Twisted Family Values by V. C. Chickering

Author:V. C. Chickering [Chickering, V. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Adult
ISBN: 9781466871939
Google: 2I1xDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 1250065291
Goodreads: 42265456
Publisher: Griffin
Published: 2019-06-25T00:00:00+00:00

1990

The cousins’ childhood neighbor’s tree house, Larkspur, New Jersey

“You never really told me about your road trip,” said Biz, standing barefoot on the cool evening grass. She’d chosen not to wear panty hose to the engagement party, though her mother had instructed her to. It was warm for early May, and she didn’t want to be bothered; plus they were super lame, and no one her age wore them anymore. Claire had sent Biz to buy more ice, but someone had blocked her in, so Charlie offered to take her in his car, which was a manual shift. He also didn’t think Biz should be driving.

“Our trip was Ameri-tastic,” said Charlie, missing the first rung as he climbed the ladder of their neighbors, the Roundsavilles’ tree house. “Heart of Glass” could be heard in the near distance. He’d already had a boatload of margaritas. This time he grasped the rungs carefully and kept a close eye on his feet. “We live in the United States of Awesome.” He had just switched to Miller Lite and probably shouldn’t have been driving.

Biz called up after him, “Very funny. Seriously.”

“I’m being serious. Every U.S. citizen should have to, by law, drive across country at some point in their lives. It’s an incredible place, varied and vast—a cornucopia of flora, fauna, architecture, and fried food—”

“No one says ‘cornucopia.’”

“—tattoos, and sideburns. Americans are a bizarre and hilarious breed. I took a ton of photos. Piper’s making an album.”

“She’s a doer.”

“Hey, be nice.”

After Piper and Charlie’s year in Paris, his dream of moving to L.A. withered—Piper refused to live there—but their relationship grew regardless. Post-graduation, they rented a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. He shot second-unit footage for corporate promos, while she became a commercial production manager. A few years later, when they were both between jobs, they decided to take a trip across country. The plan was for Charlie to write a feature screenplay with Piper at the helm. Nana Miggs said, “If you can drive across country with someone and still like them by the end, you should marry them.” Then she winked.

Piper was skilled at reading maps and finding the best family-owned diners and cheap motels. And Charlie was afforded long stretches of intellectual space to write longhand while she drove. Things went smoothly with Piper in charge, which embedded a dynamic of least resistance. If she was so competent navigating this unplanned journey, it stood to reason she would make a good mother. And since Piper had been in the basement at that party when they were twelve, Charlie felt assured of her acceptance and forgiveness, which made her an excellent bet. So at the end of the road trip, after unloading their bags, he got down on one knee and proposed.

Biz was waitressing at Exterminator Chili at night and making outlandish couture during the day when she heard the news of Charlie and Piper’s engagement. She decided to be happy for them—after all, Biz was also living her dream.

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