No one expected the relationship between David and Afat to last.
After all, there was a 20 years age difference between them. When they first met David was already 39 but Afat was 19.
When he was younger David had been a writer and had been quite successful. Three of his novels were popular and made the 50 best selling books list in the years that they were published.
At that time David saw his future as a great novelist, perhaps surpassing Hemmingway or Salinger. However, as often happens, in his mid twenties he dried up.
By this time he was relatively wealthy. However, he drank to excess, gambled far too much and, to be truthful, womanised. In his mid thirties he decided to leave America and bought a lovely villa on the Turkish coast. It was far cheaper than living in America and he believed that the peace and quiet of the tranquil village would give him the opportunity to concentrate on his writing.
Despite the wonderful scenery, the peace and tranquillity and his overriding wish to write, nothing was coming and so he again turned to drink.
Walking through the village one day he slipped and fell. This might not be unrelated to the wine he had drunk with lunch. Afat saw the fall and went to help him up. David took one look at her and fell instantly in love.
Who could blame him? She had light olive skin, a mass of straight hair and a figure to die for though she hid this under modest clothes. Like everyone else in the village Afat knew of the famous American author who had made his home in the village.
David was tongue tied and Afat was embarrassed by her close proximity to a man. She blushed bright red and lowered her eyes. David smiled and got to his feet, brushing himself off. He turned to say something to Afat but she was already walking away.
During the next few months David made every endeavour to see her again. He cut down on his drinking and even tried to do some serious writing. In the village he would occasionally see her but she was never alone and he did not get the chance to speak to her.
Eventually David picked up the courage to talk to the village elders. He was aware that in Turkey little happens without the consent and support of the village elders. The elders were surprisingly supportive. They recognised that David had brought money into the village and hoped that if he was successful in the feature there would be even more. They strongly disapproved of his drinking and made that clear to him. Nevertheless they agreed to discuss meeting with Afat with Afat's parents.
It was a long week as David waited for a response. Eventually the response came. Afat's parents were not opposed to him seeing her with chaperones but under no circumstances would they allow her to drink. David readily agreed to these conditions. He leaned that Afat was a student in the nearest city. It was expected that she would graduate. Although her parents were not happy about her ambition to live work in the city they accepted it as her happiness was the most important thing to them.
David promised that he would treat her with dignity, love and respect her and her beliefs. With that began a courtship.
David would have married her on the spot. She was so lovely. He just wanted to get her into bed but he recognised that this was a process.
Over the next year they go to know each other better. Afat was not only beautiful but very intelligent. She wanted to work as a pharmacist when she had finished college. David would have preferred her to stay at home but accepted her wishes. Despite their age difference Afat seemed to really care for him. David recognised in Turkey it was not unusual for an older man to marry a younger woman and eventually David asked her parents if he could ask Afat to marry him. Afat's parents gave their consent and they were married within 3 months.
For the first 5 or 6 years of marriage it was perfect. Although initially shy Afat soon dropped her inhibitions and was everything that David could desire in bed. David was not s satisfactory in bed. Despite, or perhaps because of his previous experiences, David was perfunctory and Afat seldom reached the point of satisfaction. Stil, they were happy enough.
They continued to live in David's villa.
Afat graduated and began working in the city. She was brilliant at her job and was well respected both in the city and in her village.
She also developed an interest in modelling. She had met a photographer who recognised her beauty and as well as working in the pharmacy she modelled. She had not thought of modelling as a career but she was more and more in demand and appeared in some national publications.
Things started to go wrong after five or six years.
Despite Afat's disapproval David began to drink more again. He was often so drunk he was sick in the morning and slept through the morning when Afat went to work. He tried to write but the alcohol meant his writing was incoherent.
His interest in sex diminished and he appeared to have no interest in Afat. He was becoming increasingly jealous of Afat's success and there were angry scenes at home. Often David would meet her after work to take her home. When she went on modelling assignments he insisted that he too went though he was often an embarrassment because of his drinking.
Then there was a change in David. Afat was never sure why. One night when they were lying in bed, David was very drunk. He flipped her onto her front and raped her anally. Afat screamed and cried but nothing would deter David.
Afat was too ashamed to tell anyone and the next morning she limped to work despite her pain.
Afat may have forgiven David if this was a one off experience but from that night that is the only way David wanted sex. Mercifully he was often too drunk to be capable but when he was able he was neither gentle nor kind.
This went on for several years. Afat was in constant pain because of David's demands and felt humiliated, unable to talk to anyone about how she was feeling. Also, because of the way David was behaving she was unable to have children which she longed for.
In contrast to her humiliation and sadness at home her modelling career was rocketing. This, of course made matters worse at home.
David seemed determined to humiliate Afat at every available opportunity.
Matters began to come to a head after about 8 years of marriage. A friend of David, Paul, came to stay with them in the villa for a few weeks. Paul was also an author from America. From the moment he walked into the house he could not take his eyes of Afat. Afat had no interest in him. He was old, ill-mannered and, like David, often drunk. However, this did not deter Paul and even when David was there Paul made rude and suggestive comments.
Afat tried to stay away from the villa as much as possible during his stay.
On the last night before he left, Paul and David got very drunk. Paul continued with his comments about how gorgeous Afat was and what he would like to do with her.
With a giggle David said, "OK, let's both have her then."
Although he was drunk David moved quickly and dragged Afat into the bedroom. Afat resisted but David slapped her.
"Do as you are told," he said.
Afat was crying frantically but David pushed her face down on the bed. He pushed his hand up her skirt ripping her knickers off. Paul came uncertainly into the bedroom.
