Always and forever

79 - Forever and ever

Sanem

A new house, a new existence to live together, it seems incredible to be back here at the estate in what I considered 'his' home, the home of that stranger who was my Can but was no longer. I still have fresh memories of that last heartfelt glance I had cast at my garden lit by the cascade of a thousand lights that Can had woven into the branches of the trees when he had proposed to me. I had walked down the driveway with my head down, dragging my bulky suitcase and my poor broken heart.
My last look had been at that outbuilding, now dark and empty without him, a look clouded by tears and a sense of despair at the knowledge that I had lost him for good.
I still can't believe how things have changed in the space of a few months, it seems incredible to me to be here with him again, to be his wife and the future mother of his children, to be loved by the wonderful man I have found again and somehow rediscovered, to finally be at home within these walls and in his arms.

It is strange for me the idea of presenting ourselves as husband and wife in the eyes of the world that had been our reality until a few months before, after all the time we had been alone and simply us out of the world I was almost anxious at the thought of visiting my parents, Aziz and Mihriban and visiting the guys at the agency.

As always, it was Can who smoothed out all my fears the evening after our return, I had not moved from home all day on his orders as, according to him, I absolutely had to rest to recover from the long journey we had faced from Galapagos to here.

Can had gone away for a few hours to do some errands and get the necessary supplies to restock the fridge and the pantry, and once everything was settled he suggested we go for a walk, maybe to our pier, the pier that had witnessed so much of our story, from his return after a year apart, to that breathtaking kiss with a still convalescent and confused Can.
We sat down for a long time at the end of the table with our feet dangling and our hands intertwined to watch that sunset over the Bosphorus that we had missed so much, that sky capable of burning with a thousand shades of colour as our story had seen thousands of different emotions alternating to then arrive at our "forever and ever".

- I'm happy to be here Can, I'm happy to be back and to be here beside you, I have always loved this place deeply, I've spent hours and hours sitting on this pier looking at the sea and dreaming of seeing you arrive one day aboard your boat, of seeing you come back to me. I held the amber pendant you gave me tightly between my fingers and dreamed that it would bring you back to me, and in the end that's exactly what happened, it worked its magic and then it did it again and again -

- It worked its magic but I think that in the end what happened between us is that your heart has always called out to mine which cannot resist and must reach you, wherever you may be. It will never happen again, I will never allow you to leave me, we are together and we will stay together forever. Seni çok seviyorum I love you so much Sanem -

- Oh Can ben de seni seviyorum I love you so much too! -

I caress his cheek while he holds me tightly in his arms, looking at me intensely in the light of the last rays of a sun that has now disappeared behind the hills on the other side of the Bosphorus. At a certain point he seems to come to his senses, he stands up and offers me his hand to help me get up - Let's go, the sun has set and you're going to feel cold soon, let's go home.

- Let's go home, it's so good to hear you say those words Can - He holds me close with one arm on my shoulders while he intertwines his other hand with mine and brings it to his lips in an adoring kiss. I don't even realise that instead of heading towards the annexe, our new home, he leads me in the direction of the garden of my old home. I'm only aware of it when we turn the corner and I can't help but be open-mouthed by the surprise, the lights are on, those wonderful lights entwined in the branches shine against the night sky to illuminate the garden and all the people who welcome us with smiles and enthusiastic applause.

I can't believe it, they're all there, my parents, Aziz, Mihriban, Layla, Emre, Metin, Muzo, Deren, Cey Cey and all the guys from the agency, I bring my hands to my face in disbelief and then look at them in amazement and in love more than ever - Can? -

- We hadn't had our Sanem wedding party yet, we're introducing ourselves to our friends and loved ones for the first time as husband and wife, we couldn't help but celebrate such a unique event. And with the occasion...

May I have your attention please, thank you all for coming to celebrate our wedding with us, even if it is not the classic wedding reception we are happy to have you all here and I want to take the opportunity to share with you the greatest joy a couple can have, we want to let you know that in addition to husband and wife we are here to celebrate the fact that we will soon be anne and babam, mum and dad -

Shouts of jubilation and a roaring applause welcome this unexpected announcement, we are overwhelmed by smiles, kisses and hugs in which we feel all the warmth and affection of the most important people in our lives.

It moves me enormously to see my mother's embrace of Can, who now recognises and remembers her perfectly, and the emotion in the shiny eyes of both is evident. They have always had a soft spot for each other, my mother has always felt Can as the son she never had while he has always perceived in her hugs that maternal affection he probably never knew before.

My father approaches me, looks at me excitedly and then embraces me in an embrace that is worth more than a thousand words - My erkenci kuş has taken flight and found its nest elsewhere, you will always be my little girl Sanem, even when you are a mother you will always be my little morning bird - Then he turns to Can who is watching the scene moved - And you,  don't forget about her anymore or you'll have to deal with me, treat your wife as the most precious thing in the world and you'll see that you'll be amply rewarded in love and devotion, trust me, that's how it works - He leaves me to embrace Can in a hug of sincere affection.

I can't hold back the tears, I'm so happy that they have accepted our unique marriage and especially Can as the man of my life.

We spend an unforgettable evening between laughing at Cey Cey's anxiety about becoming an uncle and Metin's teasing Can, reminding him how he had sworn he would never get married and then ended up proposing dozens of times to the same woman and then forgetting he had married her.

When the last guest has said goodbye, Can hugs me from behind, kisses me on the neck and asks me - Are you happy Sanem? Did you enjoy my surprise? -

I turn around in his arms to bring my hands to his face and stroke his beard which I adore so much.

- Evet yes, I'm as happy as can be a woman madly in love with her husband and who sees a bright future ahead, a future with him and their children, a future of love forever.