Lucia Ortega

Lucia Ortega is the Parker family's grandmother in Odyssey - mother of Eva Parker and abuelita to Olivia, Matthew, and Camilla. A recent arrival in town, she brings a deep devotion to her family and to their Hispanic heritage, filling the household with traditions like Las Posadas, mariachi music, and the thirteen wedding coins. Energetic and generous, she runs a haircutting business, takes over the cooking when Eva is worn out, slips money into the offering plate for a discouraged boy, and is surprisingly at home posting online. Her whirlwind visits tend to upend the family's quiet plans, in part because Eva finds it nearly impossible to tell her mother no. Beneath the bustle lies a sturdy faith, shaped by memories of her childhood friend Esperanza, whose patient kindness taught Lucia that love is never wasted.