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Description
During Jesse’s life there were five times our paths crossed. Most of them were intentional on my part, but there was one time, apart from the first, where we met purely by chance
After what had happened in London we agreed to keep our distance from each other. We both knew it was for the best, and it was not like either of us really had the time to devote to a relationship anyway. Jesse was a Pulitzer prize winning, Oscar nominated author and screenwriter now, and I had found myself as the leader of one of the largest covens in the United States.
I was still finding the latter hard to believe. I’d been going about my life in London, and before I knew it one thing after another was bringing me back to Manhattan. After Kian had abandoned the coven I had somehow found a group of vampires looking to me for guidance. I’d wanted Ansel to take the job, but he’d agreed with Brigid and the rest of the vampires that remained.
So I relented, on the condition that Ansel stayed in the Manhattan Coven with me. I couldn’t imagine doing any of it without him. But even with Ansel and Brigid’s help, I was finding myself spending more and more time in the abandoned subway station I now called home, only emerging for a few minutes a night to feed.
Five years after I’d taken on the coven I found myself spending almost the whole summer underground. I hadn’t even realised until Ansel mentioned how nice Central Park looked in the fall.
“It’s September?” I asked.
“For the past two weeks.”
I was sitting in the main sitting room. It was completely different to how it had been in Kian’s time. For starters, there was a television and a sound system among the books, and electric lights lining the walls. I was the first to rise, other members and visitors to the coven slowly joining me.
“I suppose I’ve been so busy.”
“Why don’t you go out?” Ansel suggested, “Take your time looking for your meal. Wander Fifth Avenue. Go see a show. Enjoy humanity.”
So I did what he said. I fed on someone in an alley near the Empire State Building, then slowly wandered uptown on Fifth. All the stores were open late, and the streets were full of shoppers.
I ended up in front of Tiffany & Co and considered going inside. The benefit of a long life was that wealth was easy to build up. Sometimes I liked spoiling myself with something expensive.
I was considering whether I might want a new pair of earrings or a bracelet when my eyes were drawn to the revolving door, and the man exiting. He was closing his messenger bag, and didn’t notice me there until he looked up.
My vampire sight picked up on the small signs of age in Jesse. His face was slightly lined, and there were a few flecks of grey in his brown hair. He was over thirty now.
Neither of us said anything. Jesse had been one of the furthest things from my mind. I knew there would be a chance that we would come across each other while living in the same city, but with that city having a population of almost two million, I thought it was a very small chance.
“Hi,” Jesse said finally.
“Hi.”
We were both silent again. Jesse seemed as surprised as I was.
“Mr Franklin,” came a voice.
We both looked towards the street. Jesse’s driver was standing next to a black sedan.
“Yes, thank you,” Jesse said, before turning back to me, “Do you want to…?”
He nodded towards the car.
“Sure,” I nodded and followed him towards the car. The driver held the door open as Jesse and I slid into the back seat.
“Lawrence, we’re just going to go for a bit of a drive,” Jesse said as the driver got into the front seat. Lawrence nodded, Jesse pressed a button on his door and a partition closed us off from the front seat. Jesse turned to me.
We had nothing to say again. After a minute we both laughed nervously.
“How long has it been?” I asked.
“I thought vampires were supposed to be excellent time keepers?”
“Exactly the opposite,” I said, “Somehow I woke up tonight and it was September.”
Jesse laughed again, “It’s been five years by the way.”
After another silence I shook my head in disbelief, “You almost won an Oscar.”
Jesse blushed and ran his hand through his hair, “I guess I did.”
