When the call was over, Can returned to the living room.
"Mihriban will be fine. Understand?" comforted Sanem.
"Yes, Sanem is right." said Deniz. "You'll see it will all work out. They will find him."
"And he will pay for it. You can be sure of that." said Bulut.
"Can?" called Sanem as he saw him enter.
"Here I am." Can approached Sister Mihriban and as Sanem held her right hand tightly, he gently took her left and closed it between his own. "Mihriban, I spoke to an old acquaintance. A private investigator who managed to find me when it seemed impossible. His name is Volkan." said Can looking at Sanem.
"Volkan! Of course! Bravo, my love!" exulted Sanem.
"He also managed to unearth the dirty tricks Yigit had concocted for Sanem's creams." continued Can looking at Bulut.
Bulut nodded his head, lowering it. He knew he had been wrong about Yigit. He was not the correct person he had shown himself to be.
"No one can find that bastard Selim better than him." Can replied. "I sent him a picture and told him to find out everything he can about him. Volkan is trusted. And he is at your complete disposal. Here." Can handed a note to Mihriban.
"This is his number. You can call him and tell him anything you see fit. As soon as he has some information, I told him to contact you directly. That way you will be the first to know."
"Can..." Mihriban was speechless. "Can... I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything Mihriban, you have done so much for me and Sanem, and this is nothing in comparison."
"Yes, Can is right. If these two years have been heavy for you, it is also a bit because of us. In our absence, we have burdened you with commitments on top of the worries you already had. And this is just a smidgen of what you have done for us, but allow us. Allow us to help you." said Sanem.
"Guys, I... I don't know what to say. Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart." she replied touched.
"Mihriban, as I told you before, I can easily take care of your case legally. It won't be much, but I think in a situation like this all help is welcome." offered Bulut.
"Bulut, but you left here to get out of trouble, and now that you are back you are involved again in...' Mihriban said without being able to complete the sentence. Sanem interrupted her.
"One minute! One minute! Are you back? Here? Really?" asked Sanem. "What do you mean? What did I miss?" she continued surprised.
"This is not the time to tell the full story, but suffice it to say that I am back. I had taken a break from the estate and work in the fields, but now I am here. Mrs Mihriban agrees. So you will have extra help in the vegetable garden."
"Ah, but that's wonderful! Welcome back Bulut!" Sanem threw himself at him with élan, embracing him vigorously. "Ah, but it's perfect! I am so happy!"
"Great Really! Welcome back Bulut!" said Can.
"Where are you staying? Are you staying at the estate?" asked Sanem curiously.
"No, I have a flat in the village. I will come here to work the land."
"Ah! But you look at Bulut, what a surprise!" said Sanem thinking aloud.
"I'm staying too!" said Deniz suddenly.
"What?!" exclaimed Sanem.
"Yes!" replied Deniz smiling.
"No way! But weren't you working in your country to be near your father? What happened?" asked Sanem in amazement.
"My father has recovered completely. And I didn't like the work I was doing there, so I went my own way again. Bulut and I met up at a yoga class in Istanbul about a week ago and from there, after Mihriban's phone call, we came here."
"Ah, you must tell me everything!" replied Sanem. 'I can't believe it! The group is coming together! And... what are you going to do?"
"I will look for work around here. For the time being, I will stay here on the estate. I will stay at Sister Mihriban's house. I will help Bulut with the vegetable garden, and who knows maybe I will give some yoga classes. Or do some therapy. After all, I'm qualified now. I'm a 100% therapist. I don't know, we'll see. I'm open to opportunities,' Deniz replied quietly.
"Ah! I can't believe it! Come here, Deniz, let me give you a hug!" Sanem clung to Deniz.
"A...help... Little lamb... Help! Can..." called Deniz desperately.
"Sanem, I think that can be enough. Deniz understood that you are happy. And we all are. Welcome back Deniz."
"Thanks Can."
"We'll have time to talk about all that, but now back to us. Sister Mihriban... Are you convinced then? Can we proceed? Do you accept our help?" asked Can eagerly to resolve the situation.
"Can, son, with all this love, how can I not accept, huh?" she said.
