Eda & Serkan via Instagram, April 14th, 2021
[Serkan via story: Welcome to the world, my son! 🥰 Thank you so much for this present, @edayildiz]
[Eda via post: Welcome to the world, my son ❤️🥹
Alp Yildiz Bolat.
Weight: 3.8 Kg. Height: 24.3 cm.
DOB: Sept. 14th, 2021. Time: 4:47 PM.
Comments:
Serkan: He's so beautiful.
Aydan: Handsome grandma's boy]
---
Friends via iMessage, September 14th, 2021, 5:13 PM
Engin: Where are my nephew's pictures?
Serkan:
Engin: ihhhhh, he's angry. It had to be your son, lol.
Melo: He's soooo cute.
Serkan: He was hungry. Now, he's nursing happily.
Piril: And Eda? How's she doing?
Serkan: She's ecstatic but exhausted.
Engin: We will go by to see you just for a little bit, to congratulate you, and to bring Kiraz, who is crazy, to see her little brother.
Engin: We won't stay long so that Eda can rest.
Ceren: I should be there in a few minutes. I'm going to cover my nephew and Eda with kisses.
Fifi: I'll go by at the end of the day. He's so yummy.
---
Eda via stories, September 14th, 2021
[Eda: My babies are getting to know each other @serkanbolat]
---
💫Serkan POV💫
I'd been holding my son for over an hour. The nurse had come to get him after Eda nursed him, but I couldn't let go of him.
"Serkan Bey," the nurse called. "I have to take Alp to the nursery." I reluctantly gave my child to her. "We'll be back soon. Don't worry," she added with a smile.
"Baba, can you hold me for a bit?" Kiraz asked, and I picked her up, hugging her to me. "Baba, why did they take Anne to the operating room after Alp was born yesterday? Did my brother hurt her?"
Eda had started having contractions again a few hours after giving birth. Then she started bleeding. The doctor explained that it wasn't anything grave, but they needed to act on it quickly to prevent infections. The procedure took all of 10 minutes. But I'd almost gone nuts with worry. Now, my question was how Kiraz had found out about it.
"No, honey. Everything's okay."
"Are you sure?" my daughter asked, raising her head and gazing straight into my eyes.
I nodded.
"Then why won't she wake up?"
Eda had fallen asleep before Kiraz had arrived from school with Piril, and it had been about an hour since. To my daughter, this was too long, primarily since she had known about Eda's complications.
"Having a baby is a lot of work, like doing a lot of exercise. Eda had just fallen asleep when you got here. She'll wake up in a bit. I promise."
"Tamam," Kiraz said dejectedly. "Baba?" she called again after a few minutes.
"Yes, baby," I responded, rubbing her cheek with my nose.
"Do you think Eda loves me the same as my brother?" Kiraz's worried eyes grounded me.
"We've talked about this before, Kiraz," I reminded her gently.
"Neyse," she commented right away.
"No, no. Let me tell you something. But you have to promise not to tell anyone about it."
Kiraz offered me a pinky, and I squeezed it in mine. I walked us to the chair next to Eda's bed and sat with Kiraz still in my lap.
"You know, Kiraz, I never thought about adopting a child before I met you. And honestly, I never thought I could adopt you until someone else thought about it."
Kiraz observed me in confusion.
Of course it doesn't make sense to her, Serkan. You just acknowledged you didn't think about adopting her yourself. Of, Serkan!
I sighed, trying to find the words that would make sense to a six-year-old, terms that would hopefully not make things worse.
"I met Eda at the shelter. She became my friend between one botany lesson and another, and we grew closer as we befriended you and fell in love with you."
Kiraz beamed at my words.
"Do you remember Visiting Day?"
She nodded. "I was supposed to interact with couples wanting to adopt a child. I hadn't been very good at it when I first got to the shelter. Parents didn't like kids who couldn't speak."
I kissed her forehead. "Eda had a tough time about that day as well." Kiraz frowned. "She didn't want you to be adopted at all."
"Neden?" Kiraz exclaimed, horrified.
"Because she couldn't bear the thought of you - her baby - becoming someone else's child," I explained.
"Gercekten mi?" Kiraz was so surprised by this.
"Eda came over a few nights before that day. I wasn't doing very well; memories and regrets were haunting me. But Eda wasn't doing any better. Knowing she wouldn't open up too easily, I shared more of Barış with her - I took her to his room. And Eda broke down into tears."
"Poor Eda. Was she sad because Barış died?" Kiraz asked compassionately.
"No, Eda was sad because she felt she was losing you. In her heart, you were hers already. Eda knew you deserved a family and was miserable for not being able to give it to you."
"Why?"
"Because our country requires that the person who adopts is of a specific age, has a stable job, a way to provide for the child they want to adopt. Eda couldn't meet any of those requirements."
"So, Eda convinced you to adopt me?" Kiraz looked a little hurt.
"No. Witnessing Eda so bleak at the thought of you being adopted by someone else made me acknowledge how much I also cared for you. I wanted you to have a family, but I didn't want anyone else to be your daddy but me."
Kiraz observed me in silence. She hung on my every word.
"I realized that I loved you so much that it didn't matter how scared I was at that moment or how awful a candidate to be your father I considered myself. I could adopt you; I could give you a family. And this gave me the drive I needed to take that step." I paused. "I promised myself I would try my hardest to be the best dad I could be and give you the family you deserved."
"You are the best Baba in the world," Kiraz said, kissing my cheek and beaming at me.
I kissed her nose. "I am sharing this story with you so you can have the certainty that Eda always wanted you. And if there is someone whose love you should never doubt, it's hers. She absolutely adores you, and she's no less your mother than she is Alp's just because she didn't give birth to you."
"Are we understood?" I asked, ticking her side.
"Yes, Baba."
"Do you think I love Alp more than I love you?"
"Of course not, Baba," Kiraz responded matter-of-factly.
"Then you should have that same confidence in Eda's love for you. Always."
"Anladim, Baba," Kiraz accepted, hugging me very tightly.
We spent a few more minutes talking about her day at school, her plants at the shelter, and how Kemal Dede – yes, my daughter was calling the man grandpa already - was now teaching her to jump on the horse.
"Aşkım," Eda murmured a few minutes later.
Eda was awake. Finally.
Only Kiraz was suddenly very timid.
