House of Puckerman

28

"Alright, so... you wanna tell me why you're really here?" Puck asked as he handed Finn a beer and joined him on the couch.

"You're drinking water?" Finn asked.

"Don't change the subject." Puck said. "Besides, I have a school tour thing for Beth this afternoon."

Finn nodded. "You have to catch up later then."

"I will." Puck promised.

"Hey, you should throw a Labor Day party here." Finn suggested. "You have enough guest rooms, and the yard is perfect for it."

"Yeah, maybe." Puck said, pausing for a moment. "You wanna tell me why you're here?"

Finn looked at Puck. "Quinn called me the other night."

"Quinn?" Puck repeated.

"Yeah." Finn said. "I haven't seen her and Beth since the beginning of the summer when they were in Lima, but we text a lot and she called me."

"What'd she say?" Puck wondered.

"She was upset." Finn told Puck. "She's afraid for you, and she's unhappy and she's just upset."

"She told you what happened?" Puck asked.

"Pretty much all of it." Finn nodded. "At least now I know why I haven't heard from you much this summer."

"I'm just trying to take care of my dad." Puck said. "I made a promise to him, and the sooner he gets sober, the sooner I can kick him out of here."

"Puck, I don't think this is a good idea." Finn stated. "And the fact that you're hiding it from me and your mom and Jake and Sarah makes me think that you know it's not a good idea, too."

Puck bit his lip.

"Quinn said you can't see out of your eye." Finn added.

"I can see a little bit." Puck said. "The eye doctor said the rest should come back as it heals."

"I just don't get why you brought your dad into your house." Finn replied. "Why are you trying so hard to help him?"

"My whole life all everyone ever did was compare me to him." Puck pointed out. "And I just need to know that if I ever get that bad, I can be saved, too."

"Puck, you're not gonna end up like him." Finn shook his head. "But you can't keep him here anymore."

"It's my house." Puck said. "I can do what I want."

"What are you, eight?" Finn asked. "It's my house."

Puck looked at him.

"Quinn's afraid." Finn said again. "You're gonna let her be afraid instead of just fixing everything so easily?"

"It's not that simple." Puck stated.

"You don't owe your dad anything." Finn told Puck.

"I know that. It's not about owing him anything." Puck responded. "If my dad gets sober and gets to a point where he's... normal, then he can have a real relationship with Beth and he can see Sarah."

"He had his chances already." Finn stated.

"I know you're trying to help, but you don't get it." Puck shook his head as he got up. "And I have to go pick up Quinn or we're gonna be late."