LOOSING HOPE

LOVE KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES

Travis arrived to drive Sanem to the bookstore for her meet and greet with her fans. Travis was a little surprised when Can accompanied Sanem to his vehicle. Sanem introduced the two men. She introduced Can as her friend from Istanbul. Can did not like this. He was more than her friend, at least, he felt this way. They headed to the bookstore. Sanem was shocked over how many people were there to see her. She went and sat at the table. Can stood at the back of the room and watched Sanem. Her fans started asking questions. One fan asked if her book was based on her life. Sanem glanced at Can and answered, some of it was based on true life and some of it was just a dream. But dreams die. Another fan asked if the ending happened in real life. It is where she spoke of 3 children. Sanem told the fan no. That part was just a dream, a fantasy. Can was not liking her answers to these questions. Another fan asked if she was still with her albatross. Sanem answered, again dreams die. She ended the questions part of the meet and greet. She started signing her book for fans and taking pictures with fans.

Travis went over and struck up a conversation with Can. He asked Can how long he has known Sanem. Can told Travis for over 2 years. Travis asked Can if she was single. Can glared at the man and answered no, she isn't single. Travis said to bad because he found her rather attractive. Can said so did her boyfriend. Travis then smiled and said all's fair in love and war. He then walked back to Sanem. She greeted Travis with a smile. They chatted for a few. Can walked over to them and heard Travis asking her out for dinner after the meet and greet. Can spoke up and told Travis she already had plans, which they didn't. Sanem looked at him curiously, but said nothing. Travis said to bad, maybe next time. Can thought in his head, over my dead body, punk.

Travis then told Sanem she had another meet and greet tomorrow afternoon at the local library. Sanem smiled and said wonderful. Travis said he would pick her up around noon and maybe have lunch beforehand. Sanem told him OK. After Travis walked away, Can whispered to Sanem, what are you doing? Are you making lunch dates with this man right in front of me? Sanem smiled and replied, what is it to you? We are getting to know each other. I agreed to give you some of my time, nothing more. It is OK for you to make plans to go climbing with an attractive woman, but I can't have lunch with my publisher? Wow...talk about double standards. Can told her the man was interested in her. Sanem told him he was just jealous. He was her publisher, nothing more. Can told her the man wanted more. Sanem told him it was the jealously talking. Can thought in his head, is this woman that naive? Does she really not know how dam attractive she is? Can finally stalked off to the back of the room, but continued to watch Mr. Travis. Can watched Travis who watched Sanem. Can thought in his head that he was going to throttle this man, if he continued to stare at his Sanem. Travis looked over and found Can watching him. He smirked at Can.

When the meet and greet was over, Can walked over to Sanem and asked her if she was ready to leave. Sanem smiled and told him yes. Can offered her his hand and Sanem just stared at it for a moment. She then took his hand. Travis walked over and asked if she was ready to go. Can spoke up and said he called a taxi. He was taking Sanem out for dinner before taking her home. Travis noticed the hand holding and looked from Sanem to Can. He said OK but told Sanem he would pick her up tomorrow afternoon for the library meet and greet. Sanem said that was fine. They all left the bookstore. Sanem asked Can what that was all about. Can asked her if she trusts him. Sanem told him she wanted to. Can told her about the conversation Travis had with him. He told Sanem the guy seriously had the hots for her. Can asked her if they could at least pretend to be a couple so the man would back off? Sanem was OK with that because she definitely didn't need another crazy publisher who falls in love with her.

Can took her to a nice restaurant. He knew Sanem was never comfortable in elegant restaurants. He asked her if she wanted him to order for her. Sanem smiled and said thank you. She told him she really liked American food, but she missed her mom's cooking. She admitted to actually missing Istanbul. She said she regrets agreeing to this trip. I breathe so much better in Istanbul, she said. Can asked her why she didn't just go home? Sanem said she couldn't. She signed that contract for 3 months. She did admit her time here is better since he arrived. Can smiled at her. They finished their dinner and Can hailed a taxi to take them back to Sanem's apartment. Can told her he would leave her for a while to go collect his stuff from the hotel. He promised her he would be back quickly. Sanem said OK.

