"I can make it so your marriage never existed."
The words of his father took the breath out of him when he heard them. Her silence afterwards shook him to his core. Does she want to leave? Does she want to be free? He didn't have the courage to wait for the answer.
He had gone to the room on the way to see about Ayla just to give Reyhan a heads up. He didn't expect to hear his father trying to destroy his marriage. But can he blame the man? Can he blame either of them? Emir is afraid he may have irreparably ruined any chances of being with Reyhan. She probably won't ever trust him again.
But he won't give up. He'll give her the time and space she needs to figure out how much he loves her. But he's definitely going to have to keep his pride in check. He can't allow his ego to ruin his chance at happiness with Reyhan. He'll check on Ayla first and then go back to Reyhan and pray he can convince her to stay.
"She's this way," the nurse tells him, pointing to the room where Ayla is. The nurse inside the room looks up when he walks in.
"Can I help you?" she asks, giving Emir a strange look.
"I just came to check on her," Emir says. "How is she?"
"Emir abi?" Ayla opens her eyes when she hears his voice and reaches for him.
He takes her tiny little hands and kisses them before leaning over to kiss her forehead.
"How are you, Bir Tanem? What are you doing back here?" he asks her. "Did you miss me so much that you had to come back?"
"No silly," she giggles.
He winks at her before turning his attention back to her nurse.
"What happened to her?" Emir asks again.
The nurse tells Ayla they'll be back in a minute before ushering him outside.
"Sir, I'm not sure who you are, but she seemed happier to see you than she was to see her foster parents. And for that, I'm grateful. Seeing you made a big difference in her attitude. But I still can't tell you anything about this patient. Not without consent."
"Please," Emir begs her. "My wife is a patient here and I met Ayla one day by chance. When she got really sick, I paid for her surgery. I just want to know how she is."
The nurse lets out a sigh and then gives a look around to see if they're alone.
"She's fine now," the nurse says in a low voice. "But she's back here because her foster parents took her out the hospital way too soon and then didn't take care of her the way they should. Rumor has it, one of the other foster children in the house called and reported them and called the ambulance for Ayla. The foster parents are with the doctor and the police now."
The nurse nods her head at the group of people at the end of the hall. Emir clenches his fists in anger as he gets the first look at Ayla's foster parents. His feet are moving in that direction before he even realizes he's made the decision to go to them. He just wants to have a few words with them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Reyhan is suspicious when her nurse gets strangely quiet when she asks where Emir is. It takes some pushing, but the nurse finally agrees to take Reyhan. She doesn't explain. She just says that Reyhan has to see it for herself. That makes Reyhan even more suspicious.
The nurse helps Reyhan get into a wheelchair and takes her down to the emergency room.
"Why would Emir be down here?" Reyhan wonders aloud.
"To see her," the nurse says, pointing to a room.
Reyhan's heart stops. Her? Her husband is here to see another woman? If anyone were to ask Reyhan if she was a jealous person, she would have denied it. Until now. Reyhan is surprised at the feelings of possessiveness rising up on the inside. She takes a deep breath to tamp down on the urge to rush in there and punch someone. She's not a violent person.
"Take me in there please," she tells the nurse. She isn't prepared for what she sees.
A little girl's eyes widen in shock and excitement when she enters the room.
"Reyhan abla? You're awake! The princess is awake!" she claps her hands in glee. "Emir abi told me you were going to wake up soon and you did!"
"Emir abi?" Reyhan turns back to her nurse, confusion in her eyes.
"This is Ayla," she explains, pushing Reyhan closer to the bed. "She and Emir bey became special friends while you were sleeping."
"Oh. Really?" Reyhan says, not able to hide her surprise. This little girl is who Emir came to see. She can't wrap her mind around that. But she doesn't want to scare the little girl, so she pastes a smile on her face. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Ayla. Thank you for keeping Emir abi company while I slept. I bet you two had lots of fun."
"Lots and lots," Ayla agrees excitedly.
The little girl seems sweet, Reyhan decides. It's easier to see how she enchanted Emir. She finds that she really is happy to meet Ayla.
Sudden shouts from outside the door scare the little girl and her face goes pale. Reyhan immediately takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. Reyhan recognized one of the voices as Emir's. Apparently, Ayla did too.
"Why is Emir abi yelling at those mean people?"
"What mean people, Sweetheart?"
"The people I live with," she whispers, trying to hide under her covers. "Don't make me go back with them."
Reyhan looks up again at her nurse, again with confusion in her eyes.
"Her foster parents," the nurse whispers.
Reyhan can only assume it's a bad situation for Ayla. She just wants to take the girl and wrap her in her arms.
"Bring her to me," she tells the nurse when Ayla starts crying, the desire to comfort her overwhelming. "It's okay, Tatlım. I've got you."
She strokes the little girl's hair for a while until she settles down.
"Don't make me go back to them," Ayla continues to beg, holding on tight to Reyhan. "Don't make me go back."
Reyhan can't help but wonder what kind of people would be able to terrify a small child like this. Whatever the case, the girl can't go back to them.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Emir abi will take care of everything," Reyhan promises, hoping she's telling the truth. She's never asked for anything from Emir, but somehow she's going to have to ask him to do this one thing for Ayla.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It didn't take Emir long to convince the police to question the foster parents. After that, the social worker was called. Emir wasn't letting Ayla go back into that home no matter what it takes. Emir sizes the social worker up, trying to get a read on the woman. He can only hope she will want what's best for Ayla.
"Defne Batuk," the social worker introduces herself, offering her hand to shake. She shakes first the police officer's hand and then Emir's. "Emir Tarhun, correct? May I ask what your interest is in this case?"
