The New Daughter

[croaking]

[Man]

There it is.

- [Boy] Real big.

- Mm.

Want to go in first?

- Really?

- I don't see why not.

Are you coming?

[cat meows]

So?

So what?

So what do you... what do you think?

You already know what I think.

[door opens]

[Boy]

I did it, Dad!

That's great.

Lou!

[meow]

They're here!

- Dad, we don't have any milk.

- I know. I'm sorry.

I didn't realize

that no one in town delivers.

Hmm?

And you forgot Marmalade's litter box.

I'll go into town tomorrow,

and I'll pick one up.

Uhh!

Uhh!

No, thank you.

I'm finished.

[meow]

We're finished.

[meow]

Well...

girls don't like jerky.

Mm-mm.

For dinner.

Uhh!

[knock on door]

[door opens]

[meow]

You going to unpack tomorrow, hon?

How are you going to do this?

Do what?

Be our father.

You don't have much practice.

I guess, um...

I guess we'll find out.

What are you writing?

A letter to Mom.

"Thanks for abandoning us.

You're a slut,

and your new boyfriend is a sh*t head. "

Well...

I agree with, uh, the second part.

Did you ever even love her?

Excuse me?

You didn't do anything. You let her go.

She made a decision, Louisa, okay?

I couldn't stop her.

But if you cared enough, you would have.

There was nothing I could do, honey.

And your mother...

your mother isn't a slut.

Fine.

I don't want you using that word anymore.

Fine.

Fine.

[knock on door]

Can I come in?

Mm-hmm.

Wow.

You, uh...

you really did some work in here.

All by myself.

Yeah. All by yourself.

That's great. Thank you.

Louisa doesn't like it here.

Yeah.

What about you?

I like it if you like it.

I think it'll be good for us.

Is Mommy going to visit?

Maybe, if she saw

how much work I did unpacking,

she might.

Maybe you'll see her for Christmas.

- Okay? Good night.

- Good night.

Daddy?

Daddy!

Yeah?

You have to leave the door open a little.

Oh.

Sorry.

Daddy's, uh, forgetting a lot lately, huh?

- Good night.

- Good night.

[roaring in distance]

[heart beating]

[heartbeat continues]

[screaming in distance]

You excited about

your first day of school tomorrow?

Yep.

You going to have some fun?

Yep.

Yeah. Good.

Well, good morning.

I couldn't sleep.

It was too quiet, and it was too dark.

This place sucks.

Please don't use that word.

- Doesn't mean what you think.

- I know what it means.

Okay, then really, don't use it.

[whispering]

What does sucks mean?

## [random keys on piano]

[Man]

John, how are the children?

They're missing their mom,

but we're doing okay.

I hope there will be

a good therapist there.

[laughing]

Yeah.

You never know

when your daughter needs one.

Yeah, I'd say we're all

staring at some therapy.

Well, anyway, how's the book coming?

When are we going to see some changes?

- The writing?

- Yeah.

Well, the writing's, uh...

the writing's coming great.

- Yeah, John?

- Yeah, it's coming great.

I think I've already got

the first couple of chapters done.

[pounding on keys]

How about I call you in a couple of weeks

when I have something to show you?

- Sounds good, John.

- Good.

Bye.

Huh.

[thumping]

- [Louisa] Sam!

- I just found it.

Sam, put that down!

- Louisa...

- Daddy!

Daddy!

Sam, put that down.

Louisa, I just found it.

Sam!

Point that at the ground.

I need for you

to listen to me very carefully.

Louisa, come on.

I... I was playing the piano.

I want you to bend your knees, Sam.

I want you to bend your knees

and gently, gently lay that on the ground.

- It was in there.

- [rifle c*cks]

Sam, that's all right.

- That's okay.

- I'm going to tell...

Everything's all right.

You're not in trouble.

I want you to gently hand it to me.

I...

All right, all right. Hey. Hey.

Am I grounded?

Hmm?

Am I grounded?

No. You're not grounded.

And even if you were, Sam,

it wouldn't make any difference.

We're a hundred miles

from anyone you know.

Not now.

What are you going to do with it?

Want to let me worry about that?

Okay.

Come on, Sam. Let's go exploring.

Where?

Everywhere.

[Louisa]

Come on.

Wait up, Lou.

[Louisa laughing]

- Oh!

- Be careful.

What the f***?

- [Louisa] Look at that.

- Whoa!

[laughter]

Hey, it was loaded, all right?

It was loaded.

[Man]

Okay, John.

Nobody got hurt, right?

I am sorry about that.

I thought you might want to,

you know, contact the seller,

let him know that he left a piano

loaded with a shotgun

for my 7-year-old to find.

- Wow. You got a piano.

- Yeah.

All right. Well, thank you, John.

Okay, Stewart. Thank you very much.

I am sorry about all this.

Putz.

- Lou?

- Yeah.

Does Mommy not love us anymore?

No, Sam. Mom still loves us.

Did I do something?

No.

Did Daddy?

No.

[creature growling]

What is that, Lou?

I don't know.

Louisa?

[clock ticking]

Dad.

We found something.

Are you coming?

Yep.

It... It's outside.

Yeah? We going to need jackets?

What is it, Daddy?

I don't know.

The realtor never said

anything about it.

Doesn't seem to be any sign

of a tractor dig or...

[Louisa]

Feels old.

Sam, come up here.

I can almost see my window.

It's all right.

Come on.

No.

I... I don't want to.

Whatever.

Okay.

You can walk with me.

I don't want to go up there, either.

[scraping]

[door opening]

[meow]

Marmalade. Marmalade.

Oh.

[roaring in distance]

Marmalade.

Marmalade?

[grumbling in distance]

Marmalade.

Here, Sam.

- What's that?

- Lunch.

You forgot to do it.

You were too busy losing Marmalade.

I'll find her.

- John James?

- Yes.

I'm Cassandra Parker.

We spoke on the phone.

- Hi. Hello.

- Hi.

You must be Louisa.

- Hi.

- Hi.

You are going to be in classroom 7

with Mr. Anderson.

- You're Sam, right?

- Uh-huh.

You're going to be in my class,

number 4.

Why don't you two follow

the rest of the kids inside?

Sure.

- I'll see you at 3?

- All right.

Do I have to go?

Can you give it a chance for me, Sam?

- Okay.

- Okay. Good.

How did you know who I was?

Oh. It's a small town.

I know most of the parents and kids.

But, uh, I read your book,

Lines of Fire, twice.

I'm kind of a fan.

Is that weird?

Should I have not said anything?

No. No. It's always better

to meet a fan than a critic.

You're not perfect.

[bell rings]

It was nice meeting you.

Nice meeting you.

[chatter]

You're in my seat.

Sorry.

[laughs]

I don't want it now.

Do I? You put your ass on it.

Oh, what? Is little baby going to cry?

Did you find everything all right today?

Mm-hmm.

So are you visiting? On vacation?

No, we just moved here

and bought a house.

Oh, well, welcome to Mercy.

Thank you. I can barely believe it myself.

You buy that house on Bacon Street?

No, we're... we're off, uh, we're off 38

up a dirt road called Red Creek.

Really?

Pam.

Ooh, uh, what is it?

[Man]

It's nothing.

Really, man, it's nothing.

Okay, okay. [laughing]

Really what?

it's nothing.

It's just stupid local stories.

Rumors, really.

- Rumors?

- Pam.

What about that woman?

Sarah Wayne? And her daughter?

Dear God, Pam,

enough with the gossip.

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