Though Volkan preferred his wife by his side, he’d loosened up somewhat, allowing her to fly the children back and forth when he was busy. Given how psycho he was about their safety, she realized just how much trust it took for him to allow his family to fly without him. So, her silly moments, such as flying low over the house before landing, which Volkan had forbidden her from doing, were far and few between.

She turned the plane and headed for the airstrip on the other side of the island, coming back around for landing. She concentrated on her landing, focusing on safety first as her children cheered and screamed, spotting their father driving one of their Jeeps up the tarmac to meet them.

As soon as the plane stopped, the children ripped off their seatbelts and Tarkan unlatched and opened the door, launching himself out and into his father’s arms, followed closely by the girls. Yasmin quickly grabbed hold of Tianna’s arm, forcing her to wait for her mother so she wouldn’t fall out of the plane.

Lifting the struggling child onto her hip, Yasmin climbed out the door and down the steps, walking into her husband’s open embrace. The children surrounded them, chattering excitedly as Volkan pressed his lips to Yasmin’s. The world around them dimmed and it was just the two of them, lips together, eyes clinging, unspoken words of love passing between them.

Then the moment passed and their offspring captured their attention again, tugging on their hands and dragging them toward the Jeep where they insisted they be dropped off with their grandmother. Yasmin and Volkan were happy to comply, giving them a few minutes with Narin before everyone piled into the vehicle and headed up to the house.

Volkan came around to Yasmin’s side of the vehicle and opened the door. Instead of allowing her to walk to the house, he lifted her off her feet, sweeping her against his chest, much to the delight of their children who followed them inside.

“I can walk!” Yasmin protested, but her smile turned to an expression of shock when they entered the house. “Whaaaa…?” Volkan had barely set her on her feet before she was strangle-hugged by her sister. “Aisha! What on earth are you doing here?”

Aisha visited with them twice a year, but the distance never got easier. Yasmin missed her parents and sister, but they’d seen each other a few months ago in June. They weren’t due for anther visit until Christmas.

Then she spotted her parents, who were eagerly hugging their grandchildren.

As soon as Aisha let her go, Yasmin wheeled around to face her husband, her hands jammed into her hips. “What’s going on here?”

“They’re here to celebrate,” he announced.