Happily ever after.

It was hot.
As it had been for months.
Ramadan was almost at its end. It had been a beautiful Thursday.
We got into the car as fast as we could; all of us feeling a mix of exitement and angst.
All three of us knew that at any given moment now, our lives would change.

He drove the car off the mountain road as fast as he could, still in my head, it was in slow-motion; everything looked different to me this time.
The road, the views, especially the clear blue sky: I knew after tonight Damascus would be a different home to me, and one of the stars that I was mesmerized by would be falling from heaven right into my arms.

I was surrounded by love and compassion; yet, in my head I was alone.
This was something I had to do by myself, with a little help from God though, I knew everything would be fine.

Eight hours from the beginning, we were no longer three, and our titles had changed.
We went from mother, husband and wife to becoming grandma, father and mother.

Talia Emina.
So small you were. A little bundle of sweet.
A miniature vision of the love that your mother and father have for eachother.
A big heart of hope in a tiny body, expecting to be sheltered by her parents.
A face filled with fear for the unexpected; an expression which faded with the touching of our skins.

Named Fate, with a reference to a dearly loved grandmother, whom you would tragically enough, never meet.

Today, it has been 3 years since you were born into our life, on that peaceful Friday morning in 2008.
It's as if I'm of equal age, as I can't remember clearly, how days were before you came.
You are the sun, revolving around my world.
Cliche as it may seem, there's no other purpose with a larger significance since you arrived.

The only wish I have for the future, is for you to grow up to become a beautiful person harbouring those features that you had the day you were born, and for me to live long enough to enjoy them.

That would be the true meaning of living happily ever after.
Happy birthday to you, my beautiful fairytale of a princess.

I love you,
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