Chapter 2

I floated in the air and watched Dad walk inside.

“Rose?”

“Dad! You’re finally home!”

I excitedly threw myself at him, but my arms passed straight through.

I stared blankly at my hands, finally remembering that I was dead.

“Rose? I don’t feel like playing hide-and-seek today. Come out!”

I pouted and instinctively tried to argue that I wasn’t hiding.

But no matter how loudly I shouted, my voice couldn’t reach Dad’s ears.

All I could do was watch helplessly as he approached Otto and checked its operating status.

“Otto, where is Rose?”

Otto’s large eyes lit up, and its mechanical voice echoed through the room.

[Administrator’s voice detected. The kitten is napping inside the bedroom closet.]

[Breathing is steady. The kitten is asleep.]

Dad froze for a moment, then started toward the bedroom.

My heart began racing.

I wanted him to find me, but I didn’t want him to discover so soon that I was dead.

Mom still hadn’t returned.

I couldn’t make Dad grieve all over again.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, his phone suddenly rang.

“Professor Dawson! The energy from the other dimension is fluctuating wildly! Our experiment is about to succeed!”

Dad quickly pulled his hand away and hurried out of the house.

I watched him leave and unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

Mom and Dad would soon be together again. That was wonderful.

I looked down at my body and realized how awful I looked.

Mom would be heartbroken if she saw me like this.

I pouted and floated back into the living room.

A photograph of the three of us hung on the wall. Dad had put it up after Mom left.

I once asked him why.

He only looked at me with unbearable grief and kept saying that he was sorry.

Dad thought I knew nothing.

But I knew exactly what had happened. Back then, Dad took down every photograph in our home simply because Sophie said she didn’t like them.

Mom and Dad had gotten into a terrible argument over it, frightening me into tears.

When Mom heard me crying, she seemed to lose all her fight.

“Rose, if it weren’t for you, I would divorce your father.”

“But no one should ever be allowed to hold me back.”

I didn’t understand what she meant, but being held in Mom’s arms made me feel safe.

I looked at the family portraits of all sizes hanging on the wall and realized how happy we had looked back then.

Mom’s eyes shone brightly, making her seem almost radiant.

Dad smiled like a big kid, holding us both in his arms as if he had the whole world.

I remembered that day clearly. Mom made me delicious scrambled eggs and added just a little sugar.

Dad watched The Powerpuff Girls with me all evening, then helped Mom wash the dishes and do the housework.

I reached out, wanting to touch Mom’s face one last time.

My fingers passed through the glass, unable to feel a thing.

Just then, Otto suddenly moved.

Its blue eyes flickered, and Dad’s voice came through its speakers.

[Rose.]

[I came home a little while ago and didn’t see you. If you hear this message, could you call me?]

[I know you must be lonely at home by yourself, and I know how good you’ve been. You never cause me any trouble.]

[I will bring Mom home with me to see you. Then we can all go out for strawberry cake together, okay? I promise I won’t stand you up this time.]

[Rose, Mom and I love you.]