{ keep in mind }

She is graduating in little over a week. At an age of 17 and on the very tip of her toes, Lilith will exit the Paris Opera School of Ballet – performing the Russian Dance from Swan Lake at this year's highly advertised graduation performance, with Jean-Paul for partner. Jean-Paul who is graduating with her, both of their prospects within the Company excellent, her talents as a dancer and his talents as a choreographer already widely acknowledged. The Doret Gene, people say and look to Mother who smiles, but looks the other way even so. Justine Leblanc now, her days as a part of the Doret family long gone.

They’re still rehearsing, though. She shouldn’t get ahead of herself like this. It is what makes Madame Laurent shake her head at her, stepping in between Lilith and Jean-Paul like a wall of steel – always so stern, is Madame Laurent… “You need to tell a story with your dancing, Lilith,” she says, “the Russian Dance is about passion and strength, you must tell the story of a passionate and strong woman with every step you take.” Again, Lilith thinks of Mother. Mother when she was still dancing. She was a strong and passionate woman back then… and Lilith took all of that strength and passion away from her, by being born into this world.

Nodding obligingly, she returns to her initial position, holding one hand out for Jean-Paul to take. If she truly robbed Mother of all that, it must mean she is storing it still within her body somewhere. And if so, she will find it and present it on stage for all to see. For Mother to see. So as to hand it back to that important person, the person to whom it rightly belongs. It is a thought which brings her a feeling of purpose. Going en pointe with her usual ease, she smiles.

“I have a woman in mind, Madame Laurent.”