With Love, Nuri [1] ✅

8. Their Arrival

[•Nuri's POV•]

I was watching TV with the girls when my mobile rang with a familiar name on the screen. "It's Miss Nazmiya," I told the girls, they muted the television and listened to our conversation attentively. Yeşim leaned towards me, "Miss Nazmiya?" "Good evening Nuri. I called to give you good news. You got the job!" She exclaimed happily. "Are you serious?" I felt overwhelmed and Yeşim hugged me.

"Yes, you'll start tomorrow. From now on, you have to prepare both dinner and lunch. Also, two more people will be staying with Ferit bey tomorrow, so please prepare for them too" "Okay" I replied. "I will transfer your salary to your account monthly. I won't be around tomorrow morning but you can find the menu in the drawer" "The menu?" I was confused. 

"Yes, Ferit bey has a menu for the week. It states the meals for each day. I will text you what you should cook for his guests in the morning" She said. "Oh okay" "I'll hang up then, good night," she said. "Thanks, you too" I was about to hang up, "Nuri, wait..." "Huh?" I asked, "Ferit bey doesn't want you to write to him," She said. The old man read my note then!

"Okay, Miss Nazmiya," I said and hung up. "Girl, did you write to him?" Yeşim's eyes widened in excitement. "Eating instructions" I shrugged, "Did you see him?" "Nope" I replied, "But he is probably an old man like my father" I added.

×××

The palace was quiet and I searched the drawer to find a neatly printed paper with fancy names. I learned to cook most of them just last month, the rest was to find out from the internet and I started cooking. Almost an hour had passed and I had my earphones on full volume.

Food and music were always in perfect sync. I was trying to chop a few tomatoes when I accidentally cut my finger in the process. The acid added to the pain and I went to the cleaner's room to wash the wound. I even found a bandage and wrapped it around my finger, hoping that I wouldn't cause any more accidents.

There was water in the glass when I returned to the kitchen, but I didn't remember filling it... Suddenly I heard footsteps from the living room. I swiftly hid behind the wall near the dining table. I caught a glance of a tall man with shabby hair near the TV, but I couldn't see his face...

"Reveal yourself thief" Came a young voice from behind me and I was startled. The person had a gun with him and he pressed it to my back. "Please don't hurt me" I replied nervously, "Turn around and show yourself!" He said and I obeyed with my hands in mid-air. He squirted water all over my face, "Ah!" I cried and tried to shield my face. 

From the corner of my eye, I saw a small boy about eight or nine. He began laughing at me like crazy, even I ended up chuckling at him. The man from the living room appeared behind the boy, "Who are you?" He asked with a frown. "Uh... Tell me who you both are first. What are you doing at Ferit bey's house?" I asked. "I'm Idris and this is Özgür amca, it's nice to meet you" The boy held out his hand like a gentleman and I smiled at him, shaking his tiny hand.

"Idris, you shouldn't tell your name to strangers" The man scolded the boy and turned back to me, "This 'Ferit bey' is my cousin. Now tell me, who are you? What are you doing here?" The man raised an eyebrow. I felt the heat in my cheeks out of humiliation, "I'm sorry sir... I didn't know that... I am the chef, Nuri. I started working just yesterday" I replied. 

"Hmm, okay. But why weren't you here when we came?" "Uh... I went to the other room to find a bandage for my finger" I showed him the wound and Özgür laughed. "We'll be in the living room, come on Idris" He led the boy to the other room. 

I finished my work in a few hours and I went to report to Özgür before leaving. "My work is done. I'm gonna leave now, bye" I told him. "Do you want me to drop you home?" Özgür asked, "Uh... No, it's okay" I replied and turned to leave. "Wait, can I get your number? To make sure that you reach safely" He smiled most charmingly. But I felt annoyed, "Um... I'll be fine. See you later, Özgür bey" I smiled.

The custard was in the fridge but Ferit bey didn't know that though. He didn't want me to leave him notes, so I wouldn't. If he doesn't eat it, then I'll eat it tomorrow. Idris waved bye to me from the lawn and I waved back at him.

[•Ferit's POV•]

I came home in the afternoon from the hospital and was very tired as usual. "Abi!" Idris jumped into my arms as soon as I entered the house, he hugged me tightly. "I missed you a lot" "Me too buddy. How are you?" He pulled back from my cuddle, "I'm great" he replied. "Your hair has grown longer" I ruffled his curls and placed him back on the floor. "Yup and soon it will be like uncle's," He looked up at Özgür and smirked. "Great to see you again Ferit" He hugged me. "Me too, thanks" I hugged him back. This was family.

"Amca, abi, I am very hungry" Idris began jumping up and down around us. "Go on, check the fridge. You can have what you like" I smiled at him. "Yippee!" He beamed and hurried off to the kitchen. 

"Ferit, you were half an hour late though. We could have caught a fragile butterfly you know" He chuckled. "Huh? A fragile butterfly?" I was puzzled. "The chef, Nuri. She just left half an hour ago" I sighed, "At least not with my workers Özgür" I said. He laughed nonchalantly, so long to my expectations that he'd become a decent man. Özgür's trip to Malaysia didn't change his playboy characters, he only got a set of high-quality photographs.

"So how was Malaysia?" I asked. "The mountains were really beautiful and I have the picture of one of the waterfalls with me, it's amazing. I'll miss that place" he said. Özgür had been interested in art and photography since childhood, and Idris was just like him. But I felt disappointed because he had changed a lot after the accident. He was such a decent guy but now...

×××

The three of us had lunch and Idris went to his room to draw. "So how is Tahir amca?" asked Özgür. "Same as last time... He is a bit depressed though" I sighed. "Don't worry... We'll go meet him after some time right?" I nodded.

Dad was ecstatic to meet Idris. They had missed each other a lot, and dad was relieved that Idris wouldn't go to boarding next term. When we had dinner that night, Idris fell in love with Nuri's meals I smiled at him. Maybe I had found a chef who was worth keeping.

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 Last Edited: 24th May 2021