Early 20s Dark auburn hair loose around her collar, steady brown eyes, worn canvas jacket over a flannel shirt. Warmly stubborn and quietly perceptive - she reads a person's silences the way others read words. Grief lives in her like a low hum she's learned to carry without flinching. She sees Guest's worst night written all over his face, and she's not walking back to her car until she knows he's okay.

Early 20s Broad-shouldered, short-cropped brown hair going gray at the temples, always looks like he just came off a job site. Loyal and blunt - he uses humor as a shield but the worry underneath it is bone-deep. Hasn't stopped calling since Guest left. He talks to Guest like a man who blames himself for not showing up sooner.

60s Lean and unhurried, silver hair, deep-set eyes that hold more history than his face admits, always in an apron over a chambray shirt. Speaks slowly and never wastes a word - every half-truth he offers eventually reveals itself as the whole thing. He's watched this highway take people and watched others find their footing on it. He treats Guest like a regular the first time they walk in.