- This is a well-built house. It was built in 1928. The basic materials are stone, brick, and wood. Solid tiled roof and a spacious basement. For ninety years, it has been renovated several times. A modern water supply and sewerage system was built, as well as room heating. The fireplaces remain, but they serve a decorative rather than a basic function.

Ahtem listened to the realtor's recitative with half an ear. He saw that the house was solid and built to last. But along with the aura of history, it contained everything necessary for a comfortable life. Only the color of the walls was depressing. It was too dim and gloomy. But if you plaster them, repaint them in light colors and make the ceilings white, there will be a completely different look. And the stone floors in the rooms are better covered with wooden parquet. Remove old furniture and bring new ones. Replace chandeliers and curtains. Ahtem imagined all these changes and, as if with his own eyes, saw how the old mansion breathed with warmth and comfort.

- There is a wine cellar in the basement, - the realtor continued her story with a gesture inviting the client to go downstairs. - But it has not been used for a long time and everything is covered with dust.

"It's not а problem," Ahtem answered mechanically and examined the basement critically. It was large and spacious. If you put good lighting, then you can equip another workshop here.

- Let's see the yard? The woman suggested.

- Yes with pleasure.

The realtor led the man outside through the back door. The yard was square, with a small garden and flowerbeds lined with paths. Now they were empty, but Ahtem imagined when Laura takes over them, and they will turn into a blooming carpet.

The yard was surrounded by a brick fence. It was tall enough to hide the inhabitants of the house from prying eyes. The southern side is completely overgrown with wisteria.

"When it blooms," thought Ahtem, "the yard will look like a fairy garden."

His gaze moved to the wall separating the estate from the neighboring house where the Iplikci live. It will be possible to cut a gate in it. And then, in a few years, their children will run back and forth and, with their mischievous tricks, drive caring mothers crazy.

- Mr. Ahtem, - the voice of the realtor brought him out of his reverie, - if you wish, I will show you other houses in the area.

- Thank you, no need, - he said.

"This house is a good choice," the woman said again. - Moreover, the price ... for such a house, and even in this area - it's low. It would have already been bought, but the former mistress set a condition - the estate should be sold to the young couple for life. She doesn't want a mini-hotel or office to be opened here. For a family - was her words.

- Then we fit perfectly, - smiled Ahtem. - I will have a request for you.

- I'm listening.

- Could you give me the keys to the house for a couple of days? I want to show it to my bride. If she likes it, we will start the sale and purchase procedure on Monday.

- Of course, Mr. Ahtem, - the woman handed him the keys.

Something soft touched his feet. Ahtem looked down and smiled. The gray cat, purring, rubbed against his legs. He sat down and stroked her ear.

- Hi, Gri! Are you waiting for the house to open its doors and come to life again?

The cat looked at him with slanted, intelligent eyes. Although they say that animals cannot do this, Ahtem was sure, the gray beauty smiled at him.

***

Iplikci got stuck in a traffic jam on their way to the airport and almost missed their plane. They ran into the terminal building when the check-in was already coming to an end. Mentally thanking Sukru, who rolled their suitcases after them, Omer and Defne stopped for a minute at the information board and rushed off to look for their check-in point.

- Off! Defne gasped as the pretty girl checked in their tickets and took the luggage. - I thought we will miss the vacation in paradise.

- Yes, we got a portion of adrenaline, - agreed on Omer and asked anxiously: - Are you feeling well? Wasn't baby hurt by this race?

"Of course not," she smiled broadly and folded her palms on her belly. - Our girl, like her daddy, loves sports. While we were running, she flapped wonderfully in my belly and is now happy. And she wants something tasty.

Defne turned her eyes innocently and looked sideways at the pastry cafe. Omer laughed. Putting his hand on her back, he pushed her to the checkpoint of hand luggage and ordered:

- First, we will pass the inspection, and then we will go to drink tea with ... What do you want to eat? - asked, leaning to her ear.

"Eclairs," Defne said happily.

- Won't you get sick on the plane? - Omer worried.

- Nope! She said confidently.

Tea with eclairs had to be drunk in a hurry. There was a queue at the checkpoint, and when they finally settled all the formalities for tasty treats, there was only half an hour left.

