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“When was the last time you were in Istanbul?”
“What year is it again?”
Nile laughed and swatted Andy lightly on the arm before reaching down to take the other woman’s hand in hers. Andy returned the smile and squeezed Nile’s hand affectionately.
“For any real length of time? I’m not sure. After the Great War, before the second one. ‘Twenty…five, maybe?”
“‘The Great War,’”Nile repeated, shaking her head. “God, you’re old.”
Andy bumped her shoulder into Nile’s, laughing and grinning. “You have no idea. I remember this place when the Thracians lived here, back before it was even Byzantium.” Andy looked around to get her bearings. “Antigonus defeated Cleitus just a few miles that way, a couple of years after Alexander died.”
“Cletus?” Nile asked incredulously.
“It’s a Greek name. Don’t they teach you anything?”
Nile shrugged. “Not so much, really. Go on, grandma, tell me how it used to be.”
Andy rolled her eyes, but continued, letting Nile lead her through streets maddening in their mix of alien familiarity.
“All of that used to be orange groves, after they brought them over from…China.”
“That’s weird to think about,” Nile mused.
“What?”
“That they had to bring them over.”
“Everything came from somewhere. You have to remember, I’m…as old as I am, and I’d never tasted a tomato or corn until after Columbus.”
“That is wild.”
Andy shrugged.
“Well, I think you’ll enjoy the food where we’re going.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“Should be right…here.” Nile pointed as they came around a corner.
“Karaköy Güllüoğlu?”
“It’s supposed to be the best baklava in the world. It’s the Istanbul branch of a place in_”
“Gazientep.” Andy stopped, stunned for a moment.
“Yeah. Damn, you already know it? Joe and Nicky didn’t know it, so I thought maybe you wouldn’t, either. The website said this one wasn’t founded until 1949, by one of the original founder’s great-grandsons.”
“Mehmet.” Andy smiled and turned towards Nile. “His name was Mehmet. He had this little scar on his face, which is where the name comes from.. I can still remember his stall. I can’t believe his family is still…”
“So this is okay?”
Andy leaned forward to kiss Nile, softly but intensely.
“This is perfect.”