The Return To Istanbul

Chapter Eight

      The hug lasted longer that either if them had expected. " Can, so Mr. Aziz is on this floor. Which room is he in?" CeyCey asked trying not to act surprised at the appearance of Can. Can looped arm around CeyCeys shoulders, " Just right down here, come on, dad will be happy to see you." He said as they walked down the hall. 

       They stopped in front of room 406. As hard as CeyCey tried to hide his nervousness, he was in shock that Mr. Aziz was on the same floor and only several rooms away from Mr. Nihat. He had called Sanem on his way to the hospital, letting her know that he was on his way. She gave him the room number of 432. 

      " Come on CeyCey, don't be so nervous. Dad is doing better, the doctor just gave us a good report.  He will be so glad to see you." Can opened the door and went in, bringing CeyCey in with him.

      "Look who I found at the nurses station asking for your room." Can bellowed out exuberantly. CeyCey seemed to be in some kind of a weird dream. But he knew he had to hold it together or Can would know there was something wrong. 

      " Mr. Aziz, I hear you are feeling a little better. I'm..uhh, ...I am glad for that. I wanted...uhh...to stop by and send you best wishes, ...uhh, ....from everyone at the agency." He studdered about, wring his hands.  

      Can smiled, " It's ok CeyCey. We are just glad that you're here. Here sit." Can said, motioning him toward the chair by the window. " So how have you been. I can't believe it's been 2 years since I've seen you. I want to know everything." Can said as he began to feel that old feeling of contentment that he always got around his friend.

      He moved over closer to CeyCey, " I really want to talk to you alone, if you can. Maybe a little later we can go for a drink or something."  Can said quietly, almost under his breath. CeyCey nodded, " Of course Can. I can't stay long, ....so..uhh...maybe I can call you later and set a time."

      " Ok, that will be great." Can said, but he was confused at CeyCeys actions. He was more nervous that usual, more strained and uneasy than Can had remembered. He had acted that way went he was trying to keep a secret, Can thought, but he didn't know why he would be keeping a secret from him now...

      CeyCey stood, wanting nothing more than to escape from the room, but before he could make his excuse to leave, his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and Sanem's name was displayed on the front of his phone, ...visible to him and to Can, almost like a neon sign. 

      He quickly declined the call, but it was too late, Can had already seen the person that was calling. CeyCey stuffed the phone back in his pocket, " Mr. Aziz, I will come back tomorrow. I am glad you are feeling better. The office will be happy to hear it." He mumbled, as he made his way to the door, avoiding any eye contact with Can.

      Aziz waved his goodbye as CeyCey stepped out into the hall. Can followed him out, stopping him outside the door. " So, ...you keep in contact with Sanem. I mean you know about her, what she's doing, how she's doing." Can asked, with a hint of desperation.

      CeyCey felt his heart skip a beat, "Can, I really have to go, but we can talk later, ok?" He answered hastily as he started down the hallway. " WAIT,  CeyCey, you will get together with me, won't you. I have to know about her, that's all, I just want to know she is ok." Can pleaded with his eyes.

     CeyCey nodded, " Of course Can, I will call you soon." He said as he hurried on down the hallway. 

      Can stood there watching him, more confused than ever about his feelings. Is that really all he wanted, did he only want to know if she was ok? He turned and went back inside his dad's room. The need to get some fresh air was still on his mind. " Emre, I will be back soon, I need to get some air." Can said, giving him a wave.

      CeyCey waited until Can went back inside the room before he asked the nurse for directions to room 432. " It's down this corridor, the last door on the left." The nurse told him. CeyCey hurried down the hall toward the room, his mind abuzz about what he was going to tell Sanem.

      The thought of them being in Istanbul at the same time had been troublesome enough, but now they were in the same hospital and on the same floor of that hospital. How was he going to pull this off he wondered as he stopped in front of the room. He took a deep breath and entered.

      The sight of his friend made him happy as he entered the room, " Sanem, I made it. Aunt Mevkibe, Aunt Melihat." He said giving each if them a nod. Sanem put her hands over her mouth, as she tried to hold back the tears. " CeyCey, I thought you would never get here." She muttered, rushing across the room to hug him.

      " It's ok my friend, I'm here." He whispered. With just a touch from her closest friend, the person that had helped her through the hardest time in her life, the one person that knew her almost as well as she knew herself, she was able to let go of those tears that she had held in since she had arrived in Istanbul.

      " How is your dad doing?" CeyCey asked, as he wiped a tear from her cheek. Sanem closed her eyes, " We had quite a scare earlier, but he is doing better now. It's his heart, it just seems to be to tired to go on. But he is fighting." Sanem spoke quietly.

     After a few moments, he greeted Mevkibe and Melihat as well, with a kiss on the hand. CeyCey walked to the bed to greet Mr. Nihat as well, " Mr. Nihat, my prayers of a full and speedy recovery are with you, I hope you know that." He spoke softly with tears filling his eyes. The sight of this man was shocking to him. Nihat Aydin had always been a large man, one that always had looked the picture of health. But now his illness seemed to be fighting against him, reducing him to the frail and weak person that he was seeing now.

      Nihat managed a slight smile, " Thank you CeyCey, I am sure that your prayers will help." He answered, covering CeyCeys hand with his own. CeyCey smiled, holding back the tears.

      CeyCey knew he needed to let Leila know that Aziz Divit was in a room just a short distance down the hall. He would need to get Leila alone, so he had to lie, something he had always avoid if he could. " Leila, could I see you in the hall for a minute, it's about work, and I don't want to bore the others with it." He said looking around the room. He gave Sanem a quick hug, " I'll be right back, then we can spend the rest of the afternoon together just catching up." He said with a wink.

      As they stepped outside the room Leila knew that this conversation would have nothing to do with work..." Ok CeyCey what is it,...I know it's not about work." She whispered to him.

      " No, it's not.....but I have to tell you. Mr.Aziz is in a room just down the hall and around the corner. And Can is there right now"........