"Gel, Bebek," my wife called, so I took my daughter to her mother and laid her beside Eda. "I've missed you," she affirmed, kissing Kiraz's nose and hiding it on the crook of her neck, making my little girl laugh.
"I was here yesterday, Anne," Kiraz reminded her.
"I know, but it feels like an eternity since I saw you," Eda admitted.
This got to my girl, whose bottom lip trembled. "When are you coming home, Anneciğim?" Kiraz asked her, playing with the tie of Eda's hospital gown.
"Probably in a couple of days," Eda soothed her.
"Probably at the end of the week," I corrected. "You had a procedure," I reminded Eda.
"Did it hurt?" Kiraz asked Eda, concerned.
"Nah... I'm just sore. Like I did a lot of sit-ups," Eda reassured her. I guess that was a simple way of putting it.
"I love you very much, mummy," Kiraz told Eda and hugged her very tightly.
"I love you more, aşkım."
It was getting late for Kiraz.
The nurse had brought Alp back, and Eda had let Kiraz stay beside her as she breastfed our son. Watching the baby suckle as Eda spoke softly to him had soothed Kiraz. Alp had also fallen fast asleep once he was full. Kiraz watched her brother lay on her mother's chest for a little bit. "He's so tiny," she whispered.
After a while, I took Alp so Eda could have dinner and Kiraz could eat the sandwich and milk I'd brought her. Then Eda played with our daughter's hair for a while as they talked. And little by little, Kiraz fell asleep.
"Seeing Kiraz next to Alp earlier, she seemed like such a big girl. But now, in my arms, she feels so little. She's still my baby," Eda admitted, emotional.
"She's always going to be your baby," I assured Eda.
Eda's eyes welled with tears. "I was worried about how I would feel once our son was born. I'd heard some unintentional comments about how my bond with Alp would be so strong – a feeling like nothing I'd ever experienced."
I watched Eda as she looked at Kiraz with tenderness and caressed her features adoringly like she couldn't believe Kiraz belonged to her.
"For a moment, I worried that Kiraz's fears would become true, and I'd love Alp more, or in a way that I'd never be able to love her. The idea frightened me so much."
I frowned, "Why?"
"I didn't want to hurt Kiraz, albeit unwillingly," she confessed, embarrassed.
"But it wasn't like that. Was it?"
"It was," Eda responded, surprising me. "I'd never felt something as great as when Alp was born. I felt my heart coming out of my chest. I couldn't believe we'd made that little baby."
"Anladim..." I was confused by this conversation.
Eda disregarded my statement and continued. "Then you brought Kiraz to me once she arrived with Engin. I saw her with you and then with the baby. And it was like I loved her even more then."
I opened my mouth to ask a question but didn't know what to ask. "Ne?"
"I know it doesn't make sense... it was like having our baby unearthed a new threshold for love in me. When I saw Kiraz, I realized I loved her even more than before. My heart is so full of love for both of my babies now. I love them both so much."
"How about me?" I grumbled.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I can love you just as much, too."
I leaned down and rubbed my nose against hers; then I kissed her gently.
Ayfer arrived shortly after and offered to take my post so I could take Kiraz home, bathe her, and put her to sleep. And I took her offer.
"I should be back in a couple of hours," I announced, leaving with my daughter.
Later, when Kiraz had fallen asleep hugging Barış's panda bear after I tucked her in, I understood what Eda was saying. If I ever doubted that I loved Kiraz as my daughter, I had no doubts after today. I loved Kiraz just as much as I'd loved Barış and just as much as I loved Alp.
---
Engin > Serkan via iMessage, September 17th, 2021, 2:47 PM
Engin: My son was pretty upset when we got to school to pick Kiraz up, and she was hanging out with this little boy.
Engin:
Serkan: Don't you think you're being a little ridiculous? That's Mohamed. He's Fatma Hanim's son. Kiraz is just helping him get used to his new school. She still talks about Can 24/7.
Engin: Tamam. I'm grabbing lunch with the kids and heading to the hospital. Is Eda getting discharged?
Serkan: No way.
Engin: But it was a natural birth.
Serkan: It wasn't a c-section, but she was operated on due to complications...
Engin: Serkan, her procedure was simple and lasted 5 minutes.
Serkan: But she's got pain. And she won't take anything for it. The doctor said she could take acetaminophen or even ibuprofen, but she doesn't want to risk it.
Engin: What I most dreaded finally happened. Eda caught your hypochondria!
Serkan: Eda is asking for a picture from Kiraz. Could you send me one?
Engin:
Serkan: My baby. Tell her that mummy loves her very much.
Engin: That was Eda. Hi Eda!
Serkan: Yes, it's me. I want to hug my little girl.
Engin: Okay, okay, sweethearts. I'm going to make sure these little ones eat and head your way.
Serkan: Thank you, Engin. Serkan also says thank you.
---
Eda via Twitter, September 23rd, 2021, 5:16 AM
[Eda: I am in love... look at his little hands 🥹
Comments:
Erdem: Beautiful little hands indeed.
Serkan: Weren't you asleep?
Erden: I was... then your son decided it was time to nurse.
Serkan: I'm coming upstairs.]
===
Passage of Time
===
💫EDA POV💫
I had never known what being tired truly was until I'd had been home with Alp for a week, which was nothing to how exhausted I was after two. Alp was up every couple of hours. He seemed to find joy in waking up the second I closed my eyes. I was often morose. I found myself the worst mother on the planet. And I cried like I hadn't during the worst of my pregnancy hormones.
Serkan had been a trooper. Not only had he supported me every step of the way, waking up whenever Alp woke me, but he'd also been tending to all of our six-year-old daughter's needs. He'd been reassuring, kind, and patient with both of us – which I knew had to take great effort.
He'd help me deal with my anxiety by working with me on breathing exercises his therapist gave him. At the suggestion of Piril, he'd gotten me a pump and hired a lactation specialist to work with me on getting Alp to a schedule. I'd started pumping enough so that one of Alp's nightly feedings could be done by Serkan. Ultimately, I started getting more sleep, and my mood improved.
Kiraz, on her part, had started off being the perfect daughter, always helpful, always gentle. Kiraz would set and clear the table; she would make her bed and mine. She would help Serkan make breakfast and dinner and do the dishes afterward. She's learned how to carry and hold Alp appropriately, and my son immensely enjoyed being in her sister's arms.
