Sen Cal Kapimi - Sacrifices Part 3

 I hope you all enjoyed this very short story! Let me know if you'd like to read more about Serkan and Eda!

The phone rang and Eda picked it up hesitantly. She knew he would call, there was no question about that and if she was honest she’d been expecting him earlier. ‘Yes?’

‘Can you come down? You promised Sirius a walk.’

She didn’t know if Serkan was overly humble or insecure but he seemed to assume she couldn’t say no to Sirius when it had always been him that she couldn’t say no to. ‘I’m coming.’

She had to stop herself from feeling excited at the thought of seeing him, this wasn’t a happy meeting, it wasn’t a date. It was quite possibly the last time she’d see him. Ever. The thought scared her. She knew her grandmother had made her break up with him but Serkan was stubborn and proud. As long as he was stubborn about not accepting the end of their relationship he’d keep trying to see her, to talk to her and she would get to hear his gloriously husky voice, his sharp jaw and that soft hair. But when he finally accepted it… Eda knew. She would never see Serkan again after that. He would make sure of it. 

Serkan didn’t say anything except bland pleasantries until they reached the bench they usually sat at. He didn’t want to scare her away, didn’t want to risk her running into the house. His heart was pounding in his chest, he could have sworn he heard the blood rushing around his ears. Scared to break the pretence of normality he occupied himself by scratching Sirius behind the ears to delay having to speak as long as possible. He could feel her eyes on him, knew she’d be looking at him warily but expectantly waiting for him to say something. 

He cleared his throat and sat up, ‘I… I know about your house being remortgaged. I think-‘

Eda sighed and rolled her eyes ‘Ceren, wasn’t it? I told her not to tell Engin anything!’

Her focus on Ceren and her lack of secret keeping abilities rather than their relationship annoyed him ‘Why? Why did you tell her not to say anything? Do we have secrets between us now?’

‘Serkan,’ her voice was soft, he could tell she was upset and it dissolved his anger instantly ‘please, I can’t Serkan. Please leave.’

He took a hold of her left hand, his fingers clasping over the ring. ‘I just want to understand Eda. What can’t you do? Is this about money? Do you need money? I’ll pay off the mortgage whatever I don’t care.”

Eda shook her head exasperatedly, ‘Serkan, I can’t take your money.’ 

His anger returned vehemently and he stood up, ‘but you do need it? Yes? So you’d rather have your pride, not take my money and break up with me instead, is that it?’

Sirius whined, feeling the tension in the air and Eda screwed up her eyes worried she would cry. She had tried desperately to think of a reason to give to Serkan for their grandmother-mandated breakup but had been unable to come up with anything he would believe. The last 6 months had been the happiest of her life, their lives. They’d had small arguments here and there about ridiculous things she couldn't even remember now but nothing of significance. There was no crack in their relationship for her to claw at and widen until they were both swallowed up whole inside it. Instead she’d had to settle for a vague ‘I want to break up, because of reasons.’

She should have known Serkan would never settle for vague; he was precise, logical, and smart.  ‘Serkan, this isn’t about the money. I just can’t be with you anymore. Please leave.’

He sat down again, closer to her than he had been before. She could feel the heat of his strong thigh which felt like it was burning through the fabric of his jeans to her own bare leg.

‘Eda. Give me one reason you’re breaking up with me. Give me one reason to leave.’

She instantly thought of the day he’d first told her he loved her and her instinct was to reply with how much she loved him. She loved him so much she felt as if her heart would burst from having had to go almost a whole day without saying the words and she couldn’t help the tears that spilled from her eyes. 

He could never bear to see her cry, it pained him physically; made his stomach hurt. He pulled her close to him, his arms around her, cradling her gently against his chest. ‘Please don’t do this to me. To us. Don’t separate me from you, I won’t live. I won’t survive. I don’t know how to be without you anymore.’

‘She… I didn’t want to… I always said I’d never… I’ve never told anyone Serkan. Anyone.’

He moved one hand from around her shoulder and lifted her chin so her face was turned towards his. Almost pleading with her he said ‘Eda, am I just anyone? Don’t I mean more to you than that? Don’t you love me? Whatever the problem is, whatever’s gone wrong we can fix it, together. Sevgilim, let me help you, please.’

Eda’s resolve melted with his every word until she was a puddle of wax in his arms. She smiled helplessly through her tears and put her arms around his neck, ‘of course I love you, I love you like crazy Serkan Bolat,’

‘The feelings are mutual Eda Yildiz,’ Serkan said crushing her body to his and burying his head into her hair hoping to suppress any tears of relief that might make their escape. 

‘So?’ Serkan asked a few minutes later, ‘Why all this today? Where did it come from?’

Eda sat up, rubbed her face free of tears and sat stiff on the bench. Her hands clenched the wood either side of her legs and she took a few deep breaths in preparation. ‘I did, we did, I mean, Hala and I, we needed money for the house and the florist and I.. I asked someone I shouldn’t have for help.’

‘Who?’

‘My grandmother.’

Serkan hid his surprise at the mention of this secret family member and listened carefully.