[•Nuri's POV•]
I slowly turned the knob and peeped out first, Ferit bey was standing outside. On seeing him I was so happy that it wasn't the lady, "She's not here!" I said to myself and let a sigh of relief happily looking all around, "Were you... umm.. expecting someone?" he asked, why would I expect for some madwoman at my door?
"Huh? No!" I half yelled, Ferit bey gave me a very weird stare as if I was the madwoman here, well I did behave like one. "I mean... Not like that... Uh... I was just thinking something else... Leave that, umm... What are you doing here now Ferit bey? Would you like to come in?" I asked, thinking I would be much less scared with company, but he rejected me.
"No, Idris sent me, he said he called you but then he heard a loud sound or something?" said Ferit bey, that litte monkey! "Ah! It was him..." I mumbled, Ferit bey gave me an even uncertain look, and it was clear from his expression, "You are really sick, aren't you?"
"Uh... Why did he call me?" I asked, "He is a bit sick now, and he said he wanted to see you, but I said you were worse, so he took my phone and called secretly" "He is sick?" I asked worried, Ferit bey nodded, "By the way... Aren't you feeling ill now?" he asked raising an eyebrow, "I feel way better than yesterday, but my body hurts a bit, that's all" I said and smiled, "Is he really very sick?" I asked, changing the topic to Idris.
"The doctor said, its an infection in the lungs, also he has been a sickly child, but it's nothing to worry about" said Ferit bey. "So will you come?" he asked again, I nodded, "Fine, let me just get my scarf... and I will be down in a moment" I said, "Okay, in that case, I will wait downstairs" he said and gave me a small smile.
I thought Bashir might have brought him or at least Idris might be in the car, but Ferit bey came alone. At first, I wasn't sure where I should get in, back or front? But then I chose the back, and when I got in, I saw Ferit bey grin to himself from the mirror, as if he was sure I would do that.
In the car I leaned a bit forward, to ask him, "Why didn't Idris come?" "After drinking his medicine, he fell asleep, and made me promise to bring you there before he wakes up. Çıhan is with him now" "I see.." I said and leaned back. "He loves you a lot" said Ferit bey, something I never expected to come from his mouth.
I grinned and leaned back front, "Of course! Even I love him so much, he is so smart and cute, anybody will love him!" I said and laughed, even Ferit bey chuckled, but suddenly that day came to my mind when he was reluctant to talk to me about his parents, also the question of Demir Fariz... so I fell silent.
"What happened?" asked Ferit bey, still smiling and looked at me from the rear view mirror. "Ferit bey can I ask you something?" I said, "Is there something wrong? he asked, changing his expression, "Where are his parents?" I asked straight away, "Whose?" he asked back, "I am talking about Idris" I said, he sighed. "They died almost a year back in a helicopter accident" said Ferit bey, I was shocked.
The child lost his parents at such a young age, well, like me, but still.. I don't even remember mine and I am sure Idris remembers every detail about them. My face felt tense, "So... you are his... uh?" I asked not being able to figure out the family tree. "Idris is my maternal uncle's grandson, after the accident, the court gave my father his full custody so he lives with us" said Ferit bey, I nodded trying to digest this new info.
"So why does he call you 'abi'?" I asked, "I love him like my little brother more than like my nephew... moreover he has heard Oznür call me that" he said, smiling sadly. "Who's that?" "Oznür? Idris' mom" said Ferit bey and sighed, "My condolences" I said and leaned back, ''Thanks" he replied. I didn't ask anything more so as to not make him even upset and the rest of the ride was passed in silence.
×××
We reached the house and saw Çıhan sitting on the couch with the newspaper. "Hello, good evening" he said when he saw me and shook my hand, "Thanks" I replied. Çıhan turned to Ferit, "Idris is still asleep in his room, Miss Nazmiya called me, the people from the other company have come and we have to be there" he said, "Oh, okay then I'll just see Idris and then leave Nuri back home" said Ferit bey and lead me to the boy's room, which was upstairs.
The corridor up there was as long as the one below or longer, at the end of the corridor, my eyes fell on shiny, brown guitar. but I quickly averted my gaze to a small door. The room was fairly big, with so many pictures on the walls, mostly cartoon characters. There was a bed near the window, Idris was sleeping peacefully on it, he had got his plaster removed the day before, said Yeşim, after hearing it from Özgür.
He looked so innocent when he was sleeping, I smiled warmly and went and sat on the side of the bed. Ferit bey was standing near the door and looked at us, with those different and warm eyes. I looked at Idris for some time till he stirred to my side and his head touched my lap, he opened wide and I grinned bright.
"Nuri!" He cried and sat up to hug me, I kissed his head, "What's up big guy? Are you sick?" I asked playing with his hair, "Yup" he said and coughed to show me, I laughed. Idris turned to Ferit bey, "Abi! You kept your promise!" He said beaming, Ferit bey returned the gesture and came and sat on the bed, opposite to me and hugged him, "Of course I did, have I ever broken your trust?" He asked.
Idris shrugged, and spoke, "We are finally back like the burger!" "The burger?" I asked laughing, "Yeah, I will show it to you" he said and was about to get up, then Ferit bey held him back. "You stay in bed now, you can take it later, okay?" Idris nodded hesitantly, "Then Nuri, will you make me something? I am starving" he said with his puppy eyes.
