Aunt Vannie is the youngest sister of Will's mother. Aunt Vannie takes custody of Will and Palmer with her sister, Eleanor. Vannie pays little attention to the boys most of the time, spending a great deal of her free time on dates with various men. However, when Will is a teenager, Aunt Vannie cares for him during a bout with the Asian flu. When Will is nearly recovered, Aunt Vannie seduces him, taking his virginity and changing the way Will looks at women for the rest of his life.