Chapter Three: The Neverland
When Sasha awoke she found herself inside a tiny house made entirely out of sticks and leaves. Sasha gasped jumping up to her feet. Where was she? This was definitely not the nursery! Slowly, she walked out of the tiny house and stepped into what appeared to be a dark forest.
Sasha drew in a deep breath trying hard not to start panicking. She knew wherever she was, it was definitely not in England. It was far too warm and Sasha last recalled that it was snowing. Maybe this was a horrible dream? Sasha shook her head and decided it would be best to stay in the house until morning.
….
"Mother! She's gone! He's taken her!" Margaret cried ushering her nieces out of the nursery.
Jane glanced down at Sasha's messy bed and then walked over to the window, closing it shut.
She turned towards her daughter and began to speak, "You knew it was bound to happen Margaret."
"Even after I told him that she couldn't be his mother?" Marge retorted angrily, "what do you suggest I tell my husband and my sons about Sasha's disappearance?"
"The truth. I was nothing but truthful to your father and my mother was nothing but truthful to my father." Jane replied sitting down on the window ledge.
"He won't believe me, and neither will Ian or Trent. I know my family mother, they're not like us. They wouldn't understand." Margaret shook her head.
Marge began to pace around the room shaking her head in anger, "Why did she go with him?"
Jane brushed the seat cushion and felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. She knew she basically encouraged Sasha to join Peter and vice-versa. "Maybe…maybe she didn't go willingly…"
"Mother! Do you think he…he did! He kidnapped my daughter!" Margaret cried sitting in the old rocking chair.
"No wait, I could be wrong. Maybe she did go willingly… I mean it didn't take much to convince the rest of us to go with him, did it?"
"Mother, what am I going to do? When Oliver finds out, he is going to divorce me. I know it. He will take my boys back to America, while I spend many lonely years here waiting by the window."
"Oliver is not going to divorce you. Don't be ridiculous." Jane replied, but she wasn't so sure herself.
…
When Sasha awoke for the second time, she found herself in a cold sweat. It was burning up! She removed her hoodie and her long-sleeved shirt, leaving her clad in a pink tank top with a yellow star on it and jeans. She emerged from the house and stepped out into broad daylight. The trees seemed much friendlier now that the sun was out.
Sasha pulled her hair back into a pony tail and began to wander around, maybe she'd run into a local and they could tell her where she was.
"You're awake!"
"Ahh!" Sasha screamed spinning around.
Peter grinned floating down in front of her. "I'm glad you're awake, I want you to meet the lost boys."
"You can fly…" Sasha whispered and then shook her head, "that's impossible. This is a dream, this has to be."
Sasha backed up further away from Peter, straight into a tree branch.
"Oww!" She cried.
Peter walked closer to her with a confused expression on his face, "Sasha?"
Sasha looked up when she heard a loud cracking noise in the distance. Peter turned around with his dagger at his side. Sasha crept behind him and then began to run in the opposite direction. She was running so quickly towards nothing and suddenly nothing was under her feet and to her sleepy mind it seemed that for a minute, joyfully she was flying but then the ground realistically slammed into her and she was rolling.
She tried to scream out for help but nothing came. She did all she could do at that point, cover her eyes and waited until she stopped. But she did not stop, instead she rolled in a large body of water. Sasha gasped suddenly being cover by waves upon waves of water. She could feel herself sinking towards the bottom. Sasha began waving her arms trying to reach the top, anything for a breath of air.
As Sasha rose to the top she noticed a large pair of hands pulling out of the water. The hands hurt her so badly, along with all the cuts and scrapes on her, she knew she wasn't dreaming. However, as she looked into the face of the pirate that was holding her, she began to wish that she was dreaming.
"Welcome back Wendy." He spoke throwing her onto the deck.
Sasha cried as she hit a wooden stair railing and fell to the ground. At a second glance she realized that she was on a large sailing ship. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts before she steadily rose to her feet. She placed her hand on her forehead and realized she was bleeding. There was also a slight gash on her right arm.
"My name is not Wendy!" She barked at the pirate.
At a closer glance, he was quite tall and quite ugly. He had to have been at least seven feet tall. He had a long scar on the left side of his face.
"Not Wendy?"
"And I am not Jane, nor Margaret either!" She replied, gripping the stair railing.
