Cast of Characters

Lily - Main Character
Late thirties, from lower class blue collar background, sexually abused by her father for a decade as a child, PTSD sufferer, college degree in Social Work, compliant and eager to please, “good girl”, married to Mike, stepmother to Steven and Octavia, mother to Teddy who was killed in a car accident six months prior to the beginning point of the story.


Mike - Lead Character
Early 50's, college professor, upper middle class white collar family background, married to Lily. Had two children, Steven and Octavia, with his first wife, Pamela. When the children were very young Pamela abandoned the family. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are a taboo topic with Mike, his family and Pamela's family. The children don't even know what happened. Mike and Lily marry seven years prior to the start of the story.


Teddy – Supporting Character
The son of Lily and Mike. He dies in a car accident 6 months before the start of the story.


Steven – Supporting Character
The son of Mike and his first wife, Pamela. Stepson to Lily. Seventeen years old. Quiet, reserved and bears the weight of his father's expectations for a first born male.


Octavia – Supporting Character
The daughter of Mike and his first wife, Pamela. Stepdaughter to Lily. 15 years old. Coddled by her Father because Pamela's abandonment affected her deeply. A girl who wants Lily's love and acceptance on one hand, but fights against it on the other. She is afraid that accepting Lily will mean she is being disloyal to her mother and ruin any chances of her mother ever coming back.


Sally - Lead Character
Lily's therapist in the psychiatric ward where she is hospitalized after her suicide attempt. Also a survivor of childhood abuse. Married and has no children. Has Multiple Sclerosis and is wheelchair bound. She has an assistance dog, named Sigmund Freud and nicknamed Siggy.


Kevin – Main Character
A patient in the psychiatric ward with Lily. A recovering alcoholic who self-medicates his depression. About forty years old. Spent most of his life fighting his addiction and his depression. Wants and expects very little out of life. Cynical and pessimistic but also gentle and accepting toward Lily.


Elaine – Main Character
A fellow patient in the psychiatric ward with Lily. In her early sixties. Constantly crocheting. Maternal. Rather optimistic when it comes to other's lives but not when it comes to her own. Will not speak of why she's in the hospital, only states that she had a “nervous breakdown”.


Alex – Main Character
Fellow psychiatric patient with Lily. 19 years old. Been on the streets for years. Gay and prostitutes when he has no other source of survival. Hospitalized due to a suicide attempt. Angry and rebellious with the staff, very childlike with the other patients.


Sharon – Supporting Character
Fellow patient in the psychiatric ward. In her late 40's. An anorexic involuntarily committed on a 72 hour hold by her psychiatrist because he feels she is a threat to herself. Has a nasal feeding tube because she refuses to eat. Preparing for her court hearing and challenging a continued commitment.


Monty – Supporting Character
A young man in his early twenties who believes he is Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Delusional schizophrenic. Very harmless but also annoyingly adamant in his desire to share Mary's teachings with anyone available.


Bruce – Minor Character
Middle aged male hospitalized for severe manic episode. Very angry, with his anger hyperfocused on his wife who he believes has betrayed him with another man.


Captain – Minor Character
An elderly man hospitalized after the death of his wife whom he had been married to since his teens. Grief stricken, lost and suicidal. Refuses to wear anything but a hospital gown because he says his street clothes carry his wife's scent.


Mrs. Ross – Supporting Character
Recreational Therapist on the psychiatric ward. Cynical, jaded and condescending to the patients. More of a drill sergeant than a therapist.


Nurse Dash – Supporting Character
Nurse on the psychiatric ward. Middle aged. Motherly. Kind. Gentle.


Nurse Bastrom – Supporting Character
Psychiatric Ward's Nurse Manager. Gruff. No nonsense. But also fair and capable of the occasional compassionate action. Bullies the doctors who come onto the ward to treat patients.


Dr. Jack Mitchell - Supporting Character
The psychologist who leads the daily group therapy sessions. Mid 30's. Tall. Gawky. Goofy but hard not to like. Not very good at his job and sometimes the patients get the best of him in group.


Dr. Ingalls – Supporting Character
Lily's psychiatrist at the hospital. Short, portly, bearded gentleman who wears his long hair in a pony tail. Ex-hippie who never quite made it to the ex state. Perpetually clicking his pen. Has a wife who has been in a private psychiatric hospital for several decades suffering from a psychotic break that occurred when their two children were killed in a car accident while she was driving drunk.