### Chapter 12
He stepped out of his car in a rush, feeling the urgency of being late. As he made his way quickly into the police station, his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and, recognizing the caller, answered it while continuing to walk, knowing he was about to get an earful.
“Yes, Birgül?”
“When did you leave the house, Adnan? You shouldn't have gone to work today, at least.”
Adnan paused on the steps. What was special about today?
“Well, I had work to do, honey. I had to go out.” He said this, hoping Birgül wouldn't notice that he didn't remember the significance of the day and that she would remind him.
“You know what today is, right?”
He hesitated, trying to buy time to think.
“Uh, of course, I know, dear. How could I forget?”
His mouth said this, but inside he was screaming, “Say anything, just lie and say anything!”
“You forgot, didn't you? I know you so well. You never remember anything important!”
Birgül's words came out like a machine gun, and Adnan's mouth opened and closed, trying to get a word in. He realized there was no winning against Birgül’s rapid-fire speech.
“Look, honey, I have to go, there's an incident, and we're on our way,” he said and hung up without waiting for a reply. “Ugh!” he muttered, continuing up the stairs. He had to remember what was special about today.
He opened the door to his office absentmindedly. Ali İhsan, who was buried in paperwork at the desk, looked up to see who had come in. Seeing his superior, he raised an eyebrow. He had never seen Adnan so distracted.
“What’s wrong, sir? What happened?”
“Huh?” Adnan responded as if waking from a dream. He had heard Ali İhsan, but the words hadn't registered.
“Is something wrong, sir? You seem out of it.”
“No, nothing, Ali. Today is a special day, but I can't remember what it is. If I don't figure it out by tonight, I'm in big trouble.”
Adnan sighed and sat down heavily in his chair, straining his brain to recall the significance of the day.
Ali İhsan smiled, understanding his superior’s predicament as a married man himself.
“Birthday, anniversary of when you met, wedding anniversary; it's not Valentine’s Day, that’s for sure. It could be one of the others.”
Adnan scratched his head. “If I remembered birthdays, I wouldn't forget when we met. If I remembered that, I wouldn’t forget our wedding.”
Ali İhsan tried to stifle a laugh; his superior’s dilemma was amusing.
“Sir, why don’t you ask the kids? They might know.”
“Good thinking, Ali. Sanem will definitely remember, she's just like her mother,” he said excitedly, pulling out his phone and dialing her number.
As the phone rang, he said to Ali İhsan, “It's ringing,” as if Ali needed to confirm it.
“Dad,” Sanem’s voice was cheerful. Her energy instantly lifted his spirits.
“How are you, my curly one?” he said as Ali İhsan quietly left the room, not wanting to intrude on their conversation. Some things were private and deserved respect.
“I’m good, Dad. How are you? What’s the reason for calling me at this hour?”
Adnan laughed at his daughter’s playful jab, so reminiscent of her mother.
“Sometimes I wonder if you’re a clone of your mother.”
Sanem’s laugh filled the room through the phone.
“We know you too well, Dad, no need for cloning.”
“I know, sweetheart, I was just joking.”
“I know, Dad, but what’s the matter? I don’t have much time. I have plans with my friends.”
“Apparently, today is a special day for your mom and me, but I can’t remember what it is. I was hoping my dear daughter could help her poor father.”
He pictured Sanem in his mind. He would bet anything she had tossed her curly hair over her left shoulder, squinting her slightly slanted eyes as she thought about what favor to ask for in return.
“Okay, what do you want as a bribe?”
“Come on, Dad, what kind of talk is that? What bribe could I possibly want from you? Maybe just a small request to deposit five hundred lira into my account.”
“Wow, girl, do you have no faith or religion? How many days has it been since I gave you five hundred? When did you spend it all?”
“I didn’t finish it, Dad. It’s for the help and for keeping this conversation a secret.”
“You’ve really become a little extortionist, haven’t you? Fine, I’ll transfer your money. Now tell me what’s special about today.”
Sanem gave a triumphant smile, “Today is your wedding anniversary. How do you always manage to forget it? Write it down somewhere, write it down.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. I’ll transfer the money. Love you, bye,” he said, hanging up. He started thinking about what gift to get and what surprise to plan. He felt guilty for not appreciating Birgül, who had put up with him all these years. “But her nonstop talking, ugh,” he thought. “Whoever loves the rose must endure its thorns,” he muttered, dialing a number on his phone. He was sure Birgül would love the surprise he had in mind.
