Answer:
a. I appreciated your help today
The answer is C. because.
Hey!
I believe the correct answer is the last sentence: "As soon as he saw her, Erkan's face brightened and he stopped looking like a stricken animal and instead looked like someone who recognized a dear old friend."
That sentence explains quite a bit. The relationship between Michelle and Erkan. How is face "brightened" when he saw her, and how he looked like "someone who recognized a dear old friend" meaning Michelle looks like a dear old friend.