SANEM AND CAN: OUR LIFE WILL NEVER BE BORING

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Because of a comment that reader LenkaZavaternikova, made about Can visiting cemetery, I changed part of first paragraph to include Can going with Dante instead of his Nonna.   Thank you very much for input, I like it better.  (I do know the airlines would not let the children share a seat, but on my plane they can.)   Please enjoy.

The morning before they were leaving for an afternoon flight to Instanbul, Can and Dante went to the cemetery where his parents were buried.   Dante stood at their graves and told them about, Can, Sanem, his new brother and sisters.   He told them he was going to move to Turkey, but he was taking his heart beat with him and he wouldn't forget them ever.

Can stood by his side, with tears in his eyes listening, Dante turned to him and ask, "Are you going to tell them anything?"   Can said, "Okay.  Brother Luca and friend Elena, thank you for letting us take care of your son.   We will love him and help him to grow up just like his Papa', a good strong man, and sweet like his Momma."   After that they put fresh flowers on the grave and they left to meet everyone at the airport.

The flight on Wednesday, to Turkey was long, but the children had so much fun taking Dante and Nonna home with them.  Bayan Cemile told all of them to start calling her Nonna as Bayan Cemile was too hard for the younger children to say.

When they got on the plane, Can had arranged for all of them to sit together, three rows of two, across the aisles from each other.   Deniz and Yildiz insisted that they share one seat, beside their Anne, because of their size the attendants allowed it.    Ates wanted to sit by Nonna, behind them, and Can and Dante were across the aisle.   The girls, including Sanem, fell asleep very quickly.    Ates stayed awake and ask questions of Nonna about planes, Italy, riding in a wheelchair, and being a Nonna.   She loved it and laughed a lot at his questions.   After a while both of them dosed off.

The younger children would be four in about three months, and were very intelligent.  Can and Dante spent a lot of time talking about flying, his Papa' flying, and Turkey.   Dante was very intelligent for an eight year old almost nine.

When they arrived in Turkey, Leyla and Emre met them at the airport.   Emre had traded his red sports car in for a minivan, when they found out they were having twins.   Can's truck was at the airport, and he loaded their luggage in the back and the three smallest children into their car seats, teasing Emre the whole time for buying a minivan.   Emre laughed and said, "I think you will be driving a three row vehicle, very soon yourself."

Sanem rode in the minivan with Dante and Nonna.   There was room in the back of the truck for the wheelchair.   After Sanem introduced Bayan Cemile to Leyla and Emre, she told them to call her Nonna, also.   She kept looking at Emre and told Sanem quietly,  " Emre has Luca's smile and lighter eye color."

When they arrived at Can and Sanem's, the kids all got out and the girl's grabbed Dante's hand saying we have to show you everything.  He looked at Ates, and motioned come on with his head.   Ates went behind them saying, "Be nice to the ladies."   Emre and Leyla started laughing and Emre ask, "What did you teach that boy in Italy?   He seems to have learned things about women."

The adults laughed a lot when Can told them what Dante had told Ates, about being nice to the ladies and Ates has taken it to heart.   Leyla leaned over to Nonna saying, "That's a Divit man trait, they are learning early."   The women enjoyed laughing at the brothers.

When they got inside, and were wheeling Nonna to her room on the first floor, she was saying, "I've been to this house before, as this was where Aziz grew up."   Leyla looked at Sanem and she mouthed 'tell you later to her and Emre.'

Nonna loved her room with the large window that looked out over the ocean and back garden.   It had a soft lavender flowered bed coverings and a recliner in the corner with a reading light.   Fresh flowers were on the bedside table, thanks to Leyla.   There was plenty of room for a wheelchair to move freely around the room and into the bathroom.  There was a stand-up shower stall, with a bamboo shower stool inside.   It was the perfect room for Nonna to be independent and have privacy.

Dante ran back down the stairs with the other three close behind him.    He stopped in front of Sanem and raised up and whispered, "Is that big blue room really mine?   That's what Ates told me."   Sanem hugged him and said very softly, "Yes it is, if you like it.   Will it be okay or would you rather have another room?"   He replied with tears in his eyes, "No it's perfect.  Thank you so much."   He ran over to his Nonna, and began whispering in her ear, she looked over and Sanem and said, "Thank you so much for welcoming us into your home."

Can and Emre brought the luggage into the house and divided them between the rooms.  Sanem and Leyla went up to help the children unpack and talk.   Nonna was lying down resting for a few minutes in her recliner.   Sanem whispered, "There is a lot I can't tell you right now, because it isn't my story, but you will know all very shortly.   Thank you so much for arranging the room for Nonna.   It looks beautiful."    Leyla replied, "You are very welcome, but it was easy as it was your decorated guest room, and we just moved it downstairs.   We moved Can's office upstairs.  I just added the flowers.   Dante does look like Can and Emre both; can you tell me if he is Can's son?"    Sanem hugged her sister and said, "As soon as I can tell you, you will be the first one to know, but you will probably hear before I tell you."

Can and Emre went into Dante's room to see if he needed any help.  He was sitting on the bed with a sad look on his face, when they entered the open door.   Can went over and squatted in front of him saying, "Son are you okay?   Why do you look sad?"   Dante replied, "I'm okay not really sad, but everything is different and I don't know how to feel.   I miss my parents, I miss being close to Nonna when I sleep, but I love everything here.   Is it okay?"

Can hugged him saying, "All of that is normal feelings and I am so sorry for all of the changes.   Your Nonna is very close, just down the stairs.   I will put an intercom system in here so you can call her anytime to talk.  Of course you can go to her room whenever you want.   It even has a big bed, if you decide to sleep with her at night.   We can help you unpack and we will go eat something and you can explore with the kids.   Tomorrow your boxes should be here from Italy, you and I will hang some pictures of your Mamma and Papa' on the walls in your room.   Would that be okay?"   Dante said, "Really that would be great!   Ates told me you painted fire trucks in his room.   Could you help me paint airplanes in my room?"   Can said, "Absolutely, and we will paint some that look like the planes your Papa' flew.   How would that be?"

He jumped up and started opening his suitcase, and before he could throw clothing into the drawers, Can and Emre showed him how to fold and put neatly in drawers and hang in the closet.   Deniz, Yildiz, and Ates ran to door calling, "Come on Dante, Anne said time to eat."  He looked at Can, who said, "Go on, we are finished now.   We will be right there."

After they left Emre said, "Is he your son?   You know he looks like both of us?"    Can replied, "Emre this isn't my story to tell, but I will tell you that I was very shocked.   You will know the whole story by this weekend.   If something happens that it isn't revealed by then, I will tell you myself.   Right now I have promised to not say anything until the parties involved have a chance to talk."   They left the room with their arms around each other's shoulders, pushing each other, and laughing.

Sanem and Leyla stood at the bottom of the stairs with their arms crossed, and Sanem said, "Children behave, or you won't get lunch."   They just laughed at their wives and caught them in big hugs, saying brother race you to the table.  They took off running toward the patio where the food was on the table, with Leyla and Sanem following and laughing at their antics.