Glowing petals curled through Grandma’s flower-filled garden. Lily followed their sparkling trail past roses, daisies, and nodding foxgloves. At the ivy-covered stone doorway, one petal hovered against the lock. She pressed it there. Blue light flashed through the stones, and the door gave a deep, sleepy groan. “What’s behind you?” Lily whispered.
Lily pushed the doorway. At once, ivy curled around her wrists and tugged backward. The stone door slammed shut with a leafy snap. She stared at the vines, then at a fallen sunflower stem. “Perhaps you only need a tickle,” she thought.
Lily brushed the sunflower stem along the ivy. The vines quivered. “Achoo!” they sneezed, scattering tiny leaves like confetti. Their leafy coils loosened, revealing a star-shaped keyhole beneath the green curtain. Lily leaned close and grinned at the surprising little opening.
Lily searched beneath roses, daisies, and Grandma’s watering can. She lifted leaves, peered under petals, and listened for a metallic glint. At last, a tulip trembled. Inside its folded petals rested a silver key. “There you are,” Lily whispered.
Lily fitted the silver key into the star-shaped hole and turned it. Click! The doorway opened onto a sky full of floating teacups. They drifted among clouds like a strange porcelain parade. One zoomed past wearing a tiny flower hat, and Lily’s mouth fell open.
Lily stepped through. Behind her, the stone threshold began shrinking—smaller, smaller, smaller—until the garden looked like a picture in a frame. Lily grabbed a glowing petal from the air and pressed it into the star-shaped keyhole. “Open wide!” she cried.
Golden light burst through the doorway. The stones stretched tall, the ivy unfurled, and the garden rushed back into view. Lily hurried across the threshold as it widened behind her. Above, the floating teacups dipped and danced, cheering with bright porcelain clinks.
Lily returned carrying the flower-hatted teacup. It tipped itself over the thirsty blooms, pouring sparkling water in silver ribbons. Roses lifted their heads. Daisies shone. Beside the ivy, the doorway glowed softly. Lily tucked the silver key beneath the tulip, ready for the next marvelous question.