Birgül had woken up early, planning to go to the hairdresser and return before Adnan woke up. She had even turned off Adnan’s constantly ringing phone, which rang even on Sundays. She had quietly left the house, had her roots dyed, got a blow-dry, and then had a manicure, pedicure, and waxing. Time had flown by. She was excited, remembering their wedding day and the sweet rush. She loved reminiscing and celebrating special occasions. She wished Adnan was someone who cared about or at least remembered such special days like she did. But people didn’t change easily, and Adnan had always been like this. As she stepped into the house, she thought she loved him as he was, only to find he had already left.
She felt sad, wondering why she had made all these preparations. Was it for an uncaring man? She was about to cry when her phone rang. She smiled; it was Tuğrul.
“Yes, my prince,” she said, her voice slightly shaky yet joyful.
“What’s wrong, my queen? Who upset you? Let me guess, it’s Dad.”
“Let’s not say upset, but he went to work even today. How can work be more important than one’s wife?”
“Mom, I’m sure it’s not like that; you know Dad. He doesn’t show his love much.”
“Son, today is our wedding anniversary, and I’m sure he didn’t remember. What does that have to do with not showing love?”
Tuğrul smiled gently, feeling sympathy for his hurt mother. His warmth transmitted through the phone.
“Remind him, Mom. If you leave Dad to his own devices, he’ll end up living at the station.”
Birgül laughed involuntarily. Her children knew their father well.
“It’s not like he hasn’t done that before,” thinking of the nights he didn’t come home.
“That’s what I’m saying, Mom. Call him and pull his ear.”
“Then I get labeled as the nagging wife.”
Tuğrul’s laughter was joined by Birgül’s.
“Does that bother you, Mom?”
“Of course not!” Birgül replied, her voice clear and confident.
“Then call him. I have to go now, Mom. I’ll catch up on the news later.”
“I’ll tell you everything, I promise. Take care, son.”
“See you, Mom,” Tuğrul said, sending a kiss through the phone.
“See you, son,” Birgül replied, returning the kiss. As soon as she hung up, she called Adnan with a determined look.
Adnan had arranged the venue but couldn’t buy a gift while sitting down. He had to get up and leave the office. Just as he was about to walk out, Ali İhsan entered, phone in hand.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be there. Something must have come up.”
Adnan looked at Ali İhsan for a few seconds, wondering what was going on. When Ali made a gesture indicating everything was fine, Adnan left the office.
“I’ll call and find her. If there’s anything, I’ll let you know.”
Adnan wondered who Ali was talking to and who had gone missing but trusted that Ali would inform him if it was important. He continued on, thinking whether to buy a necklace or a ring.
Ali İhsan, meanwhile, was deep in thought after hanging up. Where could Ömer have gone?
Time passed quickly for Adnan, anxiously for Birgül, and worryingly for Ali İhsan, and soon it was evening. Adnan came home with the gift in his pocket. Birgül was dressed and ready, having been told by Adnan to be prepared for the evening. She was surprised and delighted. He had remembered without her reminding him. This was a big step for Adnan, and the fact that he had suggested going out was incredible. She had chosen a cream-colored dress that buttoned up above her chest. The collar and sleeve ends had delicate lace, not too extravagant. The length was appropriate, not above her knees. She left her hair down, already blow-dried, and it looked good this way. She touched up her light makeup, thinking she was glowing
with happiness as she looked in the mirror. When Adnan knocked on the door, she opened it with excitement.
"Welcome home, darling," she said with a smile. Birgül's happiness was unmistakable to Adnan. He smiled too, looking her over from head to toe. The passing years had taken very little from her. She still looked beautiful and youthful.
"Thanks, honey. You look amazing, while I look like I've been through a war," he said.
Birgül's eyes sparkled. "Come on, get ready," she said. When Adnan headed to the bathroom, she went to the kitchen and secretly typed a message on her phone.
"He just got home. He's made a reservation for us. He said I look beautiful."
"Ooo, that's a big step for Dad," Tuğrul replied.
"Wow, did Dad really do all that?" Sanem added to the WhatsApp group chat the three of them shared.
Birgül felt like a giddy young girl. It had been a long time since Adnan had done something like this.