The pirate stood closer to her with his sword raised high in the air. Sasha glared at him and then was hit by a sudden realization! She was on board The Jolly Roger! Her mothers stories had been true! Her mother spoke of a land full of pirates, natives, fairies and mermaids…but never once did her mother mention Peter Pan. Now Sasha knew why…
"Spike! You idiot! This is not Wendy!" Cried another pirate called Hawk.
"No, this is not Wendy. But this is the girl that came to the island with Peter Pan. I will bring her to the captain at once!"
Sasha let go of the railing and began to inch closer to the boat's side, hopefully undiscovered.
"Aye, I will go and tell him we have the girl." Hawk responded and walked back up the stairs.
Sasha groaned, feeling sick as Spike turned towards her. She was still unsure how she got into this mess in the first place. Spike grinned evilly at her and wrapped his hand around her neck, "Come then girlie to the captain."
Sasha gasped as he lifted her into the air, by her neck. She could scarcely breath again. She looked up at the brute and began swinging her feet, consequently kicking him hard enough so he'd drop her. He did drop her, but back into the ocean.
Sasha was so out of breath, that she began to sink quickly. She couldn't even bring herself to swim to the top of the water.
"Where did she go?" Hawk cried emerging from the captain's quarters.
"Don't worry! The mermaids will kill her!" Spike replied and stormed off in other direction.
She struggled with what strength she had left but suddenly a song comforted her. She looked around and saw a beautiful woman...no...mermaid swimming towards her. The heavenly sound was coming from her. Sasha was spell-bound and couldn't move any longer. Soon one mermaid appeared and then two and then three so she was encircled by them. For the first time since Sasha had come to Neverland, she felt safe. She stopped struggling for oxygen. She didn't want to move.
Peter flew up high in the air and then swooped down just above the gentle water. He couldn't believe that he had Sasha in his grasp and then lost her again. He flew closer to the water, so he was practically on top of it. He froze in mid-air and heard the familiar sickly sweet song.
"Oh no…" He muttered and dove into the water.
Sasha blinked and suddenly her new friends were replaced by darkness. Again, she felt weak and desperate for a breath of air. She looked up and saw two hands reaching for her. She feared that Spike had returned for her, but at a second glance realized the hands were too small and too gentle to be Spike's.
Peter carried the breathless Sasha out of the water. She glanced at him and almost smiled, before fainting in his arms. Peter flew higher in the sky past the Jolly Roger and towards his hide-out.
"Stand back men." He spoke as he entered the base of one of the many large Oak trees that were the entrance to his living quarters. The lost boys took a step away from Peter and gazed wide-eyed at Sasha. Had their wishes for a mother come true?
Peter laid Sasha on top of his bed and then turned towards the lost boys, "Let her rest, and don't let her escape."
Peter sat down on the rug made out of fur. He looked up at Sasha and smiled to himself.
It would be night fall before Sasha woke up again. This time Peter was by her side. Sasha slowly sat up and stared at him. "Where am I?"
"Neverland."
"How did I get here?"
"I brought you."
Sasha shook her head and placed her face in her hands. She began to cry unable to control herself. Peter wasn't sure how to comfort her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and stared helplessly at his Lost Boys. When Sasha looked up at him, he waved his hand and the boys left the room.
"So, all my grandmother's stories had been true?" Sasha asked wiping her eyes.
Peter nodded.
"I can't be your mother." She stated firmly, as she sat up in the wooden bed.
"I don't need a mother." Peter replied, "but the Lost Boys might…"
"But, I need a mother…does she even know I'm here? And my father…and my brothers. I'm going to be in so much trouble! Why did you bring me here?" Sasha demanded.
Peter opened his mouth to reply, but he wasn't sure how to explain to Sasha what he really felt deep inside. Perhaps she wouldn't understand.
"How did you get here Peter?"
"I ran away when I was little. I was discovered by a fairie called Tinker Bell…she brought me here, and well I've been here ever since." Peter tried to explain.
"And the Lost Boys?" Sasha spoke turning her head to the side.
"They all found their way, one way or another. Most of them fell out of their prams and were never discovered by their mothers."
"Oh," Sasha spoke softly, "Are you sure you didn't kidnap them too?"
Peter looked up at her, "no…I didn't."
