Ece's Secret (Fazilet Hanim ve Kizlari Fanfiction)

Chapter 11: Return

"Mom, I'm home." Hazan announced.

Fazilet didn't even spare a glance her daughter's way. She was too preoccupied fretting over where Ece could possibly be. Fazilet had gone to the police last night to report Ece missing as it had been more than 48 hours since she last saw her baby girl. Fazilet had also indicated that Yasin had kidnapped her. Fazilet knew he hadn't but there was no way in her right mind would Ece runaway, unless she had been coerced or manipulated somehow by that boy. He would suffer for what he did to her daughter. The police had already stopped by his parents' house in search of him. Sukriye had come begging that morning asking Fazilet to drop the charges. Fazilet refused to lift a finger until her daughter was back home safe. 

"Mom, look. I brought you something." Hazan tried to get her mom to look over. 

"Please Hazan, I'm not in the mood right now." Fazilet was exhausted from staying up all night worrying. 

"Mom..." Ece called out cautiously.

"Ece?" Fazilet couldn't believe her eyes. Ece stood in the middle of the living room trying to mentally prepare for another beating. What her mother did next surprised her. Fazilet ran over to her baby and embraced her in a tight hug. "Ece! Where were you?" Fazilet cried tears of joy. All of the anger she had for Ece melted away as soon as she saw her baby girl return home safe. "My baby, don't do that ever again. I was so scared. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

After a warm reunion Hazan quickly pulled her mother to the side. 

"Mom, I know you probably want to scold Ece right now but go easy on her. She had it rough these past three days. She's suffered enough. Talk to her about it later, okay?" Fazilet decided to head Hazan's plea.

__________________________________________________________

Later that evening Fazilet returned to the Egemen mansion. She came back to reclaim her job. She went up to Hazim bey's study. Hazim was surprised Fazilet would dare show her face after the incident in the backyard. 

"Why did you come her Fazilet hanim?" knowing very well she came to beg for her job back. But how could she even imagine he would agree?

"Hazim bey, you know I have two daughters that I have to raise on my own." Fazilet tried to explain. 

"Yes, and one of them you beat right in front of me." still astonished by her actions. 

"Hazim bey, has one of your children ever broken your trust? Has one of them ever done something so stupid you didn't know how else to get through to them?" Hazim bey wouldn't admit it to the woman but he knew where she was coming from. Sinan had done many things to push him over the edge. He had slapped Sinan a few times and for the exact same reason as Fazilet. Sinan had broken his trust, had acted idiotically, and he didn't know what else he could have done to make him understand he had done wrong. He knew it was wrong looking back but in that moment he thought he was doing the right thing as a parent.  Hazim's thought's were interrupted by his cell phone going off. He excused himself and went to the hall to take the call. Fazilet stood near the door to try to make out the conversation.

"Hello Sayan hanim. How are you feeling?" Moments of silence followed. "I'm glad to hear. God willing you will have a speedy recovery." More silence. "Yes, she's actually here right now." Hazim bey walked further down the hall out of earshot. 

When Hazim bey returned to the study Fazilet tried to act normal. "Fazilet hanim. I am giving you this one and only chance. You can have your job back but if anything like this that ever happens again you're fired."

"Oh thank you Hazim bey! Thank you!"

"Don't thank me. Thank Sayan hanim. She recommended you take over her position while she recovers."