5 – Afte

to the city ju

ke. Nadira sat quietly in the passenger seat of Reyhan's Range Rover, her fingers cu

g the orphanage. The silence wasn't awkward-

the other resting on his thigh, eyes fi

member

hood neighbor or a teacher. She remembered him as he was-r

been remembered by a

-

– Reyhan's

his residence and stepped out. Nadi

my buildin

ot going

rose. "Ex

n. And I don't li

. "You're feeding me

Would you prefer I

prefer I

elevator. "Then dinner it is.

r a beat too lon

-

imalistic, modern, cold. But beautiful. It smell

blazer and rolling up the sleeves of

ked. "Yo

ng around. "Cooking is a science. If you follow

oved around with ease-olive oil, garlic, pasta,

you in sleeves that aren't tai

don't think I've ever seen

irked.

pause, a com

: "Do you ev

ed to ask wh

as good-but because it was simple. You either had somet

attered," she

used briefly

said, stirring the pasta again. "Yo

ble counter. Her heart w

rilled chicken, garnished with rosemary. Of course, even his imp

energy between them had shifted-soft

Reyhan set his fork down a

," he said. "But I remember the way y

"You weren't. You just di

eyes l

ath p

ot

g it again,"

ha

at me l

how am I looking a

u still

in-but this time it carried some

si

vious-but presen

Nadira said sud

llowing her to the d

take a

le I care about t

e. Slowl

u c

his gaze was unsure. Tha

ch yet," he said. "B

ilence

just near enough that she coul

chable," he said softly. "But with yo

eath c

yha

aid. "I won't blur the l

ully-fingertips brushing a stra

ftest thing h

arly unra

wrist-not pulling away, not pulling

said, voice trembling. "I don't want to be a mo

ped eve

er just anyth

r thic

ld fully collapse, her phon

ed back. Reality re

she said again-t

jaw tight. "I'll

-

ight – Nadir

er bed, still in her bla

d carefully built wa

saw

embere

want to be remembered

ooked glasses and a can

an who could r

. lose her own

-

contin