“I was watching,” I said, “I took over the television in my coven. I think I scared the others away that night.”
It was Jesse’s turn to be disbelieving, “Your coven.”
“Do you remember where we were ten years ago?” Jesse went on, “I could barely even afford a Metro pass.”
“I was..aimless.”
“You were aimless?” Jesse said, “I had no idea what I was going to do after Columbia.”
“Well, you certainly worked that out,” I said, “I’m so proud of you.”
We sat in silence for a few moments. I smiled and looked away, out of my window.
We were in Times Square, stopped at a red light next to the TKTS booth. The red stairs were illuminated, and covered with people. I remembered the last time I had been there, all those years ago with Jesse. Somehow it seemed like a lifetime ago, while simultaneously feeling like yesterday.
“Do you remember the last time we were here?” Jesse asked from over my shoulder. He had leaned over to look out my window himself.
I nodded and looked back at him. It would be so easy to kiss him now. It was the moment, and yet something was holding me back. When we met in London I craved that kind of intimacy with Jesse, and yet now…
There were still feelings there, deep feelings, but they were different. That part of our relationship was over.
Jesse seemed to be having the same internal battle himself. He sighed and sat back in his seat.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” he reached into his bag and took out a Tiffany’s bag. Out of that bag he pulled out a small jewellery box and opened it. It was an engagement ring.
“What’s her name?” I asked, smiling.
“Violet,” Jesse said, pulling his phone out of his coat pocket, and opening the lock screen. He passed it over to me.
The photo was of Jesse and Violet, a selfie they’d taken on a couch that must have been in one of their living rooms. Violet was beautiful. She was a black woman, with long, thin braids she had tied together in a knot on top of her head.
“She’s beautiful,” I said as I passed the phone back.
“We’ve been together almost two years,” he said, returning the phone to his pocket, “She’s a legislative assistant for a congressman in DC.”
“How did you meet?” I asked.
“I was a guest at a function in DC to raise money for improved literacy in elementary schools,” Jesse explained, “Vi was there with her congressman.”
“How did I not know that you were going back and forth to Washington to be with this woman?” I asked, surprised, “I don’t want to sound like a stalker, but I Google you every now and then. Last I checked they were trying to pair you with that actress.”
“The new one in Dark Moon? No, she’s dating an assistant director,” Jesse said, before looking serious, “I wanted to keep this to myself.”
I studied Jesse for a moment.
“You really lover her,” I said finally.
“I do,’ Jesse said.
“And you’re getting engaged.”
“Well I hope so.”
We were both silent again.
“Is it weird for us to talk about this?” Jesse asked.
“No, it’s great,” I said, “I’m happy for you.”
And I honestly was. This was the reason I’d left him at Columbia, so he could find someone, fall in love and get married. So he could have a normal, human life.
“When are you going to ask her?”
“She’s flying in tomorrow night,” Jesse said, “She’ll he here for a week.”
“Wow,” I breathed.
The car had stopped. There was a knock on the partition and Jesse lowered it.
“Mr Franklin, we’re at your apartment,” Lawrence said, “Would you like me to go around the block again?”
“If you don’t mind - ,” Jesse started.
“No, it’s fine,” I said, “I should go.”
I opened the door and stepped out onto the street, Jesse following.
“It was good to see you again,” he said as we stood outside his door, “Will you keep in touch?”
“I’m sure we’ll see each other again,” I smiled.
Jesse turned and unlocked his door. He looked back. I didn’t know what we were supposed to do now. A kiss was not appropriate. A hug felt too intimate. But to do nothing wasn’t enough.
But Jesse knew what to do. He reached out and took my hand, squeezing it.
“I look forward to it.”
We smiled at each other, before Jesse dropped my hand and went into his apartment, leaving me in the street.

