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Chapter 1
Henna night only had Reyhan and Süt Anne in attendance, with Emir making a surprise appearance. But Reyhan didn’t mind. And Emir had been glad to have that time alone with her. He had made her promises that night. Promises to always cherish her. To always be with her. To never let her cry.
I swear that I will always love you, and no matter what, I will never let go of your hand. And I will protect you all your life. I ask Allah that nothing tears us apart but death.
That was his vow to her. His oath. His promise. He swore to always love her. But he didn’t know that she would leave him, leaving him with an aching emptiness that just can’t be filled. He didn’t know that death would come so soon for her.
He sits up in bed and looks around at the still unfamiliar room. He had to get new everything. New bed. New furniture. New room. Nothing to remind him of Reyhan. Nothing of hers for him to see. But he still sees her in his dreams.
Still unable to sleep, he goes to check on the baby. A baby who has neither his nor Reyhan’s eyes. Despite what people may think, he doesn’t hate the baby. And the lack of connection makes him sad. They all think it’s because he reminds him of Reyhan, of losing her. But it’s not. It’s the complete opposite actually. He sees nothing of Reyhan in this child. Nothing of himself.
As usual, the heaviness closes in on him and he realizes he can’t be there. He knows the facts. He’s living the reality. But something doesn’t feel right. Reyhan feels missing, not gone. He hasn’t been able to put her to rest. His heart refuses to let go. It’s still searching for her. All it knows is that he won’t find her here.
So he goes.
Standing to the window watching Emir drive away, Hikmet hopes and prays his son is going to find peace once and for all. They all need it.
************
Emir is driving and thinking. Thinking of Reyhan. Thinking of what life was like with her. And what life is like without her. He has no life. He has nothing. If someone had told him at the beginning of this whole thing that she would end up meaning the world to him, he’d never believe them. When he met her, he had no intention of marrying ever. But one forced marriage later changed him in ways he could have never anticipated. He ended up loving her more than he ever thought it was possible to love another person. And now he has no idea what to do without her.
He looks around, unsure of where he is or how long he’s driven. He doesn’t know where he’s going. He just knows that he needs to get away. The further away he gets from the house, the more he can breathe. Something is wrong and stifling in that house. That whole situation is off. Maybe he’s just in denial. Maybe he just can’t believe she would leave him. Maybe he just can’t accept it yet. But his heart still beats for her. If she’s gone then there’s no point in him going on either. So why is he still alive?
The indicator on his car signals the need for gas. And his heavy eyelids signal a need for coffee. He pulls over at a gas station to refuel both his car and his body. And that’s the last thing he remembers.
************
3 days later
“He’s opening his eyes. He’s waking up.”
It had seemed like a miracle. One minute, Hikmet was watching his son drive off into the darkness, praying that Emir returned with some acceptance and some peace. He didn’t realize he should have been praying that his son would return at all.
Hearing news of the car accident had been a shock. The police didn’t officially report it as an attempt on his own life, but Hikmet had his suspicions. Nevertheless, Hikmet is grateful that Emir is still alive. They all are. Now, they just have to convince him to keep living, even without Reyhan.
The doctor reports that the many surgeries Emir had to have over the past few days were all a success. The damage to his leg was minimized, although he will probably always walk with a limp from now on. The damage to his face made some reconstruction necessary. But after the swelling goes down, his looks should remain mostly the same. The only thing they’re still worried about is possible damage to the brain. Emir seems confused and has some memory gaps. He seems to have lost the past 2 years of his life. Hikmet is actually grateful he won’t remember Reyhan or any of the pain the past few months have brought.
So when Emir asked for the one person Hikmet never thought he would, he couldn’t refuse. Emir wanted his mother. Not wanting him to get upset, Hikmet arranges for Cavidan to be released to come to Emir. He warns her to pretend as if the past 2 years didn’t happen, at least until Emir gets better. Cavidan just smiles and goes into the room to her son. She knows that “Emir” will never get better. “Emir” is gone forever.
