Looking For His North Star

Chapter seventeen

She'd stepped up, reopened the accounts and made it so, at the end of every month, the director board received a clear, clean-cut financial report of all the expenses done for orphanages and women's shelters. Everyone including Yaman, had been impressed by her deftness. But of course, she had always been so economical.

Yaman kissed his wife and reached for Yildiz in her arms.

"Why is she crying?" He asked.

"I don't know," Seher sounded close to tears herself. "She's been crying nonstop for fifteen minutes straight now. I did everything I could."

The little girl looked exhausted. She wrapped her small arms around his neck and burrowed herself into his chest.

"Baba...."

"Shh...." He said. "Shh... It's alright. Everything is alright. What happened, Yildizim?"

"Bad dream" She sobbed.

"Bad dream?" He frowned. "What is it about?"

"Dunno," she said. "Bad sounds. Bad colours. Everything was black."

His heart skipped a beat. Yildiz was an amazingly sensitive child for her age. The cloud resurfaced, and he felt the gloom settling back in his bones. Something definitely didn't feel right.

Seher threw her hands up in mock exasperation.

"Oh, I see how it is- daddy's girl," she said. "I'm going to check on your brothers. At least, they like me better."

Yaman chuckled.

"True. You always did have a way with boys."

Seher stomped out of the room. But when he glanced back, he caught her watching them from the door, her gaze soft, a smile curving her lips. She closed the door behind her, quietly.

Yaman walked to the balcony, with Yildiz in his arms. She sniffed, distracted by the brass buttons on his coat. He cupped the back of her head and peered into her large green eyes.

"Feel better?"

"Uh huh," she mumbled.

"Is it okay if baba makes a call?"

She nodded against his chest.

Holding her close to him with one arm, Yaman took out his phone and dialled Nedim's number. Nedim had been out of town for a week, on a business errand. He picked up on the second ring.

"Yaman, what is it?"

How could he phrase his question without sounding like a superstitious old woman?

"Nedim," He paused. "Did you check through your contacts, recently?"

"No, not in a while," Nedim admitted. "Why Yaman, is there a problem?"

"No, just a hunch," he said.

"I'll check through them immediately and let you know," Nedim said.

"Yes, do that."

Yaman disconnected the call and looked towards the garden, where the two boys were chasing the ball enthusiastically. Seher stood in the shade of a tree, shouting encouraging words at them.

Yusuf seemed very much interested in the game, as opposed to Arif who kept zigzagging back to Seher, to hang around her like an adoring puppy, holding up his small face for kisses. Between them, it was obvious who was the better player. Eventually, Arif seemed to be concerned that his big brother would beat him at the game, so he grabbed the ball and ran towards Seher.