Teri Roberts & Rachel Walton

Oct. 1, 2022, in Philadelphia

Their relationship started with a web-based romance – between the characters that Teri and Rachel created for a Jane Austen-themed role-playing sport.

Inside “Ever, Jane,” Teri was Alexander Stanton, a well-off English gentleman combating household strain to marry, and Rachel was Silas Turner, a regulation scholar recovering from a damaged coronary heart. Outdoors the sport, Teri was an information analyst residing in Chicago along with her husband, and Rachel, a mom with a penchant for writing and design who lived in Mount Ethereal along with her husband and son.

The ladies turned buddies over Discord, typing their discussions of the Silas and Alexander plot. However between conversations concerning the difficulties that might have been confronted by two males who beloved one another in early Nineteenth-century England, each finally shared that they had been questioning the arcs of their very own lives and identities.

Neither Rachel nor Teri had a working marriage. And within the years earlier than their on-line assembly in 2016, each had begun to understand that they might not make marriage to a person work, irrespective of how exhausting they and their spouses tried.

“We had been each raised in conservative Christian households, and so rising up, we had by no means even thought-about that we weren’t heterosexual,” mentioned Teri. “The queer factor was actually this lacking piece of the puzzle for each of us,” mentioned Rachel. “As soon as that piece was there, every thing made much more sense, and it was clear what needed to be carried out.”

It was clear, however not simple. The chums supported one another via very tough choices. Teri ended her relationship along with her husband in April 2017. The next month, Rachel took the identical step.

That July, Teri flew to Philadelphia. On the final full day of her five-day go to, Rachel shoved her concern apart to immediately handle one final set of complicated emotions. “I’ve a little bit crush on you,” she instructed Teri.

“I’ve a little bit crush on you, too,” Teri replied.

Moments later, Rachel excused herself, closed the toilet door, and silently jumped for pleasure. Teri steered they go see a film. They held palms your entire time.

“I’ve by no means met anybody who I may simply hold speaking to. We by no means appear to expire of issues we are able to discuss,” mentioned Rachel. “I believe she’s actually sensible and hilarious. She will get me in a means that most individuals don’t. And she or he’s attractive.”

“I like the way in which her thoughts works,” mentioned Teri. “I are usually extra impulsive and he or she simply places extra thought and a focus and consideration into issues. She could be very engaging and I like how simple it’s to be round her. She’s my greatest pal who I additionally am in love with, and he or she is love with me.”

Teri and Rachel, now each 42, noticed one another twice extra in 2017. In March 2018, Teri discovered a job in Philly and moved to the Mount Ethereal residence the couple shares with Rachel’s son, Asher, 13, and cats Pierre Allspice, Snax, Basil, and Beans. Rachel is a contract graphic artist and author. Teri is a senior knowledge analyst for United Well being Group.

It was so them

There was not one proposal, however many. “We actually loved asking one another the query and had mini-proposals a few hundred instances,” Rachel mentioned.

On Oct. 1, 2022, they had been married at their church, Chestnut Hill United, by senior pastor Kipp Gilmore-Clough. “Let’s take a second to let ourselves be completely gobsmacked by the inventive, refined, supple, mysterious, miraculous methods wherein spirit can draw two folks collectively … can take two struggling souls, can add computer systems, web, Jane Austen, and sideways glimpses of authenticity (Austenticity) – can take all that and, via some unfathomable holy alchemy, create household,” he mentioned to their 50 company.

Teri, Rachel, and Asher positioned branches from three several types of timber right into a single vase to represent that, simply as a forest wants a number of species to thrive, they every carry their very own distinctive strengths to kind a single robust household.

Rachel promised Teri that whereas she is aware of her very nicely, she is going to all the time honor Teri’s thriller as she grows and adjustments. Teri promised to talk Rachel’s love language and check out new issues along with her, although Teri finds that a little bit scary.

The reception, held beneath a tent on the church grounds, featured heat drinks, the meals truck Farm Truck Philly, and music – a string quartet and a Spotify playlist of pop and different tunes.

There was extra speaking than dancing. “A few of our buddies hadn’t seen one another for the reason that pandemic began,” Teri mentioned.

What’s subsequent?

Teri, Rachel, and Asher take pleasure in enjoying video and board video games and household film nights.

Rachel and Teri proceed to function play within the Regency interval with a bunch of buddies they made via the now-defunct “Ever, Jane” sport.

The couple is modifying the second draft of a ebook they wrote based mostly on the characters they created, Alexander Stanton and Silas Turner, however set in modern-day Philadelphia.