Looking For His North Star

Chapter eleven

"A mountain cabin?"

Yaman looked at the top of Seher's head. She was currently lying in his arms, leaning back against him. Yusuf was tucked in her lap napping, small hands curled under his chin. A few feet away, Ziya and Çiçek were observing a patch of wild flowers, Çiçek holding a flower catalogue in her hands, listening to Ziya with adoring eyes.

Yaman felt a sense of calmness seeping into his bones. The air smelled of green grass and fresh soil. The wind plucked leaves out of the large sycamore tree and rained them all over the ground. Here, leaning against the tree with his two treasures in his arms, his life was filled with complete peace.

Seher looked back at him, her eyebrows slanted.

"You bought a mountain cabin?" She asked again.

"Uh huh. Now that you're healed, the doctors suggested a getaway would do you good. And Yusuf's school vacation is almost over. We couldn't do anything together. It will be good for him too", he said.

Seher had a thoughtful expression.

"Of course, it will be good. But did you have to buy the cabin? We could have just rented one..."

He pressed his lips to her hair, closer to her ear.

"No. I didn't buy the cabin just for this vacation. I bought it so I can steal you away whenever I want", he said. "So I don't have to fight Little Fire for your attention".

Seher released a surprised laugh, making Yusuf stir on her lap.

"Are you telling me I'm not giving you enough attention?"

"I want all your attention", he admitted sheepishly. "But it's not possible. So this is the best I can do".

It was established then. They were going away for a week. The cabin was high up in the mount Ararat, more secluded than the other cabins and guesthouses there. During these vacation days, mount Ararat was bound to be buzzing with tourists. Yaman wanted to spend some time in peace before he had to throw himself back to work and Yusuf went back to school.

When the time came, they loaded their packed suitcases into the trunk of Yaman's SUV and got in. Yaman adjusted the rearview mirror and smiled at Seher. She was holding a big plastic box filled with snacks on her lap- ever the caretaker. In the backseat Yusuf sat in between Ziya and Çiçek, grinning at something they were saying. Ziya had insisted that they bring Çiçek along, and Yaman didn't have the heart to refuse. Now she sat, hands wrapped around a pot with a sycamore sapling, smiling at everything and everyone around them.

Their first vacation as a family. Yaman felt the same peace and calm infuse into his heart. This. This was what he'd been missing all his life. The complete family he'd craved since childhood.

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The journey took about seven hours and by the time they reached the cabin, Çiçek and Yusuf were fast asleep and Seher was feeling almost claustrophobic. They'd stopped at several places for lunch and tea but everyone must be feeling the same lethargy- especially Yaman. He'd been driving nonstop for several hours now.

"Why don't you guys go ahead and check out the place while my brother and I bring in our stuff?" He asked.

Seher nodded, glad to be moving her limbs freely again. She got out and woke Çiçek up. Reaching over her, she pulled Yusuf into her arms. Her baby was getting bigger day by day- soon she wouldn't be able to carry him around so easily.

The cabin turned out to be a charming, spacious place, beautifully lit up with lanterns resembling fairy lights. A row of woven armchairs were placed on the porch, colourful cushions thrown on them. A fluffle of sleeping bunnies was faintly visible under the porch- Yusuf would be ecstatic to see them. Cold wind blew through the woods, bringing in all the comforting scents- sage and pine and the musky smell of crushed leaves.