Beth relaxed back into her chair, taking a sip of her drink as she watched the unfamiliar woman exit her car and nervously approach the house. It wasn't often that they got unexpected visitors at the ranch and her curiosity was piqued. The woman looked about Beth's age or slightly younger. She had long dark hair that she had to brush away out of her face when the wind picked up. And based on her casual attire, she wasn't from any government office or the large corporation they were having problems with.

The woman climbed the stairs, stopping at the top where she paused to clench and unclench her hands a few times. She wiped her sweaty palms off on her fitted jeans and headed across the porch towards the door. When she got there, she lifted her hand as she prepared to knock. But just as she was about to bang on the thick wooden door, she yanked her hand back. And for a moment, Beth thought the woman might turn tail and head back to her rusty sedan. Beth narrowed her eyes at the woman, more curious than before about what brought her to their doorstep. The woman took a deep breath. Then she lifted her hand again, this time with a more determined look on her face. Just as she was about to rap her knuckles against the wood, Beth spoke.

"Somethin' I can do for you?," she asked, using more volume than necessary. The woman jumped, clearly startled by the sudden loud voice coming from just a few feet away. Beth did her best to hold back her grin, secretly pleased that she had startled the woman. To the woman's credit, she recovered quickly from her scare. Taking a few steps in Beth's direction, she offered her a nervous smile.

"Maybe you can help me," she said hopefully. "I'm looking for someone. His name is Robert Sullivan. But I think he goes by Rip now… Rip Wheeler."

Beth eyeballed the woman as she tossed back the rest of her drink. She wasn't sure why a pretty woman in tight jeans suddenly appeared on her porch looking for her husband. But she was sure she didn't like it. A horrid list of possible reasons for the woman's sudden appearance flashed through Beth's mind. The worst of which being that maybe Rip got some other woman pregnant before they got back together. Some other woman had given him what she could never give him. A child.

"Unless you want your ass beat," Beth said, rising from her chair and moving forward towards the woman. "...You better tell me why you're here asking for my husband."

The look on the woman's face stopped Beth in her tracks. Because instead of looking terrified or sickened by finding her former lover's wife sitting on the porch, the woman's face lit up into a smile.

"You're his wife?," the woman asked, closing the distance between them and sticking her hand out. "I'm so happy to meet you!" Beth regarded her outstretched hand like it was a snake that was ready to bite her. "You're gorgeous," the woman added. Unaffected by the bristly reception she was getting, the woman looked Beth up and down like she was meeting a celebrity instead of the woman who was about to lay her out in the front yard. Once she finally realized that Beth was not going to shake her hand, the woman pulled it back and apologized.

"I'm sorry to just show up like this. I guess I should have called but I didn't know what to say. I've been staying in town for the last two days, working up the courage to drive out here…"

Beth scowled at the woman. She was rambling like an idiot. But her excitement upon hearing that Beth was the husband of the man she was looking for didn't fit into the equation that Beth worked up in her mind. If she was some sort of baby momma, it didn't seem like she would be excited to meet the man's wife.

"What the hell do you want?," Beth finally asked, putting a stop to the woman's nervous gush of words.

"I …uh …My name's Rachel Miller," she said. "I'm your husband's sister."

For once in her life, Beth didn't have an immediate response to the woman's announcement. Half of her was relieved that the woman clearly didn't have any sexual history with her husband. But the other half was angry at the woman. For lying. Maybe that corporation did send her. A spy of sorts. Because Rip's entire family was dead. He didn't have any sisters.

"My husband doesn't have a sister," Beth said, narrowing her eyes at the liar. Though even as she accused her of lying, Beth couldn't help but notice the similarity in the woman's coloring and facial features. She certainly looked like she could be Rip's sister. She had the same dark hair and blue eyes. And though she was slimmer, she was taller than average height for a woman.

"I'm his half sister," Rachel corrected. "We have the same father. I don't think he has any idea that I exist." Beth took a moment to let this information sink in. Before she could say anything, Rachel said she had proof of her relation to Rip and offered to go get it out of her car. Beth nodded, watching as the woman rushed across the yard and yanked her car door open. She returned a moment later with a large manilla envelope in her hands that she eagerly handed over for Beth's inspection.

Beth opened the flap, pulling out the small stack of papers inside. She thumbed through them. She saw copies of both their birth certificates. Rachel's adoption paperwork. There were a few pictures inside that looked old and worn. Then a few more that were more recent. Beth was still skeptical. But from what she could see, the woman appeared to be telling the truth. Or at least what she believed was the truth. And Beth started to feel slightly bad about her rude behavior towards the woman. She knew how Rip felt about not having any family. And she certainly didn't want to run off what might be the only relative he had left. Even if her jeans were tight and she smiled when she was nervous.

