Everywhere

Selinsizlik

DEMIR POV

It was a bright sunny day, the cold breeze coming from the small river made the temperature heavenly. Aslı was playing with her kite, running around the field of wildflowers that surrounded the river to keep it flying.

Bulut geçti, Gözyaşları kaldı çimende (The cloud has passed and left its tears on the grass)
Gül rengi şarap İçilmez mi böyle günde (Wouldn't it have been nice to have a rose-color wine on a day like this)

Her singing was so soft to my ears, the only sound around us was her voice, and though our daughter was playing I could not hear the sound of her giggles, couldn't listen to the water running in the river, neither the leaves of the trees around the field. Everything moved, everything was alive, but I only could listen to the song she was singing.

Seher yeli eser yırtar eteğini gülün (Early morning wind blows and tears the skirt of the rose)
Güle baktıkça çırpınır yüreği bülbülün (Looking at the rose, the nightingale's heart flutters)

As I laid my head on her lap, she sang to me. My eyes were closed, and her delicate fingers caressed my face. I would feel them softly tracing my eyebrows, caressing my cheeks, following the line of my jaw. The melody on her voice making my skin vibrate.

Bu yıldızlı gökler ne zaman başladı dönmeye (When have these starry nights started revolving?)
Kimse bilmez... Kimse bilmez (Nobody knows... Nobody knows)

Her voice went silent little by little, like shading away, I opened my eyes but she wasn't there anymore, like if the wind had stolen her away. I stood up from the grass looking for her, a dreadful feeling in my chest. My eyes found her with our daughter, she was hugging her; but as I got closer to them, the farther she got away from me. My daughter now playing with her kite alone. I ran chasing her, but even if she was only walking I couldn't reach her.

"Dur! Dur! Gitme! Lütfen! Gitme" – I looked behind me, Aslı still there, playing alone, I realized that no matter how much I run I wouldn't move further, wouldn't get closer.

"Eylül! Lütfen! – She stopped walking and turned around to look at me, she was now dressed in a white dress that was flying with the wind.

"I have to go now" – She smiled at me.

"Nereye"

"Kimse bilmez..." – She sang to me.

"Hayır beni bırakma! Don't leave me alone please" – Her head leaned to one side.

"Yalnız değilsin" – Her smile turned even warmer when her eyes drifted behind me" – "Artık değilsiniz... a beautiful life is waiting for you"

I turned to see behind me. My daughter was still playing with her kite, but this time she wasn't alone, Selin was playing with her. They were running around, laughing and joking. I slowly walked towards them. The closer I got the lighter I felt, and then I stopped... was that the sound of the river? I took a few more steps, and the sound of the leaves on the trees welcomed me, I took a few more and I heard the chirping of birds, I didn't stop till I finally heard their laughter, it was full, joyous, magical. The most beautiful thing I had heard in my life was the sounds of their joined laughs.

"Baba! Haydi! We are waiting for you" – I took the last steps to reach them. Aslı jumped onto me and I caught her while Selin surrounded my waist with her arm and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Are you ready to go home now? – Selin asked me.

I turned around to look at where Eylül had been, she wasn't there anymore.... a warm smile formed on my lips, my soul saying goodbye with it. I turned to look at Selin again, she was patiently regarding me with a smile on her face... it filled me with warmness inside and I gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.