Angels Favorite Dream

19

As they set off, Berk and Osman watched out the window for a while. They were in one of the oldest neighborhoods of Karachi, and their first impression was that the city wasn't very modern. Most of the buildings were probably built during the British colonial era and hadn't been renovated since. Traces of British architecture were evident everywhere.

After a period of silence, Amin spoke up. "Zoe said you came by road. Why didn't you just take a flight?"

Berk stopped looking out the window and turned to Amin. "We had time, and we wanted to travel and see the sights. But we didn't expect the journey to be so stressful. Especially traveling within Pakistan—it’s really tough for foreigners. You can't even get on a bus without a document called the NOC," he said.

Amin smiled. "Yes, Pakistan can be difficult for many foreigners. But even most Pakistanis aren't familiar with the places you visited. I was surprised when I heard you traveled there. You really chose a dangerous route," he said.

"So how did you find us? I was surprised to see you suddenly appear at the restaurant," Berk said.

"When Zoe couldn't reach you, she called me. She said you were at a restaurant and described what you looked like. I was checking out the restaurants when I saw you smoking outside. I wasn't completely sure, so when you went back in, I wanted to take a closer look. Zoe had mentioned that one of Osman's eyelids was half-closed. When I saw Osman, I knew I had found you," Amin said. Then, turning to Osman, he apologized for mentioning his eye. However, Osman, not fully understanding what was being said, didn't react.

The pleasant conversation with Amin made them forget all the hardships they had faced on their way to Karachi. For the first time, they were able to connect with someone without having to explain where they were from or whether they were Muslim. Berk felt relieved, as though he could finally return to his true self.

When Amin said, "Zoe can't wait for you to come," Berk felt tongue-tied with excitement.

The last time he had checked Zoe's f*******: page, she had been filming a music video. After gathering himself, he asked, "What's Zoe shooting? Is she filming a new music video?"

Amin gave him a surprised look. "No. I guess you don't know that Zoe models in addition to her music career. My brother, Adnan Malik, is one of Pakistan's famous fashion designers. They're shooting the catalog for his new collection. The shoot is at the company building—that's where we're heading," he said.

Osman and Berk exchanged glances, as if to say, "What kind of life are we stepping into?" After a journey filled with hardships, the prospect of finding themselves at a fashion shoot as soon as they arrived in Karachi excited them.

Since the company wasn't far from the train station, they arrived quickly. Expecting a small workshop, Osman and Berk were surprised to see a five-story building and realized that Amin's brother was the owner of a significant business. As they entered, they looked around in awe. Noticing their amazed expressions, Amin said, "The building is ours. The collections are designed and produced here. We also have our photography studio on the top floor. Come on, let's head up."

As Osman and Berk headed to the elevator, Amin, with an apologetic expression, said, "The elevator's broken. We'll have to take the stairs."

Berk stretched as if to show confidence in his fitness and said, "No problem," before heading to the stairs. But as soon as they reached the first floor, they were already out of breath, realizing how much the journey had worn them out. Berk, eager to see Zoe as soon as possible, pulled himself together and continued climbing the stairs quickly. When they finally reached the fifth floor, the studio door opened, revealing a mesmerizing scene; bright lights, clothes scattered everywhere, and a crew working frantically.

Zoe, who was sitting in the makeup chair, jumped up with excitement when she saw Berk and ran toward him. At that moment, Berk felt as though an angel was approaching him. They stood silently for a while, not knowing what to say, before Zoe hugged Berk tightly.

Everyone in the studio stopped what they were doing and watched them, as if they were witnessing a scene from a romantic movie. Zoe pulled back slightly and said, "I still can't believe you're here." She then gave Osman a quick hug and turned to the crew, saying, "They've been on the road for days; they're exhausted. Let's wrap up the shoot as quickly as possible, please."

As Osman and Berk tried to shake off the astonishment of the environment they had stepped into, the crew gathered around them, eager to hear about their exciting journey. One of them asked, "We heard you came all the way here by road from Turkey. You've been to places even we wouldn't dare to go. What made you take on such a journey?"

Berk glanced at Zoe for a moment, wanting to say, "When you're in love, you'll risk anything," but held himself back to avoid gossip. Instead, he pointed at Osman and said, "Osman planned the route."

When everyone turned to Osman, he shyly waved his hand but didn't say anything, so the eyes turned back to Berk. He said, "Honestly, I didn't really know what the journey would be like either. Everything was a surprise for me too. But despite all the challenges, we had an adventure we'll never forget."

At that moment, one of the crew members aimed his camera at Berk and started filming. He hesitated for a second, thinking Berk might be uncomfortable, but when Berk waved at the camera and responded positively, he said, "Can you tell us what happened? I'd like to record this story."

