It’s 6:30 PM, there’s a soft knock at my bedroom door, and I see Annie cautiously peering in. She asks if I was able to rest, and I admit that I only managed a little, with too much on my mind. Annie gently reminds me of the 7 PM meeting Benny called. Feeling overwhelmed, I groan, “I can’t deal with that tonight. I don’t know why I’m feeling so lost and empty. I thought I was in a good place after that venture into the cave with Daisy, but even good experiences can throw me off balance. I can’t handle it tonight.” I ask Annie, exasperated, to get Benny for me.

When Benny arrives, he greets me warmly and asks if I need to go over his notes or if I need anything else. Confused and flustered, I struggle to articulate what I need, my thoughts scattered. “I feel awful, and my brain is all mixed up. I can’t manage… I can’t even finish my sentences!” Benny quickly understands, “It’s okay, boss. No meeting, right?” I weakly confirm, and Benny takes charge, telling Annie to stay with me and talk things out while he handles everything else.

Benny heads to the living room and informs the troupe of emotions gathered there that the meeting is canceled, possibly for the next month. Hope asks how they can help, and Benny delegates tasks: Izzy, Louise, and Gertrude are to continue searching for the dog, while Hope and the others hang up the mirror they made for me. Benny retreats to the kitchen to work on his call book.

The troupe hangs the mirror near the front door, and Doubtful Dennis calls Benny to check it out. Benny approves, “It looks great! Nice job!” Annie, noticing the mirror, suggests bringing me to see it, thinking it might help ease my stress and confusion.

Reluctantly, I pry myself out of bed and follow Annie down the hallway to the mirror. As I stand before it, I manage to whisper, “It’s beautiful.” The broken, stained-glass pieces framing the mirror catch the light and sparkle, drawing Annie closer. She explains that the glass will sparkle whenever I look into the mirror and think about any emotions. As Annie gazes into the mirror, I notice she looks different—softer, with a rosy glow. Her eyes widen, and she smiles, then wraps me in a hug, exclaiming, “It’s you! I can sense your thoughts and feelings now!” I hugged her back, amazed, and realized that she has transformed into Empathetic Annie.

Benny, curious, asks if the mirror has the power to change feelings. Hope clarifies that the mirror is just a spiritual guide; the power lies within the one looking for answers.

Shifting focus, I ask Izzy how the puppy search is going. He showed me a profile photo of a small grayish poodle on the computer. Izzy asks if I think she’s cute, and Gertrude and Louise eagerly ask if we can adopt her. I hesitate, unsure if I’m ready, but then I notice a pink collar with daisies under her chin in the photo. Suddenly, I know—she’s the one, sent by Daisy. Hope tells me this little dog is full of redemption for me, and Annie, sensing my apprehension, reassures me that we need each other. Louise and Gertrude agree, and I start to smile, cry, and shake all at once, feeling overwhelmed yet certain. Annie takes my hand and comforts me, saying, “It feels right.” Nervously, I agree, and Benny takes over, quickly filling out the application. He then motions for me to hit the submit button. I let out a huge sigh and say, “Here we go,” as we begin the wait for a response.