"Idris, I have to go to the company now, So I have to drop Nuri home too, it will be pretty late soon, Özgür uncle will come and stay with you while I am gone" he said, "Abi, please, can Nuri stay with me till you are back? Uncle can come tomorrow" "Idris, ask Nuri, not me" said Ferit bey.
He turned to me with his puppy eyes, I laughed, "Hmm... Okay, I will stay till your Abi comes back, so now let me go make something good for you" I said getting up, "Will you really stay?" Asked Ferit bey, "Yup, it will be fine as Yeşim and Deren will be back late, so I can stay here longer" I said, thankful that I won't have to spend atleast a few hours of the night alone.
"Yippee!" Cried Idris, making us laugh. "Alright, then I will go to the company now" said Ferit bey getting up and kissed Idris. I followed him out of the room smiling at Idris. When we were outside, Ferit bey turned to me and smiled warmly looking at me deeply, the various natural calamities began in my body.
"Thankyou for doing this" he said, I just smiled back and said, "It's fine" and he gave me a last glance before heading downstairs, I was finally able to breathe again. Sometimes the way he looks was so mysterious and warm that, my whole body wants to burst into a million pieces, which is a very crazy thought.
×××
Ferit bey left almost two hours ago and I headed upstairs with freshly baked cookies. I found Idris playing on his tablet, he beamed when he saw me. I handed him the bowl, "It smells awesome!" He said, and bit into one, and burned his mouth. "It's so good but so hot" he said fanning his mouth, "Eat slowly or you will choke" I said, giggling. The pictures in the room were very cute, "Are they your favourites?" I asked looking at the funny characters on the walls, I knew a few of them, most of them were superheroes and robots.
"Evet, Do you know them?" He asked looking at me, "A few... That's, Iron man, there Lightning McQueen and Mater, is that... Popeye?" I asked looking at an old man with a pipe, Idris nodded chuckling. "Then there is Tom and Jerry, and of course, Mickey and Donald" I said smiling at him. "Hmm... Thats good, shall I introduce the rest of them to you?" I nodded giggling.
"That's Baymax, from Big Hero 6" he said pointing to a big white balloon like robot, "You are really into these American animations right?" I asked him, "Well, they are really cool... I grew up watching such movies, But my mother has asked me to watch a particular movie... I don't remember its name, something about stars on the earth, it's an Indian movie. She said it was one of the best movies she has ever seen..." he said becoming sad again, his eyes welled up and he began sniffing, I hugged him and kissed his head, the poor boy. A few minutes later, he slowly fell asleep, it was pretty late afterall.
I went back down to the kitchen and stood near the glass door and looked up at the sky. The view was so beautiful, you could clearly see the moon and the freshly cut grass added to the beauty of the night. I slowly went and stood near the pool to get a clearer view of the sky, the cloudless night sky.
Ferit bey didn't come yet and Idris was asleep, I looked into the pool to find my reflection, and I suddenly remembered the lady from the movie, I shivered. At that time I heard my name being called, Ferit bey was standing right behind me, I jumped and my leg slipped "Ah... Aah!" I cried as I was about to fall into the pool, he caught my hand and pulled me close and I caught his shoulder.
I was again breathless, what was I doing?! But I felt my body stuck, and myself dumbstruck. My chest felt compressed and waves of electricity we're passing in and out of my body. He kept staring at me for some time and I at him, the thunder in me kept going and so did my heart rate, but then I finally found my breath.
"You are back" I said, still in his arms, he nodded, "Idris fell asleep" I said thinking of something logical to say in this awkward moment, "Hmm... That's good" He said, and returned me to my normal position. "Yeah, I will just drink a glass of water and leave. Good night, Ferit bey" I said and walked quickly to the kitchen still shivering.
I drank almost two glasses of water and that crazy moment kept replaying again and again in my mind. I was breathless and as red as a tomato. Ferit bey then came into the kitchen and said, "You should be more careful" he said, I couldn't reply as I was still in shock, but then we heard Idris coughing violently from upstairs, Ferit bey swiftly turned to the corridor and went upstairs and I followed him.
"Idris, my dear? Are you alright?" He asked and sat at the bedside looking at Idris, really worried. "My chest hurts" he said coughing, "It will be alright, don't cough so hard, okay?" said Ferit bey, and embraced him. "Nuri? Will you stay with us tonight?" Asked Idris with his puppy eyes, "Uh... I have to go home, Idris" I said, "Nuri please, I am scared to sleep alone when I am sick" he said.
"Idris, don't insist. It's already late, Nuri has to go back home" said Feri bey, "Lütfen Abi, just for tonight, Lütfen" he said, he always seemed to manipulate my mind. "Okay... but where will I sleep?" I asked smiling at him, Idris tapped on the pillow next to him, and grinned at me, I laughed.
"Tamam, then let me call and tell Yeşim" I said, Ferit bey looked at me in astonishment, "Nuri, won't it bother you?" He asked, "It's just one night... It's fine" I said and smiled, and went outside to call and tell Yeşim. To be honest, I was so happy that I won't be sleeping alone!