A LEAP OF THE EARLY BIRD

Her one and only...

There are words that have the power to hurt. There are words that have the power to heal. But there are no words that hold greater power than words letting one know they are loved. Those words should never be said lightly, because they are never taken as such. They reach the heart and its every corners. They reach the soul and its deepest parts. And Sanem Aydin was very much aware of it.

Sanem was always bold, strong, and confident in how she carried herself through life. But she was shy when it came to her feelings. She was a dreamer with her head in the coulds. A dreamer who dared to believe good things would come her way, yet not as confident she would find a way to get where she wanted to go. But fate stepped in, in the most unpredictable way. Being thrown into a brand new kind of world the day Sanem started working at Fikri Harika made her head spin. And that was only the beginning. Never ever, in her wildest dreams, would she have predicted that her first day at work would become the day that changed her life forever. Because she met the mysterious man who kissed her heart away. Realizing that this man was none other than Can Divit himself filled her heart with indescribable happiness. She fell in love with him, and knew she would love him forever. But realizing he was the Albatross she was searching for, that he chose her over Polen, and that he too had feelings for her also made her worry. She would do anything for him, but she also made mistakes that would hurt him without a doubt. And that scared her. As much as she wanted to proclaim her love and her feelings for him, she feared she would never be able to do so. Not only because of her conscience, but also due to the fact that she knew they belonged to two different classes and different worlds...

Can cared about her, she realized that a while ago. The thought of it filled her with happiness, it also filled her with hope. Hope that she may mean something to someone like him. Hope that someday she may find a way to conquer the mistakes she had made. Hope that somehow they may end up together. But she never would have imagined that she was not the only one who hoped so. There was someone else beside her who felt what she felt in her heart. And that someone was Can. She fell in love with him, but hadn't thought he could have feeling for her. But he did. And nothing prepared her for the words she heard with her own ears. Words spoken by Can...

Standing on the terrace of Can's family property felt as if she stepped into somewhere far away from Istanbul. The land seemed undisturbed for years, yet it felt so welcoming. She felt the heart of it beat within each tree and ivy sprawling accross the ground. She saw her beloved Istanbul in a different light. She felt it, and heard it as if for the first time. And she got to experience that with Can. Looking at him, she could see how much it meant to him. That day she saw him in a completely new light. He felt so at home and so happy there. She saw something in his eyes, when he was looking over the terrace and far into the distance. That light in his eyes made her heart happy. He asked if she would close her eyes and see if she could hear the voice of Istanbul. She did. It wasn't just the sound of Istsanbul, it was its voice. Vivid, joyous, cheerful voice beaming with life. The people, the animals and birds, the nature. All of it played in one harmonious melody that she could feel all the way to her soul. She felt so very thankful to Can for bringing her to that indescribable place. She felt grateful. She felt happy. And then, her world stopped. She no longer heard the conversations, nor children, nor dogs, nor birds, nor the nature. The only thing that her heart registered was Can's voice...

"I fell in love with You, Sanem..."

Her heart felt every word explode in a billion bright stars. She felt every letter. Whatever she felt the moment she found out Can was her mysterious Albatross she felt a thousand times-fold now. She held on to him. Held on tight and held on for dear love of life. She felt his heart beat right beside hers. She felt it beat inside hers. She felt his arms around her, and she could see he felt the same way. They shared an embrace as pure as any two hearts in love could have ever shared. He asked if she had anything to say. She could not have offered him any spoken words. She knew no words would ever be able to express what she felt. How she felt. He not only cared about her. He loved her. Really loved her. She may not have known him for a long time, but for whatever time she knew him, she was fully aware that he meant what he said. So to hear him say that, to hear him whisper those words, meant everything to her...

They held each other, and she realized that what she told him rang very true. There was no escaping him. Nowhere to run. Not that she would ever want to attempt it. Her heart filled with his love so completely that it no longer felt hers. And she could see in his eyes that he was just as in love with her as she was with him. That excitement and happiness mixed with regret of her mistakes and fear of what tomorrow would bring. She would have to come clean with him about what she had done. All things she had done. But that would be later. What mattered now was the two of them and how they felt in that very moment. She felt safe and so complete in his arms. She laid her head on his chest, very much like at the hut when they danced. She let her soul fill with every heartbeat she heard, every breath he took. She looked up, and all she could see was love in his eyes. She did not feel like she was lost in her mixed emotions. No, not in that moment, when she let her soul dream and let her mind wish that the fate might find a way to keep them together forever. Because he loved her. He was her home. He was her heart. He was her one and only...