Almost a Turkish Soap Opera

by Anne-Rae Vasquez

  Kamil waves to her as he comes closer. She looks up at him and smiles, relieved that she has someone to talk to. Kamil enters cautiously into the hot tub and finds a seat across from her. He enjoys the hot bubbles around him and also the company of his favourite teacher.

  “Don’t worry about him, Ms. Morgan.” He nods towards Adel’s direction and smiles at her reassuringly. “He’s just playing. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

  Nora raises her eyebrows and then smiles. “I don’t know what you mean, Kamil.”

  Kamil nods his head, understanding that he should keep his mouth shut. “It was a very great day today. I really am enjoying this retreat.”

  “Well, I’m very happy to hear this. I am enjoying today too.” She can’t help but relax when Kamil is around. He had a great way of easing her nerves with his calm and easy-going personality.

  “You know, my wife would not have let me come if it weren’t for Adel being my chaperone.” He chuckles.

  “Your wife sure doesn’t let you have too much fun, does she?” She says this tongue-in-cheek. She always enjoyed reading Kamil’s essays he submitted for writing class. They often described his family life events such as when his wife put him on the couch again because of a comment he made to her about her cooking or some silly thing. When she would call him to read his essay to the class, it often made the class burst out in laughter since he would read with so much expression and humour. Although, he would try to make light of his stories, Nora had a feeling that Kamil was unhappy with his life. She herself didn’t understand why he would put up with such immaturity. He was definitely very intelligent and had a good head on his shoulders. He also knew how to make others laugh and feel good about themselves. This was a trait very rare to find in most people she knew. She genuinely liked Kamil as a person and as a friend. She would hate that he be unhappy in his life. But this of course was not her business so she kept these thoughts to herself.

  A new year’s resolution, she promised to herself— she will live life to the fullest and not meddle in anyone else’s before fixing her own life.

  Part Three

  Turkish Drama

  Chapter 33

  Excuses do not fix things

  Nora thinks about the nice conversation she had with Kamil in the hot tub. It made her forget that Adel was having the time of his life showing off his dives while the girls cheered him on. Kamil chatted with her until the pool attendants announced that the pool was closing. Not only was she relieved to have his company, she really enjoyed their intense discussion about topics ranging from politics to religion.

  Now after her shower, sitting on the bed with a towel wrapped around her hair, she relaxes by reading a paperback novel.

  There is a soft knock on the door. Nora looks at the time on the clock. It is one a.m. She debates whether she should ignore the knock and pretend she is sleeping. The knocking persists. She gets up and throws on her robe and walks to the door.

  “Who is it?” she asks.

  “It’s me…”

  “Me who?” She snaps.

  “Me, me… who else could it be?”

  Exasperated, she flings open the door ready to poke his eyes out.

  Adel is leaning on the door frame, dressed in a white T-shirt and snug blue jeans. His hair is slightly damp and he's carrying a towel.

  “What do you want?” she asks.

  He looks at her a little shocked. “I told you I would come by, did I not?” The elevator opens a few doors down and an older couple walks out chatting happily.

  Nora looks down the hall and then pulls him inside, closing the door behind her.

    Adel puts his arms around her. She turns and pulls away. She motions for him to sit on the couch.

  “What’s wrong, Nora?” Adel asks.

  She doesn’t know why she is upset. Why did she care that Adel was so full of himself? Why did it matter that she saw the real person he was—a big show off and a flirt? Maybe the anger was more at herself. How in the world could she fall for such a shallow person?

  “Nora…why aren’t you saying anything?”  

  She turns around. “Nothing. It’s nothing. I’m sorry, it’s late and I wasn’t expecting guests.” She sits down in the arm chair.

  Adel, unsure of himself, sits down on the couch.

  “I have something to tell you… That I've been trying to tell  you for some time.”  He clears his throat.

  Nora asks, “What is it?” 

  Adel takes a deep breath. “Remember when we first met... when I told you how it is in my culture?”