Berk took a deep breath and recounted everything they had experienced, from landing in Tehran to finally reaching Karachi. Everyone listened as if hypnotized. When Berk finished, they all exclaimed, "Wow!" and started talking amongst themselves. Then someone asked, "So, how did you meet Zoe?" When the question was asked, the room suddenly went silent, and everyone eagerly awaited Berk's answer. From the way they had hugged, everyone had sensed that there was something between Zoe and Berk.

Realizing the implication behind the question, Berk blushed. "We live in a cove in southern Turkey. Zoe came to the camp where we work for a vacation, and that's how we met. Then we decided to come to Pakistan to visit her," he said.

Everyone started whispering again. In no time, they were making predictions that they would soon see Zoe and Berk's relationship in gossip magazines. To avoid more questions about their relationship, Berk said, "I need a cigarette," and stepped outside. Zoe immediately followed him, asking with concern, "Is everything okay, Berk? Is this environment bothering you?"

Berk smiled. "No, everyone is really warm and sincere. I enjoyed chatting with them, but I'm still exhausted from the journey," he said.

Zoe nodded. "I understand. The shoot will be over in half an hour. I don't want to keep you here any longer." With that, she quickly returned to the studio.

With Zoe pushing the crew into action, the day's shoot was completed quickly. Zoe came up to Berk and said, "I'm so tired too. Let's head home as soon as possible." Just then, her assistant approached them and started discussing the details of the next day's shoot with Zoe.

Realizing they wouldn't be able to spend time together on their first day, Berk's spirits fell. "Will the shoot continue tomorrow too?" he asked.

Zoe, with a regretful expression, said, "Unfortunately, there will be an outdoor shoot tomorrow. You can rest at home while I take care of it."

However, Berk wanted to spend every moment in Karachi with Zoe. He didn't even want to rest. "Is it okay if I come to the shoot tomorrow?" he asked.

Zoe turned to her assistant and said, "Can you talk to the crew and let me know?" The assistant nodded and walked away.

After leaving the studio, Berk and Osman carried Zoe's belongings. Seeing this, her friends said to Zoe, "You have such gentlemanly friends, you're very lucky."

Zoe smiled at Berk. "Yes, I'm really lucky they came to visit me. Everyone at Kabak Bay was just as kind as they are," she said.

Once they exited the building, Zoe pointed to her car and said, "Sorry, my mom took my car, so I'm using this old one. We won't have a very comfortable ride," she added, a little embarrassed.

Berk laughed. "If you had seen the trains and buses we traveled on, you'd realize this car is luxury for us," he said.

After loading their bags into the trunk, Berk sat in the front seat. When they were next to each other, they both got emotional and stared at each other for a moment.

When Zoe started the car, she was so overwhelmed by the moment that her hands were shaky. She struggled to get the manual car moving. After a few tries, she finally managed it. Embarrassed, she said, "My car is automatic, and I'm not used to driving manual."

As they set off, Zoe said, "I still can't believe you're here in Karachi." She kept glancing at Berk and smiling, as if saying, "You really came, just like you promised." She was so happy that she found it hard to speak, and sometimes took her hands off the wheel to express her excitement.

These gestures worried Osman. Leaning forward, he said, "Alright, Zoe, calm down, focus on the road, or you'll get us into an accident." But Zoe ignored Osman's warnings, continuing to savor her joy.

Eventually, she calmed down and asked, "How was the journey?"

Berk said, "Traveling overland instead of flying was quite an adventure! So many things happened to us over those four days. It'll take a while to tell you everything. I’ll explain it all once I get a hot shower."

Zoe said, "My mom and dad are excited to meet you too. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear about your adventure."

Berk replied, "We can't wait to meet them either. When can we meet?"

Zoe gave an unexpected answer, "We're going to their house tonight."

For a moment, Berk panicked. "You said you'd arrange a place for us in the city center. Aren't we staying there?"

Zoe had previously mentioned that they had an apartment in the city center and that they would be staying there. So, Berk and Osman thought they were heading to that apartment. Berk turned to see Osman's reaction to Zoe's words, but Osman was still focused on Zoe's dangerous driving and hadn't been listening to the conversation.

Zoe said, "I hardly go to that apartment myself. I usually stay with my parents. When they heard you were coming, they wanted to host you at their house. They think it would be unsafe for you to stay at the city center apartment."

Berk thought that meeting Zoe's parents while still covered in travel grime wasn't a good idea. "Couldn't we at least stay in the city center tonight? We're filthy, and meeting your family like this wouldn't be very appropriate," he said.

Zoe said, "Oh, don't worry about that. My parents are very easygoing; they know you've come a long way. My brother is out of town for work, so his room is empty, and they want you to stay there. They also want to thank you for hosting me at Kabak Bay."

