Bahar: A Spring Melody

By Ramona Matta

In order to escape an arranged marriage, Bahar Yilmaz, the bride-to-be, runs off at the eleventh hour, setting in motion a series of vengeful acts filled with corruption and injustice, all while she searches for true love. Her musical journey as a pianist turns into an invitation of wild adventures the day she moves in with Detective Kenan Gocer. Soon, her family catches up with her. Mysterious secrets are revealed, and revenge plans are set in motion, leaving Bahar torn between her gone, but not forgotten, past and her only chance to live happily ever after.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504928953

Ramona Matta

Ramona Matta is a Lebanese American writer and author. Her Mediterranean background brings to her everyday life an inspiration to travel the universe of creative cultures and traditions through fiction writing. Every story is unique to its origin, shining the light on our multicultural world, which will bring all people together with every turn of a page, one written chapter after another. From the United States, to Lebanon, to Argentina, and now to Istanbul, there is always a hidden tale waiting to be discovered.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

LIBERTY

ISTANBUL, 2014

BAHAR

N ear the historical Sirkeci train station, and under the cold sky of New Year’s Eve, colorful fireworks brightened up the swarming city of Istanbul in celebration of a new beginning. In exchange for warm hugs and friendly kisses, with best desires at heart, the countdown began.

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!

Everyone shouted at once, declaring the end of a whole year as they welcomed in another. Within the festive atmosphere, I felt the slow-moving traffic closing in on me. I turned around, seeking a fresher breath, only to have found my fiancé, Orhan Mirza, stealing away my special moment. His cold lips were slowly approaching mine in a predictable attempt to kiss me at midnight, but deep within my heart the impulse of pulling back from our arranged relationship drove me to take off without a notice.

To me, the subject of marriage is a serious term of faithful guardianship and endless love, bound into a long commitment between two individuals who vow to devote their lives to one another, nonetheless their undying souls, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do them part. Though not everyone’s perspective is as clear on such meaningful binding, spiritually or physically speaking, which is often taken for granted when seeking a benefit other than true love especially in the event of an arranged marriage.

Coming from the Yilmaz family of wealth and power, raised by my father, Fikret, whose only occupation was to inherit privilege and unquestionable authority, pushed me straight into the arms of a coordinated marriage, which I was determined to resist until the end. Though growing up in such a rigorous environment, I was not equipped with absolute knowledge or courage to go against my family’s living will. While knowing that either choice I was to make would bring its own consequences, and perhaps draw the fine line of my destiny, I never intended to give up. Despite all odds, I trusted my natural instinct and its whispering voice to empower me with rays of hope upon my darkest of moments.

Bahar? Bahar?…Please wait! Orhan’s loud voice rang in my ears while I ran against the passing crowd as fast as I could. I turned my head around for a second to locate his missing shadow, when I crashed into my Prince Charming for the first time. He was standing by the corner lot, overlooking the bright sky.

Are you blind?! I yelled with anger. His drink in hand spilled all over me, showering me with a sweet after-smell.

I am so sorry, miss. I didn’t see you coming this way. You appeared out of nowhere, the handsome man immediately apologized. His dark-colored eyes spoke a whispering language of flirtation as I stared at him, questioning my own attitude. Frankly, I was more angry with myself that night than I was with him, before lashing out with no warning.

Feeling the heat of embarrassment taking over my unspoken words, I disappeared into the dark night, searching for a secret world to hide inside its walls forever. Instead, I found myself trapped within a fancy vase of my family’s home of Ottoman legacy, wrapped up in a cycle of endless traditions and meaningless principles. Since forever, I’ve lived surrounded by a universe of seclusion, as a single rose of wild dreams captured in a prison of golden cage, where colors of liberty were fading and thorns of survival were incapable of reaching out.

Nothing was ever about me, nor was it for me to decide. From the moment I witnessed the light of day, I was born to be taken care of. My name was chosen on my behalf, in the same order that I was taught to speak and walk, to dress and act. Not for once had I the freedom of choosing my own way, and soon enough I was about to give everything up, only to surrender my life into the hands of a marriage I hated to tears. I was torn between a commitment of convenience to some, and my own desire to break free and follow my heart to wherever it was to lead me.

Into the music room I stormed, seeking comfort and the soothing sounds of my piano, which had spoke softly to my soul ever since I was a kid. Music was the only freedom that I was not forbidden from adopting under my father’s strict roof; rather, it was my only way to voice aloud my deeper thoughts and feelings.

Another sleepless night went by, before I woke up to the coolest day of January. As I looked out my balcony overlooking the spacious land that surrounded our castle, I overheard the wind howling from every chilly nook while the foghorn was passing through the naked trees of Mother Nature. The time had passed out of sight, and it was my wedding day at last. Not only I, the bride to be, got to wear a white gown in celebration of my new journey, but nature had a unique pearly layer of its own: snow sprinkled all around.