Sasha shook her head and sighed deeply. Peter stood up and grabbed his pipes from a wooden table. Then he turned towards Sasha, "would you like to meet them?"
She wasn't sure how to reply. Did Peter not realize the wrong he had done? Perhaps not…
"Come on!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.
Sasha followed Peter in a larger room, in the centre of the tree. She noticed seven younger boys moving about the room. They were all dressed in different kinds of animal furs. Three of them were identical triplets. Sasha smiled when she saw them.
"This is Sammie." Peter spoke pointing to Sammie, who was busy making a toy out of a block of wood. Sammie had short blonde hair and was wearing clothing made out of racoon fur.
The triplets were called "the triplets." They all had bright red hair and freckles. Sasha wondered how Peter could tell the difference between the three of them. The other three remaining lost boys were Tiny, Slim and Billy. They all had spiky brown hair and clothing made from the fur of rabbits.
"Hello boys." Sasha spoke waving her hand.
"Are you our new mother?" Asked one of the triplets.
"I…" Sasha stammered, she had never been anyone's mother before.
Peter smiled sitting in a wooden lounge chair. Sasha sat down on the floor beside him, crossing her legs. The boys circled them, all fighting over who'd be next to Sasha.
"Sasha, it's a game you see. I am their father and you are their mother. It's all pretend." Peter explained.
"Oh…" Sasha replied, "I see."
She turned and smiled at the boys. Since she grew up with two older brothers she knew quite a lot about boys.
"Do you know any stories?" Asked Sammie, who was quite chubby compared to the rest of the boys.
"I know plenty of stories. Are you all comfortable?"
The boys nodded. Sasha turned and looked at Peter, who nodded also. She brushed back her hair and began to speak. "There once was a beautiful woman called Margaret Parker. She was a British woman that lived in a town house with her mother Jane and her father Edward. Now as a little girl, Margaret went away many summers to a far away place called Neverland. Much like her mother, and her grandmother, she never wanted to grow up. But she knew that like all young women, she had to grow up too. When she did become a grown up she moved to a country called the United States of America. There she got married to a man called Oliver and had three children. Her daughter Sasha, resembled her quite a lot. As a little girl Sasha noticed something very special about her mother. Margaret had a secret kiss that not even Sasha's father could get…" Sasha turned and looked at Peter, "now I know who that secret kiss belonged to."
The boys stared blankly at Sasha as she stood up beside Peter. "It was you wasn't it? The special kiss belonged to you…no wonder she tried to protect me. She didn't want my heart to break just as hers did…"
Sasha shook her head and walked out of the room. She sat down and Peter's bed and stared contently at the muddy floor. Peter came in the room and sat down beside her.
"She loved you, didn't she? And so did my great-grandmother and my grandmother. They all loved you." Sasha spoke feeling the tears sting her eyes, Peter didn't want her, he wanted what he had with Wendy.
Peter didn't speak, he just sat there staring quietly at Sasha as she rambled on.
"Is that why you brought me here? Because I remind you of Wendy? Is that why my mother's heart was broken? Because she wasn't Wendy…"
"No! No that's not true!" Peter exclaimed.
"You know Peter, you have a history of breaking hearts in my family. Why should I stay here and let you do the same to me?"
"No! Sasha I never meant to hurt anyone!" Peter replied shaking his hands, "they hurt me! They grew up!"
"People grow up! It's why they do!" Sasha yelled.
"Just like you? You're going to grow up too? And I will be left alone once again!"
"It's not like I have a choice…" Sasha trailed off.
Peter glanced at her with his teary green hues, "but you do have a choice. In Neverland no one ever goes up."
"What?"
"No one grows up in Neverland."
"No one grows up in Neverland?" Sasha repeated.
"That's right. If you stay here you will never have to worry about grown-up things again."
Now Sasha had to admit this sounded very appealing. No more high school, no more crappy part time jobs…no more worrying about college…no more worries at all.
"Wow…"
"Please stay with me, if only for Spring cleaning." Peter whispered, "I'll teach you how to fly. I'll show up how to fight, I'll show you how to hunt. Oh what fun we'll have together."
Sasha looked up at him and smiled, falling the same way her mother had, "Okay Peter."
Peter smiled in return and clapped his hands. "I'll be right back!"
