extremely awesome and incredibly cool group discussion

I can't help but to wonder if the reason why Grandma needed Thomas Sr. so much was because of her sister Anna. She and Anna shared Grandma's first kiss, and I think that a main component of why she need Thomas so much was because it was a way for her to connect with his deceased sister, who was the only one who openly shared affection with her. Main point being openly (because her father loved her very much, and vice versa). I feel like Grandma was in love with her sister, not necessarily in a perverse way, but in the sense that she admired her sister so much. In many ways, she tried to take her sister's place by marrying Thomas and bearing his child instead.

Are you saying she is is living vicariously through her in a sense? I can see how that connection can be made because of her drive for affection.