Until I Found you

Six

Melo: I'm counting on you...

Eda: About?

Melo: Clubbing. Get Dr. Gorgeous to come with us. Come on. I've never asked you for anything.

Eda: I'm pulling your chain. We are meeting at Akif's later tonight. I told him around 10PM. Plenty of time for you to get ready.

Melo: OMG, YOU INVITED HIM! Wait, you're not getting ready at home?

Eda: No, your brother said he'd get Kiraz from school today. So, I'm going to my mum's after work.

Melo: Ah, I know what that's about: Alina's niece.

Eda: What about Alina's niece?

Melo: She's about the same age as Kiraz. And she's invited Kiraz along for tea. I guess Alina is trying to prove that she's not awful with children to win Serkan over.

Eda: I hope she means well.

Melo: You'll know soon if she doesn't. Kiraz rarely hides things from you.

Eda: You're right. I'll try not to worry too much about it.

Melo: You do that. I'll come to your house after Uni. We can get ready together.

Eda: Great! See you.

***

Serkan noticed how upset his daughter was the second she entered the car. She kissed him on the cheek and settled by his side, grabbing his hand in hers. After a few minutes of silence, Serkan dared to speak.

"Bebeğim, is something the matter?"

Kiraz shook her head slightly.

"Are you upset that I picked you up and not Eda?" He wondered honestly.

"Of course not, Baba."

"Then tell me what's going on in that little brain of yours, please."

Kiraz twisted her mouth somewhat.

"My little brain is about the size of yours, Baba," Kiraz told him. "When I turned six, Eda said that my brain was 90% of what it should be and that the only way to make it larger was to learn and practice," she told him.

"Eda's taught you lots of interesting things. But stalling is not one of them, Kiraz. Come on, 'Fess up."

Kiraz exhaled, took her report card out of her backpack, and handed it to Serkan. 

Serkan stared at the report card in his hand, trying to figure out what had upset his daughter. He carefully read each comment and the ratings for Kiraz's different indicators and skills.

"I don't see anything wrong in your report card, Canım."

"You're not mad?" Kiraz asked, surprised.

"Mad about what?"

"My B in music...."

"Kiraz, I think the question here is whether you put enough effort toward that class. Did you?"

Kiraz nodded, "I did, but the flute is hard. My fingers work fine, but my air...."

"Your teacher commented on that. Why would you think I'd be upset about this?"

Kiraz raised her shoulders up and down.

"Kiraz, just because your Anne was a flute prodigy doesn't mean you have to be, too. Besides, you are playing piano years ahead of what you're supposed to. You even started teaching Eda this summer," Serkan said, trying to reassure her.