Omer, finishing his coffee and glancing at his watch, confessed:

- Never before have I landed on a plane at such a pace.

Defne laughed and, pushing him with her shoulder, warned:

- Get used to it! I'm Defoe, there's no other way with me.

On the plane, seeing their places, Defne blinked, shook her head, and turned to her husband.

- What is this?

"First class seats on this plane," he replied smiling.

"More like a hotel room," Defne muttered, examining the wide armchairs, a small TV fixed just above the eyes, and a folding table. - Only there is no bed.

- Why not? - Omer pushed her to a place and sat down. - There is. These chairs unfold in a bed. Quite convenient, according to the brochure. Or did you think that I would make my beloved, pregnant wife suffer for more than twenty hours in an uncomfortable chair?

Defne looked at him with admiringly and said:

- You're incredible!

Omer winked at her and replied with her own words:

- Get used to it! I'm Omer Iplikci. There is no other way with me.

The plane took off and gained altitude. The stewardess, having familiarized the passengers with the flight information and allowing them to unfasten their seat belts, approached Iplikci. Smiling affably, she asked if the passengers had any wishes.

Omer asked for orange juice and water.

When she walked away, Defne suggested:

- Let's watch a movie.

- Choose one, - Omer turned on the playlist on the TV.

"Pride and prejudice," she said instantly. - Your favorite movie and mine too, and we still haven't watched it together.

"Okay," he agreed. - What kind of adaptation?

"You choose," Defne said briskly. - I only saw the last one.

Omer thoughtfully scrolled through the list of films and stopped the cursor on one of the frames of the film. On it, a man with lush curls looked hard at a shy girl.

- Let's watch the 1995 series. It has five episodes. We will fly for a long time, we will pass the time. This adaptation perfectly captures the atmosphere of that time.

- Oh, I want it! - Defne's eyes lit up with anticipation. - And then for some reason, my book with the film that I watched did not fit at all.

Omer laughed and replied:

"You're not alone."

He turned on the film, removed the partition between the chairs, and moved closer to Defne. She put her head on his shoulder and stared at the screen with interest.

By the time the film ended, Defne was so enamored of Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy that Omer was even jealous.

"The puzzle is now complete," she chirped. - Indeed, as if the book came to life before my eyes. Imagine, I watched a movie for five hours and did not fall asleep. Progress! But what a man is this Mr. Darcy. Noble, strong. Just a dream!

Omer turned off the TV with his finger on the remote control.

- You don't want to sleep? - asked gloomily and took out a blanket and pillows from the shelf. - Let's spread out the chairs.

- Hey, - Defne, bowing her head to her shoulder, looked into his face, - why are you angry?

"Don't make it up," he looked away. - Why would I be angry?

A knowing smile crossed Defne's face.

"You know, you look like Mr. Darcy.

- In what?

Defne turned his face to her and looked into his eyes.

"You both humbled your pride and didn't let it rise above love." She smiled cockily. - And both are so jealous. Although you are trying with all your might not to show it. She stood up and took her purse from the shelf. - Unfold the chairs. I go to brush my teeth.

Omer watched her trail and his lips quivered in a faint smile.

The plane flew all night but landed at Tahiti airport not early in the morning, but in the evening. Twelve hours of time difference ate half a day. The cheerful and well-slept Iplikci transferred to another plane and after half an hour of flight over the Pacific Ocean found themselves at the airport of Mute Island, from which Bora Bora was a stone's throw. A representative of the hotel was already waiting for them - a frail, dark-skinned man of undetermined age in a white shirt and flower garlands on his arm. He threw bright, sweet-smelling flowers on the neck of the guests and took them to the boat, which, easily gliding along the golden waves in the sunset, brought them to the hotel in just fifteen minutes.

Omer helped his wife out of the boat. She stepped onto the wooden pier and stopped, fascinated by the surrounding beauty.

The air smelled like the sea and something else unfamiliar and heady. It seemed to Defne that she was not inhaling it, but drinking a sweet exotic cocktail. The sun was hiding in the ocean and its last rays gilded the jagged top of the mountain and the low clouds hanging over it. The colors of the sunset painted the sky softly and muted. Raspberry flowed into gold with orange streaks and melted into the deep blue. The twilight swallowed the green and the tall palms looked black against the sky. Far out into the sea were lines of buildings shining with lights.

