[•Ferit's POV•]
I sat there for some more time, thinking about what she said. It was kinda true but I didn't wanna think about Aygün any more. The night was really beautiful and was a very good opportunity to kiss her, but I didn't wanna ruin the warmth... well, at least not yet, so I got up and went back to my room.
The next morning, I heard a knock on my door. It was Nuri, "Nuri? Good morning" I said smiling, "Morning Ferit bey. My father wanted to know whether you will be joining us for breakfast or you will have it in your room" "Can I have it in my room?" I asked, "If you want I can bring it to you" she said.
"I would like that" I said, she nodded and went back. After half an hour she came again with a tray, "Here you go" she said and handed me the tray, "It smells really nice, what is it?" "Idli and sambar, my grandmother's specialty" she said and smiled.
I didn't really understand but I nodded, "Is there anything else you need?" she asked, "Thank you" I said. I wasn't really used to traveling nor was I used to eating new food. but the recipes were delicious. There were so many spices and vegetables, you get sunk in a sea of flavors but still simple and tender.
After breakfast, I had a few meetings via my laptop, I talked with Çihan and Özgür, Idris was at his drawing class. By the time I was finished with all that, it was deep into the afternoon. Again there was a knock on my door, I opened it to find Nuri's father.
He raised his hand to ask me whether I had lunch. I shook my head, he gave me an astonished expression, "Va" he said, asking me to follow him, it was the only sound he could utter. I nodded and went back inside to take my coat and mobile.
We reached the open space where we had had breakfast and I saw him beckoning to some lady standing near the canteen door. I sat down at a table and began texting Çihan to tell him the details of the meetings. Soon enough the same lady came and placed a plate of rice in front of me.
Last afternoon I never really ate lunch as I wasn't hungry after breakfast, also for dinner I ate something called chapati, so I have never really tried this. There were a few other things poured over the rice, I took a spoon and placed some of it in my mouth, the flavors melted in my mouth again.
×××
I was eating for a few minutes, till Nuri's mother approached me, "Is everything alright?" She asked, "Yes it is good" I replied. She smiled, "Can I ask you sir, from which country have you come?" "Uh... Turkey" I said swallowing. "Ah! Well a few months back, we had another visitor from Turkey, even my daughter was in Turkey" she said.
"Yes, I know" I accidentally said, "How do you know?" She asked, "Uh... I heard them talking, you know, Nuri and her sister" I said, she froze and gave me an alien stare, "How do you know her name?" "I asked her yesterday in the kitchen" I replied quickly.
"Oh, okay" she nodded smiling, I smiled back. "If there is anything you need, you just have to ask" "Thank you" I replied. It was evening and I wandered around the lodge, Nuri was nowhere to be seen and there were no more meetings.
I headed to the canteen as I was thirsty. There seemed to be no one in the hall, when I went to the kitchen, I found Nuri busy at cooking something, she had her earphones and I went and leaned towards the fridge watching her work. She was humming some tune and then suddenly turned around.
"Aah!" She shrieked when she saw me, "Calm down" I said, she panted, "Ferit bey! Don't you ever do that! You took half my life" She said, "I came to have a glass of water, there was nobody around so I came here. I never expected to find you" I said, she frowned.
"Fine, but don't go scaring people like that" she said and handed me a glass and poured water in it. "Idris' birthday is after two days" I said, she just nodded. "Why is it this hard to convince you, why are you so stubborn?" I asked losing patience.
"Ferit bey, you yelled at me, you fired me, still you come after me again and call me back to work" she said furiously. "I know that, so I am sorry" I said finally, gazing deep into her. At that time her sister appeared near the door, she looked at us both in a strange way.
"Ankita, how long were you there?" Asked Nuri, "Long enough. Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "I thought you will tell mom and dad" said Nuri, "Chechi, have I ever busted you?" Asked the girl. "So you won't tell them?" "Of course not, well... Not as long as you tell me the whole story" said her sister, what sort of a mess was I in?
