“Mehmet, come inside!” called out the Mukhtar.
“Yes sir, Mukhtar, I’m coming!”
Guard Mehmet was wearing a custom outfit made of brown felt, resembling the uniforms of neighborhood night watchmen.
The Mukhtar’s eyes locked onto Guard Mehmet.
“Mehmet, as you know, our village hasn’t had a midwife for many years. Every time I go to the district governorship, I bring up this issue.”
Guard Mehmet sensed that the mukhtar was about to deliver very good news.
“Last week, I spoke with the district governor. I said, ‘Governor, you have to find a solution! Years ago, we had a midwife in our village. Send us a midwife now.'”
The mukhtar continued:
“Yes, as I was saying. The governor said, ‘Alright, I will send a midwife to your village.’ Midwife Ayfer is arriving today. She rented a small pickup truck. She will settle into the lodgings with her belongings.”
Guard Mehmet understood why he had been called. Guard Mehmet took care of and helped the teacher, the imam, the livestock technician, the gendarmes, and even ordinary foreign visitors who came to the village.
“Within an hour or two, the pickup truck carrying Midwife Ayfer will enter the village. Meet her at the entrance, help her settle into the lodgings, and don’t you dare forget about the food.”
“No need to worry, Mukhtar, I’ll handle it all!”
“Alright then, off you go.”
“Yes sir, Mukhtar, you can count on me!”
xxxxx
Finally, the sight that made Guard Mehmet leap to his feet appeared on the horizon. Waving his hand in the air, Guard Mehmet signaled to the pickup truck. Sitting in the front of the truck was Midwife Ayfer, who had dark skin and voluminous, curly black hair. Despite her dark skin, there was a strange radiance on Midwife Ayfer’s face.
Facing two pairs of curious eyes looking at him, Guard Mehmet broke his silence and said, “I’m Mehmet, the village guard. Welcome to our village!”
xxxxxx
Three months had passed since Midwife Ayfer arrived in the village. Guard Mehmet had become her number-one protector. During household visits in the village, Guard Mehmet acted like a guardian by Midwife Ayfer’s side.
xxxxx
Tavuk Tepesi (Chicken Hill) was a two-part green area at the northwestern edge of the village, rising in waves past the end of the houses. It was given this name because the village chickens had roamed, fed, and returned home from this hill and its slopes on both sides for decades.
The school picnic was to be held on the flat ground atop Tavuk Tepesi before reaching the forest. As planned, the students and teachers headed toward the hill in the afternoon carrying their food bundles. Guard Mehmet came to the lodgings to escort Midwife Ayfer to the picnic site.
Midwife Ayfer and Guard Mehmet began walking together. When they reached the hill, Teacher Süleyman, the other teachers, the students, and the mukhtar greeted them.
Teacher Süleyman asked Midwife Ayfer: “Teacher Hesna has a headache. Can we give her a painkiller?” Midwife Ayfer hadn’t brought her midwife bag with her for the first time. She turned to Guard Mehmet: “Mehmet, could you quickly go to the lodgings and fetch my midwife bag?”
Guard Mehmet stood up. Instead of taking the safe slope they had climbed up with Midwife Ayfer, he headed toward the slope that could be considered a cliff. He launched himself down the precipice as if running on a flat road. As he approached the end of the steep, roughly 100-meter slope, Guard Mehmet’s foot slipped; he rolled down and began writhing in pain. Midwife Ayfer’s scream was heard as she watched Mehmet’s descent down the cliff in horror.
Midwife Ayfer delivered the first aid to Mehmet. Following her instructions, Guard Mehmet was carefully carried to the health clinic on a makeshift stretcher built from poles and blankets.
“We need to take him to the district hospital in the village minibus. A specialist doctor needs to treat these fractures!” Midwife Ayfer said, and it was impossible not to notice her eyes welling up with tears.
xxxxx
Guard Mehmet opened his eyes. Seeing Midwife Ayfer in front of him, his facial muscles relaxed involuntarily. Seeing Mehmet’s half-smiling face and realizing he had come to his senses, Midwife Ayfer let out a relieved sigh, then said, “Your surgery took a long time, Mehmet. Five of your ribs were broken. Your right foot is sprained, and there is some muscle damage. They will all heal. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine now.”
For a moment, Mehmet thought the miracle he had been waiting for had happened. Had Midwife Ayfer left everything behind to stand right by his side now?
Midwife Ayfer swallowed hard. Gathering her courage, she spoke: “I was watching you while you slept. I thought about how you’ve been by my side every single moment since I first arrived in the village, your dedication to your work, and your desire to help people. Of course, I also noticed your devotion to me, just like your devotion to your job.”
Mehmet began staring at Midwife Ayfer without even blinking.
“Yes, Mehmet, maybe you’ll think this isn’t the right place or time. But I realized that I truly understood you in a situation just like this. I once stayed in this hospital with my mother. She described the person I would marry: the person I could trust completely, whom I would love and be loved by. That person is no one other than you.”
“Ayfer! Ayfer!” Mehmet was addressing her by her name for the very first time. Yet before this, he had always called her “My Midwife.”
“My Mehmet! My Mehmet!”
xxxxx
Ayfer looked stunning in the village’s traditional red and green bridal gown. Guard Mehmet, along with his groomsmen, met his bride as she rode on a white horse at the head of the bridal procession.
From beneath her wedding dress, Ayfer pulled out her black leather midwife bag. “You will always help me carry this bag, won’t you, my Mehmet?” she asked. Taking Ayfer into his arms as he helped her down from the horse, these words poured from Mehmet’s mouth: “I will never leave you or your bag stranded!…”
As Ayfer stepped into the bridal chamber, she saw a vision of her mother—the face of a mother smiling and wishing her happiness…