After She Said Yes

by Kaya Gravitter

  --

  The next morning while Aurora was at her office desk drinking her coffee and checking her emails, she got some news that pushed her to call her boss. She told him that she needed to meet him for lunch and that it was urgent. She knew that if she didn’t message him right away, she might change her mind, so that was why she had to act fast.

  It was lunchtime and Aurora was sweating everywhere. She hated confrontation more than anyone.

  Aurora called, emailed, and messaged him several times that Monday morning. He only agreed to the lunch because she was very adamant about meeting, and she was never that push, with him. This is why she needed to start looking for a new person or maybe even two people to take over her position. Aurora was a force of nature and would do whatever she could to get a job done.

  Aurora met Mr. Fratzenburg at L’Etoile, the same restaurant that Aurora and Jason had gone to. She chose it because she knew it would be a business expense and Mr. Fratzenburg could afford it. She walked in and smelled duck glazed in butter and heard silver clinging on plates as people ate their food. She told the hostess who she was there to have lunch with for a business meeting. They immediately knew whom she was there to meet. The hostess probably thought Aurora was an escort, knowing the bachelor, Mr. Fratzenburg, though Aurora ensured the hostess she was there for a business meeting. Nonetheless, the hostess brought her to the table. They walked passed men in suits chatting about politics and the stock market.

  Mr. Fratzenburg winked at the hostess and Aurora rolled her eyes. Then he flashed Aurora his white Hollywood smile. “Hello Aurora, long time no see. How is my favorite publicist?”

  “Really?” Aurora said back in a snappy way as she rolled her eyes, “Uh, I am the editor-in-chief of your magazine.” How many employees does he have and actually remember? His assistant probably had to tell him my name fifteen times for him to remember it.

  He responded back, “Oh, yeah. So how are you? What’s up with you? I see you are not wearing a wedding ring.” She looked at her hand and put it on her lap and pretended to adjust the napkin on her lap, so it would no longer be the topic of conversation.

  Aurora sassed back, “Is that the first thing you see on a woman? If they are married or not? But you cannot even remember my job title?”

  He laughed. Aurora was much different as a business professional than she was in her personal life. She didn't let people beat her around. He obviously did not hire her for her charm, but he liked a girl with sass and she took work very seriously. He respected hard work.

  “Anyway, what is so important that you had to meet today? You are lucky I was in Madison today.”

  The waitress brought out some water and wine for Aurora. Aurora looked at the wine and shook her head no. A man then came behind her with the lunch.

  He then looked at her and smiled. “Oh sorry, I already ordered for you.” Of course you did. He continued, “My assistant called your assistant and told her what you liked.”

  She looked down at a plate of Bouillabaisse and smiled, which included Aurora’s favorite: mussels. She then said, “Well, close enough. I do like mussels.”

  As he was cutting up the chicken in his Coq au vin, he said to Aurora, “So, what were you going to say that is so important that we had to meet for lunch?”

  “Well…” Aurora now sat down her silverware and took a drink of water. “I don’t know how to put this lightly, but I am giving you my resignation.” She then pulled an envelope out of her jacket that had her letter of resignation inside.

  Mr. Fratzenburg put his silverware down and thought for a moment. He looked shocked and then pushed the envelope away. “No, I can’t accept that.”

  “Well, you don’t have to, but I am resigning.”

  “But you can’t.”

  Aurora responded, “Well, why is that?”

  “I don’t have anyone to replace you.” He was only thinking about his magazine as he said it. It wasn’t that he would miss her as an employee or that she was great at her job.

  Aurora said back, ignoring his upsetting comment, “Well, I want to leave within a month from now. I don’t know how logical that is, but I will help you hire and train someone until I leave.” She also knew that whomever would replace her would have large shoes to fill. She didn’t want to leave in a bad way. Working for the magazine offered her many opportunities, leadership, and learning experience.

  “But I will give you a raise or whatever you want to stay.”

  Aurora said, “I can’t.”

