Give Me Your Hand's
Invitation Card
The sheen of light filled a dining room in one of the houses in the city of Istanbul. Two-story house with front fence that is only knee-high adults. The boisterous sounds of laughter and chatter of socialites rival the clinking of the eating utensils in their hands.
The hostess sat in one of the dining chairs. Nimblely he cut the grilled beef sheet that had been covered with BBQ sauce, he stuffed the red meat into his mouth. Sometimes he seemed to smile broadly whenever his friend praised his new home. Whether it was a sincere compliment or just a small talk, Sophia did not care.
Large dishes containing seafood, beef, chicken, and unceremonious ludes vegetables. A spoon, fork and knife rested themselves on the plate. The shabby tissue sheets containing the red stains formed a stacked lip line on each empty plate that was in front of the women.
The five women who have entered the age of half a century began to talk about their lives. The chatter ranging from self-care to bed matters tickled in Sophia's ears. How did they not realize that one of them had been widowed?
"We'd better move to the living room, it's not good to talk here. lots of dirty dishes, '" said Sophia, who tried to shift the subject about their man.
The four women stood up and followed Sophia. Their beads looked at every corner of the house. Decorative wall shaped ornaments and plastic flowers neatly arranged in a plain flower vase without color is always in every corner of the room.
They continued their conversation on a long sofa and a single, green sofa. Accompanied by a standing lamp that stands in the corner of the sofa and a rectangular glass table with various decorations of shells and sea stars on it.
The conversation changed topics. Sophia looked relieved, her friends were not talking about her husband and their bed life. Now they are proud of their children's work.
"Where are Cansu and Ivy?" ask a woman with her short, reddish-brown hair. "Since I haven't seen them."
Sophia's face suddenly changed, she could not say that she had expelled Ivy just to get her husband's life insurance money. So far she has managed to cover up her husband's bankruptcy and debts.
"It's common for young people today to prefer to spend time outside with their friends" replied Sophia, who tried to smile in front of them.
Sophia remembered her daughter, Cansu. He looked at his wall clock, which had shown him at nine o'clock in the evening.
It's past office hours and dinner hours.
"I'll go to the bathroom first" Sophia told her friends.
His footsteps climbed every step of the stairs behind the middle room. He walked into his room next to Cansu's. Her hands were busy searching for her daughter's name on the mobile screen. The dial went off long enough, but no voice answered the call.
Where's the kid going?
The black cell phone was thrown on a bed with its fringe tufted. He couldn't stay in his room for long just to call Cansu and let his friends wait downstairs. They would shower him with questions.
Sophia rushed down the elbow-shaped staircase with a foothold in the middle of the stairs. He turned his gaze down, watching his four guests holding a card.
"Sophia, here's your invitation card" called one of her friends when she was downstairs.
He approached them and picked up a red envelope without the recipient's name. He opened the envelope and took a rectangular card in golden yellow.
"The fashion show this summer." Sophia read the title of the invitation written on the head of the sentence.
"That's tomorrow night at a five-star hotel in the Bosphorus area. I heard that there were many talented young designers who joined the show" explained Sophia's friend who had given the invitation.
"You know, the main sponsor is Sarte's company, they have a new designer" said Sophia's other friend.
"Oh yeah?" Sophia's eye beads stared at the letters that lined up to form the word Sarte on the back of the invitation paper.
His mind was reminded of the story of Cansu around a while ago. The daughter said that after buying bread, she met Ivy. Now his stepson works at Sarte's company. Sophia shut her mouth.
"What's up, Sophia? You can come, right?" asked a friend of Sophia who was sitting in front of him.
"Sure, I must have come." Nervousness crept across Sophia's face at this moment.
On the one hand he does not want to miss the latest clothing model and he wants to keep his prestige in front of his friends. While on the other hand he must give a speech to his stepson who had been rude at that time. If it's true that Sarte's new designer is Ivy.
"Don't forget to come. I've been working hard to get this invitation. Sophia, I'm going home first. Thank you for your dinner today" said a short-haired woman.
"Yes. Thank you for coming to my house, too" Sophia said. They kiss each other cheek.
The five women walked towards the front yard of the house. Along the way they kept talking. The sound of the car engine stopped right in front of the fence, making Sophia and her friends turn their eyes towards the army green Jeep car.
"Do you have any guests tonight, Sophia?" ask his friend who uses a black trouser suit.
Sophia was about to answer her friend's question, but both the doors of the car had opened. Cansu got out of the iron vehicle with his very high footing. A man approached her, holding her arm to help her down.
Sophia's eyelids opened wide when one of her friends said that the man must be Cansu's lover.
"Thank you for accompanying me tonight" Cansu told Mehmet. Both of them stood in front of the fence. He was not aware of the presence of the group of mothers who were talking about it.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you, because you're willing to accept my invitation. Come in and rest." Mehmet helped open the iron fence. He smiled to greet the mothers watching him from the top of his head to the end of his shoes.
"Good night."
"Good night."
The two people of different skin colors waved their hands. Mehmet got into the car and left Cansu's house.
"Mother?" Cansu was surprised to see his mother's bead eye glaring at him.
"Sophia, we go home first" said the fourth middle-aged woman who immediately left the front yard of the house. They do not want to get involved in the debate between mother and child that will happen.
With a single movement of her head, Sophia gestured for Cansu to enter the house.
"Who is that black, shaven man?" sophia asked as soon as they were behind the door.
"My friend. He's not black, just a little dark." Cansu stepped both feet to enter the inner room.
"What's her name? What job? What's the name of the company?" cecar Sophia with a variety of questions. He prevents Cansu from going upstairs.
"His name is Mehmet Gunez. He's a cafe businessman. The name of the cafe is Istanbul Cafe. Is that enough of a question, Mom?" Cansu lowered one of Sophia's hands that stretched across the staircase fence. "I'm sleepy. Good night."
The young lady immediately climbed up the row of stairs and disappeared to the top floor. Sophia looked at the shadow with an annoyed look on her face.
* CONNECTIVE *
Don't forget your likes, comments, five-star rates and votes yes 🤗 Thanks 🙏
