Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Dimitri

" Can I ask you a personal question? " Blair and I were walking together through the streets of Istanbul when I decided to satisfy a curiosity that was burning in me.

We were walking down a narrow cobblestone street lined with colorful old buildings, people who didn't seem to be intimidated by the low temperature and the cloudy sky, which heralded a likely rain at any moment.

Blair was radiant beside me and I was still thinking about how to put the plan I had outlined in my mind into practice. But that could wait for now, I just wanted to enjoy her company.

" Go ahead.”

" What exactly is your father?”

" I don't understand," she frowned.

" He's different than I expected for a Turkish man," I tried to explain myself as best I could.

That phrase caused Blair to let out a small laugh.

" Can you keep a secret, commander?”

" Of course.”

" My dad has this whole Turkish thing going on and talking about that damned war, but the truth is he went through Californication a long time ago.”

" Californication?”

" Yes, as in the song of Red hot Chili Peppers," she explained as if this should make some sense to me.

" My grandparents passed away when my father was very young, he had just graduated from college and had nothing to keep him here, so he moved to California and specialized in plastic surgery, and that's when he met my mother. She was a receptionist at the clinic he worked at.”

Blair narrated nonchalantly, curling up next to my body as a chilly breeze hit us.

" Long story short, he worked hard and achieved good recognition throughout the state of California, became a highly regarded plastic surgeon. He may not admit it and still have some Turkish customs, but he loved living in California and he is as American as me or my mother.”

" That explains a lot.”

Blair guided me to a passage across the street, still talking about his parents.

" He just returned to Istanbul when he got a job offer he couldn't refuse. You were probably expecting a conservative and traditional Turkish man, but this is not my father.

We got off at an avenue, and crossed it, following the flow of pedestrians. Blair was keeping our destination a secret, but it was only making me more intrigued.

" And what is your father like?”

" My father is the man who has always loved me, supported me, encouraged me in all areas, although he has no defined religion, he likes to celebrate Christmas and has always instructed me on how to behave when visiting any temple," she began to list. “And most of all, he taught me that I deserve to be treated like the princess of the universe.”

Something in that sentence caught my attention.

" Princess?”

" The queen is my mother," she tilted her face in my direction, winking at me.

I couldn't help but laugh at her conclusion. She was a one piece and it was clear who had made her that way.

Blair let go of me, running down an alley. I followed her, halting my steps when I reached the place she wanted so badly to show me. It was a staircase hidden between two old houses, it was built in the Art Nouveau style, its curved steps creating an optical illusion, as if one part mirrored the other.

" What did you think? " Blair asked expectantly.

" Wow, that…”

" I knew you would like it! This is so you, and I knew I had to show it to you," her smile broadened.

" It's beautiful, I never expected to find a place like this here. It's unlike anything else," a half smile broke out on my lips.

Of course I would like that, she knows me so well. That thought made my smile widen, bringing back to my mind the conversation I had with my mother a few days ago. In fact, it had been a long time since someone had made me smile the way she does. This must mean something.

" This staircase was built in the late 19th century by the Camondo family, a family of bankers who ended up giving their name to this place, Kamondo Stairs. They say that they built it so that their children would have a shortcut to go to school, but I don't know if this is real." She narrated, standing beside me while I tried to absorb every detail of this small architectural work of art.

Without thinking much, I reached for my cell phone, taking a picture of the place, but when I went to put it away Blair took it from me.

" I'm inviting you to take a selfie at the top of the stairs, Commander," she winked at me.

And to my surprise, she ran up the stairs, leaving me behind.

" I'll get there first," she shouted over her shoulder.

I let out a small laugh before I set in motion, running after my girlfriend. I went the opposite way to her, catching up with her at the first landing, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her body toward mine.

" I doubt it," I scoffed.

But in one swift movement she managed to free herself, running back, laughing. I wasted no time in following her, we stayed that way until we reached the top, when I finally wrapped her around my waist, pulling her in for a kiss before taking the selfie.

We only realized all the attention we had attracted by our interaction when we noticed the disapproving looks of some old ladies passing by on the street.

" Sorry for that," Blair moved away to a respectful distance, before apologizing to the women, then lowering her tone, "it's disrespectful to show your affection in public, especially in front of the elderly.”

" Really? " I frowned, finding it strange that they should be offended by something so small.

But I guess, in the end, I got carried away by her parents' behavior and forgot that Turkey is a very religious and traditional country.

" Yes, many couples don't even kiss at their own wedding," she said confidentially, taking the cell phone from my hand to see our photo, "but it was for a good photo, so it was worth it.”

And the photo was really beautiful, it was almost possible to see the aura of happiness that surrounded us at that moment, making me yearn for more.

Taking advantage of the basically deserted street, since the women from before were already a few meters away and on their backs, I pulled her in for another quick kiss, causing her to pull away laughing.

