That sounds promising. Really? Not ever? I suppose that makes sense.. but you wouldn't want to coddle her. I'm sure she'd be fine, wouldn't she? I know we haven't really properly spent time together yet..

It would all be by your standards of course, you're her father.. if you want us to call you or something. Whatever puts your mind at ease, pops.

If I didn't know better, I'd say it was her middle name.

Never. It's been me and the kid for two years now. Weird having a family all of the sudden. You're right, don't want to coddle her. I know she needs to gain independence at some point. She'll be fine, she'll have a damn good time I'm sure of it.

Just keep my updated by text. Let me know if you need anything. I can pack her a little backpack.

Marney Insufferable Sykes. It's got a bit of a ring to it, don't you think?

If she's anything like the rest of the our family, she'll be a fiercely independent woman. And that's a damn good thing, too.

Little backpack? Like snacks and a spare outfit and all of that rubbish? I don't mean to alarm you, but your soft cuddly insides are showing, Leland.

I can practically picture it on her birth certificate.

It is a good thing. If she could I'm sure she would already be taking care of herself.

You better not tell the others Squirt.

Pretty fitting.

She's probably more capable than Mars, but she manages to pull it off.

I'm not a squirt. I'll be sixteen in three months, you know!

It's likely. I'm starting to place bets on this shit.

That's mildly terrifying you know.

I considered doing a study before on how she miraculously hasn't managed to die yet, either through alcohol poisoning or just being a complete fool, but it felt like a lot of work to spend on writing about Marney and her bad habits. But it would make a hell of a science fair project.. the exception of survival of the fittest, an exclusion of Darwin's theory. On her own in a more cut-throat society, she would have been offed long ago. My sister, ladies and gentlemen.

If they would allow me to operate a motor vehicle at sixteen, I think I can manage holding a toddler's hand for a day. I become a legal adult at seventeen, by the way, so it isn't even that much of a stretch.

Kinda makes you wonder if she's fuckin with us our not, doesn't it?

I wouldn't trust any other almost sixteen year old with my child. You know that right?