The Price of Pride

Chapter 16

It's all a little confusing. A little bit amusing. But it really just mostly leaves Emir scratching his head. How they got to where they are now is the story they're waiting on Defne and Zafer to tell. It had started a few hours ago when Zafer had called.

"Hey man, you busy? I need a huge favor," was all Zafer had said. So imagine Emir's surprise to arrive at the location Zafer had sent to discover he and Reyhan were to be witnesses.

Wedding witnesses.

His friend, the man who held onto his bachelor status even more firmly than Emir did, was getting married. And Emir could hardly believe even though he was seeing it with his own eyes.

"Did you know about this before?" Reyhan whispers to him. "I didn't even know Defne and Zafer knew each other this well."

"You know what I know," Emir says with a shrug. "You were there when I got his call. But Zafer promised to explain it all as soon as everyone left. That's happening now."

He nods towards the front door where Defne and Zafer were escorting the last of the guests out. From what Emir gathered, the oldest man is Defne's father. He came with another man who spent the entire wedding glaring at Zafer. Someone named Fatih. Emir isn't sure who he is. Defne's boss was also a guest. But they're all leaving now. So whatever explanation Zafer has, those people apparently don't need to hear.

The only people still in attendance, aside from Emir and Reyhan, are sitting on the couch opposite them holding a sleeping Ayla. The older couple, Emine and Murat Yilmaz, are the Ankara clients Emir and Zafer have been working with this whole time. Emir isn't sure why they were even invited in the first place, but hopefully he's about to find out. Not that they aren't nice people. They came and treated everyone like family. Ayla especially enjoyed the attention from the older couple, as evidenced by her sleeping comfortably in Emine hanım's arms.

Emir gives Reyhan a look and nods in the direction of Ayla. She gets his silent message.

"Would you like us to take her?" Reyhan asks the woman. "I'm sure Defne has a place we can lay her until we leave."

"No, no, no, Canım. She's more than fine," Emine hanım says with a gentle smile. "We never had any girls, and our sons live so far away with our grandchildren. Little Miss Ayla has been a treat."

"She's fine," Murat bey echoes, taking Ayla's hand and pressing a little kiss there. "She's such a sweet child. Defne tells us she helped place her with you two? I remember you talking about her a few weeks ago when your wife was still in the hospital. I'm so glad to see the situation worked out for everyone. She's a lucky little girl."

"We're the lucky ones," Emir smiles, looking at Reyhan again.

In the end, Zafer and Emir end up taking Ayla to the spare bedroom so she can sleep uninterrupted while Defne and Reyhan go to the kitchen to make coffee. Emir can't help but pepper his friend with questions.

"You know I'm going to ask ... what is all of this, Zafer? I mean, come on. Dude, we asked you to take the girl some tea. Not marry her!"

Zafer just laughs, patting Emir on the shoulder.

"I promise you'll understand in a minute," Zafer assures him. "You will probably understand more than anyone why we did this."

At Emir's confused look, Zafer just leads him back to the living room with the others. It's time for the long awaited conversation.

"First of all, let me just thank everyone here for what they did for us today," Zafer starts. "I know this was a surprise, to say the least."

"We had to move quickly," Defne adds. "And I'm just grateful Zafer has good enough friends to do this for us, no questions asked. So again, thank you. Thank you all so much."