Wherever You Go

Chapter 17

Like he did everyone else he totally ghosted Farah too. Mainly because she has predicted this and he was not ready to face her reprimands or the shame that Hazan has betrayed him. If anyone knew about how desperately he was in love it was Farah. He had not expected to meet her at the airport and felt like all kinds of heel for ghosting her when he did.

Having visited her paternal relatives in Ankara, Farah was flying to US for two days, before flying to Poland to embark on a yearlong promotional tour there to promote her fusion cooking range. He knew her very well and knew that it was pure coincidence when they met at the airport. 

Yagiz now knows that Farah feels more than friendship about him, but there is no need to explain anything to her, for she knew how hard and fast he fell for Hazan, despite the fact that she was his brother's girl friend. Hazan will definitely think that he planned all this. She will think that he lied to her. On a whim he takes the phone out and dials her number, before he could change his mind. It rings several times and then Yagiz remembers the time difference. 

It is 11.00 am in the morning. What is she doing right now? Who is she with? He thinks and does not like the fact that he has no idea. Within couple of days of knowing her, before he had any idea of what is happening to him, he always somehow followed her movements. If she was not around he made subtle inquiries and if those failed he made sometimes flimsy excuses to go wherever Hazan is. He wonders what her life is like right now, just as he hears the click of the phone being answered. Yagiz feels nervous and then wishes he took a video call, so that he can see her face.

"Hello" she says softly, hopefully, hesitantly and Yagiz's eyes close momentarily.

"Hazan, it's me" he says feeling stupid. Her swift intake of breath could be heard throughout his apartment.

"Yagiz. How are you? Hope everything is fine?" she says and he relax a little bit.

"I am ok. Hope you are too"

"I am ok Yagiz" she says. They fall silent suddenly, both realizing just how fake and forced that exchange sounded. "Hazan" "Yagiz" they say again at the same time and he can feel the smile in her voice when she asks him to go ahead.

"Hazan, I wanted to explain about the photographs..." Yagiz jumps right in, determined to put things right at once. But she surprises him again by cutting him off.

"Yagiz, we can discuss that later.. There are things I want to tell you" She says and he feels apprehensive like a teenager who was asked to visit principal's office after school. Is it a bad thing that she wants to discuss it later?

"I know you said not to tell you anything. But I feel you should know this Yagiz. It's about your family. Should I" Hazan asks hesitantly, nervously. His first instinct was to correct her to say that they are not his family. But he knows Hazan would not even ask if it was not serious and she felt compelled to make him aware.

Hazan tell him the summary of events that has happened during the past week. The financial parts of course cannot be a surprise for him. But she could say that he was hit hard by the other news from the long silence that followed.

"Yagiz.. Yagiz please please say something..." Hazan pleads, after silence has reigned for more than few minutes. Her heart goes out to him and she really wish to be near him right now.

"Ah Celin. We all failed her. I tried so hard Hazan. I really tried." Yagiz says finally, his voice breaking at the end. Hazan feels like her heart is on fire right now.

"Yagiz I know my dear. I know how much you tried. I guess that was inevitable" Hazan says gently, the endearment easily slipping through her mouth. If he was near she would have automatically taken him in her arms too. Across many oceans her soft loving tone warms Yagiz's heart and for a moment he longs to just rest his head on her chest and forget the rest of the world. He recollects himself and inquires about his father's condition. He makes a mental note to e mail the doctor who is treating him.

"Hazan, can you please do me a big help?" Yagiz asks hesitantly and Hazan nods in agreement, forgetting he cannot see her.

"Tell me Yagiz"

"While you are there can you please check on my father and update me of his condition regularly? Also can you discreetly talk to Gokhan and check about finances for his medical care? I need to help if they are in need" Yagiz says. He knows that his family, specially his father has comprehensive insurance that will cover the cost of treatment. But he would like to contribute and he doesn't want to deal with any of them directly, yet.

"I will do Yagiz. As for Gokhan he already came to see me. I will talk to him and ask about finances" Hazan says and Yagiz finds himself sitting straighter in his chair. Gokhan came to see her? What in the world for?

"He came the day after Celin's funeral and asked about you" Hazan says, as if she could hear his thoughts. Even she was surprised that he came, given the amount of issues he was facing at the time. As the only functional member of the family and the finance director of the bankrupt Egemen Empire, Gokhan was surrounded by a whole heap of problems.

"I did not tell him anything. But he refused to believe that I do not know anything about you" Hazan says and Yagiz feels his chest tightening. Growing up, Gokhan was his least favourite sibling and even later they did not have a close bond due to competitive atmosphere created by Yasmin. But strangely he was the one to whom he confessed his love for Hazan, without any restrictions or pretending, he was the one that Yagiz entrusted Hazan to when he stepped out of the mansion following Sinan finding out about them and Yagiz was pretty sure that he provided Hazan with the Tulza house address. Of course Gokhan would not believe that Hazan did not know about him.

" What did he say?"

" He wanted to know how you are doing" Hazan says. It was all that he asked of her. He was clearly worried about Yagiz and amidst everything has taken the time to visit Hazan and inquire that. Hazan can still remember his words when he left. "I don't believe that you don't know his whereabouts. But I do understand why you are not telling. If he is ok that is all I want. Do not leave him alone Hazan". And she had just nodded wiping her tears. Yagiz feels like his throat is constricting and his eyes getting misty. Bless him to have remembered him when his own plate is so full with problems.

"Yagiz.. if I may .." He hears Hazan hesitating and thinks how much he hates it. He wants the feisty and fiery Hazan back. He almost laughs at his thought. He wants Hazan back? Since when? Didn't he reject her?

"Tell me Hazan"

"Yagiz, I am just telling you my opinion ok? Gokhan is not at fault in any way for this. He is also going through a lot. He is and he will always be your brother. I think you should speak with him, when you are ready of course" Hazan says haltingly, afraid that she no longer has the right to say anything to him and he might throw that in her face. She hears his loud sigh and prepare for the worst.

" Will you speak with him for me? " Is all what Yagiz say.

"I will Yagiz." Hazan says simply.