On Divit Island...Love Over Forgiveness

Chapter Four

      It was early when Can opened his eyes. The dawn had just begun as the light filtered in through the half open window. He could hear the birds as they flew from tree to tree welcoming in the beginning of a new day. He loved this time of day, so quiet and still, so fresh. 

      He reached over to pull the cover up over his wife. The image of her there, her skin so tan and silky smooth, was already beginning to have a effect on him. They had both fell asleep exhausted after their very vigorous love making encounter. Neither had taken time to put on any night clothes, so his view of this beautiful naked woman was making him doubt his usual rising early to exercise ritual.

      He slipped out of bed and forced himself to get dressed and head out for his morning workout. The air was warm blowing in from across the sea. He had a special spot he liked to do his calisthenics. He had a bar set up on the small beach area not far from the house, for his pull-ups and there was plenty of room for the other forms of exercise he liked to do. Then he followed it up with a swim off the beach a ways. The water around the island was always so refreshing and calming.

      All of this usually took about an hour. As he toweled off from his swim the thought of Emre's note popped into his head. He wondered what Polen was up to. He always thought he knew Polen until she had followed Sanem to Athens and tried to put an end to their relationship. He remembered how scared he had been as he tried to get there to help Sanem. He shook his head to clear it from all those bad memories. He would make that call to his brother this morning, as soon as he got some coffee, he thought.

      He had decided to let Sanem sleep in a little longer as he took a quick shower and dressed. Still fighting that urge to return to bed and hug up against her warm body, he quietly closed the bedroom door and headed to the kitchen. He brewed that very important first cup of coffee and reached for a sweet roll and his phone. 

      It was still early in Istanbul but he wanted to get this conversation over with before Sanem woke up. He stretched out on his lounge chair in the front garden and made the call.

      " Abi, how are you." He asked as he heard his brothers voice on the other end of the phone. Can could tell he had woke him up as Emre cleared his throat before he replied, " Abi, is everything ok, is awfully early for a call." He said, trying to get his sense about him.

      " Yes, I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to get this call in before Sanem woke up. That note you sent about Polen, what the hell did she want?" Can asked, delving right into the topic. Just having this conversation with his brother and just mentioning her name, was unnerving to him, but it was something he knew he had to do. 

      " You know, Sanem was the one that opened the note and read it. So you know how upset she was about it." Can explained. " So tell me everything she said. And don't sugar coat it either." He ordered. Emre knew that tone of voice from his brother, so he quickly got up and headed to the living room so they could talk without Leila over hearing.

      "Well at first I didn't think much about it, when she showed up at the agency. She seemed genuinely happy to see everyone. She even made a special effort to go into Leila's office and say hello." Emre said, his voice sounding more concerned as he went along. 

      " But,....He started. " What, but what,  Emre. What did she say after that." Can interrupted. Emre knew better than to hesitate on his reply, " But I got suspicious went she mentioned the island and the fact she knew about your award and the news about Sanem writing her 4th book. Abi, I knew then that she had been following your family." He blurted out.

      A cold chill ran down Cans' back, enough to make him shiver. He closed his eyes, " What else did she say. Does she know where our island is? You didn't tell her did you?".....Can asked as he gritted his teeth.

      Emre jumped up, " No Abi, I didn't tell her anything. But she did know where the island is. She knew a lot more than just anyone would, so I think she is stalking you. Please be careful, I don't think she is completely well yet." Emre spoke almost in a whisper. He knew if Leila overheard what he was saying she would be on the first plane to Greece and would drag her sister off that island, kicking and screaming, if she had too.

      Can rubbed his face with his hand, as he listened to his brother. How did this happen? How did she find out these things? 

      Over the years she had only reached out to them a couple of times, and both seemed quite harmless at the time. She had sent a congratulatory note to him and a brief message on his phone the time he won the award for his photography, and then another message when Sanem gave birth to their daughter Tana 5 years ago. Both times were brief messages and neither of them thought anything about it.  But now he was beginning to think they were wrong.

      The sound of his brothers voice brought him out of his thoughts, " Abi, you know her dad passed away about 4 years ago. I don't know if that's has something to do with her reappearance here or not. He was the one that seemed to keep her calm and in line." Emre told him. 

     " Look, I will be there with Leila and the boys in a couple of weeks. We will be staying for a few days, we will figure it all out then. Just be careful, but don't upset Sanem. This is the last thing that she needs, or you for that matter. Oh, she did say she was seeing someone and they were pretty serious." Emre added, hoping that his suspicions were nothing to worry about. 

      Can leaned back in his lounger and closed his eyes...remembering. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he had told Polen that they were through. Why had he waited so long to break things off with her? She had never been a woman he loved, she was just someone that he had grown accustomed to. But he blamed himself for everything they had gone through..all that Polen had put Sanem through.....

Now he was going to have to deal with her again...

      "Ok Abi, we will be waiting for you and your family to get here. I know that Sanem is more than excited to see her sister. But maybe you could find out a little bit about Polen, like where she's staying or working, before you come." Can asked, his mind flooding with thoughts.

      " Sure, I'll do what I can.....Abi, I'm sure it's nothing, but try not to leave Sanem alone on the island for very long at a time.  Give them all a kiss from us and we will see you very soon." Emre replied, then hung up.

      His brothers words rang in his head, " Dont leave Sanem alone on the island."  He took a sip of his coffee to try and help the churning sick feeling that had taken over his stomach.

He would never let anything happen to her or the kids,....ever

Not as long as he drew a breath....