Chapter 8

The next morning Can and Sanem went to the neighborhood to visit her aunt and uncle. They parked his truck by the water at the park. Can was taking pictures, of people walking the buildings anything he thought interesting.  Sanem just watched him, she loved watching him do what he loves, actually she just liked watching him, he's so hunky. Smiling to herself. Can also took pictures of Sanem when she wasn't looking. He couldn't resist, she's such a natural beauty.

SANEM: " Can I hope you let me see these pictures when you develop them."

CAN: " of course I will, it's beautiful here Sanem and everyone is so friendly."

SANEM: "yes, it is, I told you people are always willing to help anyone, and are very friendly." Are you ready to go to my aunt and uncle's"

CAN: "let's go, I'm looking forward to meeting them."

SANEM: "I told them that I'm your mom's personal assistant, and you're are her son, and we're very good friends." He just looked at and smiled.

CAN: " what ever you say, Sanem."

Mevcabi opened the door and grabbed Sanem and started hugging her. She looked at Can and then Sanem. Her wheels are already turning.

SANEM: "aunt Mevcabi, this is Can, I told you about him, remember?"

MEVCABI: " of course welcome Can, it's nice to meet you!" And uncle Nihat walks in. He grabs Sanem and starts hugging her.

SANEM: " uncle Nihat this is Can."

NIHAT: " nice to meet you son, welcome, Sanem told us about you and your family."

CAN: " nice to meet you too sir. Yes sanem also told us about you all." Sanem just looked at Can, smiling, and she was happy because it seemed that her aunt and uncle took a liking to him. And Mevcabi didn't miss a beat she saw the way Sanem was looking at him. And the glances he was giving her.  She can see the interest in each other.

SANEM: " uncle Nihat, were you working today? Today is Sunday. Aren't you close today?"

NIHAT: " yes, dear we're closed, but I got a big order in yesterday and I'm trying to put everything on its shelves and clean up everything but it's exhausting. I'll go in early tomorrow morning and finish up."

CAN: "uncle Nihat, let me help, you will finish much faster"

NIHAT: "son you came here to visit not to work, sit and relax, and we can get to know each other"

CAN: " really, I love to keep active and I would love to help , let's go I won't take no for an answer." Nihat agreed and they went to the Bacal.

MEVCABI: "Sanem, come help me in the kitchen."

Sanem followed her aunt into the kitchen, she knew it was interrogation time.

SANEM: " auntie, I saved my appetite I can't wait to eat your wonderful food."

MEVCABI: "I hope Can enjoy's our food, being that in his world they eat very differently."

SANEM: "actually he loves food like this, his stepmother makes it all the time."

MEVCABI: " stepmother, what happened to his mother?"

SANEM: " she left him and his brother when they were very young, she rarely comes into their lives. Actually they don't want her. She's not a very good person from what I understood. They love their stepmother like a mother. She treated them like her sons, and they call her Annem , not Miriban."

MEVCABI: " that's so nice, he seems like a very nice young man."Very handsome, well mannered."

SANEM: " yes, he is. He's a good friend" Mevcabi smiles and looks at her side ways. Friend's? Ok , these two haven't realized it yet, that they like each other more than friends.

MEVCABI: "He seems like a good catch Sanem, don't you think?"

SANEM: " I guess, I never thought about him that way."  Boy was she lying out of her teeth.

MEVCABI: " okay my beautiful niece, what ever you say, but he seems to like you."

SANEM: "'I don't think so, aunt Mevcabi, he has a girlfriend, and she's very beautiful, you should see her she looks like a model, she works in London." I wish he did like me.

MEVCABI: " oh, really, that's nice, probably rich like they are." But Can seems more humble."

SANEM: "very humble, you should meet Miriban and Cans father Aziz, you would never know that they come for money .  you know he's a world famous photographer I went to one of his openings at the gallery, which was a fundraiser for the orphanage. His pictures are amazing."

MEVCABI: " I knew , I knew him from somewhere, I've seen many of his pictures. They are very good."

Back at the bacal. Can and Nihat are almost done.

NIHAT: " Thank you son, this was a big help. I'm getting older, I get tired easier."

CAN:  " it was my pleasure sir.  If there's anything else I can do just let me know."

NIHAT: " Thank you! So you and Sanem, seem like good friends. It's nice to know she's being taken care of, she's very special that one. Both girls are good, but Sanem is definitely different."

