The Dreams That You Wish

Chapter 13

"Come on, Asen. You can do it. You've got this," Ilgaz encourages his son in an excited sing songy voice that always amuses Ceylin.

"He'll do it when he's ready," Ceylin comments. "He just turned four months a few days ago. He may not feel like rolling over just yet. Isn't that right, Oğlum? Tell Daddy you'll roll over when you're good and ready."

Asen gives her a huge grin that she never grows tired of. He's such a happy baby. Always laughing and smiling and squealing. Everything excites him. He has so many people who love him and he loves them all too. She takes his little hand in hers and presses kisses to it. He kicks his legs while trying to pull her finger into his mouth.

"Try him on his belly," Ceylin suggests. "It may be easier for him to roll over from his belly to his back."

She knows this because he may or may not have already done it the other day when Ilgaz was at work. But she isn't going to say anything now and ruin Ilgaz's fun. She tries to hold back her grin when Asen performs as expected once Ilgaz places him on his belly.

"Aferin, Oğlum!" Ilgaz cheers. "What a big boy you are. Ceylin, did you see that?"

"Good job, Asen," Ceylin says, trying to match Ilgaz's enthusiasm. But she must have fallen short of the mark because he gives her a suspicious look.

"He's already rolled over, hasn't he?"

She winces. Busted.

"Just the other day. And just the once, I swear," Ceylin assures him. "I forgot to get pictures and video to upload to the online baby book Parla set up for us. And I didn't want you to feel left out. I figured he'd do it again when he was ready."

"That's fine," Ilgaz sighs. "With any luck, he'll do something tomorrow that you'll miss."

"Brat," Ceylin laughs, sticking her tongue out at him. "Oh, by the way, are we set with your aunt watching him?"

Ceylin usually takes Asen to the office with her when she needs to go in. But she's meeting with a client tomorrow, so it would be better to leave the baby with a sitter. Sometimes Aylin is able to come over and watch him, but she's also busy tomorrow. That leaves Ceylin's "still not so impressed with her bride" aunt in law. But fortunately for Asen's sake, Makbule loves him more than ever.

"She's always happy to watch him. Still no luck with your mom?"

Ceylin just shakes her head quickly. Her mother is ... she doesn't know what to think about her mother.

"Asen is happier with your family," she admits sadly. "Any time I take him to see my mom, she completely ignores him. She'll talk to me, even if only about divorcing you. But she acts as if Asen isn't there at all. It's not fair to subject him to that."

"Should we be worried about her?" Ilgaz gently asks. "About her unwillingness or inability to ..."

"Accept reality?" Ceylin finishes for him when it seemed like he was reluctant to say the words. She gives him a shrug and lets out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, Ilgaz. I don't know what's going on with her. Is she just being stubborn or is there something keeping her from seeing and accepting the truth? I mean, I know Inci's gone. And my father too. But the people who took them from us have been identified and punished. She can't keep letting her grief consume her and keep blaming your family for things they didn't do."

No matter what anyone tells her mother or shows her mother, she just refuses to believe the truth. In her mind, Çınar is a murderer. In her mind, he killed both Zafer and Inci. And she isn't letting go of those beliefs. She's determined to see him punished for crimes he didn't commit. Crimes that for whatever reason, she still believes he committed. Ceylin has been giving her mother time. But maybe it's been long enough. Her mother can't continue to deal with her grief in this way. Maybe it's time for some professional help. She'll look into it.