A love reborn from the ashes.

35 - Together

Aziz

I called Can to let him know I was on my way, and got into the car with an enthusiasm I hadn't felt in years. Maybe it was my beloved Istanbul, maybe it was the beautiful weather, I thought... but who was I kidding, it was enough to see it to breathe again. I felt like I had held my breath until my eyes rested on her again.

I arrived and met Can on the dock as he stepped off his boat with his arms full of provisions, clearly bustling - What's going on?

- No babam, Yusuf and I decided to have a neighborly lunch - he shrugged his shoulders carelessly, but he wasn't fooling me, he was up to something.
I helped them to set up the tables under a large tree behind Yusuf's house, the fire was already lit and ready for the barbecue, so I took an apron on the stool and, fork in hand, began to give my contribution.
I noticed that the places at the table were different, I smiled under my moustache.

I saw Sanem arriving with little Nihat, how much I had missed that little wren? I ran to give a hug to the mother and a kiss on the forehead to my grandson, I gave him the teddy bear that I had taken for him.
I was so happy to be a grandfather, I had a tug in my heart every time I thought about the turn that Can and Sanem's relationship had taken, but I couldn't help but be grateful that they had given me such a wonder.

Denise and Mihriban arrived, right after Metin.
It was an exchange of introductions, handshakes, kisses and hugs, but in the confusion I did not lose sight of Mrs. Mihriban who carefully avoided looking at me. Smiling mischievously, I, the apron and the fork approached her to greet all those present and then, turning towards her, I gave her a big kiss on the cheek and went back to my charcoal and my meat.

Yusuf and Can were clearly amused, Can must have enlisted Yusuf in his campaign to reconquer Sanem and now they had decided to act as paraninphs between me and Mihriban as well. There was a jovial atmosphere, Nihat was the star of the scene, moving from one arm to the other definitely happy with all the attention he was getting.

Metin was enchanted, he took him in his arms hesitantly but one look was enough to fall in love with him, he was clearly excited for his friend.

Let's say that he was not only impressed by Nihat.
It was soon clear to everyone his interest in a certain guest casually sitting at his side.

Sanem

I paused for a moment to look around, seeing all these smiling faces around a table made me feel as happy as I had not been in a long time, I had missed the conviviality that had been a hallmark of my childhood in the neighborhood.
Can was slowly filling my world, his return had already filled an essential lack with which I had resigned myself to live.

I carefully watched Mihriban's flushed cheeks as she laughed shyly at a joke made by Aziz who had arranged to sit next to her. Those two weren't counting me out, there was something going on, it was clear they already knew each other but their reaction when they had seen each other had made it clear that there had been more than just a friendship, I had to investigate.

The real surprise had been Denise and Metin, sitting casually next to each other, chatting thickly as if they had known each other all their lives.
It was to be expected to see Metin around here often in the future, I thought.

Yusuf, the old lonely fisherman, was blissfully enjoying the confusion of that impromptu lunch with new and old friends.
How much he had changed since that lone wolf who had given me a rude and almost hostile look during our first meeting; he had opened up and, especially after the birth of Nihat, had truly become another man.

My gaze finally landed on Can who was chatting and smiling at Metin's jokes while holding Nihat on his lap as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
He was the sweetest father, full of a thousand attentions for the little one ... and even for his mother I had to admit.
He was really trying hard to sweep me off my feet.
The day before, while we were in the house, he had asked me at one point to go to the bathroom, when he left I discovered that he had written with my lipstick on the mirror a phrase from our favorite poet Charles Bukowski.

"It all boils down to the last person you think of at night, that's where the heart is."

I think of you Sanem

He definitely wanted me dead that man!

Can

This is what Sanem was capable of, somehow he was a magnet for people, he was like a light for moths, he inevitably gathered around him affection and joy.

After a year of complete solitude I was now there with my son bouncing on my lap, with my father and my best friend relaxed and smiling next to me, I could hardly believe it and I felt that I had been graced by the Almighty.

While I was lost in these considerations I heard my father say

- Can, I was thinking that I have missed you so much, how about if I move here on the boat with you for a while, to be close to Nihat? -

Smart as a fox old Aziz.

- Of course daddy would be really pleased, from here we could go and come back to the company together, no problem-.

At that point Yusuf intervened saying that the boat was uncomfortable for both of them and that he would have been offended if Aziz had not accepted to be his guest.

Aziz appeared touched by the kindness of the man who had already been a guardian angel for Sanem and Can.

There was no doubt about it, Sanem was exceptional and he could magically gather around him equally exceptional people.