Realizing that Zoe had already made all the plans, Berk gave in. "Alright, at least let me shower before meeting them," he said.

As they approached Zoe's family home, Berk and Osman felt as though they had arrived in a different city. Far from the chaos of the city center, this quiet neighborhood of luxury villas dazzled them. When they pulled up in front of the house, Zoe said, "My mom is so excited to meet you. Look, she's waiting for us at the door."

Osman and Berk felt a little nervous about meeting her mother while they were still so dirty. When they reached the door, Zoe introduced them. "Gentlemen, this is my mom, Lynette."

With a big smile on her face, Lynette greeted them warmly, "It's such a pleasure to meet you! Welcome to Pakistan. I know you've had a long journey and must be exhausted. Please, don't hesitate—come in."

At that moment, their dog, Clio, approached the door. Clio was a much larger Dalmatian than usual. Berk smiled and said, "Wow! A real beast. I had a Dalmatian when I was a kid, but Clio is huge compared to him. Why is she so big?"

Lynette explained, "She recently had an illness, and afterward, she gained weight quickly. Also, it made her a bit irritable. Be careful when petting her; she doesn't like it much."

Clio sniffed Berk and Osman for a while and then began wagging her tail, showing she felt comfortable. Seeing Clio's behavior, Berk and Osman entered the house.

Turning to her mother, Zoe said, "They're a bit messy from the long journey and didn't want to meet you like this." Lynette gave them a reassuring look and then helped Berk and Osman settle into their rooms.

Zoe's family had a two-story villa that reminded Berk of the summer houses in Silivri. His aunt had a summer house in that area, and Berk would occasionally visit during summers. As they climbed the stairs, he felt as if he was at his aunt's summer home, and quickly felt comfortable in the house, even letting go of the nervousness of staying with Zoe's family.

Upstairs, there were three rooms and a shared bathroom in the hallway. Zoe's room also had a bathroom. Lynette brought clean towels and said, "You can use the bathroom in Zoe's room or the one in the hallway for a shower."

When Berk said he would use the hallway bathroom, Zoe said, "I prepared the bathroom in my room for you." However, Berk ignored her and entered the hallway bathroom instead. Staying at Zoe's family's house made him feel too shy to be alone with Zoe. As he showered, though, he secretly regretted missing a moment where he could have held Zoe close.

After relaxing with a shower, Osman and Berk went down to the kitchen. It seemed to be the gathering spot of the house. Zoe and Lynette were chatting in the kitchen. Seeing Berk and Osman, Zoe asked, "Are you ready to meet my dad?"

Osman, being shy, hesitated a bit, while Berk, excited to meet the father of the woman he loved, said, "Now that we've showered, we can't say no."

Zoe took two bottles of beer from the fridge and handed them to them. "Have a beer before we meet him; it will help ease your nerves," she said. She herself opened a beer, excited to introduce her father to Berk.

After a few sips, Zoe said, "My dad can't move around much, so we'll go to his bedroom."

Entering the room nervously, they found that Zoe's father, who was in his seventies, looked much healthier than they had expected. When Zoe said her father couldn't walk, they had thought they would find someone bedridden. However, Adi was sitting at a desk beside his bed, using a Macintosh computer. There was a side table next to him with whiskey and soda. Despite his age, he gave the impression of a man who was tech-savvy and enjoyed life.

Zoe introduced them, saying, "This is my dad, Adi." They shook hands one by one.

Adi said, "Welcome, gentlemen. Please, have a seat," pointing to the chairs across from his desk. Berk noticed Adi's interest in technology and looked at his computer. Lynette, noticing this, said with a hint of complaint, "He spends all day at the computer, chatting with people from around the world."

Adi smiled wryly. "I wish we had these opportunities when I was young. Now, I can sit here and talk to someone in Australia. It's amazing to hear stories from different cultures without even traveling," he said, taking a sip of his whiskey. Then, looking at Berk and Osman, he asked, "Aren't you drinking anything?"

Berk and Osman hesitated to mention the beer, so Zoe jumped in, saying, "They were having beer in the kitchen." Adi then said, "Well, grab your beers, and let's chat."

Zoe said, "You stay here, I'll bring them," and went to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Adi asked, "Osman, you were the chef at the camp where Zoe stayed, and Berk, you were the bartender, right?"

Osman hesitated to speak, so Berk responded, "Yes, sir. We live and work in the cove."

Adi replied, "You have quite an interesting life. Living in nature, away from the city, is a radical decision, but I have to say, I'm impressed." Then he added, "Zoe mentioned you came to Karachi through Quetta. Why did you choose such a dangerous route?"

