An Innocent, a Broad by Ann Leary

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Description edit see section history

When Ann Leary and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties for a brief getaway during Ann's second trimester of pregnancy, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. The morning after their arrival, Ann's water broke as they... read more

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Characters/People edit see section history

Ann Leary: Author married to actor/comedian Denis Leary. At twenty-six weeks her water breaks in London forcing a 5 month stay.
Mr. Denis Leary: Actor/Comedian that has an opportunity to perform in London, and his wife has pregnancy complications forcing them to stay.
Pauline: The first British midwife that Ann meets.
Dr. Scott Andrews: Scott is Ann's primary doctor in London.
Joan Finch: A woman whose membranes ruptured in her 27th week of pregnancy now in 31st week, and about to go to her regular hospital.
Maxwell Prosser: Ann's consultant - he is actually surgeon and "Mr" versus "Dr" goes back to old days when a surgeon was an apprentice.
Roger Bagley: UCH's administrator that needs Ann's health insurance information because she does not qualify for free medical care.
Dr. Ubin: Another one of Ann's young doctors.
Claire: A soft-spoken Irish girl that attempts to teach Ann to knit.
Sophie: A patient that was the last of the first round that Ann was with. She has a little girl named Nicole and answers all questions that Ann asked.
Meg Lembeck: Ann's younger and more organized sister
Nora Leary: Denis' Irish mother
John "Jack" Joseph Leary: Ann and Denis premature son born in London.
Eugenia Bothwick: One of the nurses that Ann felt would fire her as a parent.
Joan Dyer: One of the nurses originally from Belfast that taught Ann the importance of breast feeding.
Jo Andrews: A petite blond female reporter that befriends Ann when she is doing a story on late term abortions. She is a recent new mother.
Florence Walker: Jo and Paul's daughter.
Devin Leary: Denis and Ann's daugter born shortly before Jack's second birthday, and was a healthy full-term baby.
Chris Phillips: Add a description of this character.
Ruth
Bobby
Chloe
Kate
John Thoday
Sara
Dr. Reynolds
Nathan Green
Celia
Paul Walker
Dr. Wyatt
Nell
Dr. James Randall
Margaret Thatcher
Jane Williams
Brian
George
Betty
Paul Revere
Craig
Auld Reekie
Robert
Timmy
Alexander
Thomas Gage
Lily
Simon
Auld Jock
Terry
Matty
Angus
Charles
Neil Coleman
Patrick
Stephen Howe
Caroline
Miss Eugenia Borthwick
Dr. Singh
Joe Strummer
Betsy
Beth
Lynn

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Quotes edit see section history

“It seemed like an excellent plan, and when you're in a hospital, especiallya British hospital ran by ward matrons and formally attired consultants, it seems possible that even an unborn baby can be persuaded to stick to a plan.”
Ann Leary
“It's all a bit of a blur, but I an easily say that recovery room stands out in my mind as one of the few places I've been where I've felt at absolute peace with the world. I'm a mother, I thought. I have a son.”
Ann Leary
“I think we'll have to take you outside for a nice graze after we're through in here, Bossy.”
Denis Leary
“I had always assumed that marriage was an institution created by men. I thought that since men were once biologically unable to prove that a child was theirs, they bound their mates to them by law in an effort to ensure the paternity of their offspring. Now I know different. Marriage was created by women to prevent their men from hightailing it once they got a load of what pregnancy and childbirth can do to the female body and mind.”
Ann Leary
“Having children really is like driving a car from the backseat, without a steering wheel, just like in my childhood nightmares, and sometimes the car simply goes too fast past the things we'd have preferred to stay and enjoy a little bit longer, and we have to keep our eyes open and take in the changing scenery now, knowing we'll never pass this way again.”
Ann Leary

Setting & Locations edit see section history

London in 1990

London, England: Denis and Ann Leary arrive for him to appear on a televised comedy show. Unfortunately Ann experiences a complexity in her pregnancy causing them to stay for 5 months.
University College Hospital: The hospital where Ann is at and this is where all complicated pregnancies in London go for medical treatment. Often called UCH.
Edinburgh, Scotland: Home of the Edinburgh International Arts Festival where Denis performs shortly before Jack's first trip to America.
New York
United States
Britain
America
Boston
Ireland
Uk

First Sentence edit see section history

DURING MY PREGNANCY with Jack, my first child, I worked in my stepfather's Boston law office and spent most of the day fantasizing about my baby and about its birth.