Constantinople's Cherry

IV - 43. Kumaş parçası

I am on a marathon it seems, new chapter !

....

Serkan Baltayan felt like life was back in him again. After years of living, of was that surviving like a shell, he felt like he could breath again. The depression he felt seemed to heal. He took pleasure in small mundane things again, preparing his morning coffee and his baby girl's favourite hot chocolate.

His baby, his Kiraz, his daughter, the child he had cried and grieved for so many years was alive, and back to him. Relief was not enough to describe what he felt. He couldn't believe it for a few days, even as Kiraz moved some of her stuff at his and began staying overnights. 

They spend days getting to know each other, more like Serkan getting to know her, her studies, her hobbies, her favourite foods, what she liked to wear, her favourite music, everything about how she lived in the war. 

And it had left Serkan a melancoly that replaced the former pain and void. He was happy ofcourse, his baby being alive was everything. But his heart was so tender for Eda. His baby girl was her last legacy in this world, one Eda had suffered so much to protect and save. 

And she was her mirror copy. Kiraz didn't only have facial features matching Eda, she was like her in so many ways. She liked to sleep in the mornings, she was grumpy when she woke up. She loved the same books as Eda, speaking academics and studies with Kiraz seemed so familiar, because she had her mother's intelligence, and she was passionate. 

More than Eda in a way, Kiraz was a radical, unlike her mother, she had done more protests in these days he knew her than he could count, she was highly involved with the communist party. And seemed to love living at his partly because she could partake in local actions, conferences and actions. Her drive for social justice, her hate of the capitalist world, it was like having a mini-Eda but much more aware of how the system and world worked. 

Serkan offered to take her to the cinema, they went once, and he felt like his own childhood was back. This new post-war generation was so different, in their time, Serkan recalled, girls were married early and boys were put responsabilities on shoulders. This new generation was one that enjoyed their youth, childhood and teenagehood seemed to expand far into the twenties now. Kiraz had many bookclubs and her friends were her everything.

When Serkan learnt of Kiraz's engagement to protect Jews under the Occupation, his heart bled. Oh Eda, her daughter was so much like her. A replica. She was a good person, Arev and Réhane had given her such a good education, Serkan could only be glad. 

But miss Eda in the same time, she deserved to have known her daughter, see what she had become. Eda would have been so proud of Kiraz, if he felt protective, knowing her nature, Serkan liked to think Eda would have encouraged all of Kiraz's craziness. 

He felt like a widow, mourning his long lost wife. Lussine still came and went a lot, she had followed him through medical follow ups after he was able to talk again. And she still handled his medecines and paperwork. Serkan was grateful to her, she had annoying sides but she had taken care of him when he was at his lowest. He owed her that.

"Here, your snack." Serkan smiled handing Kiraz a plate of bread and milk jam. 

Kiraz grinned. "Thank you, I was so tired after our classes." She let out and Serkan's heart swelled, even if Kiraz was a grown adult, it still felt like she was his baby he would take care of after school.

"What did you do ?" Serkan asked sitting opposite her on a chair, he felt like having her under his eyes all day, his Eda's last treasure, her beloved baby. 

How much had her doomed mother worried for her. Serkan could only console himself thinking that at least Eda must be proud and relieved in the sky now.

"Economics, law, history, it was such a long day. And we had a long union meeting ofcourse." Kiraz bit into her bread and Serkan chuckled.