  Nora shakes her head slowly. “No...” 

  He continues, “Well, in my culture, when a boy and a girl reach a certain age, the parents look for partners for them.” 

  Nora says, “Yes, that's right. An arranged marriage, I remember now. What does that have to do with anything?” 

  Adel looks down into his hands and then back at Nora.  Nora suddenly begins to realize what Adel is trying to say.

  “I see... You've been arranged to marry someone in Turkey,” she says. 

  Adel looks away nervously. “No...”

  “Okay, then what?” 

  He turns to her and spits out the words. “My parents arranged for me to marry my cousin.” 

  Nora catches her breath. She whispers, “And sooo...”   

  Adel continues. “We did get married. A month and a half ago. I have been meaning to tell you this....” 

  Nora's eyes widen. “Are you trying to tell me that... that you're married? Oh my God.” 

  She stands up, nearly falling out of the chair. She stumbles away from him and tries to stable herself against the desk. Adel stands up and follows her. “Wait, Nora, please listen first. Let me explain.”

  She shakes her head. “Why? Why are you doing this to me?  You've been married all along?”

  “My cousin and I,” he says, “we didn't want this. She is only doing this to please our family. I only did this to uphold my parents’ agreement with her parents and my Grand Uncle.” 

  Nora shakes her head in disbelief. “I still don't understand... Why? Why did you make it seem we had something together?  A future? You made me doubt my own life. My fiancé...” 

  Adel tries to pull her to him. “Because we do have something together. A future...” 

  Nora pulls away, shaking her head. “How can you say that?  You're married, for crying out loud.”

  Adel pleads. “I thought I'd never see you again,” he says. “I never stopped thinking about you. I never knew that fate would bring us back together.”

  He begins babbling desperately. “After I got deported, I lost sight of the purpose in my life. I was very depressed and miserable,” he says. “When I came to Canada, there was nothing here for me. No future, no opportunities. All my dreams were over.  I had been staying with Kamil, his new wife and her parents and working for her father in a fast food restaurant. It was awful so I quit and moved out. Homeless and jobless.   Kamil was so worried that he told my parents who asked my Grand Uncle to help. So that is how the arrangement was made, all without my knowledge. My Grand Uncle's granddaughter was arranged to marry me in exchange for a portion of land that belongs to my father. But with that my Grand Uncle also released half of the land belonging to my father for my two brothers to build their homes.”

  Nora turns slowly and looks up at Adel. “So you see Nora,” Adel says, “I had no choice but to accept the arrangement. It was my duty. And I thought that I could try to make the marriage work. I had nothing left to look forward to do. I hadn't seen my cousin since we were kids. She was annoying then. But I thought maybe she has grown up, changed.  When we were married, she looked like a traditional Turkish wife.  But the minute we got to her apartment, she showed her true colours.  She told me right then that she's only doing this to please our family.  We both agreed to stay out of each other's way.  So you see, we had not fulfilled
our marriage commitment.”

  Nora frowns. “I don't understand.” 

  Adel grabs her hand. “We did not consummate our marriage,” he says. “We have been living like brother and sister. I sleep in the guest room. I live my own life. She smokes, drinks, takes drugs... all the things I detest. She swears... she is rude and loud. She also has a boyfriend she talks on the phone with late at night. I'm guessing this is the reason why she was arranged to marry me... so that Grand Uncle and his daughter (my aunt) would not be shamed by her behaviour.  Kamil told me after we were married that Yonka had been sent here to Canada because of some scandal back home.”

  Does he think I’m a moron? Nora is completely stunned. “This still does not change the fact that you are a married man, Adel.” 

  Adel lowers his voice, again reaching for her hand. “Don't you see? When you walked into the classroom that day after thinking I would never see you again... I was brought back to life,” he says. “I was re-born.  It was then and there that I decided that I would annul my arranged marriage. I would end the farce and face my family. “ 

  Nora whirls around. “Why would you do that?  You know that I'm engaged to be married,” she says. “What makes you think that I would give that all up for you?” 

