Safe Haven

chapter four

May gave way to June and the days continued to pass.

Alp's got steadily busier and the stash of money Eda purposely hid in a coffee can grew reassuringly thick.

Eda no longer panicked at the thought that she lacked the means to leave this place if she had to.

Selin was hanging a wind chime when Eda got home.

Since that first meeting, they hadn't talked much. Selin's job, whatever it was, seemed to keep her busy and Eda was working as many shifts as she could.

At night, she'd notice that Selin's lights were on, but it was too late for her to drop by, and Selin hadn't been there the previous weekend.

"Hey stranger! Long time, no talk," Selin said with a wave. She tapped the wind chime, making it ding before crossing the yard.

"Where have you been?"

Selin shrugged. "You know how it goes. Late nights, early mornings, going here and there. Half the time, I feel like I'm being pulled in every direction."

She motioned to the rockers. "You mind? I need a break. I've been cleaning all morning and I just hung that thing. I like the sound, you know."

"Go ahead," Eda said.

Eda nodded toward Selin's house. "How's it coming over there?" she asked. "Have you started painting?"

"Not yet."

"Too busy at work?"

Selin made a face. "The truth is, after I got the unpacking done and I cleaned the place from top to bottom, I sort of ran out of energy. It's a good thing you're my friend, since that means I can still come over here where it's bright and cheery."

"You're welcome anytime."

"Thanks. I appreciate that, Eda. But Mehmet bey is going to deliver some cans of paint tomorrow. Which also explains why I'm here. I'm dreading the very idea of spending my entire weekend covered in splatter."

"It's not so bad. It goes fast."

"Do you see these hands?" Selin said, holding them up. "These were made for caressing handsome men and meant to be adorned with pretty nails and diamond rings. They're not made for paint rollers and paint splatter and that kind of manual labor."

Eda giggled. "Do you want me to come over and help?"

"Absolutely not. I'm an expert in procrastination, but the last thing I want you to think is that I'm incompetent, too. Because I'm actually pretty good at what I do."

A flock of starlings broke from the trees, moving in an almost musical rhythm. The motion of the rockers was making the porch creak slightly.

"What do you do?" Eda asked.

"I'm a counselor of sorts."

"For the high school?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm a grief counselor."

"Oh," Eda said. She paused. "I'm not sure what that is."

Selin shrugged. "I visit with people and try to help them. Usually, it's because someone close to them has died."

She paused, and when she went on, her voice was softer.

"People react in a lot of different ways and it's up to me to figure out how to help them accept what happened--and I hate that word, by the way, since I've yet to meet anyone who wants to accept it--but that's pretty much what I'm supposed to do. Because in the end, and no matter how hard it is, acceptance helps people move on with the rest of their lives. But sometimes..."