The Guest

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You done with your breakfast?

Yeah.

Let's do this thing.

- I'll see you later.

- Okay.

- Drive safe.

- Bye, Mom.

- You got your lunch?

- Yeah.

Mrs. Peterson?

Yes. Can I, help you?

My name is David, Mrs. Peterson.

I...

I knew your son Caleb.

We trained together and served together

and, well, we came to be good friends.

Would you like to come inside?

Thank you, ma'am.

So, are you sure I can't

get you anything?

Maybe just some water would be nice.

How did you get here?

I ran.

I needed the exercise.

From the bus station, I mean, in town.

You ran that whole way?

Yes, ma'am.

Here you go.

All right. Thank you, ma'am.

When did you get out?

Well, I was discharged on Wednesday

and I came straight here

from Fort Kennilworth.

You came straight here first thing?

Yeah. I wanted to come by sooner,

but I couldn't get leave.

Why?

Well, I was discharged

'cause I was wounded.

I was in a military hospital for a bit,

so it wasn't really the kind of

thing you could get leave from.

But don't worry, it was just

a bit of shrapnel in my back.

I'm right as rain now.

No, I meant, why did

you come here first thing?

Well, like I said, me and

your son Caleb, we were...

We were pretty close.

I was with him when he died.

- Really?

- Yes, ma'am.

And one of the things he asked

was for me to check on you all.

You and your whole family here.

He wanted me to tell

you that he loved you.

He specifically wanted me

to tell each one of you that

he loved you and he was thinking

of you guys up until the end.

I said I'd do that and so, here I am.

Would you excuse me, please?

That's me.

Right there.

Well, I'll be...

I remember that day.

It wasn't my intention

to upset you, ma'am.

I probably should have called first,

but I don't own a cell phone yet and,

I guess, I just wasn't thinking.

I'm going to be on my way now,

but I'd like it if we

could exchange e-mails...

Wait. No.

Anna, Caleb's sister, she works

nights, and she sleeps late.

And I know she would love to meet you.

Would you stay a little while longer?

Oh, you're not just saying

that to be polite now?

'Cause you don't need to be.

No, I'm not. Please, stay. It's...

It's nice having you here

and I would love to hear

more about you and Caleb.

Well, all right.

...Caleb and me, we figure that sounds,

more like a challenge

than anything else.

So, that night after he falls asleep,

we kind of crept over to his

cot with a tube of superglue.

Oh, no!

We didn't do anything too bad to him,

though, we could have, you know.

Hey, there you are. Anna, this is David.

Very nice to meet you.

Caleb told me a lot about you.

David just got discharged this week.

He was a friend of your brother's.

You knew Caleb?

Yes, ma'am.

"Yes, ma'am."

Okay.

So, where are you staying?

Well, I noticed a motel off the

highway on the way here...

No, no, no, no. You will stay

with us while you're here.

Oh, no. I couldn't put you all out.

Nonsense. We would love to have you.

We have plenty of room.

In fact, you can stay

in Caleb's old room.

We insist.

Well, I won't argue.

Just for tonight, though.

Well, I've got to head to the diner.

It was really great meeting you.

Likewise. Very nice meeting you.

- I guess I'll see you later.

- Bye.

Can I show you to your room?

Great.

There are clean towels in the bathroom

if you'd like to freshen up.

Mrs. Peterson, are you sure you're

comfortable with me staying in here?

Of course.

I mean, it's not like

it's going to any use.

I think it could be a good thing for us.

I'm gonna go and let you get settled in.

If you need anything, just holler.

Oh, my God!

F***ing p*ssy.

Oh, my God!

Oh, it's okay, little baby, don't cry.

Hey, there.

How was your day?

It was good.

Great.

...giving him a chance,

it's that I don't like the idea of

some random guy off the

street being invited to stay

in my house with my family.

So, you knew my brother?

I did, pretty well, yeah.

He wanted me to tell

you that he loved you.

Oh. Thanks.

Even though he says he

was friends with Caleb.

He's in the photograph of Caleb's squad.

You saw the photograph.

- He was not a stranger.

- You know what?

What if he has the PTSD

or whatever it's called?

Some of these guys come back with

mental health problems, Laura.

Did you take that into account?

What if Caleb had come back different?

Did you take that into account?

Wow, that is...

Your parents are fighting about me.

Yeah. They argue a lot.

You look like you got hit or something.

Yeah, yeah, I got hit with

a football in gym class.

Yeah, that can happen.

Yeah.

No, no, you're right,

you're right. Let's talk to him.

Hi, great, okay.

David, we're very happy

to have you here.

I'm gonna have a beer before dinner.

Can I offer you one?

- Well, no, thank you.

- No. Okay. Suit yourself.

And dinner is gonna be ready in an hour.

So, Luke, why don't

you do some homework.

Okay.

David, can I get you anything?

Oh, no, thank you,

Mrs. Peterson, I'm fine.

Yeah, hit this.

Look out... Sh*t.

No...

- Now?

- No, I'm good, but thank you.

So, that friend of your brother's,

is he sticking around?

I don't know. I hope not.

Why? You said you liked him.

I said he seemed nice.

That's not the same thing.

Oh, okay.

Why don't you like him?

I don't not like him.

It's just, I...

I mean, you kind of knew Caleb.

We've all...

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