  Mr. Fratzenburg said obnoxiously, as he stuffed some food into his mouth, “I mean, what’s the rush?” He took a gulp of the scotch in his glass to help flush down the food. Aurora stared at him as he ate like an animal. Does he have any manners or does he not respect me at all? He then continued by saying, “Was the breakup that bad?”

  Aurora rolled her eyes and said in an aggravated tone, “That is extremely unprofessional to bring up my personal life, which is none of your business.” She then took a few breaths to contain herself. “The truth is I took a new job. It was the job offer I turned down before I built this magazine with you. Well, by myself, if you think about it.”

  “The job at The Times? You mean that liberal paper?”

  “Oh, come on, Mr. Fratzenburg. I know you are smarter than that. They were not always liberal.”

  “I know. I am just kidding. I was kidding about the relationship thing too.” His sympathy did not sound genuine with the arrogance in his voice. He continued, “Well, congratulations. That is a great. I am happy for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “So, I guess we should start looking to hire someone as soon as possible because they have big shoes to fill.” She felt like she had his blessings to leave, but that didn’t matter to her anyway because she was going to go regardless.

  “That’s true,” Aurora said as she signaled for the waiter to wrap up the rest of her lunch. “Let’s get to work then, shall we?”

  Chapter 26

  The next week, Aurora was walking to her home after work. The sounds of leather boots scraping and heels clicking against the pavement surrounded her. She pulled out her phone from her pocket to scroll through her social media pages as she walked on State Street. She had to keep looking up every few seconds to make sure she wasn’t walking into anyone. After walking for a few moments, she saw Melih walking in front of her. She looked down and stared at her phone, like no one around her existed. Please don’t notice me. Please don’t notice me. Please don’t notice me.

  Melih looked both ways before he crossed the street and saw Aurora in his peripheral vision. He stopped and turned around. Oh, come on.

  “Aurora?”

  “Oh, hey Melih,” she said as she looked down again. Dang it. "I didn't see you there."

  “I have messaged you many times and you have not responded,” Melih said. “Is every-ding okay?” I am just in a crisis and don’t know what to do with my life.

  “Yes. Everything is fine,” Aurora said. “But I never received any messages from you. I would have responded.”

  “You know vhat? It doesn’t matter,” Melih said. “It’s just that… I missed you,” He mumbled.

  “You what?”

  “I missed you, Rora.”

  I missed you too. I feel like melting in your arms after you said you’ve missed me, but I can’t tell you that.

  Melih said,“Vell, if you are not doing anything, you want to go to da steepery and get a tea?”

  “Well.”

  “Vell…yes?”

  “Okay,” Aurora said. “But only because I love their raspberry bubble tea.” She smiled as she looked down at her Purple Dolce & Gabbana sling backs.

  They arrived at the teashop and a waft of freshly brewed Persian tea and homemade sweet sticky buns wrapped around her nose. Her cheeks were red and windburned from the icy wind outside.

  “Hey,” Melih said as he smiled at Aurora. “You can get a seat vherever you like and I vill get your tea.” />
  She went to a table in the front of the teashop so she could people watch from the front window. She took off her gloves and set them on the table.

  She took a moment to stop looking out the window at the people walking by, to check out Melih as he waited in line. She bit her lip. He turned around. She waved awkwardly at him. Aurora, really? She felt that he giggled to himself for catching her. He walked up to the table.

  “Thanks for the drink.” She flashed him a smile as she fluttered her eyelashes like a butterfly.

  Melih set down the drinks.

  “Let me help you with that, Rora,” he said as he helped Aurora take off her coat. As he was doing that, he said softly to Aurora, next to her ear, “My pleasure.” Goosebumps went down her spine as the word pleasure dripped from his lips. She felt like he had said it in slow motion and the sound was prolonged in her ears.

  The way his soft voice felt on her neck, it was as if he were kissing it, but his lips never touched her skin. She could feel each strand of her hair stick up, one strand at a time. She had not felt that kind of sensation before. She didn’t know what that feeling was, until that moment. Wow… This is love. Or is this lust? It must be love, right?

