Margaret sat sideways on the round chair, tears of excitement in her eyes as she watched her family dining. Her gentle mother was complaining about her father, mocking his big belly and insisting he should lose weight. Meanwhile, her brother had his arm around his new girlfriend, whispering sweet nothings to her.
The scar on Margaret's face had vanished, and her body had shrunk back to that of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old. The innocence of girlhood had returned to her face once more. Time seemed to have rolled back six or seven years, returning to the happiest and most carefree era of her life.
Tears slid down Margaret's pale cheeks. "This is wonderful! Everything before was just a dream, it was all fake. You're all still alive."
Just as she was about to say something more, a large hand reached out and lightly wrapped around her slender waist. Margaret turned to look; it was Charles, gazing at her with deep affection as their faces slowly drew closer together.
