Chapter 6

"What are you doing tonight? — Kerem and Baran analyzed some curricula for hiring new interns at the agency.

Since the night Ana called, the girl disappeared and Baran wondered if anything had happened. She said she'd send her the address and time of the show, but apparently she either forgot or found another company. Not that he was interested in going out with her, but for someone who was so excited...

"I'm going home after I get out of here and order Japanese food and try to sleep early.

Kerem knew his friend was suffering from separation. Since Sevda left, he lived for work, avoided events and barely showed up for friends on Fridays.

"Why don't you come to dinner with me and Zeynep? I'll let you know and she can call Afra to keep you company.

Afra was a model and friend of his partner's girlfriend. He tried some attacks on him in the past, but Baran was faithful and loved only Sevda. After he was dumped by his ex-girlfriend he decided that loneliness would be his companion. At least she wouldn't abandon him or betray him with her greatest enemy. Baran didn't want to go out with his friend and his girlfriend, much less with Afra as company.

"Let's leave it for a next time, I'm going home early.

When the publicist declined the friend's offer, the phone vibrated in his pocket and saw the notification of the messaging app.

The show starts at 7:00, but I'll be there a little early. I know you're probably going to leave work this time, so I can set up our meeting at 7:30.

The address is what I'm sending you, the gallery is in a busy neighborhood and since I'm cool, we can have real food for dinner after it's over.

Ana

Baran read the message and his friend noticed his smile as he looked at what was written on his phone.

"Sevda is asking you to come back or did you get someone and not tell your friends?

Baran kept his phone in his pocket again and replied that it was just some message.

"Buddy, if it's someone who came up in your life, I think you should invest. Suffering for Sevda won't help you at all. Several months have passed and she hasn't even cared about the betrayal she's done to you, and honestly, it's been better that way. You've suffered now, have you thought if it was after the wedding? You didn't even have the guts to tell it. She invented a journey from that traitor abroad, omitting from her mother that the daughter-in-law she swears to be perfect is nothing but a treacherous snake.

Kerem left the room and went to Aisha. Baran would dispense with the meeting even waiting for her message.

But after what his friend said, it would just be a date with a girl he met on a day when nothing was going out the way he wanted.

He would go to the exhibition, the two would talk, take her to dinner as in the message and then each would go to his house. Maybe Kerem was right and he wouldn't be suffering in that huge apartment where every corner of him resembled Sevda.

**

Ana finished half the summary that afternoon and would leave the rest for the next day. While teaching her brother mathematics, she waited for Baran's answer.

The message was sent before lunch and it was after 4 pm and he didn't even confirm whether he was going or not.

All right, I'm not going to insist. If he wants to go, well. If you don't want to, ame.

"Boy, pay attention to this account that I explained to you twice the same thing.

"Ana rebuked her brother who was more interested in the game than in learning mathematics.

While Ana explained the content to her brother, the young woman's father came home and the children were surprised.

"Daddy, is everything okay? "Ana went to her father and helped him with the work booklet, took the suit that the man wore and left it on the couch.

"All quiet, child. Isn't your mother back yet? She told me she'd be home early.

She didn't come and she didn't call me. Do you want me to prepare some coffee or tea?

"Make me a cup of coffee, child. I'm going to go to my room and change my clothes and come back. Ahmet, pay attention to what your sister teaches and if you have any questions about the content, I'll go and explain it to you.

The father went to the room and the young woman caught the attention of her brother who was in the online game and went to the kitchen to prepare the coffee.

Ana put a song on her phone. As I prepared the coffee, I was thinking about what clothes I was wearing that night.

I'd choose something simple that wouldn't draw too much attention. She was adept at jeans and gowns and rarely wore high heels, but found herself thinking about which outfit would look best for a simple event like the exhibition of Mrs Hatice's studio.

The kettle whistled and Ana prepared the coffee as strong as her father liked it.

Furkan was a complete addict and his daughter became addicted as her father. When Ana entered high school, and the subjects became more complicated, her father taught her. He thought the girl would be an accountant like him, but Ana ended up choosing journalism.

He put the cup of coffee in the tray and took it to the room, where his father was already helping his brother.

"Daddy, I'm going to get ready. I have an appointment with the girls tonight. Mom already knows what it is and I'm going to pick out the outfit yet.

The young woman entered the room and locked the door, so she would not be bothered while she was parting some looks for the exhibition.

He tried to match a black jeans with a white button-up shirt and found it very tacky. Then he took a pink dress and found it very adolescent. Almost 30 minutes later, she decided on a white dress with a denim jacket and the pair of blue sneakers she beat from her mother last Christmas.

With the chosen outfit, the young woman saw the time on the clock. She had time until the scheduled time.