The House Where Love Grows

Chapter Nine

Cans' anger raged inside him as he paced the floor outside the office. He tried desperately to calm down before reentering Mr. Faruks office. There were so many questions that he still needed to find the answer to but he couldn't think well enough to even know what they were. 

The nerve of this man, how could he come waltzing in here like he had any rights to this child, and completely devastate his family. He slammed his fist against the wall in frustration, "Yes this was his family, Beni was his child, his son. Who did this man think he was."  He thought as he leaned his head against the wall. It was then he noticed the tears running down his face, he tried wiping them away but more formed and spilled over and down his cheeks. He closed his eyes and visualized in his mind the happiness that he had shared with his son that morning. The joy he showed as they had taken those pictures together, this child was happy and thriving there. 

The door of the office slowly opened and Mr. Faruk stuck his head out, " Can, are you ok? He asked, already knowing the answer to such an absurd question. " Come back inside, I know you have many questions about the process before you go and explain it to your wife." He spoke softly, not wanting to add fuel to the flame. Can covered his face with both hands, pleading and begging with himself to wake up from this nightmare..

The thought of Sanem stabbed him even deeper, as the realization of having to relay this kind of news to her begin to come to light. The vision of this larger than life man wounded and broken, falling apart at the thought if losing a part if his family, was almost more than Mr. Faruk could stand. But he coaxed Can back into his office, helping him to take a seat again. Can's mind was blurred, he felt numb and unable to make sense of what the lawyer was saying. He just kept hearing the words, "the process"  over and over on his head. 

" What process Faruk, what are you talking about." He asked in a strained voice. He throat was tight and aching from the fear and devastation of what was happening. The man felt his heart shudder, " Well Can, we have to meet with the advocate from Peru and Mr. Chavezs' attorney first thing, and of course we will file our own document of dispute. You know, stating that the child is in a stable and loving home, and so forth." He replied. " Don't worry Can, we are going to fight this as hard as we can." 

Can looked up slowly, his eyes red and swollen from the tears, " What?  Fight it?....You better stop   " the process" right now. Find out what he wants and I will give it to him. Do you understand, I can not, no, ....i will not take this kind of bullshit home to Sanem." Cans eyes glared with anger and gleamed with the tears that filled them.

Mr. Faruk looked down at his desk, " Can I'm not sure if I can stop it, but I will talk to Mr. Chavez's attorney if you would like me to. We have to be careful about how we word things. If they think we are trying to bribe or pay them off, well....it may look bad on you and make the matter worse..

Can had laid over the desk, resting his head on his arms. " Worse? It might make the matter worse. Faruk,...he is trying to take my son away from me,....what could possibly be worse?" He mumbled as he raised is head and glared at him with his blood shot eyes. " Don't make me have to tell my wife that the child she has loved and cared for, this child that she has a special bond with, this child that we saved from a life of loneliness and unhappiness....is about to be ripped from his family as if he were nothing more than an object. I won't do it, so you will find a way to make this all go away." Can spoke, his voice calm and resolved, but the look on his face was anything but calm...

He stood to leave, " But Can.....Mr. Faruk started to speak but Can held up his hand to stop him. He stared at him for a second with that icy stare that made Faruk feel very uneasy, and then he turned and walked out the door. His mind numb and his body feeling as if he had been hit by a train, as he made his way to his truck. The words still rang inside his head..." He is contesting the adoption....he wants his son back."   How can this happen, a person that didn't even know he existed now wants him.

He decided not to tell Sanem anything just yet. He drove to the coast, walked down to the spot that had always been Sanem's favorite. He gazed out across the endless mass of water, wishing he hadn't answered the call earlier, wondering how he would be able to hide this from her. She would know something was wrong just by looking at him.

This was the first time he had ever thought of taking someone's life, but that thought came creeping into his mind. He pushed it away and closed his eyes, " that's ridiculous so don't even let the thought stay in your head."  He took a deep slow breath, knowing he had to get home or Sanem would start to worry and be calling him. 

" Home." He thought, "His home, his family, it was about to be torn apart by a man that he had never seen. 

The drive home was slow as he tried to calm himself. This would all work out, he told himself. They hadn't gone through all that heartache and fear all those years ago when they rushed to Peru to help Beni through his sickness for nothing. He wouldn't let this happen, he wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he wouldn't let it happen.....

The sight of their house as he turned into the driveway stabbed his heart. The day they returned from Peru and he surprised her with their new home, became vivid in his mind. 

But the night that they had arrived home from Peru with both of their sons was perhaps the most memorable night of his life....Now they wanted him to let go of part of his heart..

He wondered if Maria knew about this...had she been the one to give out their information?

So much fear was running rampant inside him that he couldn't think....but he would have to find out how he found out where Beni was.....

The door of the house flew open and Beni came bounding out, " Dad, Dad. Look, I made a book from the pictures I took today."  He said, his face full of love and excitement......

Can instantly put on a smile, covering the feeling of devastation that he had inside him..This couldn't be......this can not happen..

His son jumped up into his arms, giving him a hug. " Look, I put all the picture on construction paper and tied all the pages together with ribbon. Mom gave me the ribbon, but I did everything else by myself."  He chimed, his voice exuberant and happy.....

Can held him tightly in his arms...

He closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling, drawing in the smell of this child that meant more to him than life itself........