Seina rushed into the garden, barefoot. Her toes pressed into the cool, damp grass. She stopped and tilted her head.
The lavender bush was empty. Only one purple petal lay on the ground. Seina looked left. She looked right.
She tiptoed along the rose path, peering under every leaf. She checked the gardening glove. She peeked behind the watering can.
Nothing. She sat hard on the step and pulled her knees to her chest.
She stomped to the apple tree and gave the trunk a shake. Leaves tumbled down — and a ladybug landed on her nose.
She let out a sound that wasn't quite a laugh and wasn't quite a cry. Then her shoulders started to shake.
Footsteps crunch on the gravel. Her mother knelt beside her and opened her arms. Seina folded right into them.
A blue butterfly drifted down and landed on her knee. She looked up and smiled. "It's okay," said her mother. "It'll come back."
