Moth Holden is the novel’s deuteragonist, a gentle and thoughtful retired science teacher who becomes Pepper’s love interest and primary source of support. As a round, dynamic character, his gentle nature and British charm serve as a direct foil to Pepper’s pragmatic ex-husband, Roger. Moth enters Pepper’s life by offering to help her wash a car, an act that establishes his kind and unassuming personality. She first describes his face as being “kind, eager, and wide-open” (14), establishing his capacity for compassion and his welcoming nature. Furthermore, he is immediately accepting of Pepper, including her past and the physical and emotional scars from her battle with cancer. Their relationship develops quickly, built on a shared history as teachers, a mutual sense of humor, and a deep emotional connection that transcends the societal awkwardness surrounding elder romance. Moth’s character provides a space for emotional vulnerability and tenderness in a narrative often driven by conflict and political tension.

Moth’s character is significantly shaped by the trauma of his past. The loss of his wife, Louisa, to breast cancer 42 years earlier has left a permanent mark on his psyche. This history becomes critically important when he reveals that Louisa was a participant in the same experimental drug trial, Protocol 183, that is believed to have caused Pepper’s pregnancy. This revelation creates an internal conflict for Moth. He initially views Pepper’s pregnancy as a miracle, a form of restitution for the life he and Louisa were denied. His subsequent fear of Pepper seeking an abortion is not rooted in a political stance but in his personal history of regret; he believes his and Louisa’s choice to abandon the trial cost her her life, and he cannot bear to “choose death again” (125). This struggle highlights the complex interaction between personal trauma and public debate, as Moth’s private grief informs his perspective on Pepper’s public choice.

Ultimately, Moth’s development is marked by his ability to reconcile his personal fears with his love and respect for Pepper’s autonomy. While he struggles with her decision to help Lola, he provides unwavering support, accompanying them on their clandestine road trip. He evolves from a man haunted by a past choice to a partner who actively participates in ensuring the choices of others. His role in the novel emphasizes the idea that love in later life is not a quiet denouement but a dynamic, challenging force that requires growth, sacrifice, and a willingness to confront the ghosts of the past.

Pepper’s three adult children, Alice, Darcy, and Max, function as a collective force in the novel, representing the complex blend of love, concern, and control that often characterizes the relationship between adult children and their aging parents. Their initial decision to sell Pepper’s house and move her into Vista View against her will establishes the theme of the dismissal of elderly people’s agency. On Pepper’s initial medical visit for testing, Dr. Kim tells her, “While I know that your daughters are just worried about you, I also know it can be frustrating to be treated like a child” (60). Though their actions are driven by a genuine, if misguided, desire to ensure her safety, they strip her of her independence and make her feel powerless.

Each sibling embodies a different response to Pepper’s crisis. Alice, the pragmatic and formidable lawyer, treats her mother’s pregnancy as a legal problem to be managed and solved with aggressive efficiency. She immediately plans to fly Pepper out of state for an abortion and later uses her legal prowess to seek retribution against Dr. Blankman. Darcy, a project manager and mother of two, is the most emotionally expressive and anxious. She is initially unsettled by the reality of her mother’s sex life but eventually embraces the pregnancy, calling it “cool” and viewing it as an opportunity to repay the care Pepper gave her. Max, the youngest and a professional arm wrestler, is the most sensitive. His fear for Pepper is deeply rooted in his childhood memory of her cancer, and he sees her current predicament through the lens of potential loss, terrified that he might lose her all over again.

Lola, Pepper’s 15-year-old granddaughter, is an important foil and catalyst in the narrative. As a foil, her character provides a direct parallel to Pepper’s, creating a powerful juxtaposition between two individuals at opposite ends of their reproductive lives who find themselves in the same impossible situation. When Lola becomes pregnant, her crisis forces Pepper to take decisive action. Lola tells her grandmother, “I can’t have a baby. And I can’t have an abortion. I can’t do anything” (216). Ultimately, she is immobilized by her lack of choice. Lola’s fear that her life is over and her inability to access an abortion in Texas mirror the powerlessness Pepper has felt, but her youth and potential galvanize Pepper into rebellion.

Lola’s journey highlights the theme Autonomy Over One’s Body. Her desire for an abortion is not a matter of political debate but a desperate need to reclaim her future, to have “adventures” and “see the rest of the world” before being tied down (218). Lola’s future is directly linked to the decisions she makes about her body. Furthermore, Pepper’s choice to risk her own safety to drive Lola to New Mexico solidifies their bond and clarifies Pepper’s own purpose; in fighting for Lola’s future, she reclaims her own authority and defines her legacy not as a medical miracle, but as a protector of choice.