"Can I hug you?" asked Mihriban with tears in his eyes.
"Of course." replied Can as a tender smile emerged on his face.
"Thank you son." whispered Mihriban as she hugged him.
''Don't say that even for kidding.'' he replied.
"Bulut, you come too."
Bulut embraced Mihriban.
Then Sanem exclaimed: "Group hug!"
They all hugged each other. Mihriban, for the first time in a long time, felt loved again. The loneliness this time had been really heavy for her.
"Come on, shall we all have dinner together?" proposed Sanem.
"Guys, I'm really tired. I need some rest." Said Mihriban barely holding back a yawn. "You four have dinner. Enjoy yourselves."
"But Sister Mihriban..."
"Guys, don't worry. I need some time alone. I need to think."
"OK, let's let Sister Mihriban rest. She deserves some peace and quiet." said Can.
Mihriban looked at him gratefully.
"Can, don't tell your father that I know. Nor about the matter of my mother. Please. I don't want Aziz to have more to think about than he already has." said Mihriban barely holding back tears.
"OK." he replied.
"We won't say anything, don't worry," Sanem replied.
"And...Guys, if you agree, I would like to stay at the estate tomorrow. I need to get away for a while. And now the agency is in very good hands. It needs you more than it needs me." she admitted.
"Of course Mihriban don't worry. Rest all the time you want. Take time for yourself. The agency will always have its doors open for you."
"Thank you guys. Have a good night."
"Have a good rest, Sister Mihriban," Can replied.
"See you tomorrow, sister Mihriban. Have a good rest." replied Bulut.
"Good night, Mihriban. Sweet dreams." Deniz and Sanem replied.
Once Mihriban came out, Bulut commented. "Ah, what a situation guys."
"Yeah... poor sister Mihriban." commented Deniz.
"I've never seen her like this." Sanem replied. "Good idea Volkan's, Can." she said turning to her husband.
"Ah, actually I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I knew he was on a mission, that's why I couldn't call him earlier." he explained.
"And how did you know he was available now?" his wife asked him.
"Aunt Remide."
"Everything is clearer now." commented Sanem.
"And... bravo to you too! For the nice surprise you gave us." she then added, turning to Deniz and Bulut. Now while we're having dinner, don't run away from me. You must tell us everything!"
From dinner they discovered that Deniz had finished her studies and had become a licensed therapist. She had done an internship in a doctor's office in a small town near her father's so she could be close to him, but she had not enjoyed it very much. Mihriban, the estate, and all of them, had missed her terribly, and she hoped to find work either in the village as a therapist or doing yoga classes, of which she had now become a fully-fledged teacher.
The mysterious Bulut, on the other hand, had left the estate after the accident and Can's subsequent memory loss because he felt powerless in front of that situation. For him, that incident was a shock. Seeing Can and Sanem so close to fulfilling their dream, and one moment later seeing them in that situation, affected him deeply. He said he felt stuck. Helpless. And not knowing how to help, he decided to walk away without creating any more mess. Bulut apologised to all of them for his behaviour. Once he left the estate, he went back to the city for a while to work as a lawyer. At that time, he needed to have his mind occupied and feel useful. So it seemed the best solution to him. He did it just for himself, not to be good or for the money. And in the last two years he realised that he loved both, his job as a lawyer and nature.
He realised that in the past, his work had only led him to exasperation because he had got the approach wrong. And the realisation about all this he owed to Deniz. Bulut was her first real client as a therapist. Although they had not seen each other in person for a long time, they always kept in touch by phone, and that is how they started their first therapy sessions. The dinner passed quietly. Can and Sanem told Deniz and Bulut about their adventures at sea. Especially to Bulut! Considering that he had disappeared into thin air. It was a good moment. They had a good laugh. When dinner was over, Deniz and Bulut left and Can and Sanem took turns taking a shower after such a day. Afterwards, Can, in order to pass the time waiting for Sanem, decided to sit outside in the hammock and take advantage of the starry sky light of that evening to continue reading the first book of Sanem's forthcoming trilogy. They had only been back three days, but from how full they had been, it seemed months had passed. When Sanem appeared outside, a long nightgown enveloped her, sensually outlining her curves. She had gathered her still damp hair into a bun, and had framed her face with a coloured band that formed a sort of knot on her head.
