Ayshe
Oliver and I spent our first night together. Not in that way.
We slept in the same bed, having finally turned in after Asin picked up the phone and calmed us down.
It turned out just taking notes on how much money they spent on emergencies like the raid, funding for those in need, managing their uploads online, and providing safe house locations for some who were out of town... it was rough.
I understood how he needed a personal assistant; she herself might need one. After I mentioned it, it made me laugh since Oliver said he had actually told her the same thing.
We woke with the sun, and Oliver immediately confirmed with Asin—they were heading back.
I called Marie as well. She was in a bad mood; having one mother-in-law was natural. Having two was just unfair.
They walked outside of the house and into the garden just before the smell of breakfast started inviting us in. Just from looking, one could never tell they had spent six of the last ten hours on a plane.
Asin was taken by Oliver for a word-by-word rundown of what happened and how to go about it. And my sister stomped her way toward me.
"You look... angry. What, they didn't like you as their new daughter?" I asked jokingly.
Her facial expression didn't change.
"Oh boy," I sat up. "Tell me."
"...She basically thinks, 'I'm not suited for his life, their lifestyle.' I had a feeling she had someone in mind but ultimately ended up being late."
"How does she think that after a single meeting that somehow she has you figured out? I mean, no offense, but that's unfair."
I immediately defended my sister, but her mood was still low. I sat beside her.
"Stop it, Marie! How do you feel? Do you feel like you won't be able to cope?"
She actually gave it some thought before answering, which I personally always appreciated.
"...I don't know. I mean, how is anyone supposed to know this ahead of time?" She turned to me. "...Don't get me wrong, she didn't say it in a hateful way. Just as facts. Which was so much worse."
I nodded, and she continued.
"On the other hand, Uncle Ivan was charming and respectful. He told me not to pay too much attention to his wife. She just loves Asin as her own... forgive her the thoughts that fear produced..."
He sounded like a man Oliver said she found. A man who had lived through a lifetime of what we had a taste of in the last few days.
She told me about the sanctuary they built, the small but cozy houses, surrounded by a large birch forest and mountains. It sounded like a hideaway in the Alps.
She also told me how Asin almost beat the man who was responsible for his aunt's injuries. How most of the people there came from such poverty that the other rich wouldn't even let them touch their cars, but they loved her husband, and he loved them as well.
"They have a lot of responsibilities." I looked at the guys who were talking in the pool. "...They are so young as well."
Only last night, as I witnessed how many people—grown men and their families—relied on their quick thinking and leadership, was when I truly understood.
The money they were making from risking their freedom and Asin his very life by racing and associating with actual criminals were all spent on their defenses, protection, and well-being.
Why?
Why would two young and wealthy guys sacrifice and risk so much? I would have loved a time machine just to see their first encounter. It was their past that left all these questions in its wake. A past, Marie and I didn't know anything about. Weren't a part of it.
The responsibilities they gained at such a young age meant hundreds of people relied on them. Thousand if I were to belive the number the internet provided. How did that happen?
Marie was staring at her husband for a while before she talked again.
"He feels for them. He was relieved seeing those people well... but I tell you what." Marie got up, and we walked toward them. "I don't care what his second mother thinks of me. I'll be her daughter-in-law! Whether she wants me to be or not."
She went and kissed her husband immediately, showing off that newfound determination and passion that comes from absolute certainty.
They were in love.
As I watched them, Oliver and I locked eyes for a second.
Will I have such determination when the time comes? Can I learn and accept all that they do... all they were going to do?
I was involved, but not irreversibly, not like Marie was.
She was married and in love. Whatever Asin will go through, she will try her best and rationalize it. Make it okay.
Me?
How does a future doctor fit in with their life of fast cars and constant police threats, ever-present violence?
So many questions... but then I caught his smile, and one spread on my face as well.
Maybe I'm just worrying too much.
---
Oliver
I was left stunned.
"You say it was... someone from our crew? That's impossible."
I denied it because my brain couldn't process such a betrayal.
