josette re-appeared in the 1840 parallel time storyline. in this alternate reality, barnabas never became a vampire and married josette. barnabas had died but josette was still alive as an elderly widow. her son bramwell was the protagonist dealing with a curse placed upon the family by their ancestor brutus collins. josette also had an illegitimate child by barnabas' cousin justin collins named melanie. justin offered to divorce his wife, flora collins (joan bennett), but josette insisted he remain married and gave melanie to justin and flora to raise as a foundling. flora was never aware of melanie's parentage. justin's sister, julia collins (grayson hall) learned years earlier.