When Sasha awoke she found herself inside a tiny house made entirely out of sticks and leaves. Sasha gasped jumping up to her feet. Where was she? This was definitely not the nursery! Slowly, she walked out of the tiny house and stepped into what appeared to be a dark forest.
Sasha drew in a deep breath trying hard not to start panicking. She knew wherever she was, it was definitely not in England. It was far too warm and Sasha last recalled that it was snowing. Maybe this was a horrible dream? Sasha shook her head and decided it would be best to stay in the house until morning.
….
"Mother! She's gone! He's taken her!" Margaret cried ushering her nieces out of the nursery.
Jane glanced down at Sasha's messy bed and then walked over to the window, closing it shut.
She turned towards her daughter and began to speak, "You knew it was bound to happen Margaret."
"Even after I told him that she couldn't be his mother?" Marge retorted angrily, "what do you suggest I tell my husband and my sons about Sasha's disappearance?"
"The truth. I was nothing but truthful to your father and my mother was nothing but truthful to my father." Jane replied sitting down on the window ledge.
"He won't believe me, and neither will Ian or Trent. I know my family mother, they're not like us. They wouldn't understand." Margaret shook her head.
Marge began to pace around the room shaking her head in anger, "Why did she go with him?"
Jane brushed the seat cushion and felt a pang of guilt in her stomach. She knew she basically encouraged Sasha to join Peter and vice-versa. "Maybe…maybe she didn't go willingly…"
"Mother! Do you think he…he did! He kidnapped my daughter!" Margaret cried sitting in the old rocking chair.
"No wait, I could be wrong. Maybe she did go willingly… I mean it didn't take much to convince the rest of us to go with him, did it?"
"Mother, what am I going to do? When Oliver finds out, he is going to divorce me. I know it. He will take my boys back to America, while I spend many lonely years here waiting by the window."
"Oliver is not going to divorce you. Don't be ridiculous." Jane replied, but she wasn't so sure herself.
…
When Sasha awoke for the second time, she found herself in a cold sweat. It was burning up! She removed her hoodie and her long-sleeved shirt, leaving her clad in a pink tank top with a yellow star on it and jeans. She emerged from the house and stepped out into broad daylight. The trees seemed much friendlier now that the sun was out.
Sasha pulled her hair back into a pony tail and began to wander around, maybe she'd run into a local and they could tell her where she was.
"You're awake!"
"Ahh!" Sasha screamed spinning around.
Peter grinned floating down in front of her. "I'm glad you're awake, I want you to meet the lost boys."
"You can fly…" Sasha whispered and then shook her head, "that's impossible. This is a dream, this has to be."
Sasha backed up further away from Peter, straight into a tree branch.
"Oww!" She cried.
Peter walked closer to her with a confused expression on his face, "Sasha?"
Sasha looked up when she heard a loud cracking noise in the distance. Peter turned around with his dagger at his side. Sasha crept behind him and then began to run in the opposite direction. She was running so quickly towards nothing and suddenly nothing was under her feet and to her sleepy mind it seemed that for a minute, joyfully she was flying but then the ground realistically slammed into her and she was rolling.
She tried to scream out for help but nothing came. She did all she could do at that point, cover her eyes and waited until she stopped. But she did not stop, instead she rolled in a large body of water. Sasha gasped suddenly being cover by waves upon waves of water. She could feel herself sinking towards the bottom. Sasha began waving her arms trying to reach the top, anything for a breath of air.
As Sasha rose to the top she noticed a large pair of hands pulling out of the water. The hands hurt her so badly, along with all the cuts and scrapes on her, she knew she wasn't dreaming. However, as she looked into the face of the pirate that was holding her, she began to wish that she was dreaming.
"Welcome back Wendy." He spoke throwing her onto the deck.
Sasha cried as she hit a wooden stair railing and fell to the ground. At a second glance she realized that she was on a large sailing ship. It took her a moment to gather her thoughts before she steadily rose to her feet. She placed her hand on her forehead and realized she was bleeding. There was also a slight gash on her right arm.
"My name is not Wendy!" She barked at the pirate.
At a closer glance, he was quite tall and quite ugly. He had to have been at least seven feet tall. He had a long scar on the left side of his face.
"Not Wendy?"
"And I am not Jane, nor Margaret either!" She replied, gripping the stair railing.
