- This page is about the
books character. For the TV incarnation, see Lydia Allen (TV).
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 TV character
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Lydia was Timmy's foster mother and later his lover.
Appearance
When she was younger, Lydia had olive skin and brown lips. She is most likely of Middle Eastern descent.
At the time of the events of The Churn, Lydia is growing older. Her face is lined and her hair has touches of gray. She still likes to look her best and wear the latest trends.
History
Background
Lydia was born in Baltimore. As she recalls wearing a hijab in her younger days, she may have been one of the many unregistered births of religious radicals, in her case probably Muslim.
Most unregistered people of Earth live barely scrape by on basic, frequently supplemented by various illegal activities. Lydia considered herself fortunate to have been recruited as a prostitute by Liev, one of the lieutenants in Burton's crime organization. Liev brought her to work in one of the many brothels in Baltimore that he managed for Burton. She eventually became his lover, and when he moved on to someone else, he gave her a job tracking inventory for the various illegal businesses that he managed for Burton.
Lydia was present the night Timmy was born (his biological mother was her friend, another prostitute), and after his mother's death became his primary caregiver. As he grew older, their relationship became sexual, but the sex was a way that they could comfort each other and relieve stress. They maintained a special intimacy which excluded other people.
When Liev is arrested by Star Helix, Lydia knows that her life is in danger. Timmy helps her hide until the churn blows over and life returns to normal.
She couldn't protect him from their world, but she guided him through it to the best of her abilities. She helps him cope when, as a child, he is made to turn tricks for Liev. When he is recruited into Burton's organization, Lydia counsels Timmy about how he can best be accepted and succeed as Burton's employee. Ultimately, however, she counsels him to decide whether he will be his own man or Burton's.
 “Catching fire” — Spoilers for Nemesis Games follow.
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Ten years after Timmy (now known as Amos Burton) has left Earth, Lydia meets and marries Charles Jacob Allen. With support from Timmy's childhood friend, Erich, they lived a comfortable life in a low income neighborhood in Philadelphia until her death eleven years later from an ascending aortal aneurysm.