The Return To Istanbul

Chapter Thirteen

      Can was in a daze as he walked off the elevator and headed out the front entrance of the hospital. He waved for the taxi that was sitting near the front door, threw his duffel bag in the seat and slid inside. He barely remembered giving the driver the address, but some time later there they were, pulling up in from of the house.

      He handed him the fare, climbed out and headed to the door. This house had been his home for only a short time,  it it held more memories than any other place he had stayed. So many things had happened here, so many memories of Sanem. 

      He would take the guest room the was close to the kitchen, he thought, tossing his bag on the bed.  He didn't want to boot Emre out of the master bedroom, even though that had always been his bedroom. He sighed, " But I guess I gave up that privilege the night I left here." 

      The garden was calling to him, it had always been his favorite place when he was here. He poured himself a shot of whiskey and walked out into the familiar back garden. Everything was still the same, he thought, as he looked around at the furniture, the landscape, even the football goal was still there. But the thing he remembered most was the times he had spent here with Sanem.

      Can perched himself on the ledge overlooking the pool. The sound of that laughter earlier from the hospital was still replaying in his head. He knew for sure it wasn't her, so his mind must be playing tricks on him, that was the only explanation. He needed to talk to CeyCey, that he was sure of.

      He pulled out his phone and tapped his name on the phone. It took a few rings before he answered, " Hello, Can? Is everything ok with Mr. Aziz?"  CeyCey asked with anticipation. 

      " CeyCey, I need to talk to you. I'm at the house. Can you come over?" He spoke quietly and calmly but with a sound of desperation in his voice. CeyCey knew he couldn't avoid this talk any longer so he agreed he would come as soon as he left the agency. " Are you ok Can. You sound as if you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders." His friend asked.

      Can chuckled, " Do I? Well I just might be. I just really need to talk right now. No one else ever understood my feelings about Sanem like you did." He answered, as he gazed at the whiskey glass.

      Leila had agreed to stay with her mom at the hospital. Of course Mevkibe had refused to leave Nihat bedside, even though he was getting better with every passing hour. Sanem wanted to go home, shower and change, so she took Leilas car and Melihat and headed to the old neighborhood, promising to be back early the next morning to relieve them.

      Sanem had almost forgotten about the hassle of driving in this city. The traffic was always horrendous, so unlike the town she lived in on the island of San Cristobal. The commute from the hospital to the neighborhood took them almost 45 minutes, giving Melihat plenty of time to question Sanem about her life.

      " So Sanem, you know it's not proper for a young and beautiful girl like you to be living alone, don't you." Melihat spoke, looking at her with raised eyebrows. " Have you not found a gentleman there that is willing to share your life." She inquired, waiting for Sanem to give her the next bit of gossip for the neighborhood ladies.

      " Sorry aunt Melihat, but there doesn't seem to be any man in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno that is that desperate yet." Sanem responded, giving her smile and a wink. Melihat knew better, Sanem had always been one of the most sought-after young girls in their neighborhood. But once Can Divit came into the picture, Sanem wouldn't even look at anyone else

      She was glad when she finally pulled up in front of her parent's house, " Ok here we are auntie." She announced, ready for the inquisition to be over. Melihat smiled, " Thank you my dear, but don't think the conversation is over....no, it is not over.." She stated, giving Sanem that look of determination.

      Sanem gave Melihat a wave as she started off down the street. She grabbed her bag from the car, hoping that the extra key was still under the mat at the from door. It had been a few years since she had walked through this door. All of her life had been lived right inside this door, but all that she could recall at that moment was the times that Can had knocked on her door.

      She took a deep welcomed breath as she turned the key. She kicked off her shoes and slipped on her slippers, the same pair of slippers she had worn forever.  Nothing has changed, she thought, everything is still the same. Even the smell was the same. She walked through to the kitchen and then on out to the garden table. 

      Tears rimmed her eyes. The first thought that came to mind wasn't of all the dinners that she had shared with her family there, or the hours of writing that she had done while sitting at this table. Her thought was of the time that Can came there wanting to tell her parents that he was in love with her, and how she quickly lied her way out of it.

      She closed her eyes trying to close off the vision of so many memories that had flooded her mind. Even her childhood home held so many images of "him" that it was hard focus.

      She climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway to her old room. She hesitated, dreading to open the door. This room had been her place of solitude, her place of becoming who she was, her place of finding her heart. She opened the door slowly, wishing that everything would still be the same.

      The first thing she saw was her desk. It was across the room in the same spot at always. Her vanity, her wardrobe....everything was in its place. She scanned the room, letting her eyes touch each area of her room, before turning to the most important spot in her room....

      The huge poster of the Albatross flying with it's mate still hung on the wall. A strange tingly feeling passed through her body as she stood looking at it. She remembered the many nights that she had laid in her bed and wished for her albatross. A person as bold and spectacular as this giant bird to sweep down from the sky and change her life...

      How many people can say that their dream, the only dream they had ever had, had came true. Her Albatross had found her. He, Can Divit, her albatross, had entered her life in the boldest, most unexpected manner....with a kiss in the dark.

      In the moment of mistaken identity, her life was turned upside down. She could still feel his lips in hers that night. She could feel her body suspended in this air of a fantasy. 

      She forced her eyes to look away as she examined the rest of her room. There were still two jars of her creme sitting on the shelf beside her vanity. She had named each jar of creme as she made it, to remind her of the most eventful times in her life. 

      One jar had the word, Cabin, written on it, and the other jar had the word, Hammock, written on it. Both of these jars were left unopened and unused. 

     These were her reminders......reminders of how happy she had been, once upon a time...