LOOSING HOPE

TAKING PRECAUTIONS

Can called someone to install cameras around their home while they were still at the agency. It was a popular Istanbul video surveillance company. He also called a home alarm system to be installed. He wanted both done today and he told them he would pay extra if needed. They promised they would be installed before they got home from work. Can called his father to see if he could meet them at their home, since he had a key to their home. Can explained what was going on. Aziz said absolutely. Can kept a secret from Sanem since he knew she would not approve of it. He had purchased a handgun last year for protection. He never told Sanem because she did not like guns, especially around the kids. Can kept it locked at all times and was never kept loaded. He should have told her, but he didn't want to upset her. Can felt it was time to at least load it.

Can told Sanem what was being done at their home. Sanem thought it was a bit much, but she agreed. Can told her the safety of his wife and kids was never a bit much. She told him she could handle Hakan. Can raised his voice and asked her how she was going to handle Hakan if she had the triplets with her and her being 5 months pregnant. He told Sanem she not only had herself to think about, but she had their kids and unborn child to think about. Sanem knew she had pushed her husband to far this time. He was angry with her. She hugged her husband and told him she was sorry. She knew he was doing all this to protect his family. Can told her to stop arguing with his about it at every turn. She promised she would not argue about it anymore. Can kissed her and told her he wanted nothing to happen to her or their kids. Sanem said she understood.

Sanem started getting calls on her cell phone from an unknown number. She would answer and they would not say anything. Then the text messages started. The text messages wanted to know if she remembered him now. Sanem felt she knew Hakan from somewhere, but even with her photogenic memory she could not remember him. Apparently, he was from her past. She started thinking back to her teenage years. She had no guy friends in high school. She never got asked out on a date. She thought of college. She did get asked out a few times, but she never went. She wanted to concentrate on her studies. Was there anyone who continually asked her out? Anyone that seemed weird to her? Then it dawned on her. Hakan was in one of her bird classes. He sat behind her but always sat to close to her back for her comfort. It was like he wanted to smell her or something. He never asked her out, not like she would have gone anyway. He was just plan weird. She went to tell Can what she remembered.

Sanem also told Can about the unknown number who kept calling her and hanging up. She showed him the text message she received. Can was fuming. He immediately called the cell phone company and requested a new unlisted number for Sanem. It was changed within the hour. At the end of the day, they left a little early to meet the school bus. They arrived home and a few minutes later, the bus arrived to drop the kids off. Sanem watched her children get off the school bus. They were laughing and smiling. At least they all had a great day at school. Sanem greeted them with hugs and kisses. Sanem happened to glance out at the road and so a car parking on the side of the road. She immediately recognized Hakan. Can was beside her greeting the kids. She whispered to Can that Hakan was sitting in a car by the road. Can casually looked up and saw him. He immediately took off running towards the road. Sanem screamed at him to come back. Sanem told the kids to get in the house. By the time Can got to the road, Hakan had taken off.

Can came back to the house. Sanem was so angry with him, that she refused to talk to him. She walked right past him. She started making dinner. While it was cooking, she went to check if the kids had homework. All three had homework and they were working on it. Sanem went back to the kitchen to finish dinner. Can came into the kitchen and tried to hug Sanem, but she sidestepped him. Can smiled. He thought she was adorable when she was mad. He stepped in front of her and asked her what was wrong. Sanem just glared at him. Can gave her one of his sweetest smiles. She play smacked him and told him he could have been shot by Hakan by running out there in the road. Can told her he wasn't and Hakan ran like a scared chicken. Sanem told him they didn't know how unstable he was. Can told her he was sorry. He just felt the need to punch him. Sanem told him she couldn't lose him. Can told her he was not going anywhere. It was also his job to make sure she was safe at all times. He gave her a quick kiss.

Soon, dinner was on the table and everyone sat down to eat. The kids told them how their day went at school. Once dinner was over, the kids went to get their baths. Can helped Sanem clean up the kitchen. Can asked her if she was still mad at him. Sanem told him she was a little. He scared her when he ran out there to catch Hakan. She had tears in her eyes when she told him she could have lost him. She told Can she would not survive without him. Can promised her he was not going anywhere. He embraced his wife. He also promised he would never let that cucumber Hakan hurt her. Once the kids were tucked into bed, Sanem and Can sat on the balcony with a cup of tea. They watched the stars. Can has his arms wrapped around her and she was leaning against him.

Unknown to them, Hakan was watching them while they were sitting on the balcony. He told himself that Sanem should be his. He met her first. Those kids should be their kids. They should be married and watching the stars together. They would be together soon. That he promises.