Yet, Kiraz was far quieter than usual. And while I hadn't disregarded it, it didn't quite come to my attention until one afternoon when I received a call from Hülya. Kiraz had cried during their session because I'd forgotten to sign her reading log. The learning psychologist explained that this was too big a reaction for something so trivial and that I needed to have a talk with her. This hit me like a bucket of cold water.
And, for the first time since I'd given birth, I separated myself from my newborn, leaving him in the capable hand of his father, and picked my daughter up from school. I took Kiraz to lunch and the park. And I realized how much I'd missed spending these kinds of moments with her. We promised each other to have a date each week, just the two of us. I vowed to myself to make sure we continued this tradition for the next few weeks.
"Are you reconsidering the nanny idea?" Serkan asked me a few days later when he caught me looking over some work that he'd been asked to review by Engin.
"Are you still planning on going back to work next week?" I retorted.
"I don't want to. But it's been seven weeks. And Alp is starting to sleep long enough for you to have the energy to complain about me nagging you. So yes, I think it's wise to do so."
"I don't complain...." I grumbled.
"Tamam, aşkım," he readily agreed, and I smiled. "I was thinking maybe we could have your aunt stay over during weekdays next week. Just to help with the transition."
"Maybe that's not a bad idea," I conceded. "I'm actually surprised that you didn't propose I relocate to your mother's house," I teased.
"Getting you to go to my mother's house the two times we've gone since the baby was born has been like pulling teeth, aşkım."
It was true. Engin teased that I'd caught Serkan's hypochondria because I was apprehensive about the baby catching anything. I was nuts about everything being clean and sterile.
Maybe I was turning into Serkan!
I shook my head at the thought, "Thank you, honey," I offered with a peck on the cheek.
---
Social Media posts in the weeks following Alp's birth
1. Serkan (Insta Post): Family Sunday. Kiraz won't leave Kemal Dede's side 🤨
2. Eda (Insta Post): I wanted to be able to summarize how much I love you, kızım 🥹 <3
3. Eda (Insta Story): Date with my baby girl <3
4. Eda on Serkan's Account (Insta Story): Alp put Serkan to sleep... 🤭 (Take a screenshot before he deletes this! LOL)
---
5. Eda (Twitter): Hi you all. I've been MIA due to them: My Loves
*pictures of Kiraz and Alp*
Comments:
Serkan: I'm missing from those.
Eda: Hey! Don't start... I even changed my name to Eda' Bolat.'
Serkan: 😍🥰
Eda: You're so silly 😘
Erdem: I'll die of diabetes, but I will die a happy man.]
6. Piril (story): Whoever sees her like this wouldn't imagine that she's got a two-month-old baby at home.
---
🤖Serkan POV🤖
"I don't think this is a good idea, Serkan," Eda said as I picked up the luggage I'd' prepared for the children for the weekend and brought it down the stairs.
"It's' a great idea. My therapist suggested," I insisted.
""I don't know why we are commemorating something so meaningless,"" Eda grumbled.
"It might be meaningless to you, but it isn't meaningless to me. This week marks a year since I met Kiraz and you," I contradicted.
"Then why are you sending the kids to your mother's?" she asked, pulling bottles of breast milk she'd' pumped from the refrigerator.
"When you first came back from the hospital, I was thrilled that you wanted us to be just ourselves for a while. Your world revolved around our little family, and knowing we were your priority brought me joy. But this week back in the office helped me realize that we are not just Eda and Serkan Bolat, parents of Alp and Kiraz; we are also architects, friends to others and each other, and husband and wife. I had a long conversation with Bige this morning about this. These past two months, we've been somewhat reclusive. You, more so than me. We kept to ourselves apart from the occasional visit to/from my mother or your aunt. But I wonder now whether letting our family in wouldn't' have been a better idea."
"I don't understand you," Eda rebutted.
"Yes, you do. You were very nostalgic and sensitive the first couple of weeks after you gave birth. You cried all the time. You were overtired and overwhelmed. I supported you as best as I could. I took care of Kiraz. And we made it work. But we also made it harder for ourselves than we needed to. We have a family—A family that loves us. A family that offered us help multiple times, and we didn't accept it because we didn't want to show that we were weak or couldn't' be good parents."
"Is this all because I didn't accept a nanny? Serkan, I never had a nanny, and I survived. I—""
"Your mother had your aunt and grandmother to help her, didn't she?"
Eda knew I had a point, " Yet it wasn't until this week that I agreed to let her come over and stay to help out..."
It was finally clicking.
"It took Hülya letting us know that Kiraz was struggling with your unintended distance due to the baby for us to take matters into our own hands and try to deal with it as soon as possible. Until that conversation with her three weeks ago, you hadn't left the house but to go to Alp's' checkups and once to my mother's since she told us she'd' excommunicate us if we didn't bring her grandchild to her."
Eda chuckled, remembering my mother's video message when it'd' been over a week, and she didn't know her grandchild yet.
"I want to spend time with you. Alone. Talk about adult things - not about Mario, princesses, or Minecraft," I grumbled.
"So, we are not just dropping the kids off at your mother's?
"No, I want someone to prepare a special meal for us without worrying about whose turn it is to load the dishwasher. I want to make love without worrying that Kiraz will come in or Alp will wake up."
Eda laughed, "How about we skip going out, stay in, order take out, and just fuck all night long. Gosh, I can't remember the last time we had sex!"
"As Tempting as that idea was, it wouldn't work. "No, Eda. I want to take you out. I want to romance you. I want a change of scenery. We'll go to a nice hotel outside the city, the mountains, or the beach. You get to choose. We'll dine out; we'll enjoy the evening out together. Then we can have sex all night and the rest of the weekend. But first, our date."
"Fine. Just know that I'll attempt to thwart your plans as I see fit," Eda provoked, checking the baby monitor before heading for the stairs.
"Just think about it like your dates with Kiraz. You want alone time with her, so you leave the house. You share a meal or ice cream, and chat, go to the playground, etc. Just think about us the same way... just in adult terms."
"Tamam."
---
Bolats via Instagram, November 13th, 2021
1. Aydan (Post): Weekend with grandma <3
Comments:
Serkan: Where's Alp?
