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Andrew’s eyebrows shot up.

“You . . . want a photograph with me?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded. “I can hang it right next to the portrait of me and Clifford, God rest his soul.”

“Oh. Wow. Yes. Yes, I would love a photograph with you,” Andrew spluttered. His eyes flitted over to Edwin. “And then—”

“I’d love one with Edwin as well, as long as it’s all right with his mother.”

“Perfectly fine. You’re family to him, too, Prudence,” Grace Beasley said.

Edwin reached over and squeezed his mother’s hand lightly, mouthing a fast, “Thank you.”

“Finally, that wall of mine will feel complete,” Prudence said approvingly.

Over the next hour or so, the rest of the photography session unfolded. After the last photograph was taken, everyone left, letting Andrew and Edwin finish up.

While the prints were being exposed to the sunlight, the paper resting atop the negatives, Edwin came over and pulled Andrew in for a kiss. Smiling a little, Andrew hummed contentedly as their lips moved together.

After they parted, Andrew wrapped Edwin up in a backward embrace as they looked at the prints together, the blurry images becoming clearer the more time passed. Andrew’s eyes became misty again as the portraits sharpened in the light. Sniffling, he let a couple of tears fall and nuzzled Edwin’s head, pushing his nose into the man’s silky hair. Edwin huffed a warm laugh.

“Oh, my Andrew,” he said.

“Sorry,” Andrew said, sniffling once more. “It’s overwhelming to see the photographs right now.” He let out a soft sob. “It’s my family, Edwin. Oh, I can hardly believe it. I have a family.”

Edwin spun around and cupped his cheek.

“You do,” Edwin said, his voice so soft and kind. “And you always will. From now on.”

Andrew kissed him once more.

Just as they parted, William came bursting into the room.

“Oh, yuck,” he said, playfully scrunching up his nose. “When you gentlemen are finished with”—he paused and fluttered his fingers at them—“that, I was thinking maybe we could all visit one of the saloons together. Agnes went to the new tea shop on North Pearl. It’ll be much too boring at home without her.”

Edwin and Andrew smiled at each other.

“Should we?” Andrew asked. “I think the prints will be finished soon.”

“I’d like to,” Edwin said before throwing William a smirk. “Especially if Will pays.”

“Of course I’ll pay,” William said. “Whiskey for us. Albumen for Andrew.”

Andrew chuckled, shaking his head. “You’ll never let me forget that, will you?”

“Not likely,” William replied with a cheeky grin.

Andrew laughed a bit more. Edwin’s hands found his lapels, and he pulled him in for one more fast kiss.

“You finish up with these. I’ll water the plants. Both the ones here and the ones we have in my shop downstairs. And then we’ll go?”

Andrew nodded. “Sounds good.”

Edwin left to fetch the watering can, and Andrew knelt down to inspect the prints more closely. He looked at them all in wonderment, letting his eyes linger on each face before moving to the next, and all the while, fondness swirled in his chest, the feeling only intensifying as more time elapsed.

For so long, Andrew had assumed that he’d never even have a friend who loved him, let alone more than one person. But, somehow, he had managed to find the most wonderful cluster of people in the entire world.

He had a family again.

He had a family who loved him.

He had a family who loved him and accepted him, for all that he was.

Clumsiness included.