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They had wandered through the narrow streets for hours, looking for a baker, or it was rather Yusuf who was looking for the baker, because Nicolò had no idea where they were.
Nicolò: "Uhm, Yusuf."
Yusuf: "Just a moment, my Friend."
Yusuf scratched his curls while looking at the map.
Yusuf to himself: "I know the bakery is somewhere around here."
Nicolò took a step to the side so a Man with his family could walk past them. It was clear to Nicolò that the Man didn't like people like him because the Man elbowed Nicolò's ribs when he smiled at the children. When Yusuf wanted to shout at the Man for being rude to Nicolò, Nicolò shook his head, and the family was soon gone.
Yusuf: "You shouldn't let people treat you that way."
Nicolò: "Trust me when I say I have tried worse things than an elbow to my ribs."
Yusuf: "Nicolò, listen. I want..."
Nicolò: "Forget him, okay?"
Yusuf nodded.
Nicolò: "Good. Tell me, are you any closer to finding that baker because I can't wait to taste the cake you have been speaking about for weeks."
One of the first things they talked about was food. And they both discovered they had a big love for food, especially sweet dishes. Yusuf had told Nicolò about a cake called Basbousa, which his Mother always baked whenever they had a family party. But because Yusuf couldn't bring Nicolò home to his Mother and ask her to bake the Basbousa, he remembered a baker in Cairo, whose Basbousa was close enough to his Mother's.
Yusuf: "I promise you it is worth the wait. I just need to find out where we are."
Yusuf looked at the map again before going left. Seconds later, he turned around and walked right before he turned left again. If you asked Nicolò, it was funny watching Yusuf go around in circles, but before Nicolò could prevent it, Yusuf ended up in a water trough face-first.
Yusuf: "Yeah, you are laughing..."
Nicolò was indeed laughing, and beside him, Yusuf was sure the camel was also laughing at him.
Yusuf: "But I want you to know it was all part of my brilliant plan of finding the baker because his bakery is over there."
Yusuf pointed behind Nicolò, and he saw the bakery. Then, Nicolò helped Yusuf up from the water trough. Yusuf shook his head to get some of the water out of his curls.
Yusuf: "Come. Let us get the cake."
Nicolò shook his head.
Nicolò: "I think it is better I wait outside, or have you forgotten the last time I went with you to the grocer?"
Yusuf hadn't forgotten it. They had only been in the shop for thirty seconds before the grocer threw them out because he refused to deal with a man like Nicolò. When Yusuf wanted to speak his mind to the grocer about his actions towards Nicolò, Nicolò asked him not to do it because to many people in the Maghreb, the battle of Jerusalem was still fresh in their minds, and it could not be denied that Nicolò had been a part of the invading forces, which had cost many men their lives.
Yusuf: "I wish that people could see how kind a soul you are, Nicolò."
A year ago, Yusuf would have sworn that people like Nicolò were the devil himself, but after getting to learn each other, Yusuf had never met a man like Nicolò. Nicolò was the most kind-hearted person in the world that Yusuf had ever met. And because Nicolò was so kind, Yusuf felt the need to protect his new Friend from all the cruelty in the world. It was a strange feeling, because Yusuf had never felt any need to protect the friends he grew up with, but Nicolò was another case, and he couldn't explain why.
Nicolò: "Give the people time to heal, and maybe they will one day change their minds about me."
Yusuf: "You are right. I will be back as fast as I can."
Nicolò nodded and pulled his hood over his head, hoping that if people didn't see his face, they would not harm him. Nicolò's plan worked as it should, and when Yusuf joined him again, they left Cairo as fast as they could.
They rode until it became dark and set camp near the pyramids.
Yusuf: "I got the biggest Basbousa the baker had."
Yusuf opened the box to show Nicolò the Basbousa.
Nicolò: "Oh, that does look good, and it smells amazing. Do you know what that is?"
Nicolò pointed at something white on the Basbousa.
Yusuf: "Coconut. And please don't ask me what else there is in the cake, because I don't know."
Nicolò: "Maybe we can find out together."
Yusuf: "I would love that."
Yusuf divided the cake into two pieces.
Nicolò: "I don't think I can eat such a big piece."
Nicolò was still getting used to eating other food than the porridge he was used to being served as a monk. But when Nicolò discovered what kind of food Yusuf was eating, he had found a love for food he didn't know he had.
Yusuf: "That is okay, Nicolò. No one will eat your piece, so take the time you need."
Nicolò had once told Yusuf that when he was a child, another boy who was much bigger than him had stolen his porridge, which meant he often went to bed hungry because the monks didn't serve a second portion.
Nicolò: "Thanks."
Nicolò took a bite of the Basbousa, and it tasted just as amazing as Yusuf had said.
Nicolò: "I understand now why you love this cake, Yusuf. What was it called again?"
Yusuf: "Basbousa."
Nicolò took his notebook and wrote 'Basbousa' in it. It was something he had begun on, writing down all his new favourite dishes. They ate as much Basbousa as they could before lying down in the sand beside each other so that they could watch the stars together.
Yusuf: "So tell me, what is your plan with every dish you have written in your notebook?"
Nicolò turned his head and looked at Yusuf.
Nicolò: "I hope one day, I can be allowed to work as a baker. And yes, you can taste everything for free."
Yusuf: "Thanks. I can't wait."
They exchanged a smile.
Nicolò: "And you? If you could be anything in the world, what would it be?"
Yusuf: "Hmm, that is a good question."
Yusuf scratched his beard.
Yusuf: "I know the life that was planned for me will never happen because of recent events."
Yusuf looked at Nicolò.
Yusuf: "And I don't know if I will follow old dreams I had a child, but for now..."
Yusuf took Nicolò's hand in his. It wasn't the first time it had happened, and they knew they had to speak about it one day, but for now, it was nice to have someone to hold onto.
Yusuf: "I want to explore the world with my new Friend."
They exchanged a smile again.
Nicolò: "Maybe that is what you are supposed to do for a time."
Yusuf: "What do you mean?"
Nicolò: "Be an explorer."
Nicolò got up on his elbows before turning so he was looking at Yusuf.
Nicolò: "So, while you explore the world, I will explore the food, and maybe when I become a baker, you might have figured out what you want to do."
Yusuf: "I think that is a brilliant plan. Let us do it, Nicolò."
Nicolò reached out his right hand.
Nicolò: "Then let us shake hands as a promise that we will do what we just talked about."
Yusuf: "I think that is also a brilliant idea."
Yusuf sat up, and they shook hands.
Yusuf: "Now that we know what we will be doing tomorrow, should I tell you a bit more about the stars?"
Nicolò had come to love it whenever Yusuf talked about the stars.
Nicolò: "Yes, please. I would love that."
Nicolò lay down again, and Yusuf placed his head on Nicolò's stomach. While Yusuf told stories about the stars, Nicolò ran his fingers through Yusuf's curls. This was another thing they needed to speak about, but it could also wait until they were ready to have that conversation.