One Night in Paris

Beklenen Buluşma

I ran out of the building and looked around frantically, I spotted him walking down on the opposite side of the street with his head down, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders hunched in defeat.

"Can, wait! " He stopped dead in his tracks and turned very slowly, his eyes widened in surprise and then sheer joy when they met mine. He walked towards me cautiously, eyeing me warily and my heart broke a little when I realized he was preparing himself for more rejection.

"I have your jacket, " I blurted out.
Our bodies swayed closer as if they were being pulled by the unseen force that had gripped us both since that first day at the agency. His face lowered to mine and he took a deep hungry breath. I became aware of the mass of pedestrians surrounding us and took a step back. He cleared his throat roughly.

"You can keep it, " he said. "Everything I have is yours." He shook his head and smiled ruefully. "But I'm going to need the bandana back."

"I can have the jacket sent to you, " I said. Yes, that's what I should do, that would be the sensible thing to do. But my heart had other ideas.

"Or you can come to pick it up. My publisher is throwing a small party tonight. Will you come?"

Ah, Sanem, ah!

"Evet," he said before I finished speaking. His hands reached out for me but before they could make contact he balled them into fists and shoved them in his pockets. "I'll be there."

I gave him the address and time. When I  turned to walk back into the bookstore he called out to me.

"Sanem."

I looked over my shoulder.

"Did you mean what you said last night?"

I looked at him for a few seconds. He looked haggard as if he hadn't slept in days but somehow he still managed to be more beautiful than any mortal had any right to be.

I'm not going to make this easy for you, Divit.

"Every word. Also, the bandana is mine"

*******
That night I looked over the assembled guests with a smile pasted on my face. He didn't come. The disappointment was crushing. Stupidly, I had been hoping... But I wanted proof of his sincerity and here it was. Stark proof that he'd walk away every time. I took another glass of wine from a passing waiter. Probably not a good idea since I already felt unsteady on my feet. At that moment Deniz, my agent, came up to me.

"Sanem, there's a man out in the courtyard looking for you. I don't recognize him." My heart stopped and recommenced beating. She looked at me closely. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes, excuse me," I put my glass down at a nearby table, picked up the hem of my long dress, and tried not to break into a run.

*******
Standing under a shaft of moonlight Can cut a handsome but lonely figure. His hair was pulled back and he wore a gorgeous black suit. The man could wear the hell out of a suit. My mouth watered. He really was too delicious for words.

Be strong, Sanem. Send him on his way. My inner voice wasn't a fan of Can Divit. I ignored it.

"Bad king, you owe me a dance."

He turned and before I could utter another word, I was wrapped tightly in his arms my cheek pressed to his chest. We swayed to the music coming through the doors from inside.

"I'm leaving soon," he said into the silence.
His arms gathered me even closer. I closed my eyes and listened to the comforting and familiar sound of his heartbeat, an insistent rhythm under my ear.

I looked up at his beloved face so close to mine. The unspoken written in his eyes.

Can: Tonight is the last night

Sanem: Tonight is the last night

C: Your pretty face, your voice

S: If I reached my hand now...

C: If you reached your hand now, I'd never let it go again. I can't say anything, all the things I said and did are keeping me apart from you forever.

S: I can't say anything. You don't want me. If you still loved me you wouldn't go.

C: Now that you really know me, you can't love me...

His forehead touched mine.

"I don't want to go. Don't make me go," he whispered against my lips. "I don't want to be parted from you ever again. If you want, I'll stay beside you as a friend. Just let me be near you. In case you need me for anything. Tell me to stay."

I closed my eyes, breathed him in, and let the cracks in the walls crumble a little more.