Sanem literally froze. Can was awake! His eyes were open. They were blinking. However he stayed motionless, as if his body was pinned to the bed, unable to move. Why wasn't he saying anything? What was happening? Was it just some kind of reflex? Sanem's mind was rushing through every possible hypothesis but she was getting close to panic as time seemed to slow down. She caught sight of the emergency button behind the bed and she pushed it.
"Can? Can?" she asked tentatively, "Can? Love, can you hear me?"
Can blinked and opened his mouth but no sound came out. He tried to wet his lips: he was obviously in pain and had trouble to coordinate his movements.
"Would a sip of water be of any help?" offered Sanem.
He blinked again, followed by an almost imperceptible nod. She was half filling up a glass when a nurse entered the room. She had a quick look at Can and immediately assessed the situation and left in a hurry.
Sanem smiled timidly at him and raised the glass to his lips. She proceeded slowly, with care as water was dripping all over his chin. She put the glass back on the table and wiped his beard and neck. A knock on the door and the familiar face of Can's doctor appeared.
"So ... you're awake! Good ... good ... very good ... Welcome back!" then facing Sanem, he inquired about the circumstances of his awakening.
She explained how it had happened, also expressing her worry concerning his lack of mobility and voice.
"That's not surprising ... His muscles haven't been used for more than a month now, neither have his vocal cords ... We have to be patient. Everything should be back to normal within the following days, ok? Now, if you don't mind stepping out, I will proceed to check his vitals ... It won't be long, don't worry!" assured the doctor.
Sanem agreed, squeezed Can's hand and bowed to kiss him on the cheek. She mouthed "I love you" as she was moving her face away from him and to her utmost surprise, he answered her with a blink. She felt a wave of exhilaration sweeping through her as well as relief rushing into her heart! She would use the examination time to call up his parents and hers naturally.
In the meantime, Can had trouble adjusting to the situation. He couldn't understand how he had landed on a hospital bed when, just a few minutes before he had been ... he had been ... Where had he been exactly? The place was unknown to him, it was open and full of light. He couldn't remember the whereabouts but he would remember the scent of fresh wild flowers, the light breeze on his hands and the dulcet song of a bird that kept calling him over and over. Ignoring the bird's summon at first, he had become intrigued and decided to look for the bird capable of such a lovely melody. He imagined it to be quite small but adorned with beautiful feathers that would shine in the sunlight. He had followed the sound and suddenly there he was, face to face with Sanem ... Nothing made sense. His body ached everywhere, unwilling to obey him. He scanned the room, gauging the situation: a doctor was there examining him, Sanem had left, one of his arms was covered with a cast and so was his left leg.
"Mr Can? How do you feel? One blink for «ok» and two for «not so good» ..." instructed the doctor. "Two blinks ... Ok. Are you in pain?" continued the doctor, "ok, we will increase the dose of painkillers and you should feel relieved in the next hour or so. Try to rest and not strain yourself too much. Take your time and be patient. Don't hesitate to call up if you need anything. I will check up on you later today", he concluded, opening the door and allowing Sanem back in the room.
Can was hazy and disorientated. The only thing that made sense was Sanem's presence next to him. He tried to remember the events that had led him here but without success. He was only grateful to have her near, one of her hands on his and the other one in his hair, her chin resting on top of his head.
An hour later, Can felt more relaxed and sensations gradually came back to his body, life flowing back to his muscles and joints. He was now even able to slightly brush his fingers on Sanem's. She answered his caress by squeezing affectionately his palm and kissing his forehead.
"He has come back to me, thank God, he has come back to me", she kept repeating to herself, her eyes closed. Healing would take time but she was there for him. Alba was there and so was his mom. Together they would nurse him back to being their "Can" ...
* * *
The "Bad King" was back home and he was already driving Sanem crazy. Hüma had prepared one of the guest rooms downstairs for him so he wouldn't have to strive up and down the stairs for the moment. It was also more convenient for him to hop back and forth his bed and the settee in the living-room. Alba was excited about her father's return, trying to follow him wherever he was.
On the first day, she had climbed the bed, with Sanem's help, to be next to Dada and eventually they had both fallen asleep, side by side, Alba's head resting on Can's arm ... "What a lovely portrait", thought Sanem as she entered the room ... She tiptoed back to the corridor and called Hüma to take a peek. They grinned and sighed at the same time, their hearts heavy with relief. Sanem thanked God again to be able to witness the reunion of daughter and father and judging Hüma's facial expression, it was clear that she was doing exactly the same thing. They exited the room quietly to go and prepare the meal for the evening.
The four of them dined together as Can had asked his mother to stay. Before his release from hospital, Sanem had explained how dedicated Hüma had been and the support she had brought during his coma. Can had simply asked her, without any niceties, however Sanem recognised there the first step of reconciliation between mother and son. After dinner, Hüma had left quickly and they had enjoyed being together for the first time in almost two months until it was time for Alba to go to sleep.
"She was pretty much asleep as soon as her head touched the mattress" giggled Sanem as she sat on Can's bed.