Nuri introduced her to me, I shook her hand. "I used to work as his chef" she said pointing at me. "Why did you fire her?" Asked Ankita coldly turning to me, "I cooked something which was not from the menu" said Nuri, did she just lie for me?
"The menu?" Asked her sister, "Yeah..." Said Nuri in an unsure way. "So that's why you came all this way to Kerala, to convince my sister to come back to work for you?" Asked Ankita, I nodded. She chuckled, "Okay, but why aren't you agreeing?" She asked turning to Nuri.
I had the same question. "Well, it is my choice" said Nuri boldly. "You are crazy!" Laughed Ankita and walked away. Nuri grabbed her arm, "Don't even mention this in front of them" she warned, "Ok, ok" said her sister. I turned to Nuri, "Do you trust her?" "Of course I do, she has never told on me" she replied.
"Won't you forgive me, even after I apologize?" I asked leaning towards the fridge. "Even if I do, do you think I will be able to reach there on time for Idris' birthday?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "Don't worry about that, just tell me you agree, I will take care of the rest" "What do you mean?" She asked.
"The flight, the expenses, I have got it covered" "Ferit bey, I can't ever accept that" she said, "Well you came here because of me, so you are going back because of me" I said. She still looked at me in an uncertain way. "Ferit bey, you are just a part of the reason why I came here. But still, what about the details?"
"Like what?" I asked, "You know like the flight and the timings" "Don't worry, it will be taken care of. So do we have a deal?" I asked and held out my hand, she looked at it then at my face and sighed. She slowly shook my hand and I gave her a small smile.
She quickly pulled her hand back, "Then I will send an email to Miss Nazmiya and tell you the details later" I said. "Okay" she nodded and I went back to my room and began typing the mail. I also had to answer several other mails so by the time I was done, It was time for dinner.
×××
I heard the familiar knock on my door, it was Nuri. "Ferit bey, won't you have dinner?" She asked, "I will have it in my room" I said smiling. "Okay then, uh... did Miss Nazmiya reply?" "Not yet, when she does, I will tell you" I said. "Okay, I will bring dinner then" she said and went back.
A few minutes after she had gone, Miss Nazmiya responded. When Nuri came back again, I said, "Miss Nazmiya sent a mail that the last flight to Turkey, before the birthday will be on Tomorrow evening at 7 pm. She said she has booked your tickets"
"Wait a minute, tomorrow? But what will I tell my parents?" She asked, "Nuri, didn't you tell them till now?" "What will I tell them? Shall I tell them that I agreed so I am gonna go back to work tomorrow, should I tell them that?" She asked getting angry, I sighed. "Fine... Then I will have to lie" she said. "Let's talk inside?" I asked, she nodded.
×××
"I can tell them something related to the university like they reopened again or something" "They will probably believe that" I said. "So when you leave won't you leave with me?" I asked, "Yeah that's a problem" she said, "Why don't I leave early and then you follow?" I asked, she stared at me.
"Like how?" "I will leave early and stay somewhere else and then you will leave later and we will meet at the airport" I said. "I have a better plan, I will show you around town!" she said suddenly grinning brightly, "Nuri, this is not a joke, we have to plan carefully if you don't want your parents to know" I said seriously.
"Exactly, you will pretend like you leave early and wait at the gate, and since it's my last day here, I will say that I am gonna roam around town and then go to the airport directly. Then I will show you around town" Did she cook that up just now? "But will they believe it?" I asked.
"Hmm... Probably, but I will have to tell Ankita, she might help us too, so is it okay?" She asked, "Fine with me, but do you really mean the roaming around town part?" "Of course, you haven't stepped a foot out of our lodge, trust me it will be fun!" She said in her childlike manner, I smiled and nodded.
"Then I will go now, you can enjoy your dinner and you can leave after breakfast" she said, I nodded. "Good night Ferit bey" She said, "Good night" I replied, and she turned to leave.