From the introduction:
Grandma died of acute renal failure at the beginning of the spring. A few weeks later, Grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer, and he didn’t bother fighting; he was dead within another two weeks. The family lost its heart and soul over the course of just a few months. Everyone found their own way to grieve. Some of us held it in, and some of us let it out. Some of us focused on cleaning out Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Mom took up gardening, which was pretty funny, because besides her children, she’d never been able to successfully care for another living thing for more than a few weeks. True to form, she killed a lot of plants this year, but one managed to thrive under her care. She put it in a pot and brought it inside. She believes that it survived because it contains the souls of Grandma and Grandpa, and she refers to it as “Grandma and Grandpa.” Everyone else thinks she’s weird, but humors her, because it’s been a tough year. No one suspects that she’s right. The spirits of Grandma and Grandpa live on in the plant, watching over the family and helping them deal with their troubles.