***

I was happy for Jesse. I was sure that anyone he chose to share his life with would be perfect, but I still wanted to know who she was. I wanted to know what was important in his life, even if I couldn’t be a part of it. Which was why two days after I saw Jesse outside Tiffany’s I left the coven to wait across the street from the New York Public Library.
There was a gala there that night, hosted by Jesse’s publishing company. By the time I got there the party was in full swing; all the guests and photographers were inside and the street outside the library was silent.
I was considering how I could sneak into the party when the doors opened and Jesse strode out. He was wearing a black suit and his hair was combed back. He looked like a classic movie star.
A few steps behind came Violet, wearing a long black gown. Jesse appeared to be ignoring her, until the doors closed behind them and they were alone. He turned back and held out his hand, smiling. Violet took it and Jesse kissed her hand lightly as they descended the stairs.
I watched from across the street as they both stood on the sidewalk. I could hear snippets of their conversation. Violet was repeating a story she had heard from another guest at a party. Jesse was listening intently.
I recognised the look Jesse was giving Violet. A decade ago that had been his look for me. I couldn’t pinpoint my feelings in that moment. I wasn’t jealous. I knew a romantic relationship was not the right thing for us anymore. I could tell that Jesse was happy with Violet– very happy. I was happy for him, but I was also starting to feel a twinge of sadness. It had been comforting to know that wherever I was Jesse – and a future of possibilities – was still out there. Five years ago we had agreed that that part of our relationship was over, but part of me had always held out hope. Seeing Jesse look at Violet as if she were the centre of his universe confirmed that my relationship with him would forever be changed.
I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t try to hide when Jesse looked up as his car pulled up outside the library. Jesse’s eyes widened he saw me across the street. I smiled at him.
Violet had been about to slide into the car when she noticed where Jesse was looking.
“Jess, who’s that?” I heard her ask.
Jesse cleared his throat, “She’s, uh, an old friend.”
Violet closed the car door, “Let’s say hello.”
Jesse hesitated and looked back at me, considering. Eventually he nodded.
I hadn’t intended to talk to either of them, and I had no idea what was going to happen as I crossed the street. I was relieved to see that while Jesse appeared nervous, his smile was genuine.
“Hi,” Violet grinned as I approached them.
“Vi, this is Nadia,” he introduced, “Nadia…”
His voice trailed, not knowing how to explain our connection.
“I lived in his apartment building when I was a kid,” I offered up quickly.
Violet was still smiling as she held out her hand. She wasn’t wearing a ring yet.
“Nadia, this is Violet.”
When I had first approached Jesse and Violet there had been something that had felt…odd. There had been the steady thrum of their hearts, the constant soundtrack I lived with. But somehow it had felt wrong. As I took Violet’s hand, with my fingers grazing the blood vessels in her wrist, it started to make sense.
Violet’s heart was beating in a steady rhythm, but there was an extra beat that was ever so slightly out of sync. A smaller beat. A smaller heart.
I pulled my hand away.
“Well I really should go,” I said quickly.
“What?” Jesse looked confused.
“Yeah,” I smiled, “I’m meeting a friend. Keep in touch.”
Jesse frowned at me as I left uptown. I heard a “Nice to meet you,” from Violet, but I didn’t turn back.
I was sure Jesse didn’t know. He would have told me. I doubted if Violet knew herself. She couldn’t have been more than six weeks along.
It was still fairly early, but I didn’t stay out. I went back to the coven, straight to Ansel’s quarters.
He was sitting on his antique sofa, flipping through a New York Times.
“How was your night?” he asked.
I didn’t say anything as I sat next to him, and he didn’t say anything as he extended his arm, inviting me to curl into him, resting my head on his shoulder. We sat in silence for the rest of the night.

***

Two nights later I decided to jump on a ferry to Staten Island, just for the view of the Statue of Liberty. I was halfway across the river when my phone rang. I recognised the number immediately.
“Jesse.”
“I hoped you had the same number as last time,” he said.
I waited for him to speak.
“You knew, didn’t you?” he said finally, “When you met Violet, you could tell couldn’t you?”
“I didn’t know if she knew or not,” I answered, “I thought it was best to leave.”
“We both found out this morning.”
“I hope you don’t think I was stalking you,” I said, “I just wanted to see how you were going.”
“I know.”
I waited for Jesse to say something else. I could tell there was more.
“Nadia, I’m a little terrified.”
I let out a small laugh.
“What?”
“I don’t think you’ve ever sounded more human,” I told him.
“Thanks,” he said uncertainly.
“Jesse, it is terrifying. Nothing is scarier than being responsible for another life. But you will excel at it. You both will. Together.”
“I haven’t proposed yet.”
“Well then you’d better hang up and sort that out,” I joked.
“Nadia, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I smiled into the phone, “You will keep in touch, won’t you?”
“I will. I promise.”
There were no goodbyes to be said, nothing else to do but hang up.

Jesse kept his promise. Seven months later there was a letter waiting in my post box. The letter only contained a small message: Thank you. From Jesse, Violet, and Ellie.
Then there was a photo. A baby girl – Jesse’s baby girl – wrapped in a pale yellow baby blanket. She already had a head full of thick black hair. Her hand was clutching onto Jesse’s finger, and she was mid-yawn.
I folded the photo and put it in my purse before heading straight to FAO Schwarz. That beautiful baby girl needed a present.
And the sadness I had felt when I first saw Jesse and Violet was gone. I felt nothing but happiness when I looked at his daughter. Because it was exactly as it should be.

