All is well.

The reunion was a resounding success. Handsome father brought flowers to fair daughter. They had so much in common - a love of reading and an aptitude for foreign languages, drama, and drawing... emails are being exchanged, and future visits are sure to come.

Bear is relieved beyond words that his daughter has turned into a sweet young woman - no trace of the jaded, gum-popping teenage angst that is so prevalent on Long Island. She's involved, interested, active, and when asked for the name of her best friend, she had a whole slew of close pals. She's well adjusted, has a great sense of humor, and made her dad very proud, indeed.

I look forward to the day when she is old enough for unsupervised visits, so that she can come to our house (assuming she wants to meet me, that is...) and we can get to know each other. Maybe in the springtime, when everything is blooming in the garden.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and hugs and well wishes yesterday. I'm not very good at that kind of suspenseful waiting, and I just didn't know how things were going to play out. I feel much better today. It's good to know folks out there in the blogiverse are pulling for you, isn't it?