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　Late afternoon, somewhere on the way from the Church of the Good Shepherd in Sapulpa to the Carter family farm.

　Before them, the Oklahoma plains seemed to stretch endlessly if you could get past the suburban mansions people have been trying to insert into the ill-fitting space for the past few years. To some it could be unsettling──the mostly shabby buildings and lone, withered trees too──but to Beau it was somewhat comforting. That illusion of infinity, of being small and mundane in a big world, had made him feel safe and loyal to Sapulpa for the past three decades.

He ran his hand through his hair as he and his mother walked back from church. The day had been mild, the kind of Sunday that felt like a God-given reprieve from the harder days on the farm, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of freshly tilled earth and grass.

"That was quite a sermon today," Cathy said with a smile, adjusting the brim of her straw hat. Her voice held a lightness, and Beau didn't know if she was genuine or trying to joke.

"Yeah," he agreed, though his mind wandered a little, thinking about the long to-do list waiting for him back at his ranch.

"You'd know about helping out, wouldn't you?" His mother gave him a sideways glance.

He chuckled, shaking his head modestly. "It's just what you do, Mama. People help me out plenty, too."

They reached the gate of the family farmhouse, pausing for a moment, their steps slowing as the familiar sight of home came into view. Cathy turned to look at Beau. When he took his eyes off the horizon, he saw that hers were softened with a mixture of pride and... a certain sadness.

"Remember when you first bought that house of yours?" she asked, her voice tinged with amusement. "Never thought you'd get such a steal."

Beau smiled, a small laugh escaping him.

"I was only twenty. Still can't believe it myself, sometimes." He hadn't even been looking for a house at the time. An old family friend had simply offered the farmhouse to him, unprompted, for a price so low it had felt almost like a gift. That was that. He couldn't have refused.

Maybe──Beau wondered──it wasn't the fabulous fields that anchored him there, in the heart of the southern state. Maybe it was just the loan he took out to pay for most of the house as he refused to even look at the stash that was Kate's college fund. The friend, Clive, had been real patient with the rest. Said Beau could pay him off in milk, a piece of advice here and there, and the occasional repair.

In Sapulpa, helping out a person in need could get you anywhere. Similarly, Beau found it nearly impossible to refuse anyone, anything. On principle? Because he was born that way? He wasn't sure.

He nodded at his mother. "I like it──repairing fences, fixing roofs, giving away fresh milk from our cows. Folks around here, they took care of me, just like you always said."

"And now look at you," Cathy said, the inkling of a gloat swelling in her voice. "A full ranch, horses, cattle. You and Kate really couldn't be more different."

Again, maybe that was because Katie had no loans to pay off. Beau, on the other hand, was still working on getting rid of one even after a decade.

Some people──Beau could even think of a name off the top of his head──would call his life sad. He would have to disagree. It was stagnant, sure, but he liked it that way. Meek. Lowkey. Ordinary.

If he were a storm chaser, like Katie used to be, he would have to worry about his heart all the time. He would have no one to take care of his horses. There would be no one to take care of mom. And he, truly, did not seek out much more. In a film or novel, no one day can be too similar to another, because that's then boring to read about.

But in reality, does anyone even notice that five days in a week, four weeks in a month, twelve months in a year, countless years over the course of our life, everything is routine? So, hopefully, Beau didn't have to explain himself. Work from dawn 'til dusk, dinner and some TV might sound mundane, but that's because you're not living it. He wouldn't take any complaints from the people whose name started with Tornado and ended with Wranglers.

And, besides, he couldn't just up and leave his farmhouse even if he wanted to. His animals needed him. Back then, when he was twenty, he decided to pay the loan by getting into selling horses. It had been something he was familiar with even back then, though not something the Carters had done before. He could remember his first, from back when he could only afford one, not so good horse──a young bay roan appaloosa who could barely pull any weight. Beau had gotten lucky, and some spoiled kid fell in love with the horse, even though Mud Pie, which had been the horse's name, had no dressage training at all and that was what the kid and her father had been looking for.

That had been his big break. He could, then, finally afford two slightly better horses than before, and so on, and so on. Now, the ranch was a proper business. Somewhat thanks to him, Carter was a surname that had an association other than: husband walked out, daughter's friends dead, so she ran away to NY.

Beau's smile faltered for a moment. His father──now there was a topic that never sat right. He could barely remember the man who'd left them not long after Katie was born. Most of the time, the town acted like he was dead, but Beau knew better. His dad wasn't some tragic loss; he was just a man who couldn't commit to being part of a family.

But still, a small part of Beau couldn't help but wonder if his father would be proud of what he'd made of himself. Or would he be more impressed with Katie and all she'd accomplished?

Maybe he would be proud of both equally.

"I dunno," he shrugged at his mom. "We were both raised by you, and I think it shows. She's kind and helpful too, ain't she?"

