Dramatis Personae

C. – 4’11”, (at least that’s what the rulers say) and all of it sass.  Recently graduated from university in the U.S., recently hired by her Alma Mater’s police department to be their secretary, recently married, and eternally baffled by her seeming tininess…she’s much bigger, more interesting, and important in her own mind.

J. – husband.  Still at university (for what feels like an eternal one more year at grad school), he therefore gets to benefit from having C. as a Suga Mama.  Handsome, intelligent, clever and wonderful, all of which gets immediately forgotten the moment he busts out the short jokes.

Family (England)
Mum - just got her third degree, this one from Cambridge in Classical studies.  Pretty much the coolest mother ever.
Dad – rock climber, sprinkler designer, military lawyer, serious but occasionally goofy, and world’s best dad.
Gio – little brother 1
Buddy – little brother 2
Snickers – little sister
Mika – my dog is better than your dog.  Sorry.  It’s true.

Family (US)
Darling – new mother-in-law, a wonderful woman who has welcomed C. joyously into the family.  C. is still nervous that she’ll somehow screw up this woman’s youngest son.
Atticus – father-in-law.  Nicest and funniest man imaginable.
Fairy – godmother,  mother-away-from-home and gets all the perks of having an extra kid with none of the responsibilities.
Brando- godfather.  Successful businessman, completely bonkers at times, fun always.
GS- godsister
Drill - godbrother 1
Pieter- godbrother 2
Trixie – godbrother 1′s fiancee
Sadie – godbrother 2′s wife
GBIL – god-brother-in-law
Elle- godniece, and beloved of the family
Pal- goddog (yes, C. has one)

Friends
Venice- partner in crime, best friend, and former neighbor.  Middle school teacher, culinary genius, book blog partner, shoulder to cry on, shopping companion, part of the Suga Mama’s Inc. society, and the yin to C.’s yang.  Sadly, she’s recently bunked off across the country and their friendship now occupies hours of phone time.
Val – Venice’s husband, keeper of all technological knowledge and know-how.
Marie – beautiful, gracious, artistic, and lady-like best friend.  Bowed but never broken by some medical issues, endlessly talented, and one of the most admirable people C. has ever known.  Dang her…it’s insecurity-inducing at times!
Peregrine- Soulsister.  Part fashionista, part climate warrior, currently living (entirely too far away) in D.C., all around incredible.  Come back, Peregrine, come back!
Angel- one of C.’s oldest friends, and probably the one she has the most inside jokes with.  Recently married as well, also doing the Suga Mama thing, and still manages to be a Domestic Goddess.  It’s unfair, really.
Margot – met C. through Angel and instantly became fast friends.  Spectacularly intelligent, wonderfully ambitious, and frighteningly funny.
Jane – freshman year roommate and best friend ever since.  Also recently married and muddling through the post-grad world.
Scarlett – best friend from years back, also aspiring writer extraordinaire, Italian 60′s star look-alike, and lives with more flair than half a dozen lesser mortals put together!
Janssen – former schoolmate, avid reader, hilarious writer!  Currently in Boston taking over school libraries.
Scotticus, Bear, Cakes, and Jaime- J.’s former flatmates and go-to guy team.  All around awesome men.

Work
Savitrii- works with parking ticket appeals, and therefore the most rabid customers you can think of.  Hilarious and unfailingly clever, C. retreats to her desk when the world gets too much to be soothed with YouTube videos and funny anecdotes.  She’s also a narcoleptic.  True story.
Hennessy – works in the traffic office, deals with some of the most despicable people imaginable, and still manages to keep it cool.
Lt. Figaro, Lt. Citrus, Lt. South, Lt. Rhoades, and Chief – police officers who C. and others work for.