  He sat down and she stared at her iced tea. She used her straw to play with the black tapioca pearls in the bottom of her cup. She didn’t want to look into Melih’s eyes because she didn’t want to face the reality of the way she felt about him. She wanted to be strong, but every moment she could feel her heart beating faster and heavier.

  She then looked at him. “Melih…” She could not resist looking into his dark brown eyes that looked like the night sky with all the stars and the moons of all of the planets. How have I not seen him like this before? This is different from the day he caught me at the ice skating rink. I should tell him I will be moving to New York. But after the way she was feeling at that moment, she didn’t want to tell him anything.

  “Yes, Aurora?”

  She stopped with what she was about to say. She wanted to put herself first for once.

  No matter what happens between us, I will move to New York and take that job…Even if you are irresistible… God help me. She sighed as she looked down at the black tapioca pearls in her iced milk tea.

  “Aurora?”

  “Oh,” Aurora said. “I am sorry. I had a busy day today.”

  “It is okay,” Melih said. “So you vill be divorced next week, right?”

  “Yes,” Aurora said. “And. I. Can. Not. Wait.” She threw her hands up in the air with excitement and everyone around her stared at her like she was a crazy person. Melih raised his eyebrows.

  “Vell, I vould like to come with you. I don’t vant you to be there alone,” Melih said.

  “Well, I won’t be there alone. I will have my lawyer and my family said they are coming, but I guess I can’t count on them. Tessa also has work that day, so…”

  “Perfect. I vill come. I want to be there for you. I know dis probably may be hard for you.”

  “I will be fine. All the hard stuff has passed, to be honest,” Aurora said. “Unless his lawyer fights the evidence, we are contesting the pre-nup.”

  “I am sure they vill lose. I have been praying for dat,” Melih said. “You know, you are a lot stronger than you dhink.”

  Aurora smiled at Melih and said, “Thank you.” She sucked some of the tea and one of the pearls through her straw. She struggled to suck it up, even though the straw was wider than most straws.

  “You are velcome. You vent through a lot with Gannon and never told anyone.” Melih sighed. “I just vish I could have done something.”

  She then said, “It is okay. Everyone keeps saying that, but no one could have done anything because no one knew.” Aurora was slightly annoyed because she had heard it a million times from so many people.

  “I know, but it is different for me.”

  Aurora was intrigued but confused. “How is that?”

  “I liked you since da first time I saw you in Zara’s dorm room.”

  “What?” Aurora felt nostalgic.

  “Remember my saying I liked your shirt?” Melih said.“Yeah, it was an awkward compliment, but I remember that. I didn’t know how to react.” Aurora laughed. “I actually don’t remember the shirt I was wearing.”

  “I remember it vas a blue blouse and you had your hair tied back.” He touched his earlobe with his thumb. “You vere vearing the same pearl earrings you have on now.” Aurora used her thumb to rub the pearl earring on her right ear, wishing she were rubbing his hands. Then she sucked up some more tea through her straw.

  Melih went on, “See. I could have done something. I could have saved you from him. Dhere vere so many times I vanted tell you I liked you, but I just couldn’t do dat to you.”

  Shhhh, was the sound she made as she put her finger to her lips.

  “It is fine. Everything is already determined by God, right?” Aurora said. “Wait, why did you say you couldn’t tell me you liked me?”

  “Well, you remember the first time you and I had coffee alone?” Melih said.

  Aurora looked up towards the ceiling. She did that a lot when she was thinking. She then said, “Yes, I remember.”

  Melih said nervously and hesitantly, “Vell, it was someding I said then… Like, my parents ‘would love you’ or something like dat.”

  “Yes,” Aurora said. “I remember very well.”

  Melih stroked his hands through his hair as he looked down. He looked worried to tell Aurora something, as if it would change things between them forever.

  She said, “What is it, Melih?” Aurora knew that something was wrong by his behavior.