Dr. Blankman is a primary antagonist, embodying the patriarchal and ideological forces that seek to control women’s bodies; consequently, he fuels the theme The Politicization of the Female Body. As the head of gynecology, he wields his medical authority not to serve his patient’s needs but to impose his own moral agenda. He dismisses Pepper’s desire for an abortion, framing her pregnancy as a divine miracle and her body as a vessel for a higher purpose. His condescending and manipulative behavior culminates in a private meeting where he threatens to ruin the careers of Pepper’s daughter Alice and her doctor, Dr. Kim, if Pepper attempts to seek an abortion out of state. When he does this, Pepper’s heart “crashed like Icarus” (112), meaning that her hopes of an abortion plummeted just as the fictional character did after flying too close to the sun. This act of intimidation demonstrates how personal beliefs can be weaponized within systems of power to coerce and control individuals. His character is ultimately flat, serving as a symbol of the institutional opposition Pepper must overcome.

Roger, Pepper’s ex-husband and fellow resident at Vista View, acts as a foil to Moth and a lingering representation of Pepper’s past life. His presence is a constant, irritating reminder of the marriage she left behind. He is often self-absorbed and glib, more concerned with his full head of hair than with the emotional complexities of Pepper’s situation. However, Roger is not a villain. He demonstrates a surprising and steadfast loyalty, offering Pepper his unconditional help and refusing to sell her story to the press, despite the financial incentive. He tells her, “I’m not going away. I want to help [...] you just let me know and I’ll do it. I’m not going anywhere” (168). This complexity suggests that long relationships do not simply end but transform, leaving behind a resilient, if not romantic, bond. He remains a static character, but his moments of support reveal a depth that complicates his role as the foolish ex-husband.

Maisie and Dot are Pepper’s first friends at Vista View and represent the power of community and peer support in the face of aging and adversity. They provide a space where Pepper’s extraordinary situation is met not with shock or judgment, but with dark humor, practical wisdom, and unwavering acceptance. Maisie is outspoken and cynical, while Dot is elegant and poised. Together, they normalize the indignities and fears of growing old, treating even a geriatric pregnancy as just another strange symptom in a life full of them. Dot’s graceful decline and eventual death from cancer form a subplot that grounds the novel’s miraculous events in the sober reality of mortality. Her final wish to throw Pepper a baby shower is an act of love and a final celebration of life, even as she prepares to leave her own. Furthermore, when she walks to the nursing wing of Vista View on her own terms, she demonstrates that autonomy over one’s body relates not just to pregnancy, but all phases of life. Ultimately, Dot and Maisie’s friendship with Pepper provides a counterpoint to the condescension and control Pepper faces from her children and the outside world.

The representatives from the anti-abortion group Family Futures (Azmina, Becka, and Candi) and the pro-choice organization She’s Worldwide (Evangeline) function as allegorical figures. They represent the opposing factions that seek to claim Pepper’s story for their own ends, fueling the theme of the politicization of the female body. Both groups approach Pepper with the goal of making her the “star,” or “face,” of their campaigns, creating manipulated, fake photographs to fit their respective narratives. Family Futures presents a wholesome, glowing image of Pepper and Moth, while Evangeline’s mock-ups depict Pepper as haggard and frail to emphasize the supposed dangers of her situation. By showing that both sides are willing to reduce Pepper to a symbol and distort her reality, these characters illustrate that in the public arena, Pepper’s individual humanity is less valuable than her utility as a “poster child” (193).

Although a minor character, Evangeline evolves, recognizing the error of her ways and highlighting the problems with exploiting someone’s personal situation as political. When she visits Vista View as an organizer for a student mentoring program, she tells Pepper, “[W]e should never have asked you to do what we asked you to do” (273). Evangeline’s acknowledgment of her mistake represents the dangers of using someone to fuel a political campaign. Instead, she asks Pepper if she would become an “abortion fairy” and help other women who face the same powerlessness that she once did.

Father Frank is a recurring minor character who serves as both a catalyst for the plot and a source of unconventional wisdom. An Episcopal priest with a Brooklyn accent and a penchant for profanity, he defies stereotypes and offers a more subtle perspective on faith and miracles. It is his act of cutting up Pepper’s license after their fender-bender that indirectly leads to her move to Vista View. Later, he becomes a quiet ally, bringing Pepper real food during her pregnancy and offering comfort. His most significant contribution is his interpretation of Pepper’s situation. He suggests that her question should not be “‘Why has this happened to me?’” Instead, she should recognize that miracles are not always straightforward blessings and that the answer may simply be, “You’re just fucking lucky” (213). In the end, he is revealed to be part of the “abortion fairy” network, cementing his role as a compassionate figure who prioritizes human need over rigid doctrine.