Jenny spent most of the night wide awake lying on her double bed in the New York Hotel. She tried to find explanations and reasons, but they didn't come.

In the last weeks, she sat by the window for days in complete silence. A servant showed up now and then and brought up breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then she visited some orphanages and hospitals but despite the fact that she always used to sing a few songs on occasions like that to the children or to the ill, this time she didn't. She didn't even practise singing, although she knew well that it'd take at least a month to get back to the peak of her skills after such a long hiatus.

She tried to familiarize with the thought that she'll probably never be loved by anyone and that she, most certainly, will never get married. She turned thirty just after she arrived in the States.

She tried to finish it, she couldn't go on and live with it without seeing Phineas once more and apologising. She was ready to be kicked out, to be shouted at, to be banned from the neighbourhood. She was ready for cool politeness, she was ready for Charity's tears. She needed their reaction, their punishment to be able to move on.

She wasn't excepting the one thing that happened.

No one yet made her feel like Phineas did, but then there was Charity, who she felt about a bit differently, but just as strongly. She made her feel the most beloved person on Earth.

And tomorrow... The next morning felt like a granite wall, whenever she tried to think about anything else her thoughts knocked back to Charity and Phineas and Charity and Phineas.

She hoped something from that morning. She didn't know what. Something that solves everything, that clarifies the past months to all of them.

Although she knew exactly what she can expect. Awkward polite small talk, then after an hour or two she excuses herself to all of their reliefs and five days later she steps aboard and never looks back at the continent, and the Barnums never mention her name again.

But Charity just didn't fit into the picture.

Anything can happen next morning.

Eight o'clock.

Jenny ran through some handy excuses in her mind to skip the breakfast. However, she imagined Charity's disappointment and decided to go, whatever it may take. She recalled when Charity posed the question to her guardedly whether she'd come for breakfast tomorrow while they sat on the couch and she was gingerly stroking Jenny's jawline with her fingertips, and when she replied with 'yes' without a second of hesitation Charity's eyes brightened up.

She stepped out of the carriage maybe even more nervously than the night before. Charity opened the door with a smile and invited her in.

Phineas stood at the staircase and was looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Jenny froze after the first two steps.

'Phi-, Mr Barnum,' she mumbled.

'Jenny,' he nodded with a cool smile. She stared at him for a few seconds before she could tear her gaze away.

The breakfast went better than she expected since Helen and Caroline quickly overcame their shyness and asked about a hundred questions from their guest, such as whether she preferred giraffes to penguins, or whether she'd prefer the mermaids' tale to be pink or lilac, and Jenny answered all the questions to her best knowledge while trying to read the Barnum parents' expressions. After breakfast, Charity told the girls to go and play then looked at her husband and at Jenny and lightheartedly suggested a walk in the garden. Jenny nodded nervously and they walked out to the back of the garden.

Phineas broke the silence.

'So, Jenny, we'd like to be honest with you. There had been too many secrets and things that were left unsaid and it seemed to only complicate our lives,' he began, but then he hesitated and the sentence remained unfinished.

'Oh, just do it then,' Jenny snapped and stepped closer to him. 'Just say what you want, really. You don't have to be gentle with me. Be honest.' She thrust her chin forward and looked him in the eye. Charity gasped as she realised that the other woman was ready for Phineas to slap her.

'You're clever Jenny, you know that I loved you and in fact, I still do, and it's just as much my fault. I know I caused you many difficulties and I'd like to apologise,' Phineas said in a low voice.

'You "caused me many difficulties"? Phineas, I destroyed your life. Both of yours. You think I don't know that you lost your house because of me? That you lost all your wealth? I can't even imagine how much else you lost.' I glanced at Charity. 'I regretted it so many times, so so many times. I am awfully sorry. I know that there's no way I can make it up to you, what I did is unforgivable.' She took a deep breath. 'So why do you apologise to me? Why?'

'Because we want to let go of the past,' Charity answered after a pause.

'Jenny, we're both in love with you,' said Phineas.

Jenny stepped back and stared at them. They looked back at her expectantly.

'What?' she giggled.

'We thought... We hoped you might feel in a similar way,' explained Charity. 'But we understand if you do not,' she added quickly.

Jenny stared at them in silence with an expression of fear and disbelief.

'So?' asked Phineas.

Jenny shook her head, tears filled her eyes. She didn't know the answer. It would've been so easy to say no and walk out of the garden and get on that ship and go back to Europe but then what? She felt regret immediately, just by the thought of it. She knew that she didn't love anyone as much as these two in the past decade or so.

'I love you. I love you both,' she whispered, wiping off her tears. 'But I'm not sure if I can - '

'You can.' Phineas smiled at her with his brightest smile and hugged her. Jenny buried her face in his chest and felt her muscles ease in the warmth of his arms. Charity stepped next to them and kissed Jenny's cheek.

They spent the day together walking in the inner city of New York. Jenny and Charity found out how similar their education was and chatted about books, Phineas showed the attractions of the city for Jenny and took them to his favourite places in the city. Well, except the bars, as Helen and Caroline were also with them and they ran up and down between shop windows.

'Have you been to Daddy's circus?' asked Helen from Jenny.

'No, I haven't.' She smiled at Phineas.

'Oh, that's a good idea. What do you think, are there some tickets left?' Charity asked Phineas. 'If you'd like to, of course,' she said to Jenny.

'I'd very much like to.'

'We have a full house every evening, but I'm sure I can arrange it,' said Phineas enthusiastically.

Jenny felt just as much curiosity and excitement as the children around her as she entered the enormous circus tent with Charity and her daughters. Phineas reserved the best places for them. She was prepared for any scandalousness but when the music started and the dancers run out to the floor she leaned forward with sparkling eyes. Her heart followed the beat of the music which filled her with joy.

About an hour later Charity grabbed her wrist. Jenny tore her eyes away from the trapeze artists and looked at the other woman. Charity nodded towards the edge of the floor where Phineas talked with Phillip. Phineas gave him his top hat then Phillip run in to the middle of the floor and went on with the show with a huge grin on his face.

A minute later Phineas appeared behind them.

'I'm all yours now.'

Charity smiled at him. 'Thank you.' She turned back and kissed Phineas. Then Phineas stepped behind Jenny and touched her face and just when darkness fell over the tent for a few seconds he kissed her on the lips. It's everything you ever want, it's everything you ever need...

'And it's here right in front of you,' sang Charity quietly.

Jenny smiled at Phineas and Charity. 'I think I'll stay in New York for a few more weeks.'