A chance to love again

XXIII

Sanem

I check the timetables of the ferries arriving in the afternoon, there is one scheduled for 18.00 and another at 19.00. I sit down at a table in an open-air bar which overlooks the port and have a cold drink while I wait to see if Osman will arrive with the first one which can be seen arriving in the distance. I have brought the book on pregnancy with me and start to read with interest, discovering that I have to be careful with raw or undercooked food, cold meats, poultry and game. I look towards the sea thoughtfully, trying to think back to see if I have eaten any recently, but fortunately I don't think so.

Thinking about Osman brings to mind for a moment the images of the video I saw this morning, what was he doing there with Can and Polen? I shake my head forcing myself not to think about those images, it's not good for me and it's useless.

I keep reading while keeping an eye on the ferry that is getting closer and closer, I am excited at the thought of being able to hug my old friend again, I missed him so much, I wasn't exaggerating when I told Andrea that he is like a brother. He has always been very dear to me, when I was little he defended me from the bullies in the neighbourhood and growing up he became my sincere confidant, maybe even more than Ayhan with whom I always shared more mischief and crazy laughs.

I miss her, but I can't hear her right now, if she knew where I was I'm not sure she would be able to keep the secret in the face of my parents' request who, since she lost hers, have treated her as a daughter on par with Layla and me.
I don't want to put her in a difficult position, it's better not to feel for a while.

The ferry enters the harbour, and I remain spellbound as I watch the precise manoeuvres that allow this mammoth vessel to position itself in exactly the right place and start unloading its human cargo on the island.
I leave the bar to approach the disembarkation point, excitedly scanning the crowd that is disembarking in the hope of spotting Osman. When almost everyone seems to have disembarked and I am resigned to waiting an hour for the next ferry to arrive, there he is at the top of the landing ladder. I move quickly along the quay to meet him, he is talking to a boy as he comes down the ladder, I call him - Osmaaan! -

He turns his head in astonishment at hearing his name called and his eyes open wide as he spots me among the people waiting on the quay. He drops his duffle bag on his shoulder and runs towards me, I do the same and we practically collide in an affectionate and nostalgic embrace. Osman feels like home to me, he's my childhood, he's part of my roots, he's an important part of my life and always will be.

He pulls away from me, smiling in disbelief - Sanem? What are you doing here? -

- It's a long story, I hope that in your busy international modeling schedule there is room for your childhood friend -

- Of course, what do you say, how could I neglect the most tomboyish girl in the neighbourhood? -

I punch him in the arm - Cut it out, again with this story? - We laugh together, happy to be together again. The boy Osman was talking to just now comes up, carrying the duffle bag which he dropped on impulse as he ran to me.

- Osman? Looks like someone's given you a nice surprise. - He smiles and extends a hand towards me - Hi, I'm Sam, an American colleague of Osman's.

I smile back and shake his hand - Hi, Sanem, a childhood friend of Osman's, or rather his only childhood friend, I don't think he has any others.

He looks at me insistently, smiling - What unexpected treasures are hidden in Turkey, I'm enchanted -

I blush with embarrassment as Osman elbows him in irritation - Sam, calm down and get away from my Sanem, will you? -