Hello! Let me explain a few things, before we get started...2 years ago, my school performed the play You Can't Take It With You, and it was a spectacular show. I myself was in it...and I wrote these stories not long after the show ended, out of nostalgia for the cast, the chemistry, and the show itself. Each of these stories are one-shots, providing a bit of backstory on the characters involved, and giving a bit of an epilogue; or rather, what I imagine what might have happened after the curtains closed, but at the same time, they do poke fun at the characters a bit; the play itself is so funny, sometimes it's hard to take something like this seriously. Also, it is based on specific people - cast I worked with- but I also feel that it's generally vague enough that you can read it and the details aren't too overbearing. For example, in this chapter I added quite a bit that's never mentioned anywhere in the script, but I felt that it was just there...you know? ; I hope it's alright that I took that liberty. Thanks for reading this little bit, and enjoy the story!
"Grandpa!"
Martin Vanderhof sat a bit straighter in his chair. It was Alice. As she went over wedding plans with him, he nodded and offered the best advice he could think of: do what she wanted. She smiled, and tossed her long brown curls. He smiled, because she was happy, and also because he found it amazing how much she could resemble her grandmother, especially when they had never met.
Cordelia Vanderhof had also longed for something of a "normal" family...whatever that meant. On at least one occasion, she, like Alice, had nearly walked out on him. But, also like Alice, she came to her senses and came home. After about two years of marriage, Cordelia had died in childbirth with their daughter, Penny. Penelope Gertrude, her middle name taken from Cordelia's mother's name. Just as Cordy had wished.
Martin had raised Penny as best he knew how, and encouraged her to do her best in everything. He remembered her graduation from high school, her marriage to Paul, when she had announced her pregnancies-First with Alice, then with Essie.
At first, he had been rather concerned. After all, he had lost his dearest love to childbirth. He didn't want to lose all that was left of her. Btu miracle of miracles, Penny had survived both pregnancies and produced basically a carbon-copy of Cordelia-dear Alice.
As Essie pranced around the room, Grandpa closed his eyes and leaned back in the recliner. How lovely it wast o be here with family and friends. He thought about the last commencement he had attended. Whether Essie and Ed had tried for a child yet. What Alice and Tony might do after their marriage; both long and short term.
Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.
Alice walked into the room and saw him dozing. She pulled a ratty old brown blanket over his body and kissed his forehead.
Granpa woke up a few hours later. Tony was here. Mr. Kirby, Sr. had invited Grandpa to a round of golf, and seeing as how Grandpa had never really played, Tony had come to help him choose proper golf attire.
As they sorted through Grandpa's messy closet, and mounds and mounds of sweaters, Grandpa got a good look at Tony as he fell into another cardboard box. One that just happened to be keeping a new snake, one to replace Grandpa's oldest snake, Oscar. Oscar, amazingly enough, had been around since the time Essie was born. Grandpa was rather fond of him, and though he was sad Oscar was nearing the end of his life, he looked forward to having the new snake-Frank-lift his spirits.
Grandpa watched Tony closely to see what his reaction to the snake would be. He lifted it, nervously at first, but upon growing used to it, he laughed. Grandpa was glad he hadn't screamed. It showed that Kirby, Jr. was open to new things, something important in this family. His parents, while on what Grandpa considered "the wrong path", weren't too far gone as to be past saving, either.
Yes, Tony was a good apple, one Grandpa was glad to "lose" his granddaughter to. Well, not glad, but...well, he didn't mind as much.
They placed Frank back into his cardboard home and headed downstairs, sweater vest and khaki pants in tow. It would be a good match.
Thanks again for reading! Please review! A special shout out to writingtiger and WindowChild for their kind words. ^^ 3 Next time: The Sycamores
