Jenny Couldn’t pay attention in school at all that day. When she had woken up that day, Frankenbug was gone. She couldn’t stop crying. She had looked all over the cage and then all of her room, but he and his chrysalis weren’t anywhere.

  She wondered if someone took Frankenbug from her, but her Mommy hadn’t mentioned him once. She was too focused on looking for Daddy. She tried to keep it secret from Jenny, but she knew that her Daddy was missing. First her Daddy, and now Frankenbug was gone too. Jenny didn’t know what to do. What if her Mommy went missing next?

  Her teacher, Mrs. Dodley, attempted to cheer her up a few times, but nothing made her feel better. After a few hours, Mrs. Dodley sent Jenny to wait in the nurse’s office so she could be picked up early from school.

  It didn’t matter where she was, Jenny still felt just as sad. She couldn’t figure it out. Did he run away?

  Jenny shook her head, dismissing the idea. There was no way Frankenbug would run away. She was a good Mommy to him and loved him.

  Did somebody steal him? Jenny shook her head again. No, she had kept Frankenbug as her bestest secret.

  Her Mommy burst into the nurse’s office. She was red in the face and short of breath.

  “I rushed over as soon as I could, what’s wrong? Where is she?” Mommy said.

  “Like I tried to tell you over the phone, Kristy, she’s okay. She’s been crying all day, though, so Mrs. Dodley thought it best to send her home for the day. She's just around the corner over here.”

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  Mommy appeared around the corner, red-faced.

  “Honey, are you alright?” Mommy said as she rushed over to Jenny kneeling in front of her and clasping her hands.

  “I’ll be okay,” Jenny mumbled out. “Can we go home?”

  “Of course honey. Let’s get some ice cream on the ride home, will that make you feel better?”

  Jenny nodded, she wasn’t sure it would help, but ice cream was never something to turn down.

  …

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Mommy said as they pulled into the driveway. “Do you feel good enough to talk about it yet?”

  “No,” The ice cream did make Jenny feel good enough to stop crying, but she was still heartbroken that Frankenbug was gone. She just wanted to lay in her bed and be alone for a while.

  “Alright honey, but if you need anything, I’ll be here for you,” Mommy said.

  “Thank you Mommy,” Jenny said as she opened the door to her room and saw a pile of flowers on her pillow. She was confused at first, but then she heard a familiar voice speak.

  “Beautiful,” a muffled voice that sounded like Frankenbug said from inside the butterfly closet.

  Jenny went into her bug closet where the voice had come from and closed the door behind her then turned on the light. looked in the cage and there Frankebug was. Waiting and looking at her from his many different eyes. “Eeeeeee!” She squealed in excitement. “You came back! Where did you go? I missed you!” She would have hugged him if he weren’t behind a net.

  “Down,” He said matter of factly.

  “You’re hungry?”

  “No.” He said matter of factly again.

  “What?” She asked.

  Frankenbug looked out the window, then back to her. “Down.”

  “Did you get your own food? You smart boy!” She teared up thinking about him out there. “I’m so glad you came back home to me!”

  Frankenbug bobbed his head, “Home.”