Blood Ties

Chapter 12

"Kiraz, Serkan Bolat is your Baba." Eda let out in a trembling voice, dreading Kiraz's reaction.

Kiraz looked over at Serkan, and squeezed his hand tighter, she tearily smiled. "Biliyorum." Her small voice let out.

Serkan felt a tear roll down his cheek, he looked astonished at Eda who looked at him in equal shock.

"How - " Serkan stammered and was cut by Kiraz extanding her hand.

"Can I have your phone lütfen ?" She asked and Eda and Serkan looked on as she took the phone.

Eda's breath itched, what compromising thing had she seen in Serkan's phone, a picture of her and Serkan ? She wanted Kiraz to learn through them and them only, what must she be thinking ?

Serkan looked on, not understanding, he had handed his phone to Kiraz a few times earlier during her chemotherapy sessions to play, but his phone was completely blank of data. There was no picture of Eda or even her mention at all in it aside from her number and their SMS. He had shifted all their pictures and video to a hard drive years ago, unable to bear looking at them everyday on his phone.

Kiraz simply unlocked his phone and put in on her lap, in its homescreen, without opening any app. Serkan and Eda looked at each other in confusion.

"Ne ? Kiraz... how did you know Serkan's your Baba ?" Eda asked softly.

"The password." Kiraz said obviously. "You said only my Baba knows the coordinates of my star."

Eda's lips parted, her eyes filling, she looked at Serkan, heart squeezing in her chest.

***

"Gel, gel aşkım." Eda held Kiraz against her in her lap, she and four years old Kiraz were up on the roof of their building, it was accessible to all tenents in summer.

Eda sat and read to Kiraz, with some grenade syrup she made. It was a hot mediterranean day in Italy, and late night was the only little moment of fresh air people usually took to go out.

Feeling her be sleepier, she laid down, back against the wall and a large bag she brought blankets in, and took Kiraz to lay over her, back to her chest.

"Bak, do you recognise that, it's Serius." She pointed.

Kiraz curiously looked at the sky, bright stars shining like diamonds.
"Evet, I see it Anne!" She exclaimed and Eda smiled, kissing Kiraz's shoulder.

"Ve there... follow my finger, just to the right, do you see that bright round star ?" Eda pointed in the sky, Kiraz followed her instructions.

"That's your star. The Kiraz yıldız." Eda poured.

"Gerçekten, I have a star for me ?" Little Kiraz asked excited.

Eda's eyes filled at the memories. "Evet, your Baba kept it for you." She let out, kissing the top of Kiraz's head.

"Babam.." Kiraz let out staring at the star. "Can he see is from the sky ?" Kiraz asked.

"Evet, whenever you'll look at your star, just know your Baba is there, watching you, protecting you, loving you." Eda poured with all her love.

"Why did he get me a star Anne ?" Kiraz asked, curiously, could it be that someone she never ever met, someone she hadn't even seen loved her as immensely ?

"Because, before your Baba left to the stars, we used to watch them together, just like this. And your Baba loved me a lot, those moments were so precious to us, your Baba would tell me stories, he would hold me, just like me and you." Eda poured, eyes filling, she held a lot of rescentement for Serkan, but on some days like today, the unconditional love she had for him won over.