Stephen Straussberg

Stephen Straussberg is a resident of Odyssey, the husband of Rachel and the father of Mandy and David. He is a devoted parent, quick to come running when trouble breaks out under his own roof. Yet his home life is far from easy. His marriage to Rachel is under serious strain, and even months of counseling cannot keep the couple from drifting toward separation. Rachel traces the trouble to the day the two of them stopped praying together. The crisis weighs heavily on both children: Mandy schemes and bargains to hold the family together, while David's hurt hardens into anger. Stephen is not unreachable, though. When David asks whether he and Mandy are worth the effort of working things out, the question stops their father cold.