The woman hummed, looking away. Beau knew what would come next──half the content of half their chats:

"I miss her," Cathy finally said, her voice soft, almost fragile. "She's not picking up my calls again. Could you...?"

Beau nodded. For whatever reason, she was more likely to pick up when it was his name that showed up on the display, but also more likely to hang up right upon hearing his voice.

Katie had taken their father's absence harder than she let on, and harder than Beau himself, even though she never really knew the man. Not even for those few years, like he did.

Beau always suspected that deep down, she thought it was her fault. That, maybe, if she hadn't been born, Cathy would still have a husband and Beau would still have a dad. He wished she could understand that wasn't the case. Katie──baby Katie, a newborn!──had never done anything wrong.

As they reached the gate, Cathy patted Beau's arm and smiled. "Well, don't let me keep you. You've got your ranch to look after. I'll see you later, alright?"

Beau confirmed, giving his mother a brief hug before heading toward his own property, just a short walk away. It sprawled out over acres of land, the fences standing tall and strong, the horses grazing lazily in the distance.

It was a life he'd built from the ground up, one he was proud of, even if it wasn't exactly what he'd dreamed of as a little kid. He chose to ignore the aspirations of 'Beau Carter who yearned for things that could kill him back when he hadn't known they could kill him'. Unlike Katie, he grew out of those, and focused on being a son and brother the women in his life deserved.

He pulled out his phone to check the time and noticed a message from Javi. Courtesy of being Katie's old storm-chasing friend, he had Javi's phone number saved, and kept it even after she stopped talking to the guy. She didn't need to know that they had kept in contact, trading bits and pieces about whatever they learned was going on with her.

Beau frowned, his heart skipping a beat as he opened it.

"Katie's headed back to Sapulpa. Not sure if she's told you yet. Had a fight before a twister hit. Thought you should know," it read.

Beau stopped in his tracks, his chest tightening──not from his condition, but from the ripple of emotions the message brought.

Katie was coming back. After all this time.

He turned on his heel without a second thought, walking briskly back toward his mother's house. He wasn't sure why Katie decided it was a good idea to come here exactly, but he knew one thing for certain──he didn't want their mother to be alone when she showed up. His heart pounded with an uncomfortable blend of excitement, worry, and a gnawing fear he couldn't quite name.

As Beau reached the front porch of the family home again, Cathy stepped out of the house, looking puzzled to see him so soon.

"Beau? Did you forget something?"

He shook his head, trying to find the words. "Ma, Katie's on her way to Sapulpa."

Cathy's eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth as she invited him inside.

　Not that much later, a doorbell rang.

The tension in the air had been thick as the minutes crawled by and Beau had been sitting stiffly on the couch, hands clasped together, foot tapping anxiously against the hardwood floor. His mother had disappeared into the kitchen to prepare, as she called it, "a proper welcome," but he could still hear her humming softly to herself. Cathy had always been the optimistic one, the glue that held them together even when the cracks begin to show. But Beau's thoughts were far less settled.

Katie. His baby sister. All of a sudden.

He hadn't seen her since the day she left for New York. Before then, she had still been a difficult person to catch a hold of, speeding from one storm to another.

It had been nearly five years.

Five years of silence, of wondering if she was okay, of knowing bits and pieces but nothing concrete. A wave of anger purled through him again──she should've at least called either of them.

She should've been here, a small voice in the back of his head even decided. She'd left him and mom behind, and that hurt in a way he hadn't fully processed, ever. But now, she was coming back, and despite everything, all the anger, all the frustration, he still wanted her to come home fiercely.

And then, not that much later, a doorbell rang.

It echoed through the house, and Beau's heart leapt into his throat. He stood up, ready to open the door, but Cathy appeared in the hallway before he could take a step.

"You know only I get to open the front door in this house," she scolded softly, a small smile tugging at her lips as if she could sense his nerves. Beau stepped back, nodding as he swallowed hard. He suddenly felt like a kid again, waiting for something bigger than himself to happen. Cathy moved to the door, her hand hovering over the knob for just a moment before she pulled it open.

And there she was.

Katie stood in the doorway, looking both exactly the same and completely different all at once. She was still his little sister, soft and breakable as her lips parted slightly, still had that fierce spark in her eyes. Except, there was a weight to her now, a weariness that hadn't been there before. She had grown. Her expression was tight, almost like she wasn't sure what kind of reception she was about to get.

But Cathy didn't hesitate for a second. With a shy cry of joy, she rushed forward and wrapped Katie in her arms, pulling her into the house. "Oh, baby girl," she whispered, holding her close. "It's so good to see you. It's so good to have you home."

Katie stood frozen for a second, her eyes wide and glossy with tears before she melted into their mother's embrace, resting her head on Cathy's shoulder. "I missed you too," she murmured, her voice trembling as if barely holding back a dam of emotion. "I'm so sorry I've been gone for so long."

