TE23 Double Feature

Selim Özdo ğan

52 Factory Lane

For a moment, Fuat wonders if his wife has been drinking. Gül nods in the two girls’ direction and holds a finger to her lips. She looks at her husband; Ceren gets her thick, arched eyebrows, her broad forehead and her high cheekbones from him. Fuat is her daughters’ father, and however difficult things might be with him sometimes, Gül’s feelings transfer to him in this moment, and she feels an urge to simply walk over and embrace him, and then stand side by side with him so they can look at their daughter together. She suppresses the impulse. Fuat would make some kind of inappropriate remark and ask if she had lost her mind. Still, it feels like the blood running through her veins is warmer now. Thanks be to God for this heart, with enough space inside for everyone. Fuat walks up behind Gül and says, quietly: ‘They’ll have it easier than we did.’ Gül breathes in her husband’s scent and nods. Yes. Her daughters are growing up with both their mother and father, not with a stepmother like she did. They’ll have it easier than she did. If God allows, she won’t leave them until they can stand on their own two feet. 226

After the meal there’s a knock at the back door; someone must have come through the garden. ‘Come in,’ Fuat calls out from the table, where they’re all still sitting. It’s Serter, and the two girls steal furtive glances at him. They’ve often heard that he’s crazy, but they rarely catch sight of him. And when they do see him, he never seems to do things that seem crazy to them. Word’s gone round the adults that Serter has been going to a German lady of the night every two weeks. He’s not the only one who does it, but he’s the one who has set their tongues wagging. Fuat gets up, greets Serter and asks how he is. Gesine goes very shy whenever the Yolcus have visitors. These days, she’s happy to sit at the table, even if she doesn’t understand the conversation, but as soon as strangers turn up, she feels out of place. ‘Would you like to join us for something to eat?’ Gül asks though she’s already heading straight to the cupboard to fetch another plate. ‘No, no,’ Serter says. ‘Thanks, really, I’m 227