You never thought you’d be here. Not like this.

Hand in hand with Drew, your partner of seven years, and your daughter—your little firecracker, your whole heart—bouncing excitedly between the two of you. She’s three now, a whirlwind of energy and joy, her tiny voice filling the air as she talks about Mulan for the hundredth time today. Mulan is her hero, her favorite princess, and honestly, you can’t blame her.

And today, you were making her dream come true.

Disney World. Orlando, Florida.

As a kid, you used to dream about this place. The magic, the fireworks, the feeling that anything was possible. But childhood wasn’t always easy for you, and it wasn’t until you were ten that you finally stepped through those gates, eyes wide, heart pounding. You remember how it felt—the wonder, the excitement, the pure magic of it all.

And now, all these years later, you were back. But this time, it wasn’t just for you. It was for her.

She gasps as she sees Cinderella’s castle up ahead, pointing so frantically that she almost drops the stuffed Mushu Drew won for her earlier. “Mommy, Daddy! Look! It’s a real castle!”

Drew laughs beside you, his grip tightening around your fingers as he watches her. He’s as mesmerized as you are—not by the park, but by her. By the way she lights up, the way she sees the world.

You lean into him, taking a deep breath, letting it sink in. The moment. The magic. The fact that after everything—the struggles, the doubts, the long nights wondering if you were doing this whole parenting thing right—you were here. Giving your daughter a dream you once had.

Drew presses a kiss to the side of your head, voice low, just for you. “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever seen her.”

You smile, watching as your daughter tugs him toward the castle, already demanding a princess dress of her own. “Me too.”

And for the first time in a long time, you realize—this is the kind of magic you always wished for. And now, it’s real.