Tears of love

02 | 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬

Nehir was still beaming with happiness the next day. Her father didn't notice, but her mother did. Neslihan would prove to be a problem, Nehir was sure of that. Her mother was even worse than her father.

"What are you so happy about?" Neslihan asked after Nehir came back to the living room with her tea.

"Nothing," she lied.

The look her mother threw her told her exactly how little she believed her.

Nehir heard the door opening and saw her younger brother entering the house, rushing towards the salon.

"We have guests," he said. "They're in Father's office."

Neslihan's interest shone in her green eyes. "Who?" She asked.

"From Ankara," Bora said. "Davut Uçar and his son."

Neslihan smiled. "Davut? Good. It would be good for business. He works closely with Ahmet Öztürk from Istanbul. Good."

Nehir stopped herself from sighing. Her father was getting involved with the Öztürks from Istanbul. It was bad. They were ruthless and would kill anyone they suspected was messing with them. Knowing her father, that was exactly what he would be doing. He would do business behind their backs, and it would end horribly.

"Make them some tea," Neslihan told her daughter. "Wait, no. You make it terrible. Tell Aleyna to make it, and then you'll take it to your father's office."

Refraining a sigh, Nehir left the salon going to the kitchen, where she found Aleyna preparing the lunch.

"Mom said to make tea," she told the older woman. "Dad has guests in his office."

Aleyna sighed, stopping from chopping some vegetables. "Here," she told Nehir. "Chop them, and I'll make the tea."

Nehir nodded and took the woman's place, trying to chop the vegetables, not her fingers. She always ended up cutting herself when she was helping Aleyna in the kitchen. It was never serious, but it had happened so many times that the older women brought plasters in the kitchen.

"You're happy," Aleyna said. "I take it things are going well with you know who."

"Aleyna!"

Anyone could overhear them, and Nehir had no idea what her father would do. He couldn't learn about her and Oguz. He would lose his mind. Both would suffer.

"At least you should be happy," Aleyna said. "Hakan and Ayşe have Aylin's memory. She would have been a good mother. You and Bora only have that terrible woman and Metin."

Aylin. That name was rarely mentioned in their house. Their father's first wife who had died only a few months after Ayşe was born. The woman Metin still loved even after all those years. The woman Neslihan hated even though she was dead.

"A couple of years," Aleyna said, "and Metin would let Hakan take his place. You just need to wait."

Nehir didn't tell her about their plan. She couldn't. She knew what Aleyna would say. That it was too dangerous. That they were risking too much. She didn't want to wait. She wanted to be free. She wanted to make her own life.

"Here," the forty year old woman said. "Take the tray. Careful. You don't want that tea spilling on you."

Nehir did as she was told, taking the tray from Aleyna's hands. "And be careful not to spill it on your father's guests."

"I was fourteen," Nehir argued. "And it happened once."

Her mother had been livid, but her father's cousins, the victims, had only been amused. The tea hadn't been that hot.

Aleyna opened the kitchen door, and Nehir left. Her father's office was a whole separated building, although it wasn't extremely large. It was behind the house and walls made of glass. She could see her father and brother sitting at the large table, not in their usual seats at the office.

Nehir knocked, thankful the tray hadn't fallen. Her brother rose from his chair and opened the door for her, letting her inside before moving back to his seat next to their father.

Metin was standing at the head of the table, an older man at his left and Hakan at his right. Next to the older man stood the one who had to be his son.

"Welcome," Nehir said as she moved closer to the table. The older man who had to be Davut nodded.

"Wait," her father said, stopping her when she was right behind him. "Just a moment, daughter."

She waited while Metin looked at Davut. She realised they were consulting each other at that moment and looked at Hakan. Her brother avoided her gaze.

Something was wrong. Nehir could tell from the way Hakan refused to look at her. Her body went cold with dread, fear fluttering in her stomach.

"Let me introduce you to our guests, Nehir," her father said, and her attention moved on her. "Davut Uçar and his son, Yavuz. Your fiancé."

Nehir's hands started to tremble. She looked at her brother, who no longer avoided her gaze. She couldn't move, frozen.

The tray fell from her hands.

She couldn't understand what was happening. Her father just... He... Her head was spinning, and she wasn't sure if she could form a coherent thought at that moment.

"Go and fetch Aleyna. Tell her to clean this up."

Her father's words were all Nehir needed to leave. She was surprised she didn't start running. Still, she forced herself to walk to the kitchen where Aleyna was still chopping vegetables.

"Nehir?" The woman's voice was full of worry. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"The tray... In the office. D-dad...H-he just... He..."

She couldn't finish the sentence, but Aleyna seemed to have understood. The older woman left the kitchen, leaving Nehir alone.

She fell on the cold floor. Her father just... To a stranger... Without telling her. He just... He...

Tears started falling on Nehir's checks. She hugged herself as if trying to protect herself even though she knew she would fail. Her body was trembling, and she couldn't stop the small sobs escaping her throat. Terror thundered down on her, choking her.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't stop shaking. Someone was clutching her throat, stopping her from taking full breaths. But there was no one. She was alone. She was feeling like her life was running out of her.

"Nehir?" Aleyna asked. "What's wrong? Nehir?"

She couldn't answer. She didn't even want to think about what had just happened.

"Nehir, breathe!"

She took a deep breath, tears still falling down on her cheeks. And another. And another.

Nehir had no idea how long it passed until her mother came into the kitchen. She wasn't on the floor anymore, but on a chair. Aleyna brought her a glass of water, and Nehir took it with trembling hands, drinking a bit.

"What's wrong with her?" Neslihan asked.

Aleyna shuddered. "Nehir came back and told me to go to Mr. Metin's office. The tray was on the ground, I think it fell."

"So he finally told you," Neslihan said.

"You knew?" Nehir asked her mother.

"Of course I did!" Then she turned towards Aleyna. "She dropped the tray? In front of Davut and his son? Really, Nehir? Couldn't you not try to embarrass us and yourself in front of them?"