" Dimitri!”

" There's no one here, so we're not disrespecting anyone," I winked at her, and she intertwined our fingers, still laughing, leading me in the opposite direction of the women.

" Come on, I still want to introduce you to other places.”

I walked her to a nearby streetcar stop, where we waited to go on to our next destination.

" What else can you tell me about your country? " I decided to make a point.

" Well, I don't consider Turkey my country. It is a very beautiful place and I like to visit my parents. But I don't think I could live here, with all the restrictions and traditions that are imposed on me.”

" So you wouldn't move to Turkey?”

I decided to sound out the terrain to find out a little more about the future of our relationship, who knows, she might agree to move to Russia in a few months, we could make it work.

" I have thought about it a few times, not least because I miss my parents. But no, I always give up on that idea," she denied with her head, "Besides, I don't think I could leave everything I know behind.”

" You wouldn't leave the United States?”

The streetcar arrived, causing her to take a little time to answer me, as we concentrated on boarding.

" So, you wouldn't leave the United States? " I resumed the subject when we were already settled inside the streetcar.

" Would you leave Russia? " she returned.

" No, I have a nice apartment and my family is there," I frowned.

" I also have a nice apartment and my friends," she forced a smile.

I shut up after that answer and we remained silent for a few minutes, trapped in our own thoughts.

What am I doing? It is clear that our relationship has no future, and yet I got on a plane and left my country only to apologize to her.

I should end it all, but just thinking about how miserable I felt in the days we didn't speak, how incomplete everything seemed.

I watched her beside me, she was so beautiful, even in her pajamas and messy hair after waking up. And she made me happy.

That realization made me calm my previous anxieties. I didn't want to think about what I should or shouldn't do, I just wanted to enjoy how happy she made me.

" Where are we going? " I decided to get her attention.

" Well, I'm taking you to the Grand Bazaar," she explained with a satisfied smile.

" Grand Bazaar?”

" It's one of the oldest and largest indoor markets in the world, with thousands of stores and…”

" My God, we're never going to get out of there, are we?”

That statement made her laugh, attracting the attention of a few boys who were standing next to us.

" I just want to buy you a Christmas present.”

" Christmas?”

" I know it's late, but I didn't think I would see you so soon.”

" Actually, I don't celebrate Christmas," I explained, feeling stupid for not remembering to say Merry Christmas to her, or even buy her a present.

Well, I did buy her a New Year's present, I guess that counts for something.

" Doesn't it? " She looked surprised.

" Russians don't celebrate Christmas.”

She stared at me dumbfounded, recovering a few seconds later.

" Wow, when you told me you were having your brother's party, I thought you were enjoying the occasion, not that you weren't celebrating.”

" Some families celebrate Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, but we are not very religious," I shrugged.

" But why?”

" During the Soviet Union no religious holidays were allowed, so they moved the celebration to the New Year," I tried to summarize the story in a way that made sense.

" It is similar to what happens here, they also moved the celebration. So the new year is an important holiday?”

she asked, heading for the door, indicating that we were close to our destination.

" Yes, it's a very family celebration, we all get together at my parents' house and exchange gifts.”

The streetcar pulled up to the stop and we got off, Blair looked thoughtful.

" So you can't stay, can you? We don't do anything too extravagant, but we do celebrate the new year," she remarked.

I smiled weakly at her invitation; I knew I couldn't accept, even though her parents had already invited me to stay. I needed to be home, but hopefully we would have another alternative.

" I have to come back tomorrow, but I have a proposal.”

" If you get down on your knees, I swear I'll scream," she teased, making me laugh.

The neighborhood we were in now was very old and very commercial, and we walked side by side, keeping a minimum distance between us.

" Not that kind of proposal, Blair.”

" Now that I know you are considered an old bachelor desperate for marriage in your country, I will be suspicious of all your proposals, Commander Voitovich," she sneered.

" Come back to Russia with me," I ignored her provocation.

She stopped walking, giving me a surprised look.

" For what?”

" For the new year. Let's meet my family, I already bought you a present," I insisted, moving closer to her, containing my desire to kiss her.

She frowned, looking confused by my proposal.

" I don't know, Dimitri.”

" Come on, you're on vacation, this is the chance we have to introduce you to my family," I insisted.

" What if they don't like me?”

" Blair, my mother almost made our wedding video call, they will love you, I guarantee it," I took her hand, I think this is allowed, "I understand and will respect it if you don't want to go, but... It would mean a lot to me if you did.”

She pondered for a few seconds everything I had said before turning away, resuming her path.

" Come on, the entrance is meters ahead," she warned.

I felt all the hope I had faded away. I started to follow her, a little discouraged.

" Know that we have a lot to do, if I'm going to get gifts for your family, I'm going to need to visit at least half of these stores.”