Exhausted and worn out, I entered the house. It was almost 3:30, and I had only 2.5 hours left before I had to go to work again in the morning. After the intense pace throughout the day, my body was completely drained. I quickly took off my clothes and threw myself into the shower. The relaxing effect of the hot water relieved my fatigue a little. After the shower, I gathered my wet hair, wrapped it in a towel, and put on my pajamas. As I got into bed, my only thought was that even this short amount of sleep would give me energy. As soon as my head hit the pillow, my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.
---
At 6 o'clock, I woke up again to the sound of my phone's alarm. I had difficulty opening my eyes, but I had to get out of bed. I got up and headed to the bathroom. After taking care of my daily routine in the bathroom, I returned to my room to get dressed. After getting ready, I was about to leave the house when my phone started ringing. I took my phone out of my bag and looked at the screen; my boss was calling. I wondered why he was calling at this hour of the morning.
I answered the phone and put it to my ear. "Hello?" I said.
"Good morning, Eylül," my boss said. "I'm sorry for calling this early, but you don't need to come to work today."
I panicked for a moment. "What? Why? Was I fired?" I said anxiously.
"Oh no, there's renovation at the workplace," he said calmly. "That's why we'll be closed for one week."
I took a deep breath and relaxed. "I understand, okay. Then I'll see you in a week," I said.
"See you later, Eylül," he said. "Now I have to call the other employees. Bye," he said and hung up.
For a moment, I was very scared; I thought I had been fired. I was surprised at how much even that thought worried me. Since there was no work, I decided to go back, put on my pajamas, and return to my interrupted sleep. I got back into bed and covered myself. As the shock of this news I received early in the morning faded, I found myself relaxing back into sleep.
My thoughts focused on how long the renovation at work would take and what I could do during this time. It could be a good opportunity to take care of things I had postponed for a long time, read a book, or just rest. As I fell asleep with these thoughts, I wondered how the rest of the day would go. I decided to enjoy this unexpected break and peacefully fell asleep.
---
I woke up again to the sound of my phone. The caller was Aunt Meltem. I didn't want to answer, but she was my only relative who still kept in touch and talked with me. Reluctantly, I answered the phone. After clearing my throat with a slight cough, I said, "Hello, Aunt Meltem, how are you?"
"I'm fine, my dear, how are you?" she said.
"I'm fine too, Auntie. I was sleeping, but the sound of the phone woke me up."
"Aren't you at work at this hour? Did something happen, are you sick?" she said.
"No, no, Auntie, I'm not sick or anything. There's renovation at work, so I won't be going to work for a week. Why did you call? I hope nothing is wrong."
"Actually, I wanted to set you up with someone, my girl. Don't you think it's time? You haven't found your partner yet, you can't live this life alone," she said.
"Auntie, please, don't start again. I don't want anyone in my life, so stop trying to set me up with people. Besides, I have a pile of debts to pay off, I don't have time for such things."
"My girl, don't refuse right away. First, meet him, see him, then if you don't want him, it's fine, okay, my dear? Please listen to me, I want you to have a good life," she said.
"Ugh, Auntie, fine, but only for your sake."
Aunt Meltem was someone who always cared about me and thought of me. After my mom and dad passed away, she had been like both a mother and father to me. But sometimes her attention overwhelmed me. Especially her constant efforts to do something about my private life tired me out. I thought to myself, "Why is everyone so concerned about my loneliness?" Yet, I was content with my loneliness. Living without having to answer to anyone, spending my time as I wished, felt good to me. But trying to explain this to Aunt Meltem was impossible!
"Okay, Auntie," I said with a sigh. "Who is this person you want me to meet?"
"Oh, my girl, how nice of you to ask! His name is Murat. He's a very gentlemanly, respectful boy. Around your age, an engineer. His family is also very nice people," she said excitedly. "He wants to have coffee with you. What do you say, could you meet up one day this week?"
I knew it was difficult to resist such insistence. Besides, I didn't want to upset Aunt Meltem. I knew she was thinking of my well-being, but I also wanted to be able to control my own life. "Okay, Auntie," I finally said. "We can meet one day this week. But I'll only have a coffee, I promise."
Aunt Meltem's voice suddenly brightened. "You're wonderful, my dear! I want you to be happy. Maybe this Murat is the right person for you, who knows?"
After hanging up, I took a deep breath. I had been forced again to do something about my own life. But maybe Aunt Meltem was right. Maybe it was time to make a new beginning in my life. With these thoughts, I lay back down in bed, but now it was impossible to sleep.
With the sound of a notification, I picked up my phone again. Aunt Meltem had sent Murat's number and added a note underneath:
"If you don't want to sit around idle at home for a week, they are looking for staff to work at the summer party. You're good at such things, you could work there for a week if you want. Plus, the pay is good, think about it, my dear."
My Aunt Meltem was the Alpha's head steward and also the manager of such large organizations. This summer party to be held at the Alpha's palace would be a very lavish and busy event. Instead of lazing around for a week, working at this party would both provide me with extra income and help me use my time well. Moreover, if Aunt Meltem thought I could handle this work, I had no reason not to trust her.
However, the palace was quite far from where I lived, and I might have difficulty commuting. Despite this, the high pay and my aunt's suggestion pushed me to take advantage of this opportunity. I wanted to decide as soon as possible, so I immediately texted my aunt:
"What time do you want me there?"
My aunt's reply didn't come late:
"Be here early tomorrow morning, I will welcome you," she said.
With this good news, I jumped out of bed with joy. For a moment, the excitement of this new opportunity ahead of me filled my entire body. The fact that Aunt Meltem offered such a quick and definitive solution really made me happy. As I headed to the kitchen to snack on something, I noticed my stomach growling with hunger. Actually, I didn't really feel like eating much, but I knew I needed to stay energetic and alert.
I started preparing something simple for breakfast. Meanwhile, I thought: Aunt Meltem was not only setting me up with someone, but also offering me opportunities that could support me financially. Even though I sometimes got overwhelmed by her constant interference in my life, I could see how beneficial this situation could be.
After finishing my breakfast quickly, I decided to prepare for tomorrow's work. I thought about the clothes I needed to wear and the items I might need. At the same time, I remembered that I also had to meet with Murat. This week looked like it would be quite busy and full. In both cases, I wanted to meet Aunt Meltem's expectations.
Before my evening shift at the bar started, I decided to rest a bit. Working until late at night could be tiring, and I would have to leave early the next day. So, taking some time to rest seemed like a good idea.
With all these thoughts, I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes. Knowing that Aunt Meltem thought of me and always supported me warmed my heart. I didn't know what the future would bring, but at least knowing that I would be busy for a week and have the opportunity to meet new people reassured me.
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