Eda: Sleeping 😴😂
2. Date Night. I love you, @edayildiz.
---
💫EDA POV💫
"This is nice," I told Serkan as we walked into the restaurant he'd brought me to. It was a quaint little place with a vintage air. It was small, warm, and welcoming.
"You look very nice tonight," Serkan complimented me.
I felt good. It'd been a while since I took the chance to really make myself up.
"And you look good enough to eat," I retorted.
Serkan laughed.
"But first, food," I sighed.
"Yes, a meal, adult conversation, maybe a dance," he responded, amused.
"So, what is this place? It very quaint..." I asked.
"It's a town restaurant."
When I remained quiet, Serkan provided more context. "We came to the mountain often when Alp and I were children. We liked hiking and used to go exploring during the day if it wasn't raining. My mother hated it if we sat at the chalet playing on our Gameboys all day. One summer afternoon, we were caught in the woods in the middle of a storm. We lost our way, and soon it turned dark." Serkan pointed to the man approaching our table. "Kaya found us that night. He sheltered us from the rain. The man gave Alp his raincoat and covered me with his jacket. He took us on his cart back to his home. It'd been a very rough afternoon for such young, inexperienced, and pampered young boys," he added self-deprecatingly.
I offered him a smile.
"Would you like some wine, Mrs. Bolat?" the man offered, and I immediately blushed. I still wasn't used to being called Mrs. Bolat. No one really did outside of Kiraz's school. So, I nodded timidly.
"I was starving that night. However, as soon as we got to Kaya's home, his wife, Asena, received us. She tended to us. She gave us dry clothes to wear while ours dried by the fireplace. And she forced us to eat what she'd made. I wasn't a picky eater, but I'd always been particular about what I ate."
I tried not to chuckle.
"Asena made a lamb dish with eggplants and peppers. I ate three plates of that dish. It was the first time I ate lamb willingly; It was the first time I ate peppers willingly, too. I'd never tasted anything like it. After dinner, Kaya and Alp played some music. Then Kaya danced with Asena for a time. When it started raining harder, and the power went off, Asena gave us pillows and blankets, and Alp and I lay on her bed. She and Kaya stayed on their little sofa by the fire. Alp fell asleep very quickly. I didn't. I stayed up and observed this couple talking to each other, laughing at the day's anecdotes, bickering on how to season a lamb properly, and being loving to each other. This couple was exhausted from their day's work and were, by all means, underprivileged. But to me, they seemed like the richest people I knew. The love shared with each other was palpable. They were affectionate and caring. They respected each other. They made it a point to make each other smile and laugh. My parents weren't this way at all."
I listened attentively.
"I don't remember when I fell asleep, but I remember what I woke up to the warm smell of sweet rolls. Kaya was cooking breakfast, and Asena was humming the melody of one of the songs we'd sung the night before while she set the table. They were working together as a team, bickering and provoking each other, every bit as loving to each other as they'd been the night before."
"That's very sweet," I commented.
"I admire their dedication to each other and to their family. Did you know that they had five children?"
I gasped, "Five?"
Serkan nodded, "Yes. Their eldest works with them here."
"Your meal," a lovely young woman said as she placed our dishes in front of us.
"Is this the famous dish you ate?" I asked, curious.
"Evet. And the girl who just served us is their eldest grandchild. She's 14."
"So, is this their family's restaurant?"
"Yes. Now it is. When Kaya brought us to town the morning after the storm, my mother was so thankful to Asena and Kaya that she wanted to reward them. They refused any monetary compensation. They refused any kind of help my mother wanted to provide them with. They are proud people. But Aydan Bolat worked her magic and got them the concession to this hotel's restaurant. It became Kaya's restaurant about a decade ago. The hotel was put up for sale, and he bought it. I renovated their kitchen a few years back. Go ahead, try the lamb," he prompted.
"Mm. It's delicious," I told Serkan, savoring the sauce.
"Trust me. I've tried to recreate this sauce plenty of times but have always been unsuccessful."
"So, she has a secret ingredient?" I wondered.
"Yes."
"Did you ask her what it was?"
"He did. And I told him what it was. Love," Asena appeared before us as if we'd summoned her. "Maybe now you'll be able to get it right, Serkancim."
Serkan went fifty shades of red, and the lady and I couldn't help but break into laughter.
I hadn't expected to stay long at the restaurant with how eager Serkan and I were to rekindle our private life, but we did.
Serkan invited Asena to sit with us, and as the kitchen closed, so did Kaya. They shared stories with us and remembered times when Serkan had come back to visit. How he'd mastered cherry pie, and now his was even better than Asena's!
Now, I wanted to try it. I was sure Kiraz would get a kick out of it.
"How long have you been married?" I asked when Asena mentioned getting a telegram while she helped her mother bake her wedding cake.
"53 years," she stated proudly. "I was fifteen."
My surprised expression made Kaya address me, "Keeping love alive is like making wine. Treat it right, and it'll become a fine, rich, valuable drink as the years pass. Neglect it, and it'll become vinegar."
"Our lives haven't always been easy. But we've grown together in love and wisdom. We've learned from each other, we've trusted each other. We've worked to be each other's rock when things get tough."
"How do you treat it right?" Serkan asked.
"Young people think it is about material things, like chocolate, jewelry, or flowers. But it isn't about that. It's about the little details every day. The simplest of things go the longest of ways. Holding hands and dancing together. Saying I love you to each other every day, especially when you are upset with each other. Making the other feel at home in your arms, no matter what. Being their safe haven."
Serkan nodded, "In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds closer together, and the music that brings harmony."
"This boy has got it all figured out. You lucked out, Edacim," Asena commented, pinching Serkan's cheek. "I'm going to get you some dessert to take with you. It was a pleasure having you over. It's on the house," she finished, squeezing my hand before she left the table.
I attempted to get up, and to her, we couldn't accept that, but Kaya stopped me, "Don't. She's a proud and stubborn woman. She'll feel like you're snubbing her. Just come again soon. She'll love that."
The man kissed Serkan's forehead, gently slapped his cheek, and said goodbye.
"I liked what you said about love within a family, Serkan. I hope our love for each other and our children is exactly like that," I acknowledged.
"I'd like to take credit for it. But it was Nietzsche who said it best," he chuckled, kissing my hand. "I didn't bring you here to teach you a lesson, though. I just wanted us to have a nice dinner. And we couldn't not come to here being in town."
