A LEAP OF THE EARLY BIRD

What truly mattered...

Being held in the beloved one's arms makes worries go away. Makes them distant and almost nonexistent. It makes one believe that the world is a better place. It makes one believe that dreams of a future together have a chance of coming true. It makes one believe that they matter, if only to one that person, and for all lifetime to come...

Deciding to reveal her feelings to Can, Sanem finally released the fear she held onto for so long. And she finally accepted that none other than Can Divit himself was as in love with her as she was with him. There would be consequences to her coming to him with her heart open to his love, but she would face them. And she hoped they would face them together. But for now, they would enjoy their love and their new beginning. Together. Can drove her home. Saying goodbye never felt so hard to her until now. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, but the dawn of the day was not that far. Can mentioned they should tell her parents that they were in love, but that only scared her. She knew how her family's world worked. No one was someone's beloved unless they were soon to be married. No one held hands and did not expect to hold them forever. And no one embraced or kissed their beloved if their future did it stand for a forever future. And Sanem knew she would never be able to be bold enough to wish for all of those things with Can. She would only wish for now. Now. For the moment in time when Can held her hand. Because she felt his love now, and now was all that mattered. But she did permit herself one moment of love's sheer madness, and leaned in and bestowed Can with the sweetest of kisses upon his cheek. And she could see that he understood what that kiss meant to her. Because she really loved him, with every part of her heart...

Rushing to Ayhan's home, she spared no time and revealed all of what happened to Ayhan, and Osman too. They understood her, as only a kindred spirits would. And she felt so happy to be able to speak with them. About all the details, about all of her feelings. Osman, for the big brother he had always been to Sanem, felt relieved she went to Can and professed her love. He knew Sanem's heartache like no other, and he knew just how much hidden and unrequainted feelings could feel. And he envied Sanem for having found the courage to stand in front of Can and reveal her feelings to him. And he could not have felt happier to hear that Can seemed as in love with Sanem as she was with him. What's more, Can seemed to even request that she called HIM her beloved. Ayhan was just as happy for Sanem. Though they had all feared for Sanem and her heart when it came to her mistakes, they all hoped a love like Sanem's and Can's would prove stronger than what she had done because of Emre. And just a mere mention of Emre's name drove Osman mad. He despised the man. More than that - he loathed him. Not only did Emre take advantage of Sanem's innocence and good intentions, but he took advantage of Leyla's affection for him - though Emre had not completely realized Leyla's feelings for him. But Osman did not know that. All he knew was that Emre Divit stood for everything worst in a man.

Thankful for a heartfelt conversation with Ayhan and Osman, Sanem returned home, only to be faced with her parent's attempt to pay her back for a loan she had paid off, and worst of all, with Leyla's keen eye when it came to her excuses regarding Can Bey. Where Mevkibe and Nihat chose to trust Sanem and her explanations regarding the night before and their daughter's plan to pay off their debt, Leyla saw right through her sister's mischievous excuses. Especially when Sanem began to receive messages, and especially when she could not hide her excitement nor the spark in her eyes. There was more to that story, Leyla was sure of it, and the story most certainly revolved around Can. But before she got a chance to question Sanem about any of it, Sanem flew out of the house faster than an early bird. Because Can was already waiting for her..

And he was. Not far from Sanem's home. And neither of them could have hidden their happiness when they saw each other. Sanem never realized how amazingly bright a morning could be until she shared it with Can. And Can could not have been more content to finally be able to share his morning with his beloved Sanem. And their tea, and their simit. All of it tasted much more amazing because he shared it with her. Especially simit, when she fed it to him. But something had dimmed in Sanem's eyes the moment they teached the agency. Though she held his hand just a moment ago, she let it go. He wondered why. And wondered why now. She told him it was because she did not want to let anyone know about them just yet. Not yet, not with their love so new and so precious. It was theirs to cherish, and theirs to protect. So he agreed, even if secrets did not lay calm with his heart. Because he realized that what truly mattered was that they were together. Hand in hand, heart to heart. And he would make sure it would remain that way, for all the days to come...