Letters to Elif

27

Bora had a glazed look as he parked in the Bizde Boyle car park. He was shattered. Even the Ada smoothie hand quite woken him up enough. But he took another sip for good measure and smiled at the sense memories it brought back.  He should go inside. He knew he has multiple meetings in his calendar today. This is his work. His legacy. Everything he worked so hard and risked things for. They were important meetings too. He had a few interviews and then the monthly budget needed to be reviewed. But he just couldn't bring himself to leave the car. He was stuck in his place, tethered to the remaining letters currently staring at him from the passenger seat. He only had 5 letters left, according to Elif this weeks letter hadn't arrived yet. He glanced back at the building. Sod it. He picked up his phone and texted his cousin.

Günaydin Ali. Please take all my meeting today. Have Pinar push the budget one to next week. Something came up. I won't be coming in today.

He had never ditched work like this before. Even after Mina's accident he was still in close contact with work and went back in after a few days. But now... he just couldn't do it. He knew even if he went in he wouldn't get anything done.
He started his engine and began heading home. The house would be empty at this time, he could get a coffee, read and figure out his next steps.

When he pulled into the drive his phone started ringing,"Efendim". Ali's voice rang through, "Cousin, I have just seen your text. Ama sorry, I can't cover for you. Selin and I are just packing up the car now to go see her parents for the weekend. I told your about this weeks ago. We haven't see her folks since the asking ceremony. I don't know what came up for you but I'm sorry I couldn't get out of this even if I wanted to. Which I don't." He sighed out, "if your desperate I'm sure you can push things by a day. Or Zafer amca will cover for you... what is it that is so important anyway?" Bora ignored Ali's question, processing what he had just heard.
"You're going to Bursa?"
"Yeh I just told you that"
"For the weekend?" 
"Yes... I said that too...Can you hear me alright? Did the line break up when I was talking?" Silence followed. "Bora? Are you still there? Hello"
"Evet. I'm here. Sorry just thinking... Can you delay your departure by half an hour?"
"Um..." there was a muffed noise, Bora guessed Ali had covered the phone with his hand as he could vaguely hear Ali asking Selin if they could wait 30 minutes, but he couldn't quite hear her response. It must have been positive as Ali's voice clearly said "Yeh that's no problem. Neden?" 
"Because I'm coming with you. I just need some time to pack and sort things out work wise. Then I'll be at yours" Bora stated.
"Wh-" Bora would admit, felt bad for hanging up on Ali but he was in a rush and he didn't have time to answer any questions right now. Even if he did have time he wasn't sure he knew what the answers would be. He had no plan. But when he knew they were headed to Bursa, he knew he had to go too. Ada was in Bursa. He needed to see her. So he was leaving. He just needed to pack.

Bora was shoving clothes into a bag when his mother spotted him from the garden.  "Allah kahretsin" he muttered as he hear her open the door.
"Oğulm? Ne yapıyorsun? Are you going somewhere?" Belma watched as her son moved round the room grabbing chargers and clothes.
"Evet"
She took a step close to him, "Where? I wasn't aware you had a business trip planned or a holiday. Does Elif know? She never mentioned anything either."
"I will leave a note for her. She will understand." He zipped up the bag and began to turn away from her.
"Boracim-" Belma reached out for him but Bora snatched his arm away, "No Mother".
He grabbed the bag, double checking that the remaining letters were safely tucked away and began to walk out. He couldn't handle his mother, not right now when he was still trying to process everything and figure out his next steps. Her questions they only delayed him. And would likely annoy him. He planned to just ignore her and leave.
That was until he heard his mother sigh and say "it must be that girl again". Rage injected into his veins as he spun round,"Ne dedin?"
Belma looked at him like a rabbit in headlights, she didn't realise she'd said that out loud. And even with every disagreement they'd had he had never directed such a venomous tone at her before.
"Nothing, I promised your father I wouldn't-"
Bora cut her off, "why did you hate Ada so much?"
Belma huffed, "I never hated her. Not really. She's just not the one for you. Not your destiny. And I refuse to let you be unhappy forever, just because you fall in love with someone on the way to the correct path. This pain you're in now, it will pass. And then you can make your way back to Tugce... it's in the stars you and her... I don't know why it has to be her though. Ama destiny is destiny so it's not like I, well you, can ignore it even if we want to."
Bora was dumbfounded. His mother had spoken with such confidence but what she was saying was utterly ridiculous. "What the hell are you talking about? What destiny?"
"Tugce. She is your destiny." Belma stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's in the stars Evran said so, he was reading me your future and obviously I asked about your wife and he said things about constillations and 27 and how that must mean Tugce was meant for you. I don't remember the exact words. I'm not an astrologist but he was pretty adamant that you would marry 27, which is Tugce because-"
"27?"
"Yes, you and Tugce-"
"You're wrong."
"No Bora. The stars say you marry someone to do with 27. I'm not wrong it's in the stars"
"Mother. I am not going to argue with you on how ridiculous it is that you believe all this. But, if anyone it 27 it is not Tugce. Evran's interpretation is wrong."
Confusion washes over Belma's face. "Ne? What do you mean?"
"That women that you have been insulting and pushing away. The women I so clearly love and want to marry, who you belittled, if anyone is 27 it is her. Ada was my 27th assistant. She was nicknamed 27 by the rest of the staff for her first few days."
"She is 27?"
"Yes and honestly, I don't have time to get into this now. But I cannot believe that you could watch me fall in love and try to separate me from that person because of an astrological reading from someone who let's face it conned you. I cannot believe you" with that he picked up his bag and walked out, leaving Belma to mull over what had just been said. Bora thought I'm destined to be with 27 huh? Maybe there is something in this fate thing.

Before leaving he nipped into Elif's room to leave his niece a note,

Elif canim,
Thanks again for the letters and for holding on to my present so long. I will be gone a few days. I need to go see her, your Ada abla. Be good. Wish me luck
Seni çok seviyorum prenses,
Dayir

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Author note: Thank you for reading to those who did. And a MASSIVE apology for it being so long since I updated this. I have had a really lack of energy and inspiration. But on the 1yr anniversary of the first episode I watched the final episode with subs and it just spurred me on. There will probably not be too many more chapters, maybe one or two before it finishes. Thanks all that read this.