The ride to the ranch—ranch, because Sam still refused to think of it as home—was a quiet one.
Chris hadn't said a word, not that she was surprised, but Sam could see the tightness in his jaw. The white-knuckle grip he had on the steering wheel. She had tried to be careful with the glances she sent his way, not exactly wanting to look him in the eye.
Something about how he continued staring straight ahead despite knowing the way to the ranch like the back of his hand told her Chris was just as reluctant for a direct look at her, as well.
Of course he was. Her presence in the truck was just more proof that she was the disappointment. The sibling who always went astray.
Sam was the one who let him down the most, and now he was stuck letting her live in his home.
Gritting her teeth, Sam turned to look back out the window, her fingers flexing over the fabric of her jeans. She felt stiff. Stretched. As though the slightest jarring of her body would shatter her into a hundred tiny pieces.
"Headin' back into the office after you're settled."
Sam barely managed a nod, choosing to keep her attention fixed on the familiar scenery of the driveway winding up to the ranch, and ignoring the jolt that ran through her at the thought of being back there at all. She didn't want to be. She had never wanted to be.
But Sam was quickly learning that what she wanted, and what she got, were, more often than not, two entirely different things.
"Nothin' to say?"
"What do you want me to say, Chris?"
"An apology might be nice."
"For what?" Sam demanded, the words sharper than she intended, though some small part of her that had been chafing ever since getting in the truck took pleasure in the way Chris' features tightened even further in response, "Not like you'd accept it, anyway."
"Sam—"
The warning in her brother's tone was clear, but Sam ignored it, her fingernails digging into her jeans as the truck rolled to a stop at the end of the drive. Instinct had her almost immediately moving to wrench the passenger side door open, but Chris beat her to the punch, locking it before she could make a clean escape.
"This ain't gonna be like it was before."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means exactly what it says," Chris replied, watching as Sam continued to avoid a direct look at him, and wondering when, exactly, the sister he used to know had disappeared, "Not gonna have you runnin' around all hours, doin' God knows what."
"I think they call that living."
"Not 'round here, they don't."
Chris didn't miss Sam's answering derisive snort, but he also saw the way her entire body seemed to tense. One hand still on the door, her fingers had curled inward, while the other hand had a tight grip on her knee.
She looked like she was about to fly apart at the seams, and Chris hated that his first instinct was still to tell her exactly what was expected of her, rather than provide the reassurance she so clearly seemed to need, but would never ask for out loud.
"Sam—"
"Unlock the door, Chris."
Sam half-expected Chris to refuse, but the lock unlatched not long after she had bitten out the request, and she practically tumbled out of the truck in her desperate attempt to get some space between them. Because she was a coward. Nothing more, nothing less. She couldn't look at her own brother for longer than two seconds, terrified at what she might see in his face if she did.
Hatred? Anger? Absolutely nothing at all?
Somehow, Sam knew that nothing would be worse than anything else Chris could throw her way.
The sharp thud of a door slamming had Sam flinching in seconds, a cautious glance towards the source of the sound showing her Chris had already managed to get her bag, and was now heading toward the front door. She didn't want to follow after him, and he certainly wasn't looking back to see whether or not she was.
She knew he didn't want her here. That this was an obligation, not familial concern.
Sam averted her gaze as she finally persuaded her legs to carry her to the porch after her brother, trying to shove down the memory of a little boy with wild hair rushing out of the house and nearly bowling her over in his excitement to see her.
Chris was right, even though she refused to admit it out loud.
Nothing would ever be like it was before.
…
"You goin' to the ranch later?"
Morgan slanted a look at Buck as though the answer should have been obvious, and her brother replied with an almost immediate laugh, leaning over to swipe the box of rice she had been attempting to place in a cupboard above the stove from her so he could do so himself.
"Guess I shoulda known."
"You're right. You should've."
"Want me to come with?"
Buck noticed Morgan's almost immediate frown, and had to fight the instinctive disappointment he felt because he had known almost as soon as he asked the question what the answer would be. It wasn't Morgan not wanting him to come along. Not even close.
Rather, it was Morgan knowing that Sam would already feel caged in, staying at Chris' ranch, and the presence of too many familiar faces at once would only make that feeling worse.
"I could wait."
"Nah, Mo. Go on ahead and go. I'll catch up with Sammie later on."
"You're sure?"
"Positive," Buck nodded, forcing a smile for Morgan's benefit, though he caught the narrowing of her eyes that came not long after the obviously failed attempt.
"She'll know you missed her, too."
"I know that."
"Do you?" Morgan pressed, putting the last of the groceries in the cupboard beneath the one she could not quite reach, where Buck had stowed the rice, and turning to face her brother with a sigh, "Because your face tells a different story."
"When the hell did you get so good at readin' my face?"
"Gee, Buck, I'm not sure. Maybe it has something to do with growing up together."
"Maybe," Buck mused, watching as Morgan busied herself with folding the canvas bags she had brought home from the store ages ago to stow them in a drawer across from the stove. She hadn't said anything, but he can tell she carried her own apprehension over how her visit to the ranch will go.
Morgan had visited Sam religiously while she was away, but Buck hadn't missed the worry that lined his sister's features more and more with every time she returned home.
At least she would tell him how Sam was doing, though. By contrast, whenever Chris had paid his sister a visit, getting anything out of him had been like trying to wrench teeth out of a tiger while the tiger was still conscious.
"Tell her I said—that I'm glad she's outta there. If you think that won't piss her off," Buck requested, one corner of his mouth twitching into a half-smile in response to Morgan's roll of the eyes and the all too predictable retort that came next.
"I always thought you liked pissing her off."
"That ain't what I meant, Mo."
Morgan snorted in response, knowing full well what Buck meant, but enjoying the idea of harassing him over it, regardless. Truthfully, teasing her brother was the distraction she needed from her worries over exactly what she would find when she saw Sam. And Buck seemed to realize that, the nudge he gave her as he moved to stand at her side followed by a knowing smile.
"You've known that girl all your life, Mo. Ain't nothin' that a little time, an' maybe some of Chris' whiskey can't fix."
"I hope so."
"I know so."
Morgan managed a faint smile for Buck's obvious attempt at providing reassurance, already looking to gather her things and make the trek out to Chris' ranch. She was already anticipating disaster, moreso from the way she knew Sam would balk at any attempt Chris made to be—Chris…
The two siblings could be like a match and a powder keg, even at the best of times. And Morgan could only hope she wasn't about to get burned in the crossfire.
…
Okay, so I'm just going to get right out there and say that this story? Entirely the fault of ChiTown4ever, for drawing me back into M7 with a vengeance, and encouraging me to borrow her own OC Morgan Wilmington, as well! It ain't my fault! (See what I did there? lol) In any case, though, I do hope at least some of you enjoy this little introductory chapter, and might be interested in more? I can't promise how quickly updates will come, since I seem to be locked in a bit of a Stranger Things hyper-fixation right now. But I promise I will do my best to give our boys some love along the way!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this first chapter! I truly do appreciate your time, and would love it if you felt so inclined to leave your thoughts!
Until next time, darlings…
MOMM