Collateral

To the fire

I wake up in the morning with Khan pacing the room talking on the phone, he looks worried.

- Tell her I'll be there soon.

When Khan finally hangs up he realize i'm awake.

- Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up like this.
- Don't worry, i slept too much.
- We need to go to a place.

I get up and get ready but I still don't know where we're going, the whole way Khan looks worried. We arrive at a house on the city surroundings, Khan seems to know the place well.

- Who lives here?
- My mother

I'm surprised but I don't ask any other questions for now.
A nurse comes to meet us, she looks a little scared.

- Mr Khan, forgive me, I don't know how to get her out of the room. I left her alone for just a moment, she made me go get some magazines and locked herself.
- Alright I'll handle it.

Khan goes to the bedroom door, carefully trying to open it without success. Then the woman screams again.

- Khan, get this woman out of here, I don't need doctors, I don't need a nurse.
- Mom, please come outside and we'll talk.

I've never seen him so kind except to Aylin. He seems to be very attached to his mother.

- I will not!
- Mom, please. I can't talk to you like this.
- Go away, go back to your father. You don't care about me, nobody cares. 
- That's not true Mom

Khan looks hurt, I keep quiet watching from the end of the hallway.

- Mr Khan should I call the doctors?
- I don't want doctors here! I said I'm not sick!

The woman screams even louder.

- Get out of here, don't call anyone. 

Khan talk to the nurse that leaves immediately.

- Mom, calm down, she's already gone.
- You are lying!
- I'm not, I promise she's gone. It's just me and Esra here.

So the woman is silent for a moment, there's a click on the door nob, she talks through the half open door.

- Esra is here?
- She is mom, don't you wanna meet her?

She doesn't answer for a moment.

- Why don't you come out to meet my wife?

Khan glance behind at me, he has expectant eyes. I feel weird, I'm not sure what should I do but I see Khan is counting on me. After another long moment the woman finally come out.

- This is her?

She comes towards me with a big smile of anticipation. I look at Khan, he just nods with his head once. Still reluctant I extend my hand to her.

- Nice to meet you ma'am.
- Oh honey don't be shy, call me Zehra. 

Instead of shaking my hand she pulls me into a hug, I look over her shoulder at Khan, he watches us expectantly. She lets go of me but not completely, she takes my hand to look at me.

- She's so pretty, Khan.
- She is.

He answers honestly taking me by surprise.

- Even prettier than the last time i saw you, you were just a little girl.

I get a little shy and look down at my hands

- I'm glad to finally meet you.

I remember how Khan reacted when I entered her room at the mansion, I understood that it's a delicate situation, I wonder if her other children visit her too.