[•Nuri's POV•]
(Chechi - 'Sister' in Malayalam)
He was shocked, I was stunned. He was wearing a funny bathrobe and didn't respond, just kept staring deep into my eyes and I didn't know what to say more. "Happy New Year" he said and let me loose. "Uh... Happy New Year" I replied, trying to be polite, but what was he doing here?
"Ferit bey, what are you doing here?" I asked, "What do you mean? What are you doing barging in here like this?" He asked showing his true colors. "You can't come here like this!" I replied, "Well, can't I stay anywhere I paid for?" he asked, I didn't get him.
"You what?" "Yes Nuri, I paid the money, I own the room" he said, I gasped. "Now if you will excuse me, I have had a really long flight, let me take a shower and go to bed" he said. "Wait a minute, but why did you come here?" "You know the answer" he said and went to the bathroom.
"Whatever you do, I am not coming back to work" I said following him. He paused and turned when he reached the bathroom door, "Are you gonna come in there too?" He asked, "Uhh!" I said offended and stormed out. He followed me to lock the door.
That night was the most restless night of my life. Did he really come all this way to convince me? Why does he keep chasing me whenever I run away? It was all a blur to me. Morning came and mom had said that Omana aunty and Ashok will join us for breakfast, we would have it outside.
In the lodge, there was a shady patch of grass and a small house near it, it was the canteen. Our customers usually had breakfast there and sometimes we joined them. My mother, grandmother, and three more ladies prepared it, it had always been heavenly, but I wasn't looking forward to it especially since the idiot was coming and his annoying mother.
I was setting up the tables, five customers were there with us, but only two of them would have breakfast, a family from Bangalore and an old couple from Calicut. They all were there and we served them, Ashok also came soon after.
He looked taller and had a small patch of hair on his chin, his arms looked puffed up, he must have been going to the gym every day but he still had that idiotic smile on his face and the dumbest expressions. He saw me and his face lit up and he smiled, I turned to return to the kitchen and escape but then I saw Ferit bey.
I totally forgot about him! He had his sunglasses on and had his coat in his hand. His posture was so beautiful. He saw me and came near, "Good morning" he said taking off his glasses and smiled warmly, "Morning" I replied.
At that time my father came to the scene, he showed the action of eating facing Ferit bey, he was trying to ask him whether he was hungry. Ferit bey nodded smiling, but the tables were occupied, my father then turned to me and pointed to the three of us.
He wanted me to ask Ferit bey whether he would like to join our table, "No" I mumbled shaking my head, he shook his head and looked at Ferit bey and then at me. I sighed and had to ask him, "Ferit bey, would you like to join us for breakfast?" He gave me that same special look and then turned to my father and nodded. My father smiled brightly.
All of us sat down to eat, Ferit bey sat near me, Ashok was sitting opposite to us and kept staring at me like watching a movie, he also glared at Ferit bey frequently, the log didn't care.
Ashok seemed jealous of him, he spread his arms so as to show that he also had biceps, crazy boy! Ferit bey glanced at him and then at me, I tried smiling. "Nuri, how are you?" Asked Ashok leaning forward, I leaned back, "Good thank you" I said, wondering why he was talking in English.
Then the other ladies brought breakfast, it was puttu with kadala curry, my favorite! But when I glanced at Ferit bey, he was utterly confused. He leaned to my side, "I can't eat this" he whispered.
"I know... Keep your glass of water near my hand" I whispered back. He looked at me confused, "What?" "Just do it" I whispered back. For the first time he listened to me, Ashok was watching us very closely.
I pretended to take my glass but knocked his one causing the water to flood his plate and also make his sleeve a bit wet, he never expected me to do that. "I am so sorry Ferit bey!" I said getting up, even my mother got up.
"I will go and get you another plate" said my mother, "No, no... That's okay, I will take it, I will also search for a cloth to wipe the stain too. Come on please..." I said winking at him. He played along, and got up and followed me. We went to the kitchen and I turned to him.
"We have some batter left, I will make dosa's" I said, "Why did you do that?" "Ferit bey don't start complaining now" I said, "Not at all, I was just wondering why you helped me" he said coming closer, "Well I didn't want Ashok to show you the way he eats also" I said grinning, he laughed.
"Is that the boy's name, the one who sat opposite to us?" I nodded moving a bit back, he came a bit more closer and his height towered over me. He looked at me deeply with those confusingly warm eyes, "I have to make dosas" I said and smiled, his tongue slightly touched his lip and gave a grin, and nodded and moved a bit back.
