If You Tell Me To Stay

Chapter 37

Previously:

They were quiet for a moment before Aziz spoke up. His curiosity peaked at the beginning of their phone conversation and he could wait no longer. "So... Has Can asked yet?"

"Asked what?"

"To marry him, silly."

"Oh! Right. No. He hasn't asked. But... I think he wants to. And we have talked about it. Getting married."

"Uhm..."

Sanem instantly straightened up. She had never heard Aziz say that before. He was always confident in his speech. Pauses, yes. But never an 'uhm' or other verbal hesitation. "Aziz? What is it?"

"Sanem, I'm so sorry. But you can't marry him."

"What? Why? Aziz. He is a good person. He will take care of me. And I'll take care of him. Forever. Please don't-."

"Sanem. I'm not forbidding you from marrying. If that's what you want, then I want it too. I have always said I want you to have a normal a life as possible. I assumed that would involve a man. One day. I just didn't think this conversation would need to happen so fast."

Sanem thought for a moment about what could prevent her, if not Aziz, from getting married. "My name... that's the problem, isn't it?"

"Yes. But since Can now knows the truth that your last name is fake, you could have a sort of pretend ceremony. Invite people and say the words. Keep it small and I'll handle any paparazzi. I could forge the papers and heck, I could even be the officiant. But..."

Sanem sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall, "It would still be fake."

"Not fake, but not legal either. And it would be real in the eyes of your friends and family."

"Yeah... I guess..." Sanem took a breath, "Or at least his family. Since mom and dad wouldn't be there."

"Once I find the leak and when the trial goes well then-."

"No, Aziz." She cut him off, "I know you are trying to give me hope. But I've stopped believing that I'll ever see them again."

"My darling girl. If there is anything I have learned in my long and... colorful life, it's never to give up hope. No matter how bad the odds are. Hope can get you out of a lot of bad situations."

"It can't get me out of this."

"But it can see you through."

"Can is already doing that. I don't need anything else." She said it like she was trying to convince herself as well as Aziz.

"Okay, Sanem. But I haven't lost my hope. I am going to bring you home."

"I am home." Sanem felt a tear drop fall on her hand. She wiped at her cheek and realized she was crying. She dried her face with her sleeve and willed herself to shed no more tears over this. She took a deep breath to gain back her control. "Aziz. I wonder if I could ask you for a favor."

"Of course. What do you need? If it's me officiating your wedding, that would hardly be a favor."

Sanem laughed, her mood uplifting slightly, "I'll think about that when the time comes. But before even that can happen, I need to repay Can back. I hate owing him money and living in his house without contributing. I don't like owing you money either, but it's the lesser of two evils."

"I would tell you that you don't owe me anything. Especially with how much you have sacrificed for me already. But I know how pig headed you are."

"Hey!"