- Is this a hotel? - asked Defne, looking at the wooden bungalows frozen over the water, under the roof of banana leaves. Long labyrinths of graceful bridges connected them to the shore and each other.

"Yes," Omer confirmed and took her hand. - Let's go.

In the office building, a smiling girl in a white uniform checked them in and gave them the keys, nodding to the porter to escort the guests to their bungalow.

The bridge, which seemed fragile and narrow from a distance, was quite wide, with a strong, wind-polished deck and high railings made of ship ropes. Clay pots with flowers were fixed on them. Smelling them Defne said:

- So that's where the scent comes from. They smell like the sun.

Omer picked one white flower and stuck it in her hair.

- Now you will smell like the sun.

Defne smiled at him and pressed her cheek to a strong and warm shoulder. He put his arm around her waist and like that, hugging, they walked to the brightly lit bungalow.

It stood in the water on high piles. The bridge ended beside it with a wide terrace covered with palm leaves and a small pool, the bottom of which was illuminated by small, firefly-like lanterns.

"Water from the lagoon," Omer whispered in his wife's ear. - You can't get away from bathing.

"And I'm not going to," she threw back her head and boldly looked into his eyes.

Omer smiled and his eyes flashed with fire. But the porter's delicate cough brought him back down to earth. Omer turned to him, thanked and, having paid a tip, let him go. Then through the glass sliding doors, brought the suitcases inside and, placing them against the wall, turned to Defne. She examined the bungalow with admiration. She was pleasantly surprised by the interior. The walls, floors, and furniture were made of wood in a warm reddish-brown hue. The high, vaulted ceiling felt spacious. Pictures on the walls, mirrors in carved frames, tall vases with fresh flowers added the zest of local flavor. Soft sofas, comfortable armchairs, low tables, and wardrobes built into the walls created an aura of unobtrusive comfort.

"Wow," Defne's voice came from the bedroom.

Omer followed her in and saw her looking at a huge bed. Even the one in their Istanbul house was quite modest compared to this one. Defne raised her astonished face to her husband and said:

- We will get lost on it.

- We won't get lost, - smiled Omer. - But what room for imagination.

He pushed her lightly, and she fell down on the soft bed. A split second later, Omer's hot body was near. He straddled her legs and captured her wrists.

- Gotcha, - grumbled and with his teeth unbuttoned the button on the white shirt. A part of her chest appeared in the neckline, and he pressed his lips to it.

Butterflies swirled in her stomach, but Defne still found the strength to pull away. Raising her head, she looked into the face distorted with desire and plaintively asked:

- Omer, we're from the trip. I need a shower. And I want to eat.

He sighed in disappointment and rolled onto his side.

"You're going to kill me," he got out of bed and pulled her hand. "Okay, get in the shower and I'll order dinner.

Through the sliding doors, Defne entered the bathroom, which was part of both the bungalow and the terrace. One wall consisted of sliding glass doors and overlooked the ocean. Defne lowered the blinds on it, stroked the high, curved faucet above the sunken bathroom in passing, and undressed, entered the shower stall. She took the white flower out of her hair, inhaled its scent deeply, and, smiling dreamily, put it on the shelf. Before she had time to lather her hair, the door opened and immediately closed behind Omer's large and completely naked body.

- What are you doing...

He did not let her finish. He kissed her greedily and informed:

- We have forty minutes. Let's not waste time.

Removing her hands, Omer washed her hair himself. Defne poured a spicy-smelling shower gel into her palm and ran her soapy hands over his body. It consisted entirely of muscles that contracted under her palms and turned into a stone covered with satin leather. When thin fingers touched his stomach, Omer intercepted her hand and put it where he most wanted to feel it now. Defne looked at him with huge, confused eyes and froze.

"Don't be afraid," he said hoarsely. - Touch ... I will give my life for your touch...

When dressed in comfortable clothes that did not restrict movement, they went out onto the terrace, where the table had already been laid. Defne removed the silver cap from her plate and sucked in air.

