Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 2)

83. A surprise and an escape attempt

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"Ugh, Sanem," Ayhan groans. "I want to tell you something," she huffs. "I want to ask something but you're nowhere to be found," she says, looking at her black screen after ending another failed call.

She sighs and picks up the list of questions she had JJ fill out at the start. "Should I go there?" she asks, looking at JJ's address. She stares at it for a moment and then stands up. "Girl, stop, have you no pride? You can't show up at his house this late." She looks at it again, chewing her lip with a frown. "What's the worst that can happen?" She growls and falls back onto the couch. "Oh JJ," she sighs and pouts. "What do I do?"

-

Osman is busy with his last packaging of the day at the same time that night when there's a knock on the butchery door and he looks up.

"Hi, Osman," Leyla says and walks in, looking crestfallen.

He smiles at her. "Leyla, hi."

She stops at the counter. "Do you have shin? Mom asked for a pound."

"Yeah, let me pack it for you," he says and nods. "Sit down. Do you want some tea?"

"No, thank you. I'll just wait here and then go when you're done."

"Okay?" Osman eyes her worriedly. "What's wrong? Why are you so sad?"

"Sanem and I had a bit of a fight," Leyla lifts her shoulders solemnly.

"Is it because you took the contract and hid it from her?"

"Sanem told you?"

He shrugs and shakes his head. "No, I just assumed." He looks down at the meat, taking out the shin to start slicing.

"Assumed?"

"Yeah. I mean, she told us about the file being empty and then I saw you with Emre the other day getting into his car, and I assumed. Why else did Emre come to pick you up like a thief in the night without reason?" Leyla frowns, her lips turned down. "I can think about what he might be after but whatever."

"Osman, it's not what you think. None of it is."

Osman purses his lips and leans on the counter to look her in the eye. "Leyla, you're not the kind of person who would do that to anyone on your own. Can you look at me and say that you would have ever lied to your sister or hidden things from her?"

"No," Leyla shakes her head.

"I didn't think so." He sighs. "Leyla, you're a good person. So keep being that person."

Leyla nods, feeling even more of a let down now.

"Look, it doesn't matter how much you love someone, you can't let them make you into someone you're not."

Before Leyla can say anything, Muzaffer shuffles in and groans. "I'm here, don't worry," he looks at Leyla, "Oh, hey! How are you Snow Queen? Did you come to freeze the meat?" He laughs at his own joke.

"See you later, Osman." Leyla glares at Muzaffer on the way out.

"What? It was a joke? No one knows how to laugh around here anymore," he mutters and goes to sit down.

Osman hurries after her with her meat. "Leyla." She stops and turns to him. "You forgot this." She takes the bag and their fingers touch. He lifts his eyes to hers and she looks at him too. He lets the bag go and wipes his hands nervously.

"I didn't pay you yet Osman," Leyla winces and takes out her purse.

"No, it's uh...it's okay, I'll get it from uncle Nihat tomorrow. Don't worry."