On the day following Metin's wedding, Can had the surprise to find a table for two ready on the terrace. Some flowers, a few candles, a bottle of wine, everything was set for a romantic dinner. Sanem had organized a little vacation for Alba at her parents' and Hüma had gone out with Emel. At last it was just the two of them.
"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 ... "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can, my Love ... What is it?" he answered, reaching for her hand.
"Will you tell me what happened before you found me ... I mean, you never spoke of that time and I was wondering that maybe you would like to share some of your feelings with me ... " pointed out Sanem.
Can was at a loss. He was definitely not expecting that kind of question ... Moreover he didn't really want to go back to that dark era of his life. He was a living dead the whole time Sanem had disappeared. He didn't want to hide the truth to her either but he felt that it was important for her to know. So, reluctantly, he told her how it had been hell on earth for him, without a purpose, without a reason to stay alive. She had given meaning to his very being. And so had Alba's birth. He tried to keep his words measured and as neutral as possible, not to upset her too much. Nevertheless Sanem sensed that Can was sparing her and he would never fully admit the pain he had endured for eight long months ... It made her even more resolute to bring her plan into action.
"I'm so sorry Can ... Really ... It took me a long time to understand and accept the fact that your feelings for me match in every way my feelings for you ... That you are my soul mate and that we belong together, whatever people may think or say ..." she admitted, never lowering her gaze from his face.
"Can, since I met you, I feel like such a better person, but I'm still myself, more than ever ... I used to be very afraid but now I feel braver than ever! I used to feel like a dull grain of dust but with you, I feel like a star, shining in the night sky, brighter than ever! After I met you, I bloomed like a flower and so did my ideas, my writing, my creativity... Can ... and until the end of my life, I do not want my eyes to part from your eyes, and my breath from yours ..." concluded Sanem, her heart beating like a thousand drums.
Can was silent. He was just smiling, hearing the confession of her love for him and what he meant for her. He was left speechless. Sanem was the only one to hold that power over him. There was no need to talk, she could read in his eyes that he felt exactly the same way. The two springs that were flowing side by side for such a long time had finally merged into a harmonious river. That day had finally come.
Sanem took a deep breath and closed her eyes, collecting her courage.
"Can Divit, will you spend the rest of your life with me?" she asked in a firm voice. There was no hint of a doubt. She knew what she wanted.
His face must have shown some disappointment because she laughed at his expression. In a swift move, her left hand reached his face and the other one the pocket of his jeans to retrieve the velvet box she knew he had on him at all times. She held it for a while and eventually opened it. Can appeared not to be breathing. What was she doing for God's sake?
She took the moonstone ring between two fingers and asked solemnly "Can Divit, will you marry me?"
A minute passed. Then two. Sanem was getting worried with Can's lack of reaction. Was it too bold for a woman to ask a man to marry her? Did she misread the signs? What was happening? For once the inner voice was silent, as expectant as Sanem was. Suddenly, without a word, Can stood up and therefore so did she. A second later, he let his joy explode, grabbing her by the waist, lifting her and twirling together until they felt giddy!
They were out of breath, holding on to each other. Can took the ring and proudly slid it onto Sanem's finger, whispering in her ear "I will". They laughed and kissed and laughed until they were only kissing. Dinner was forgotten, the food on the plates abandoned for another sort of sustenance. There were giggles for a while and then the house went quiet, its silence only broken by the sounds of passion and love.
The sun was already high in the sky when Can woke up. As usual he had completely engulfed Sanem in his sleep. One arm underneath her pillow, the other one around her waist, his legs intricately entwined with hers. She sounded so peaceful. He didn't want to disturb her but the urge to feel her skin was greater. He was very careful at first but Sanem's smooth body acted like an aphrodisiac to him and he always ended up wanting more. More kisses. More embraces. More sex. He was an addict, Sanem was his drug. He was in heaven.
He needed to taste her and he started to kiss her hair, her neck, her shoulders. Sanem stirred and stretched like a cat. Humming, she turned over to face Can with a radiant smile on her lips.
"Good morning my love", she told him, without even opening her eyes, planting a long kiss on his mouth.
"Good morning, future Mrs Divit" he breathed on her lips, responding to her kiss.
"What time is it?" Sanem asked, closing her arms around his broad shoulders.
"I don't know ... Do you have anywhere to go to, today?" he joked, as he inhaled the scent on her neck and holding her even tighter.
"Can?"
"Hummm?"
"I don't want to tell everybody yet ... For us getting married, I mean."
"Sanem! ... Not again!" he snapped, looking up straight at her. "Do you know how long I've waited for that? For you, to finally agree to be my wife? After being rejected at least six times, that I can recall ..."
He looked so pained by her request.
"It's just that ... We're sooo good at the moment ... I mean ... I just would like us to stay in our bubble a little longer, you know? Just you and me ..." she pleaded, stroking her nose against his, sliding her foot up and down his leg.
"Damn you Sanem Aydın! You'll be the death of me!" he replied with a laugh. "Okay ... Okay ... I'll comply ... but after Leyla and Emre's wedding, we will tell everybody... Agreed?"
