Your Grace - Burak Çelik

CHAPTER 26

"Hi Reema," said Ayedah in a weary voice, not even attempting to hide her annoyance, especially as she and Burak were interrupted. Burak nodded politely as Reema came out from the dark passageway up to the rooftop, but he too seemed annoyed- yet he hid it better than Ayedah did.

If she had sensed their discomfort and annoyance, Reema did not do anything to apologize for it and ignored it completely; instead, she smiled at both of them, but gave a wide-eyed and confused glance toward Burak. "Who's that?" she whispered to Ayedah, as if Burak were somebody they were looking at from afar. "This is Burak, my colleague and friend," said Ayedah, forcing herself to sound casual. "Er- Burak, this is my cousin, Reema." "Hi," said Burak, smiling courteously, though not too widely- he never did with strangers, and he knew to be cautious after what Ayedah had told him. "Ayedah's told me a bit about you, Reema." "Aw, how sweet," said Reema, with a tinkling laugh. "All good things, I'm sure. My cousin- and future sister in law- is really the kindest. I'm sure you know that by now, though."

Ayedah felt her stomach lurch as she sent an apologetic look toward poor confused-looking Burak's way, before Aarif appeared at the door to the dark stairway down back to the courtyard. "Oh, hi Aarif," said Ayedah. "Hi," he said, and went over to shake Burak's hand. "Hey Burak." "Good to see you again, Aarif," said Burak with a friendly grin. "I'm glad you enjoyed Turkey enough to come back." "Thanks to you, Buddy," said Aarif, smiling back, but Ayedah noticed a considerable change in demeanour toward the way he was with Burak since the first time they met. But perhaps he was tired, for it looked like Reema had dragged him all over the city.

"How did you even find us here?" asked Ayedah, looking confused as she turned to her brother. "I didn't even tell either of you where Burak and I were going-" "Oh, coincidence," said Reema with a laugh, and Aarif couldn't help but roll his eyes playfully. "She's joking, we followed you both," he admitted. "We saw you drive up here and followed you into the courtyard, but we took a bit of time looking for where you had both gone to." "Oh, I see," said Ayedah. "Did the nice man downstairs tell you that we were up here?" "Had to wake him up, but yes he did," said Reema. "He recommended for us not to interrupt the both of you, for perhaps something important was happening, but I couldn't wait." "Yeah, she just tore upstairs," said Aarif, smiling embarrassedly. Ayedah gave him a grim smile back, before Reema turned to Burak.

"Why don't you come for dinner back at home with us, then, Burak?" she asked. "Surely you don't mind bearing us for a little while more." Both Ayedah and Aarif gave her weirded out looks, though Aarif looked more alarmed than anything- but Burak casually replied with, "That sounds great. Thanks for the invitation. I'll have to ask Ayedah though, it is her house when Gabriella Teyze isn't around." Reema's jaw twitched slightly but she kept a smile on her face when she turned to Ayedah; "What do you think, Cousin?" she asked. "I'm sure he could stay over for dinner." "I was honestly going to ask him that myself," said Ayedah not-so-honestly, though she made her voice sound convincing enough to sound as if she were actually going to. "Would you like it, Burak?" "That sounds good, Yazar Hanim," he said, giving her a smile. "I'd like that." His smile brought relief to her tight chest, and she returned it gratefully.

"Okay, then!" exclaimed Reema, snapping the two away from each other. "Should we go, or not?" "Um, yes, sorry," said Burak, blinking profusely in the blur of the minute. "We can take my car." "That's sweet of you," said Reema, and actually went up to pat his arm, taking him aback. "Ayedah's talked quite a bit about you too, actually- tell me how you got to know her." Ayedah glared at her as a hot bubble of annoyance made her stomach squirm, before Burak coughed politely and drew himself away. He went into the passageway and down the stairs, Reema following closely behind to pester him with questions. Aarif was about to go down with her too, before his sister stopped him. "I need to talk to you," she said firmly. "What's up?" asked Aarif, looking slightly put off.