"I can't believe how much she has grown ... She will walk soon for sure!"
"Yup! A walking tornado! I'll show you the pictures tomorrow if you want ... Your mom has documented the whole time you were unconscious ... She didn't want you to miss a thing ..."
Can smiled. His mother had learned from her mistakes ... Better late than never ...
"Ok, do you need anything before I leave?"
"Hum Sanem? Where are you going exactly?" he growled.
"What do you mean "Where am I going exactly?" mimicking his voice full of reproach. "I'm going to bed ..."
"Upstairs? Nope! Not happening Love..." he declared as he grabbed Sanem's waist and pinned her down on the bed.
"Can! What do you think you are doing? Come on! Let me go!"
"Before I left, you promised you would move in with me ... You gave me your word Sanem Aydın!"
"And I kept it Can Divit!" she retorted immediately. "I slept in your bed every day since that night ..." she confessed in a low voice.
"Perfect! My bed is here now! And so are you!" replied Can in a voice that allowed no refusal.
Sanem realized that there was no point in resisting him and she gave in, rolling her eyes at the ceiling. She was not even allowed to go back upstairs to grab her PJs. He was too scared she would lock herself up there and she was too scared he would climb the stairs to get her! She stole one of his t-shirts when he stopped her from entering the bathroom, his eyes dark, sparkling with lust and a devilish smile.
"Can Divit! May I remind you that you left the hospital this morning! I'm okay to sleep next to you ... Nonetheless you need to rest ... and that's it!" barked Sanem.
Can grinned... a mischievous grin that left no doubt as to his intentions. Hospital or not! Bedridden or not ... He would not spend another night longing for her. He was home and he would have his way ... Anyway he had infallible arguments that would convince her as he started to stroke ever so slowly her shoulder.
Sanem knew she was doomed. She gave up her resolution and kissed him passionately, drinking from his lips, tasting his mouth, quenching the thirst that had been tormenting her every single day she had to live without him.
"You will have to lead the dance Honey ..." Can whispered above her mouth, unwilling to break the connection.
Night after night, Sanem felt much obliged to comply with her patient's wishes, nursing Can back to life. Despite his physical fatigue, there was no delaying the desire and yearning they had accumulated in the meantime. Her beautiful soul had brought him back from the limbos where he was trapped, her sinful body would restore his strength and stamina to their former glory.
When the house was quiet and Alba asleep, Sanem would become a voluptuous priestess, removing his clothes and worshipping his body, marking her territory with her lips and fingers on his divine skin. In the past, Can had always been the one imposing the pace but he had to admit that he revelled in watching his little nymph transform into a formidable goddess, always hungry for passion and carnal satisfaction. Even when his recovery allowed him more freedom of movement, he relished in letting her take control...
After three weeks of working out, day and night, Can's body was shaping up again. As he always had been very athletic and proud of his fit frame, it had been difficult for him to accept the loss of muscles due to a month of inactivity. He had a lot of cramps and aches, which made him very grumpy and irritable. A physiotherapist would visit three times a week for advice and checking on his recovery progress. Soon the crutches were dismissed. Can Divit was a proud man and an obstinate one too ...
The warm weather of June kept them mostly out of the house, on the terrace and in the garden. The swimming-pool would be operational again in the following weeks and Can smiled at the idea of Alba playing in the water. His lips widened even further at the prospect of seeing Sanem in a swimsuit. All in all, Can possessed everything to make him a happy man: he had a beautiful house, a loving family, an amazing baby girl, a job he loved but ... he longed for one thing, the one thing that he never thought he would want more than anything in the world. The one thing that got him so envious towards Metin, a few days ago when Hüma had picked up the mail in the letterbox. She had then handed him a large envelop.
"This came for you and Sanem", she announced.
Can tore open the top of the missive and took out a shiny square card. The words he read were words of happiness and utmost joy ... Nevertheless they shot straight at his heart, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth and envy ... so much envy ... For a second, he hated Metin. He hated his happiness. He hated ...
Hüma notices Can's change of mood and asked after the content of the letter.
"It's an invitation", he paused, swallowing hard, "an invitation to a wedding ... Metin's wedding ..."
"Oh! Fantastic! When is it then?" she inquired.
"Metin and Anela, along with their respective families, are happy to invite you to their wedding on June 26th", he read out loud in a sneering voice.
"In two weeks then ... Are you going to go? With Sanem I mean ... Are you going to go together?" continued Hüma, ignoring the sarcasm.
Can's face was blank. Somehow he was happy that his mother was by his side at that precise moment. They had agreed to turn the page, to leave the past behind and move on for the sake of Sanem and Alba. Both knew that Can would never forget what Hüma had done but the past was the past and nothing she could say or do would ever fix it. She respected his decision and she was grateful for his change of heart. It was not perfect, but it was better than not being a part of his life, of their lives at all.
"Can! Can! I know ... I know what you are thinking ... But ... Give her time ... Okay?" pleaded Hüma.
Can hummed, still hurt by the news.
