Katherine “Blythe” Hemming Marston, 34. She was a dumb homecoming queen and cheerleader who caught the eye of Darren Marston, the new neighbor. They married when she was 18, had 4 children back to back to back. She knew nothing about housekeeping, but gradually, Darren taught her how to be his helpmeet. But he acquired a very dark secret and Blythe was all in, supporting him in every way she knew how. When he died in a freak accident, leaving her with 4 young children, she had no one to lean on except her very terrifying father-in-law, who had always made it quite clear he did not like her in the least bit, but who would also not shirk what needed to be done. She always knew he did it for the kids.
Phineas “Finn” William Marston, 56. Shiftless blacklisted boxer bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks who made good after getting a girl “in trouble” and married her at gunpoint. He learned how to build because at 18, he had no other way to make a living for his 16-year-old wife and baking baby. Now he's made it. A very successful attorney, he's also a widower, father of 3, grandfather of 10. His first son died tragically in a freak accident, leaving the naïve, completely incompetent wife alone with 4 young children. He took it upon himself to drag her out of ignorance and into competence—and he did a very good job. He’s dating because he really needs to have someone to come home to other than his daughter-in-law.
Katherine “Blythe” Hemming Marston, 34. But now, 8 years after Darren’s death and thanks to Finn, now she’s a purveyor of competence porn. Somehow, Finn’s become her best friend and partner in her DIY career. She has a firm head on her shoulders, a sharp vision of what she wants, and she’s starting to wonder why she and Finn have started bickering so much more frequently. She’d like to date, but she intimidates the single/divorced men in her circle because she has 4 kids (one of whom is autistic), a massive diesel Ram (stick shift), and a shed full of power tools. She’s also wondering why she cares if Finn’s dating or not.
Phineas “Finn” William Marston, 56. He’s done such a good job with his daughter-in-law that she turned into a DIY construction maven and budding internet star. She’s also a very good cook so he goes straight to her house after work, has dinner with her and his 4 grandkids, discuss the day’s events. He helps her with her projects, his colleagues and society friends love seeing him slumming in drywall dust, and now, despite their rocky history, he and his daughter-in-law work together like a well-oiled machine.
Gwen Stephanie Marston, 16. Debater, cheerleader, wannabe debutante. She’s the lowest of the low of the girls in her exclusive private school, but only because her mother’s eccentric and insists they live in her current flip. She worships the ground her grandfather Finn walks on.
Ryan Darren Marston, 14. Rising football star. There is nothing else. Until his other grandfather decides his mother is fair game for abuse. He doesn’t really remember his father, which doesn’t bother him—until it does.
Kaia Winifred Marston, 11. Just hanging out, doing what little girls do as long as her siblings don’t go in her room and mess with her stuff just to drive her up a wall. She adores Finn, but loathes her other grandfather.
Calvin Finn Marston, 8. He’s a potato when it’s raining tacos. Autistic, brilliant, observant, and very sensitive to loud noises, he knows what’s going on before anybody else does, but he assumes everybody else already knows, so he doesn’t say anything about it.
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