He quickly clarified. "That's what Old Ivan said. He is the same as you." He shook his head. "Unwilling to believe anyone from the 9th would betray their own in such a way."
I understood Uncle Ivan. He knew better than anyone how brutal the police were when it came to the 9th ward. They don't spare anyone.
But when it came to our people, I couldn't believe they would gain anything by betraying our organization's foundation. It's not money—we made sure everyone was happy. If nothing else, they would never bite the hand that feeds them.
Besides, there are easier, more lucrative ways of betrayal. Like letting the world know about Asin. That would net them unbelievable wealth, a lifetime of running and looking behind their backs and their families... but the money was real.
So who was it then?
Just as I let my darker thoughts hold me, I caught Ayshe looking at me. I let her smile clear my head, which screamed for vengeance.
I had time to read all the articles about the raid, and Asin heard it from the source. Four casualties were reported, and many more seriously or mildly injured.
Of those four who died, one was part of Old Ivan's loyalists, who was shot dead when they spotted a gun in his hand. They used their right and gunned the poor guy down without warning. Guns were death sentences. Only a few dared to even carry one.
From everything we now know, the attack was specifically targeted around Old Ivan and the District of Adans.
I felt a hand on my back.
"Calm down, brother, no point making ourselves crazy over this. We have enemies, nothing new, right? Let's enjoy ourselves." He looked tired.
"Right. We'll sort this out when we're back home."
We walked back to the girls. Since neither of us had a good sleep, we took a little nap after breakfast. We still had a couple of days here.
We woke up late and spent a day without leaving the house.
After dinner, we were fighting about what movie to watch.
"You guys heard my list. Now let the tasteless..."
"Hey!"
"...but otherwise well-meaning duo submit theirs. Then it's all you, my friend of thirteen years."
Asin took a bow and sat down. I appreciated the emotional manipulation. I won the right to decide but opted for more fun and played judge to their ideas.
The girls banded together to present their joined ideas. Marie spoke for the team.
"We were thinking some romantic comedy such as..."
"Nahh!"
They ignored Asin's groans and continued.
"...50 First Dates..."
"I can't stand pineapples."
"...Sweet November..."
"You do know she dies at the end, right?"
I laughed at his useless commentary while Ayshe was trying to shut him up with a pillow. Marie ignored them and tried again.
"Or anything like Passengers..."
"HE IS A CREEP for WAKING THE SLEEPING LADY! Let me go!"
Asin was being choked but still managed to put in his two cents.
Marie lost her cool and hurled insults concerning basic manners and such at him.
We ended up picking one from Asin's suggestions.
Four hours later...
"What a satisfying way to end a night."
We had to leave the living room after he teased them a step too much.
"Brother, you chose a four-hour movie on purpose. Why?" I asked.
He sent the maids away who wanted to make something for us and decided to do it himself.
"One, it is one of my favorites. Two, you chose it, not me. Three... one and two. What do you want in yours?"
"I'll make my own sandwiches, thank you very much." I stepped in.
I wondered if Ayshe liked hotsauce or not.
"Tomorrow night is our last. You might want to close the deal." He spoke without looking.
He was right. We were going well and in the right direction, but circumstances prevented me from taking it to the finish line.
"I wanna take her to Blue Fin and..."
"Wrong!"
I closed my eyes and pushed away intrusive thoughts... I held a knife.
"I suppose you dislike the idea?" I turned to him.
He started eating his first creation. After some slow chewing just to annoy me further, I saw him inhaling his food. He told me... Yeah, it wasn't better than mine, but it turned out to be much more effective.
~
The next morning, we woke early and started looking for someone we knew was here.
Dr. Jeremy Hardy.
He was a genius in the field of medicine. I didn't understand a lot we gathered last night, but he was a Dr. Jesus kind... or at least everyone in those magazines hoped he would be one day. He came from a family of doctors who owned hospitals and prestigious ones at that.
"Are you sure he will say yes?" I asked him.
We found out he was at the hotel. Asin heard about him from Marie when we arrived and had an idea. We would ask the man to allow Ayshe a chance to be a resident doctor in the future. Maybe let her shadow him for a month or two.
