The Price of Pride

Chapter 31

He smiles again. He's fine. As long as he's with her, everything is fine. Nightmare forgotten, he goes back to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The nightmare stays forgotten until the next morning at breakfast.

"So, I have some news," Emine starts, an anxious look on her face. Murat gives her hand an encouraging pat.

Instantly, Emir goes on alert. He knew something bad was coming. He instinctively reaches for Reyhan's hand

"My father?" he asks, going for the worst case scenario. His uncle had said things were going well, but he hasn't heard from him in a couple of days. Maybe ...

"No! Nothing like that," Emine says quickly to calm Emir's fears and stop his thoughts from spiraling towards doom. "It's about Cemre. She's been released from the hospital."

"That's good, right?" Reyhan says, looking expectantly to him. "That means she's been through some kind of treatment or therapy. And has gotten some medication ... right? This means she's better, doesn't it?"

Emir loves her for her optimism. But he doesn't have as good a feeling about this Cemre situation. Cemre has thirty years of issues that have built up. Those issues aren't going to just go away in three months.

But "You're right. Maybe she is better," is what he ends up saying, forcing a smile on his face for her sake. "We'll still be careful around her, but maybe she's okay now."

Contrary to his words, everything in him is saying to get far, far away. Away from Cemre. Away from his mother. He briefly considers the possibility of moving back to Ankara. But one look at Reyhan's belly tells him that isn't a viable idea. Her due date is less than six weeks away. He can't uproot her now. He'll have to protect her as best he can right here in Istanbul. This is their home. This is their children's home. Emine and Murat are here. Kemal and Suna. Zafer and Defne. His father will be returning soon. Emir isn't going to take his children from their home and their family.

He just can't shake the feeling that something very, very bad is coming. And he can't get past the feeling to take his family and run. So he decides on doing the next best thing.

"What do you think of taking a little trip?" he asks Reyhan, the knot in his stomach uncoiling more and more as the idea becomes more and more solidified. "Just me, you, and Ayla. The baby will be here soon and this may be the last time we have the chance to do something like this for awhile, at least until the baby gets a bit older and we get used to having two kids instead of one."

And it will delay the inevitable confrontations with Cemre by a few more days, he adds silently. He promised himself he wouldn't run away. But a strategic retreat isn't the same thing. He would just feel better knowing Cemre is as far away from his family as possible. At least until he can figure out how to deal with her once and for all.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Emine chimes in. "I mean, flying is probably out of the question this late into your pregnancy, Reyhan. But I'm sure you two can find some place lovely to take Ayla for a few days."

"And maybe Zafer and Defne would like to come too," Reyhan adds, excitement in her voice. "Oh, Emir, this is going to be so much fun."

Her smile melts away the anxiety he was feeling. The idea makes her so happy that he almost forgets the real reason for leaving. She's right. This will be fun. Some time away from all the stress is just what they need.

"Then it's settled. Let's do it," Emir smiles, happy to have been able to give her such happiness. "It'll be a pre baby vacation. We'll go, relax, and not have a care in the world."