  Melih said hesitantly, “Vell, the reason I never said anyding in college about liking you or why I tried to push you avay after you left Gannon….Uhh.. because…”

  “Well, what is it, Melih?” Aurora was getting annoyed because she was feeling anxious and didn’t really like suspense.

  “Vell, I just didn’t think my parents vould ever approve of you.”

  “Well, why? Am I not good enough?”

  “No, no, no, Aurora. You are perfect,” he said as he took a drink from his tea. He thinks I am perfect. “You are a great person, Aurora. I guess I never thought to be vith someone who vas not Muslim or Turkish. I never asked them though…. Because I thought that they would not approve…. My family are wery proud Turkish people.”

  Aurora was confused, “What do you mean by very proud?”

  “Vell, my family loves Turkish history. Turkish people. Da Food. Baklava. Coffee. The kabob. Everything related to Turkey.” Aurora didn’t know what to say. Melih continued, “They just like everything Turkish. They really like Turkish people too. My dad always told me how he vanted me to marry a Turkish girl. Dat is his dream.”

  “Okay, so why can’t you tell them?” Aurora said. “I mean, why are you telling me now?”

  Melih said, “Vell, I can. I am just scare d-hey will say they do not allow it. I do not want to disobey my parents in any way.”

  “Melih, you don’t have to tell them.”

  “Vell, I vant to. The next time I see them, I vill tell them about you.” He then grabbed her hand. “I promise I will.” Is he going to propose to me or something? I am so confused…

  Aurora really wanted to tell Melih then that she was moving to New York. That way, it would make things easier on them. They could move on before they fell too hard. “Okay, tell them.” What? Why did I say that? She wanted to hit her hand to her forehead. I am always thinking with my heart.

  “I vill,” Melih said with a smile, while rubbing his thumb against her hand.

  The rest of the night they spent talking and laughing, and they fell harder by each second. It was as if the walls finally came down between them. It took them years to get to that point. Aurora let Melih walk her to her car and he hugged her and kissed her on the forehead. His hug was so warm, and they both wished that time would stop and they could hold onto that embrace forever.
<
br />   Aurora went to bed that night crying because she was sad that she would be leaving eventually, and she didn’t know how to tell Melih. Every time she looked in his eyes, she became lost. She didn’t want Melih to tell his family about her because she knew that things would change once she moved. She wanted to build a new life somewhere else. She also knew that she really needed to take time by working on herself and being alone.

  --

  Toward the end of the week, Aurora and Tessa decided to meet for lunch. Tessa was off that day and came to hang out with Dan when he was done with work. Tessa and Dan were seeing each other whenever they could. Tessa wanted to move into the city and get a job working as a dentist there. Even if she and Dan did not stay together, Tessa would make any excuse she could to come to Madison.

  Tessa and Aurora met at a soup and salad restaurant for lunch because Aurora loved a light lunch. The restaurant had a hipster vibe to it. Aurora loved those types of restaurants; she thought that hipsters always knew about the hip and healthy things to eat. Aurora also never really liked eating a big lunch; she wanted to eat something light. That is because when she was too full, she would become tired within an hour after returning back from lunch. Aurora never liked that afternoon slump because she didn’t have time to take a nap.

  They got their food and sat down. Aurora took a bite of her avocado chickpea salad. She had a disgusted looked on her face and pushed the bowl away from her. This is not appetizing at all.

  “Hey, I gotta tell you something,” Aurora said to Tessa.

  “Oh boy,” Tessa said. “What is it?”

  Aurora laughed. “Why do you assume it is something bad?”

  Tessa shrugged her shoulders and put her hands up, signaling that she didn’t know.

  Aurora continued, “Well, you know that article I wrote a while ago that went viral?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, The New York Times contacted me about it.”

  “And?” Tessa said.

  “Well, I got a job offer from them,” Aurora said.

  Tessa said, “Hmmm.”

  “Why aren’t you happy for me?” Aurora said. “This is a big deal.”