Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 2)

13. You want to tell me something personal?

"Sanem."

Sanem screeches to a halt, turning around to look at Guliz hurriedly walking towards her.

"Miss Deren wants to see you before the meeting. She's waiting in her office."

I can't deal with these people. "Okay," Sanem sighs. "But I'll go later."

"You'll go later?" Guliz asks.

"Yes, I have work to do here," Sanem points to her desk. "And I have to start so..." She sits down and Guliz's eyebrows shoot up. As soon as Guliz leaves, Sanem jumps up again and starts looking around at what the others were doing.

**

"Osman, look, I need to make a good impression okay? I need to please this family, settle with them."

"Alright, alright."

Muzaffer clears his throat when they reach Mevkhibe and Nihat, sitting outside the store. "We have some news."

"What happened? What's wrong?" Nihat asks, his back already up.

"No, no, nothing's wrong, relax." Nihat sits down, glancing at Mevkhibe. "For the first time, my news has nothing to do with Sanem." Mevkhibe puts a sunflower seed in her mouth. "Osman, go ahead."

Osman nods and turns to them, smiling. "Uncle Nihat, aunt Mevkhibe, how are you doing?"

"Now that we've seen you, Osman, much better," Mevkhibe smiles back at him. "You made us so proud, you were better than the professional actors. Well done."

"She's right. Well done son."

"Thank you," Osman says shyly. "But please stop, it wasn't that good...Uhm, I can't thank you enough for helping out while I was filming."

"Oh Nihat, listen to him, he hasn't changed at all since he was a boy. Always so polite and well mannered. Remember the time someone broke a neighbor's window with a cricket ball? He went and apoligized on their behalf. You're such a good boy, Osman." Osman looks down, his ears turning bright red.

"I was a good boy too," Muzaffer interjects. "I told everyone who broke the window, me, I informed his parents and the neighbors." Mevkhibe chuckles, shaking her head. "He couldn't sit for weeks, but he learned his lesson."

Yes, not to trust you to keep a secret. Osman sighs, inhaling deeply. "I actually came here to talk about something else. The payments for the catering." He holds up a white envelope. "I've worked in your cut."

Nihat looks at Mevkhibe, his eyes wide. She gives him a small smile, her eyes going to Osman. "No, we can't accept that," Nihat says and Mevkhibe nods that he was right. "You're like a son to us, you grew up with our children after your parents died. No, sorry, we can't."

Muzaffer lifts his shoulders. "How can you say that? We worked our hands to the bone, you have to take it...your cut is even bigger than mine, and it's not fair but I respected the decision, now you don't want it?"

"Calm down," Osman pats his back. "It's true your cut is bigger than Muzo and Ayhan's, but that's because of the high regard you hold and the hard work you both put in."

"Yes, you're regarded very highly. And I earned my first money on my own with this. I was built for this. Are you proud of me too?"

"Of course dear," Mevkhibe nods. "Well done." Muzaffer grins. Nihat chuckles, nodding.

"Also, we got the opportunity thanks to Leyla, so that's another reason. Everyone deserves their dues for it." Osman shrugs.

Mevkhibe and Nihat look at each other and Nihat nods when she blinks at him twice. Nihat stands and Osman straightens. "Osman, you have such a beautiful heart son." He puts his hand on Osman's shoulder. "Your parents would be just as proud as we are, if not more, were they here." Mevkhibe blinks back her tears. Osman just looks at him, giving a slight nod.