My Ottoman Girl

Tears of my beloved

I stood up and held her head in my warm embrace. I rubbed his head wrapped in a red hijab patterned with small flowers. Unable to endure the pain of my heart until the tears I had endured were dripping down her hijab. Ah how cute I am.

After a long while muffling the grief in his heart Aygul slowly loosened his hand that was tightly hugging me. With a still sobbing tone he looked at my face in disbelief.

" Welcome to Hafiz at my family's residence" he said.

I turned my face away for a while while rubbing my eyes with a handkerchief in my pants pocket.

Although Aygul and I have no special relationship, this attachment still makes me feel part of his pain.

" Thank you dear" I replied Slowly while holding her cold fingers.

He looked at Syafri and seemed grateful from the look on his face.

" Thank you Syafri has brought hafiz to this house" he said, sobbing

Syafri held up her right thumb.

" you are wellcome sister"

Aygul invited us to enter the family room which turned out to be translucent into his backyard. Before her Teyze Hafsah brought us some warm drinks and some snacks.

The backyard of Aygul's house turned out to be very spacious as well. There are some red pomegranate trees, Tin Trees, orange trees and it turns out that his family also grows grapes. Special Wine is given extra care by being given nets and creeping places.

The arrangement of plants is very neat and clean there may be a gardener who takes care of his own. I guess this is not a yard but rather a mini garden.

Aygul took us to the Gazebo in the middle of the courtyard there is also a fish pond with a fountain. And there are some birds in a big cage.

" I used to spend my time here" he said in front of me.

I pushed her wheelchair up to the front of the Gazebo. So Syafri and I sat in the Gazebo. The old man who opened the gate came with drinks and food that Teyze had prepared.

"Please Young Master" said the Old Man, whom I later knew was Ismet. He is still the brother of Aygul's mother who did stay to help their family.

" Thank you Mr. Ismet" I replied, cupping my palms together.

Mr. Ismet is about 60 years old. The old man still had a healthy body.

" He's still a brother to my mother. He's here to help us take care of the garden with his two sons. And 4 of our employees" said Aygul again. Syafri nodded his head in understanding.

" Aygul's. Tell me what happened to you, baby. " My husband was carefully afraid of making her sad again

She closed her eyes and looked her tears again even more profusely. I immediately wiped her tears with my handkerchief.

" She had an accident that resulted in her future husband dying. " Suddenly I heard the heavy voice of the man behind us.

I automatically looked at the voice.

" Assalamualaikum Amca Farouq (Uncle in Turkish) "Sapa Syafri while taking the man's right palm.

Then I also followed the act of Syafri kissing her hand.

" Introduce Me Baba (father) his Aygul. My name is Ali Farouq" he said kindly.

" It was nice to meet Amca. My name is Hafiz I am a friend of Aygul's while studying in Egypt" I explained.

" When was Baba (Dad) watching us there! " there was Aygul's voice slightly pressing his tone.

" I'm sorry Baba son. Baba didn't mean to keep an eye on you. Only Baba is curious about our distant guest. Anne (mother) said to Baba" she replied in a very slow tone. Looks like he's kind of relented

" The story is what I've been through this Baba. I want Baba to tell Hafiz the truth" he said, looking away.

Aygul's father finally joined us sitting in the gazebo. Before he told me, he invited us to enjoy a light snack from their garden.

I sipped a glass of warm Turkies Tea slowly. So did Syafri.

" How are your wives and children? " Task Amca Farouq

" Thank God they were all healthy Amca. Elif can't come to visit because Selma and Deniz are in school" he said.

" It's good that Amca will tell me about the unfortunate incident that happened to my daughter. Forgive Baba dear" She said again

Aygul nodded his head in approval.

" 26 years ago Amca and Teyze adopted a beautiful baby girl. It was the first time we saw that the baby was in love and didn't want to let go. We adopted the baby from a couple who already have 6 children Sah small.

Amca feels sorry for their lives so Amca and Teyze agree to adopt their new baby. Amca offers an Amca plantation business outside the province to Mr. Murat he is the father of the beautiful baby to manage for the survival of their family. Because of Pak Murat's economic situation which lacked him to support him. And Amca gave another condition that Mr. Murat and his entire family should not contact our family again.

Because we don't want the baby to know its origin someday. It seems cruel to Amca's treatment. But we don't want to lose a baby we love like our own. The baby is Aygul. The jewel of our hearts. "

the story was interrupted because Teyze came to bring some heavy food.

" Please eat you guys hungry it's lunch time" Teyze said.

Amca saw his wife and told her to join us.

" Anne please join us here" His wife's orders finally sit with us.

" Day after day the baby grows up perfectly and beautifully. Many men want to marry her. But Aygul refused and asked us for permission to continue his studies in Egypt.She said Inhin became a career woman before marriage. It is with a heavy heart that we approve of her going to Egypt. One day Aygul found an Adoption letter that we kept neatly inside a vault containing all his important documents and letters. At that time he wanted to take his diploma and passport"

I grabbed the girl's hand giving her mental strength. He replied with a slow squeeze.

Tears seemed to pool in Amca's eye pelubuk. But he immediately wiped it.

" Before his departure to Egypt he asked us about his adoption. It breaks our hearts when we accept that fact. But Aygul is a sholihah and well mannered boy. He was able to calm us down that no matter what happened he was still our son. But he asks Baba for permission to get a chance to know her biological parents. "

Teyze Hafsah held Aygul tightly as if afraid to part.

I keep listening to my ex-girls' life story. Until the warm tea has become cold.

" As he approached graduation, Baba gave him the address of his biological parents but they had moved out of the country. Because the business that used to be in the stub of his biological father is progressing. With all his energy Baba tried to find information on the whereabouts of his biological parents who turned out to be in Morocco. "

Baba stopped her story. Then look at all of us.

" Please enjoy the fruits of our garden first" Teyze bargained.

We immediately took a cold drink and I saw that Aygul's expression was calm