The pirate stood closer to her with his sword raised high in the air. Sasha glared at him and then was hit by a sudden realization! She was on board The Jolly Roger! Her mothers stories had been true! Her mother spoke of a land full of pirates, natives, fairies and mermaids…but never once did her mother mention Peter Pan. Now Sasha knew why…
"Spike! You idiot! This is not Wendy!" Cried another pirate called Hawk.
"No, this is not Wendy. But this is the girl that came to the island with Peter Pan. I will bring her to the captain at once!"
Sasha let go of the railing and began to inch closer to the boat's side, hopefully undiscovered.
"Aye, I will go and tell him we have the girl." Hawk responded and walked back up the stairs.
Sasha groaned, feeling sick as Spike turned towards her. She was still unsure how she got into this mess in the first place. Spike grinned evilly at her and wrapped his hand around her neck, "Come then girlie to the captain."
Sasha gasped as he lifted her into the air, by her neck. She could scarcely breath again. She looked up at the brute and began swinging her feet, consequently kicking him hard enough so he'd drop her. He did drop her, but back into the ocean.
Sasha was so out of breath, that she began to sink quickly. She couldn't even bring herself to swim to the top of the water.
"Where did she go?" Hawk cried emerging from the captain's quarters.
"Don't worry! The mermaids will kill her!" Spike replied and stormed off in other direction.
She struggled with what strength she had left but suddenly a song comforted her. She looked around and saw a beautiful woman...no...mermaid swimming towards her. The heavenly sound was coming from her. Sasha was spell-bound and couldn't move any longer. Soon one mermaid appeared and then two and then three so she was encircled by them. For the first time since Sasha had come to Neverland, she felt safe. She stopped struggling for oxygen. She didn't want to move.
Peter flew up high in the air and then swooped down just above the gentle water. He couldn't believe that he had Sasha in his grasp and then lost her again. He flew closer to the water, so he was practically on top of it. He froze in mid-air and heard the familiar sickly sweet song.
"Oh no…" He muttered and dove into the water.
Sasha blinked and suddenly her new friends were replaced by darkness. Again, she felt weak and desperate for a breath of air. She looked up and saw two hands reaching for her. She feared that Spike had returned for her, but at a second glance realized the hands were too small and too gentle to be Spike's.
Peter carried the breathless Sasha out of the water. She glanced at him and almost smiled, before fainting in his arms. Peter flew higher in the sky past the Jolly Roger and towards his hide-out.
"Stand back men." He spoke as he entered the base of one of the many large Oak trees that were the entrance to his living quarters. The lost boys took a step away from Peter and gazed wide-eyed at Sasha. Had their wishes for a mother come true?
Peter laid Sasha on top of his bed and then turned towards the lost boys, "Let her rest, and don't let her escape."
Peter sat down on the rug made out of fur. He looked up at Sasha and smiled to himself.
It would be night fall before Sasha woke up again. This time Peter was by her side. Sasha slowly sat up and stared at him. "Where am I?"
"Neverland."
"How did I get here?"
"I brought you."
Sasha shook her head and placed her face in her hands. She began to cry unable to control herself. Peter wasn't sure how to comfort her. He placed his hand on her shoulder and stared helplessly at his Lost Boys. When Sasha looked up at him, he waved his hand and the boys left the room.
"So, all my grandmother's stories had been true?" Sasha asked wiping her eyes.
Peter nodded.
"I can't be your mother." She stated firmly, as she sat up in the wooden bed.
"I don't need a mother." Peter replied, "but the Lost Boys might…"
"But, I need a mother…does she even know I'm here? And my father…and my brothers. I'm going to be in so much trouble! Why did you bring me here?" Sasha demanded.
Peter opened his mouth to reply, but he wasn't sure how to explain to Sasha what he really felt deep inside. Perhaps she wouldn't understand.
"How did you get here Peter?"
"I ran away when I was little. I was discovered by a fairie called Tinker Bell…she brought me here, and well I've been here ever since." Peter tried to explain.
"And the Lost Boys?" Sasha spoke turning her head to the side.
"They all found their way, one way or another. Most of them fell out of their prams and were never discovered by their mothers."
"Oh," Sasha spoke softly, "Are you sure you didn't kidnap them too?"
Peter looked up at her, "no…I didn't."
