FILLING IN THE GAPS OF THAT MISSING YEAR PART 2

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Can told Sanem he would tell her about that year, but it was rather boring. He really didn't do much. He told her when she refused to take his hand at the hospital, he felt he had already lost her. He did not want to stay in Istanbul...being that close to her....and not be with her. So, he walked out of the hospital and went home. Once home, he decided to leave Istanbul. He shut his cell phone off and packed it away with his belongings. He packed a small bag and got in his truck. He didn't know where he was going or even how he was going to get there. He drove his truck to a storage facility and called a taxi. He had the taxi take him to the marina. He saw a boat for sell and immediately bought it with cash. He loaded his stuff on board, and left Istanbul by boat.

He traveled as far as he could go, until he had to stop for supplies. He went on land to just get supplies and then he boarded the boat again. He avoided people. He avoided land as much as possible. He would sit on his boat and think about nothing but her. He wondered what she was doing. He wondered if she were safe. He wondered if she found a new love. He wondered if she ever thought of him. He was tempted numerous times to turn his cell phone on and call her, but his stubbornness always stopped him.

He told her he fished for his food and he would cook it on the boat. He had quit drinking tea due to it always reminded him of her. He would drink himself into a stupor almost every night, just so he could forget everything. He wanted to forget the man he turned into. Jealous, angry, vindictive. He wanted to forget what he did to Yigit. He would wake up hung over just to turn around and do it again. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get her out of his head...his heart...his soul. He was never with another woman while he was gone. Not that he didn't have the opportunities. He was hit on every time he stopped on land, but all he wanted was her. Nobody else would do.

He would sit and reflect on their past. Their first kiss at the opera house when they didn't even see each other's face. The night he told her she was his albatross. The night he professed his love. The night she professed his love. The arguing and then making up. When he kidnapped her and took her to the mountains. His proposal on his birthday. All of their memories were stuck in his head and all he could do was think of them.

He ached for her so much it hurt his entire body. He felt he failed her as a man, a boyfriend, a fiance. He kept seeing the disappointment in her eyes the day he left. He kept hearing her ask if he would ever hurt her like he did Yigit. It tore his heart out to hear her ask that question. He would have never harmed a hair on her precious head. He loved her....cherished her....adored her. She was his heart, his half, his everything. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He told he the engagement turned into a nightmare. He wanted them to just run off and get married, like Emre and Leyla did. All the traditions, her mother, his mother...they were all driving him crazy. When all he wanted was her as his wife; to have their lives joined together.

He looked over at Sanem and she was crying. He asked her if she wanted him to continue. She said yes. She also said she didn't realize he was in as much pain as herself during that year. Can took her hand and continued. He told her she wasn't the only one who just wanted to end it all. He didn't want to live without her. He didn't know how to live without her. As each day passed, the pain just intensified.

He told her he stopped in Kaiseri one day to get a part for his boat. It was raining, so he entered a movie theater to get dry. He told her there was a woman in front of him. She removed her hood and lifted her hair out of her coat. He then smelled her fragrance. He knew it was her just by the smell. But he watched as she turned her head slightly and then he definitely knew it was her....Sanem. He told Sanem he followed her into the movie theater and sat a few rows behind her. He wasn't interested in the movie. He just watched her. He watched her laugh. He watched her cry. The pain was to much for him. Just having her that close and not touching her, so he stood up and left.

He looked at Sanem and found her smiling. He asked why she was smiling. Sanem said I felt your presence that day. I saw your shadow as you were leaving the theater. She told him she thought she was hallucinating again. She reached over and put her hand on the side of his face. He kissed her hand. He told her after that day, he decided to return to Istanbul. He had not completely made up his mind until he telephoned his father. His dad said he was in Istanbul and wanted to see him. Can said he then headed his boat in the direction of Istanbul. He told her the rest as they say was history.

Sanem embraced her husband. She thanked him for telling her. She told him how sorry she was for the pain she caused him for that year. Can told her he should have never left. Sanem told him she should have never pushed him to leave. They lost an entire year without each other. Can told her it was over...it was done. The past is the past and he was only looking forward to the future with her and their children.

The twins started crying at that moment and then Deniz came out of her room from her nap. Sanem looked at Can and said welcome to parenthood. Can kissed her deeply and told then told her he wouldn't change a thing. 

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