On Vosporous

Part 2 Malachites

Ten days had passed since Morpho's funeral and Onur, who had returned to Istanbul, felt weaker every day. He had left the helm of the company to Yusuf and his grandchildren and  rested in his bedroom  staring out the window for hours.
But today he was so angry with Cem and his last adventures that he found the strength to get out of bed and go to the company.
He entered his office furiously and interrupted Cem's meeting with Yusuf and Kerem.
"Father, what do you want here? You had to rest in your bed right now ..." Yusuf exclaimed in surprise.
Onur tossed a newspaper on the table. "I want my grandson to explain to me if everything written here is true." he said trembling with anger, and opened the newspaper pointing to a specific article.
"The golden heir Cem Emiroglou got engaged with the beautiful Ebru Barutsu"
The article was accompanied by a photo of Cem with a girl who looked like the blond copy of Kardashian.
"I won't let a gold digger to enter My house, to My family and abuse everything I built with my father. You are making a big mistake," . Onur shouted.
Kerem   and Yusuf remained silent, leaving grandfather and grandson to solve their problems. Cem tried to stay cool. He rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath.
"Grandpa, this is a misunderstanding. Yes, I don't deny that there is something between me and Ebru. we Just dated but we did not get engaged. I gave her a ring from our last series as a gift. I thought she could
promote our work since she works in television "Cem tried to justify to his grandfather.
"You give her my company's ring? A ring of thousands of euros in the hand of this stupid Bilpo?" Onur asked angrily.
Kerem burst out laughing but as soon as Onur glared at him, he tried to get serious.
"Sorry .. Eh. Grandpa no bilbo, bibo. From Barbie" Onur looked at him without understanding.
"You know, Barbie, the doll "Kerem tried to explain." When a woman looks fake like a doll, we called her  bibo"...
"I don't care if they called her biriba," Onur burst out. "You're going to finished this story today"
"Grandpa, I decide with who I'll date and who I will sleep . Please don't get involved in my personal life," Cem said stubbornly.
"As long as I see you make one mistake after another and until you put your life in order I will intervene." His grandfather shouted and Cem lost his temper.  
"At least I wasn't married with a mistress in another country like you" "Onur felt his head boil.
"How dare you?" He said in a trembling voice. "I loved your grandmother and I remained faithful to her until the end"
"Really? And why you run to Greece Just when you learn about that woman 's death? And you stayed a week to support her family? .. Are you hiding something from us? Is it not only her family but also yours?"
"Shut up!" Onur shouted.
"Morpho was my first love.  I always love her. But from the moment she left Istanbul we remained friends. We knew we couldn't be together. I met your grandmother, I loved her; maybe not as much as Morpho but I loved her and I never cheat on her. As for Morfos' children and grandchildren, unfortunately they are not mine. And I say unfortuanately because now that I 've met them and seen how good people they are, how hardworking and ambitious I admire them. And  you should know  that everything you have, you owe it to Hatzis family. The elder Hatzis built this company. In the beginning it was the largest jewelry store in the city and at the back there was the workshop. My father was his Best  friend and  his employee .. When Hatzis learned that my grandfather wouldn't let my Mother to marry my father, he gave him 30% of the business to help him. Hatzis didn't leave only because of outbursts, he left because he knew that if he stayed we would be destroyed too. Anyone who helped Christians was targeted by the new-Turks*. He left and sold his share for... cents. We became millioners and they worked day and night to start a business from scratch. My father never forgot everything that Hatzis had done for him and when Morfo was left alone he decided to work with her.
Even now these people work hard while you found everything ready and pretending .. What? Really tell me what do you think you are?
Yusuf, who all this time didn't want to get involved in all this argument, seeing his father furious, wanted to calm him down.
"Father, please calm down ..." Onur raised his hand and stopped him.
"Take a look to your son.. I said what I had to say." And with these words he left the office, leaving the three men numb.
Outside the company, his driver Emre was waiting for him. He opened the car door for him and Onur came in and sat down feeling exhausted. He closed his eyes and tilted his head to the back of the seat. A little later, feeling better , he opened his phone and called his lawyer.
"Ibrahim, its me Onur. I want  to see you. In an hour in my house. I want to change my will .. Don't ask me anything  i'll tell you up close. " He hurriedly hung up the phone and waited patiently to get home. *********************************** Onur was sitting in the library of the house where was his office  when Ibrahim arrived.
- "What are you talking about on the phone? What happened?" asked furious.

