Betray Me Softly

25: His Little Princess

A phone call changes some dreams-

Lina

We headed back home. I stared as his hand grabbed the gear. Swimming in his soul was a pain that was suppressed and broken. After peering at the sky, we had enjoyed tea again, and him being in a good and talkative mood...he accidentally slipped about some beatings he used to get, joked about how he would have the house helper scold him for touching his wounds and chuckled about the times when he used to get his hands bruised after getting struck by iron rods, but deep down, I had heard the pain...the agony. The man beside me was strong-his true personality different from what I had seen. He was hurting...I was in pain; two people hurting and putting up a facade for the world.

With a wholesome experience and heart lightened with the experience of whispering our presence to the green valleys, we drove back home-jumping up and down on some uneven rocks and parked our jeep at the far-end of the driveway. Both of us want to stay and embrace our emotions for a long time. The giddy smile, the gleam of happiness, it wouldn't leave my mind.

Finally, I got out of the car, with Kivanc locking it, and headed inside the house. My fresh mood turned even sweeter at the sight of Marina still sitting on the balcony and feeding morsels of food to Feri who was sitting next to her. Feri was playing with her yoyo as she allowed Marina to feed her.

"Feri," I walked up to her with joy and happiness. "My baby, you are awake!" I cooed, smiling briefly with gratitude at Marina who returned back my smile with a motherly grin.

"Mama," Feri immediately turned around and rushed towards me, raising her hands to have me pick her up. "You left again..." She placed her head on the nape of my neck, clinging tightly to it. Her words broke my heart. Is that what she thought? My absence was presumed as me leaving her forever. She had started sniffing slightly now...desperately trying to make sure that I stayed.

"Shh...I just went out with Kivanc." I lovingly patted her back, swinging her slightly.

"Feri, my sweetie, is that what you think? Do you think I could ever leave you?" I confirmed, eyeing her with so much hurt and pain. She needed to know that I was always going to have her live by my side. I had started doing so many jobs because I wanted my baby to be by my side. My daughter needed to know that she was my first priority-my world.

"No, mama," she quietly spoke.

I squeezed her tightly again with so much love and emotion. "That is right, because you, my Feri, are my little baby..." And with that, I started tickling her. Her tiny giggles made me laugh as well, and I turned around to see Kivanc standing at the door staring at us dazed and in awe. His gaze, which didn't even move away after being caught fixated on me, made me immediately turn shy and turn my back again. The emotions that came with it-I pushed a lock of my hair behind and, with a small shy smile on my face, I headed towards the balcony.

Somehow, watching Kivanc just stand and stare with an intensity made my heartbeat grow soft, important and quick. My cheeks were red now. I stepped out on the balcony, smiling with so much love at Feri because my mood just seemed so fresh, Marina looked up at me with a happy smile, folding her hands, and beamed, "So did you have fun?"

"Yeah," I nodded, noticing Kivanc moving to stand next to me. His height and build were just too huge to not be noticed.

"Well, the girls are still asleep. But, I am planning a special home party for us in the evening. It will include nothing but us enjoying some traditional customs of this area. Does that sound fun?" To learn about the traditions and customs of this place and experience its norms sounded like a splendid plan."

"Sure, I would love that." I beamed, shifting Feri in my arms. Kivanc nodded, too.

"Well, then it is settled. I will start with the preparations already." She clapped her hands, getting up. She happily walked back inside the house, leaving Kivanc and me to get engulfed by an awkward silence.