''I am not a stranger''
''Is every five-year-old smart like you?''
''I don't know about others but I am smart'' Amanda kept holding on to Ozge's middle finger.
''Alright, I have lost all energy talking to you. If you want to have lunch with me, then stop calling me Mammy. Let me tell you, I am not married yet. I don't even have a boyfriend. What you are doing is going to cause a huge misunderstanding. What if people really think we are related?''
''Mammy, do you really not remember me?''
''Forget it. Why am I even explaining? You only think what you want to think. Let's go'' Ozge sighed and gave up. She picked the bag from Amanda as they left the consulting room.
''Mammy, I have a gift for you. Can you guess what it is?'' Amanda asked as they walked the hallway towards the hospital canteen.
''Just tell me, I hate guessing''
''That will make it less interesting. Can you just guess?'' Amanda walked backwards, facing Ozge.
''Hey, walk well, you will trip'' Ozge warned her.
''No, guess first''
''I just told you I hate guessing. Can you stop forcing me? Just tell me already''
''No, I want you to guess the gift I am going to give you''
''There they are, Director…'' Amanda's bodyguard said to Ferit when they saw Ozge and Amanda at a distant, walking away.
''Why does Amanda like that doctor so much?'' Ferit murmured.
''Director, do you want me to go and find out where they are going?''
''No, they must be heading towards the canteen'' Ferit said and was about to run over when he saw Amanda falling. He stopped when he saw how Ozge immediately carried Amanda, preventing her from falling.
''The doctor looks cold but it seems she has a soft spot for Amanda even though she acts like she doesn't like her''
''I know, right'' Ferit smiled and said to the bodyguard, ''you can leave now. I will look after Amanda''
''Yes, Director''
…
''Mammy…''
''Stop! Nobody is here, let's be honest with each other. You know I am not your mother. Why do you insist on calling me your mother?''
''Do you want to know the truth?''
''Yes, tell me the truth''
''Your smell?''
''Huh? You mean I smell?'' Ozge sniffed her body and scrub top saying, ''but I smell good. Maybe the hospital smell got on me but it isn't that bad, right?''
''No, I don't mean it that way. I mean the way you smell. It's just like my mother''
''Just like your mother?'' Ozge frowned and muttered softly, ''but your mother died after giving birth to you''
''I have a dress in my wardrobe that belonged to my mother. It has the same smell I get from your body. You smell just exactly like my mother that's why I call you my mother''
''It's that all?''
''No, actually I am quite pitiful. My mother passed away after giving birth to me. I am already five years but my father is still single. Off course I would love to see him get together with someone but aunt Demit is just a no, no for me. Now that I've found you, I am not going to let you off. You are going to be my mother''
''I can't be your mother. I have a lot of baggage. Also, your father is not my type''
''It doesn't matter, you can start thinking about him. You will like him with time''
''Eat. You talk too much'' Ozge stuffed a meatball into Amanda's mouth.
''Mammy''
''Stop! Don't call me Mammy. My name is Ozge''
''I don't want to call you that. In any case, you are my mammy. Mammy, are you parents alive?''
''No. They died in an accident when I was just like you. My aunt took me in when everyone rejected me. She took care of me until I was 19 and then she died too''
''Then, do you have a family?''
''Well, I do have an uncle but he and my aunt divorced a long time ago so I don't know if that counts or not but I do have two friends whom are more like my family''
''So, apart from your uncle who is no longer your uncle and your two friends, you don't have anyone else?''
''More like it'' Ozge chuckled and shook her head, ''why am I even telling you this? You are just a kid…'' Ozge's body tensed up when Amanda got down from her seat and gave her a hug. She wrapped her tiny arms around Ozge's waist and placed her head on her pelvis.
''Mammy, from now onwards, you are not alone. I am your family now. Me and my daddy will be your family''
''Amanda…''
''Mammy, can you stop saying I am not your daughter? I really like you''
''Alright''
''Promise me''
''Alright, I promise you'' Ozge brushed Amanda's hair gently and smiled. A tear fell from her face.
Listening to them, Ferit sighed. He had wanted to go and take Amanda away because he didn't want her to cause harm to the doctor but seeing them bond over their similar background, he couldn't separate them.
Ferit turned and walked away. But one thing was clear to him. At that point, Ozge had become one of the people he was going to protect at all cost. He didn't care what would happen in the future. He was determined to protect the two women in his life, Amanda and Ozge!
Ozge who had no idea of Ferit's thoughts was yet to experience something magical in her life. Something that was going to change her life forever. She didn't know that the presence of the father and daughter was going to turn her life around for better and for worse.
After finishing their meal, Amanda looked into her bag and brought out a sketch. ''Mammy, here. When our teacher asked us to draw the people important in our lives, you immediately came to my mind so I drew you and daddy together. I am the one in the middle''
Ozge took the sketch and looked at it. It was a sketch of three people. A man and a woman with a girl in the middle. The woman was in a doctor's scrub while the man was in a suit. There were three words on each of the characters.
''Mammy, Me and Daddy!''
Ozge looked at Amanda and asked, ''Amanda, this is a beautiful drawing. Are you sure I can keep it?''
''Mm, I drew it specially for you Mammy. You can keep it''
''Thank you, Amanda''
''Mammy, do you like it?''
''Mm, I like it. Thank you, Amanda''
''You are welcome''
''Let's go, I will send you to your father. I still have work to do''
''Then, Mammy, can I come and look for you after school tomorrow?''
''Yes, but don't go to the OPD again. You can come straight to my office the next time you want to see me''
''Mammy, give me your number'' Amanda removed her phone and Ozge smiled awkwardly.
''Amanda, Mammy doesn't have a phone yet''
''Don't you want to give me your number? I want to be able to call you every night before I sleep''
''No, it's not that I don't want to give you my number. Right now, I use my friend's phone to make calls because my number was cancelled but I promise to get a phone after I close from work today''
''You are lying to me'' Amanda said and started crying.
''Oh, stop crying, I really do not have a phone'' Ozge looked at her helplessly.
''You just said we are a family. Then, why don't you want to give me your number? Mammy, you are a liar'' Amanda said and ran off.
''Amanda, wait'' Ozge picked Amanda's things and ran after her.
''Amanda wait!'' Ozge called after the small girl until they ran into Ferit and Logan in the hallway.
''Daddy…'' Amanda ran to her father and hugged her legs.
''Amanda…'' Ozge panted for breath as she hurried over. She bent down to catch her breath.
''Amanda, what's wrong?'' Ferit asked with a worried expression.
''Mammy is a liar. I told her to give me her number so that I will call her before going to bed. But she said she didn't have a phone, how can an adult not have a phone? She doesn't want to give me her number''
''I really do not have a phone at the moment. My old number got cancelled so I need to go and register for a new one. It was burdensome so I always used my friend's phone to make calls. But I promised her I would get a phone and get it registered so that I can have a number but she doesn't believe me'' Ozge explained. That was probably the longest statement Ferit has heard her speak.
''Daddy, do you think Mammy is telling the truth?'' Amanda asked Ferit.
''Mammy?'' Logan asked and looked at Ozge.
''Amanda, I think that Dr. Ozge is telling the truth''