The Guest

This story by Emma Cline begins with Alex, a twenty-two year old grifter/escort, offending Simon the older, very wealthy man she is living with on Long Island. He gives her a train ticket back to New York but she has no place to go as she is persona non grata at her previous shared accommodation in the city. So she decides to remain close by and to attend his annual Labor Day shindig. By then he will be ready to forgive her and take her back into the fold. Won't he? In the meantime, without money, she will have to survive for a week. The situation is further complicated by phone calls from an ex named Dom from whom she has stolen a large amount of money and is now on her trail, wanting to collect. She does what she's always done and connives and manipulates her way into the lives of others who can put a roof over her head for the night. Not ideal but she finds drugs to tide her over for the week and Simon will take her back when he sees her at his party. I found the story more engaging than I would have expected and whipped right through it. It's a perfect summer read.