Stick some feels in it.* Laying awake at night, imagining how
   wonderful things will be... and then crying, then getting
   comfort somehow. I dunno - I think the distance in time is
   difficult. Your character is in 2010.* The relative is dead.*
   The sought after puzzle piece is in the 1930s. That's an 80 year
   gap, a dead person, and no link to the living. Perhaps somebody
   who knew the relative.... wise old neighbor type of character?
   It's still circumstance though.* I can see the trouble you're
   having.* Hm.