#(Who they'd likely assumed had long since gone to Heaven instead of their souls lingering as spirits;)

[beatingheart-bride]

Meanwhile, down in the ballroom, it was a morning like any other. The Paces helped themselves to a sumptuous breakfast of French toast and mixed fruit, served alongside a steaming hot cup of coffee- or ice-cold glass of orange juice, in the children's case. It was a nice, relaxing way to start off the day.

"Well, whoever the new faces are, they're bound to be the center of attention," Emily chuckled softly as she helped cut Erika's portion of French toast into bite-sized pieces. "I hope they're ready to be a spectacle: we haven't even seen them yet, and they're already the talk of the mansion!"

It didn't seem that long ago that June and Wilhelm had been in such a position, sparking everyone's intrigue as the newest residents of Gracey Manor. It was baffling to think that it had been half of a decade since then. So much had changed for the Pace family in just a few meager years, and they were happier now than they'd ever been before. Just how could things get any better?

@theheadlessgroom

Afterlife at Gracey Manor felt like a dream come true. The Pace family had long since settled into their life of domesticity within its walls. It had been over five years since June and Wilhelm had first entered the mansion's front door, and the family had never been happier. Leonidas and Erika were about to celebrate their fifth birthday, five years that had been nothing short of heaven on earth for Randall and Emily.

With all three generations of Paces residing under the same roof (to say nothing of the Graceys also being family through everything but blood), it felt like the afterlife couldn't get any better. It was a peaceful existence, one full of all of the love and family that they'd been robbed of during life.

It was the early morning, and the Paces had just made their way down to the ballroom for breakfast: through the grapevine, they heard whispers of visitors having arrived from overseas. It had been a great while since the last visitor passed through Gracey Manor's walls, and thus the news of a new visitor's arrival was enough to pique the Pace's curiosity.

"Overseas is a long way to travel to visit the manor," Emily remarked as she and the rest of the family headed towards an empty table to take a seat for their morning meal. "I wonder what brought them here?"