" I said smiling a bit better. "I know that, but it doesn't change our subject. Please take your things and leave" "Am I being fired?" I asked, at that time, Idris came to us. "Abi, Nuri has a very good aim right?" He asked laughing and handed a towel to Ferit, "Thank you, my dear... Uh-huh... She does" replied Ferit. "Goodbye, miss Nuri" he said and turned to go back inside when Idris caught his hand. "Abi! Did you fire her?" He asked, and looked at me. I gave him a sad smile.
"Abi, please... I asked her to shoot you, moreover, we thought it was going to be Özgür uncle" and the boy again brought his puppy eyes. He was so good at it, Ferit bey looked at Idris and then looked at me, "So if it was Özgür, then you would have shot him, right?" "Ferit bey, It was a big mistake, I am very sorry" I said, "We both are" added Idris. Ferit bey glanced at the both of us again and sighed, "Fine..." He said and walked away.
"So I am not fired?" I called after him, He stopped and turned around annoyed, "Not yet but don't make a habit of it" he said and went inside. Idris hugged me happily and I hugged him back, "Your Abi has such good memory" I said, "I know right, that's why he always remembers my exam results" I laughed. "I am already late, I have to go to my university now, See you later big guy" I said and kissed his head, "Bye-bye Nuri" he replied.