They spent a nice evening all together, Alp ordered some delivery food for dinner, because Ayça didn't have time to prepare the dishes she had planned to make. She could cook the next day, perhaps Alp who was an excellent cook would have helped her.
They spent some quality time together tho, they ate fish and chips, they watched a Christmas movie on Netflix, while the flame in the fireplace was warming the room and their hearts.
Ayça felt a bit jealous, because Mavi spent all the evening clinging to Alp's arm, denying her mother all the accesses to both of them. It was natural for the kid wanting to spend all the time with her dad and in the end Ayça was just happy to feel that they were safe, that Mavi was safe, that they were together.
When Mavi fell asleep in her father's arms they had some difficulty to get her to bed without waking her up. Mavi was too young to understand what she had done, all the fear that her parents experienced, and they both knew that they should have scolded her more for what she did, but they barely had enough energy to tell her that what she did was wrong.
Ayça stood by Mavi's bed a few minutes before going back to the living room. She stroked her daughter's hair and watched her sleeping; she still couldn't believe what happened, but having both Mavi and Alp there helped her to calm her nerves and just enjoy the moment.
She locked the front door with keys before joining Alp on the couch.
He was just more quite and brooding as usual. She could see all the concern in his eyes now, and her heart melted when she finally realised that he had been strong the whole day for them and that he had pushed his own feelings away just not to make matters worse.
-Okay, you want to talk?
She asked with the sweetest voice, brushing his hair over his ear. He was looking into the fire and he didn't even look up at her.
-It's all my fault. I mean she ran off the school because of me. I told her to look at the sea every time she missed me. I had to think that she actually could do exactly this, but I hadn't. I am so sorry, I feel guilty and I am confused.
Ayça took a deep breath. She knew exactly what she had to do. Reassuring him just like he did before to her. She took his hand in hers and she brought it to her lips, to gently kiss it.
-Alp. Bana bak.
He reluctantly looked up at her. His eyes softened when they met hers.
-Alp you are the best father ever. Until I met you, my late father, blessed be his soul, was the only best father that I knew. But you, you are the purest human being I've ever met. It's such a blessing for me that you are the father of my child. I couldn't have asked for any more than to have you in my life, and in my daughter's life. Even when we were miles apart you've always been there for Mavi...and for me.
So don't beat yourself over this; Mavi is very smart, she is far beyond of average children her age. She will see that she made a mistake. We'd be more careful in the future, o kadar.
Alp looked at her with gratitude as he pulled her closer, wrapping her in his strong arms.
-Ayça...I know that we already talked about this and that you are nor ready to go back to the city life. But I can no longer live a single day without my daughter and without you. What happened today shook me to my core. What if I was not on my way to Sigacik? What if I am stuck in Istanbul and something happens to Mavi or to you? I need you to be with me in every single day of my life Ayça. I've wasted far too much time away from you.
-It's only for two more weeks sevgilim. And then you will move here, Mavi must finish the school term, we can deal with it. Or we can go with you to Istanbul for fifteen days then come back here, but I don't feel good about rushing Mavi around from one place to another.
Alp sighed, holding her even tighter in his arms.
-You're right. You're always right.
-Bak, we have plenty of time to make decisions about our future, there is no need to rush things. All I want now for us right now is to chill out a little, enjoy each other company...let's not waste what little time we have...
She released herself from his arms and started tinkering with the remote control.
-what are you doing?
-just setting the mood
Suddenly the TV started to spread the notes of their song "strangers in the night" by Frank Sinatra.
Ayça smiled and all he could do was to look at her and being dazzled by all that incredible beauty.
-Do you remember?
-How could I forget?
She got up and stood facing him for a few seconds before reaching out her hand and touch his, silently asking him to dance.
-Hadi gel...
He looked up the length of her torso to her eyes, the expression on her face the most sensuous he'd ever seen. Then he knew the time was right.
He reached for her and his hand slid around her waist, his gaze fastened on her cherry lips, and he pulled her close, he pulled her more as he'd scared she might vanish.
He could remember everything. Their first bonfire on the beach on a summer night, the same song in the background, her luscious lips, her blue eyes turning glowing red mirroring the fire flames.
She reached out and cupped his cheek, rubbing her thumb along the contours of his features and down to his lips.
-Kiss me
she commanded, voice raspy and laced with need.
He groaned harshly, tangling his hands in the mass of her hair to pull her face to his.
-You want me to kiss you?
he breathed against her lips, barely touching them.
Ayça whined and rubbed against him.
-Kiss me...
Still dancing, he finally claimed her lips in a fierce embrace, slanting his mouth over hers and mercilessly invading her as she opened for him.
Was it possible to consume someone completely, to want them so wholly that you yearned to devour their soul?
A muffled moan escaped from her lips as she breathed in a short spurt of air between his kiss. He dominated her mouth, communicating an ownership of her body.
-I love you so much Ayça...
The way he said her name was like a stroke down her body, and it made her shudder.
-I love you too.
-I think that we should make it official.
Her usually wide-open blue eyes narrowed, mirroring the confusion in her mind. She smiled slightly.
-Make it official? Do you want to inform the press or what?
His lips twitch slightly, suppressing a smile.
-Hayır, I don't want to inform the press, although they will find out anyway.
-so what?
She smiled, the last traces of her scepticism were fading away with each minute.
-I know that in the past we didn't consider it necessary, but now it's different, I want to be fully committed to you for the rest of my life.
Ayça held her breath, looking at him with sparking eyes.
-Alp you are killing me, söyle!
He stroke her silky hair with one hand, while pulling something from his pocket with the other.
It was an istant and Alp bent on his knee slowly revealing the content of the little box.
A diamond ring.
Ayça got a bit of shock and it took seconds, maybe minutes to understand what was going on. Her emotions at that moment were so strong, so confused, that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry from happiness.
The ring was so dazzling and shining that Ayça had to close her eyes, while her heart pumped at full speed in her chest.
-Ayça, look at me...
Alp murmured, his deep voice dropping an impossible octave lower with blatant emotion.
She opened her eyes again and she met his.
His eyes were so filled with love, she felt swallowed up in their fathomless depth.
-Ayça, I've loved you at first sight, I was loving you even before you actually noticed that I existed and I knew we were meant to be together.
I love you so much, infinitely more than anybody could love another person. You are my favorite person in the world and you are the only one I want to share my life with.
Ayça...will you marry me?
