Early Bird (Erkençi Kus)(Part 1)

71. A realization is had

Ayhan and Osman sat staring at Sanem after she told them the entire story. There were no two people she trusted more in this world so she left nothing out.

"How did this happen?" Ayhan asks. "How are you going to get out of this?"

"I don't know," Sanem says quietly, staring at the grass across the table. "I messed up. First the engagement... then continuing to help Mr Emre...I'm the reason everyone thinks Mr Can is a fake...If he ever finds out he will never look at me again." She wipes at her eyes.

Osman nods. "The actual problem is that you don't want him to just look at you."

Sanem looks at Osman. He was right. He was there when she confessed it.

"What are you planning on doing?" Ayhan asks, "Any ideas?"

Sanem inhales and then sighs with a shake of her head. "I have to tell him the truth. I don't want to but I have to. He needs to know what a liar I am, and what his brother is really like." She nods determinedly. "He will leave and disappear from my life after that, possibly forever..." She looks up from the napkin she was folding. "But I'm going to quit my job, and disappear from his life first." She lifts her shoulders, her lip trembling. "Either way, I'll never see Mr Can again. I won't hurt him any more." She sniffs. "He'll probably run to Polen and forget about me..."

"Sanem," Osman leans forward and places his hand over hers, "I don't want to make this worse, you know that, but you went and fell in love with your boss. Wasn't it impossible from the beginning?"

Sanem looks at him sadly while Ayhan purses her lips and gives him a 'really?!' look. He shrugs when Sanem looks away at the grass again, frowning. 

"I mean," he quickly adds, "you said that to me at the camp, remember?"

"I didn't exactly expect anything to happen with him Osman," Sanem shakes her head. "All I care about is seeing his face, and hearing his voice," Sanem starts crying again, swallowing. "I may have fallen in love with him but I didn't want anything else. I didn't even tell him because I know it's impossible."

Osman rubs her hand consolingly. She knew he knew the feeling.

"Oh honey," Ayhan pouts, her tears starting too. "How did you fall in love with someone you can never have?" Sanem wipes her eyes again and shrugs, her shoulders shaking.

"Come here, little bee," Osman says and Sanem leans into his side, holding onto him as she cries. Ayhan gets up and sits on her other side, hugging her and then turning away, unable to see her best friend so upset.

"Oh my God! Really?!"

Ayhan turns to Muzaffer coming to a skidding stop next to the the table.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves a trillion times over!"

Sanem lets go of Osman and wipes her eyes, her face turned away. Osman stares up at Muzaffer in question.

"The gossip just started dying down about your fiery love affair and you're back to clinging to each other in public! I can't believe my eyes! Show a little respect, a little decorum! For God's sake, a little understanding!"

"Muzaffer, please this isn't the right time," Osman begs him, nodding at Sanem. "Let's talk about this later okay?"

"When? Huh? When should we talk? When you're back from your honeymoon?!"

"Osman, go with Zeberdjet, talk to him, we'll follow," Sanem says.

"Okay," Osman sighs and gets up as Muzaffer starts to make crying noises again. "Okay, relax buddy, come on, let's take a walk and you can tell me what's wrong now okay?"