A love reborn from the ashes.

23 - Hope

Can

One night a few days later a violent storm hit the coast, the wind was blowing furiously and the sky was lit up by lightning.
My boat was swaying fearfully but it was not a problem for me, I was used to facing tropical storms in the middle of the ocean without any problems, my thoughts were only for her, I knew how afraid she was of storms.
It was now midnight when the worst came, the rain fell incessantly while thunder and lightning alternated seamlessly. I was agitated, I couldn't resist, I got off the boat and with my head down I went towards Sanem's cottege trying to fight with all my strength the headwind that was stopping my race.

I arrived completely soaked under his porch, was on the feeble light of what I imagined was his room. I stood there for a moment to catch my breath when a frightening thunderclap rumbled, shaking the floorboards beneath my feet.
I heard my Sanem screaming, I didn't hesitate for a moment, I entered the house and ran towards the only lighted room. I found her curled up at the foot of the bed, rocking back and forth, holding little Nihat tightly to her, her eyes tight with fear.

I grabbed a blanket placed on the rocking chair, to avoid soaking her with my wet clothes, and with that as a screen I held her and the baby in my arms.
I began to whisper reassuring words, I placed small kisses on her head while I stroked her hair and back.
Slowly she stopped rocking, I felt her body relax and her head rested in the crook of my neck.

What was this if not paradise?

I sat and marveled at my unhoped-for good fortune for hours until sleep took over.
The first light of morning found me like this, with the loves of my life still clutched in my arms and Sanem's head resting on my chest.

Her perfume, how I had missed her perfume! How much had I missed her slender body in my arms, her beautiful hair in my hands, her lips on my lips? How could I live without her every single moment of the day?

My light caress on her hair woke her up, I saw her eyes open slowly on my face, she smiled at me and brought a hand to caress my cheek. He had always liked my beard and I had longed for that touch for too long. I wanted to kiss her but I held back, I didn't want to scare her.
A moment and her hand stopped, her eyes opened wide and she realized that she wasn't dreaming, that we were real... and one in the other's arms.

She woke up and, embarrassed, moved away to put the baby in its cradle, turned towards me without daring to look at me, I knew she wasn't ready yet and I preferred to leave her quiet to collect her thoughts.

The fresh air of a new morning greeted me as soon as I left the cottage, I felt rested and relaxed as I hadn't felt in ages, no more precisely in a year.
I went down to its pier to look at the sea and to analyze a new feeling, it had been a long time since I had felt it and I almost had difficulty recognizing it, I had abandoned it one night a long time ago when I had cast off my moorings and left the port of Istanbul.

It had a name that I almost didn't dare pronounce.

It was called in Turkish umut ..... hope ....