She had no idea yet how far this would go. But the most important decision had already been made. That night, she barely slept.
Joanna tossed and turned, pulling the blanket up, then kicking it off again, as if she could shake off the words she’d heard. Outside, the wind rattled the windows, but even that sounded better than the noise in her own head. She had known Turkish since childhood.
Her grandmother had been Turkish and had moved years earlier to what was then the Soviet Union. Only Joanna’s close family knew that part of her background. Kasim didn’t, because she had chosen not to tell him.
Was she afraid? Or had she wanted proof that his family would be honest with her? Even Joanna hadn’t fully sorted out her own reasons. But after that meeting, everything came into focus. Her silence had turned out to be the only way to see what they really thought.
And she had seen it more clearly than she ever wanted to. The next morning began with an unexpected call from Kasim. “Good morning, Joanna, how are you?” he asked, his voice bright over the phone.
“Mom wants to invite you to dinner at the house. She thinks it’ll help you two get to know each other better.” Joanna felt her stomach tighten. So yesterday’s humiliation hadn’t been enough.
But out loud she answered calmly: “Of course. I’ll come.” “Really?” he said, relieved. “Believe me, Mom was just tired yesterday. Don’t take the cold reception personally.”
“She’s a good person. You’ll see,” he added. Joanna thought about that for a long moment. Did he truly not hear the way his mother had talked about her right in front of her?
Did all those ugly remarks really slide past him? Or was it simply easier for him to pretend? Maybe that worked for him. It didn’t work for her. She wanted the truth, even if it was uncomfortable.
That evening, Joanna stood at the heavy front doors of Kasim’s family home. It was the kind of large, expensive house where every corner announced status. She pressed the doorbell and knew the security camera had already sent an alert to Kasim’s phone.
He opened the door himself, looking cheerful—almost too cheerful. “You look beautiful,” Kasim said, kissing her on the cheek. “Mom will be glad you came.”
Joanna said nothing. Let him keep his illusions a little longer, she thought. In the large living room, decorated with expensive rugs and antique light fixtures, Nevin Hanım was seated with Kasim’s aunt, Felis, a woman with sharp eyes and an even sharper expression.
“Good evening,” Joanna said politely, giving a small nod to both women. Nevin responded with the barest dip of her head. Felis looked Joanna over the way a buyer might inspect a piece of furniture at an estate sale.
“Come in. Help yourself,” Nevin said dryly after a brief awkward pause. They sat down at the table, and Kasim gently took Joanna’s hand. She noticed his mother stiffen immediately.
A clear flash of displeasure crossed Nevin’s face at the sight of that small gesture. Dinner started out calm enough on the surface. They made polite conversation about the weather, business, and Kasim’s plans.
Nevin Hanım was pointedly civil, but no more than that. But the minute the women switched to Turkish, the thin layer of politeness vanished. Aunt Felis had no hesitation at all about discussing Kasim’s choice right in front of Joanna…
