Everywhere Still, A Continuation of Everywhere You Are

The Party, part 2

At Vedat (and now Merve's) place...

Merve and Vedat happily held their hands up in the air as they opened the door but were a little surprised to see Ayda and Arda standing there together. Merve welcomed both with a hug while introducing Vedat. Just behind them were Selin and Demir.

"Brother, finally you return to me!" Vedat said hugging Demir firmly.

"Merve hugged Selin then noticed something with Vedat. "What's going on?" she asked pointing to his face. Tears were streaming down Vedat's cheek. Vedat wiped them away then hugged Selin.

"You two!" Vedat said. "You both put me through the ringer then take off on me for six months. I wouldn't have made it through if not for Merve."

Demir laughed at Vedat and kissed Merve on the cheek, handing her the wine they brought. Somewhere both Demir and Selin knew that Vedat's tears were of joy, maybe less about seeing them and more about Merve. The coats were taken and the three well-dressed couples sat in the living room on the couches and chairs. As Demir began to explain Selin's situation with her parents today and Arda's involvement, it wasn't long before Vedat was crying again, this time from laughter.

As Merve laughed too watching Vedat laugh, he told her, "Do you see how it was for me on this side of things waiting for these two dodo birds to get together?"

Merve laughed in agreement with Vedat, placing her hand on his arm and saying it was just as comical for her and Ayda. The gesture didn't escape Selin or Ayda as the two of them glanced at each other.

Arda took over in explaining his role in the plan, as he was instructed by the aunts. "With the aunts' help, I'm going to be an unsuitable groom for Selin, and this will no doubt be believed true by her parents." He laughed.

"Yes," Selin said. "Very unsuitable, because there can be only one." She leaned in and kissed Demir on the cheek. He immediately placed his hand on his heart and then joked with everyone that he hoped she was talking about him.

"Demir," Selin chided.

"What? You have so many interested parties," he mused. "You guys should have seen on our trip. She made friends with everyone. And every animal."

Selin frowned. The girls smiled because they already knew this about their friend. Merve got everyone to get up and converge around the snacks she had put out and offered drinks. Merve squealed asking to see the ring again but Selin explained that Demir was holding onto it until her parents left town.

Popping a cracker in his mouth, Vedat said he was going to go water some of his more delicate plants in the greenhouse. Selin raised a finger that she would help and followed him through the side door that led out to the greenhouse.

"Vedat, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Selin."

"I asked Demir once before but ...I don't know, I guess I'm not sure if he was just telling me an answer that wouldn't upset me more in that moment."

Selin looked at Vedat hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm sure probably not," Vedat said in an appeasing way.

"It's when we were at the mountain house," Selin looked at him, expecting that would change his mind.

"Ah, I see," Vedat understood now that it was during  one of their most difficult times.

"Vedat?" Selin said sweetly. "Do you think Demir used to bring Eylul there? To the mountain house, that is? And did he bring her there often?"

"This is what you're worried about?" Vedat doubled over in laughter, supporting his hands on his knees. Selin looked at him half surprised at his amusement, and when he realized, he apologized. "Selin, the first time I met you, you were climbing a tree to help young boys. That's the essence of the mountain house, the very reason I haven't sold it. Demir and I used to fly kites there, chase fireflies at night, climb trees, swim in the pool--anything rough and tumble!"