Stay with me

88 Taming the stubborn

Realizing that she had blurted out too much, Jansu bit her tongue. A wry smile lifted the right corner of Niko's lips. His assumptions turned out to be correct. Jansu was determined to avoid him. But his intentions were the opposite.

"Alina was not at the reception," he stood up for the secretary. "And I have an important conversation with you. So I took a chance and went through."

"What kind of talk is that?" she asked with a sigh.

"I wanted to ask you to help me buy a present for Emine Diana. She is your niece and you know better what exactly will bring her joy."

"A medium-sized zoo," muttered Jansu, and immediately, throwing up her index finger, ordered Niko, "Just don't try to buy it! Otherwise, Iplikci will be left not only without a nanny, - but also without Zehra."

"Who is Zehra?" Niko asked.

"Domestic helper. She has been working for Omer and Defne since the first day of their marriage. Zehra adores Emine, but her antics sometimes bring her to a nervous tic."

Niko involuntarily smiled and said, "Emine Diana reminds me of someone very much."

"A stone in my garden? Jansu shrugged her shoulders in embarrassment. "What to do? You can't change genes."

Niko couldn't help laughing. He didn't remember the last time he laughed. Probably at their wedding with Jansu. For the past four years, he has had no time for fun. His life consisted of a frantic pace of work and short hours of sleep. Niko had forgotten what a pleasure it was - a carefree laugh. Looking at the reason for his good mood, he repeated his request, "So will you help me choose a gift?"

Jansu sighed and agreed, "Good. But we have to keep within," she looked at her wrist, where the gold watch was ticking, "at two and a half hours. I have a meeting at one-thirty."

"We'll make it!" flashing a smile, Niko promised her.

The choice of a shopping center, Niko, as a true gentleman, left to the lady. Jansu, after a couple of minutes of thought, resolutely said, "Zorlu! Maybe we'll be lucky and we will meet some movie star," she added dreamily, which at the same time angered and amused Niko.

She alone knew how to evoke such contradictory emotions in him. But he masterfully hid them behind a calm face and agreed, "So Zorlu."

They did not meet a star in Zorlu, but they had a great time. They went around all the children's stores and turned into kids for a couple of hours. But the gift was never chosen. All the toys that Niko liked, Jansu resolutely brushed aside, alternating between two phrases: "Emine already has this" and "Buy it if you want to offend her". The second was all about glamors, such as a tiara for the hair and pink nail polish, which every self-respecting princess should have. But Emine was not an ordinary princess and she hated all sorts of glamorous things.

"Okay, then tell me what she loves?" demanded of his companion Niko.

"She loves climbing trees, riding a bicycle, tumbling in the grass with the Kid. The Kid is her dog," clarified Jansu.

"And from more ... quiet activities, what does she prefers?"

"Drawing," answered Jansu. "Emine loves to draw."

"Then I have an idea!" Niko grabbed Jansu by the hand and pulled her into a very adult store, where everything necessary for the work of artists was sold - canvases, pencils, easels, paints, and much more. He chose a professional painting kit as well as a watercolor and paint mixing palette.