You'll Be Near

Campfires and Marshmallows

They took turns driving. Stopping every few hours so the three of them could stretch their legs. Sanem was glad her morning sickness had faded by now, all the driving around would likely have aggravated it.

It was dark when they arrived. Most of their colleagues had already been shown to their shared cabins and had settled in for the night. Can had chosen one of the smaller huts at the edge of the camp for himself and Sanem. Only a stone throw away from the lake, where Arslan and Sanem spent a few minutes paddling before going to bed.

Over the next three days of filming Can was only slightly surprised to find his wife kept disappearing. As the advert was her brainchild - Can had suggested she be involved in directing. Instead, she had made it her job to host the actors. Or more specifically, one little actor in particular. On the first morning when she had vanished for a few hours, he had set off to find her, only to spot her on a bench near the set caravans with a smiling five-year-old boy sat on her lap.

"Sanem, you know you aren't an intern anymore right?" Can asked, amused, when he found her again at the buffet table during their lunch break. "It's no longer your job to go around catering to the actors."

"Shhh! His mum doesn't know that." She whispered.

"Speaking of his mother... I know you have been a bit keen on the whole 'adopting' thing lately but I would suggest maybe backing off a bit. I think she's worried you're going to steal her son." Sanem stuck out her tongue in response to the grin on her husband's face.

Everyone was exhausted by the last evening, ready for a well-deserved day off. Can, with the help of a few others, set up a campfire outside their cabin and began roasting sausages on metal sticks once the flames had settled down. Their colleagues soon congregated around, pulled in by the allure of cooking food. Not long after, Can was handing out plates and everyone began stuffing their faces with hot dogs. Even Arslan was even given a few for his fantastic performance.

A few minutes later Ceycey dipped inside his cabin, only to return after a moment with a giant bag of marshmallows. He was greeted with applause as he began passing them around.

Sanem's marshmallows kept bursting into flames. Can had chuckled at her, before offering her the ones he had been roasting.

Eventually, a few of the women (and Ceycey) splintered away to play blackjack in one of the cabins. Guliz dragged Deren along who consequently insisted Sanem accompany her. Arslan had collapsed onto his dog bed and begun snoring a few hours ago. So Can was left on his own. Their cabin was right at the edge of the camp, allowing him to spend a moment alone on the outskirts of the wilderness. He sat on a bench by the fire, reading and enjoying the tranquil peace of being in the middle of nowhere.

Slowly the sunlight grew dim as night settled over the forest. Eventually, Can gave up on his book when the remaining light illuminating from the embers became useless. He closed the pages, glancing around and taking in the quiet stillness that had settled over the camp. His eyes were drawn upwards, noticing for the first time the thousands of stars speckled above him. The constellations glimmering, partially hidden by outstretched branches of pine trees reaching across the black sky.

There was a part of him that missed this. Being out in nature, the fresh air that seemed to rejuvenate his soul with every breath, with skies so clear that you could see the whole galaxy after dark. He missed being able to pack up and go whenever he wanted, with his camera by his side and freedom in his heart. But there was another, more overbearing part to him that was missing something else. Someone else. A part of him that had grown stronger over the last few years until it had become the only thing that really mattered. He was about to get up and look for her when his ears caught the sound of approaching footsteps.

And there she was. Walking towards him as her arms wrapped her cardigan tighter around her in an attempt to fend off the encroaching cold. Dark brown hair falling in waves over her shoulders. Eyes glimmering with the reflection of the dying fire as she smiled in greeting. The pine needles cushioned her steps and the moon rose in the sky behind her. Can smiled, wondering if his wife had turned into some sort of ethereal woodland spirit.

"Come here," He spoke softly, reaching a hand out towards her and shuffling over to make room on the bench. She sat beside him at an angle, his arm naturally falling around her waist as she draped her legs over his lap. Can sighed, content that she was next to him once again.

"Who won?" He enquired.

"Deren," Sanem smiled, snuggling closer against him. "But only because she cheated. Multiple times."

"Why didn't you call her out on it?" Can laughed quietly.

"Because she promised to share the prize with me," Sanem explained, closing her eyes and resting her head against his shoulder.

"Oh? And what was the prize?"

"A blueberry muffin," Sanem replied. "And she ended up giving me the whole thing because she decided the carbs weren't worth it." Sanem shrugged. "Her loss." Can chuckled, enjoying the warmth of her skin against his. He pressed a kiss to her temple, making her sigh.

This. This was what he wanted. What he needed more than anything else in the world. The wilderness could wait - it wasn't going anywhere. For now, the presence of Sanem by his side and the knowledge that she was carrying their child was more than enough to warm his soul. Every breath of her scent, every touch of her skin, every twinkle in her eyes as they caught the reflection of the stars; it was more than rejuvenating. It was like drinking from the fountain of life itself. The very essence of his being, the very reason for existence, was sat next to him in his arms. How could life possibly get any better than this? But Can answered the question for himself when he caught sight of the soft swell of her stomach hidden underneath her cardigan.

It was then that he felt the weight of Sanem's head becoming heavy against his chest. He glanced at her. Her eyes closed, breathing deepening and shoulders slumping. She had fallen asleep.

Can slipped one hand under her knees, the other still around her side, then stood up carefully. She groaned, the disturbance waking her for a second. He carried her inside the cabin, placing her down gently on the bed. Pulling the quilt carefully from underneath her legs to tuck her in properly.

"Good night, Sanem." He whispered against her forehead. She hummed as his lips pressed against her skin. Quickly falling back to sleep again as he settled down beside her.