The Room Upstairs

Leah is a single, principled teacher who rents out rooms in the inherited house to support herself. She is compassionate and patient with troubled tenants, yet wary of people who complicate her fragile sense of security. Her dedication to her pupils, especially those with learning challenges, defines much of her daily life. The evolving relationship with Travis reveals her capacity for vulnerability and longing.

A cultured cellist who visits to rent space but quickly becomes entwined with Leah's world. He alternates between charm and concealment, earning Leah’s trust while carrying his own traumas from a lost child and a tour life. He supports Leah during crises, offering emotional shelter even as their relationship deepens. His presence exposes Leah to both comfort and risk within the household.

Travis's companion and Kevin's wife who has endured betrayal and attempted suicide, signaling fragility and resilience. Her relationship with Leah links the upstairs world to the outside pain of her marriage. She remains a quiet, enigmatic presence whose actions reveal the impact of emotional crisis on those around her.

A tenant who becomes Leah's babysitter, Mandy experiences a life-changing moment when she gives birth during a time of celebration in the house. Her presence adds a sense of domestic continuity and future responsibility in Leah's community living.

An unruly, illiterate teenage student under Leah's supervision, living with a boyfriend and resisting schooling. Leah tries to guide her toward literacy using unconventional methods, and the dynamic exposes tensions between care, control, and the limits of authority.

Leah's troublesome tenant whose betrayal and actions drive several crises in the house. He embodies conflict and threat within the domestic space, challenging Leah's resolve and safety. His presence catalyzes the protective dynamics among other tenants and Leah herself.

The head teacher who supports Leah, guiding her to stay in her role and shaping her work with students. She represents authority and a practical approach to caregiving, balancing Leah's emotional journey with professional expectations.

Leah's brother who questions the profitability of the house, offering a contrasting perspective to Leah's investment in tenants and care. He embodies family pressure and the tension between financial realities and personal obligation to the space and its inhabitants.

One of Leah's tenants involved in the mix of residents who shape the everyday life of the house. Jack's presence adds to the kaleidoscope of people who intersect with Leah’s responsibilities and the fragile balance of trust within the home.