Show me the way to your heart

Chapter 12

How is it possible, having spent years creating a coping mechanism for yourself and having learned to live with it, only to have someone appear into your life and somehow break the walls you spent so much time building, show you the true colors of life, open your heart in ways you never thought possible and make you feel things you never felt before, just by loving you?

Is love really that strong that it can overcome all the challenges it must face? Or does it get weakened with time to the point of no return? Is love strong enough to strengthen a weak soul who's so close to giving up fighting?

Serkan woke up in the middle of the night as he felt Eda softly crying in his arms. She was having a nightmare and seeing her like that, vulnerable broke his heart.

"Eda, wake up. It's okay baby, you're just having a nightmare"- Serkan softly said as Eda opened her eyes, tears still roaming down her face, not being able to stop them. "Shh, it's okay, it's just a bad dream"- Serkan whispered on her hears as his arms closed around her, hugging her to his heart. She could feel his heartbeat, that quiet rhythmic melody and his concerned voice were the only things that managed to calm her down.

Serkan cupped her face and placed a kiss on her forehead then on her wet cheeks feeling calmer seeing now that Eda had stopped crying.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"- Serkan asked looking deep into her soulful eyes as Eda slightly nodded.

"It was not a dream, it was a memory. The night my parents died, I overheard my grandma and aunt talking about it and I immediately ran to my bedroom and hid under the table, muffling my cries as I hugged my knees to my face. That's when it started, I couldn't breathe and my chest started hurting badly and when my vision started to blur."- Eda said not being able to hold back her tears that fell down her cheeks, Serkan wiping each and every one of them as they silently fell.

"Now that grandma is sick and closer to death every day, I guess it's what triggered them again."-Eda clearly abandonment issues, but Serkan wasn't going anywhere.

The only thing he could do was hug her tightly to his chest and tell her that he would never leave her.

"I'm here for you Eda and I promise, I will never leave you."- Serkan softly whispered as Eda laid her head against him, hugging him tight so he would not go anywhere while Serkan planted gentle kisses in her forehead, caressing her hair till she dozed off in his chest.

Eda knew it was just a matter of time till her grandma died, but still, when she got the phone call the following morning, her heart shattered into pieces, as did Serkan's, seeing her in that state.

"She's gone"- Eda said as she broke into tears as Serkan immediately went to hug her. "Serkan, I'm going to Italy and will be back in a couple of days."

"Yes you are, and I'm coming with you"- Serkan exclaimed.

"Serkan what about work?"- Eda asked concerned, still shocked. "You can't just leave everything behind."- she was interrupted as Serkan put his index finger on her lips.

"The others will manage, if they need me I'll be one phone call away, but I'm coming with you to Italy and that's not up for discussion"- Serkan said as he leaned to kiss her cheek. He was really leaving everything behind to be by her side in such a moment, and Eda appreciated it so much.

Serkan never left her side the whole time, he made sure Eda ate slept and rested well. She was still shaken up but was trying not to let it show. He admired her strength, she gained her strength from the people she loved and even the Art Life team came to the funeral to show support in such a hard time.

It was their last day in Italy and Eda was packing her clothes. She didn't know what she would do if Serkan hadn't been there with her and for that, she loved him a little more.

"Eda"- She heard her Aunt Ayfer speak- "I need to talk to you about something".

"Tabi hala, tell me what is it?"- Eda asked as she took her hand to sit down on the couch.

"Now that anne is gone, I mean, there's nothing left for me here in Italy and I was wondering if It'd be okay to move back to Istanbul."- Ayfer said.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing hala, I'd love nothing more than for you to move back to Istanbul with me"- Eda said with a smile on her face as Serkan got into the room.

"Serkan, how many years has it been? Ya when did the both of you grow up so fast? I remember helping Eda sneak out of the house so she could meet you"- Ayfer said as everyone laughed at the memory.

"Ah Ayfer hanim, I'm pretty sure you hated me back then"- Serkan replied as Eda got up to go make some coffee. "Jokes aside, I want to thank you so much for being here for Eda, I appreciate it. I'm so glad you found your way back to each other".

"Ne demek, Ayfer hanim. I really love her and I'm always going to be there for her. I promise."-Serkan said assuring her he'd never leave her. He couldn't even if he tried.

They all got back to Istanbul where a lot of work awaited them. Eda, Selin, Ceren and Ferit all gathered at Eda's place for breakfast that Ayfer had prepared. 

"Ayfer hanim, I missed you and your cooking so much. I'm so glad you decided to come back"-Selin said as Ayfer always thought of her as a daughter, just like Eda. When they were little, Selin used to come over to Eda's house every morning for breakfast and was practically a daughter to her family. They decided to make goof on that tradition again. 

"Ceren, canim. It's been years since I last saw you. I'm so proud of you and everything you have achieved, but not surprised though. I knew you'd make it"- Ayfer said. Eda and Ceren had met each other while in Italy when Eda was about 20 years old. Ceren was their neighbor's daughter and came very often to visit her parents there.

"Yani gercektan Ayfer hanim, what the legends say about your cooking do you no justice"- Ferit said as he was interrupted by Eda's phone ringing.

"Efendim Engin? What happened"- Eda immediately answered.

"I'm gonna tell you something but don't freak out, please"- Engin said, and Eda could feel the worry in his voice. She started to panic. Something was definitely wrong, she could feel it.

Author's note: Another chapter is coming in 5 minutes. Stay tuned. Love ya all.