Description
During Jesse’s life there were five times our paths crossed. Most of them were intentional on my part, but there was one time, apart from the first, where we met purely by chance
After what had happened in London we agreed to keep our distance from each other. We both knew it was for the best, and it was not like either of us really had the time to devote to a relationship anyway. Jesse was a Pulitzer prize winning, Oscar nominated author and screenwriter now, and I had found myself as the leader of one of the largest covens in the United States.
I was still finding the latter hard to believe. I’d been going about my life in London, and before I knew it one thing after another was bringing me back to Manhattan. After Kian had abandoned the coven I had somehow found a group of vampires looking to me for guidance. I’d wanted Ansel to take the job, but he’d agreed with Brigid and the rest of the vampires that remained.
So I relented, on the condition that Ansel stayed in the Manhattan Coven with me. I couldn’t imagine doing any of it without him. But even with Ansel and Brigid’s help, I was finding myself spending more and more time in the abandoned subway station I now called home, only emerging for a few minutes a night to feed.
Five years after I’d taken on the coven I found myself spending almost the whole summer underground. I hadn’t even realised until Ansel mentioned how nice Central Park looked in the fall.
“It’s September?” I asked.
“For the past two weeks.”
I was sitting in the main sitting room. It was completely different to how it had been in Kian’s time. For starters, there was a television and a sound system among the books, and electric lights lining the walls. I was the first to rise, other members and visitors to the coven slowly joining me.
“I suppose I’ve been so busy.”
“Why don’t you go out?” Ansel suggested, “Take your time looking for your meal. Wander Fifth Avenue. Go see a show. Enjoy humanity.”
So I did what he said. I fed on someone in an alley near the Empire State Building, then slowly wandered uptown on Fifth. All the stores were open late, and the streets were full of shoppers.
I ended up in front of Tiffany & Co and considered going inside. The benefit of a long life was that wealth was easy to build up. Sometimes I liked spoiling myself with something expensive.
I was considering whether I might want a new pair of earrings or a bracelet when my eyes were drawn to the revolving door, and the man exiting. He was closing his messenger bag, and didn’t notice me there until he looked up.
My vampire sight picked up on the small signs of age in Jesse. His face was slightly lined, and there were a few flecks of grey in his brown hair. He was over thirty now.
Neither of us said anything. Jesse had been one of the furthest things from my mind. I knew there would be a chance that we would come across each other while living in the same city, but with that city having a population of almost two million, I thought it was a very small chance.
“Hi,” Jesse said finally.
“Hi.”
We were both silent again. Jesse seemed as surprised as I was.
“Mr Franklin,” came a voice.
We both looked towards the street. Jesse’s driver was standing next to a black sedan.
“Yes, thank you,” Jesse said, before turning back to me, “Do you want to…?”
He nodded towards the car.
“Sure,” I nodded and followed him towards the car. The driver held the door open as Jesse and I slid into the back seat.
“Lawrence, we’re just going to go for a bit of a drive,” Jesse said as the driver got into the front seat. Lawrence nodded, Jesse pressed a button on his door and a partition closed us off from the front seat. Jesse turned to me.
We had nothing to say again. After a minute we both laughed nervously.
“How long has it been?” I asked.
“I thought vampires were supposed to be excellent time keepers?”
“Exactly the opposite,” I said, “Somehow I woke up tonight and it was September.”
Jesse laughed again, “It’s been five years by the way.”
After another silence I shook my head in disbelief, “You almost won an Oscar.”
Jesse blushed and ran his hand through his hair, “I guess I did.”