“Are you sure this will work?” she remembers her accomplice asking her as they came up with this plan.
“It’s the only way to get me out of prison. The only way to get what I want.” She had known that this was her last chance.
“Will you miss him? Will you miss your son?”
She had given herself one minute to grieve at that question, letting the sadness overcome her for that brief moment. She had let out a sad breath and wiped away a tear she couldn’t hold back.
“My son was lost to me the minute that woman came into his life,” was all she had said.
The risk had been worth it because now she’s here, out of that terrible prison. She’s finally where she belongs. Besides, she thinks to herself as she looks down at the form on the bed. This man is her son too. It’s time he lives the kind of life he deserves.
Chapter 2
Emir’s head is pounding when he wakes up. He wonders briefly if his flight from the house was all a dream. The room he’s in is unfamiliar, the sounds around him different. No. He’s not at home. He has no idea where he is so he decides to explore, finding the door to the room unlocked.
The house is mostly quiet, but very large. It seems to be night, but he doesn’t really know. He doesn’t have his phone to tell what time it is, so that’s one question that won’t get answered right away.
“Hello?” he calls out. “Is anyone here?”
Silence. He walks more. A little bit further and he hears a sound. A baby’s cry. Then sounds that indicate someone is trying to console the little one.
“Shhh, my love. You’re fine.”
The voice nearly brings him to his knees. He sees a soft light coming from under a door ahead. He runs to it. He pushes the door open and stops breathing. He blinks. Rubs his eyes. Blinks again.
“Reyhan?”
The woman turns around. Her eyes are wide and her face instantly goes white. Emir sees she’s in danger of dropping the baby attached to her breast. He runs and catches the woman as she begins to sink to the floor. The familiar scent hits him. Reyhan’s scent.
“Emir?”
What? How? Why? All the questions race across his mind, but they’re all drowned out by the beating of his heart. He lifts a hand to his chest in wonder at the thumping he feels there. He hasn’t noticed that sign of life in himself since he lost her. But there it is. His strong, healthy heart beat. A heart that beats only for her.
The baby lets out a sleepy burp and then gives Emir a milky grin. Another shock comes at the sight of a little girl in his wife’s arms. So many questions. But he can’t stop looking at Reyhan. And the baby. A baby that’s undeniably his.
“You found us,” Reyhan says tearfully. “We’re saved.”
That brings him back to his senses. Something crazy is going on. Someone has explaining to do. Because this makes no sense. How could he be holding Reyhan? How could this be happening?
He looks around. There’s a bed across the room so gets them all settled there. Once they’re comfortably situated, the baby lying between them, he gives himself a quick pinch to make sure he isn’t dreaming. It feels so real, but it can’t be … can it?
“I thought you were dead,” is the first thing he can think to say.
“I know,” she says, her voice filled with tears. “I gave up hope when they told me that. I didn’t think you’d find us. I thought we would die here.”
“But where is here? What is this place? Why are you here? Why am I here?”
“All I remember is being in the hospital, still pregnant,” she explains. “And then the next thing I remember is waking up here just after she was born. We’ve been here ever since.”
“But how? Why?”
Reyhan just shrugs. She shivers a little, so he pulls her closer to his body to warm her. His lips brush the top of her head and drop a kiss there. If this is a dream, he doesn’t want to wake up.
“I thought this place was some sort of hospital. They run tests on us all the time,” she continues. “We’re both sick and they can’t figure out how to cure us.”
Reyhan groans in pain right then, struggling to move.
“Take her,” she begs. “I always get weaker after I feed her. I should let them give her a bottle, but I can’t stand to hear her cries.”
Emir takes the baby and takes her to her baby bed. She looks up at him and he can’t help but notice she’s a perfect copy of Reyhan, except she has his eyes. He gently strokes his finger down her cheek. Once again, he has no doubts this is their child.
