When the stars align

Second thoughts - I

"Serkan, why are we here?" Nazli stood in shock outside one of the restaurants her family owned. It had been a month since she took a leap of faith and started hanging out with him.

"We're celebrating my success" Serkan dragged her in smiling. He has been asked to manage a team on a new project, and it was an opportunity he had been waiting for.

"How nice!!" Nazli sat down as he pulled the chair for her. She tried to calm her nerves by taking in the view of the Bosphorus as they sat by the window.

"No special treatment?" Serkan asked as they were handed menus and the waiter left.

"They don't know me" She was glad that the restaurant was managed by a third party, and they hardly knew the family. Her uncle or dad visited occasionally to sort out any issues. She hoped this was not one of those days but then calmed down as she thought they would have called her if they were in the city.

"If I were you, I would've preferred to manage this business. When you could have easily inherited all this, why work?" Serkan had been puzzled ever since he saw her family name on the CV and found that her family owned the Pinar chain of restaurants.

"It might be doing well now but it wasn't the case a few years back. They had to shut down a lot of branches and the debt was piling up." Nazli recalled the struggling times they had to go through. She hardly saw her dad and even when she did, he was always tense. All the tension led her to pick an alternative career choice at university.

"Do you not want to manage it one day?" Serkan questioned her and she looked at him puzzled.

"It's in capable hands right now and will ultimately find a successor who's capable of managing it. I'm not that person." She knew the struggle her dad went through trying to manage a business he had no interest in. It was her uncle, whose ideas saved the day and her dad handed over the business to his brother finally convincing her grandparents that they needed someone worthy of the post. He went on to be a chef in the kitchen at the main restaurant in Izmir where he excelled.

The food arrived and they ate calmly discussing the promotion and other things. She could talk to him about various things yet never argue, she would go without seeing him for days yet never miss him. Maybe it was too early but Nazli realised she was still undecided about their relationship and neither did he push her. She relaxed as they stepped out, the meal went without a hitch. She was about to call for a taxi when Serkan suddenly pulled her close. Her heartbeat quickened as she saw him eye her lips and she froze. He kissed her cheek instead and let her go. It was then she spotted her uncle and he simply walked away like he didn't know her.

Nazli unlocked the door as she answered the call. It was from her mother.

"Nazli, ask him to come for dinner" Her mother got straight to the point.

"Anne, it's too soon. Not fair." Nazli tried to postpone the meeting.

"The earlier, the better. I don't want you to end up hurt." Her mother tried to convince her.

"Fine I'll ask him" Nazli cut the call and held her head.

"Everything okay?" Fatos asked as she saw Nazli stressed out.

"Anne wants to meet Serkan for dinner tomorrow" Nazli sighed while Fatos looked at her open-mouthed.

"It's too soon though" Fatos followed Nazli to the terrace.

"I'm such a fool. I should've dragged him out when he took me to that restaurant." Nazli hit her head as she landed herself in this situation.

"How could you Nazli? We never go there" Fatos reiterated that she acted foolishly by dining at the restaurant that her family owned.

"We were celebrating his new role and he said it was his favourite restaurant. I didn't expect Onur amca to be there." Though she hinted to her cousin, she was yet to tell the rest of family about him knowing this would be the outcome.

She texted to Serkan to meet her in the cafeteria for breakfast and went to bed.

"What's wrong?" Serkan asked her as she played with food.

"My parents want to meet you for dinner" Nazli informed him, still staring at the food.

"That's great. We can plan something soon." Serkan smiled at her.

"Tonight" She almost whispered.

"It would be perfect. I was thinking it's about time we make things official" Serkan seemed to be pleased with how things turned out while she looked at him in shock.

"What do you mean by official?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I think our friends do suspect something's going on, but I would like to tell them you're my girlfriend and may be..." He paused while her heart raced at the thought of what he was going to say.

"Hey guys... Did I interrupt something?" Ali joined them and asked as they both looked at him in shock.

"No, I'm just leaving. Have a call to attend. I'll see you later then" Serkan smiled and left.

Later that night Serkan visited her apartment to meet her parents. He seemed to get on well with her father, discussing restaurant and business. They hardly talked about her, and when they did, he seemed to agree with her mother's complaints about her.

Nazli was nervous as she sat before her parents after he left.

"No" Her mother declared before she even asked them anything.

"What? Why? You can't do that just because I refused to meet anyone you asked to." She didn't expect them to refuse like that when they seemed to get on so well.

"We don't think it would work." Her mother softened a bit.

"Do you think if you reject my choice, I'll marry someone you chose?" She frowned at her mother.

"Calm down Naz... Your mother means well. I agree with her too. He seems to be more interested to know about the business than you." Her father piped in.

"You always doubt my choice, Anne." Nazli slammed the door of her room.

xxx

Not sure who's confused Nazli or me? Let me know your thoughts!!