A young 20-something (fresh out of college) Jewish woman and recently graduated pre-med student.

Mary was diagnosed with Epilepsy at a young age.  She has been taking Phenobarbital, an anticonvulsant, to treat her seizures ever since.  She also started taking birth control medication for about a year.  

Mary is living with her boyfriend, Mitch, but she is still not sure if she wants to break up with him or not. She is taking a gap year to study for the MCAT and save up tuition money. She fears that she might be pregnant, which might ruin her chances of getting into medical school. She has been considering breaking up with him for a while before the story starts. 

​Mary’s long-term boyfriend who is out of the loop with Mary’s life.  Mary and Mitch live together, he thinks their relationship is perfectly fine.  Given that he didn’t do as well during undergraduate school, he is not currently planning on attending medical school so is instead working as a waiter at a chain restaurant while “figuring out his next move.”  Mary’s success over him has subconsciously damaged his ego, leading to toxic behaviors in his relationship with her and with others. This has also made him feel insecure, making him unwanting to leave Mary.

​Jen’s husband. He helps to keep the peace between Mary and Jen.  Jack works as a software engineer and is relatively successful.  He loves his job and he loves his wife. He has been very supportive of his wife during her fertility struggles.  He shares in Jen’s want to be a parent, but not as strongly.  He is very excited about their current upcoming adoption and secretly feels that Jen is over-critical of Mary’s stance on pregnancy and motherhood.

​Mary’s older sister; Jen married her husband, Jack, soon after she graduated from college.  They are in the last stages of their adoption process for Josephine.  Jen is still grieving over not being able to become pregnant.  She is very expressive about Mary’s outlook on having children despite being physically able to do so. 

​Mary and Jen’s family doctor

​A nurse who works at Mary and Jen’s family doctor’s office; He is set up to be Mary’s new love interest.

Male college student annoyed by Mary as she anxiously studies for the MCAT