A few hours into the morning, the peace of our residence was broken up forever when the many guests of honor showed up to congratulate me all at once and celebrate the supposedly happiest day of my life. Meanwhile, I was still locked up inside my cozy chamber, applying the finishing touches to my perfectly white wardrobe, with a traditional red ribbon of respect and honor surrounding my petite waist. I looked at myself in the glossy mirror, unable to recognize my happy reflection, when the loud voices of regret began to haunt my mind and soul, urging me to take one last action. Even my heart was pacing so rapidly, alerting me of an upcoming danger.

You can do this, Bahar…you can do this, I whispered to myself in the mirror. I was disappointed beyond explanation for losing to achieve my freedom. There is no going back. This is it…the moment of truth. I swallowed my thoughts in pain when a sharp knock on my door stopped my series of reasoning from rolling.

Bahar? Are you ready, dear? It’s almost time! Mother Leila shouted from behind the locked door, inviting me and my soul to surrender.

Yes, Mother! I’ll be out in a minute! I yelled back, feeling the breath of suffocation. My hands were sweating with an unusual heat, while my face felt as cold as an iceberg. Afraid to make a single move closer to the path of miserable promises, I raced in the opposite direction and toward the balcony of fresh air, where I encountered the handsome man of New Year’s Eve, hiding out in the shadows. You?! I gasped with shock. In a flash, my blood pressure rose to its breaking point, and my heart went into sudden death. The impact of the surprise stole my voice and thoughts away, and perhaps my fear, for once.

Don’t be scared. I am not here to hurt you. I promise, he whispered with a careful voice, looking twice around his shoulders. Somehow, he climbed up the one-floor balcony, leading his way up into my private suite. Conveniently for him, directly below us was the music room, which was vacant at the time. Even my father’s bodyguards were nowhere near the scene.

Bahar?! What’s taking you so long? Orhan is waiting for you downstairs, my mother shouted again, reminding me of my so-called responsibility of attendance. She was unhappy with my carelessness. I could tell by the impatient tone of her voice. But before I could speak back, I was stopped by the intruder.

Shush…. His facial lines and eyebrows lifted up while holding his hand up against my mouth, stopping me from speaking or possibly screaming my head off, when I saw he was in possession of a loaded weapon. His body felt cold against my feverish lips, but a closer look into his mysterious eyes broke the tension between us. He then released his hand, letting me go, perhaps fearful of raising any suspicions.

I’ll be there in a minute! I shouted back with frustration, while thinking of how to best handle the sudden events. Though I was so tempted to expose the stranger in my room for the burglar that he appeared to be, I was more eager to save myself from marrying Orhan. Maybe on some vague level, the so-called stranger was the true hero of every princess’s dream, who heard my prayers and had come to my rescue. I cannot go along with this wedding you have to help me get out of here! I announced in panic mode, leaving him to entangle his eyebrows together.

What?! His eyes opened widely, looking at me up and down with confusion.

Yes…you heard me right. Let’s go!

Wait a minute. I don’t understand…

There’s no time for an explanation! I demanded. You broke your way into my bedroom and for that I can have you arrested, but instead I am giving you a chance to save yourself. With all honesty, I was the one desperate to retain my freedom not knowing whether he was in fact a person to be trusted or not, but in the heat of the moment I was willing to take all risks despite any outcome. No one will ever know that you were here, I promised looking closely into his eyes searching my way out, while watching the clock of independence tick faster than ever before.

Fine, but we have to hurry…, he agreed with a look of hesitation. He then turned around to check our surrounding for a clear escape as I followed his footsteps holding my wedding gown off the floor. Quickly, he reached his robust arm to help me dangle down the balcony with his rope of adventure hanging off the edge, pulling us into a close-call scene. The awkward moment was not only physically intense but emotionally too. Together we took off running through the back wooded area as far away from the wedding site as possible, leaving behind a whole lot of disappointed people. Not to mention, a heartbroken groom.

Soon after that unplanned escapade of mine, the night caved in. Even the weather was changing as the temperature dropped behind the fallen sunset. Meanwhile, I was in my wedding gown jumping the hoops of wet snow and abandoned tree branches, rather than on my planned honeymoon. We ran our long distance far enough from the mansion before we ended up in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the lonely forest and its unpredictable ending.

How far still? I am getting tired, I complained out loud, breaking the silence of our journey in which he remained quiet throughout, avoiding a single eye contact. Beneath his calm looks, I sensed a dusky anger ready to erupt at any minute, but his unresponsive attitude pushed me to speak even louder. Did you not hear what I just said? I stopped walking at once in hopes of capturing his full attention. Though I was always kind and polite, for the first time in my life I used my attitude as a sharp weapon to protect myself in the presence of a total stranger; therefore I was completely on my own.

Yes. I did! he replied with a whiny voice, while searching his jacket for something rather more important than our conversation.

What’s wrong? What are you looking for? I wondered, watching him panic.

I lost my cell phone. I might have dropped it someplace. Damn it! Clearly, he was upset and, in an obvious way, blaming me for everything bad that was happening at the moment.

I don’t understand why you’re so angry! I saved you from going to jail, and this is how you repay me? Your attitude is just unbelievable! I shook my head with disappointment. Although his well-maintained appearance did not exactly expose his criminal side, looks were often deceiving. I learned to believe that and I was often right.

"Who said that I was going