The Father

The father is the protagonist of the novel. He remains unnamed throughout, and is alternately referred to as the husband. At the start of the novel, the father is unsure how to respond to the news that the baby his wife is carrying has a rare and undiagnosable condition. It is so uncommon that the doctors are incapable of predicting whether or not the child will be okay. Because of the tests' inconclusive results, he and his wife decide to have an abortion.

Over the course of the weeks and months following, the father is weighed by regret and guilt. Though he and his wife can request results from tests done on the aborted fetus, the father is reluctant. He knows that whatever they find out about the unborn baby will not easy his internal turmoil.

The father continues teaching at the university. He tries to give...