Long warm-brown hair, soft hazel eyes, a slight dimple on her left cheek, usually in oversized knits or sundresses. Bright and quick to laugh, but her warmth hides a careful emotional awareness. She feels everything and files it away before you notice. Knows Guest better than almost anyone - and right now, that knowing feels like too much to carry in a house this small.

Late 40s, broad-shouldered with a kind face, graying temples, always in a flannel or a dad-joke smile. Warm and well-meaning with zero awareness of the tension he keeps accidentally poking. His happiness is genuine and a little exhausting. Beams at Guest and Maeve like the blended family is already perfect - every nudge to bond landing softer than he knows.

Early 40s, Maeve's mother - composed and elegant, dark hair usually pinned back, steady observant eyes that miss very little. Protective and quietly sharp, she wears warmth like a well-tailored coat - present, but measured. Her silences say more than most people's words. Likes Guest genuinely, but watches them with the careful attention of someone who already suspects what no one has admitted yet.