The consequences of falling

Chapter 18

Still there... still same people...

Leyla was contemplating hiding behind the sofa – or falling through the floor. Her logical mind suggested that while her insides were burning up – her outsides were still relatively composed, her dress where it was supposed to be, only few strands of hair loose from her tight updo. Emre, on the other hand, looked thoroughly disheveled – his hair spiking here and there, shirt untucked and hanging open at his elbows, pale red scratches adorning his chest. But even without all of that, the happy and a little smug expression of Emre's face would still give them away! Men!

Emre turned around and rose to his feet slowly, putting himself between Leyla and Can who was standing at the corridor arch. Can nodded his greetings and dropped his jacket to the chair by the dining table. Emre asked as he was buttoning his shirt:

- How did it go with Sanem?

Leyla peaked from behind Emre's back also interested to hear the response. Can nodded to her as well and shrugged:

- It didn't. She was dragged to one conversation or the other and I couldn't get to her for more than five minutes. I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up, so I got worried and came to check on you.

Emre looked around and dug his phone from between the sofa cushions where he'd lodged it as he came back home. He checked it and smiled:

- I see you were persistent – seven missed calls! Sorry, I didn't hear...

- Yeah, I figure!

Can chuckled and Leyla hid behind Emre again. Emre gave his brother a stern look along the lines of 'don't you dare embarrass her again!' to which Can raised his hands in defeat and retreated to the kitchen to fix himself some tea. He hollered:

- Does anyone want anything? Water? Coffee? Cold shower?

Leyla gasped and Emre yelled back:

- Shut up, Can! I really mean it!

Can responded as he came back with a glass of water and a pill that he offered to Emre:

- I'm just trying to be helpful! Here, drink this, it's for pain.

- I'm not in pain, Can.

Can squeezed Emre's shoulder and asked again:

- You're not now but you will be in few hours when adrenaline wears off. Please, drink it. For me?

Emre huffed and shook his head in denial but then he felt feather-like touch to his elbow. His peripheral vision caught Leyla's big blue eyes as she pleaded with him softly:

- For me?

Emre popped a pill to his mouth and gulped water in one go without further hesitations. Leyla smiled and Can raised an eyebrow. His tone was mocking:

- Well, brother, I see how it is now...

Emre was getting irritated with poorly wailed hints so he did his best to intone his irritation with Can having fun on their expense:

- I'm glad your vision improves! Is there anything else we can do for you? Shouldn't you be off to bed by now, old age and all?

Hearing that Can didn't move a muscle, but Leyla suddenly remembered the time and gasped:

- Ay Allah, I have to go home! I really do!

She twirled around to look for her purse but Emre had found it first and gave it to her. When their fingers touched, Leyla stilled for a second to look at him with such tenderness Emre's heart melted. He didn't want to let her go just yet. As a last resort to prolong their togetherness, Emre offered:

- Can I drive you home, please?

When Leyla was about to agree to it with the happiest smile, Can's voice disrupted the idyll:

- Absolutely not! You're wounded and medicated – you're not driving today!

- Can, I don't think any of that is serious enough to consider because...

Leyla pinched in, testing her newfound power to coax Emre into good behavior:

- Emre-bey, I think he's right. You should rest and go to the hospital tomorrow. Please?

There was absolutely nothing Emre wouldn't do for these blue eyes that held so many promises of beautiful future in their depth. He sighted:

- Fine, I'll stay. Call me once you get home?

- Wouldn't you be sleeping?

- I doubt it very much. Please, call me.

- Of course, Emre-bey.

Can murmured something about starting the car and left the room giving them few precious moments to say their good-byes. Emre touched Leyla's chin to align their faces and planted the most chaste kiss he could master – anything more would ignite him all over again and they didn't have a time for it... now. He hugged her closely to him and hid his face at the crook of her neck. Leyla nuzzled closer to his chest and whispered:

- Promise me, I will not wake up from this, Emre-bey.

- I promise it's not a dream, Leyla. And I promise you'll trust to call me Emre soon enough.

- I'll take that promise. Good night, Emre-bey.

- Good night, my Leyla.

And with that Emre let go of Leyla, kissed an inside of her wrist and watched as she left the house. Leyla didn't turn around once... but Emre knew she was smiling.