Why would he do such a thing?
For Martell family support. And if he says no...
"If he is being difficult, we blackmail or force his ass."
Yeah... so that was the plan he came up with.
At the Bailor Hotel, we ran into a few family friends and old acquaintances. We shared some small talk, but they also confirmed that Dr. Hardy was indeed here.
After slipping some cash to the night manager just finishing his shift, we got the room number.
"Just appearing out of thin air at six a.m. is not the way to ask for favors," I reminded him in the elevator.
"Favors are asked from friends. This guy is a victim at best. Morality is a moving target in today's society, Oliver..."
I was treated to an elevator ride full of personal facts he imposed on the world.
We arrived at the 1418th door.
He knocked as loudly as a human could! Brother, this is unnecessary.
A grumpy and tired-looking young guy opened, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't order anything."
He was about to close the door, but Asin not only stopped the guy but just walked inside and past him.
"W-who are you! No, no, wait!"
I was left with the door open and rolled my eyes. We were going to have to use underhanded means now. Who does favors for lunatics?
I walked in and heard the Dr. in the middle of quite the story.
"...Did my F-father s-send you? I... can explain, obviously." He stuttered.
The thing he wanted to explain was... a pair of good-looking girls covering under his sheet, making eyes at us.
Damn doctor...
Asin was sitting at a table playing with an empty champagne bottle. "Look at this, Oliver. Our friend even works overnight saving these young women! Unless this is... some disgraceful, unbecoming, scandalous way of tarnishing your family name and your dear wife's."
He stood up and handed him the bottle.
The poor guy's hands were shaking so much the bottle landed and rolled away, scaring the girls.
I made a move that intended to calm the ladies, but they only recoiled and hid further under the cover.
We actually look like villains, brother. I hope you are happy.
"Now don't look so worried, dear..." He looked at me, waiting.
"Dr. Jeremy Hard..."
"Mr. Hard. Right. No need to fret. We actually came for a small favor. I'm sure you don't mind, unless you want things to become violent... I'm sure you like to avoid that, after all..."
He walked over and sat on the bed next to the ladies. "...the ladies look on edge already."
Looking at his smile, the fright of those ladies, and the shaking man ready to do whatever we wanted thanks to a misunderstanding...
I walked back, and I couldn't help but smile as the door closed, thinking we were both right.
This unfaithful doctor was a victim, and we were the villains.
---
Asin
"...Jemile Moins Hardy, unfortunately, has been confined in a wheelchair ever since the tragic accident that occurred..."
I put my phone away, thinking that the supposed good doctor was a disgusting imbecile. Married a disabled woman because she happened to be from a rich family... only to do this.
I turned to Oliver. "Let's keep an eye on the bastard, gather what we can from him. The Doctor." I explained.
He didn't ask why; he just nodded.
We were on our way back to the house when we came across a certain little café that I remembered. Sevinch. It held some good memories. With a certain blonde girl I was truly in love with once...
Oliver stopped and saw the place. "Oops. We usually avoid this part of the place, huh. Come now." He led me away.
He played it off and made light of it, which I appreciated. Let's not think of such times.
"I'll tell her the news tonight down at the lagoon. That guy didn't look stable before we left." I told him not to call his daddy yet. Announce it with the others next year, but he might jump the gun, and they'll call Ayshe with the news, spoiling the surprise.
"What are you planning for tonight?" He asked.
"To be honest, I don't even care. I can have fun with that girl whatever we are doing."
I was afraid to think what Auntie Krista said to her that made the woman so mad on the plane, but she pulled back with remarkable ease after a little talk with her sister.
Old Ivan had a good feeling about her. He was mad with rage after what happened, but with Marie there, we couldn't get really into it. The man killed was one of his own. He will want blood for that eventually.
"She is a good match. They both are. Took our crazy in strides and showed little signs of fatigue." He smiled.
The way he phrases things sometimes...
The girls were not only up but cared little for our absence, sunbathing by the pool.
