If You Tell Me To Stay

Chapter 34

Authors note:

Apologies again for the delay. The final part of the Yellow Dress Saga is here! I TOTALLY misjudged how long it would be and I am glad (as I am sure all of you are too) that it got split up into these different chapters. Because that would have been loooooong.

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Emre and Sanem drove to his house where Leyla had already returned from picking up Altan and had started dinner. Sanem couldn't wait to change her clothes. When she first put on her gold dress and watched Can's reaction, she felt sexy and bold. Now she felt gross.

She asked Leyla if she could use her bathtub again and took the time to herself to call Aziz. She caught him up on everything that happened. The reporter, the fight, Can's arrest. Even with the soothing water, Sanem's dread just increased as she told the story. Aziz was confident that he would be able to handle some things from his end. Particularly concerning the reporter. She could already hear his keyboard clicking away as he got to work and a little while later she heard him mutter that the news station's security was a joke. That was one less worry for Sanem, but she still didn't look forward to sleeping without Can. And that it was her own fault.

Leyla had given her some pajamas to wear and they all sat down to a very quiet dinner. Sanem picked and poked at her food. Taking a bite every once in awhile. Emre's phone rang and he excused himself to answer. He came back and whispered something to Leyla. She gave him a smile and pulled him down to kiss her. Emre said his goodbyes and Sanem watched him leave and then turned to Leyla, "Is it about Can? Have they let him out?"

"Not yet."

Sanem was half out her chair, but sank back down and went back to picking at her food. "I hope Can and Umut will get something to eat. But I doubt it. That awful man probably forbade his officers from giving them dinner."

"Don't worry about Can. He has been through tougher conditions than this."

"I can't help it. Can and Umut don't get along. Them being locked up together in a tiny cell might just make everything worse."

"Or it might be just what they need."

"Maybe..." Sanem sighed, "At least they won't get into a fist fight. Can promised."

"So then don't worry. They won't be in there for long. Emre won't give up. He's doing what he can."

"You should go help him. I can watch Altan."

"Emre doesn't need help. And besides, who would be here to watch you?" Leyla looked at Sanem who had spent the entire evening behaving like a turtle trying to hide in its shell. "Emre mentioned what you said to Can earlier. About your dress."

Sanem looked back down and let out a heavy sigh, still feeling ashamed of herself. "Can was arrested because of that dress."

Leyla scoffed, "Oh please. Can was arrested because a mayor challenged him to a competition he could never win."

"And then I gave him the ammunition."

"Sanem, listen to me. It was not because of a dress. That fight started because two boys never grasped the simple concept of respect."

"I know, but I still should have -."

"No Sanem. There are no 'buts'. Your clothes don't dictate whether or not you deserve respect. You could walk into that gym wearing jeans and a T-shirt, a yellow dress, or hell! You could have walked into that gym naked! As your friend and lawyer I don't recommend doing that last one, as it is illegal. But my point is the same. Don't let those assholes make you feel uncomfortable in your skin. Don't let them have that."