"Thank you Baby ... You're the best!" thanked Sanem, venturing her hands on his chest.
"Now ... Remind me how good I am ..." roared Can, hiding them under the bedsheets.
* * *
Can had dreaded the celebration of Emre and Leyla's wedding. He had dreaded the collective joy. He had dreaded his own anger and envy. Lord! He had resented the whole event so much ... but now everything had changed because he knew that his time, their time would come soon enough ... And if this year was to see two Aydın-Divit weddings, they would have to go and meet Sanem's parents. That was the least they could do. Their relationship had been a hell of a roller-coaster ride! In the span of two years, they had broken up twice, she had left, they had had a baby out of wedlock, got back together and finally got engaged. Truth be told, Sanem and he were not like most people. She was definitely not like anybody he had ever met in his life ... She was the "other" he had searched for, all over the world, the one and only person who had made a difference and turned his existence upside down. They had had to endure hard times, heart-breaking moments but whenever he laid eyes on the women of his life, every sad memories vanished. He could only hear the laughter of his baby girl and see the undying love burning in Sanem's eyes.
Sanem and Can had stuck to their plan. They stayed in their love bubble, making plans on their own. Everybody else was so busy with the upcoming wedding that nobody had noticed the state of bliss in which they were submerged, the constant smiles on their face and their eyes never breaking contact.
Or so they thought. Only Nihat had noticed the appeasement between them, as if they had reached the next stage in their relationship. Actually the last stage to be reached really as they had done pretty much everything else, starting from the end! So, on the day of the wedding, he kept glancing discreetly at Can and Sanem sat side by side. He noticed the permanent contact between them, hand in hand, always touching. They looked like two people who had just fallen in love, unable and unwilling to be apart from each other, even just for a second.
When Emre and Leyla exchanged vows, he saw Can kissing Sanem's right hand and caught sight of a ring on her finger, both looking at it with expectation. Thinking about it, it resembled nothing like an engagement ring. It was no big shiny diamond. It was neither gold, nor statement like. Nevertheless Nihat trusted his instinct and his guts told him that these two were engaged. A huge bling ring was simply not Can's style. Even less Sanem's. Nihat felt suddenly overwhelmed by pride and joy as his daughters had found worthy men who would love and take care of them, just as he and his wife had looked after each other for so many years...
The ceremony was over. It was time for tradition. Leyla gathered around all the single women and turned her back to them. She counted to three and threw the bouquet over her head. To Sanem's delight, it was Ayhan who caught it. As her best friend was jumping here and there in excitement, she turned to Can and simply raised her shoulders. He laughed, closed his eyes and nodded like "don't worry you'll be next". Leyla surprised her sister by hugging her from behind.
"Hey sis! How come you didn't catch the bouquet ... I wanted you to have it", moaned Leyla.
"Leyla Divit! You should be ashamed of yourself!" And they both laughed.
They stayed for a long time in each other's arms, simply enjoying being sisters.
"Leyla?" whispered Sanem in her sister's ear, "I have a secret to share with you ..."
"What is it? Come on! Tell me! Tell me!" she pressed.
"Shhhhh!" scolded Sanem. "I don't want to attract people's attention. It's a secret between sisters, Ok?" waiting for her approval. "Ok ... You're ready? ... Can and I are engaged!" she squealed as softly as possible.
"Oh my God! Sanem ... He has proposed! Can has finally asked you to marry him! I'm so happy for you!"
"Well ... Technically, I asked him to marry me and he said yes ... But let's not stop at details ..." joked Sanem.
"You two definitely don't do anything like it's supposed to be, do you?" paused Leyla, shaking her head in disbelief. She carried on with a more serious air on her face. "Do you think he's gonna come and ask for your hand?"
Sanem whipped her tongue on her palate. "No ... He's not one for tradition ... I mean ... No, we'll just go and tell them that we have decided to get married ..."
"Sanem? I've just thought of something very comical ... Soon we will be sisters and sisters-in-laws!" boomed Leyla.
"And we will still have the same name", completed Sanem, "... From Aydın to Divit, a Sisters' Tale!" she concluded, both in tears.
* * *
September was back and it was time to celebrate Alba's first birthday. The Aydıns had insisted to host the party. Emre and Leyla would be there, along with Osman and Ayhan. Hüma had also been invited. Everybody was smiling and laughing. Alba was the star of the day, passing from arms to arms, with a clear preference for Granpa Nihat. Can and Sanem helped their daughter to blow the candle on the beautiful pink and white cake. Everything was so different this year. So much had changed in twelve months! Sanem's eyes went around the room: Leyla and Emre, the newly-weds, looked so happy together; Hüma was caught in a passionate discussion with Mevkıbe about the couple's future children; Can was taking pictures ... and a delightful thought crossed her mind. Soon she would be his wife ... A wide beatific grin appeared on her face. However she noticed Nihat glancing at her with a puzzled expression. Sanem quickly composed herself because the engagement was still a secret... but not for long. She had made a promise to Can and the time had come.