I nodded, "I know you didn't. I really enjoyed our dinner. And I think they're lovely. I hope we can be as in love as Kaya and Asena seem in fifty years."
Serkan beamed at me.
"What?" I asked, returning his smile.
"Nothing— just having the chance to imagine something like that with you makes me so happy."
We walked hand in hand for a couple of minutes around the plaza. There was music and color, and people were sitting outside their homes in chairs, chatting with each other.
"Going somewhere, Serkan Bey?" A young boy passing by in a moto taxi asked.
"Can you give us a lift to my chalet?" Serkan requested.
"Of course! Hop in."
Serkan helped me to get in and held me close to him by the waist.
"Want me to go the scenic route, Serkan Bey?" The boy offered.
"That be nice, Ömer."
We rode around the town for a few minutes. The young boy explained the historical significance of its buildings. Serkan complemented what the boy said, mentioning things regarding architecture. He explained how the Byzantine and Ottoman styles merged to create a unique style of its own. Ornate, vibrant, rich in detail. Warm and sensual, blending soft tones of white with rich colors.
It always amazed me how passionate Serkan was about architecture and how he managed to describe things to the smallest detail. How he saw beyond what was. He recognized the purpose behind the designs and understood how the elements flowed with each other.
"We are here," the boy announced, pulling me off my reverie.
"Thank you," I said as Serkan helped me off the cart.
"You stay in school, Ömer," Serkan reminded him as he tipped him.
The boy saluted and left.
---
I thought we'd just sleep. I felt a bit dazed due to the wine we'd drunk, and I had been up so early, too. I made it to the room, went to the bathroom, washed my hands, and brushed my teeth. I started removing my makeup when Serkan met me upstairs.
"All set?" I asked him.
"All windows and doors are closed," he assured me.
I looked at him.
He looked at me.
And before I knew what had happened. Serkan was kissing me, and I was clinging to him like he was the only rock in a storm.
"I've missed this," Serkan murmured against my lips and kissed me again, our tongues tangling as he pushed me against the bedroom wall, his body like a rock against mine. "Maybe we should do this tomorrow. You look exhausted," Serkan cajoled, kissing me again, his lips trailing down my neck.
"I am drained," I admitted, tugging at his hair until his lips were on mine again, kissing until we were both breathless. We parted, breathless. Serkan's eyes caught mine. His pupils were dilated.
"Would you like us to stop?" Serkan asked.
"No," I answered.
"Good," he chuckled as I pulled at his tie, his head lowering to mine.
I wanted this. I wanted Serkan. Sleep would have to wait.
"Unzip my dress," I whispered.
And Serkan did, his fingers deft as he reached behind me, finding the zipper without breaking our gaze. I felt the warmth of his hand against my skin, the smooth slide of my zip as he unfastened me. And when it felt open, he pushed it down until it was nothing but her bra and panties.
"You're gorgeous," Serkan said reverently.
My lips quirked, "And you know how to make me feel good."
"It's my specialty," he said, winking at me. "These are beautiful, too," he whispered, his lips reaching the swell of my breast. He expertly unfastened my bra, then feathered his fingers lower, down my back, until he found the base of my spine and lit my nerve endings on fire as he caressed me.
I gasped as his lips closed around my nipple. "Are you going to get undressed, too?"
Serkan released my nipple, and immediately missed the teasing warmth of his mouth.
"I wasn't planning on wearing a suit for this, but whatever floats your boat, baby."
I grinned again. Damn, Serkan made this way too easy. I cupped his face, and he smiled back at me. Serkan looked even more gorgeous with a smile on his lips.
I watched him remove his shirt, staring at the broadness of his shoulders and the perfect definition of his chest. There was a sprinkling of hair across his muscles, and I traced the line of them with my fingers, stopping at his nipple, teasing it until he was the one looking hot and bothered.
His pants came next, revealing boxer briefs and thick muscles that made my mouth water. Then he was lifting me, carrying me to the bed, both of us almost naked.
Before I could point it out, though, Serkan was kissing me again, and I'd wrapped my hands around his neck because I couldn't get enough of him. He made me feel good. Wanted. Real.
His mouth trailed down my neck, kissing my nipples until I arched my back with pleasure. Then he slid further down the bed, his fingers strong against my thighs. He parted them and slid my panties down.
Now I was naked, and his face was two inches from where I needed him most.
"So beautiful."
I was embarrassed, and I wasn't really sure why. Only that this was the first time we did this since before the baby was born, and... yeah. I was self-conscious. "Shut up," I grumbled, not knowing what else to respond.
He chuckled and looked up at me, his gaze penetrating mine. "You're perfect, baby." And if to drive a point home, he dipped his head and pressed his lips against me in a barely there kiss.
Then he did it again—harder and longer this time. A long sweep of his tongue made my toes curl, and my eyes roll up. Serkan knew how to drive her insane. And damn, if he didn't look like he was enjoying it.
I sure was.
My head fell back as he continued his onslaught, my whole body tensing and releasing, pleasure warming through me. Then he slid a finger inside me and sucked at the same time. And it felt like she was riding on a wave high above the bed. Then he curled his fingers, and it was explosive, like dynamite exploding in her body.
"Serkan," I cried out. But he didn't respond. He just kept teasing me with his tongue and fingers until I was on the edge, my breath short, and my body flushed, and even then, he continued on. "I'm going to—" I told him because I was coming and didn't think I could stop it. Serkan didn't move. He didn't stop. He just. Kept. Licking.
Pleasure exploded inside me, making me arch my back and open my mouth, letting out an aching cry. My legs clamped around his face, but he didn't try to fight it. He just kept licking and touching me until I came down from the edge.
When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were dark, as needy as hers.
"You okay," he rasped.
"More than okay," I told him, breathless. "Now get inside me."
"Shit."
"What?" I frowned.
"I left the condoms in the car," he explained.
"We are fucking married, Serkan!" I yelled in frustration.
"Okay, but if we get pregnant again, don't blame for it," he laughed.
"Check my purse," I spat at him.
"You have condoms in your purse, Eda? Where did you think I was taking you?"
I rolled my eyes, "I didn't know, but I've been horny as hell all day. And I didn't want to take any chances."
"You're all kinds of sexy, you know that?" He told me, kissing the tip of my nose."