  Adel grabs her arm and pulls her to him. “Because I know you feel the same as I do.  Because I see you in my life forever. Because I'm so in love with you, I can't think straight when you are not close to me...” 

  Nora closes her eyes.  She tenses up. “I don't know why I am doing this...This is crazy... This is...” 

  Adel whispers, “Tell me to go... If this isn't what you want.  Tell me to go...”  She stares at him unable to respond. They stand in silence for what seems like hours.

  He nods his head, finally accepting that this was not going any further. He turns around and with tired steps, he walks to the door. He looks back but Nora has turned away from him. He sees her silhouette—a goddess frozen in ice. He opens the door and leaves.

  Chapter 34

  What’s life without drama?

  Yonka has been very busy. She just spent the last hour turning over picture frames, flower vases, and knick knacks in her living room. She pushed chairs onto their sides, and took paintings off the walls. She was careful not to destroy anything since she purchased these things with her own hard earned money. Earlier she had been in Adel’s room searching for his little black phone book. She rummaged through his dresser, his suitcase and read through all his papers. When she found what she was looking for, she tossed all his belongings on the floor, not caring if anything got broken. All his things were junk, for all she cared. He was such a neat freak, always complaining about her leaving her nail polish on the coffee table or dirty plates on the counter. He would have a fit when he saw all his precious belongings thrown on the floor.

  It was exhausting but liberating. She checks herself out in the mirror over the fire place mantle. She sees her hazel green eyes stare right back at her. Her dark wavy hair frames her face. Her cheeks are slightly pink from all the running around. I look quite sexy when I’m flushed with excitement, she thinks to herself. She smiles at her reflection for a second more and then remembers that she has a mission to accomplish.

  She picks up the phone and dials 9-1-1, the local emergency phone number.

  When the call is answered, she blurts into the phone. “I need help! Someone broke into my home!”  

  “9-1-1. What's the address of the emergency?”

  She sobs. “5988 Forest Pine, Suite 309, Vancouver.”

  “Who am I speaking with?” the 911 attendant asks.

  “Yonka… Yonka Emre. E-M-R-E.” She throws in a couple of more sobs.

  “Now tell me what the exact problem is.”

  “Like I said, I need help! Someone broke into my home!”  She starts to sob uncontrollably.

  “Okay, please calm down. We’re sending a patrol car over right away. We will call you at this number if we need to contact you.”

  Yonka smiles to herself as she hangs up the phone.

  ***

  Kamil had gone straight to bed after coming back from the pool. Ayca had called to check on him. He told her that he was tired and needed to rest. She continued yattering away. She told him that next time she would not let him go on these official school activities. Finally, after assuring her that he had been a good boy, she hung up the phone.

  He had just dozed off into a deep sleep thinking of the lovely evening he had with Ms. Morgan when he is startled awake by the ringing of his cell phone—actually, it was the ring tone of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me a River” (which, if you asked Adel, was silly for a grown man to have on his phone). Adel, on the other hand, had Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” as his ringtone because he was in fact, the Turkish Slim Shady.  

  So let’s go back to Kamil who was rudely awakened by Justin Timberlake singing “But I refuse, you must have me confused with some other guy…Cry me a river….” He drowsily reaches for his cell phone.

  “Hello...” Kamil mumbles. 

  “I need to talk to Adel,” Yonka sobs into the phone. “I have been trying to call him all evening but he is not answering his cell!”

  “What's wrong? What's the matter?” Kamil asks, “Is everything okay?” 

  Yonka says, “I came home from work and found the place had been robbed.” 

  Kamil sits up. “What?! Are you okay? Did you call the police?” 

  Yonka starts crying. “Yes, I did... I was so scared.”  She was at Guy’s apartment sitting at his kitchen table. Guy was reading his magazine across from her, smirking at Yonka’s colourful performance of a damsel in distress.

  Kamil asks, “Where are you now?”

  “I'm at my friend's place for the night. I want to talk to my husband.”