"Would you like to come in?," Beth asked, ticking her head towards the door. "I really need a drink." Rachel let a small laugh bubble out of her. She nodded her head.

"I'd like that," she said.

Beth poured them both a drink, trying not to laugh at the way the other woman grimaced as she took a sip of the strong bourbon. She must be more of a wine cooler girl, Beth thought with a silent laugh. Beth sat down on the couch, flipping through the paperwork more slowly this time. When she was done, she encouraged the woman to explain how she arrived at their doorstep. As far as Beth knew, everyone thought Rip died with the rest of his family. Beth didn't even know his real name until today.

"My mom was only sixteen when she got pregnant with me," Rachel said. "She gave me up for adoption. About two years ago, my adoptive parents died in a car crash. I found my adoption paperwork in my dad's office."

"You didn't know before then?," Beth asked. Rachel shook her head. And Beth was surprised that she found herself feeling just a little sorry for the woman. Feeling empathy for a stranger was uncharacteristic of her. But she could imagine what it would be like to suddenly find out your whole life was a lie.

"I was upset," Rachel admitted. "But I was curious too. So I started looking for my birth mother. Hers was the only name listed on my original birth certificate. It didn't take me long to find her. She still lives over in Missoula. She's married now. She had two more kids with her husband." Rachel stopped and looked down at her hands. Light was reflecting off the unshed tears in her eyes. And she took a moment to regain control over her emotions before she continued. "She didn't want them to know about me. She didn't want her husband to know. I got her to tell me who my father was by promising to leave her alone and never come back."

"What a fucking bitch," Beth remarked. Rachel's eyes widened, looking at Beth in shock for a moment before she burst into laughter. She grabbed the rest of her drink that she had discarded on the table a few minutes before and tossed the contents down her throat, swallowing hard.

"You got that right," Rachel agreed. Beth motioned, encouraging her to continue with her story. But there wasn't much more. Rachel looked up her father and found the old news articles from Miles City. Her biological father killed his ex wife and his children. Then killed himself. Or at least that's what the news article said. Rachel thought she had reached the disappointing end of her search for her family. But she was left feeling unsettled about the whole thing. She decided she wanted closure. So she went to her long deceased brothers' graves to leave them flowers. But she noticed something strange when she got there. The cemetery was one grave short. Her oldest brother was supposedly dead. But he wasn't buried. At least not there.

"I tracked down the sheriff that was in charge during the time when the murders took place. He wouldn't tell me anything at first. But when I explained who I was and why I was looking for the missing boy, he told me I might find my brother here…" Rachel tucked her hair behind her ears and glanced across the small table, waiting to see what the woman's reaction to her odd tale was going to be.

"Holy shit," Beth finally said, letting the words out in a huff of air. "You're telling the truth aren't you?"

Rachel nodded. She was telling the truth. At least as far as she knew.

"Do you think I could meet him?," she asked. "Robert …I mean Rip. Do you think he'd like to meet me? I …uh …if he doesn't want anything to do with me, I'd understand." Rachel looked down at her hands again. After the horrid disappointment that meeting her biological mother turned out to be, she was just operating on the assumption that none of her family wanted a thing to do with her now. She wasn't even sure if she'd done the right thing coming here. She'd spoken to that old retired sheriff months ago. And then tried to let the whole thing go. But she couldn't. If she had a brother out there somewhere, she wanted to at least meet him.

"I didn't know we were expecting a visitor today…"

Rachel turned towards the voice. Once she found out where her brother was, she'd read as much as she could find out about the proprietor of the Yellowstone Ranch. And she recognized him on sight. It was hard not to. Since he was also the governor of Montana. John Dutton was more handsome in person, wearing his worn-in jeans and flannel button down shirt. He always looked stiff and slightly uncomfortable on tv.

"We weren't," Beth said, smiling at the man as he entered the room and poured himself a drink. Once he had it in hand, Beth stood up and put her arm around his waist. Rachel rose nervously from her seat, not sure how she was supposed to act now that she was in the presence of a local celebrity. "Daddy, this is Rachel Miller," Beth said, gesturing to the pretty woman standing in his living room. The man nodded, lifting his drink. Beth waited until he was mid-sip before adding, "...she's Rip's sister."

Rachel cringed back as bourbon spewed from the man's mouth. And from the looks of it, some of the foul burning liquid went up his nose as well. Beth looked quite pleased with herself. And the reaction she caused. She gave her father a few half hearted whacks on the back, clearly trying not to laugh out loud.

"Rip has a sister?," John asked. "Since when?"

