Blood Ties

Chapter 3

Serkan looked at the different types of sugar he had bought, he had promised Kiraz he would bring her something to eat, but he struggled to know what she licked.

Dark chocolate chips or pecan and mili chocolate ? Was she allergic to any type of flour or nut ?

He meticulously baked the cookies, making different versions hoping she'd at least like one of them. He packed them and went through his books. He hadn't got any children's book, some were at Art Life for Can and in the children's playroom, but he only had serious litterature. He picked to astronomy manuals, they had illustrations and she said she liked stars. He also stopped on a colourful version of the Little Prince he had gotten not too long ago, he smiled, he'd take that, see if she appreciated it.

He arrived a little after nine, knocking on the same room as the previous day and his heart melted as Kiraz's face lit up with a grin.

"Tabiki I did, and I brought you cookies!" Serkan smiled, box in hands.

Kiraz rose a bit, she was feverish today. "Yay, you're my best friend!" She let out and Serkan laughed taking a seat. "Already ?" He asked.

"Well my other friends don't make cookies, even Anne don't make cookies." Kiraz crossed her arms and Serkan smiled, she had spirit in her despite the sickness.

"I am sure your Anne makes you good things too." Serkan said softly, his voice filled with unexplainable love.

Why did this random child bring so much peace and warmth to his heart.

"Evet but... can I tell you a secret ?" Kiraz leaned in and Serkan put his face closer to the bed to listen.

"Tell me." He whispered playfully.

"She has this teyze, yesterday she got mad because Anne cooked pasta for me, I love pasta, Anne always cooked pasta home, everyone did!" Kiraz smiled at the though of heavenly tomato sauces coming from households.

"Home, where is home, you didn't grew in Istanbul ?" He asked.

"Hayir, I grew in this place... I forgot the name, but there's a huge church that is gorgeous near where we live. And a big plaza with lots of restaurants all making different pasta. Anne takes me when we celebrate things." Kiraz said with enthousiasm and Serkan smiled listening to her.

"There's amazing food here too, I can make you taste some. Here, have cookies first, I didn't knew which one you liked so I made different sorts." Serkan opened the box.

Kiraz's face lit up. "Can I have all of them, I love all cookies." She bit into one and Serkan laughed shaking his head.

"Maybe not all, eat a few, then take them home." Serkan suggested.

"No, I didn't even tell you the secret! The secret is, there's this mean teyze living with us and she will steal the cookies and be mad. She is very evil, I don't like her, I call her witch, just like the witch in Sleeping Beauty." Kiraz munched on cookies and Serkan shook his head.

"A witch ?" He asked amused.

"Evet, she is very scary. But don't tell anyone I said that." Kiraz put her pinky finger forward and Serkan held it with his. "I won't tell." He smiled amused.

"Why don't you eat, have some too." Kiraz offered the box.

"Hayir, I don't eat sweets, these are for you." Serkan shook his head.

"You have to eat them or I'll be upset, lütfen!!" Kiraz presented the cookie she was eating to his lips and made a pouting sad face.

Serkan watched her and looked away. "That won't work." He warned. "Kiraz.." He smiled at her soft eyes and melted, biting into the cookie and she laughed at the face he made.