Marie was wearing another set of swimsuits... I mean, thank the Lord whoever created such a work of art.
Just thinking how some victims stared at her last night at the bay made me want to gouge their eyes out. Such feelings haven't gripped me in a long time, but never this intensely or had the power to actually do anything about it back then.
A lot of things changed.
I splashed her with some water, making my presence known.
"Oh... you're here." She laid back down.
I had half a mind to throw her into the pool, but I'm more mature than that.
"There is a lot in your mother and you," I said, walking past her.
"W-what did you say!? And what the hell does that mean!!? Hello!?"
She soon came after me, dissecting the meaning behind my words.
Even in the middle of an angry rant... I had fun with her.
Later that night, I was helping Oliver get ready.
"Run it by me again..." I asked.
He was trying a different t-shirt but still caught his signature eye roll.
"I saw that! I'm doing this for you. Ungrateful."
Oli sighed and went and told me step-by-step. "...We cap off the night with a few drinks and fireworks. Have you..."
"Yep, I talked to Henry and the staff. Everything is ready. Try and kiss her around eleven p.m.," I suggested.
"Why specifically then?" He looked back.
"To have your first kiss coincide with the fireworks, obviously. Make it the most memorable."
I mean, ours with Marie was still better even without all that nonsense, but this wasn't the time to rub his nose in it.
"I'll do my best." He nodded.
I could tell he didn't have the soul for romantic timings.
"Are you sure you two won't go out and do something?" He asked.
I remembered her in a bikini... "For sure, I'm sure. Don't worry about us, dear heart." I got up and walked behind him.
"Just a little nervous." He kept patting his shirt.
"Yeah. Well, if it helps, she 100% likes you, and after giving her the best possible start to a career, she might even ask your hand in marriage."
I joked with a specific fear of his... having a girl on her knees asking him in public for his hand. When I imagined it, he was always bashful and accepted.
"No, please, God... don't."
"I'm just saying, a strong, independent woman like her, it's not unthinkable when you add her taste in movies..."
He pushed my hand off his shoulder and needed a minute to gather himself.
People have the strangest fears.
~
We walked down and waited for the girls.
"Henry, go and check on the guys with the surprise. Then tell everyone to take the night off; my wife and I won't need you."
Henry indicated he understood and walked away.
I kept changing little things on him like his hair and switched his watch as well. He stopped me from taking his shoes just in time for his lady love to make an appearance.
I winked at Marie, standing behind her wearing pajamas.
Alright, you crazy kids. We did what we could. Go out as individuals and come back as a couple.
---
Ayshe
Oliver asked me out.
It shouldn't make me this nervous, but it did.
Marie was overbearing as usual, trying to turn me into a Barbie doll.
But walking out hand-in-hand into the glamorous crowd, some even buzzing about G.O.D while we shared some knowing smiles, made it all worth it.
"How does it feel being this famous, walking around hearing this and that, and you being a major part of it?" I asked.
There was a certain pride when he talked about the crew and their exploits.
"...Surreal. Exciting, and yeah, it does wonders for my ego, I admit... this is the good part."
He was right. Enjoying the admiration and seeing how they captured people's imagination... even I felt a certain pride walking next to him.
"What about you? Apologies, but my contributions, as tough as they sound, are dwarfed by your ambition of becoming a doctor. How does that feel?"
I always enjoyed it when people recognized how hard the road of medicine was... and expensive.
"I don't know..." I pretended to thought about it. "I just knew early on that I wanted those white lab coats and the respect they demanded."
Marie face floated in my mind on that day... I shook my head, quickly getting rid of that miserable memory that sent me down the route of medicine.
"You know mad scientists wear those coats, also I think they go for like cheap..."
I punched his arm a little.
"I know what you mean." He turned serious. "...Having that kind of tenacity is admirable."
It's nice when the guy you like... sees you like that.
For all of Stuart's qualities, his praises were... lackluster, or maybe the way I felt about him contributed a lot.
Well, that wasn't a problem here.
Let this night be our foundation.