Looking For His North Star

Chapter thirteen

As soon as he left, Yaman reached for Seher, cradling her face and pressing his chin against her forehead. His breathing hitched.

Seher didn't even know when she'd started bawling, but suddenly her cheeks were wet with tears and her whole body was shaking. She clutched at Yaman tightly.

"God heeds the prayers of little children," he said, in a strangled voice.

She nodded, a smile breaking through her tears. "Yusuf..."

Yaman pulled back, wiping her tears away with the back of his hands.

"Our Little Fire must have been praying to God, since the day he found out that he was going to be a big brother," He smiled, wryly. "Now he got what he wanted- like he always does. He's going to have a brother and a sister."

"He'll be so happy..."

"So am I," Yaman said. "Twins... I don't think I've ever had twins on my side of the family..."

"I have," she said. "I have an auntie and an uncle from my father's side, who are fraternal twins. They live in Antep."

"So as usual, the miracle worker is you," Yaman said.

"You do realize that I didn't get pregnant by myself, right?" Seher laughed. Then she took a deep breath and grabbed both of his hands.

"So are you ready?" She asked. "Sleep deprivation, changing diapers six times a day, aching arms, pain and fear and a love like you've never known to exist?"

Yaman's answering smile was radiant.

"I can't wait..."

************************************

"I'll give you guys all the toys I have."

Seher caught Yaman's eyes across the table and smiled.

"Keep talking, sweetheart," she said. "The babies can hear you."

Yusuf hugged her baby bump tighter, smashing his cheek on the top of it.

"I love you," he said. "I love you guys loads! Please, come quickly. We'll have so much fun!"

Seher leaned down and kissed his curly hair.

Yaman smiled. The family had been delighted when they got the news of them having twins. Even though they still had about five months to go, the nursery was already being built little by little and Yusuf had personally taken it upon himself to draw the pictures to hang on the pale green walls. They mostly contained colourful stick figures of him and his siblings playing around with darts and puzzles and eating giant lemon cookies.

Yaman didn't have the heart to tell him that the babies wouldn't even be able to walk, much less have solid food or play games for months.

He stood up.

"I'm going upstairs to make a phone call," He looked at Seher. "Do you need anything?"

She shook her head. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and ruffled Yusuf's hair.

Entering his office, he took out his wallet to look for the card of the new potential business partner, Nedim had sent him. Involuntarily, his eyes went to the babies' ultrasound picture- tucked behind a photograph of Seher and Yusuf, in the wallet.

He touched it briefly. Just like he'd carried around Yusuf's baby picture for years, he now carried the pictures of everything precious to him, wherever he went.

After he finished the call, he went back downstairs. Yusuf was sitting on the floor infront of the sofa, head bent over another drawing. Seher was nowhere in sight.