It might be the gloomiest summer day of the year. High level of humidity and scorching hot weather made walking outside suffocating. It was his habit on such days to stay indoors and eat in his office. But today, Fatih Kayman told his assistant that he would eat out with his friends.
He smiled wickedly when he thought how Emir would react if he heard his 'friend'. He was a very easy fellow to read. He knew that if he mentioned Hülya and asked him to make her arrange himself a blind date, he would find the best candidate in no time. Emir was overly conscious about the fact that Fatih had dated with his wife a couple of times if that counts as dating. He asked Hülya out and they had a couple of dinner dates, not because he liked her but because he knew the fact that his mother arranged his marriage with Hülya's cousin. Hülya was a very beautiful and charming lady, but she was not to his taste just like her cousin. Of course, her naïve husband – then suitor - didn't know this fact, and he had no intention of telling him. His attempts to ruin the marriage alliance was in vain, and he married the wife his mother chose in the end. His fame of being 'a man with no morals' came from this incident as well. He became the bad guy, even though everyone in her family accepted him despite knowing the fact that he slept with his fiancée's cousin. Nobody said a thing against their marriage.
They would have been divorced long ago if the things went well in the first place. Their purpose of marrying was to create an heir, and she had a difficulty in conceiving. After their daughter's birth, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and he didn't want to be the horrible man who dumps his wife in her deathbed. If she was not obsessed with having a child, she could have been diagnosed early and enjoying her divorced life somewhere in good health. Her death gave him the opportunity of being a devoted husband who mourns after his death wife, and he loved this role so much. Nevertheless, his mother was not staying still. This time, he had a child to protect as well. His mother was pestering him to remarry, his in-laws was trying to prevent him remarry. They were filling his young daughter's mind with all kinds of nonsense. One night, when the father-daughter pair was watching a Turkish drama on TV, the idea of arranging himself a contract wife crossed his mind.
A contract wife was the best solution of all his troubles. Having a wife at home would add spice to his relationships outside. They wouldn't be so clingy if he had a wife. She could manage his mom and ex in-laws. She could take care of his daughter. Being married makes also a good public image. If his family or in-laws opposes his remarriage, it is more than welcome. But he shouldn't count on their oppositions and bring some random person into house. What if his mom becomes overjoyed and make them marry then and there? He had no intention of becoming Cinderella's incompetent dad who brings wolf into herd.
It was the new project his sister wanted to invest gave him the idea. He remembered Hülya and how she became one of the matchmakers of their society. If she became the matchmaker of his marriage, then his late wife's parents would have another target to vent. She would be willing to find him a match because she liked Helin, his daughter. The kid was her family after all, she wouldn't introduce him some gold digger. Emir would be willing out of his jealousy. He remembered how his colour vanished when he mentioned Hülya in front of the elevator. It was a sight to see. He would be willing to find him the best bride just to prevent him meeting Hülya. As if he ever wanted to see her. His older sister also liked this guy Emir, so if he supported his idea of marriage, she might be an ally as well.
Fatih wasn't wrong about Emir. Later that night, he called and asked when and where he wants to meet his blind date. At first, he thought they arranged some random person just to shut his mouth, but the woman was Emir's cousin – maternal aunt's daughter. She shouldn't be so bad. Emir told him that she had a modest background. Her late parents were both lecturers at university and she was teaching literature at a public high school. 32 years old, never married. After her parents' death, she was raised by her aunt and uncle. She was like a sibling to Emir, and he emphasized that he cherished this cousin sister so much. She also agreed to meet him and asked the details of time and place.
He didn't ask anything else, just told them to come to a restaurant near his office at noon. After hanging up the phone, he realized he didn't ask a picture of her. It didn't matter how she looked like though. A literature teacher at public high school… Fatih imagined a tiny, timid woman who is raised under the good graces of her uncle and aunt. When her cousin brother asked her if she wants to go a blind date, she meekly accepted the offer. He even imagined her blinking shyly in her modest teacher attire: knee-length pencil skirt and long-sleeved silk blouse.
She had a decent occupation. Teachers make good wives. She should know how to deal with children. Okay, she is a high school teacher so she might not have so much knowledge to deal with pre-schoolers, but Helin will not remain five years old forever.
"What a lovely day to meet my new wife," he said when he left his office at noon. The weather was like marriage itself. Suffocating and sulky. Heavy clouds were hanging over the city, making the hot weather more suffocating. He hated this period before the rain. It would be better if it poured once.
Emir was waiting him alone. Air conditioning was on, and the restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere. He sat down and ask, "Where is my prospective wife? Has she not come yet?" Emir wrinkled his face as if he didn't like him saying 'prospective wife'.
"Coming in a minute or two."
"Well, shall we order then?"
There was nothing but to choose something to eat since the two men had nothing in common to talk. Then again, they were good at small talk like all businessmen. They talked about how terrible the weather is, where to spend these gloomy days, some good location for summer houses. Waiters brought their lunch in no time, so they didn't need to waste more oxygen in order to prevent an awkward silence.
While Fatih was dipping his piece of steak in apple sauce, Emir suddenly said with a sigh of relief, "There she is" and waved his hand at someone who is entering the restaurant. Fatih put down the cutlery on the table and placed a charming smile on his face. First impression is very important. Be charming, be charismatic, be like a domineering CEO of Turkish dramas. Well, to be like a domineering CEO he need not to smile, but he decided to smile anyway.
She entered the restaurant with a waiter showing her the way. There she is. His future wife. He remembered a scene from a movie he watched with his late wife when she was still healthy – the expectations vs reality scene from 500 Days of Summer. Her reality was very different from his expectations, his prejudiced teacher image he created with cliches.
There was no skirt or silk blouse. She was wearing black leggings and a pink baggy hoodie. This is not an attire for a literature teacher. She couldn't even be a PE since she was… huge. This was the least expected thing for his future wife. Yes, he himself told Emir that he would be happy if his wife was ugly. But his ugly didn't include fatty. And she was by no means ugly.
This was a shocking fact. Fatih didn't want to admit, but she was strikingly beautiful. She was like chubby Venuses from renaissance paintings. Her dark hair and eyes were contrasting her white skin. She had elegant features, her face was angelic. She was tall. Maybe as tall as his model girlfriends. If she loses some weight, she could be considered one of the beauties of the society.
His chubby angel wife pulled a chair and sat down facing him. He was so surprised that he forgot to stand up and hold the chair for her. Even though she grew up with her cousin, she was not from their circle. He thought she wouldn't mind these social rules about holding the chairs or opening the doors. She was smiling charmingly.
"You don't need to apologise," she said. Even before saying hello or something. "I don't mind."
"Pardon?" that was Emir. Fatih thought he was very wrong at thinking that she wouldn't mind his not holding the chair.
"It is good manners to wait for the other party before ordering your lunch if you arranged a meeting at a restaurant. I'm very disappointed that you forgot your basic manners during the short period we haven't met."
Emir was speechless. She scoffed at him and reached her hand at Fatih.
"It is nice to meet you. I'm Leyla," She said.
Fatih swept his shattered image of meek and tiny little wife into garbage and hold her hand.
"Indeed, it is very nice to meet you."