Homer A street poet Barb Eugene's girlfriend	Marion and Biff Tom's sister and brother-in-law, they have a young daughter, Amelia Frances ("Franny" for short.) Marion is a freelance editor; Biff is creative director at ad agency Waverly and Mogul, where Tom worked briefly last summer.
Tom's parents Tom's parents live in a small town, a three-hour drive from the city. They continue to support Tom financially while he drifts, he hopes, into a writing career.	Alison's parents Alison's parents have seen a lot of Tom lately. They haven't been impressed. Alison's father is a syndicated cartoonist. The strip he draws, The Snugglebunnies, is written by someone else; it's too saccharine for his own acerbic taste.