Chapter 2

I floated in the air, watching Mom walk in.

"Max?"

"Mom! You're finally home!" I excitedly threw myself at her, but passed right through her.

I stared blankly at my hands. Only then did I remember that I was already dead.

"Max? I don't feel like playing hide-and-seek today. Come out!"

I pouted and instinctively wanted to protest, to tell her I wasn't playing, but no matter how loudly I shouted, my voice couldn't reach her.

All I could do was watch as Mom approached Roundy and checked its operating status.

"Roundy, where's Max?"

Roundy's big eyes lit up.

System: [Administrator's voice detected. Kitty is taking a nap inside the bedroom closet.]

System: [Breathing steady. Sleeping.]

Mom froze for a moment before heading toward the bedroom.

My heart suddenly started pounding. I wanted Mom to find me, but I didn't want her to discover so soon that I was dead.

Dad still hadn't come back. I couldn't make Mom sad again.

Just as she reached for the doorknob, her phone suddenly rang.

"Professor Foster! There's an abnormal surge of energy from another world! Our experiment is about to succeed!"

Mom hurriedly withdrew her hand and left the house.

Watching her retreating figure, I couldn't help letting out a sigh of relief.

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

I looked down at my body and only then realized how ugly I had become. Dad would be so sad if he saw me like this.

I pouted and floated back into the living room.

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

I'd once asked her why. She had only looked at me with such a sorrowful expression and kept saying that she'd made a mistake.

Mom thought I didn't know anything.

But I knew perfectly well that Deandre had once said he didn't like seeing our family pictures. Because of that, Mom had taken every single one of them down.

Dad and Mom had a terrible argument over it. It had scared me so badly that I'd burst into tears.

When Dad heard me crying, he seemed to lose all his fight. "Max, if it weren't for you, I would've divorced your mom a long time ago. But no one should have the right to hold me back."

I hadn't understood what he meant, but being in Dad's arms had made me feel safe.

I looked at the family photographs of all sizes hanging on the wall. We had looked so happy back then.

Mom's eyes had sparkled. Her whole face seemed to glow.

Dad had smiled like a big kid, wrapping his arms around us as though he owned the whole world.

I remembered that day clearly. Dad had made me delicious scrambled eggs, with just a little sugar added.

Mom had spent the entire evening watching The Powerpuff Girls with me. Then she helped Dad wash the dishes and do the housework.

I reached out, wanting to touch Dad's face one last time. My fingers passed straight through the glass.

Just then, Roundy suddenly moved. Its blue eyes flickered, and Mom's voice came through its speaker.

"Max? I just got home and couldn't find you. If you hear this message, could you please call me back?

"I know you're lonely staying home by yourself. I also know how good you've been, never causing me any trouble.

"I will bring Dad back with me. Then we'll go eat strawberry cake together, okay? I promise I won't break my promise this time.

"Max, Mom and Dad love you."