#((and lon and erika will have the happy and carefree upbringing their parents should've had; honestly!))

[theheadlessgroom]

@beatingheart-bride

The brothers Pace felt their own un-beating hearts ache at the thought of all those memories being lost to time, that connection to her past being permanently severed, unable to be shared in the present, yet they couldn't help but admire her perspective to the situation. While it was undeniably heartbreaking, being unable to share the memories of the past, she didn't let it weigh her down, instead appreciating the memories she'd made now, and the ones she'd make down the line. She had a spine of steel, their nephew's wife, and they respected that.

"I...I think you're very right in saying so, dearheart," Josephine smiled, similarly touched by Emily's comment, her optimism about the memories yet to be made. Clearly, she had closed that chapter of her life, and though some lingering threads remained, she hadn't let that stop her from living her afterlife to the fullest. She had a family of her own making, and as someone who at one time found herself on the outs with her parents and found solace in more like-minded company, she couldn't help but admire Emily's resolve to live her own life.

And so too could August, as the mood lightened, with the family resuming pouring over the albums and their contents: Every student he ever taught was unique in their own ways, they were their own little individuals, even at a young age, and he encouraged them to hold onto those identities they were already crafting so early on. It was nice to know that, for everything she'd faced, Emily hadn't let the world win-she was unabashedly herself, and her family loved her for it.

After a little while, Josephine suggested getting some iced tea from the kitchen, with August pitching in to lend a hand (especially when the children suggested snacks to accompany the beverages). They also invited Emily to come along, both Burke parents wanting just a moment with their grandson's wife. They both had something to say to her-perhaps it wouldn't be a surprise, given the relationship Emily had with their daughter and her husband, but to the Burkes, it still warranted saying.