"I don't know ... I mean, I guess so ... Sanem will want to go for sure ... And it's the perfect opportunity for her to make her come back before Leyla's wedding" he ventured.
The pain got more acute as he realized that he would have to go through a second wedding soon ... Can closed his eyes and pressed his fingers hard on his lids, as if it could eradicate the conflict raging within him.
Obviously he was delighted for his brother and best friend but at the same time, he was green with envy, sheer jealousy. Can had never coveted anything from Emre, it has always been the other way round actually ... Emre had always been jealous of his sibling, jealous of his popularity, jealous of his success but the wind had turned and this time, Emre would be in possession of something Can yearned like mad ... Soon Emre would have a wife. It was as simple as that. He, the so-called "great Can Divit" wanted, more than anything, to be a married man and call Sanem "his" wife.
* * *
The two weeks had flown quickly and the 26th of June he dreaded, had finally come. Can was waiting for Sanem to get down. He felt very nervous. He didn't want to disappoint his friend and Sanem, especially as she would reconnect with friends that she had not seen for more than a year. He heard the sharp noise of her heels on the steps and Can braced himself. She was wearing a white and blue dress, with short sleeves. A wide ribbon made out of lace was circling her slim waist. She had tied her hair in a loose bun and adorned it with small flowers she had picked this morning in the garden. The amber necklace was shining above her chest. Blue high heels completed her look. Can couldn't help but staring at that woman. She looked divine but accessible at the same time. How was that even possible? He was barely in control himself, fighting the urge to kiss her and lock her up in the bedroom for the whole day.
"Can! Can! Can!" insisted Sanem. "Are you okay? What happened? You have a strange look on your face ..." she reached for his face and stroked his beard with a worried hand.
"I'm fine ... Don't worry ... It's nothing ... I swear ... Are you ready to go now?" changing swiftly the subject.
Sanem nodded, he grabbed his walking stick and they left the house.
After a 25-minute drive, they arrived at the hotel where the wedding would take place. Sanem took a deep breath and got out of the car, followed by Can who deliberately left his stick inside. That way he would lean on to Sanem during the whole ceremony ... She grinned mischievously ... Did he really think that she didn't understand what he was doing? Ah Can Divit Ah! The Master of Zero Personal Space was back! They entered the lobby, Can's arm tightly tucked under hers.
As soon as Cey Cey and Güliz noticed Sanem, they started to run towards them, crying and screaming her name! Can had to move away from Sanem, in case they would bump into his leg because there was no way those two torpedoes would stop, even at the sight of their boss! The hug seemed to last forever, followed by Cey Cey's demanding some light on her disappearance. Sanem delivered the scenario they had elaborated with Can: how she was completely heartbroken; how she had to move away from Istanbul to heal, with Metin's help. It had taken some time but now she was back for good. In fact nobody was angry, everybody was so happy to see her ... Nobody even questioned her arrival with Can ... It felt like nothing had ever happened. Of course, there was absolutely no mention of Alba who had stayed home with Hüma ...
The ceremony started on time. Metin was agitated, Akif, his witness by his side. Anela was positively radiant. Her lovely brown eyes were shining at the sight of the man who would be her husband in the minutes to come. She had picked a plunging V-neck dress made of delicate lace with flower appliques and matching ivory sequins, enhancing her tall silhouette. The top was tight-fitted down to her slander waist whereas the skirt was swaying elegantly against her long legs. Anela's outfit was sophisticated yet she had opted for simplicity with her hair falling down in loose waves. Everybody was mesmerized by the bride's beaming beauty ... All except for one who had only eyes for his home bird ... Would this day ever come for them? Was there hope? Would he be lucky enough to call Sanem "his wife" one day?
Sanem had quickly noticed Can's discomfort. Deep within his thoughts, she watched his handsome face shutting down from the whole ceremony. She understood fairly well his reaction. She was aware of the struggle taking place within himself.
"And this is all your fault ... Well done Sanemsi!" pointed out the inner voice. Unfortunately, it was right again ... It was her fault. Can was feeling miserable because of her, because she had refused to marry him ... but why? Why had she been so adamant? He was the only man she had ever loved. He was the only man she ever wanted ... He was her match in every way ... As Metin and Anela were exchanging their I dos, Sanem made up her mind. No more wavering, no more hesitation ... Their relationship had been in limbo for too long now, it had to move forward and she was the one to make it happen ... Catching Emel's laughing gaze, Sanem's ideas started to gather together ...
* * *
On the day following Metin's wedding, Can had the surprise to find a table for two ready on the terrace. Sanem had organized for Alba a little stay at her parents' and Hüma had gone out with Emel.
"Okay .... What are we celebrating exactly?" began Can suspiciously.
"Sit down. Make yourself comfortable", intimated Sanem, arranging several plates of tantalizing dishes in front of him.
"Did you prepare these?" asked Can, a little worried and acquainted with Sanem's poor cooking skills.
"No ... Don't worry", she said with a laugh, "My Mom did ...". She sat down and for a long time, she locked her eyes right into Can's intense gaze.
"Can?" she began ...