Cingene Kiz(Gypsy Girl)

1. Sorrow and Afiyet Olsun

He was back.

She would recognize that broad back in a crowd of thousands even though she had seen it only once.

He occupied the same spot he had done the last time he was there, at the table that was in the enclosed side courtyard under the pistachio trees. It was a private space meant only for the family and was secluded from the restaurant setup.

The first time he had entered the courtyard, a week ago, Seher had seen him go in there and followed behind to inform him that guests were not allowed in there. But when she actually saw him there, she felt somebody had punched her in the gut.

She stood there and watched him for a long time from behind. Sorrow oozed from every inch of his turned back. Tears pricked her eyes as she saw the huge stranger with the wide shoulders, sitting at the table with a hunched back, his head bowed, and gaze lowered. His thick hair curled slightly at the nape and looked so very vulnerable; she had the strangest urge to cover that nape with her palm and protect his privacy fiercely. His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly, trying to find a semblance of control that seemed to be evading him. She did not need to see his eyes to know that this man was hurting beyond what could be expressed through words. She knew that kind of grief very intimately. She walked away closing the gate behind her quietly.

He sat there for hours, unmoving, uncaring even as the world carried on around him. The sound of cutlery scraped against porcelain, chairs dragged across the floor, loud conversations, and boisterous laughter, it all washed over him, but he was locked inside the chaotic maze that was his mind and heart. The lower branches of the pistachio tree brushed his shoulders, but he paid no heed to them. He did not know how much time had passed but was shaken out of his stupor by the sound of soft approaching footsteps. He tensed, not ready to face anybody right then nor hold any kind of conversation. A slim hand with an armful of colorful bracelets pushed a tray from behind. It was laden with a cup of coffee, a glass of water and a small plate with strangely shaped baklava on it. A female voice murmured a soft 'Afiyet Olsun' and the hand withdrew. A sweet smell wafted his way from her direction, and he leaned in towards her unconsciously to draw in a deeper breath. She walked away before he could formulate a thought and he turned around to see a slim disappearing back. Her hair was covered completely with a pale cream scarf printed with what seemed to be... he paused for a moment staring intently and realized that the scarf was covered in cat images. His head swung back to look at the peculiar looking baklava then back at her and the arm with the laden bracelets.

He jumped off his chair, his breath trapped in his throat.

It was her!!!!

He was sure of it. The wild beast trapped in his heart was screaming to get out and go to her. He wanted to walk up to her and yank that scarf off her head and release those glorious curls and confirm his gut feeling that it was indeed her. He would know that head of curls anywhere. He had years of practice looking at it and yearning to feel it. He had hungered to gaze upon that face that was hidden from him, just once. It was after all, that craving, that had kept him sane all those years.

He opened his mouth to call out to her and then held himself back with the greatest of difficulty. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to ask, but not today.

"Yavaş Yaman Yavaş!!" He murmured under his breath.

Today was for mourning.

Today was for Yalcin Abi.

He would be back. Oh yes, he would definitely be back.