#ch:g1

And the cherry tree is in full bloom...

Theodore wasn't dreaming, and Penelope isn't either.

No rest for the wicked: even on his day off, Theodore couldn't escape cleaning the floor. As annoyed as he was, at least the old feelings of weakness and worthlessness were long distant, and keeping the house tidy was something that brought him joy again.

"Mom? Is it you?" Eve came all the way from the Unliving world to see her baby again, to find if Penelope grew well, and seeing that beautiful teenager right there was enough to put her heart at ease - for the rest of her ghost life. Penelope was deeply touched by the visit, and finally got a hug from her mother she could remember forever.

Who would guess something like that would happen? Oh, well...

Teddy even tried to fish, and discovered that their house pond isn't the best place for that.

Teddy is now trailing a new career as cook, and he tried to apply all he learned to bake an unforgettable cake for Penelope's birthday.

When the morning finally came, it was hard to stop thinking about what happened. Was it a really vivid dream? A hallucination? Something deep inside her said the visit was real, and her mom showed up to remember Penelope she would always be close, guarding her steps. She felt different, fearless.