CAN: " yes sir, I noticed, she has a very good heart, and very smart." Nihat noticed the look on Can's face. He knew that he was smitten.

NIHAT: " well we're done here are you hungry?"

CAN: " yes, very, I'm looking forward to aunt Mevcabi's cooking, Sanem told me she's the best cook in the neighborhood."

NIHAT: " that for sure, look at my stomach, ( and he pats his stomach) I can't get enough of her food." They both start laughing, Nihat puts his arm around Can's shoulder and says "son all I have to say is once you eat her food you will definitely come back for more."

They got home and dinner was ready. Mevcabi and Nihat really liked Can, he was easy to talk to. And funny they loved the stories he told them of his adventures.

MEVCABI: " Can, we would love to meet your parents one day. Maybe they could come for dinner."

CAN: " I'm sure they would love that thank"

Mevcabi was a very smart woman, she could see these two liked each other. Let's see where this goes.

Can and Sanem had a great time at her aunt and uncle's.

CAN: "Sanem, your aunt is a great cook, I'm definitely coming back for more"

SANEM: "and she will definitely invite you, you praised her cooking to last a lifetime. And believe me that made you her favorite person in the world" and she start laughing. "plus they both really did like you, thank you for helping my uncle. He's getting older and gets tired easier."

CAN: " I was happy to help, he's a very nice man, he reminds me of my father, soft spoken.  And for your information I didn't lie, I told her the truth, your aunts food is the best I ever had."

SANEM: " yes, you did tell her the truth, thank you for coming with me Can, it was nice, ( he looked at her and smiled) "ok , let's go sit by the water. And have some tea." It's a beautiful clear night." It was late, but it was still nice to sit and relax and look into the water.

CAN: " sit and relax, I will go get the tea, do you want anything else, like ice cream?" And he pinched her cheek. She looked into his eyes and smiled.

SANEM: " no, I ate so much. Just tea is good. Thank you." Can went to get the tea, Sanem is sitting there with a big smile on her face. She really enjoys Can's company. Oh, how I wished he didn't have a girlfriend.

Who am I kidding, our worlds are so different, even if he didn't have a girlfriend, he probably wouldn't want to be with me. Only as friends ( I think he likes you! )(I doubt it, get out of my head.) Sanem stood up to breathe in the fresh air. When someone grabs her from behind, " well, well, the little waitress from the club! Where is your boyfriend, no body guard tonight? "

SANEM: " get away from me" she smacks him across the face, and tries to run. But he grabs her and slaps her back. " you owe me bitch, because of your boyfriend I have a broken nose, now it's payback, I didn't get to have your hot body that night, but now your mine. He grabs her and punches her in the face, and she got very dizzy. All of a sudden he's pulled away from her and Can starts beating him up, he couldn't stop. Some people heard the screams and ran over and saw Can beating him up, they pulled him off , and they called the police. Can ran over to Sanem, "are you okay?", he hugs her close, Sanem is crying. And she's nuzzled in his arms and her face in his neck.

SANEM: " Can, don't let me go, please."

CAN: " no way bebek I won't let you go. come let's sit." Meanwhile the police came and took a statement from Sanem and Can.  And assured them that he will be spending some time in jail. " Sanem, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone."

SANEM: " Can, it's not your fault, please don't feel bad, things like this never happen in this area. It's always been safe, I would always come here at night with my friends. He just remembered me from the club, that's all" she scratches his beard. "Thank you for saving me again," and she starts giggling, "'I think I may have my own personal body guard"he hugs her tightly and says

CAN: "I will always protect you with my life, I promise!" And he kisses her on the head.

SANEM: " well let's hope something like this never happens again" " how about if we go home and have some tea." he asked her if she wanted to go to the hospital, but she refused.

CAN: "okay, let's go home so you can rest" he kept his arm around her, she was a little dizzy from the punch, but good enough to walk.

They got home , Sanem was feeling better, they made their tea and sat outside, looking at the stars.

Sanem laid down on the lounger and started to fall asleep.

CAN: "Sanem, let's go inside, so you can go to sleep."

SANEM: "no Can, please I want to sleep here, stay with me, I don't want to sleep alone tonight."She didn't have to tell him twice, he went and got a blanket and laid next to her. Sanem was happy, it felt so nice having him next her like this. "Good night Can, thank you for not leaving me alone" " good night Sanem, trust me I wouldn't have left you alone tonight."  She cuddled in his arms and they both fell asleep.