It's sometime in the night and neither he nor Ceylin are keeping track of the hour. There are remnants of the grand meal they cooked together on the table when he looks around. Who knew they would work up an appetite by just reading by the sea for the better of the day and playing with Defne in the water for a few hours?
Ceylin is lying in his lap and his hands find their way into her hair. They have been on this self-imposed break for about a week and yet it feels like barely a day has passed. So far, neither of them has been invested in doing things beyond the occasional park visit or the sunbathing next to the water.
This year has been tough on both of them, Ilgaz thinks to himself. With everything that happened, they decided to take some time and just be by themselves. Of course, they brought Defne along and even got her excused from classes for the vacation. She needed the time away as much as them. But Defne was a homebody like the both of them and despite their much insistence, she was just happy spending time with them, talking, reminiscing, sharing stories about her classmates and teachers, and reading together like his older brother.
For the first time in forever, Ilgaz feels he has a proper family. The three of them have reached a subconscious level of comfort with each other and a rhythm that is hard to understand for the outsiders but works for them. It's in the way Ceylin takes Defne to school while Ilgaz picks her up. Or the way Ilgaz cooks dinner and Ceylin helps Defne with homework. Or at nights when both Ilgaz and Ceylin stay with Defne before she goes to sleep to reassure her and keep an eye as long as they are up checking for any nightmares she might have. All of these things that Ilgaz never imagined sharing with somebody come naturally with Ceylin. It has eased some of the transition that the Kaya duo struggled with after losing Metin and Cinar to prison.
"Mmmhh Ilgaz, what are you thinking about so hard?" Ceylin whispers softly and her voice pulls him out of the trance caused by the crackling fire they are sitting beside.
"I am just thinking about how much our lives have changed since I met you. Who thought someday we would be here, together, giving each other company and enjoying the silence?" Ilgaz lets out.
Ceylin lets out a laugh at that. "If it weren't for our dear Umut..."
"Remind me to thank him again for leading us to our first encounter. The man deserves a lifelong supply of simit for his effort." Ilgaz smiles and subconsciously strokes her thigh.
Ceylin lets out a soft hum as she gets lost in her memories. "Did you know I was at a dance lesson when he called me? And ever since meeting you, sayin savcim, I have not been able to go back to those classes again. You keep me so busy."
"Oh, is that so, avukat hanim? Why didn't you let me know before? This time, I can be the hocam." Ilgaz smirks a little as he teases her.
As they fall into their routine banter, Ceylin refuses to take his bait and asks, "and what do you know of dancing, sayin savcim?"
"A lot more than you would think, avukat hanim," Ilgaz says wistfully.
Looking at the sudden melancholic look in his eyes, Ceylin gently calls out his name. "Ilgaz, what is it?"
"My mom made us all take dance lessons growing up. She would always remark a proper gentleman knows how to lead a lady. So, I ended up taking ballroom dancing. On the weekends we would practice together and I danced with her a lot. I still remember all the conversations we would have and her laugh every time I stepped on her toes."
"That sounds like such a nice story. I would have loved to meet your mom. Do you think she would have liked me? I know I was not very popular with your family given how we married and what they did but I always wondered about her. It looked like your parents had a very loving relationship." Ceylin asked with a hint of insecurity and self-deprecation in her voice.
