"Shyra, meet Shadow".

Two months Later

It has been four months since Shyra started her therapy and it was going well especially when she started to forgive herself and try to love herself.

The calls between Shyra and Samir became a little bit more frequent and this made their friendship strong.

She even wanted to involve Imran but he didn't want to intrude in their friendship.

This is what I wanted for them. I will need to respect their friendship.

A few days before Shyra's session, she received a call from Imran about a surprise he had for her.

"What is the surprise?" Shyra asks.

"It wont be a surprise if I told you, would it?" Imran says while Ayra nods agreeing with her father.

"Fine, and thank you."

Ayra and Imran were happy to have been spending time with Shyra. She needed friends to be there by her side and never left.

Alhamdullilah, Shyra has stopped having nightmares about that fateful night and it was all thanks to Dr. Saalim and his techniques which people would register as unorthodox but they worked for Shyra.

She and Ayra have been spending time together almost every weekend and every day. They even made a point to sometimes pray together and would even include Imran.

"Now can we go to the bakery, Dad?" Ayra asks her father who nods with a smile on his face.

"But Shyra will go with you. Because I need to go and pick up her surprise, remember?" Her father tells her.

"Yes, I do," Ayra says and then turns to face Shyra. " Come on, let's go and when Dad comes back he will have your surprise ready," she added taking Shyra's hand and heading to the door.

"Ayra, you need to put on..."

"Yeah, I forgot. Thanks, Dad," she says running inside her hijab which she tied around her head. "Okay, now I am ready," she added waving to her father who shook his head and laughed.

Meanwhile, Imran was on his way to get the surprise for Shyra and he hoped that she would like it as it was also her birthday.

Shyra has been secretive about her birthday because that was the day of her parent's death. She didnt like to do anything except go to Ayra's school and hand out gifts to the kids who were at the school. The school was also for orphans like her This was suggested by her Aunt Hayat who knew that Shyra would want to make a difference.

Flashback.

Shyra's birthday was getting near as it was a week left. It was the first birthday she was spending alone after leaving her hometown. Shyra needed to get the memory of her parent's accident so the only person she asked for her was Aunt Hayat. She knew that Hayat would have an idea of how to make her birthday as well as remembering her parents worth it.

"Asalam Aleikum Aunt. How are you doing?" Shyra says to her on the phone.

"Waleikum salaam. I am good alhamdullilah and how are you foing Habibty?" Hayat asks her.

"Umm... it is my birthday and also the day that Mamma and Dad died. I want to do something in their memory and also do it every year. Could you help me think of something?" Shyra asks her hoping she will have an answer to her question.

Hayat was silent for a few seconds and then said; "Is there an orphanage or a school nearby?"

"Yeah, a school that is runned by an orphanage. It is a few blocks from where I live. Why, Aunt?..."

"Buy things that they need and distribute them in the name of your parents. It is what I do on my Mamma's birthday and death anniversary. I have been doing it for years and you should too," Hayat explained to Shyra. "It won't bring them back but it will ease the feeling inside you, and also you need it because I know that you won't want to celebrate it," she added.

"Shukran Aunt Hayat. I will go and check what they will need and then buy it. And maybe I could even buy the kids there so desserts that I know they would love," Shyra tells her smiling.

She then thanked Hayat and then hung up the call. She headed to the school talked to the charge personnel and asked about the school.

Each year, Shyra would get the kids, stationery and other items they would need. And she would even get them desserts after having lunch with them.

End Of flashback.

The first time that Ayra saw her she explained to her father what Shyra was doing. She asked one of her classmates about it and that's when she found out that it was her birthday. The father-daughter duo wanted to do something for their friend and neighbor because of the hard times that she had to face alone.

The nightmares that Shyra had to go through alone even before she met them.

"We can get the students story books, this time. And maybe get the kindergarten some colors and coloring books," Ayra suggests to Shyra. "I want to buy some things too, if you let me," she added.

"Yes, that would be a great idea. Why dont we go and make the order for the desserts at the bakery and then head to the bookstore after that the supermarket to get chocolates and everything that we will need," Shyra says making Ayra smile.

Meanwhile, Imran left the apartment with one mission to get Shyra the perfect gift that she deserved especially after what she had been through. He didnt want to ask her why she didnt tell Ayra that it was her birthday. He knew that something happened on her birthday that made Shyra do what had been done for the last year and a half.

