The Wedding Night...

Dilan's story (Part II)...

When Dilan walked inside the house, she stood in the hallway. Her brother closed the door behind them. "Dilan?" She could not move. The house she went out from in her wedding dress was now unrecognizable. She was a stranger there. What was only a feeling days ago became a fact. Cevdet moved past her and touched her arm. "Dilan?" She closed her eyes. Despite her anger, she was mastering the courage to face her father. Or the man she had considered her father her whole life. Before she could open her eyes, she heard him. "Dilan, my child." The familiar voice that used to bring her so much comfort. The voice that made her feel secure. Hearing that voice calling her name after knowing the truth caused her nothing but pain. She felt her dad's arms around embracing her. His voice let her know he was crying. "Dilan, I'm so sorry! I never wanted you to know the truth. I wanted to hide it forever. Because you are my daughter... We don't share the same blood, but you are in my heart and soul, the same as your siblings." Dilan's arms remained by her side. She wanted to return the hug but couldn't. His words sounded empty to her. In his arms, Dilan always found shelter and love. However, at that moment, she questioned everything he was telling her. Love can't exist without trust. And she no longer trusted him. 

Mr. Seyit took her hand and led her to the living room. There she was, her mother or Ms. Hanife. Dilan had tried her whole life to gain her love and approval, but it never happened. She never understood why until now. Ms. Hanife was staring at the floor. She seemed unable to look at Dilan. Her father helped her sit on the couch beside him while her brother sat next to Ms. Hanife. Dilan's tears began falling again without her permission. With a trembling voice, Dilan asked. "Yağmur and Cevriye, are they here?" She didn't want to have this conversation in front of them. "No, sister, they are at the restaurant." 'Good,' she thought to herself. "Now that Cevdet told you everything, what would you do?" Ms. Hanife questioned her with an impatient tone. The way she was looking at Dilan. She was well familiar with it. There, in her eyes, there was anger. Dilan replied. "I want to know everything about my real family. My brother told me some, but..." Ms. Hanife stood up with one hand on her hip. "The blood feud child. I'm asking you about the blood feud. Is Cevdet's life in danger?" The blood feud? That was all she cared about. "Mother!" Her brother protested. Ms. Hanife's words fueled Dilan's anger even more. Holding on to the couch seat and looking at the floor, Dilan spoke in a controlled tone. "The blood feud you stole my life to pay?" 

Dilan raised her eyes and observed everyone there. Her father and brother looked ashamed of themselves, but her mother, Ms. Hanife, looked all the more defiant. "Even if you are not our daughter, he is your brother. Would you have your brother die for something that is not his fault?" Dilan felt indignant. "Of course not. I would give my life for my siblings without a thought. But what you did that day was different." Cevdet stood up. "Mother, please!" Hanife's came at her son. "What I did was save your life. There was no time to think. It was your life or her marriage. I chose the lesser of two evils, and I won't apologize for it. I did what had to be done." Laughing sarcastically, Dilan repeated. "What had to be done..." Pointing to herself, she continued. "So you stole my life because it had to be done." Dilan got up and walked away, making fists with her hands, with her back to them. "After you gave me to the Karabeys, did you ever stop to think about my fate? Did you?... I know the answer even if you don't say it. You didn't. Do you have any idea of how confused and scared I was..." Dilan faced them again. "I was taken from the people I knew as my family with no explanations, nothing. I had no idea of why I was there. I had no idea why my dreams were over. I just knew they were. Do you know how difficult that was?" Her father spoke. "Dilan, child. What we did was a big injustice to you, we are aware. There is nothing we can say or do to fix the situation, to make you feel better. I'm sorry, my child. I'm sorry that this is the life I gave you." 

Mr. Seyit's words infuriated Ms. Hanife. "Are you apologizing? For what? For giving her food, clothing, and a roof over her head? Since when is that a sin?" Tears returned to Dilan's eyes. They were so heavy and thick that they blinded her eyesight. With a shaking voice, she spoke. "Since I was little, I felt two things in this house: warmth from my father and siblings. But from you, I always felt I was in front of a stranger." Dilan dried her eyes in vain. "I think in my subconscious, I have always understood that you didn't see me as your daughter. Do you know how that feels? The one person who is supposed to love you more than anyone else in the world looks at you with hate, sometimes with disgust. Do you know how much that hurt me over the years?" Ms. Hanife was unfazed. "You, you, you... You are nothing but a selfish girl, Dilan." Dilan returned her mother's angry stare, astonished at her words. "Selfish? I am selfish... Is that why you treated me worse than an enemy? Is that the reason you hate me so much?" Hanife sat again. "You are saying stupid things. And that is not what is important at this moment..." Dilan yelled. "It is important to me!" Ms. Hanife looked surprised. Dilan lowered her tone and repeated. "It is important to me. After everything that has happened, I think I deserved an explanation, don't you think?"