1. THIS IS ONLY THE BEGIN. STORY OF A NEVER UNTOLD ENDING (ENG VERSION)

31. Signals

 Can's alarm clock rang early. He got up, got ready and ate breakfast. Sanem was sleeping soundly and didn't want to wake her. But before going to the agency he stopped by to greet her.

"Sanem?" he called her in a low voice as he bent down towards her. She was sleeping on her stomach, hugging her pillow tightly. She was uniquely tender. Can could not resist. He went around the bed, picked up the camera he had on his bedside table and photographed her. He returned to face her and lowered himself onto her legs to get a good look at her, then snapped. He stroked her hair gently. He placed the note he had written for her on the bedside table and with a kiss on her forehead he said goodbye and went out, before the smile that appeared on her face made him stay in. Sanem slept blissfully. This time she was inside a very real dream. So real that this time she was not a spectator herself, but a protagonist.

"Honey, approximately how many more years will they jump? Because they've been jumping since they were born!" exclaimed Can as they headed toward the children."Can, they are a wonder! They play, that's it," replied Sanem."It makes our lives easier this trampoline!" commented Can as they reached the garden beyond the pool. It was very different from now. There was a trampoline for their three children to jump on.A large tarp spread out on the lawn that served as a play area and dozens of toys scattered around. All this, under the shade of a large garden umbrella. There beside the hedge was also their giant, beloved hammock. Behind them sprouted at a distance, a small greenhouse. It was Sanem's plant house, and a little further back, the vegetable garden could be glimpsed. In the pool still floated donuts from a previous swim.Can and Sanem arrived at the play area."Little ones?" called Sanem to them as they reached the umbrella outside, under which they had spread a classic picnic blanket, in red and white checks."Come on you too." said Sanem to Deniz seeing him hesitating."Come on, come on, the snack is ready!" exclaimed Can making room among the mountains of toys piled on the blanket."Come on, I made your favorite sandwiches!" added Sanem. "In fact...actually your father made them, but whatever..." he admitted with a hint in his voice."Come on, otherwise I'll devour them all," Can told them."Nooo!" they exclaimed, rushing over.A little voice, Ates', answered, "All right, we're coming mom."They got off the trampoline and joined them."Very good." he said as he saw them coming. "So first you will eat these delicious sandwiches," Sanem instructed them, trying to entice their hunger by sniffing the tray on which they were placed."Then you will drink the very good lemonade made by your mother. Do you do anything but run and jump all day, do you not feel hunger and thirst?" continued Can. As many had predicted at their birth, if they took everything from their parents, their energy would skyrocket, and it did.Deniz was the first to take his sandwich. Then it was Yildiz's turn.And finally Ates."This time woe betide you if you take away the cheese!" he said seriously, pointing his finger at her. At that moment a glimmer of Mevkibe's authoritarian attitude appeared on her face.Ates hated the cheese in the sandwich just like her father."All right." she replied not at all pleased, running off after her brothers."Love calm down! What's the harm in getting rid of the cheese? What's the big deal! It's small." tried to justify his daughter, Can, hugging his wife sitting beside her."But she always takes it off and never eats it! At their age cheese is good for their bones!" protested Sanem."It seems to me that their bones, like their whole bodies, are more than fine. Look at them, they are as healthy as fish!" commented Can."Can!" resumed Sanem."I was thinking -- to make them tired sooner -- have you ever thought of adding chamomile tea to lemonade? Maybe that would help. What do you think?""Can!" she repeated.He burst out laughing."Ah, if you don't stop I'll correct your lemonade, and then we'll see," she threatened him.Can was actually laughing not only at her, but mostly at his daughter Ates. The pepperiest of the three, running off with her sandwich, thought she was going unnoticed, passing her siblings to go greet Haydut, who had popped up from the garden, and taking advantage of the dog's perpetual hunger, turned her back on her parents, and quickly slid the cheese off the sandwich, tossing it through the air like a Frisbee. A second