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Wasn't fatigue supposed to end after the first trimester? Hadn't she been told that? Some part of her body must not have gotten the message, because for whatever reason the debilitating grip of tiredness that had been clinging onto her for the last few months was taking its sweet time letting go. She endured it, barely, by seeking out the comfort of the sofa in Can's study - which, it turned out, was actually not that comfortable. Still, it was better than nothing.
The sofa was soon turned into a makeshift napping spot, equipped with fluffy blankets and a pillow that Can had brought from home. At first, Sanem had protested. Carrying around a four-and-a-half-month-old, unborn baby in her uterus didn't mean she had to be completely incapacitated for the few hours in the middle of every day when her tiredness was at its worst. Can's attempts to suggest she take naps during the lunch break had been dismissed with a wave of her hand. Banned from caffeine, she tried to fight off her heavy eyelids by sheer determination. She was fine. She could do this. But as much as she tried to fool her mind, she couldn't fool her body - which, a few days later, staged an impromptu strike right in the middle of a company meeting. Causing her to fall asleep in front of all their colleagues. Her head collapsing against the shoulder of a very baffled Deren who had the misfortune of sitting too close. But it was better that she had been - or else Sanem may have ended up slumping onto the floor.
"Um..?" Deren had whispered, glancing at Can for help.
Can carried his wife to his office, wishing she was lucid enough to acknowledge his chided "I told you so". His suggestion turned into a demand as he pulled out the bedding from a cabinet in the bookshelf, pushing them into the arms of a very groggy Sanem.
"Fine." She mumbled, collapsing onto the sofa.
It was not long before Arslan noticed the change in her midday routine. Lunchtime walks with Sanem and Can turned into lunchtime walks with Leyla; or Ceycey, or Guliz, or whoever else was eagerly available. He didn't mind too much. Leyla was a friend, Guliz gave great belly rubs and Ceycey always carried special treats for him. And he knew that when he returned, Sanem would most likely still be sleeping and that he could snuggle under the blankets with her. Acting as her own personal over-sized hot water bottle for her to wrap her arms around.
---
Weeks passed. Sanem's weariness gradually - delightfully - waned away. She had been pleasantly surprised when midday came around and she was still clear-headed and wide awake. She wouldn't have even noticed the time but Arslan had returned from his outing with Ceycey and was gazing at her from under the desk with big brown eyes, wondering why their usual cuddle session had been delayed.
"Sorry, buddy." She apologised, stroking her fingers over the soft golden fur of his forehead.
To her dread, the fatigue dissipated only to be replaced by something equally as debilitating. Her hormones were as unstable as a sleep-deprived toddler's. One moment she would be crying of happiness because the final cut of the Kırmızı Kurt television advertisement had been sent through and Arslan "just looked so cute" and she was "so proud of him." Then the next she would be sobbing over the fact that someone had brought in cakes to the office but she had been too slow and now they were all gone. Deren had been horrified when Sanem burst into tears after she agreed to come along to the baby shower Leyla was organising.
