Stay with me

Chapter 72 - A stranger

- Why did you come after so many years? - Turkan asked hoarsely with white lips. - What do you want?

The guest looked at her with an impudent squint. His lips curled in a sarcastic grin.

- Why won't you invite your son-in-law to the house? After all, I am the father of your grandchildren.

- What son-in-law? What father ?! - the woman came to her senses and angrily raised her eyebrows over the bridge of her nose. The palms curled into fists belligerently. She put them on her hips and angrily pounced on the man: - For fourteen years you have not remembered the existence of the children, and now you have appeared ?! Come on, get out of here!

Esra came running to her voice. She went out onto the porch and asked in surprise:

- Grandma, what happened? Why are you shouting?

The girl looked closely at the guest. The face looked familiar, although she was sure she had never seen him before.

- What's that noise? - Serdar came out onto the porch with Iso in his arms. Seeing the man, his face darkened and narrowing his eyes, blurted out: - You?! Why did you come?

- Who is he? - Esra tried to get an answer from her family, but both her brother and grandmother, as if they had not heard her question.

But the man, ignoring the words of his son, turned his greasy look at her and spoke in a honeyed voice:

- I am your father, child. I came to meet you. And I brought a gift, - he handed Esra the doll.

She took a step back and hid her hands behind her back.

"I don't play with dolls," she replied with restrained dignity. "And I don't want to meet you."

Slipping past her brother, she returned to the house and ran upstairs. Surprised Nihan, whom Esra ran into on the stairs, shouted after her:

- Girl! What's the matter?

But she didn't answer. She ran into her room, slammed the door, pressed her back to it, and, covering her face with her hands, burst into tears.

On the porch, Serdar took the lead. Putting the baby Iso into the hands of his grandmother, he pushed her to the door and ordered:

- Go. Set the table for dinner. I'll be there in ten minutes.

Turkan looked angrily at her former son-in-law. With her head held high, she passed by and disappeared through the door. Serdar pointed the direction to the waterfront and said briefly:

- Come on, let's talk.

Near the embankment, stopping at the very edge of the dark water, he thrust his hands into his trouser pockets and turned to his father.

- What do you want? Asked abruptly.

He shrugged in surprise.

- How is that? I haven't seen the children for years. I missed ...

- Give it up! - interrupted Serdar. "Don't give me that shit. You missed us after fourteen years. In general, so, - the guy firmly looked his father in the face. - I don't care about your reasons. Get out of here and don't dare approach our house. You have no children. And grandchildren too. If again you dare to show up, I'll throw you out. Got it, Mr. Kadir?

The man laughed in the face of his son and clapped his hands demonstratively.

- Bravo, Serdar Shishmaz! Impressive performance.

- Serdar Topal, - the guy corrected him. - We are all Topal. And we have nothing to do with Shishmaz.

He turned and walked down the street leading to the house.