24. Evren #2
“My mom. She’s asking where I am.” I yell in Turkish, “I’ll be right there. Meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes.”
Shit, shit, shit. I wasn’t ready for this. I spring into action. “I need to shower and meet her, then you can come down when you’re ready?”
“I don’t have to meet her if you don’t want me to.” Nina pulls the sheet up to her chest, looking unsure.
I cross to her side and tilt her chin up so that she looks at me. “Oh, you’re definitely meeting her. I’m just shocked she came all the way from Miami without telling me. And I’m sorry that she’s bursting in on us.”
“It’s okay. It’s cute that she cares enough to visit you.”
My heart twists at the sadness in Nina’s tone. It’s clear her mom has never made an effort when it comes to her. But I’ll make sure she never feels that way again. I kiss her quickly on the lips before taking the fastest shower of my life.
“ Annem ,” I say, kissing each of my mother’s cheeks in greeting. Even in her late sixties, she still wears her dark hair pulled back in a sleek chignon every day.Today, she’s in a tailored pantsuit and the string of pearls Dad gave her around her neck. “I thought I asked for a few months.”
“And I was getting bored waiting.” She pulls out a plate and starts uncovering the containers filled with homemade food. My mom is an amazing cook and never leaves home without something she made to share with the people she visits with. “So where is Nina? Can I meet her?”
“I think she’s getting ready.”
“Perfect. Let me make her a plate, then.” Mom plates up a slice of borek. “I brought everything needed to make menemen .”
“My favorite,” I say, leaning against the counter. “How are you doing?”
“I’m good, just missing you and I hear now Zeki is moving here?” She glances at me as if to confirm it.
“He’s staying in the city, and he’s helping me out with the team.”
“And? Do you think he’s finally ready to settle down?”
“I don’t know,” I say slowly. “I think this is something you should talk to him about.” If I’ve learned anything in the past couple months, it’s that I don’t want to take on a father figure role with Zeki. I much prefer the relationship we’re developing now.
“Hi, Mrs. Kaya,” Nina says. I turn and smile when I see her wearing a bright blue floral dress. “I’m Nina.”
“Hello,” Mom says formally before grabbing a pan and opening the containers she brought full of cut peppers and tomatoes for the menemen . “Do you cook?”
“Not at all,” Nina says, standing next to me. “Do you? ”
“Of course. Who doesn’t cook these days?” Anne shoots me a look that drips with disapproval.
“Nina’s a designer,” I say, stepping in before Nina can respond. “She’s busy helping me renew the women’s apparel line for the team.”
“You’re working together?” Mom asks, her eyebrows raising, gaze lingering on Nina for a beat too long.
“We are,” I say.
“Hmm,” Mom says, unconvinced. “And how did you two meet?”
“At a charity event,” I say. “She’s friends with some of my players.”
Mom’s gaze bounces between us and she frowns. “I see.”
A strained silence overtakes the kitchen as she finishes up the food and I make coffee. Starting a conversation in Turkish, I ask, “What’s going on? You’re judging Nina too harshly.”
“You think I’ll let just anyone date you?” Mom answers. “She’s a pretty girl, for sure. But what else is there to her?”
“It’s not your job to decide that. It’s mine,” I say. “If you’re not going to be kind, then what are you doing here? I’m happy with her. That should be enough for you.”
“But—”
“No, I won’t accept you treating her like that or to try to ruin what we’ve got going on.”
Mom stares at me in shock, like she doesn’t recognize me, before a slow smile builds on her lips. “You really love her, don’t you?”
I glance at Nina and say, “ Evet .” Yes .
“Then I will try to be nicer.”
When the food is ready, and we’re all sitting down, I ask in English, “How long are you in town for?”
“Just for the day,” Mom says. “I have to get back for Burcu’s birthday tomorrow.”
“Is there anything fun you’d like to do while you’re here?” Nina asks.
“I—I don’t know,” Mom says, caught off guard. “What’s fun to do here?”
“Well, I guess that depends on what you’re into. I’m still figuring it all out, but there are distillery tours, art museums, fun bakeries, food markets, and even a building you can go to the top of and have a gorgeous view of the city.”
“And what do you do for fun, Evren?” Mom asks. “I want to experience something you like.”
“I mostly focus on work…” Sometimes I wonder what she thinks I do all day.
But it’s clear she expects something different since disapproval radiates from her after my response.
I’m not sure what to tell her. The only thing I do for fun is spend time with Nina, and before she came into my life, I literally worked nonstop.
“It’s true.” Nina places her hand on my arm. My mom’s gaze zeroes in on it. “Work is his main focus,” Nina continues, “and rightly so. But he has been branching out and enjoying some fun bakeries lately. ”
“You have?” Mom gives me a skeptical look, like she can tell Nina’s covering for me.
“Oh yeah,” Nina says, “he’s even invested in one recently. Have you tried the viral donuties yet?”
“No? Tell me more.”
And Nina goes on to do just that, saving me from a lecture about working too much. She talks up Elodie’s donuties so much that even I’m craving one by the end of it.
“We must go now,” Mom says, gathering her purse and standing. “I bet there’s a line.”
“Oh, most definitely,” Nina says. “But you’re in luck because I have an in with the owner.”
Mom’s eyes widen. “Really?”
“Really, but let’s head over now and enjoy one…or five.”
Mom laughs. “I like your thinking.”
“I’m here.” Zeki bursts into the kitchen, out of breath as if he just ran ten miles to get here. “What did I miss?”
“Oh nothing much,” Mom says, hugging him. “We’re about to go try the viral donuties.” Mom turns to Nina and says, “So tell me what your favorite flavor is.”
“Well, they’re all amazing, but sometimes the classic chocolate-chip-and-walnut combination just hits right, you know?”
Nina and Mom walk arm in arm to the driveway and Zeki looks from them to me and back.
“I thought you needed help?” Zeki asks, confused .
“I thought I did too. Anne was rude, unwelcoming. But now I wonder if it was a test, to see if I really care…”
Zeki claps me on the shoulder. “Well, let’s not leave them together for too long. You wouldn’t want anne to tell Nina all your embarrassing stories.”
Zeki laughs at whatever expression is on my face before grabbing a slice of borek and striding after the two most important women in my life.