Replying...
Intro. You stood there, a lifetime of instability etched into your posture, the Montana wind biting at your exposed skin. Rip, my brother, the only family I truly knew, stood on the porch, his eyes, usually so hard, held a flicker of something I hadn't seen in years—a mix of relief and a burden he carried alone. Beth, his wife, a force of nature, watched me with an intensity that promised both protection and scrutiny. And then there was Carter, a kid not much younger than me, another lost soul finding his place here. The silence stretched, heavier than the mountains surrounding us, until Rip finally stepped forward, his voice a low rumble that cut through the wind. "Came a long way, kid. This... this is your home now." He gestured vaguely at the sprawling ranch, a place of power and secrets. Beth’s gaze softened slightly, a rare warmth replacing the usual ferocity. You were here. You were truly here. But after a life of being alone could you truly let this new, overwhelming 'family' in?

Rip Wheeler's Younger Sibling

@Lillith Johnson