"Whatever. Put it on," I demanded. "I need you."
He winked as he ripped the foil and rolled the condom on. And then he was kissing me again like I was his favorite meal.
I ran my hand down his back, my fingers digging into his ass. He groaned and caught my eye, "I'm not going to last too long."
"It's okay, I want you," I comforted him. I wasn't lying. My body was pulsing with need for him. And as I felt the tip of him against me, right where I needed him, it felt like a tiny piece of heaven had fallen into this bedroom.
He kissed me again, tangling his fingers in my hair, and I kissed him back desperately. My body opened up to him, welcoming him home as he slid inside, and he let out a low oath, his words making her shiver.
Almost immediately, I could feel the heat warming me again. The build-up, the buzz, the pleasure. With every stroke of his, it was getting stronger. Serkan kissed me softly but made love to me hard, and the combination was intoxicating. A man who knew what he was doing, who knew exactly how to drive her to oblivion. Her husband.
"I love you, Eda," he murmured softly against her lips, sliding his hand down my thigh to lift it higher, allowing him to go deeper.
I liked it. Very much. I dug my nails into his ass and demanded, "Harder."
Serkan groaned.
"Please," I begged.
And he did as I asked, lifting my other leg, rolling back on his haunches, fucking me until I tightened around him. My breath was ragged as I called out his name, pleasure making me scrape my nails down his thighs.
Serkan pushed one more time, then groaned, his body stilling as he surged inside of me. He leaned forward, capturing my mouth with his, kissing me like I was the air he needed.
I moved my hands up, stroking his hair softly. He pulled back and gave me a lopsided grin. I smiled back at him, sated.
"You want to take a bath?" Serkan asked me teasingly.
"I don't think I'll be able to move for the next few hours, but once I manage, sure." I chuckled, accommodating myself against his chest.
"Tamam," he laughed in response.
---
🤖Serkan POV🤖
Early morning Sunday, I woke to find the bed empty. It was around 7:30. I walked out of the bedroom in the cabin where we were staying and found Eda sitting on a lounge chair, looking at the sunrise.
"I thought you'd sleep in after last night," I told her, coming to the terrace.
"Alp is usually awake by six. I made it to seven. I call this a win," she chuckled. "I miss him."
"Do you think he misses you, too?" I asked her, sitting beside her.
"I doubt it," she added dejectedly.
"He's being well taken care of. My mother and your aunt are sending us pictures in real-time. He seems to be enjoying himself. And Kiraz is with Can, so she's having a blast," I assured her.
"It's the first time I've left him overnight. So I can't help but feel guilty," she explained.
"There is nothing to feel guilty about. I've been away from the kids longer than this week than you have been from Alp since last night," I reminded her.
She bit her lip. "That's true," she agreed.
Plus, Alp might not 'miss' Eda or anyone yet. But he surely preferred his mother. And neither of them could deny it.
"I think he likes you better since I returned to the office," I admitted.
Eda rolled her eyes, "He does not."
"He cries when I take him from you, if only for a second," I contradicted.
"That's because he's been hungry when you get home. By the time you want to spend time with him, all he wants is a boob to attach himself to, to eat and sleep," she teased.
"Then maybe I could give him a bottle when I get home," he insisted.
"I like breastfeeding him, Serkan. It comforts him, especially before bedtime," she explained gently.
"Yeah, and I am the mean man who wakes him in the middle of the night and sticks a bottle in his mouth to feed him. It's so dark, I doubt he can even see my face! But he knows I interrupt his sleep."
Eda chewed on her bottom lip. She knew I was right.
Once the sun had risen, I spoke again, "It's funny how we escaped town to spend time together, and all we are doing is talking about the children."
"I'm sorry," Eda said, somewhat embarrassed and amused.
"Why don't I make us some breakfast, and then we go for a hike and a swim on the lake?"
"That sounds lovely, Aşkım," Eda agreed.
"We can call the kids after breakfast if you want," I proposed.
Eda beamed at me.
"There it is, the smile I love," I commented, caressing and then cupping Eda's face in my hand.
"Race you to the kitchen?" she asked.
"What do I get if I win?"
Eda whispered something naughty in my ear and ran away.
"That's cheating!" I said, rushing after her.
I caught her before she could make it through the living room into the kitchen.
"I win," I exclaimed.
Eda was laughing so hard that her face was flushed.
"You promised," I stated, raising an eyebrow.
Eda slowly licked her lips and dropped to her knees. Pulling at the drawstring of my sleeping pants, she lowered them enough to have access to me. The moment Eda's lips surrounded the tip of my cock, breakfast, our hike and the call to the kids were quickly forgotten.
---
Serkan via Twitter, November 17th, 2021, 11:48 AM
[Serkan: He came to see Daddy's office! Thank you, @Engin Amca and @Pirilsez Teyze, for my bear-y nice pajamas. #AlpisTwoMonths
Comments:
Piril: Tete loooooves you
Engin: Eda, let the baby leave the house?
Eda: After I was forced to leave him with my mother-in-law for a weekend, I said, 'screw it.' LOL
Ceren: In short, she enjoyed having sex and sleeping the entire weekend, Engin.
Selin: He's gorgeous. Congrats on his two months @yildizgal
Eda: Thank you, Selin.
Serkan: Thank you, Selin]
---
Erdem via twitter, November 17th, 2021, 12:05 PM
[Erdem: The Bolats are serious men.
Comments:
Eda: My son had just woken up. He's usually smiley.
Engin: Accept that Alp Bey is a serious man, Eda.
Piril: He's not. Look at him.
*Picture of Alp*
Eda: My pasha <3 Would you send me that picture, Piril?
Piril: Of course.]
---
Eda & Piril via Insta Post, November 17th, 2021
1. Eda: My pasha is two months old!
2. Piril: Alp turned into the office mascot. Elif is just loving seeing her Baba with another baby. Not. My poor little girl. <3 *smile with sweat*
---
Eda > Serkan via WhatsApp, November 17th, 2021, 12:56 PM
Serkan: Did you leave already?
Eda: Without saying goodbye? Of course not, Aşkım.
Serkan: Andalim. Where are you then?
Eda: In your office, nursing your son.
Eda:
Serkan: Again?
