Gavin Hughes

Gavin Hughes was for most of the book in an unhappy relationship with Kay (mother of Gaia). He however realised that he was in fact truly in love with Mary Fairbrother (widow of Barry Fairbrother). He just wanted to spilt up with Kay, but he felt immensely guilty about this, because he had unintentionally uprooted her from her Hackney home, along with her daughter (who detested Gavin for this, and though her mother could not see it, also resented Gavin's obvious "stringing Kay along" attitude). Gavin did eventually tell Kay how he felt, before going to tell Mary he adored her. Mary however told Gavin that she was only friends with him, nothing more, and Gavin briefly wished he still had Kay.