“What’s her name?” he asks, but looks back to see Reyhan has lost consciousness. He rushes over to check that she’s breathing and is relieved she’s still alives. He calls out for help, not knowing where they are or who will come. But he knows she needs whoever has been here taking care of her.
A woman comes in and she seems surprised to see Emir.
“You’re awake. I thought I’d have time to meet with you and explain everything to you.”
“What is this place? Why are we here?” he asks her, continuing his rapid fire questioning. “How long have you had her? Why did you take her? Why let me think she was dead?”
“Let me check on your wife and daughter first. Then I’ll answer all of your questions,” she promises.
The lady checks vital signs, draws blood, and gives them medicine. Emir stands right over her shoulder, watching every move. But he relaxes a bit when the woman uses a gentle and caring touch on them. She doesn’t appear to be here to hurt them. But he still can’t fully trust her.
“What’s wrong with them?” he asks here when she appears to be almost done with what she’s doing.
“Now that you’re here, hopefully nothing anymore,” the woman says cryptically.
“Who are you?” he asks. “Why are they here with you? Why did you bring me here.”
The woman moves over to a makeshift lab that had been set up in the corner of the room. She works silently on some tests, seemingly ignoring all his questions, until she’s satisfied with her results.
“Just as I expected,” the woman says. “The baby is already responding to the serum we made from the blood we took from you!”
Emir is frustrated and confused. But he waits on the woman. He sits by Reyhan’s side, takes her hand, and just waits.
Finally the woman is done.
“Let’s get something to eat. Then I’ll explain,” she suggests.
“No!” he says, almost panicked. “I’m not leaving them. Please.”
The woman frowns, but agrees. She gets a chair for herself and sits next to Emir, gearing up her courage to tell him her story.
“What I’m going to tell you will be hard for you to hear. It would be better if you let me get it all out and I’ll answer questions at the end.”
Emir starts to get worried but then realizes any story that ends with them being in the situation they’re in now can’t be good anyway. So he’s expecting the worst. He motions for her to continue.
“The story for me starts a few months ago when my old professor came to me for help. He needed someone discrete and knew I would stay silent since he had leverage over me. We had had a brief affair and he knew I can’t have my family finding out about it. So he knew I was his best choice for this project. All he told me was that he was expecting a patient, a pregnant woman with complications. I didn’t know who she was or why she was coming. I was just here to help him come up with a treatment for her. It wasn’t until later I found out the whole story.”
She pauses, takes a sip of her water and continues.
"Your wife was brought here when she was about to deliver. The baby came, but your wife never quite recovered from the delivery. The baby was also sick. We've been working with different therapies for them both but recently realized we needed your blood to help the baby and in turn use the baby's blood to help your wife. That’s when I accidentally overheard the real plan.
“The doctor met with a man one day. An older man, with crazy white hair. He called him Talaz. Talaz told the doctor that the plans changed. To let your wife and baby die. That you were on your way to killing yourself anyway. It was time to move onto plan B. He said …”
She hesitates, not wanting to tell him this part. But knew she had to get it all out. So she says it quickly. Kind of like ripping off a bandage and hoping to minimize the hurt.
“He said your mother was ready to get out of prison and was willing to cut her losses.”
“Excuse me?” Emir stunned at that revelation. But she ignores him and keeps on with her tale.
“Your mother did all of this to get rid of your wife because she feared she had lost control of you. You were her key to gaining the family fortune. But after you lost Reyhan, you became unpredictable and of no use to her. If we didn’t take you, Talaz would have. And God only knows what he would have done to you.”
“Back up a minute. I’m not understanding. What does my mother have to do with any of this?”
She holds up her hand, still not done with the story.
“Your mother has another son. Your twin. He’s been kept hidden all these years. When we took you, your brother took your place. You - or rather, he - is in the hospital now. Victim of an apparent car accident. But I imagine that’s all been fabricated to fit their narrative. The excuse of an accident will give them the chance to cover up whatever differences there are between you and your twin and account for any personality changes. They’re saying “you” have memory loss and possible brain damage. That “you” don’t remember anything before 2 years ago. And your mother has been released from prison to avoid upsetting “you” until your memories return.”