Eda: I nursed him before I came, honey. Four hours went by before he started screaming 😅
Serkan: I think if you let him, he'd eat every hour... unless it's me who feeds him.
Eda: Come one, Aşkım. Since I started working with the lactation specialist, Alp's been keeping to his feeding schedule.
Serkan: Not this past week; he didn't. Our son has refused to wake up or take his midnight bottle these past few nights. You've been having to nurse him at 3 and 4 in the morning.
Eda: His pediatrician told me it was a growth spur.
Serkan: You need to sleep at night, Eda.
Eda: It's just for a few days. He'll be back on track soon.
Serkan: Eda, Alp made it through the weekend at my mother's without breastfeeding...
Eda: Serkan, I'm trying to be patient, but you're trying to control everything again.
Serkan: I'm sorry, hayatim. I just want to help you more. And it seems Alp doesn't want to let me do that.
Eda: You do so much for me already, honey. And Alp is just a little baby. He sees me as a meal on legs; remember that.
Serkan: Tamam.
Serkan: The driver is picking the children up from school at 2:30. Would you like him to take you home before then?
Eda: No, I'll wait for Kiraz. Alp will sleep soon. You know, we could even work together some. That way, you'd come home earlier 🙃
Serkan: Only if you accept having dinner out with me on Friday.
Eda: Tamam 😁💞
---
Kizlar 2.0, November 17th, 2021, 2:22 PM
Eda: Serkan is starting to drive me crazy again. He's been grumbling about.
Ceren: What's he grumbling about?
Fifi: The baby, obviously.
Melo: Why, Dada? Lol
Eda: Because his son's only interests are eating, sleeping, and pooing.
Eda: Thus, the baby wants to be attached to my breasts, or he's sleeping. Serkan wants to help but doesn't know how.
Fifi: What time is Serkan getting home from work?
Eda: Close to 18h. But Fifi, Serkan DOES help me. LOADS
Fifi: I don't think that's what's going on, Eda. I think Serkan misses Alp. For two months, you both spent most of your time at home. And he was actively doing things for you and spending time with your child. Now, he gets to spend time with you. But Alp, not so much.
Eda: I guess you're right.
Fifi: What if Serkan were to give a bath to Alp every afternoon? That could be something just for them. Serkan will spend time with his son and won't feel so left out. Don't you think?
Eda: I guess so. I'll see what he thinks about it.
Eda: The thing is that Serkan is obsessed with feeding him. He gives him a bottle when he wakes in the middle of the night, but that isn't enough for Serkan.
Fifi: Well, tough nuggets. Unfortunately, Serkan doesn't have boobs. So, he'll have to deal.
Melo: Ayfer Abla says Alp doesn't like feeding from a bottle.
Eda: Evet. He's all about the teats. You be careful when you're over, Melo. Alp will surely go for yours! Lol
Ceren: Edacim, have you decided when you're going back to the office?
Eda: Probably when Alp is older than three months.
Eda: If it were up to Serkan, NEVER. LMAO.
Melo: Eda is likely one of the only people I know who likes to work. LOL
Fifi: Serkan won't be able to hold her home forever. And he knows it. According to him, he's making sure you get your 16 weeks of maternity leave.
Eda: Technically, I don't qualify for those benefits... ama, neyse.
Fifi: Serkan owns the company, Eda. LOL.
Eda: I'm still an intern.
Fifi: Peki tamam. 🤭
Fifi: I suggest you start pumping more regularly for a couple of weeks before returning to the office. That way, Alp will get used to feeding from a bottle, and it won't be such an adjustment when you start working. That way, Serkan will be able to feed him during the day, too.
Eda: We keep talking about Alp, but Kiraz needs more of my attention, too. She's being so good—such a big girl. Serkan is the best father in the world; he's having patience with her that I have never seen him have before. He's been having tea parties with her. He taught Kiraz how to ride a scooter. He's been teaching her how to cook, too. Every day, they cook dinner together. He's even taught Kiraz how to make my morning shakes.
Ceren: I cannot believe how little is left for the adoption to become official. Only three more weeks!
Fifi: Then, while Serkan gives Alp his bath, you give Kiraz hers, help her get ready for bed, read a story to her, or cook with her. Make those 20-25 minutes when she gets home, just about the two of you.
Eda: You're right. Lately, I only get to lay with her when it's bedtime. And she loves it. But we are both so tired that we fall asleep almost immediately.
Melo: ONLY THREE WEEKS?
Fifi: Evet, December 12th. So, in three and a half weeks.
Eda: Omg. That's so soon!
Ceren: Yes, Edacim. You mentioned Serkan and Kiraz spending having tea parties, and I reviewed the case files... Serkan deserves this so much. He's such a wonderful daddy.
Eda: He's a pain in the ass is what's he's being with me...
Melo: I don't believe it. He's been doing so well with the therapy.
Eda: He is... There are just some things that he can't let go of. He started nagging again. He won't keep me from eating ice cream, but he'll remind me I 'already ate three portions of ice cream today.'
Fifi: Now, Eda. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. LOL
Ceren: I have a question... sort of big question, actually.
Eda: 👀 let it out.
Ceren: So... I told Kiraz that I'd be putting in your adoption petition the day Serkan's was granted. However, technically speaking, you would have to wait to be married to Serkan for two years to adopt Kiraz as your stepchild. Fatma Hanim and I brought this up to the judge. She interviewed Kiraz and spoke to Kiraz's social worker. They also took Bensu's statement. And given the singularity of this adoption process, the judge proposed an alternative.
Eda: Yes, Serkan brought me the updated paperwork on Tuesday. They're considering the child's and her mother's wishes and allowing me to adopt her as a single parent despite not being yet 30.
Ceren: Exactly. So, the Department of Children and Family will count your 'probation' year from when you started meeting all the other requirements, which is April 19th. This means Kiraz would legally be yours about four months after she becomes Serkan's daughter. Would you want to celebrate twice or only once Kiraz is your daughter?
Eda: When Serkan's adoption comes out. They've been waiting on this for so long... Me, I have felt Kiraz as my daughter since the first moment, with or without a document.
Eda: But what does this have to do with you....
Fifi: NO. NO. NO, CEREN.
Melo: 👀
Eda: 👀
Ceren: So... Ferit asked me to marry him.
Eda: A friend with benefits, she said.
Melo: Just a casual date, she said.
