Mine

Epilogue

<i> Every word, movement and action has an effect. No other person or outside force has a greater influence on a child than the parent.-Bob Keeshan</i>

Alihan pulls up to the old house and stops, turning off the ignition, he waits before leaving the car. The house looks the same as when he left it as a child. He lights a cigarette and waits, gathering his thoughts. He's been back here a handful of times since he's moved back to Turkey when he turned eighteen last year. His parents followed last month. Not permanently though. Papa was still bitter over the way Turkey had treated Mama. They keep the cottage here and keep their apartment in New York. Alihan loves America, but Turkey has always felt more like home. Miray had tried to hide the tears when he left, but promised that while she of course wishes he could stay with them she didn't want him to stay if he wanted to follow his dreams somewhere else. She'd said she knows too well what it's like trying to live a life someone else wants you to because you don't want to hurt them. Alihan knew without asking that she was talking about her marriage to Daddy. He's luckier than most he supposed, flicking away some of the ash. He hadn't felt any animosity in his home when he was young and even once his parents separated they didn't hate each other like other separated parents seemed to. Perhaps that was because they lived in different countries. Over the years Alihan and Daddy communicated online and on the phone often and in Skype calls where Miray happened to be around they were always civil.

Alihan hopes that will make what he asks of Daddy easier.

He swallows and gets out the car, tossing the cigarette butt to the floor and squashing it. Miray is not pleased with the irony that while Boran has pretty much quit smoking except for the odd cigarette here and there, Alihan has picked up the habit. She's worried about his health, especially because of the injury he suffered as a child. Alihan understands his mother's worry but...well...

He rings the doorbell and waits as Daddy greets him with a big smile. "Come in, son. Come in!" Daddy urges.

Alihan spots a few scripts on the table and the warm smell of coffee on the stove. Daddy is doing well for himself. He hasn't achieved the stardom he's always wanted, but he's seems to have made peace with that. Alihan himself isn't all that interested in stardom. Papa had always taught him the craft was the thing, the art. Papa prefers theater, Alihan himself prefers the screen, but Alihan has always taken the lessons both his fathers taught him into his performances. He's taken many lessons on his art from his mother as well and had even joined her on stage during her musical theater performances when he was a child. He's taken all the lessons from the three most important people in his life and it has made him the man he is today. The critics love him as much as the fans do. The tabloids have occasionally made reference to the gossip around his parents in the past but after his first year back, they've eased up and focused on more present day scandals, still as vicious as ever so Alihan distances himself from the tabloids. He's receiving a 'newcomer' award in a week and wants Daddy to come.

His eyes beams with pride before he hugs Alihan and assures him that of course he'll be there. He makes no comment about the fact that of course Miray and Boran will be there as well and Alihan is glad about that. It will be the first time the three of them will be in the same room in years.

Alihan swallows. Here goes nothing. "There's one more thing." A knot of nervousness tightens in his belly. He cups his coffee in an attempt to warm his hand which, like his mother, get cold when he gets nervous.

Daddy sets his cup down and looks at him expectantly.

"I want you to give Mama a divorce so she and Papa can get married." Alihan's voice cracks on the last word and he curses it.