Tightrope

Chapter 21

Previously:

A tremor went through Can's body, and Sanem felt it. She scooted closer to him and held onto his arm with both hands, pressing her body against his side. She turned her face toward him and kissed his shoulder. His fingers tightened around her hand. "Baba, why would I hate you? What have you kept from me?"

"Please forgive me, son...I've kept your mother from you."

***

Sanem's eyes stayed on Can's face; she needed to be able to read him. What was Aziz saying?

Can's brow furrowed in confusion and he shook his head slightly. He looked at Sanem to gather strength. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her, then looked back at his father. "Baba, what do you mean you've kept my mother from me? I know we were never close, but that wasn't your fault," Can said, hoping the thought he had at the back of his mind wasn't true.

"Son, I know you've always had a strained relationship with Huma. I know you've always felt she favored Emre, and you were right. She favored Emre because she's his mother," Aziz said, looking into Can's eyes before he continued, "but not yours."

"Baba, what do you mean? How is it possible that she's not my mother? How is it possible to pretend to be pregnant and give birth? What are you saying? If she's not my mother, who is? Is it Mihriban? How could she have given me up to Huma? How could you allow it?" The questions poured out of Can, his voice raising with each question. His head was spinning. It wasn't devastating to learn that Huma wasn't his mother--if he was honest with himself, it was actually a relief. But his real mother...she had just given him to that woman? Why? How could she do it?

Sanem rubbed his arm up and down with one hand while she held onto his hand with the other. He was so tense, and she was afraid he'd snap. She couldn't imagine what it must be like for him to hear this news. Could Mihriban be Can's mother?

Aziz answered the question on Can's and Sanem's minds. "Yes, son. Mihriban is your mother."

"Baba, I'm trying really hard to stay calm. Thank god Sanem is here right now. Please explain this to me. I need you to tell me everything."

"Can, I know you may not forgive me, but I can't keep the truth from you anymore, especially not with her so near, having such a close relationship with your Sanem." He looked at Sanem apologetically before he continued. "I'm sorry you're caught in the middle of this."

"Aziz amca, I'm really grateful that you're allowing me to be here for Can. I know this is a private family matter."

"You're an angel, Sanem," Aziz replied. "You are family. You are certainly the closest person to Can, and you always have been. He needs you."

Can looked at her and cupped her cheek in his free hand. He kissed her forehead and her temple. "Go on, Baba," he said, the softness in his expression turning to stone as soon as he turned his attention from Sanem back to his father.

Aziz knew their relationship would never be the same, and it broke his heart. He and Can had always had a close relationship. He couldn't stand the idea of losing his son, but he went on with his story. "As I said, Mihriban and I have a long history. We were in love, but my family disapproved of us being together. We were young, but my parents had already decided that I would marry Huma and take her father's place at the head of the company when it was time, as Huma was their only child and she was a daughter, not a son. It's an old practice, but we were promised from the time we were children for the purpose of growing the family fortune."

Sanem couldn't believe the old fashioned ideas that were at play in Aziz and Mihriban's fate; everything was so unfair. She understood now why Huma treated her the way she did--she was raised to believe someone from Sanem's background was inferior.