The Return To Love

Chapter Twenty One

       Sanem made her way up to the 4th floor. As the doors of the elevator opened and she stepped out, she wondered how many times she had barely missed Can in his coming and goings to see his father. 

      She looked down the hallway toward Aziz Divits room, then she turned and looked down the hallway toward her dad's room.... She smiled, "This was meant to be".... that's the only explanation she had for this odd occurrence. 

      She started down the hallway, hoping the her dad would be alone. The thought of pleading her case of a rekindled love while her sister or Melihat looked on  was a bit uncomfortable. 

       As she stopped in front of his door a wave of anxiety came over her. She recalled the first days and nights after Can had left, and she was so frantic trying to find him.. Her dad was sympathetic at first, even reassuring, telling her that Can just needed time to think and he would be back....

       But it was after the third week of not hearing from him, and all of my texts and phone calls going unanswered, that Nihat Aydin begin to think Can was not coming back.. His attitude changed... he refused to let Can's name even be spoken in the house again.

      Sanem took a deep breath and exhaled. She hoped he had soften a little over time, and with the fact of recovering from a near death experience, he would be able to understand how desperate she was to live her life as full as possible.

      She pushed the door open slowly, sticking her head inside. Her dad was propped up in his bed with the daily paper in front of his face...The room was empty.... So she stepped inside.

      " Dad, I'm glad you are well enough to sit up and read the paper." She stammered, stopping at the foot of his bed. Nihat lowered the paper to his lap, " Sanem my daughter, I have been waiting on you. I thought you would never get here." He explained with a smile as he removed his glasses.

      Sanem instantly felt a relief. She moved around to the side of his bed and leaned over to give him a hug. The hug was strong and intense... much like the hugs she had gotten from him when she was much younger..

       " You look great dad. How are you feeling?" She asked, surprised at the transformation from the last time she had seen him. Nihat smiled, " I feel good. I think I will get to go home in a few more days... 

       Her dad shifted in his bed to be able to see her better. " So, your mother told me you didn't leave." He said, motioning for her to pull the chair up closer to his bed. " Here sit down, I think we have a lot to talk about." 

      Sanem nodded, " Okay. But I hope you will listen to me first before you judge." She replied. Her dad had a strange vibe about him, she wasn't quite sure how to describe it. She folded her legs up under her in the chair to get comfortable, " So, what has mom told you?" She began, as she reached for her dad hand.

      He smiled, " You know your mother. She wants to be the one to tell what's going on." Nihat joked, patting her hand. " But to be honest, she didn't tell me anything that I couldn't feel in my bones."

       Sanem lowered her eyes, not wanting to see if her dad was already judging her for her actions. " Dad, I want to explain. You may not want to hear it....but I want you to understand why I didn't leave." Her voice cracked with emotion.

       Nihat had always been a soft spoken man, but if he didn't agree with something, he would make it known. " Go on my daughter. I'm ready to listen." He mumbled.

      Sanem nervously shifted in the chair. " I'm sure mom told you the Aziz Divit is here in this hospital as well. In fact, he is right down the hall." She stated, eyeing him. Nihat shook his head, confirming that he had been told.

      " Well it seems that Can was called back to Istanbul to be by his dad's side,... just as I was called back to be with you." She explained. " Can was here the whole time that I  was here and we never ran into each other. Thanks to our friend CeyCey and my sister Leila." She snipped, showing her disdain for their actions.

      Nihat listened without offering his thoughts. What CeyCey and Leila did was unthinkable, but he knew their reason behind it, even though he didn't agree with it.

      Sanem took a deep breath, " Dad, we almost missed each other. But a crowded airport saved us. We literally ran into each other as I was hurrying to my gate." She screeched, as a smile spread across her face.

       She leaned in closer to her dad. " This was meant to be dad. We were meant to be at the airport at the same time... we were meant to be back here in Istanbul right now. There is no other explanation for it." She whispered, her eyes rimmed with tears.

      Nihat had seen his daughter cry a sea of tears over Can Divit over the years. He had tried to help her get past it all.... But he knew that this would come one day. He knew he would be watching the tears fall again from her eyes....but these were tears of happiness.

      " So, you stayed to understand why Can left you back then...is that right. Or did you stay to forgive him for leaving you." He asked. " if I haven't learned anything else in my lifetime, I think I have leaned that the heart and the mind don't always work on the same wave length." He patted the side of his bed, motioning Sanem to join him.

      " I know that you have tried to be happy. Tried to make a new life in the Islands... even tried to move on with other relationships, but I could tell that none of that worked. Two days ago when you said your goodbyes and headed to the airport, there was no sparkle in your eyes...no glow to your face..But today, you are beaming." He muttered quietly, as he stroked her cheek..

      She smiled as he spoke. How did this man know her so well, she thought? Had it been so apparent to everyone how unhappy and unfulfilled she was, when she hadn't realized it herself.

      Nihat continued, " I knew that you and Can would find your way back to each other. It has taken longer than I expected... but nevertheless, here we are. If you are here to ask for my approval, ...you don't need it. The only thing I want, is for you to be happy. It's clear that Can is what makes you happy....so don't waste any more time.." He said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

       The tears were flowing down her face. But they were tears of joy and happiness. She couldn't believe her dad had been so understanding.

      " Dad, are you sure? Can and I are talking... he explained a lot to me and I told him about my life. But Javier showed up with an invitation to a very prestigious book signing.... 

      Nihat held up his hand, " Sanem, book signings can be rescheduled.... careers can be put on hold.... Your happiness should come first..... I think that you and Can have waited and suffered long enough....

      She grasped his hand, " Dad, I love him...I have already forgiven him for leaving. I think I did that the moment I saw him face to face in the airport.....  

      At that moment Sanem knew what she had to do.... She didn't want to waste anymore time.