Can left to go get his belongings. While Sanem was in her apartment, there was a knock at her door. She thought it was Can and opened the door with a smile. It wasn't Can. It was Travis. He asked to come in. Sanem told him she was tired and was getting ready to call it a night. Travis told her it would only take a few moments, so Sanem let him in. Sanem turned around and asked Travis what he needed. Travis bluntly told her he wanted to get to know her better. He told her he found her attractive. Sanem thanked him but told him she was already involved with someone who she loved very much. Travis moved closer to her and told her he could make her happy. Sanem took a step back and told him she was already happy. Sanem told him if that was all, she was calling it a night. She headed to the door to let Travis out. All of a sudden, Travis grabbed her by the arm and pulled her against him. Sanem told him to let her go. It was like he didn't hear her. He tried to kiss her, but Sanem kept turning her head away. He was running his hands over her body. He started kissing her neck, her face. He was trying to remove her dress and Sanem was fighting with all her might. She was screaming by this point. Travis ended up ripping her dress off. She was standing there in her bra and panties. She was fighting, screaming, crying and begging, but he wasn't listening. He threw her down on the couch and moved on top of her. He told her nobody told him no. He was working to free himself from his pants. Sanem was kicking, scratching and screaming more loudly. The more she fought, the stronger he got.

By this time, Can had arrived back to Sanem's apartment building. He took the elevator back to her apartment. The door was locked, and he heard Sanem screaming for somebody to stop and get off her. Can immediately kicked the door in. He found Travis on top of Sanem on her couch. His pants were down. He saw Sanem's ripped dress on the floor. He then saw fire. He ran to the couch and grabbed Travis by the back of his neck. He hauled him off of Sanem. He punched Travis in the face over and over again. He kicked him in the stomach. He threw him against the wall. Can just couldn't stop punching and kicking this piece of shit. The security guard of the apartment building came running. Can told him to call the police. He left Travis in a heap on the floor. He ran to Sanem who was huddled in a fetal position on the couch. She was only in her bra and panties. He ran to get her a blanket. When he tried to help her to a sitting position, she flinched. He pulled her up and wrapped the blanket around her. She was sobbing hysterically. His heart was breaking to see her like this. He gently sat down beside her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she began fighting him. Can whispered to her and told her it was him. She was safe. She immediately calmed down. She looked at him and said Can? He smiled at her and said yes, baby. It is me. Your safe now. She threw her arms around him and cried violently.

The police arrived a short time later. They found Can and Sanem holding each other on the couch. Travis was still lying in a heap on the floor, but he was waking up. Can told them what had happened. Travis was screaming he wanted Can arrested for attacking him. A nice policewoman sat down near Sanem and asked her if she could tell her what happened. Sanem told her yes in a very quiet voice. The policewoman asked Can to leave them alone for a few minutes. Sanem said no and refused to let go of Can. So, Can stayed where he was with his arms protectively around her. Sanem told the officer exactly what happened. Travis was led away in handcuffs. Can asked Sanem if she wanted to go to the hospital to get checked. Sanem told him no. Can quietly asked her if he raped her. Sanem said no. She told Can he saved her in time. She told Can she wanted to go back to Istanbul NOW. He told her OK. He would take care of it. He called the airport and booked them a flight for first thing in the morning. Sanem was still sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket. She told Can she needed a shower to wash him off of her. Can walked her to the shower. He started the shower for her and told her he would be just outside.

It seemed like forever and Sanem did not appear. Can went to the bathroom to check on her. He found her sitting on the floor of the shower sobbing. Can stepped into the shower fully clothed. He sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. He whispered words of love to her until she calmed down. He picked her up and lifted her out of the shower. He gently dried her off and put her robe on her. He said come on and led her to her bedroom. He laid her down in the bed and told her he would just be outside on the couch. Sanem grabbed his hand and begged him not to leave her. Can said OK. He changed out of his wet clothes and into dry ones. He laid down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. She had her head on his chest. Very quietly she told Can thank you again. He told her anytime, my beloved. She then fell asleep wrapped in Can's arms.