"A lot has happened but I don't have much time to explain you. When I called you I was very angry ... I don't hide from you that I was thinking to dismiss my grandson Cem from my will.."
" What do you say Onur? Are you crazy? .." Onur stopped  him with a nod of his hand.
"Don't worry ... I said I was thinking ... But I changed my mind."
Onur looked at the green stone over his palm. Emi had given him that Stones as gift shortly before returning to Istanbul.
"It is Malachites. This stone brings good luck and abundance. It is an ideal amulet for traders and entrepreneurs"  she explained.
Onur closed the stone in his palm.

- "Ibrahim I will not dismiss my grandson but I will make some changes in my will" *********************************       A week had passed and Onur was not feeling well at all. He was taken to hospital with symptoms of a heart attack. His doctor found Yusuf and Cem in the waiting room.
"Your father is in critical condition. We are doing our Best but it is as if his body itself has resigned.  I am very sorry but you must be prepared for the worst," he told them.
"It's all my fault if I didn't talk to him that way ..." said Cem desperately.
- "Calm down my child" his father grabbed him by the shoulders.
- "I want to see him, I want to apologize to him .."
" I don't think that he is able to communicate," the doctor explained. "Please let me try," Cem begged.
The doctor led him to the room where Onur was being treated.
Cem saw his grandfather pale and weak. Tubes glued to his body connected to various machines. He stood on top of his grandfather and timidly grabbed his hand.
"Grandpa ... Grandpa, Its me Cem." He swallow a little.
"Grandpa, I was very selfish. Sorry, i'm really  sorry for everything I told you. Please don't leave us, don't leave me ..." He begged with tears in his eyes. Then he felt a tightness in his hand. His grandfather shook his hand.
"Grandpa can you hear me?"
Onur opened his eyes, looked at him, and then cast his gaze behind Cem. His grandson looked behind him but there was none.
"Askim (my love)" he heard his grandfather whisper. He looked at his grandfather again and saw him smiling. In the heart machine  Onur's heart was beating very slow. .  Onur closed his eyes  peacely and his heart stopped. Cem ran for help but it was too late.
************************************

Onur's funeral took place the next day. Everyone was shocked. Cem felt worst than anyone else. He felt responsible for his grandfather's death. He was now standing with his family and receiving condolences from those who had attended the funeral. When most of them had left, a tall dark man in his fifties approached them. He hugged Yusuf in tears.

- "Cem, let me introduce you to Apostolos Hatzis our partner" said Yusuf.
Cem held out his hand to Apostolos. The man shook his hand.  " My Condolences. have  his wish"
-"Thank you" Cem Just said.
"Apostolo , will you come to our homes  for a coffee ?" Yusuf asked.
"I would like to but I have to go back to the hotel. we Just  arrived and Emi wasn't feeling well. I want to see how she is .."
- " your daughter is  here too?"
-"Yes. we'll come to see you in the company before we leave"
" We'll wait for you"
They hugged once again and then Apostolos walked out of the cemetery. Shortly before he reached the front door, an elderly man stopped him. "Sorry Mr. Hatzis, can you wait for a minute? .."
"Do We know each other? Apostolos asked in astonishment.
"No, not exactly. I was behind you when you give your condolences to Yusuf ... I heard your conversation ..." "I do not understand"...
Ibrahim cut him off.
-"Let me explain. I am Ibrahim Zahir, Onur Emiroglou's lawyer. Mr. Hatzis Mr. Emiroglou has included you in his will .. Well not exactly you .. Your daughter Evmorfia Hatzis .."
"My daughter .. I'm confused."
- "Mr. Hatzis I heard that your daughter is also in Istanbul. If it's true i ask you not to leave the City. In two days I will call the family to open Onur 's will, since Eumorphia is included in the will, you must come too. "

**********************************

* Neo- turks/ New-Turks: Turkish nationalist party. The neo-Turks were responsible for the uprising against the Christians in Cappadocia, Izmir and Constantinople. Thousands of Greeks and Armenians were martyred in their hands.