With Love, Nuri [2] [✔]

84. Thank You, Love

[•Nuri's POV•]

"Nuri, please... I wanna go somewhere else" Idris insisted for the hundredth time. So with the permission of the judge, I took him outside the courtroom.

It was mid-way through his hearing and the judge had only heard Demir's side and Ferit was next. I was worried about what he was going to say but I knew I could count on him to do his best. Rafael had sent the file that Ferit asked for, and this time he was confident that we would get Idris.

I walked around the front hall with Idris in my arms while he chattered about his school and friends. We waited for nearly half an hour till Ferit came outside first, I couldn't read exactly what was going on in his clever mind. He put his arms around me, caressing Idris, "Would you like to come home with us buddy?" He asked revealing his brightest smile.

"What?! Really! Yes, yes, yes, and a hundred times yes!" Idris cried jumping into his arms, squeezing us both at the same time. Ferit laughed, and I held on to them longer. Everything was finally back to how it should have been. Demir and Leila too appeared with their lawyer, "Come here kid" Demir called to him and Ferit reluctantly put him down.

"Take care of yourself got that? I'll miss you" He said. I never expected those words from a man like him, "Come back soon dear" Leila squeezed her nephew. "Of course" Replied Idris cheerfully and hugged them. He waved at them before getting in the car with us and somehow it made me sad to see them part like this. Ferit was not going to fall for it of course, and he was right in a way. No matter how much Demir and Leila loved Idris, they could never be his guardians.

Idris jumped all around in the car listing the places he wanted to go with us. Ferit glanced at me in between. His one look could pour out all his emotions, I smiled back. As Idris wanted, we spent the weekend visiting zoos, aquariums, arcades, amusement parks, and a lot more. Idris glowed with happiness, and we were glad that he was safely with us.

It was a Sunday night and we put him to bed as he told us repeatedly that he had a lot of fun for the past two days. "Idris this is the hundredth time you are saying that" Ferit laughed. "I'll say it a lot more times abi! But first, can you do one more thing for me?" "What do you want now buddy?" Ferit asked back playfully. "Can you play something?" "Huh?" We both were confused by what he meant.

"The guitar. You haven't played it in months abi... Play it once tonight" Insisted Idris. I had completely forgotten about it, even I wanted to hear him play, "Nah buddy... I don't remember anything" Ferit shrugged. "Please abi" Idris begged with his puppy eyes, "Come on Ferit, play it once" I encouraged him, he denied us again. We insisted a lot more times and finally he agreed, "Okay stop... I'll play it but don't blame me if the notes go wrong, I don't remember anything" He admitted and got up to fetch his guitar.

He returned quickly and sat on the chair opposite me. It was a shiny brown guitar, Ferit held it with such elegance and care as if it were a part of him. He began playing a soft tune but paused to remember the rest. He continued playing again and closed his eyes. The tune sounded very sweet though I had no idea what he was playing.

I gazed at him for a long time. It was hard for him to play, not physically, but mentally. Something was hurting him inside with every string he struck. His eyes were shut tightly as though he remembered something painful. He suddenly opened them as if waking up from a nightmare and panted. "Wowie!" Idris clapped and Ferit smiled, but I could see that something was bothering him.

We got back to our room and after getting dressed for bed, I found Ferit lost in his thoughts. I leaned closer to him and he played with my fingers. "You played it beautifully" I said, and he nodded stolidly. "Ferit?" I cupped his face and got his eyes to stare at mine. His eyes were welled up, but he tried his best to not let it show.