‘I . . . guess so,’ Aminah agrees, her eyes darting between the two, clearly unsure which one to appease.

Ib laughs. ‘Thanks, Hana, for telling me how to pronounce my own name.’ She rolls her eyes, though her voice is affectionate.

Once the introductions are done, Rawan clears her throat. ‘So, are we ready for our first rehearsal?’

All three girls nod in unison.

‘I should start by explaining to Aminah why we picked Rapunzel,’ Rawan says.

‘Because Hana makes a really good witch,’ Ib grins, turning to Aminah. ‘You’ll see.’

Hana glares at her, then turns to Aminah too. ‘She’s right, I do! So don’t cross me.’

‘But also,’ Rawan interjects, ‘I think fairy tales are just magical. And they teach us about life. Rapunzel has to fend for herself, and she realizes there’s so much more to the world than she first imagined.’

Everyone falls silent for a moment, and the only sound is an orchestra of grasshoppers playing into the night.

But then Hana waves her hands, like a bossy wizard casting a spell. ‘Right. Let’s begin!’

The moon and stars shine bright and the air is warm as Aminah, Rawan and the others rehearse their scenes. Each of them holds a flashlight that they shine on their scripts while they recite their lines.

As the girls act out the scenes something spectacular happens. The silver branches, in bloom with dozens of yellow flowers now, slither down from the wall and on to the sand. The branches rise up, circling around the troupe, until they resemble a tall tower in the middle of a forest clearing – like a theatre set made entirely of wood.

I know this is all part of Mum’s imagination, filling in the gaps with wonder and magic.

Hana enters the set as the witch, and Rawan helps Aminah through her lines before taking up her role as the prince. From her bag she pulls a very real string of beautifully patterned materials all tied together, which Aminah plaits into her hair. She throws it down for Rawan to climb.

The branches transition seamlessly every time the scene changes – their silver light shines down on the girls making them glow, though this part of the play exists only for my eyes. This world in Mum’s mind is filled with her memories, but they’re different.

When I think back to some of the best and worst moments of my life I don’t really imagine them how they happened. I imagine them a bit different, more magical. Like the time I went to a birthday party at the local swimming pool. We were all mermaids chased by a deadly shark, then we were pirates searching for lost treasure.

Mum’s memories are a little like that, and this one is the most magical one I’ve experienced so far. Like it’s extra special.