She sighed and the letter fell from her hands. She had paid a high price for loving Joe. It didn't matter that she lost her family, they hated her anyway, but Tilly had been a confidant, a friend. Swallowing heavily, she said, "We will figure it out..." but she didn't know how or when. She buried her face into his shoulder and hardened her heart toward her family. There was no room for them in her life. "I'll take on work too, Joe, we'll do this together."

Her head pulled away and she looked at him miserably. "You're my family now." she whispered and then rubbed her forehead with shaking fingers.