Priceless Love

Taking Chances and Finding Hope

Askim, I am here. Day or night. I will park outside this house and sleep in my truck if you need me to. I don't want to be in the way but I want you to know I'm near. You don't have to be afraid, he whispered as he kissed the top of head when he held her.

Thank you, Can. I know that. I don't know what will happen next but I know that with everything in me. Nothing can take you away from me. Ever, she said back, already feeling the physical and emotional fatigue taking hold. It had been a long day.

Kissing her gently on the lips, he said, Get some rest, canim. I will call and check on you in the morning. And give your dad a hug for me. Tell him I'll see him when he's up to it.

I will, Can. I love you. I love you so much, she said as she hugged him once more.

Emre had said his goodbyes but waited for Can near his car before taking off.

When Sanem closed the door, Can saw Emre and said, Thanks for waiting, abi. I don't know what to say or how to fix this. I hate to see them hurting.

I know, Can. I know. There are some things you just can't fix. But just like you said. We will all fight and do what we can, Emre answered, hugging his brother goodbye.

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The next morning, Nehat awakened to the sight of Sanem and Leyla resting in chairs nearby and he chuckled. He knew his girls wouldn't wait until he got out of bed. 

His smile faltered as he thought about them. If this was stage 4 and he had little time left, he would spend it making sure they were taken care of and knew what they meant to him. They said it all the time but he wanted to leave them no doubt of his unconditional love for them.

Watching them sleep, he felt like he did when they were little girls. Sanem covered in mud, babbling about this and that. Leyla dressed up and ready to conquer the world. Where had the years gone? They were still like his little girls no matter how old they became. 

He wanted nothing more in that moment but to hold them in his arms and promise them that everything was going to be alright. That they were going to be alright.

Looking over at his beautiful wife sleeping next to him, he smiled when he remembered how he felt when she chose him over all the other young men that were vying for her attention. How had he gotten so lucky?

They had just made amends, both asking forgiveness of the other. So many wasted years. And if he only had a short amount of time left in this world, he would make sure she knew every moment of the day that she was loved and cherished.

There was so much to make up for. So much lost time.

Time..something it would seem he may not have much of now. He had felt like something was wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was so easy to justify the fatigue and ongoing issues with his stomach. His job was stressful and made worse by the ongoing overwhelming feeling of being less than in the eyes of his father-in-law.

Fire burned in his eyes when he thought of leaving this world soon and his three girls having no one to protect them from that evil man.

Something broke inside him in that moment. 

I won't let him win. I won't give up. I will fight to live to make sure my family is guarded from his poison, he thought.

Baba...

He turned to see Sanem slowly sitting up and blinking as she looked at him.

Holding his arms out, she ran into them and immediately started crying, which woke up her mother and sister.