Grant is a retired literature professor in his seventies who has been married to his wife for nearly fifty years. Raised by a widowed receptionist in a small town, he moved into his wife's wealthy family home and built a steady career in academia. He views himself as a dutiful husband who provided a good life, though he privately harbors intense guilt over past affairs. He is generally non-confrontational and spends much of his time analyzing his past decisions while struggling to adapt to his wife's changing condition.

Fiona is a woman in her seventies experiencing the early to moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease. Born to wealthy parents, she spent her youth being playful, ironic, and lightly rebellious. She approaches her declining health with a characteristic flippancy, jokingly referring to her nursing home as "Sillylake" rather than showing immediate despair. She retains her vibrant personality even as her memory fades, creating new routines for herself at the facility.

Aubrey is a large, mostly silent older man temporarily staying at Meadowlake while his wife takes a vacation. He relies on a wheelchair due to a severe workplace accident that forced him out of his blue-collar job selling weed killer. He speaks very little, offering only short phrases, but forms an immediate and deep attachment during his stay.

Marian is Aubrey's wife, a woman defined by practical concerns and financial limitations. She maintains a modest, well-kept home and wears an artificially reddened hairstyle with a deep tan. Due to her husband's workplace accident and the subsequent loss of income, she operates as his full-time caretaker, unable to afford long-term care facilities. She approaches her difficult situation with a mixture of resignation and necessary pragmatism.

Kristy is a nurse at the Meadowlake facility who assists new residents and their families. She helps manage the difficult transition period for spouses, offering updates on daily routines, minor illnesses, and social activities. She provides a practical, grounded perspective on the unusual behaviors residents display.

Jacqui Adams is a woman from the protagonist's past who was involved with him during his time as a university professor. Her relationship with him was both physical and emotional, occurring before he shifted his attention to younger students. She exists primarily as a memory that triggers ongoing feelings of guilt and hypocrisy.