Forgiveness No Punishment

Devil's proposal

Chapter 2

Kara Family  

 
Sibel sat before the piano and started to play her favorite piece, "For Eloise's," by Beethoven. Suddenly, she felt sadness in her heart and started to cry, but she didn't stop playing the tune. Her family was sitting in the living room, enchanted by her marvelous gift.

"Ma'am, this envelope came for you!" Neriman, the maid of the family, said to Adalet, the mother of Sibel, Adem, Ismail, and Peri.

Sibel is the youngest and the favorite of them all. She was born when Peri, the elder sister, was 16, Ismail was 13, and Adem was 11.

When she was five years old, she sat in front of a giant piano for the first time and played some notes.

The piano belonged to her aunt, a great pianist who died from a disease when she was 20 years old. Sibel was two years old at that time. No one had touched that piano for a year or more because Sibel's father, Ahmed, forbade it. But seeing Sibel's desire, he let her play and brought a teacher for her. Day by day, she became more talented, surprising the teacher who encouraged her to pursue the Vienna Conservatory. She applied for the first time when she was 12, then again and again until they finally accepted her.

Adalet announced that it was dinner time and everyone gathered around the table. Both she and her husband exchanged glances as they looked towards Sibel, who was unaware of their looks. Her niece and nephew wanted to eat from her hand only, so she took turns feeding them. Ismail was being especially careful towards his wife as she was pregnant again. They had found out while they were with her family in Cyprus. Sibel and Adem didn't miss the opportunity to tease him along with Adem's wife, Hadise.

Hera, Ismail's wife, who is half Oriental and half Cypriot, turned red as she watched the audience glued to them.

"Ismail," her soft voice echoed for his ears only as she pointed to the audience. He glared at them and quickly kissed her lips, making the audience lower their heads.

"Ismail!" Hera raised her voice, blushing like a perfect red rose.

"What, aşkim (love)? Our fans were waiting for that moment, and you know, my love, we don't let them down. We are the perfect couple for the magazine. It's no wonder we're the role models of the Orient."

"Hey, just because you're in a magazine doesn't mean we aren't favorites too," claimed Adem. Without thinking, he kissed his wife, but their little bundle of joy interrupted by slapping his hands away from his mom.

"That's enough!" shouted Ahmed Kara, making all of them shift their glares downward.

"You both have your own room to do whatever you want. If you don't respect us, at least respect your sister's presence and never put your spouse in this position again." Ahmed Kara spoke sternly, never breaking his angry glare.

"Sorry, Dad! It will never happen again," Adem said, bowing his head.

Both of their wives excused themselves and left the dining table, feeling ashamed and with tears in their eyes. Their husbands followed them.

"We're all adults, Dad. It's better for our sister and our children to see us kissing our wives than raising our hands towards them," Ismail said as he was leaving.

Both of their wives were in their children's room. Hadise tried to comfort Hera when they burst inside.

"Hera, aşkım benim (my love)! Stop crying. That was funny. Dad overreacted, okay? Canım benim (my soul)," Ismail said as he held her carefully in his arms, as if she were made of crystal. Meanwhile, his brother dragged his wife to their room, kissing as if there wouldn't be a tomorrow.