“So this guy is just living my life now?” Emir asks, unable to believe what he’s hearing. “What about the baby? The one they said was mine?”
“I don’t know where they got that baby from. But they used him and tried to make you believe he was your son because your mother couldn’t risk having an actual heir to inherit the money she believes is hers. She wants all the money and will now use your twin to get everything. The nanny is a plant from your mother. She’s going to become the next Mrs. Emir Tarhun and pretend to be the baby’s mother. Your mother has it all worked out.”
Shock doesn’t explain what he’s feeling at the moment. Complete and utter disbelief is even too mild of terms to use. This is just crazy and he doesn’t even know what to feel at the moment.
“I …I … I need a minute,” he finally manages to say. Too much is flying around his mind.
“You don’t have much time to process this,” the woman says apologetically. “You all are supposed to die. And now that your brother has taken your place, Talaz will be back here soon to make sure there are no loose ends. You can’t be here when he gets here. And there’s no going back to your old life. You can either wait here to die. Or take your wife and child and disappear.”
The choice sounds impossible on the one hand. But on the other hand, is there really a choice to make?
“Heal them first,” Emir orders, the decision coming almost immediately. “Then we’ll go.”
No. There is no choice to make. It didn’t have to be this way. But if this is what it takes for Emir to be with his wife and child, this is what he’ll do. He doesn’t care about his name or his fortune. All he cares about is Reyhan, their daughter, and the beautiful life they can now live.
Epilogue
18 months later
Village life suits him. Emir walks out onto the porch of his home, a home that he built himself, and looks down at the small dog in his lawn. The dog had been brought to Emir by the owners a few weeks ago for healing but still comes back every day to see him. Most of the animals follow suit. Emir has become the de facto village vet.
“That dog is back again,” Reyhan sighs, coming up behind him to hand him a cup of coffee. “Deniz is going to try to kidnap it again.”
Their daughter is just as much an animal lover as her father. Emir just laughs at some of the antics his almost 2 year old baby girl has been up to in her short life. Reyhan is right. The girl probably will try to kidnap the dog. As it is, they have to check her room every night to make sure she hasn’t snuck in any small creatures from outside when they take her to play. That has happened more than once.
“Like father, like daughter,” he laughs again. “But maybe she’ll calm down once this one is born.”
He rubs a hand on Reyhan’s still flat belly.
“Maybe a boy this time,” he says wistfully.
“Do you still miss the baby you left behind?” she asks him quietly. She can’t call him his son. The baby had no connection to either of them. Reyhan never even laid eyes on him. But Emir had time with him. Whether he realizes it or not, there was a connection there.
“A bit,” he admits after some thought. “I think deep down I always knew he wasn’t mine. I didn’t get attached. I barely even touched him.”
He looks at her, ashamed at his actions.
“I couldn’t keep my promise to you. I couldn’t love him knowing he took you from me. I couldn’t live without you, Reyhan.”
“As it turns out, I couldn’t live without you either,” she tells him, wrapping her arms around his chest. “Deniz and I both almost died without you.”
He hugs her closer to him, not wanting to think back to those days. Not wanting to remember. But not able to forget.
“Do you think he’s okay? Really okay?” he wonders aloud. “Baba, too?”
He misses his father, his home. But his whole world is right here hidden in the midst of the mountains surrounding Van. They’ve been safe so far and he doesn’t plan on doing anything to jeopardize that.
Maybe one day he’ll go back. Maybe one day he’ll have the power to stop his mother and the various henchmen she employs to do her dirty work. There seems to be no beating her. All he can do is hope and pray that good will eventually win. That his mother will get what she deserves for the evil she perpetuates.
But that day isn’t today. Neither is tomorrow. Or any day in the foreseeable future. Emir has his life to live. One stolen from the hands of death. One he won’t let go of for anything in the world. For now, that’s more than enough.
The end.