"I never knew your father couldn't talk but still I liked him a lot" he said, "Even I love him so much, but how did you figure out he was my father?" I asked, "The way he looks at you, only the most loving father will look at their children like that" he said, I smiled and turned to the pan, "But... Is that guy your boyfriend?" he asked while I poured the batter into the pan again.
"Ferit bey, are you crazy? He is just my childhood friend" I said. "Well he doesn't think of you as one" he said. "He is a mad boy but harmless... So far" I said turning back to the dosas. "So... Nuri, when will you come back?" "Ferit bey, I am not coming back to work for you, topic closed. Moreover, if by chance my parents find out that I used to work in your house, then I am as good as dead" I said coldly.
"If I promise not to tell your parents then will you come back to work?" "What sort of offer is that? Are you blackmailing me?" I asked frowning. "Nah... Well kinda, but if I apologize?" He asked, "It will be in the headlines" I said laughing, he chuckled.
"I am serious" he said smiling, "But in return?" "I am apologizing, what do you want in return?" He asked, "Not that, if I come back to work, which I never will, I still have one condition" I said. He sighed, "Let me hear it" "Okay... Umm... Tell me what happened between you and your mother" I said.
His expression changed all of a sudden. "You will come to work only if I tell you, is it?" He asked frowning, "Well... Uh... If it is too depressing you don't have to tell" I said, feeling guilty. "It is, let's talk not talk about it" he said, I nodded.
×××
I handed him the plate, "How will I eat this?" He asked, "With your hand of course" I said chuckling, He looked at me and then at the plate and tore the dosa into small pieces and placed one in his mouth, "How is it?" "Well... It can be eaten" he said, seriously?
I gave him an annoyed look, he chuckled. "It is the first time I am eating something both different and delicious" he said, "Hold up... Did you just appreciate me?" I asked. He nodded smiling with those warm eyes.
At that time Ankita came to the kitchen, Ferit bey got up from the slab he was sitting on, She looked at the both of us and gave a sly smile. "Mom asked me to check on you since you didn't come back for so long" she said, "Uh... So, let's go Ferit bey" I said and headed out, he followed us with his plate.
"Chechi, What were you doing there alone?" She pestered me while we walked, "Nothing, I just made him dosas to compensate for his breakfast" I said, "Why do you call him 'bey'?" "It's Turkish for 'Mister'" I said, "Hmm... But you call him that with too much familiarity" I glared at her, "Don't you have nothing to learn? Go on do your work" I ordered her, she made a face and ran off.
After breakfast, I was busy in the kitchen helping my grandmother, well I had nothing better to do. I went to the market and before I knew it, it was evening. I wonder what Ferit bey must have done the whole day, then Ankita came to me, "Chechi, I can't find Gobi anywhere, mom was asking you to search for him" I nodded.
I searched near the houses, parking lot and finally near the lake. I saw his figure in the dark, he was lying down near someone. "Gobi?" He looked up at me and even the man near him did, "Nuri?" Asked his voice, "Uh... Ferit bey, I couldn't recognize your face in the dark. What are you doing here?" I asked.
"I was sitting here all evening, what are you doing here?" "I came to search for Gobi" I said, "So that's his name?" Asked Ferit bey and petted the dog. Gobi loved it very much, I went and sat near them, "I never thought you were this friendly with animals" "I had a dog called Buck when I was young, he was my best friend" said Ferit bey smiling, I smiled back.
We stared at the night sky for some time till he asked me, "Did you make a New Year resolution?" "Well... It's a bit stupid" he chuckled, "Can I know?" "I promised myself not to get into much trouble this year" I said, he laughed. "I told you it was stupid" "For someone like you it is logical" he said.
"At least I took one, then tell me your resolution" I said, "I took it after I met my mother" he said and turned his gaze to the sky, "I promised myself not to let anyone hurt me ever again like she did" "Now that's stupid" I said, he quickly turned his gaze to me.
"Why do you think that?" "People always come and go in our life, they may hurt us or they may make us happy, but it is our responsibility to cherish the best memories we had with them" I said, he gazed at me for some time. "Am I wrong?" I asked breaking the silence, "Well, maybe" he said and kept staring deep into my eyes, it was so confusing sometimes.
Gobi yawned and I gently stroke his head, "It's pretty late, I have to go now, Good night Ferit bey" I said and got up. "You too" he said, "Aren't you coming?" "I will stay here a bit longer" he said, I nodded and smiled giving him a last gaze, he smiled back returning my gaze.