Adnan quickly got out of the shower and looked at the freshly pressed clothes Birgül had laid out for him. She had always prepared his outfit, shoes, and tie without a fuss, and tonight was no different. He dressed in the cream-colored shirt and black trousers she had chosen, clearly aiming to coordinate with her. Despite the gray streaks in his hair, he combed it neatly to the side and slightly back. He put on cologne and his black socks. Looking in the mirror, he thought he looked sharp. He usually dressed casually, but tonight he needed to match the significance of the place and the occasion. Stepping out of the bedroom, he called, "I'm ready, honey."
Birgül quickly texted, "Talk to you later, kids!" and tossed her phone into her bag.
"I'm in the kitchen, come on, let's go," she replied. They left the house happily to celebrate their twenty-second anniversary.
When they arrived at the venue, Birgül's eyes filled with tears. Everything Adnan had done up to this point paled in comparison.
"How is it?" he asked. Adnan, pleased with the effect he'd created, said, "I may forget everything else, but I'll never forget the place where I first saw you!" He took her hand and led her inside. The place had changed a lot over the years, adapting to modern times, but its location and name remained the same. They had first seen and met each other at this restaurant while they were students in the city. Despite being in different departments, their mutual friends had unknowingly set the stage for their marriage. They had continued to meet even after graduation and with their families' approval, they got married. Thanks to Adnan's job, they had traveled to almost every city, finally choosing to retire in this city because of their shared memories and past. As all these memories flashed through Birgül’s mind, she felt like she was dreaming, her feet barely touching the ground. When she noticed that they were the only ones there, the waiter led them to their table.
"Why is no one else here?" she asked, then realized the answer. "Did you reserve the whole place?" she said in surprise.
Adnan kept smiling. Seeing Birgül's awe made him feel proud.
"I wanted this moment to be just for us," he said.
Birgül was in shock. Could Adnan have transformed so much in a single day? She decided not to overthink it and enjoy the evening. Adnan had planned something like this once in twenty-two years. She brushed off her inner sarcastic thoughts and smiled as she sat down at the table.
As the waiter brought the pre-ordered meals and drinks to the table, accompanied by the melodious sound of a violin, Birgül clasped her hands under her chin and watched Adnan.
"Why?" she asked. Adnan looked at her. "Why what?"
"I mean all this, this preparation, this place... You never cared about such things, so what changed all of a sudden?" she said and fell silent. Adnan grinned mischievously.
"Oh, you mean what made your oaf of a husband suddenly act like a civilized person."
"Adnan, come on, I didn't say that," she said, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
Adnan laughed, and she couldn't hold back her own laughter anymore. As they started eating, they both thought the evening would be perfect until Adnan's phone on the table rang. They exchanged looks, then glanced at the phone. It was Ali İhsan calling. Adnan reached out, picked up the phone, and silenced it. Birgül was surprised once again.
"Aren't you going to answer it?"
"Not now, not tonight. They can manage without me."
"Whatever you say," Birgül said, but inside she was cheering.
Less than five minutes later, the phone rang again, beginning to irritate Adnan. He checked the time; it was a quarter past ten. He thought, if it weren't something serious, Ali İhsan would never call. His preoccupied demeanor started to worry Birgül.
"Go ahead and answer it. It might be important," she said, just as the phone stopped ringing.
"I'll answer it if he calls again," Adnan said and resumed eating. The mood had slightly soured. Adnan's thoughts had drifted to work, while Birgül sensed his unease but didn’t want to interrupt their special night. When the phone rang again, Adnan looked at Birgül. She nodded, giving her consent. He picked up the phone and answered.
"Yes, Ali!" he said, his voice a bit harsh.
"Sir, I wouldn't call if it wasn't necessary, but..."
"What happened?"
"Sir, Ömer's wife hasn't heard from him for almost twenty-four hours. I've been trying to reach him since this afternoon, but his phone is off."
Adnan froze, his face turning pale. Birgül, noticing his expression, asked, "What happened, Adnan? Did something happen to someone?"
"Ömer is missing," he managed to say. He was seeking her permission with his eyes. Birgül knew this.
"What are we waiting for then? Drop me home and head to the station," she said, looking at him with gratitude. Sometimes he wondered how he could be so foolish. This woman was his blessing.