  “Okay,” Kamil says. “Wait a minute.”

  He climbs out of his bed, the chill wrapping its fingers around his bare back. He walks down the hall to Adel's room.  He knocks softly on the door.  There is no response. Kamil opens the door and sees that the bed has not been slept in.  He shakes his head, knowing full well of Adel’s playboy ways. He had to cover for him many a time back in the old days when Adel would have two or three girlfriends at once. Kamil goes back to the room. He picks up his cell phone which he had left on the bed.

  “Yonka…”

  “What took you so long?” Yonka barks.

  Kamil rolls his eyes. “Adel is probably asleep. He was not very happy today. Very bothered. He kept saying that he is not feeling well.”

  “Well, wake him up!” 

  Kamil is beginning to lose his patience. “I'll tell him in the morning.  Right now, he's locked himself in the room.” 

  Yonka is livid. “Knock louder! This is important. This is an emergency. Break the door down if you have to.”

  Guy raises his eyebrows and gives Yonka a you’re being very naughty look. Yonka shrugs her shoulders and gives him a sly smile. 

  Kamil raises his voice, losing any ounce of empathy for this woman. “Yonka, as long as you are in a safe place, everything will be fine. Adel is very upset and perhaps, you are the cause of this. I will tell him to call you in the morning.” 

  Yonka is baffled by Kamil’s response. “Kamil, I demand you to wake Adel up. Is he there? Or is he somewhere else? Are you protecting him? Is that what this is?!” 

  Kamil says gruffly, “Yonka... I am offended by your accusations. I'm very tired. Good night.” He ends the call and stares into the darkness.  After a few seconds, he dials Adel's number.  The phone call goes straight to Adel's voice mail. 

  Kamil leaves a message. “Adel, Yonka called. She is trying to contact you because someone broke into your apartment tonight. Call me back when you get this.”

  Chapter 35

  What a mess this has become

   

  Not only was this trip the worst time of his life, he didn’
t get any action with Nora when he had the chance to. He had never been turned down by a woman before. Walking back to the hotel suite, Adel checks his voice mail messages.  He has five messages—the first message, Yonka asks him to call her back. The second message is Yonka’s angry voice asking him why he doesn't answer his phone. The third call—she is furious, threatening that if he doesn't answer his phone or call her back, something bad was going to happen. The next call she is crying hysterically. Then he hears Kamil's message.  He quietly enters his suite so as not to wake Zeid who is sleeping on the couch. He walks past him and stumbles over the pile of clothes left on the floor. He mumbles obscenities under his breath as he walks to his room. He opens the door and is startled to see Kamil sitting on his bed.

  “Where were you?” Kamil asks. Adel rolls his eyes and drops his towel on the chair. 

  Kamil says, “Don't worry, I can only guess....Did you get my phone message?” 

  Adel nods his head. “Yes, I did.” He sits on the edge of the bed.

  “And...” Kamil says. 

  Adel frowns. “I don't believe it. Yonka thinks she can continue this crazy plan to keep me from annulling the marriage.  She is so wrong.”

  Kamil is not so sure. “You think this is a trick?  Why would she do this?  She sounded really upset when I spoke to her.” 

  Adel punches his fist into his hand. “It's just a coincidence that she gave me drugs to try to trick me to believe that we sleep together? I know it is all a trick.  Now because I do not answer her phone calls, she thinks up this story so that she can get me to feel sorry for her.” 

  Kamil nods his head slowly.  “It does sound strange... Anyway, she said she is at her friend's house until you come home. She demanded to talk to you. When I found out you weren't here, I told her that you were angry and upset and have locked yourself in the room. She didn't believe me. She accused me of covering for you because you were with another woman.”

  Adel laughs out loud.  “See what I mean... she is so afraid of being robbed but she is still thinking about who I am sleeping with? Scared, my ass.”

  Kamil replies, “I did have that feeling when she first sounded scared and then she was angry demanding me to break down your door.”