Chapter 30: Chapter 30

Blair

After returning to Newark on the 26th, I had flown to Istanbul the next afternoon, ready to start enjoying my fifteen days vacation.

" All right, Ayeleen, don't you think you're overreacting? " Yusef asked while chopping the lamb.

The two of us were cooking dinner together on the 28th, and I took the opportunity to vent about everything that had happened.

" Overreacting? You say that because you weren't the one who watched that bitch throw herself at him while I was helplessly on the other side of the world," I returned angrily.

"I'm sure that's not what you told me," my father sneered, "here, cut the bell peppers.”

I took the knife, cutting in half one by one the vegetables on the counter.

" Did you miss the part he hid from me that she was there? " I complained.

" Did you miss the part where he introduced you as his girlfriend? " he returned, chopping onions to braise the lamb.

I rolled my eyes at this comment. That was typical. Men always defend themselves.

" Blair, I understand why you were upset, but is it really worth it? " my mother chimed in.

She was emptying the dishwasher while we were venturing into that recipe.

" Besides, he said that his sister-in-law's family was together, she is part of the family," Yusef reminded me.

" This is even worse," I stopped cutting the bell peppers, still holding the big knife.

" Why?”

" Because the two families are merging," my mother explained for me.

" Exactly, and that means that she will always be there and I will always be on the other side of the world! " I gestured angrily, waving my hands.

My father stepped closer, taking the knife from my hands.

" Fine, I'll take it!”

I rolled my eyes, going to help my mother put away the dishes.

" And you two are still fighting? " she asked.

" He's already tried to apologize, but I don't want to talk while I'm feeling so insecure and vulnerable," I sighed.

" Insecure? And since when do you have reason to be insecure, Ayeleen? " My father looked confused.

" Since when? Dad, the woman is wonderful, she knows him well, she's much closer than I am.”

" If she's wonderful, what do you think you are? Girl, you're perfect, I wouldn't change a thing about you.”

" That's because I already fixed what I needed to," I rolled my eyes, although I felt good about the compliment.

" To me you were already perfect even with the crooked nose, I wouldn't change a thing," he sneered.

" It's not your professional side talking," I stared at him.

" All right then, I'd fix the nose, but that's it.”

" Your father is right," my mother warned.

I sighed, not knowing how to respond to that.

" All right, her actions show that she's not over him," my mother expressed my thoughts.

And how could she? He is amazing in every way!

" The question is whether you trust that he is over her," my father stared at me.

" I don't know. I do, but he treated me badly because of her, and…”

" I'm not defending him, but didn't you say that he was already angry and had just gotten out of a fight with his family? " Yusef pointed out.

" And that gives him a free pass to treat me badly? You are my father, you should defend me.”

" My job as a father is to prepare you to face the realities of the world. And the reality of a relationship is that often during a fight we say things without thinking and we hurt our partner. Today he did it, tomorrow it could be you, and I guarantee you that you will want at least the chance to apologize," he declared, stewing the vegetables we chopped earlier.

" And then what? I solve everything over the phone? We can't even fight like a normal couple.”

" And how exactly would a normal couple fight in this situation, Blair? " My mother crossed her arms, staring at me.

" Well, I would tell him what a slut his ex is.”

" You did that," my father reminded me.

" But in person it has more impact," I shrugged.

" And what would you do afterwards? " My mother seemed to be enjoying herself.

I sat down on the stool, leaning my elbows on the counter.

" Well, maybe I would throw my drink in his face when he called me crazy.”

" That would clearly prove him wrong.”my father mocked.

" Well, then our discussion would take place in the rain, and…”

" Taking a rain shower in the middle of the Russian winter doesn't seem like a smart decision for me," my mother whispered to my father.

" You're making fun of me," I pouted.

" Probably because you're acting like you want a romantic comedy script for your relationship. That's not how things work in real life." My mother stroked my back, trying to comfort me.

" Yes, you are not fifteen years old anymore, you need to be able to solve your own problems. Not every fight will be full of drama or solved with a super romantic attitude," Yusef warned.

They were right, I knew that.

" So what do I do?”

" Accept the situation you are in. The next time he tries to talk to you, talk to him. No matter what," my mother kissed my head before walking away.

She kept me company for the rest of the day while my father saw a patient in his consultant's office. In the evening, we got together to watch movies after eating the delicious doner kebab that my mother had prepared earlier.

Both of them seemed more thoughtful than usual, but I didn't attach much importance to that. The only thing I wanted to do was to sort things out with Dimitri, and he seemed to have given up trying, since after ignoring his messages the day before, there was no further attempt to contact me.

I just have to give in and call him!

Fine Blair, if by tomorrow the situation stays the same you will be an adult and work it out with Dimitri.

It was with this thought that I finally fell asleep, without receiving a single message from my boyfriend, if I can still call him that.