3

TWO DAYS LATER

“Dad, can we talk for a minute?”

He was smoking on the balcony. “Come,” he said.

“I have an interview tomorrow for an internship as a trainee lawyer. But internships don’t really pay much. I was thinking… maybe I should look for a different job instead. If I make enough money, I could help with the expenses here.”

“There’s no need for that, sweetheart. I’ll fix things somehow. Once this court case is resolved… Until then, we’ll manage at your grandfather’s place.”

But we both knew it would take a miracle for things to truly get better. If he’d had real hope, we wouldn’t have packed up everything and come here in the first place.

“How can Grandpa’s pension be enough for all of us? I want to work and support the family.”

I knew if I didn’t insist, he wouldn’t allow me to take just any job.

This was the second time I had stood up to him. The first was when he wanted to remarry just a few months after my mother passed away. It broke me. I had objected to his marriage to Özge, but I couldn’t stop him. This time, though, I wasn’t a child anymore. Even if I couldn’t convince him, I was determined to work.

“You’ll work with me once I save the company.”

“Please, Dad. Let me work until things get back on track.”

“No, Melis. I can’t let you work outside of law. Don’t forget, you’re Özkan Arıkan’s daughter.”

“Fine, then. I’ll go to the interview tomorrow. Hopefully they’ll offer some kind of salary.”

“Don’t worry. If I have to, I’ll go sell lemons on the street to take care of this family. You just focus on doing what’s best for yourself. And don’t bring shame to our name. Elazığ is a small place. Don’t ever give people a reason to make me bow my head.”

My dad’s sensitivity about our family’s reputation was nothing new. Maybe that was the real reason I had always kept my distance from Berat. It all went back to the things my father had instilled in me over the years.

“I won’t let you down, Dad,” was all I said.

“Well, at least if you’re working in your own field, I’ll feel more at ease. But even if it’s just for an internship, the thought of you working under someone else doesn’t sit well with me.”

“I know, Dad. But I want to stand on my own two feet. Please don’t hold it against me. Even if we hadn’t gone bankrupt, it was still my dream to work as a divorce lawyer. This has nothing to do with money. And you shouldn’t feel guilty about any of this.”

“You’ll realize soon enough that working life isn’t as easy as it looks, and you’ll probably quit within a month. I raised you both through hardship, but you never truly knew what hardship was. Money earned through sweat is certainly valuable, but I spoiled you and your brother with a comfortable life. That’s why, my girl, I don’t think you’ll manage. You won’t be able to stand working under someone else’s authority.”

For the first time in years, my father was speaking to me at length about something serious, opening up about what he truly thought. His words were harsh, but he wasn’t wrong.

So I looked at him sincerely and said, “You’re right, Dad. But I’ve grown up. My princess days ended the day Mom died. I’m not as weak as you think. I want to become a successful lawyer. And if that means following orders, being looked down on, even getting crushed sometimes—so be it. Just trust me. Please, stay by my side for Mom’s sake.”

“Well then, Miss Lawyer Melis Arıkan,” he said with a tired smile, “if you really become a good lawyer and promise to tell me all about every case you win for the rest of your life, I’ll accept you working as a trainee under someone else.”

“I promise. I’ll tell you about every victory. Thank you, Dad.”

I hugged him and breathed in his scent. It was maybe the first time in years we had embraced like that.

Our bond had been broken ever since he married Özge before the mourning period for my mother had even passed.

Let’s say my father really did fall in love with Özge. But what about her? Did she really love a man old enough to be her father? Then again, she didn’t leave after the bankruptcy, so maybe she did love him…

I went into my room and looked at the business card in my hand again. I hoped Berat’s uncle was as kind as he was. Most likely, he was a middle-aged man with a stern nature, someone like my father. I’d always heard Eastern men were usually tough.

I guess I’ll find out tomorrow…

***