“I was watching,” I said, “I took over the television in my coven. I think I scared the others away that night.”
It was Jesse’s turn to be disbelieving, “Your coven.”
“Do you remember where we were ten years ago?” Jesse went on, “I could barely even afford a Metro pass.”
“I was..aimless.”
“You were aimless?” Jesse said, “I had no idea what I was going to do after Columbia.”
“Well, you certainly worked that out,” I said, “I’m so proud of you.”
We sat in silence for a few moments. I smiled and looked away, out of my window.
We were in Times Square, stopped at a red light next to the TKTS booth. The red stairs were illuminated, and covered with people. I remembered the last time I had been there, all those years ago with Jesse. Somehow it seemed like a lifetime ago, while simultaneously feeling like yesterday.
“Do you remember the last time we were here?” Jesse asked from over my shoulder. He had leaned over to look out my window himself.
I nodded and looked back at him. It would be so easy to kiss him now. It was the moment, and yet something was holding me back. When we met in London I craved that kind of intimacy with Jesse, and yet now…
There were still feelings there, deep feelings, but they were different. That part of our relationship was over.
Jesse seemed to be having the same internal battle himself. He sighed and sat back in his seat.
“I’m sorry, I can’t,” he reached into his bag and took out a Tiffany’s bag. Out of that bag he pulled out a small jewellery box and opened it. It was an engagement ring.
“What’s her name?” I asked, smiling.
“Violet,” Jesse said, pulling his phone out of his coat pocket, and opening the lock screen. He passed it over to me.
The photo was of Jesse and Violet, a selfie they’d taken on a couch that must have been in one of their living rooms. Violet was beautiful. She was a black woman, with long, thin braids she had tied together in a knot on top of her head.
“She’s beautiful,” I said as I passed the phone back.
“We’ve been together almost two years,” he said, returning the phone to his pocket, “She’s a legislative assistant for a congressman in DC.”
“How did you meet?” I asked.
“I was a guest at a function in DC to raise money for improved literacy in elementary schools,” Jesse explained, “Vi was there with her congressman.”
“How did I not know that you were going back and forth to Washington to be with this woman?” I asked, surprised, “I don’t want to sound like a stalker, but I Google you every now and then. Last I checked they were trying to pair you with that actress.”
“The new one in Dark Moon? No, she’s dating an assistant director,” Jesse said, before looking serious, “I wanted to keep this to myself.”
I studied Jesse for a moment.
“You really lover her,” I said finally.
“I do,’ Jesse said.
“And you’re getting engaged.”
“Well I hope so.”
We were both silent again.
“Is it weird for us to talk about this?” Jesse asked.
“No, it’s great,” I said, “I’m happy for you.”
And I honestly was. This was the reason I’d left him at Columbia, so he could find someone, fall in love and get married. So he could have a normal, human life.
“When are you going to ask her?”
“She’s flying in tomorrow night,” Jesse said, “She’ll he here for a week.”
“Wow,” I breathed.
The car had stopped. There was a knock on the partition and Jesse lowered it.
“Mr Franklin, we’re at your apartment,” Lawrence said, “Would you like me to go around the block again?”
“If you don’t mind - ,” Jesse started.
“No, it’s fine,” I said, “I should go.”
I opened the door and stepped out onto the street, Jesse following.
“It was good to see you again,” he said as we stood outside his door, “Will you keep in touch?”
“I’m sure we’ll see each other again,” I smiled.
Jesse turned and unlocked his door. He looked back. I didn’t know what we were supposed to do now. A kiss was not appropriate. A hug felt too intimate. But to do nothing wasn’t enough.
But Jesse knew what to do. He reached out and took my hand, squeezing it.
“I look forward to it.”
We smiled at each other, before Jesse dropped my hand and went into his apartment, leaving me in the street.

