[•Nuri's POV•]
I removed my apron and went to the room to fetch my jacket. I straightened my hair in front of the mirror and got out to find Ferit bey waiting. He was so quick. "Shall we?" He asked. I nodded. "Idris?" "I am searching for a picture... Found it!" And he came running and handed it to Ferit bey, I peaked at it. It was a dog, with curly brown hair and a long nose, "Who's this?" Asked Ferit bey smiling, "One day at school, this dog came into our yard, it was so friendly. We all fed him and named him Burly" "Burly? Why's that?" I asked, "Because he was brown and curly, so Burly!" We chuckled.
When we got to the car, Idris got in the back, at that time I asked, "Ferit bey, You sure I am not disturbing you?" "Well you are but since Idris wants you to come, I can't say no" He said and went to the driver seat, I expected him to say 'Not at all' or 'It will be a pleasure' at least, but this guy was as hard as a log.
When I opened the back door to sit, Idris didn't let me, "I move around a lot in a car, so can you sit in the front Nuri?" I hesitated but had to accept, and sat in the front with the cold log. I could see Ferit bey smiling to himself when I did that, which annoyed me profoundly.
When we reached the hospital, Idris held my hand and lead me inside the building, one of the finest hospitals I have ever seen. He took me to this room and knocked. "Come in" said a feeble voice from inside. He opened the door, my hand still in his grasp and we went in. An old man was sitting on the bed and reading. "Grandpa!" "Oh! Idris dear!" Said the man and kissed the boy, then adjusting his glasses, he looked at me, "Hello" I said and went forward to kiss his hand as I had seen Yeşim do so with elders. "Grandpa, this is Nuri. My new best friend" the old man smiled at me, and I, at him.
"You forgot this in the car" said Ferit bey entering the room and smiled, and for a split second, he looked at me again in that same different way till I averted my gaze back to the old man. "I am Tahir Aras" said the man and held out his hand and I shook it. Ferit bey handed the picture to Idris, and lifted a chair from the corner of the room and placed it near the bed. I thought it was for me and I smiled at him thinking that but he himself ended up sitting on it. I grew red out of embarrassment and anger... and the log, he enjoyed it. I went and sat on the chair behind Idris.
Idris narrated the story of the dog about three times to his grandfather, in the end, seeing me silent, Tahir bey asked Idris, "How did you both meet?" And when I was about to reply, "She is my chef" said Ferit bey. "Yeah, and grandpa she makes the best custard, speaking of which, I made an omelet by myself today!" "Really? All alone?" Idris looked at me and winked, "Well Nuri was there as my assistant but... I did most of it" he said which made the three of us laugh.
"Nuri, you don't look from around here" said Tahir bey, "Umm... I am from India, Kerala to be specific" "God's own country, right?" I nodded smiling, "Özgür went there last summer, didn't he?" Asked Tahir bey turning to Ferit bey, he nodded. "Why did you come to Turkey, certainly not to work in my son's kitchen!" he said and laughed, "Of course not!" I retorted, which made Ferit bey raise an eyebrow, "I mean... Not like that... Uh... My father runs a lodge there and our chefs aren't that great, so if I can be a professional, then we can run the place better" I said and, smiled.
Then Idris started narrating tales from his school and everything else he did the past few days, for almost two hours. Idris was very talkative but also very smart and bright, though not much in academics, still he drew very well for a kid and had the most creative mind I had ever known.
From the way his grandfather listened to the boy, I could tell they were really close. I didn't ask many questions, though my head was filled with them. I wanted to know, what the old man was suffering from? Was he really the boy's grandfather? and what happened to Idris' parents? But I figured it wasn't the right time. I sat behind Idris silently listening to his conversation with his grandfather. Ferit bey was also sitting silently near his father and listening to the boy patiently, he also glanced at me often.
×××
My phone began ringing, Yeşim was calling me, "Excuse me" I said and left the room with my bag. "Yeşim?" "Nuri? Where are you?" She asked, "I am at a hospital" "What? What happened? Why didn't you call me!" My ears exploded because of her shrill voice. "I am fine, I am fine, we came to meet Idris' grandfather" "Did you say 'We'?" She asked, "Yeah, me, Idris and Ferit bey" I said, "Oooooh!" She screeched, "Yeşim, I will have an ear surgery after talking with you!" I said annoyed, "Okay dear, when you get back, tell me all about the date!" And I heard her giggling from the other side, "Uff Yeşim! I really can't deal with you now" I said and hung up. Sometimes, she is so irritating.
Then as I locked my phone, I saw the time, I should have left school by now. I turned to go back to the room but I was so thirsty, I asked the nurse passing by for where I can find drinking water. She said that the one near the counter wasn't working so I can go to the other hall and she directed me towards it. I thanked her and walked towards it, there seemed to be no one there except an old woman sitting and sleeping on one of the chairs. I spotted the filter a few meters from the couch, the only sound in the hall was from a creaking table fan near the clinic.
I took a glass and waited for it to get filled up. After drinking, as I was about to keep back the glass, somebody placed a hand on my shoulder, I jumped and turned to find Özgür. What was he doing? "Özgür bey?" I asked leaning back, towards the water filter, he smirked. "Hey" he said and place his hand on the filter, now I can't even escape from that side.
I moved to my right and then found myself leaning really back on the wall near the filter. He came closer, our face a few inches apart. "What are you doing Özgür bey? Are you drunk?" I asked sensing the familiar scent of alcohol. He smirked, even more, I began feeling scared, my heart rate went up like a mountain.
"Move back or I will shout" I warned, almost in tears. "If you shout or not, I will still kiss you" he said, I tried pushing him but he didn't budge, then I raised my hand to slap him but he grabbed my hand tightly, my wrist hurt. He moved closer, I moved my face to the side wishing it was a nightmare as the first tear rolled down and I close my eyes tightly praying for it to get over.
"Özgür!" Came a sharp voice and Özgür leaned back to see who it was and at that time, I pushed him back and ran away, wiping my tears. I realized it was Ferit bey who saw us, I was so ashamed, I didn't want to look at anybody.
When I came out of that godforsaken building, my tears stopped but I felt rage overflowing and that crazy jerk, so shameless, so cruel... Such a bastard! Why did I even agree to come here listening to a kid? I wanted to go home and sleep, that was the only thing I wanted to do, "Taxi!" I called after a moving cab.
The driver stopped a bit ahead of me, At that time, Ferit bey came chasing after me and as I was about to enter the cab, he gripped my hand, "Nuri..." He was beginning to speak, but I cut him short. "Ferit bey, your brother is a jerk! From now on, I have nothing to do with you or your family. I quit!" I said and shook off his hand and got into the cab. I told the address to the driver and he drove me home.