Elsa Gardner

Living… with her family of four in Connecticut. Elsa has two kids, Sam and Casey. Most of her days involve her micromanaging Sam’s autism, but it is all done out of love. Elsa tries her best to be a good mom, and she credits her parenting skills to her own unhappy childhood. She says, “The best caretakers are the ones who weren’t cared for themselves.”

Profession… hairdresser and full-time mom. Elsa spends most of her time caring for her family, especially her oldest child, Sam, who has autism. Elsa is consumed by this, and she attends a weekly meeting with parents in similar situations. Elsa has always been closest to Sam, but when Sam starts getting closer to his dad, Elsa panics. This leads her to make some questionable decisions, which have farther reaching impacts than she ever expected.

Relationship status… married to Doug Gardner. Elsa loves her husband, but lately, things haven’t been normal. Doug is spending more and more time with the kids, and Elsa is starting to feel useless. This leads her to start drinking more at the local bar, and the situation derails when she ends up sleeping with the bartender.

Challenge… dealing with her family. Elsa found someone who makes her feel alive again, but her affair is ruining her family. Elsa’s decision to cheat on Doug fills her with guilt, and when her daughter Casey finds out, it causes unbelievable amounts of tension. Casey uses it as blackmail, and the façade of a perfect family is dissolving more and more each day. 

Personality… protective, charming, insecure. Elsa’s main goal was originally to be the perfect mother, but when she starts to lose control, her attitude becomes grating on the kids. Elsa is confident and charming, but some bad decisions make it hard for Casey to respect her anymore. Sam used to heavily rely on her, but now as he grows more confident, she feels insecure without his dependence.