Illya woke from his nap and checked the clock. Ten forty – five AM. He sat up and stretched mightily. He had gone back to sleep after Napoleon knocked on his bedroom door to tell him he was leaving to meet Leona Nicole, Rosie Greer and her daughter Paige at the old World's Fair grounds in Flushing Meadows Park for Sunrise Service. Napoleon said they would be home around noon.

After he showered and dressed, he reached far back into his closet and withdrew a very large Easter basket wrapped in pink cellophane and tied at the top with a light green ribbon. He thought, Yesli kto-to skazal mnye, chto odin dyenʲ ya bi pokoopatʲ Paskhalʲnaya korzinka dlya moyey 4-lyetnyey dochyeri, ya bi rassmyeyalsya yemoo v litzo. Lyeona, vasha lyobovʲ i nyevinovnosti priroochili myenya. I ya tak blagodarna. (If someone had told me that one day I would be buying an Easter basket for my four year old daughter, I would have laughed in his face. Leona, your love and innocence have tamed me. And I am so grateful.)

Just before twelve, Illya heard Napoleon's key in the lock. He came into the hallway just as the door opened and Leona and her Daddy came through the door. He bent down to kiss her and unbutton her new coat and remove her Easter hat while Napoleon reset the alarms. "How was the service, Leona?" he asked.

"It was nice, Papa. There was lots of music." Leona was nattily attired in a yellow and while short - sleeved dress with a white patent leather purse to match her patent leather shoes. On her head she wore a stiff straw hat with a shallow, flat-topped crown, a yellow ribbon band with a piece that trailed down to her shoulders, and a straight brim known as a boater. The Russian smiled approval at the Easter outfit Aunt Rosie had chosen.

Napoleon hung up his coat and headed toward the kitchen to make something to eat. "The service was held in the New York Pavilion's 'Tent of Tomorrow,'" he said over his shoulder. "A very talented group of junior high school kids called 'The Queens Borough – wide Chorus' sang several songs, including Mozart's Hallelujah Chorus. I was really impressed."

"Daddy!" Leona yelled from the living room, "The Easter Bunny was here! Come look!"

Napoleon looked at Illya and winked. "Good job, Papa," he whispered as he followed the excited sound of his daughter's voice. "My goodness, Leona that is a big basket. What's in it?"

"Jelly bean, a chocolate bunny, chocolate Easter eggs, regular Easter eggs, and ooh! A plastic Easter egg!" She shook it vigorously. "It has money in it! Papa, did you see him?"

Illya picked her up. "No, my sweet, I did not. Come, Daddy was about to make lunch and I am hungry."

"May I have some candy now? Please?"

"You may have some jelly beans after lunch. And then, after we eat dinner, you may have chocolate."

"Dinner's a long time away, Papa."

"I agree, but you will be fine."

She kissed his nose and sighed. "Okay. Happy Easter, Papa."

"Schastlivoy Paskhi, moya malyenʲkaya dyevochka. (Happy Easter, my little girl)."