Chapter 103: Fatherly Love
As the apartment door swung open, little Zami dashed to the door with excitement, her small feet pattering against the wooden floor. She beelined straight to her grandpa, throwing her tiny arms around his leg and hugging him tightly. "Welcome back, Gweat Gwandpa!" Her words were soft and slightly unclear—still marked by the struggles of a child learning to speak.
Mira’s grandpa chuckled warmly, bending down to lift his great granddaughter into his arms. "Oh, my precious girl! Happy Birthday!" he said, his voice filled with affection.
Zami’s face lit up with delight, her eyes twinkling like stars. "Thank you berry much, Gweat Gwandpa!" she exclaimed, her words stumbling adorably over each other. Her grandpa reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a gift wrapped in shiny pink paper. Instantly, Zami’s giggles turned to excited squeals as she bounced in his arms. "Yay! ’Nother gift!" she cheered, her joy bubbling over.
Seeing Zami’s happiness made Mira’s heart swell with love. The warm glow of her daughter’s joy was all she ever wanted. In that moment, every hardship, every sacrifice felt completely worth it.
Grandpa set Zami down, handing her the present. She tore into the wrapping paper with eager little hands, revealing a small, delicate cup and a child-sized umbrella decorated with colorful princess cartoons. Zami’s eyes grew wide with astonishment, and her mouth formed a perfect ’O’ of surprise. She had always wanted her very own umbrella—just her size—ever since she had seen one on TV while watching cartoons with her grandpa. The fact that he had remembered such a small, passing wish touched her deeply.
Overwhelmed, Zami launched herself into his arms again, hugging him tightly. Mira couldn’t help but smile even wider. For her, Zami was the embodiment of all things good and innocent—a light that had brightened her darkest days. There were moments when she still marveled that she, who had endured so much, could have something so precious.
After a few moments, Zami pulled away from her great-grandfather and sprinted over to Mira, clutching the little umbrella as if it were a treasure. "Mummy! Gweat Gwandpa got me a pwetty pwesent!" she said, thrusting her new belongings up for inspection with an enthusiastic grin.
Mira nodded, bending down to gather Zami in her arms. "Happy Birthday again, sweetheart," she said, her voice thick with emotion. She kissed Zami’s forehead gently, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over her.
As they stood together, Mira’s grandpa approached, his eyes filled with a mixture of joy and a hint of sorrow. "We should go get the cake now," he said, glancing at the clock on the wall. "The delivery company’s car is out of commission, so we have to pick it up ourselves."