- Oh, how it smells! What is it?

- Fish soup. I thought it would be better to eat something light after the flight. We will have another whole eight days to taste all the local delicacies.

- You correctly decided, - she agreed and sat down at the table. Rubbing her palms together, she picked up a spoon and tasted the soup. - Oh, how delicious! Just don't tell grandmother, but I didn't eat soup tastier.

The dishes were emptied pretty quickly - both were hungry, and the sea air increased their appetite. When Defne finished the last spoonful of soup, Omer pressed the call button and ten minutes later a waitress girl came to their bungalow. She cleared away the dirty dishes and placed a tall glass cup on the table filled with a purple, sweet-smelling mass, which was decorated with bright flower petals. Having bowed, the girl left. Defne, examining the dessert, asked:

- And what's that?

"Tradition," Omer replied smiling. "The fact that we're in Polynesia doesn't mean you won't eat ice cream. It is a local variety - it is mixed with tapo root vegetable powder. It is it who gives this color. Try it.

He scooped up ice cream with a spoon and in a moment it was in Defne's mouth.

"Mmm," she closed her eyes. - Tasty. Almost not sweet and not cloying, but the aroma ... I can't even compare it with anything.

- Let's try, - Omer sent a second spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He listened to the taste and agreed: - You're right. Doesn't look like anything. Tomorrow we will try ice cream with the taste of a flower – tiaré. The one with whose smell you fell in love.

- Ay! We are definitely in paradise! Defne exclaimed and opened her mouth for a second portion of exotic purple ice cream.

After dinner, Defne decided to unpack the suitcases. She was putting clothes and shoes in the closet, and Omer shamelessly interfered with her work. Leaning back on his elbows on the bed, he told scary stories about local pirates, and when she, naively believing his every word, shivered in fear, went to lock the door, he laughed loudly and caught her hand.

- Did you fool me? - Defne scowled offended. - Again? No, that's not fair!

"I can't help myself," Omer confessed, repentantly looking into her eyes and smiling a boyish smile. - I love your naive state. You are as sweet as a child.

- And when will I learn not to take you every word on faith? She asked herself angrily.

"I hope never," Omer smiled recklessly.

It seemed to him that the tropical air had destroyed all the inhibitions inside him. Restrained and serious Omer Iplikci disappeared, and the new one wanted crazy deeds and madness. He wanted to breathe deeply and feel life in every cell of his body. He jumped out of bed and pulled Defne with him.

- Where are we going? - She asked barely having time to catch up.

- To swim in the lagoon!

- Wait, I'll put on a swimsuit.

Omer stopped and took her face in his hands. Boldly looked into the eyes and asked:

- What for? - His hands dropped to her shoulders and squeezed them. - It's night now. We are at the end of the world. Alone. Let's go naked.

He picked up Defne in his arms and carried her lightly, like a feather, to the exit from the bungalow.

"You're crazy," she said.

The water in the lagoon was as warm and gentle as silk. Omer and Defne went down the stairs, which began with the deck around the bungalow and ended under the water.

- Sharks won't eat us? Defne asked, stepping on the sandy bottom. The water reached her armpits and caressed her breasts, which had become too sensitive for some time.

"I won't let them," Omer said cheerfully. He swam up to his wife, but she splashed water on him and sailed away. "Ah, you are!"

Omer chased after her and a second later caught up with his mischievous wife. Picking her up in his arms, he spun in the water. Defne laughed and fought back.

They played like children. They splashed each other, swam and dived. Defne dodged Omer's hands and slipped into the depths like a fish. He caught her in his arms, and, tightly pressing to the body, kissed her laughing lips.

"I'm tired," Defne leaned back with the back of her head on her husband's chest and, raising her hands above her head, hugged him by the neck.

- Rest, - he lay down on the water and, with the help of his legs, holding himself and her on it, put his palms on her belly. - Today we have completed your gymnastics program for a week ahead.

Exactly, - smiled Defne. - Can we get out? Let's get dressed and lie down by the pool and watch the stars.

- Come on, - agreed on Omer and, gently turning her over on her stomach, pushed her towards the stairs.