Early Bird (Erkençi Kus)(Part 1)

10. Asking of her hand

Sanem stands against a cabinet in the office, staring at everyone working. She was worried about Leyla. Her sister's never not worked.

JJ comes up behind her with a tray filled with cups. "Sanem?" he whispers. She doesn't hear him at first, her teeth digging into her lip.
"Sanem!" he says a bit louder and she jumps, nearly slapping the tray from his hands.

"You scared me! Why?!"

"I called your name," he says and she relaxes. "I was going crazy over there by the way, you never came back and I thought you really were fired. How did you convince them?"

"I don't know," Sanem shrugs and follows JJ as he hands out cups. "I talked to Mr Emre and he said I wasn't fired."

"But you're on the verge, watch what you say from now on, be careful." JJ looks at her warningly. "If you make another mistake with the boss - "

"I'll be out the door."

"Yes."

"I know," she nods.

"JJ and the other one!" Deren calls and they turn as she passes them, walking fast. "Come with me." She suddenly stops just when they go to follow and turns to Sanem. "No wait, I changed my mind. You, stay here for now. JJ, come with me."

JJ hands the tray to Sanem. "See you later."

She sighs and takes it. She stares after Deren. "My name is Sanem!" she calls.

"Looks like it's changed to the other one, get used to it," Guliz chuckles, coming up to Sanem's side.

"No. I was given a name, she needs to learn it and use it. You can't just call people what you want!" Guliz smiles at Sanem's pout and then she glances around.

"Give me your phone, unlock it," she says after a moment. Sanem frowns but does so. Guliz lifts the phone and aims the camera at a man sitting a few feet away with a beard. Sanem had forgotten about her search. "His name's Mete."

"Wait, hold on," Sanem puts down the tray. She uncaps a pen and writes the name down. "Thank you Guliz," Sanem takes her phone back.

"You're so strange," Guliz giggles.

"You know everything that happens around here right?" Sanem asks.

"Yes. What do you want to know?" Guliz crosses her arms and grins.

"At the opera house last night, there was a man, with a beard - " Sanem is interrupted by Ayhan phoning.

"Yes? And? What happened?"

"Nothing happened. What do you mean what happened?" Sanem smiles at her. "I'll talk to you a bit later." She lifts the phone to her ear.

"Wait, what do you want to know? Tell me! Wait!"

"Have a good day!" Sanem says and then rushes off. "Hello?"

"Sanem, I have bad news...it looks like they're still coming to your house tonight."

"I know."

"Eh?"

"Mom told me this morning that even though I'm working now they're still coming to ask." Sanem frowns, remembering the odd encounter with both parents. "Then they said something about a chicken in the sky or a goose...I don't know, I didn't understand a thing." Sanem then goes on to tell Ayhan about her getting fired and how they didn't in fact didn't fire her. "And then Leyla got sent home and I'm trying to get her back. I swear Ayhan, I'm part of a conspiracy..." All of this was said in one go.

"What conspiracy? What are you talking about now, I can't keep up... I thought it was an ad agency?"

"It is. But it's all very confusing. There's this one guy, he seems really bad...on the brink of firing people left and right...then his brother, he's very nice. He's the one that said I still had my job...He even entrusted me with a secret task."