Roses and Thorns.

Prologue.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Zhara, happy birthday tooo youuuu..."

They all sing in unison as Nala carries a small vanilla cupcake in her palm that has an overwhelming amount of icing sugar with a lit candle sticking out of the middle.
She slightly bounces up and down on her feet while she continues to cutely smile at me.

I watch the flame that rests above the candle for a few seconds before I look at them again.

"Come on Zee..."
She begs

"I thought we said no birthday cakes, no parties, no gifts and certainly no singing this year..."

"You say that every year zee and it always goes the opposite..."

He says as he tucks his hands back inside his pants and he raises his eye brows at me, his wife shakes her head at him before she looks at me again.

"It's just a candle, one tiny winny candle."

Birthdays.

One thing that I've never been fond of, well since recently that is.

I look at them again one last time before I pucker my lips close together and i lightly blow at the candle until the flame puts out and smoke chimes from it.

She joyously smiles at me again before she pulls me into a hug. A warm, tight and fuzzy feeling like hug before she looks at me one last time.

"I love you."

"I love you more Nala..."

I reply before she lightly smiles at me, pats my sides and she leaves the room.

"She's organized a little something for you tonight, booked out the place and even got the chef to prepare us a few meals."

"And you let her ?"

"Zhara what was I to do ? She was way too excited for this on your behalf, she knows just how much you need this..."

He says as he softens his voice and he pulls a chair and he sits down infront of me.

"I know how tough this is for you but they wouldn't want you to mope around every single birthday, I hate seeing you like this Zhara."

"They were your parents too Adi..."

I reply and he subtly nods his head at me in agreement.

"Which is why I know for a fact that they wouldn't want you resenting this day for the rest of your life because of what happened."

He says and I go quiet for a while.

"It hurts so bad Adi... it' hurts so so bad..."
I repeat as tears start to well up from my lids as my eyes begin to get painfull yet again as I start this cycle for the thousandth time.

"I know..."

He says as he wraps my hand inside his and he squeezes it.

"I know...but they would be so proud of you Zee."

"They would be proud of you too Adi, I mean look at you, your married to an incredible woman, you have your own gourmet restaurant... but you don't got no kids..."

I say as I wipe my tear and he smiles at me.

"Excuse me, your looking at father to be..."

He says as he raises his arms and he smiles at me more and I start to giggle at him before i stop as they news finally register in my head.

"They approved the adoption ?"

I ask and he smiles at me.

"She'll be here in a few weeks."