Constantinople's Cherry

IV - 47. Epilogue

It's been almost a year since I began this story, and I did because I was reading Shafak's amazing pen on the Armenian genocide. I hadn't known what would follow October 7th, I hadn't known that the words I would write in this story, to me historical, were to become true in 4K under our eyes in the present time.

Even when I wrote the very end of this story, with Eda taking care of orphaned children in Lebanon, I didn't know that Israel would so gruesomely attack and terrorise the Lebanese people. All my heart is with them, as so many are left orphans or mutilated after this week's attacks. 

I dedicate this story to all innocents, that have lost their lives in the absolute crazy ideologies of ethno-states, whether it was Armenians in Turkey, Jews and Gypsies in Germany or Plaestinians today in the Levant. 

I hope that along with reading this for EdSer, you all have kept a moral, and learned things from this story. It was meant to sensibilise too. 

....

It was only a few days after they were back in Paris, that Eda was called by Serkan in his room.

They had been sharing it for the past days, unable to let go of each other, but it remained unknown territory to her.

"Ne ?" Eda asked as she saw him rummage in his fine oak cupboard drawers.

Serkan turned to her with emotion in his eyes. He held his palms open, looking at her with love. "You asked me to keep this for you, and give it back to you as soon as we were safe." Serkan poured.

Eda's heart ached with longing as her eyes took into the sight of the beautiful flower ring shining in his palm. He had kept it all these years, and remembered her exact words when parting.

Serkan had it all along, the last memory and tangible physical thing that remained from her. He had cried countless nights holding the ring to his heart.

They looked at each other, eyes glassy, they didn't need to speak a single word. Twenty two years of longing and separation hadn't erased their love. They had been through hell and back together, their love was evident in their eyes.

It was a lifetime of struggles they had both lived without the other, and now they were finally home. Together. And with each other.

"May I ?" Serkan asked softly, reaching for her left hand.

Eda gave it to him, feeling his thumb carress her palm, and noting the changes, the tiny wrinkles begining to form around her wrists, the veins popping through her skin that wasn't as youthful as it once was.

He slipped the ring on her ring finger, and Eda felt her eyes fill at that. She didn't cry easily now, but that, the sight of the flower ring on her hand was enough to make her tear up.

"Here." Serkan stroked her fingers.

"Teşekür ederim." She poured meaningfully.

Serkan watched her expression and caught the tiny tear from her eye before it fell. "Hayir...no more now." He let out softly.

Eda leaned in, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Seni özledim." She complained.

"Ben de." Serkan combed her hair and inhaled her scent.

"Papa!!" They heard Kiraz's loud calls and parted. "Papa! Dinner is ready, I followed everything you wrote on the receipee, Mama if the food is bad it's his fault." She blabbered hands up and Eda smiled, Kiraz was so full of live.

Stubborn, and brash, blunt, sometimes even rude from the outside. But lively and youthful, she reminded her of herself, younger.

"Let's go see what she made. I'd even have poison from your hands bebe." Serkan caressed Eda's shoulder, prompting her up.