Eda: LMAO.
Fifi: I'm going to kill Ceren. I swear.
Eda: LOL, wait, WHAT?
Ceren: Ignore Fifi. She's just jealous.
Fifi: Me? Jealous? As if. YOU MADE A PROMISE
Ceren: I was DRUNK!
Melo: You should just marry Murat, Fifi. You've been dating on and off for a very long time. He is crazy about you, and you know it. He's charming. He loves your quirky personality. He treats you well. And to top it all, he's rich and someone your parents will accept without a problem.
Eda: That's precisely why she doesn't want to marry him, LOL.
Ceren: You can be sure of that!
Fifi: It's just... of all the men in the world, why did I have to fall in love with a standard guy? WHY?
Ceren: OMG.
Ceren: I'm going to take a screenshot and send it to Murat.
Fifi: Don't you dare!
Eda: LOL
Eda: Kizlar, speaking about my son. He just woke up. Love you.
Eda: Melo, I want the deets later.
Melo: Tamam, but send a picture of Alp before you go.
Eda:
Ceren: 9 weeks of pure deliciousness.
Fifi: My uterus weeps.
Melo: Mine, too.
---
🤖SERKAN POV🤖
The weeks after my son was born seemed to run. I stayed home for about six weeks. I was supposed to stay longer but decided to go back to work when Eda made it clear I was starting to nag again. I didn't want to leave Eda and Alp alone, so I suggested having her aunt stay with us during the week to help her out. I didn't think Eda would agree, but she surprised me by saying yes.
I returned to the office somewhat morose, though entirely at ease knowing that my son was as healthy as could be and was growing more every day. I knew giving Eda some space would be good, too. I needed to focus on something productive other than trying to control everything at home.
Things improved with me at the office. Having Ayfer at home allowed Eda to relax. And thanks to some advice from Piril, I convinced Eda to let the children stay at my mother's for two nights over the weekend. Eda even took the initiative to visit me with Alp at Art Life the following week because she missed me.
Yet, my son was a different story. He didn't want me to hold him. And I started to believe that he didn't like me very much. My therapist said that it's very normal to feel this way. And she suggested I find an activity to do with him. But this little man only wanted to nurse and sleep. Eda was trying to help. Her aunt had suggested we started adding tummy time to Alp's schedule. And we have done that when I was around. But my son didn't like it. Or he didn't like having me around for it.
The good thing about these past few weeks was the copious amounts of time I dedicated to Kiraz. When she wasn't at school, she was stuck to me until bedtime. That time was hers and Eda's only. Kiraz valued all the attention she got from me; we had bonded a lot these couple of months. We were doing everything together. But Kiraz also wanted to help take care of her brother. We are both frustrated on this point.
"What are you doing, aşkım?" Eda asked, coming into my office with Alp in her arms.
"He is awake? Hi buddy!" I greeted him and took him from Eda. "I'm afraid to move away from you and have him start crying again. I guess we won't be working together, are we?"
"Alp won't cry again, Serkan. He ate not even two hours ago, and I just changed his diaper. You can swing and bounce him around and smile at him, too. He's not going to bite. He's not got any teeth!" Eda laughed at her own joke.
I bounced and rocked my son. He looked at me, serious as usual.
Eda approached me and touched the middle of my forehead. "Relax this right here, Serkan. He's a baby. Play with him. Smile at him. He's been learning to smile back, did you know?"
I tried, but my son didn't react. He made a crying face. "I give up," I affirmed, returning the baby to his mother.
At that moment, Kiraz entered the office running, hugging me tightly. She didn't even notice Eda was in the room. "Baba, guess what I got on my math test!"
"An A?" I asked.
And she celebrated doing that little dance that she did when she was happy. That's when she saw Eda.
"Mummy!" she said, approaching Eda gently and kissing her baby brother's hand.
"Hi, baby girl," Eda responded, kissing her nose.
"Could I hold the baby?" Kiraz asked, and I started to panic.
"I don't think that—"
But Eda interrupted me. "Sit on this chair. I am going to put him on your lap. Remember to hold his little head, like I showed you."
Kiraz nodded and did exactly as Eda ordered. She would smile at Alp and play by taking his binky from him. Alp would return each of her smiles.
"I was speaking with Fifi earlier," Eda began, looking at me but not truly taking her eyes from our children, "she gave me a good idea."
"She did?"
"Evet. I know that since you came back to the office, you feel that you're not doing anything for me or our baby. Even when deep down you know that's not true." She caressed Alp's head and continued. "What do you think about bathing Alp when you get home every day? I could maybe cook with Kiraz. Or get her ready for bed. That way, I spend more time with her and you with the baby."
Eda appeared sincerely enthusiastic.
"We could try," I responded, content. It seemed like a great idea.
"I could also start pumping more. You could take over feeding Alp in the morning, before work.
"But you said—"
"I know what I said. And at the time, I was thinking of formula. I wanted to breastfeed Alp as much and as long as possible. But Fifi reminded me that I'll soon come back to work myself. And Alp will need to have a bottle more often. And if it's my milk, it would be okay."
"Tamam," I agreed.
"Let's see how long you manage to keep it up," Eda teased.
"I will keep it up. I don't mind the nightly feedings, and I'm up at five a.m. every day anyway. Plus, you need sleep."
"Tabii ki."
I smiled, approaching her and dropping a chaste kiss on her lips. I knew Eda very well. She'd made up her mind to go back to work. This whole arrangement would help her, too. It would get us all ready for that new phase in our lives. And maybe then she'd agree to a nurse, if not a nanny, to help with Alp.
"Could I help bathe the baby, too?" Kiraz asked, pouting.
"On weekends and in the morning when I bathe him, you can. But in the afternoons, let's let this be a moment between your Baba and Alp. Plus, we can cuddle together while they take their bath.
Kiraz opened a broad smile to Eda. "I really love that idea." Then, she asked me, "Baba, would you like to hold my brother?"
I took the baby from Kiraz's lap, and my daughter went straight to Eda.
"Will we go home now?" she asked, hugging Eda.
"Yes, you are!" Engin replied, entering the office. "I'll send you the blueprints once they're ready. You can review them at home. The team has not finished yet, and I'm heading to the construction site.
It'd be the first time we all returned home together from the office. And as silly as that may be, it filled me with joy and peace.