Early Bird (Erkenci Kus)(Part 3)

36. Hot gossip

"I saw it with my own eyes, I tell you. There was a man in that car. He dropped Sanem off last night. You remember the opening of the library? The man that came with her?"

"Oh!" "Of course." "Him?" "He was here again?"

Aysun nods and puts her tea down, turning back to the group of women with her in front of her store.

"The honor and respect of this neighnorhood is gone," one says, shaking her head.

"She hugged him when they said goodbye. Like this," she acts out a tight hug. "No care in the world."

"That's wrong."

"Alone in a car?"

Mevkhibe closes her front door at that moment, seeing the group down the street and slowly creeps closer to hear what they were saying.

"She's a harlot, that one. My Muzaffer got off easy. I swear, I thank God every day that he never married her..."

The women spot Mevkhibe who holds her finger to her lips for them to stay quiet. Aysun hasn't noticed this yet, and she keeps talking.

"I was upset at first of course but now I am very happy. She is the daughter of Mevkhibe, what else do you expect?"

"I'll show you!" Mevkhibe growls and grabs Aysun's hair from behind her.

Aysun starts screaming, her head being yanked side to side. The women jump to stop the attack and call for someone to help.

"Mom! Aunt Mevkhibe!" Muzaffer yells, coming out of the store. "Stop!"

"Leave you red headed witch!"

"Ahhh!"

"Stop it!" Muzaffer commands and pulls at them. "Stop!"

"Mevkhibe!" Melihat runs over and grabs her friend's arms to pull her back. "Stop Mevkhibe!"

Mevkhibe aims slaps at Aysun that hit Muzaffer's arms and shoulders instead.

"Aunt Mevkhibe, please, no, mom!" He snaps at his mother who aims a kick in the air. He pushes her back. "Let it go!" He smiles at Mevkhibe. "Auntie, please, stop?"

"You are just like your daughter!"

"What?!" Mevkhibe turns back around and runs at Aysun behind Muzaffer. Melihat chases her and grabs her again, pulling her away.
"I'll have you kicked out and arrested for slander!"

"You'll sit next to me for assault!"

"You do not call my daughters names and get away with it! They've done nothing to you!"

"You should be ashamed of your daughters! You have no idea what they get up to! Silly woman! You're duaghters are being dropped off and picked up like common street walkers!"

"Mom!" Muzaffer snaps. "Shut up! Stop it!"

"Street wal - Oh let me go!" Mevkhibe yells and pushes Melihat off.

"Leave it Mevkhibe!"

"Oh for god's sake!" Muzaffer huffs as Mevkhibe grabs hold of his mother's hair again. The women are all trying to stop the fight while the men stare at it, shaking their heads.

**

Emre looks up at the waiter placing his coffee on the table of the restaurant and thanks him. He turns the cup so he can lift it, his eyes staying downturned.

"Thank you for coming Emre."

"What do you want Aylin?" he sighs and looks up boredly.

"I just want to talk." He gives her a pointed look. "Not about us," she says with a sigh, "we have to talk about the agency. I'm supposed to be Fabbri's representative there I can't even get in the door, Emre, meaning that you're my only way of finding out what's happening. Therefore I called so you can enlighten me."