THE TOWERS FAMILY SAGA
        EPISODE 3
In the makeup room at KPSA
Channel 7 News, Mary sat
in a makeup chair when her
phone rang. She checked
the caller ID, Robert. She
answered. "Robert, I'm
about to go on air."
"I know. Quick question:
when's the last time we
had a real conversation
with Barbara? Not about
college applications or
where she wants to go to
dinner, but a real
conversation?"
There was a pause. "I...
we talked last weekend.
She seemed fine."
"Dorothy just left my
office. She's worried
about Barbara. Says there
are warning signs we're
missing."
"Dorothy has a psychology
student's tendency to
pathologize normal teenage
behavior." "Maybe. Or
maybe we're so focused on
Virginia's wedding and our
careers and managing
Shirley's latest protest
against capitalist
oppression that we're not
seeing our youngest
daughter struggling."
The silence on the other
end stretched out.
Mary's voice softened,
becoming vulnerable.
"You're right. God,
Robert, when did
we become these people?
The kind who have to
schedule quality time
with their own children?"
"Tonight. Family dinner.
Mandatory attendance. No
phones, no work calls, no
excuses."
"Virginia has a..."
"Tonight, Mary," Robert
interrupted. "All six of
us. Because Dorothy's
right. This family needs
to actually function as a
family, not as a collection
of ambitious individuals
who happen to share a last
name."
Mary's makeup artist
gestured that they needed
to finish. "Okay. Tonight.
I'll make the calls."
"Thank you."
After they hung up, Mary
stared at herself in the
mirror, her professional
mask slipping for just a
moment.

In Arcadia's bustling
commercial district, the
Golden Palace Restaurant
stood as a traditional
Chinese establishment.
Inside, James Chen,
twenty-nine and handsome
in business casual attire,
sat at a table picking at
kung pao chicken. His
mother, Linda Chen,
fifty-eight, alternated
between Mandarin and
English as she expressed
her opinions, her accent
strong and her agitation
clear. "The Towers family,
they have money, yes, but
new money. Not like Chen
family. Your grandfather
built half of Arcadia!
Your father owns
twenty-three commercial
properties! We are
established!"
"Mom, Virginia is amazing.
She's smart, successful-"
"I know she successful!"
Linda interrupted. "That's
the problem! Woman too
successful, too busy for
family. Who will give me
grandchildren? Who will
take care of you when you
work such long hours at
hospital?" James rubbed
his temples. "We've talked
about this. Virginia wants
children. Just not
immediately. She's trying
to make partner."
"Always trying, trying!
When is enough?" Linda
slammed her hand on the
table. "Your brother
married nice Chinese girl.
Traditional. Now they have
two beautiful children,
and John doesn't look
exhausted all the time
from trying to keep up
with wife's career!"
David Chen, sixty-two,
emerged from the kitchen
and sat down heavily.
"Linda, leave the boy
alone. He's in love.
Remember being in love?"
"I remember being
practical! Remember
taking care of family!"
David turned to James.
"The wedding planning
going okay?"
"Define okay. Virginia
wants an intimate
ceremony at the botanical
gardens. Her mother wants
the Langham Hotel with
five hundred guests.
Virginia wants to pay for
half of it ourselves. Her
father thinks that's
foolish when he can easily
cover everything. I'm just
trying to keep everyone
happy while also
performing surgery on
people's torn ACLs."
David chuckled. "You're
marrying into the Towers
family. Robert Towers is a
good man, I've done
business with him, but
that family has opinions
about everything. And your
mother is right about one
thing: Virginia is very
focused on her career."
"So am I. I'm trying to
build my practice, publish
research, maybe teach at USC
eventually." "Yes, but
you're a man. Society
doesn't judge you
the same way."