Chapter 3

Eric and Asha arrived at Istanbul international airport with joy in their hearts and their luggage in their hands. They had booked a tour guide, and as soon as they stepped out of the airport, they were greeted by their tour guide, who drove them to their hotel.

They ate, slept off the jetlag, and then woke up to begin their first day of exploration and happiness. Eric had their schedule all planned out, and Asha soon found herself swimming in a flurry of activities. They first took a tour of the entire city, which was Eric's favorite part of the trip as he got to learn a lot about the city's history, culture, and growth.

Then they went on a boat cruise and also visited a museum which held wax figures of famous actors and athletes. They took many amazing pictures with legends in the entertainment industry, excellent images that captured their happiness in the moment. Asha immediately uploaded the pictures to her google drive, careful to ensure that she never lost them.

The rest of their vacation went on in a flurry of activities, from eating at different restaurants that offered a wide range of cuisine to taking a long hike through the Life Valley Hiking trail, taking a cooking class, shopping at the Istanbul Theme Park, and shopping mall, paragliding over the beautiful city and a host of numerous activities.

Every day was heavenly. Eric and Asha woke up, took their bath, and set out on a day long adventure. They returned late into the night to order room service and get a good night's sleep in preparation for yet another day of fun, games, exploration, and excitement.

On the last day of their vacation, Eric decided to pull all the stops and go big. He had been saving the best part of the experience for last. They work up bright and early in the morning, showered, ate, and got dressed. They went downstairs and walked out of the hotel to meet a Rolls Royce, Wraith, waiting for them.

'Today, we explore in style,' Eric said as the chauffeur opened the door, and they both got in.

'Isn't this a bit too expensive,' Asha asked as soon as the vehicle started moving.

'It's not. I can afford to treat you like the queen you are, and I would be dammed if I don't do just that.

She smiled as she leaned towards him and gave him a soft peck on the lip.

'Thank you,' she said as she snuggled close to him and rested her head on his chest and her arms wrapped around him.

'You deserve more, Asha,' Eric said. 'You are the epitome of perfection, and you deserve everything good that exists.'

A few minutes later, the vehicle stopped in front of the Topkapi Palace. Eric had paid for the guided tour, so they got to skip the line. Together they explored the ancient and iconic structure as their tour guide went on and on about the role of the Topkapi Palace in the ottoman empire and the numerous renovations and expansions that the complex had undergone.

Asha was amazed at the amount of history one building could hold. After seventy-five minutes of exploring the remains of an ancient empire, the tour ended, and Eric and Asha got into the waiting car and were driven to the next location.

They arrived at the Hagia Sophia and joined a tour that was already in full swing. They walked around the complex, listening to the tour guide as he explained the Christian and Islamic aspects of the mosque. The transition between Roman to Ottoman and the modern development that the building had enjoyed.

Asha enjoyed the tours, but by the end of it, she was slightly bored and tired. Luckily for them, Eric had foreseen this and had planned the second aspect of the tour to her taste. They went on a cruise in a luxury yacht as they watched the sunset and sipped champagne. The cruise was calm and peaceful, and Asha relaxed every nerve in her body. She enjoyed the moment. It was perfect, and nothing could go wrong. She was in paradise. It was more than the clear air, clear skies, or awesome wine. What made the moment perfect was Eric. She was with a man who appreciated and loved her. A man who care deeply about her joy and happiness. In his arms, she felt protected. In his arms, she felt at peace.

Before going back to the hotel, they enjoyed a Turkish bath. A royal bath experience in a five-century old bathhouse. When they were done, their body and mind were fully and completely relaxed and refreshed. They felt lighter and happier, but above all, they felt sleepy. They went back to their hotel and crashed into their bed as soon as they got into their room.

Eric and Asha suddenly woke up the next morning with an intense sense of urgency. They looked at the time to realize that their flight was in an hour. Within twenty minutes, they packed their bags, got a taxi, and rushed to the airport as fast as possible. They got to the airport just in time and managed to board the plane.

Once they were settled in their flight seat, they let out a sigh of relief and relaxed.

'That was close,' Asha said as she let out a soft melody of giggles.

'You can say that again.'

'We have to be back at work tomorrow. I hope we haven't missed too much.'

'Nah. I'm sure the firm can do without us. Besides, we deserved this break. We hadn't taken a break in years.'

'How did you know that I haven't taken a break in years?' Asha asked curiously.

'Well, I may or may not have seen your file,' Eric said with a mischievous grin.

'You rascal,' Asha said jokingly. She gave him a light punch on his shoulder before wrapping her hands around his arm and resting her head on his recently punched shoulder. 'But we would have a truckload of work to do once we resume.'

'True. But it's gonna be fun. With us living together, we would be able to collaborate more easily. Although we are working on different projects now, I'm sure that we can still help each other out every now and then.'

'Of course. Working with you is always a joyous experience. I look forward to it.'

They sat in silence for many minutes as the plane ran across the runway and took off. Once the aircraft was leveled and cruising at its normal speed and altitude, Eric spoke. However, rather than his cheerful and jovial voice, he spoke in a grim and heavy tone.

'Are you ready?'

'For work?' Asha asked, trying her best to play dumb and avoid the heavy conversation she knew Eric was about to delve into.

However, Eric wasn't going to let her skip past the conversation, so he hit the nail on the head.

'To face your husband and go through the divorce. I didn't want to bring it up during our trip because that would have ruined the mood.'

'It would have,' Asha said in agreement.

'But we are going back now, and you would have to face him. I would be with you every step of the way. You can count on that. However, you can't hide from him. You need to take back your power. I want you to be free, Asha. Completely and irrevocably.'

'I understand,' Asha said. 'I am ready. With you by my side, I feel like I am ready for anything. I want to be free, Eric. Free to be with you. Free to love you properly and correctly.'

Eric lowered his lip and planted a soft kiss on her head.

'It's going to be fine. I promise,' he said as they both relaxed and enjoyed their flight.

The flight was long and somewhat boring. They watched some movies, read some magazines, and even slept off for hours. Yet they were still in the air, traveling across the vast distance between their paradise and the place they called home. Eventually, the pilot announced their descent, and the flight came to an end. Eric and Asha were more than happy to get off the plane and go home to enjoy some long hours of peaceful sleep on a soft bed rather than an airplane seat.