i loved having those images of the people i loved close by : my mom with her golden cap of curls and her bombshell smile , her curvy body scarcely covered by a tiny bikini as she enjoyed the french riviera on my stepdad 's yacht ; my stepfather , richard stanton , looking regal and distinguished , his silver hair oddly complementing the looks of his much younger wife ; and cary , who was captured in all his photogenic glory , with his lustrous brown hair and sparkling green eyes , his smile wide and mischievous .