"My interest is Ayla's well being," he snaps at her before realizing he needs to calm down. "Excuse me, I'm a little upset. But what happened to Ayla is very distressing."
"How do you know Ayla?" Defne asks curiously.
"My wife is a patient in this hospital," Emir explains. "I met Ayla one day and we became fast friends. When she got sick and needed the surgery her foster parents wouldn't pay for, I paid for it. Please tell me she won't have to go back with those people."
"She won't. She'll be transferred to a group home once she's released from here. Unfortunately, there are more children than good homes for them to go to."
"A group home? She's so young," Emir notes. "She deserves a family."
"They all deserve families, Emir bey," Defne says with a sigh. "But there's nothing I can do. Unless you want to take her, she'll be going to the group home."
That suggestion stops him cold. But given a minute to think about it, it's not such a far fetched idea. But he also realizes the decision isn't his alone.
"That's an option?" he asks, making sure he heard the social worker correctly. "Ayla could come home with me?"
"You and your wife," the social worker corrects.
Reyhan! What would she say about this?
"I don't know," Emir says, still overwhelmed by the suggestion. "My wife ...I have to talk to my wife."
"You don't even have to ask."
Emir turns around when he hears Reyhan's voice. He runs to her when he sees her tear filled eyes. She's standing, leaning against a wall rather than being in a wheelchair. So when he gets to her, he wraps his arms around her to support her.
"Hey, what are you doing down here and out of bed?" he asks, pressing a kiss on her forehead before leading her over to a bank of chairs lining the wall. The social worker follows them.
"I'm fine," she assures him. "I just met Ayla. And if they'll let us take her, we have to, Emir. She's terrified of having to go back to those people."
"Are you sure about this?" Emir asks her. "We have to be sure."
"Emir, that little girl needs us. She already loves and trusts you. I promised her you would fix this for her."
He closes his eyes and leans his forehead against her forehead, letting out a relieved breath.
"Thank you," he whispers to her. "Thank you so much. I didn't realize how much I needed to do this for her."
Reyhan looks up at the social worker with a watery smile, wiping away a stray tear that has escaped.
"We'll take her," Reyhan says. Defne smiles back at her.
"I'll do what I can, but I can't make any promises. But the fact that you both seem to already have a connection with the child and want to do this will go a long way in any decisions that get made."
Defne gives them one last smile before leaving. Once Emir and Reyhan are alone, Emir lets out another deep breath, dropping his head into his hands.
"Give me a minute." He just breathes deeply a few times. It's been an emotional day and it's all catching up with him. Reyhan rubs his back soothingly.
"It's going to be okay," she promises. "She's going to be safe with us."
"Are you sure about this? I didn't even consult you. I just knew I couldn't let her go back to that situation. "I'm ..."
"Shh! You did the right thing. You did the perfect thing. It makes me want to be with you all the more."
"You want to be with me?" He gives her a hopeful look. She just laughs and rolls her eyes.
"Yes! And you would have realized that fact in about 2 more seconds if you hadn't left when I was talking with your father."
"I just walked away for a minute. I didn't leave," he corrects her. "I promised you I'd never leave again."
"Then I guess you're stuck with me. Because I'm not leaving either," she promises.
He takes her hand and kisses it before placing it on his heart.
"This is yours. So you just have to get used to that. It beats only for you now."
She blushes, lifting her free hand to her suddenly hot cheeks. He can resist leaning over and kissing one of those cheeks. It makes her happier than she thought she could ever be. She leans her head on his shoulder and sighs a sigh of satisfaction.
They sit for a few minutes. Then Reyhan looks towards the door leading to Ayla's room with a smile and says, "I guess we have a kid now."
They both laugh.
"I'm as surprised as you are," he says, continuing to chuckle. "But how did you know to come here? How did you know about her?"
"I came looking for you after you father left," she explains. "The nurse brought me down here to Ayla's room. Needless to say, I was shocked when I saw her. But when she looked up at me with that smile, it was over. She just has a way that draws you in."
"She has your eyes," he tells her. "The first time I met her, I was walking around the hospital worrying about you and thinking about you and wishing you'd wake up. Then this little girl pops out of nowhere and looks up at me with your eyes. I think I was drawn to her from the start. In a weird way, she saved me. She made me believe that you would be okay. And once she saw you, she never gave up hope that she'd get to meet you one day. Her hope helped me when I started to lose my own."
"Well, I'm back now," she says, cupping his cheek with her hand. "I came back for you. And for her, it would seem."
He laughs again and she gives him a confused look.
"What's so funny?" she wants to know.
"We have yet to do things in the proper order. We got married before getting to know each other. And now we're jumping straight to raising a full grown kid." He looks around before lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Without the fun of making one."
He's never seen her cheeks turn that shade of red.
"Emir!" she gasps, totally scandalized by his comment. Again he just laughs. Teasing her is fun.
"Don't worry," he says, thinking how to tease her some more. "We'll do plenty of practicing so that we'll be experts by the time we get ready to have one of our own."
"Emir," she says again. But this time less shocked and more wistful. She's never heard him talk about having children. She didn't think it was something he wanted. Or would ever want. Certainly not with her. She has to admit, this softer side of him is really affecting her. "You're being wicked."
Her soft smile lets him know that she doesn't mind this "wicked" side of him too much.
"And besides," she says, trying to change the subject. "She's not quite fully grown. She's only four. She's got plenty of growing yet to do. She's still a little girl."
"Yeah," he says with a sigh, staring at the door with more than a little bit of fear and trepidation. But also with pride that he can't quite explain. "And now she's our little girl."
Reyhan just nods before resting her head on his shoulder again. She's starting to get tired.
"Our little girl," she smiles before yawning. "I like the sound of that."