TE16 Turkish Delight

Karin Karakaşlı The door swung open abruptly. Its abruptness startled her. It was as though it had opened on a truth inside her own self. The truth that she’d hoped the door never opened, that she was terrified. Why would anyone be terrified of a friend? She was blindsided. Here was Sırhupi, standing in front of her. With her snow-white hair and darling face. Heart pounding, Mukaddes searched that face for a trace of surprise or joy. No… Sırhupi smiled, but itwas rathermoreanexpressionless gestureof the lips directed by a storekeeper or flight attendant at a customer shewas serving. Forcedcourtesy. “Welcome, Mukaddes,whydon’t you come in,” said Sırhupi, as though they’d last seen each other yesterday. No other words, nor a chastisement. If things were the way they used to be, of course, they would have had seen each other yesterday. But they hadn’t. The greeting did nothing to put Mukaddes at ease, she was even more defeated by it. This house…where she too spent her childhood and youth, that she had once considered her home. Now right in front of her, as though willfully, proof that there are some things that stay unchanged despite the years. Harsher than Sırhupi, or simply more honest. “What are you doing here,” ask the walls, looming over her, “how could you just show up after all this time like nothing happened?” For an instant Mukaddes shivered. “My apologies, it’s a bit cold in the house but you understand, since I am on my own I only heat certain rooms,” said Sırhupi. “No, it’s not that cold. My house is the same,” Mukaddes blurted out. Then she saw a question mark on her friend’s face. Of course, she

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