Cathy pulled back slightly, just enough to cup Katie's face in her hands, tracing her cheek with a finger. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

Beau stood at a distance, just watching in silence. His heart ached as he looked at his sister──his stubborn, reckless, brilliant sister. He hadn't known what to expect when she finally showed up, but now that she was standing here in front of him, it felt a bit like a car crash or a heart attack.

He wanted to be mad, to let her know how she'd made them tear their hair out, how unfair it had been to leave like that. He wanted to call her selfish, inconsiderate. He needed to be sure she knew her leaving had been all of those exact things. He wanted to tell her how he couldn't sleep at night because of her.

But seeing her now, looking so fragile, so... lost, he couldn't bring himself to say any of it. Not when she was already upset. Not when he had missed her so much it physically hurt. The anger dissolved, only the ache of having been left behind──and of wanting things to be the way they once were──remaining.

Katie's eyes darted around the room before finally settling on him. When their gazes locked, her breath hitched, and tears welled up again in her eyes. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to. Beau saw the guilt written across her face, the silent apology in her exhale and inhale.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other. Beau's mouth opened, but no sound came out. There were no words crafted for a situation like this. So, without one, he stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and pulled her into a hug. For a split second, Katie seemed surprised, her body stiff in his arms.

But then, she broke. She collapsed into him, her sobs muffled against his chest as she clung to him like a lifeline. Cathy was there too, wrapping her arms around them both, a soft, comforting presence.

For what felt like ages, they just held each other, letting the years of distance and silence fall away. All Beau knew was that now that Katie was here, he couldn't let that slip away.

When they finally let go, his sister wiped at her tear-streaked face with a shaky laugh. "I'm sorry," she whispered again, glancing between them.

Cathy smiled, brushing Katie's hair out of her face with a tenderness that only a mother could have. "We've missed you, sweetheart. So much."

"Me too," Katie echoed softly as she looked at Beau. "Both of you."

Beau nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Yeah," he managed to say, his voice hoarse. "I missed you too, Katie."

It wasn't much, but it was enough for now. He could feel tears pricking at his own eyes, so he cleared his throat, stepping back and giving his sister a tight smile. He didn't know what else to do with himself, but he figured the girls would like to catch up without him hovering nearby.

"Y'all probably need a moment, y'know, mother and daughter," he said quietly, gesturing toward the door. "So, I'll, uh, give you two a minute."

Katie gave him a small, grateful smile, and he could see the relief in her eyes, the weight that had lifted ever so slightly. "Thanks, Beau."

As he stepped outside, the cool breeze hit him, bringing with it a sense of calm that he hadn't felt in a while. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. It wasn't perfect──there were still so many things left unsaid, so many wounds that needed time to heal──but for now, Katie was home.

And that was a start.

　He had tried to just sit down on the porch and think. Maybe close his eyes, maybe meditate.

But that just wouldn't be like him, would it? The restlessness seemed to be genetic, it just manifested in different ways.

Beau's hands gripped the posthole digger tightly. The steady thunk of the wooden handle against his calloused palms was one of the few things that kept his mind from spinning. Everything with Katie just now──her tears, the long-overdue hug, and the way she'd collapsed into his arms──had all left him more rattled than he cared to admit. She'd looked so different. Older, maybe. Tired.

He glanced at the sky, streaks of orange and pink smearing the horizon as the sun began its slow descent. There was always something peaceful about these moments, when the day finally relaxed into evening, the world growing still.

That night, this peace was short-lived.

Just as he bent down to pick up another nail, the rumble of a truck engine reached his ears. He paused mid-swing and straightened up, narrowing his eyes. It was an unmistakable sound──a deep, throaty growl. Dust kicked up in the distance, and as the truck came into view, his stomach tightened. It couldn't be.

But it was.

Tyler Owens.

What the hell was he doing here?

The truck rolled to a stop in front of him, tires kicking up a fine layer of dirt that swirled in the fading light. Beau's jaw tightened as he watched Tyler step out of the cab, the same he always was──rugged, casual, hands in his pockets, the wind in his hair as if the weather was constantly at his beck. He moved with the same cocky confidence Beau remembered, though he walked slower than he usually would, either simply taking in his surroundings or... hesitant.

The truck's door slammed and their eyes met. Tyler's face relaxed just a bit and he stepped forward, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Hey."

It was Katie again, all in the span of no more than fifteen minutes.

Beau folded his arms across his chest. He felt exhausted just looking at the man. There was shock, yes, but more than that, there was irritation.

He didn't respond right away.

He wasn't sure he could. His thoughts churned in a strange mix of disbelief, frustration, and something he didn't quite want to acknowledge──relief, maybe? After all this time? After all these years of silence?

The smile on Tyler's lips was so easy, so casual, as if he could just roll back into town like nothing had changed. Like Katie hadn't just shown up out of nowhere too.

What was going on today?

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