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“I think we could all use some time. I want to do this
properly. I mean, normally. Oh, what’s normal?” Emily said,
and giggled. “What I mean is—”
“I know,” Dani responded softly, and squeezed Emily’s
hand back. “I know what you mean. Like other people do. Not
getting married first, then learning how to care about each
other.”
Emily nodded. “That’s exactly what I meant.”
They were quiet for a few minutes. Dani broke the silence
first. She removed her hand gently from Emily’s, then went to
her room and came back with a small shoebox. She could see
how puzzled Emily was, especially after she removed the lid
and revealed the black-and-white photographs inside.
“I used to go to antique stores,” Dani said. “When I got this
place. Even though I couldn’t really afford much, it was still
fun to look around. I’d buy these photos. I couldn’t believe
they’d sell pictures of other people at first. They’re so old that
all of them are dead now, so it was extra weird. I used to be
kind of affronted by that.”
“It is strange,” Emily admitted, but she peeked over the
edge of the box anyway.
“Obviously, I got over that.” Dani took out a handful of
photos and passed them over. “I used to buy ones of families. I
never inserted myself into th
em or imagined what that could
have looked like for me, but it was nice to think about other
people belonging and being a part of something and being
happy, in their own way, in their own time.”
“Dani…” Emily grasped the photos to her chest. Her eyes
were soft and full of compassion and kindness. “When you say
