Dr David Henry
David is the main character in the novel but he is more antagonist than protagonist. He is the father of twins, Paul and Phoebe, both of whom he clearly requires to be perfect and to live up to the image of his children that he has already created in his mind. David had a younger sister who died when she was twelve years old and has never got over the trauma of this. He fears that the same fate will befall Phoebe and cannot fathom going through that again and so he gives her up. However, he never really lets go of her and tries to convince himself that he is still doing the responsible thing even though he has effectively abandoned her. He never tells Norah, his wife, about Phoebe essentially deciding for her that she is not going to have a relationship with Phoebe.
David is a man filled with guilt and self-loathing which ultimately takes a toll on his health and he dies after a heart attack, emotionally estranged from his wife and son.
Norah Henry
Norah is David's wife and has spent her entire marriage being made to feel like the subordinate partner in it. She never gets to see Phoebe after the twins are born and never gets the opportunity to be a part of her childhood as she is told by her husband that Phoebe died. She has no reason to disbelieve him. Norah believes that having Paul will bring them closer together but the opposite is true. Their daughter's absence is the emotional elephant in the room and drives a wedge between the couple that is never able to be removed. Norah feels emotionally lonely and has an affair whilst she is on vacation.
Norah only learns of Phoebe's existence after David dies, when she is going through his papers. She feels right away that she knows him better after his death than during his life because now she knows why he was so distant and resentful. She is anxious to meet Phoebe and to make sure that her son gets to meet his sister.
Phoebe
Phoebe is one of the Henry twins but is not raised as a Henry because her father rejects her and gives her away to an institution. She is fortunate in that the nurse charged with this task decides to take her in and raise her as her own. She is raised in a healthy emotional environment with parents who love both her and each other. Ironically she is raised in a far healthier environment than her brother.
Phoebe has Down syndrome but is able to life a normal life and is excited for her future. Her goal is to marry her boyfriend and move into a group home together.
Paul
Unlike Phoebe, Paul was raised in a home that was emotionally distant in terms of his father. The two never have a good relationship and it gets worse as Paul gets older and wants to create his own future rather than accepting the future his father has created for him. Paul is a talented guitar player and wants to study music. He has no interest in entering the corporate world much to his father's disgust.
Paul is happy that his sister is back in his life and wonders how her life would be different had she been raised with him by their parents.
Caroline Gill
Caroline is a nurse who helps deliver the twins. She is given Phoebe not because she seems like a suitable person to raise her but because she is the nurse on duty at the time. When she takes Phoebe to the institution that David has selected she is disgusted by the facility and decides to keep Phoebe herself and raise her as her own daughter. From that moment on Caroline puts Phoebe first.
Caroline really loves Al and is confident that he loves her too, but until she is certain that he is genuinely bonded with Phoebe she will not agree to marry him. When they do marry, they go from strength to strength as a family and Phoebe is raised in a home with real love and respect between everyone in it.
Although Caroline wants to give Phoebe all of the opportunities she would have if she did not have Downs, she is reluctant to let go of her and does not want her to leave home and move into a group home with her boyfriend. She is having a hard time loosening the apron strings and for this reason is pleased when Paul comes back into their lives because there is one additional person keeping a close eye on Phoebe.
Al Simpson
Having met Caroline at a grocery store when her car has run out of gas and she is stuck with Phoebe unable to get home, truck driver Al falls in love with Caroline pretty much at first sight. He is determined that they will marry and asks her regularly, undaunted by her frequent refusals. He genuinely loves Phoebe but has trouble making Caroline believe this until his spontaneous outburst at the hospital when a nurse is spiteful about Phoebe and her mental condition. He offers stability and a strong, positive father figure to Phoebe.