later the cheese had already disappeared in the dog's jaws.At this Can had burst out laughing. She had seen how Ates with a shady attitude had slowly peered in their direction, to make sure she was not seen, but when she saw her father's gaze aimed at her, she jerked and instinctively brought her index finger in front of her mouth, mimicking not saying anything to her mother.Can smiled winking at her, covering his daughter. He too in her place would probably have done the same thing."What's so funny, huh?" asked sanem hitting him on the marble shoulder."Nothing...you know I like to tease you, right?" he reminded her."Um, sure. Little ones? Once you eat, go straight to bed. Direct, huh! Take care." instructed them Sanem."In my opinion, you let them sleep too much. And then I'm the one who pays the price. Look! In fact, I don't think I need your chamomile tea. " Can said, lowering his head ready to yawn.Sanem smiled at his whining tone. When he did that he sounded just like a child."I'll get some sleep, too, then! I'll take a nap on your legs. Come on tell me one of your beautiful fairy tales." asked Can with his lips inches from hers holding her close to him."But what fairy tale now! We have to put them to sleep first, not us." retorted Sanem in surprise as the children played ball in front of them."Come on, they'll definitely have a few more hours before they give in, so we might as well take a nap now. I want to fall asleep listening to your voice. Huh?" tried to persuade Can by getting into position."Come on...For a while, to this poor tired husband of yours, how about it?" she commented. In the fraction of a second he had gone from being a small child seeking attention to talking like an old man of a certain age.Sanem was a little taken aback by his attitude. "All right, come on now." She relented.He picked up a book he had there beside him and opened it."Shall I start?" she asked once Can rested his head on her legs.He confirmed with a nod of his head.Sanem was holding the book of the Gabby and the Cat, but once he opened it he made up a fairy tale on the spot.Can closed his eyes and remained listening."Albatross pups, they spend their first year of life completely in isolation, learning to spread their wings well... but despite being huge and mighty birds, they have a small weakness." he explained."Hmm, and which one?" asked Can with his eyes closed."Imagine that! If they hit their heads somewhere, then they will suddenly forget everything and everyone and believe they are children of bears!" exclaimed Sanem, closing the book.Can, at that sentence counterattacked with a tickle and his wife began to wriggle around screaming his name."You are really terrible! You made it up on the spot! Look at you!" he exclaimed."Can, stop or I'll tickle you too!" she shouted threatening him.Deniz, seeing his mother in distress, protective by nature like his father, threw himself on his chest to distract him. The sisters followed closely behind him."Come on, let's see who can beat the monster!" challenged them Dad Can."Let Mom go!" exclaimed Ates as she threw herself at him."What about the monster who stayed under you three? Huh?" asked Can overwhelmed by the children."Is he there?" asked the children ready to play the bad monster as always.Can quickly scared them away by intoning the cry of an aggressive animal.The little ones jumped up and started running all over the garden."Oh my God what a scare! Help! Run!" exclaimed Sanem getting up together with her husband to chase after them. "Arghhh!" intoned Can."We'll get you all!" exclaimed Sanem as he ran after the children who were circling the trampoline."Ah! Dad!" exclaimed Ates worriedly indicating to her brother to be careful since he had the monster on his heels.Eventually Can managed to trap Deniz and Yildiz in his arms of steel. He threw himself onto the front lawn with them kicking like mad to escape his grasp.Meanwhile, Sanem instead once caught Ates added her husband."You are now our prisoners!" he exclaimed laughing as he looked at Ates in his wife's arms. "Now a great punishment awaits you. Kisses and tickling to no end!" exclaimed Sanem."Eh, yes...ready? 1-2-3...go!" exclaimed Can casting a glance at his wife, setting off on the attack. At that moment, the sound of that lighthearted laughter led Sanem to think how lucky she was. She had her husband by her side, whom she loved more than herself, her children and their small family surrounded by greenery. She could not ask more from life. Without realizing it she smiled slyly and Can reflexively did the same.