Gardens of Water (38 page)

Light burst into the tent and
smail stepped in. “I got them,” he said, glancing at his sister. “Is she okay?”

“Yes, son,” Sinan said. He was moved by
smail’s concern and touched his head to reassure him.

“You leave me alone for four days, praying for him,”
rem said, motioning toward
smail. She spat the words out. “I’m struck with a rock, and you attack me.”

He was about to tell her what she already knew: you brought it on yourself, but her words stabbed him with guilt.

“
Can
m,
” Nilüfer said, softening. She sat down next to her daughter. “You have to be careful with boys.” She stroked
rem’s hair and
rem jumped under the touch. “Besides, it’s not appropriate.”

rem rolled her eyes and blew air out of her mouth.

“He’s nice,”
rem said. “He’s just sad about his mother.”

“No,” Nilüfer said. “Boys are dangerous—more dangerous than a tiny rock. They always want something.”

“Like what?”
rem had a strange smile on her face; a dangerous smile that scared Sinan.

He told
smail to wait outside.

“Things,” Nilüfer said. “You don’t want to give them.”

The cut had started to bleed again and Nilüfer dabbed at it with the cloth.

rem laughed. “Sex, mother. You mean sex?”

Nilüfer stood up immediately.

“What did you say?” Sinan said, more with shock than anger, though anger came on its heels.

Nilüfer touched his shoulder, and motioned her head toward the door. “
You
should leave now.”

Outside the tent, he found the foreigners and
smail waiting, as though for the coming of a newborn. “Sinan Bey,” Dylan said, grabbing Sinan’s forearm, his eyes wide with childhood fear. “She’s fine, right?”