The Dreams That You Wish

Chapter 20

"Your mother is in the psych ward getting an evaluation," Ilgaz starts. "It was either that, or prison."

"Prison? You were going to put my mother in prison?" Aylin screams. "For what?"

Ilgaz bends to kiss the top of Asen's head, stroking his chubby cheek. The baby gives him a cute little smile. Ilgaz just sighs, thinking of the whole day of baby smiles he missed when Asen was taken. And not wanting to say the next words even though he must. He looks into Ceylin's eyes and silently begs her to understand. To forgive him for the heartbreak he's about to lay on her.

"For kidnapping and selling our son."

~ * ~ * ~

Ceylin just gasps. Then she looks down at Asen in her arms, just to make sure he's really there, before looking back at Ilgaz. Then she looks at Aylin to see if her sister is as shocked as she is. Nothing is making sense. And for once, she's speechless. She doesn't even know what questions to ask because the words out of her husband's mouth are pretty incomprehensible.

"I don't understand," Ceylin finally manages to say. But she holds Asen closer to her because the thought of anything happening to him terrifies her. "What do you mean kidnapping our son? Asen is right here. He's safe. He's with us."

Again she looks around, her eyes landing on Aylin and finally noticing she's in a wheelchair and a hospital gown. She's attached to an IV pole.

"What happened to you?" she asks Aylin. "Were you in the accident with me?"

But that makes no sense. Because she left Aylin at the house watching Asen.

"What's going on?" she starts to cry, her fears causing panic to take over. "I don't understand anything."

"Just calm down," Ilgaz gently says, trying to ease her back onto the bed. "I'm going to get your doctor. You just woke up and shouldn't be stressed like this."

He takes Asen and walks towards the door, giving Aylin a disappointed glare when he passes.

"Aylin?" Ceylin calls out once Ilgaz is gone. "What's going on? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Aylin says, her voice also trying to be calm. But Ceylin can sense the unease beneath the surface. "Ilgaz is right. You need to have your doctor check you out. I shouldn't have come in here like this. I didn't know you would be awake. I wasn't thinking."

Before Aylin can say anything else, the orderly that brought her comes to take her back to her own room. Ilgaz must have sent him. He rolls Aylin out, but not before Aylin can promise to come back to see Ceylin later. Maybe by then, Ceylin will have some answers. Maybe then she will have figured out what exactly is going on.

"Your mother is in the psych ward ... It was either that, or prison ... kidnapping and selling our son."

Ceylin plays the words in her head again and they still don't make sense to her. But then she remembers Ilgaz's eyes. They looked red-rimmed and tired. Haunted, even. Something definitely happened to put that look on his face. And he hasn't let Asen out of his sight. Had her baby really been kidnapped?

The door opens and it's the first question she plans on asking Ilgaz. But instead of her husband, a doctor has come inside. Looks like her answers will have to wait. For now.

~ * ~ * ~

Much later, after the doctor had left, after multiple tests and scans, after all the friends and family popped in and out with their well wishes, when it is now just Ceylin, Ilgaz, and Asen - because Ilgaz still won't let the baby go - Ceylin gives Ilgaz an impatient look and just waits for the whole story.