LOOSING HOPE

TROUBLE BECOMES REALITY

2 weeks later

Sanem was back at the agency. Can did buy her a min van so she could drive back and forth to work. It was so much easier transporting the triplets to the day care center at the agency, instead of taking a taxi. Sanem was helping Emre and Leyla run the company. Can left for his first freelance photography job. He had been gone 2 days now. He called Sanem several times a day. They had still not made love since their camping trip. They were walking on eggshells around each other. Sanem could not figure out what had happened to her Can. When did his love die for her? Did he want out of this marriage? He barely spoke to her anymore. They were best friends and told each other everything. It was killing Sanem inside, but she kept a brave face on while at the agency.

Can had been away from home for 2 days now. He could not stop thinking about his wife. When did she stop loving him? Did she want a divorce? She barely spoke to him over the last two weeks. This was killing him not knowing what went wrong. He has not stopped thinking of her since he left for this freelance job. Was she even thinking about him? Did she miss him? Their phone conversations were short and to the point. Their conversations were usually about the kids or the agency. When did they stop communicating with each other? There was a small party this evening for him and the other freelance photographers. Can didn't want to go. He always attended such things with Sanem. It would not feel the same without her there. He knew he had to go. He would just put on a brave face.

Later at the party, Can was by himself at the bar. He was drinking his favorite drink...a whiskey. He was probably on his third one. He lost count. He was beginning to feel the effects, so he was stopping after this glass. Suddenly, he heard a small voice beside him. They said hello, stranger. Can turned around and it was Ayca. His agency completed a campaign for her uncle. Can told her hello. Ayca asked what he was drinking alone for. Can told her because he felt like being alone. Ayca ordered the same thing and said now he didn't have to drink alone. She asked how everything was at the agency. Can told her business was slow at the moment. He told her he picked up a freelance photography gig to make extra money. Ayca asked him where Sanem was. Can said his wife was home with our babies. Ayca was surprised to hear Can was married to Sanem and had babies. Ayca was standing way to close to Can and he was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Ayca laid her hand on his arm and told him congratulations on his marriage and babies. Can told her thank you. Before Can could remove her hand from his arm, somebody snapped a picture of the two of them. Can had no idea somebody was taking pictures of him and Ayca. Can eventually removed Ayca's hand and excused himself. He decided to leave the party and head back to his hotel room. He was ready to call it a night.

The next day at the agency, Sanem arrived. She had dropped the triplets off at the day care and then headed upstairs. All the employees were in excitement mode. When they saw Sanem they all shushed and separated. Sanem could not figure out what was going on. Cey Cey came up to her with a gossip rag magazine in his hand. He told her he wanted to show her something before the wrong person ended up showing her. He was babbling on and on. She finally told Cey Cey to just show her. He opened up the magazine and there was a picture of Can and Ayca together. The caption read "Trouble in Paradise?" Sanem was in shock. Was she the reason Can has stopped touching her? Was he having an affair with Ayca? She could not breathe. She had to get out of here. She went and picked the kids back up from day care and headed home. She needed to do something, but what?

She decided she was leaving. She still had the key to her old home on Mihriban's farm. She packed clothes for her and all three kids. She loaded up the mini van and left. She could no longer stay with Can if he was cheating on her. She arrived at the farm and Mihriban was standing outside. She was excited to see the her and the kids. Sanem told her she was moving back into her old house. Mihriban asked why. Sanem told Mihriban that Can was cheating on her. It was all over the magazines...pictures of the two of them. Mihriban could not believe Can would cheat on her. Sanem said her either, but it was all there in black and white. Mihriban helped Sanem take the kids into the house. Bulut cam and helped carry in their clothes. He didn't ask questions. If Sanem wanted him to know anything, she would tell him. Sanem got their clothes unpacked and then realized there was no food in the house. Mihriban said she would stay with the kids, while she ran to the grocery store. Sanem left for the grocery store. Can had been blowing up her telephone for the last hour with calls and text messages. She refused to answer any of them. She was to hurt.

She got everything she needed from the grocery store. As she was checking out, there was the gossip papers with Can and Ayca all over the front of them. Sanem picked up one and she wasn't even sure why. She paid for the groceries and headed back to the farm. Can was still blowing up her phone and she still was not answering. She finally took a picture of the cover of the gossip magazine and sent it to Can. He immediately called her, but she refused to pick up. Can texted her telling her it wasn't what it seemed. She would not reply. She eventually turned her phone off.

Can was livid when Sanem sent him that cover picture of him and Ayca. She would not accept any of his calls and would not answer any of his text messages. He decided he was packing up and headed home. He loaded up his truck and headed home. He was a few hours from home, but he was on his way. He had to explain to her what that picture was all about. She had to listen to him. Once he arrived home, the min van was not in the driveway. He entered the house and it was dark. No Sanem and no kids to greet him. He looked in the closets and saw all their clothes gone. Realization hit him hard. His wife left him and took their kids with her.