“Just looking at her makes my heart tremble all over again. But now, I feel more of the love than the pain of loss. And I feel much better,â€? Casimir told me. Somehow, I felt lighter.
I recalled that day in the library when Casimir had said such dark things and indulged in pain. Now, he reminded me of a bear who had come out of hibernation, or a plant that had survived winter’s frost. The sunshine that poured through the room was proof enough that Casimir’s previous outlooks and perspectives of the world had changed. Hope was profound, and meaningful too.

After that, Casimir would attend camp with me. It was strange, what with him being the only boy, but he was allowed to go with me for the time being. He wasn’t an official camper, and we would only be going to camp for a few more days. Since he was Mr. Chrysanthemum’s son, he was allowed to visit for the time being. I was glad to have a friend at camp with me, and Casimir was happy to have something to do during the day.