Page 21 of Pomegranates and Olive

Ginny snaps her fingers in front of me to gain my attention. "Now that they've gone, you need to tell me what's going on!"

"How hot is Aydin?"

"Yes, yes, I know, Aydin's hot. I'm totally aware of that fact, but can we get back to the issue at hand?"

"I wouldn't even know where to start —"

"Maybe start with you practically getting it on with a complete stranger who turns out to bemyfiancé's cousin? I mean, out of the hundred or so people on that plane, you decide to crack on to Deniz! I wonder what the odds of that are?" Ginny grins at me as she pushes open the heavy, wooden door. "Emine? We're home."

The building is unassuming from the outside but once we step inside, I realise how wrong that assumption is. The entrance hall is grand with five-metre-high ceilings. I follow my gaze into the main living room. A wood burning stove and cosy sofa, original beams and wooden doors showcases the obvious history of the building. I'm awestruck by how immaculately restored and modern it is, yet still retaining its original charm.

And Deniz designed this? Wow! There's a lot more to him than just being an obnoxious, sexy, arrogant, sexy, jerk. I guess… yes, I think we can agree that the second sexy is completely justified.

There's a squeal of delight followed by a deep woof coming from somewhere deep inside the home. Suddenly, an enormous yellow dog comes galloping down the stairs followed by a little girl, her face almost lost amongst a mass of dark curls.

Ginny mumbles to herself before screaming, "Betty! Heel! BETTY!"

"Oh shit!" The dog is a real beast; the size of a small horse, and she’s eyeing me warily, her teeth bared and a low rumble coming from her chest. I freeze as she stops in her tracks and sniffs my shoes, my pants and finally my hand. "Please don't eat me, please don't eat me."

"This is Betty. I promise he won't eat you."

"Betty? He?”

Ginny throws her head back and laughs at my reaction. “Betty was named by Aydin who had a crush on Betty Rubble as a boy. He just didn’t realise at the time that Betty was in fact a Barney. Anyway the name stuck so Betty he is.”

You’re joking right?" After a thorough examination, Betty seems to accept me as one of his people. He nudges my hand with his wet nose and I scratch his caramel head. "Good monster."

"And this —" Ginny motions the little girl over. "— is Emine but I call her Emme, don't I, Emme?"

Aydin's daughter Emine launches herself at me, hugging my waist. "Hosgeldiniz, Teyze."

I glance at Ginny for a translation as I untangle myself. "English please, Emme."

Emine nods at Ginny and smiles shyly up at me. "Welcome, Aunt."

"Thank you, Emine. Ginny has told me so many great things about you."

"Did Ginger tell you that I lost a tooth?" The little girl angles her head upwards, opens her mouth wide and points a chubby finger at the hole where her tooth had once been.

"I was about to, Emme. Go and wash your hands and I'll get breakfast started."

"You don't need to. Baba made breakfast and I helped." Emine beckons us to follow her. "Come and look."

Ginny grins at me as the excitable little girl leads me through the spectacular living area and out onto a stone terrace where a large wooden table simply overflowing with food waits for us. I try hard to concentrate on Emine as she points out all the different dishes, but find myself drawn to the architecture and surroundings.

The terrace itself is straight off a postcard, overflowing with terracotta pots and planter boxes filled with colourful flowers. There are pink ivy-leaved geraniums like the ones on my mother's front porch, as well as purple dianthus, snapdragons and daisies. The terrace is surrounded by garden beds filled with lavender, sage, basil, mint and even chilli plants bursting with red and green fruit. Above us, a rickety-looking wooden pergola covers the whole terrace, supporting a mature vine with grapes dangling gracefully, giving us, the Betty Monster and a fat tabby cat that scuttled off when it saw Betty, a little refuge from the already hot sun. Bees busily buzz in the sunshine while far below, row after row of heavily-fruited olive trees line the aquamarine sea lapping gently at the rocky shore. A warm breeze carries the salty ocean scent with it and I inhale deeply; ocean, flowers, herbs, but more importantly, freshly-brewed coffee!

Coffee and a view? Oh yes, there was no doubt in my mind; this panoramic palette of paradise is fifty shades of stunning.

"Ginny! You said this place was half derelict! Which half? Because what I've seen so far is spectacular."

"Wait until you go upstairs."

"Sure, sure. Well, it's amazing. I can't believe I'm actually here."

"Believe it, because you are here and we're going to have a total blast."

"Auntie, look!Sigara borek. It's filled with cheese." Emine tugs at my jeans and I pull my gaze away from the view and back to the little girl. "And I cut up the cucumber all by myself."

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