Berk explained, "Everyone we met along the way told us how dangerous the places we were heading to were. After we crossed the border, we were assigned a guard. He left us halfway, but the rest of the journey was under military escort. Everyone was kind and helpful; we never felt in danger. Maybe it was because we had a guard with us, but once we settled into the hotel in Quetta, we explored the city, and no one bothered us at all."

Adi felt a bit humbled as he listened to the lives of people living in Pakistan's remote corners. He realized there was much he didn't know about his own country. "Two Turks, coming from miles away, have explored our country better than we have," he said.

Not wanting the conversation to drag on, Zoe said, "Dad, they're tired from the journey. You can continue this conversation another time," and signaled to Berk and Osman to get up.

Berk stood up and said, "Thank you so much for hosting us. We'll continue the conversation another time."

Adi raised his whiskey glass to salute Berk and returned to his chat on the computer.

Back in the kitchen, Zoe said, "I called a few friends to come over. They should be here soon," and gave Berk a sly smile. "They're bringing something you'll really like."

It seemed like Zoe had forgotten that Berk and Osman had just come off a long journey and needed rest. But Zoe, eager to see how her friends would react to Berk, invited them over that evening. Berk, however, was ready for the test of joining Zoe's circle of friends.

A short while later, two of Zoe's female friends and two male friends arrived. After introducing her friends to Berk and Osman, they all sat around the kitchen table and began sipping their drinks and chatting. At one point, Zoe winked at her male friends to continue talking with Berk while she slipped away to gossip with Meher and Mariam.

Berk asked curiously, "Can you tell me a bit about life here in Karachi? Because everything we've seen so far has been a bit intimidating. We didn't see a single woman out in Quetta. Is life generally this conservative across Pakistan?"

Mohsin and Rizwan exchanged glances, as they didn't know much about cities outside Karachi. Mohsin said, "Outside Karachi, we only know Islamabad and Lahore. These cities are also open-minded like Karachi. But the Balochistan region you traveled through is quite different. In fact, you haven't really seen the true Pakistan."

Berk nodded thoughtfully, trying to grasp Pakistan's complexity.

Rizwan, wanting to liven things up, remembered Zoe mentioning that Berk liked to smoke weed. He pulled out some hashish from his pocket. Berk's eyes lit up with excitement. Rizwan then emptied half the tobacco from a cigarette, added the hashish, and stuffed the tobacco back in. Berk, puzzled, asked, "Is this how you smoke hashish in Pakistan?"

Rizwan replied, "Yeah, how else would you smoke it?" and lit the cigarette. They took turns smoking, but Berk didn't get the effect he was expecting. "If we roll it in paper, it'll be stronger. The filter reduces the effect," he said.

Rizwan didn't quite understand what Berk meant, but Zoe intervened. "There's a gas station nearby; we can get rolling papers there," she said.

Everyone got excited to try it the way Berk described, and they all quickly got up. When they arrived at the gas station, everyone split up in different directions. Berk and Osman picked up some local snacks and drinks to try. After grabbing the rolling papers and other items, they headed back to the house and continued chatting in the kitchen.

Everyone watched with curiosity as Berk rolled the hashish the way he had explained. When he quickly rolled it and placed it in the middle of the table, everyone was momentarily intimidated—it was quite thick and long.

Mariam said, "You should taste this before you smoke this cigarette," handing Osman and Berk the drinks they had bought. Berk took a sip of the brightly colored drink and made a face. "It's too sweet! How can you drink this?" he asked.

Everyone started laughing. Meher said, "As long as you're in Pakistan, you have to get used to overly sweet food and drinks." Everyone expected Berk to say, "Good thing I'm not staying long," but when he stayed silent, Meher and Mariam exchanged glances with Zoe. Even Zoe didn't know what Berk was planning.

To change the subject, Berk took the cigarette and lit it. Everyone took turns taking deep drags. They realized that smoking hash this way gave them a stronger high, and they saw that Berk had been right.

As they all started to get high, Zoe's friends, knowing Berk had come to Karachi for Zoe, began talking about her in glowing terms. Their real intention was to find out what Berk thought. Hoping he'd open up under the influence of the drink and hash, they asked him what he thought about Zoe. But Berk gave evasive answers. "We'll be in Karachi for a while; who knows how our adventure will end!" he said.

As the night came to an end, everyone left to go home, drunk and happy. Before leaving, Mariam turned to Berk and said, "Zoe is really happy to see you," then quickly added, "See you later," and left.

Hearing that made Berk's heart race. It seemed like he had been accepted by Zoe's circle of friends.

Before going to bed, Berk and Zoe talked about the plans for the next day. Zoe said, "My assistant hasn't confirmed yet if you can come to the shoot. I guess we'll find out in the morning."

Berk yawned. "No problem. We'll talk in the morning and decide then."

After a long and eventful day, Berk and Osman finally went to their rooms and fell asleep for their first night in Karachi.