Sasha shook her head and sighed deeply. Peter stood up and grabbed his pipes from a wooden table. Then he turned towards Sasha, "would you like to meet them?"
She wasn't sure how to reply. Did Peter not realize the wrong he had done? Perhaps not…
"Come on!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.
Sasha followed Peter in a larger room, in the centre of the tree. She noticed seven younger boys moving about the room. They were all dressed in different kinds of animal furs. Three of them were identical triplets. Sasha smiled when she saw them.
"This is Sammie." Peter spoke pointing to Sammie, who was busy making a toy out of a block of wood. Sammie had short blonde hair and was wearing clothing made out of racoon fur.
The triplets were called "the triplets." They all had bright red hair and freckles. Sasha wondered how Peter could tell the difference between the three of them. The other three remaining lost boys were Tiny, Slim and Billy. They all had spiky brown hair and clothing made from the fur of rabbits.
"Hello boys." Sasha spoke waving her hand.
"Are you our new mother?" Asked one of the triplets.
"I…" Sasha stammered, she had never been anyone's mother before.
Peter smiled sitting in a wooden lounge chair. Sasha sat down on the floor beside him, crossing her legs. The boys circled them, all fighting over who'd be next to Sasha.
"Sasha, it's a game you see. I am their father and you are their mother. It's all pretend." Peter explained.
"Oh…" Sasha replied, "I see."
She turned and smiled at the boys. Since she grew up with two older brothers she knew quite a lot about boys.
"Do you know any stories?" Asked Sammie, who was quite chubby compared to the rest of the boys.
"I know plenty of stories. Are you all comfortable?"
The boys nodded. Sasha turned and looked at Peter, who nodded also. She brushed back her hair and began to speak. "There once was a beautiful woman called Margaret Parker. She was a British woman that lived in a town house with her mother Jane and her father Edward. Now as a little girl, Margaret went away many summers to a far away place called Neverland. Much like her mother, and her grandmother, she never wanted to grow up. But she knew that like all young women, she had to grow up too. When she did become a grown up she moved to a country called the United States of America. There she got married to a man called Oliver and had three children. Her daughter Sasha, resembled her quite a lot. As a little girl Sasha noticed something very special about her mother. Margaret had a secret kiss that not even Sasha's father could get…" Sasha turned and looked at Peter, "now I know who that secret kiss belonged to."
The boys stared blankly at Sasha as she stood up beside Peter. "It was you wasn't it? The special kiss belonged to you…no wonder she tried to protect me. She didn't want my heart to break just as hers did…"
Sasha shook her head and walked out of the room. She sat down and Peter's bed and stared contently at the muddy floor. Peter came in the room and sat down beside her.
"She loved you, didn't she? And so did my great-grandmother and my grandmother. They all loved you." Sasha spoke feeling the tears sting her eyes, Peter didn't want her, he wanted what he had with Wendy.
Peter didn't speak, he just sat there staring quietly at Sasha as she rambled on.
"Is that why you brought me here? Because I remind you of Wendy? Is that why my mother's heart was broken? Because she wasn't Wendy…"
"No! No that's not true!" Peter exclaimed.
"You know Peter, you have a history of breaking hearts in my family. Why should I stay here and let you do the same to me?"
"No! Sasha I never meant to hurt anyone!" Peter replied shaking his hands, "they hurt me! They grew up!"
"People grow up! It's why they do!" Sasha yelled.
"Just like you? You're going to grow up too? And I will be left alone once again!"
"It's not like I have a choice…" Sasha trailed off.
Peter glanced at her with his teary green hues, "but you do have a choice. In Neverland no one ever goes up."
"What?"
"No one grows up in Neverland."
"No one grows up in Neverland?" Sasha repeated.
"That's right. If you stay here you will never have to worry about grown-up things again."
Now Sasha had to admit this sounded very appealing. No more high school, no more crappy part time jobs…no more worrying about college…no more worries at all.
"Wow…"
"Please stay with me, if only for Spring cleaning." Peter whispered, "I'll teach you how to fly. I'll show up how to fight, I'll show you how to hunt. Oh what fun we'll have together."
Sasha looked up at him and smiled, falling the same way her mother had, "Okay Peter."
Peter smiled in return and clapped his hands. "I'll be right back!"