He saw Can in the hammock and approached.
"Ah! There you are."
When she reached him, she realised he was asleep. The hammock was still swinging gently. She paused to look at him. He had fallen asleep with one hand behind his head, and the other resting on his book, which he held open on his chest, right next to his heart. Then Sanem took a blanket from the basket at the foot of the hammock and covered him.
How sweet he is when he sleeps! He thought.
Then she gently stroked his loose hair, still damp from the shower. She gently ran two fingers over his most exposed cheek and leaned down to kiss it. A sweet and tender smile appeared on Can's seraphic face. When that happened, he became such a child. She lingered watching him for a moment longer and then turned to go back inside the house. She did not care to wake him at that moment. She would leave him like that for a while longer and then if he didn't wake up, she would come back to wake him up.
But as soon as she turned around, she was grabbed and catapulted into the hammock. Sanem screamed. Can had woken up.
"Oh my God, how frightening! Are you crazy? Bear!" shouted Sanem looking at him.
Can was startled out of sleep at the exact moment she was turning her back to go back inside. So, on instinct, he grabbed her by the arm and drew her to him, and now she was in the hammock, lying on top of him holding her close to his chest.
"Weren't you asleep?" she asked him with a hand on her heart beating wildly with fright.
"Yeah... I guess I fell asleep." Can said in a sleepy voice. "You were leaving? Why were you leaving?" he asked her.
"I wasn't leaving. I was going back into the living room, I didn't want to wake you up. I was going to wake you up in a little while anyway." she replied with her face so close to his. Smiling softly, Sanem stroked his cheeks. "You were so sweet! I had no heart to wake you up."
"Mh..." smiled Can blissfully. He was still half asleep. "I saw you were leaving me here and instinctively grabbed you, but I didn't realise if it was a dream or not..." he mumbled still in his sleep.
"Mh... so you're saying you don't know if I'm here or not right now, is that it?" she asked.
"Mh mh." he replied in assent.
"Mh... so there is a need for a demonstration, did I get that right?" she asked again.
"Mh, mh..." replied Can with his eyes closed.
"Alright." replied Sanem. She walked over, took Can's face in her hands, looked at him and then kissed him. It was a heartfelt, long, deep kiss that Can immediately returned, also grabbing Sanem's face. Their hands sought each other, wanted each other. Under the starry sky, with the light, cool breeze of a summer evening...
No more words were left, for there were glances that burned more than any words.
They broke away from each other for a split second and looking at her Can said: "Sometimes I can't tell if what I'm experiencing is a dream or reality."
"Me too." agreed Sanem.
"Come with me." Can got up from the hammock and took Sanem by the hand. He helped her down without taking his eyes off her. "I'll take you to where dreams come true."
They left the estate and arrived at the dock, got into their boat and there the magic took place.
There was the sea, there were the stars to frame that night so different from the others. There was fire burning in their eyes. Such desire that they had only experienced in the silence of their boat, cradled by the waves of the sea. And that they had not yet had the chance to experience again since they had returned. But that evening there was only them. Just like when they were in the middle of the sea. Can squinted at his wife's light dressing gown. As he led her into the cabin holding her hand, he couldn't take his eyes off her, her smile, her face, her body wrapped in that long white satin dressing gown with the slit that highlighted her legs as she descended the stairs. In her eyes he saw the same desire that was reflected in his own. On the spur of the moment, he took her in his arms and reached the bedroom, were the magic took place.
And as Sanem herself wrote within her first novel:
"The Valley of Devotion made them two bodies in one soul and made them two souls in one body. Now, wherever they go, they know they will not be separated. No condition, no obstacle, and no reason, can stand between them any longer. Two fragile souls wrapped in an invisible silk thread, clinging to each other they are even stronger than steel. The passage of time and space is lost for the birds that pass the test of Devotion. Thus they live in that moment. For one or thousands of moments when they will be with each other. "
- "The Phoenix and the Albatross" -
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Hello reader :)
You have finished the 22nd chapter.
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