"Hey, is it ready? And everything else that my daughter and I ordered?" He asked the store owner who smiled at him.

"Hey, yes come with me. He is ready for you to pick him up. I have packed everything that you have asked for and a few more as gifts from my side," he tells Imran who walked beside him at the back of the store. "Here he is, I hope your wife loves your gift," he added surprising Imran by calling Shyra his wife.

"Sir, she isn't my wife. She just someone who needs love and I think you are holding the perfect thing to give her. And thank you again," he says after correcting the store owner.

"I know what I said, son. She might not be now but some day she will be, In shaa Allah," the store owner Mr. Hassan said to Imran who just shook his head.

"I will keep that in mind." he tells her putting everything in bags.

"I will help you get the things to the car while you hold him..."

"Let's do it together."

Both of them put everything in his car and then Mr. Hassan held the most important thing that Imran would give to Shyra.

"Thank you for everything. Have a good day." Imran says thanking him.

"You are welcome and I hope you have a good day too."

Imran got into the car and then secured Shyra's gift. He then started driving back to the apartment before they came back.

After arriving at the apartment, Imran unloaded everything out of his car and walked inside the elevator while hoping and praying Shyra and his daughter weren't back by now.

He kept everything in his apartment until Shyra saw her gift and she took it to her place.

Shyra and Ayra have done everything and delivered everything to the orphanage. She was glad that Ayra was there to help especially when she suggested that they buy toiletries for the older girls and for the boys too.

"Thank you, this was the best day," Ayra tells Shyra who hugged her.

"I should thank you because I wont know what to buy because I always get the same things every year and I would say they got tired of them. So thank you, Habibty," Shyra says smiling. "And now, it is time to head home but we must make one last stop, to the pizza place. I made an order for us to have pizza for dinner, is that okay?" she asked her.

"Yes, thank you. You are the best...Don't tell Dad that because he gets a little jealous of me saying that someone else is the best other than him," Ayra says giggling.

"Hey, dont make fun of you father. He has to feel alittle bit jealous because he loves and you are his entire world," Shyra says while laughing with her.

"I know that and he is my entire world too. Without him or Papa, I dont know what I would do," Ayra says with a smile on her face.

They walked to the pizza place to get their orders. While talking and joking around, they walked back to the apartment where they found Imran waiting for them.

"Asalam Aliekum, Dad. Is it here?" Ayra asks her father making Shyra confused.

"Waleikum Salaam. Yes I did and now I will give it to her..."

"No, Dad. I will..."

Both father and daughter were talking at the same time when Syra heard a meow coming from a pet carrier that was near the couch.

She walked towards it and then opened the carrier to find an orange tabby kitten. It looked like it was a few months old. Shyra picked it up and held it close to her chest.

She remembered her last birthday when she asked her late father for a cat.

"Hello there, whats your name?" Shyra says while looking at its neck if it has a collar.

"His name is Shadow. Happy birthday, Shyra from me and Ayra. We wanted to give you something that you will love," Imran answers her.

He looked at her face and couldn't help but notice the tears forming in her eyes. "I am sorry I didnt mean to make you cry..."

"No, you didn't make me cry. I remembered when I asked my father for a cat and it was the last time I ever saw him and Mamma alive again. But I am not sad, in fact I am very happy. Thank you so much for him," Shyra tells him while shaking her head. "And thank you Ayra but he will also need someone to be his friend, would like that?" She added.

Ayra jumped for joy making both Shyra and Imran laugh at her.

"Yes, yes. I would loved to," she says moving toward them "He is so cute and small too. But I know that with love, care and food he will grow big. In shaa Allah", she added petting the kitten.

Imran looked at his daughter and Shyra talking about what they would do with the kitten. The smile on his face never left and then he remembered what the store owner had told him. It felt like his family and he didnt want to lose that but he also didnt want to be selfish. He wanted Shyra to make her own choices that would make her happy in life.

Allah knows what we need and deserve in our lives. If Shyra and I are meant to be together then He will make that happen. If not then Alhamdullilah. Always be thankful for anything and everything that Allah gives you in your life. The good, and the bad are lessons that we need to learn about this world.

Imran was thankful for Ayra's suggestion when she told him that Shyra might want to have a companion whenever she was alone in her apartment.

And Ayra was right as usual.

Alhamdullilah for everything.