***

I was happy for Jesse. I was sure that anyone he chose to share his life with would be perfect, but I still wanted to know who she was. I wanted to know what was important in his life, even if I couldn’t be a part of it. Which was why two days after I saw Jesse outside Tiffany’s I left the coven to wait across the street from the New York Public Library.
There was a gala there that night, hosted by Jesse’s publishing company. By the time I got there the party was in full swing; all the guests and photographers were inside and the street outside the library was silent.
I was considering how I could sneak into the party when the doors opened and Jesse strode out. He was wearing a black suit and his hair was combed back. He looked like a classic movie star.
A few steps behind came Violet, wearing a long black gown. Jesse appeared to be ignoring her, until the doors closed behind them and they were alone. He turned back and held out his hand, smiling. Violet took it and Jesse kissed her hand lightly as they descended the stairs.
I watched from across the street as they both stood on the sidewalk. I could hear snippets of their conversation. Violet was repeating a story she had heard from another guest at a party. Jesse was listening intently.
I recognised the look Jesse was giving Violet. A decade ago that had been his look for me. I couldn’t pinpoint my feelings in that moment. I wasn’t jealous. I knew a romantic relationship was not the right thing for us anymore. I could tell that Jesse was happy with Violet– very happy. I was happy for him, but I was also starting to feel a twinge of sadness. It had been comforting to know that wherever I was Jesse – and a future of possibilities – was still out there. Five years ago we had agreed that that part of our relationship was over, but part of me had always held out hope. Seeing Jesse look at Violet as if she were the centre of his universe confirmed that my relationship with him would forever be changed.
I was so lost in my thoughts I didn’t try to hide when Jesse looked up as his car pulled up outside the library. Jesse’s eyes widened he saw me across the street. I smiled at him.
Violet had been about to slide into the car when she noticed where Jesse was looking.
“Jess, who’s that?” I heard her ask.
Jesse cleared his throat, “She’s, uh, an old friend.”
Violet closed the car door, “Let’s say hello.”
Jesse hesitated and looked back at me, considering. Eventually he nodded.
I hadn’t intended to talk to either of them, and I had no idea what was going to happen as I crossed the street. I was relieved to see that while Jesse appeared nervous, his smile was genuine.
“Hi,” Violet grinned as I approached them.
“Vi, this is Nadia,” he introduced, “Nadia…”
His voice trailed, not knowing how to explain our connection.
“I lived in his apartment building when I was a kid,” I offered up quickly.
Violet was still smiling as she held out her hand. She wasn’t wearing a ring yet.
“Nadia, this is Violet.”
When I had first approached Jesse and Violet there had been something that had felt…odd. There had been the steady thrum of their hearts, the constant soundtrack I lived with. But somehow it had felt wrong. As I took Violet’s hand, with my fingers grazing the blood vessels in her wrist, it started to make sense.
Violet’s heart was beating in a steady rhythm, but there was an extra beat that was ever so slightly out of sync. A smaller beat. A smaller heart.
I pulled my hand away.
“Well I really should go,” I said quickly.
“What?” Jesse looked confused.
“Yeah,” I smiled, “I’m meeting a friend. Keep in touch.”
Jesse frowned at me as I left uptown. I heard a “Nice to meet you,” from Violet, but I didn’t turn back.
I was sure Jesse didn’t know. He would have told me. I doubted if Violet knew herself. She couldn’t have been more than six weeks along.
It was still fairly early, but I didn’t stay out. I went back to the coven, straight to Ansel’s quarters.
He was sitting on his antique sofa, flipping through a New York Times.
“How was your night?” he asked.
I didn’t say anything as I sat next to him, and he didn’t say anything as he extended his arm, inviting me to curl into him, resting my head on his shoulder. We sat in silence for the rest of the night.

***

Two nights later I decided to jump on a ferry to Staten Island, just for the view of the Statue of Liberty. I was halfway across the river when my phone rang. I recognised the number immediately.
“Jesse.”
“I hoped you had the same number as last time,” he said.
I waited for him to speak.
“You knew, didn’t you?” he said finally, “When you met Violet, you could tell couldn’t you?”
“I didn’t know if she knew or not,” I answered, “I thought it was best to leave.”
“We both found out this morning.”
“I hope you don’t think I was stalking you,” I said, “I just wanted to see how you were going.”
“I know.”
I waited for Jesse to say something else. I could tell there was more.
“Nadia, I’m a little terrified.”
I let out a small laugh.
“What?”
“I don’t think you’ve ever sounded more human,” I told him.
“Thanks,” he said uncertainly.
“Jesse, it is terrifying. Nothing is scarier than being responsible for another life. But you will excel at it. You both will. Together.”
“I haven’t proposed yet.”
“Well then you’d better hang up and sort that out,” I joked.
“Nadia, thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I smiled into the phone, “You will keep in touch, won’t you?”
“I will. I promise.”
There were no goodbyes to be said, nothing else to do but hang up.

Jesse kept his promise. Seven months later there was a letter waiting in my post box. The letter only contained a small message: Thank you. From Jesse, Violet, and Ellie.
Then there was a photo. A baby girl – Jesse’s baby girl – wrapped in a pale yellow baby blanket. She already had a head full of thick black hair. Her hand was clutching onto Jesse’s finger, and she was mid-yawn.
I folded the photo and put it in my purse before heading straight to FAO Schwarz. That beautiful baby girl needed a present.
And the sadness I had felt when I first saw Jesse and Violet was gone. I felt nothing but happiness when I looked at his daughter. Because it was exactly as it should be.