Constantinople's Cherry

III - 32. Karar

Arev and Réhane, Kiraz's adoptive parents, can be seen as Armenian versions of Engin and Pyril from Sen Çal Kapımı.

....

Serkan's sleep was more and more agitated. It wasn't always nightmares, nor dreams that consumed his sleep. He would call them an insight of his tormented soul. He always saw people.

Dead people, often. The many children he saw die. One of the old grandmother that died of exhaustion a while ago in his arms. Sometimes, his parents.

Today, it was Naïri. She hummed to herself, watering flowers, just like she used to in their family home. Naïri loved open spaces and garden back in their village.

Serkan smiled, he made his way towards her. "You finally came." She said without looking up.

"You were expecting me ?" Serkan asked, voice choked with emotion.

"Ofcourse I was, my little dearest brother. Would you like milk and biscuits ?" She looked at him and smiled.

Serkan's eyes filled, his poor sister. It was all his fault she was gone. "Don't bother." He let out.

"Can I ever be bothered by you ?" She giggled.

The food magically appeared with a swipping of her hand, and Serkan was so famished, it seemed like the sweetest treat ever.

"You're happy." He noted, with relief.

"I am with my soulmate, finally. Ofcourse I am happy. He's my home, where I belong." Naïri let out contently and Serkan felt his heart clench. He was homeless, because Eda herself had taken her from him.

He smiled for her. "I am glad."

"But you're suffering." She noted, and Serkan inhaled. "Serkan, about Eda - " She began but he cut her, pain engulfing his chest.

"I know, I know what she did." He said pointedly. "I threw her out of my life, I have no tie to her anymore." He said with a determined voice but Naïri could hear the pain in it.

She looked down sadly. "But you loved her, you still love her." Naïri pointed.

"I do." Serkan admitted on a sigh. "And I miss her, a lot. But it was her idea I loved, who I thought she was.." Serkan said with a tears laced voice.

Naïri sighed, shaking her head.

"An illusion, I love an illusion, someone that never existed, a facade to fool me all this time." He regretted.
"My eyes weren't open then, they are now." Serkan said resolutely.

"Are they really ?" Naïri asked, a hand on his. "There's still so much you can't see. That you're wrong about." She said softly.

Serkan shook his head. "Doesn't matter. Eda Yıldız has no place in my life." He spat with the hate in his tone.

Naïri looked at him sadly. "This hate ? I didn't teach you hate Serkan Baltayan. It's awful to see you filled with so much hate. Love is what makes life." Naïri pressed.

Serkan shook his head, his blind love was what had taken his sister's life.

"Do you think you can love again, someone else than Eda ?" Naïri asked looking at him while tilting his head, she reversed a question he had once asked her.

He shut his eyes. No matter how much he ressented her, he could never imagine loving anyone the way he had loved Eda. "No. I can never love again like I loved her." He admitted.

Naïri squeezed his hand. "But I am going to die anyway, soon. I will be with you, with my family, where I belong." He sighed in contentement.

"Your family... your family still needs you down there Serkan." Naïri blinked with pained eyes and Serkan frowned.