Early Bird (Erkençi Kus)(Part 1)

84. Can's dream

Can enters through the side gate after his run, feeling like a nice hot shower was just what he needed. Before he could reach the door, a shadow coming from the parking garage makes him stop. "Who's there?" he asks, walking closer.

"Can." Aylin comes into the light from the darkness and he frowns.

"Aylin? What are you doing here at this time of the night?"

Aylin wasn't wearing a stitch of makeup. She was in jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie, her hair looking as flat as her features. "I need to - " She pauses. "I was actually waiting for Emre to come home. There's something I need to talk to him about."

"Do you want me to call him?" Can asks. This was very weird and out of character.

"No! Please don't call him," Aylin begs. "He'll find some excuse not to come if he knows I'm here." She looks down at her shoes.

"Okay?"

Aylin looks back up. "He's not answering any of my calls," she admits with a pained half-smile.

Can, unsure of what to do with this, eyes her for a moment and then sighs. "I guess you can come in, you don't have to wait out here for him." He starts walking to the front door, only for her to stop him.

"No, I don't want to bother you."

You already have, so... "Aylin, for the love of God, just come inside," he repeats, then continues, unlocking the door, and goaning to himself - he was too tired to argue with her.

They walk through the house in silence, Can grabbing two glasses and a decanter of Scotch from the kitchen before leading her outside.

"The house looks good," Aylin gestures back at the house, following him with her hands in her pockets. "It's as beautiful as it was before."

Can hums, walking a good five paces ahead.

"I see your father changed the decor though." She chuckles. "But then, he likes to do that every 5 years or so."

"I don't really care about that sort of thing." Can sets the bottle and glasses down on the small table between the two chairs next to the outside fireplace before taking off his sweatshirt and dropping it on one. He looks at Aylin after - who finally reaches him and who seems a little lost - stepping from one foot to the other. Hm... He sits down and as he pours the drinks, he clears his throat. "Aylin - " She stops stepping and looks at him. "You look a bit upset... Is there some sort of problem?" Meaning - your bouncing is very irritating so just sit and tell me so it can end already.

Aylin seems to debate something and then sits down in the other chair opposite him, putting her small sidepurse on the table. "I'm still in love with Emre."

What?

"Despite what happened, you know, after your father fired me and after he broke up with me, I don't think I ever stopped loving him." She shrugs and smiles sadly. "And that's my problem."

"Still, you say?" he asks.

"Still," she nods.

"After all this time," Can blinks and then nods as that sinks in. That's...a damn long time... it's been what - a couple of years now... "Does Emre know this?"

"Of course he knows." She scoffs and picks up one of the glasses. "But he keeps avoiding me and rejecting my calls." She lifts in a mock toast then takes a long sip. "That's why I came here, people in love do some very stupid things," she looks at her drink, shaking her head, "like show up at your door out of nowhere."

Can nods, looks down at his wrist, playing with the sweatband around it. Not always those in love... sometimes they just show up...

"You know," Aylin goes on, "your father did fire me unfairly, Can. I never did any of the things he accused me of."