"Since 1988," Beth announced, pointing to the small pile of paperwork on the table. Rachel watched as the man crossed the small space and scooped up the papers, rifling through them and squinting at the small print.

"I already read through all that, daddy," Beth said. Rachel was surprised when that seemed to be enough for the man. He tossed the papers back down onto the coffee table and offered her his hand.

"John Dutton," he said. Rachel smiled.

"I know who you are. I'm Rachel Miller," she said with a smile, taking his hand. He had strong hands but he still gripped her smaller hand gently, returning her small smile. He wasn't sure about this whole sister story. But if someone sent a fake sister here to toy with Rip, they certainly picked the perfect imposter. Because the resemblance between them was obvious. Her features were more delicate. But she had the same eyes and soft dark wavy hair. Once he was done giving her a once over, John turned to his daughter.

"Does Rip know about this?," he asked. Beth shook her head.
"Not yet," she admitted.

"Know about what?"

Rachel turned towards the voice, which was much lower toned than the first man's. The man that spoke was hanging his hat up on a hook near the door, his back to her. While she'd been able to find a plethora of information on John Dutton, Rachel had been unable to find much on the foreman of his ranch. She was only able to find a few shots where the ranch hands were in the background. And even then she wasn't sure which one was her long lost brother. The bourbon she drank felt like it was doing somersaults in her stomach. She wiped her palms off on her thighs, feeling her anxiety rise to an all time high as Beth walked across the room and greeted the man with a kiss.

"Got something to tell you baby," Beth crooned, leading him into the living room. Rachel shuffled her feet nervously, unsure of what she ought to do. He was bigger than she expected. But she could see her reflection in the familiar blue of his eyes. It was hard to explain how she felt as she got her first look at her only living flesh and blood relative. But seeing his face was like coming home.

"Hi," she said, sticking out her hand and feeling like the lamest person on earth. "I'm Rachel." Rip gave her a skeptical glance. But she guessed he felt the same strange pull that she did. Because he didn't hesitate to take her hand in his giant grip. Rachel felt her skin tingle where it was touching his. She knew she ought to explain herself in some way. Like she had to his wife. But her tongue was suddenly stuck to the roof of her mouth.

"She's your sister," Beth announced. Just as suddenly as Rip reached for her hand, he yanked his back, a look of concern clouding his features.

"I don't have a sister," he countered. But Beth shook her head.

"Half sister," she corrected. "Your dad had a baby with another woman."

Rachel fidgeted nervously, picking at a string on the hem of her shirt and wishing she'd dressed in something nicer. Because in her worn ripped jeans and faded t-shirt, she felt like the bastard she was. And now her brother was looking at her like she'd grown a third eye in the middle of her head.

"How'd you find me?," Rip asked. He looked to John for an explanation. Because as far as he knew, the entire world thought he was dead. He even went by another name. And if this woman could find him, that meant someone else might. Maybe the wrong someone else. Someone that wanted to hold him responsible for beating his father to death with a cast iron pan.

"The sheriff that was in charge when your …um …when you came to live here," Rachel explained. "He told me I could find you here. I swear I didn't tell anyone else. I don't want to cause any trouble. I just wanted to meet you. You're the only family I have left."

When her heartfelt declaration earned her absolutely no response, Rachel felt her emotions start to bubble up inside her. Coming here was a terrible idea. She didn't know what she was thinking. Rip was just staring at her. Like she was a disease. It was even worse than when she met her mother.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said, taking a step towards the door. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I'll just go." She stuttered, smearing mascara across the backs of her hands as she wiped her eyes. Then she turned and started heading towards the door. She got about two steps out into the hallway before Rip found his voice.
"WAIT!," he hollered.

Rachel turned. She gasped when she saw the large bear of a man barreling at her. In true sibling fashion, Rip didn't check his force when his body collided with hers. He would have knocked her straight to the floor if he hadn't caught her in his arms and pinned her tightly against his chest. Not only had the wind nearly been knocked out of her, Rachel was also completely overcome with emotion. Her mother didn't want her. She wasn't even allowed to meet her sisters. Her adoptive parents were dead. Her husband cheated on her. No one wanted her. But when she felt the intensity of his embrace, she realized she now had a brother. Rachel fisted her hands into the back of his shirt as she bawled, crying down the front of it. She felt Rip's hands on her back, rubbing between her shoulders in a small circle once he finally released his grip on her.

"It's okay, It's okay," he said, repeating the words until her tears finally subsided.

Once she regained control over herself, Rachel turned to the other two people in the room, feeling embarrassed over her outburst. She was relieved to see they looked more amused than uncomfortable.

"I guess we better set another place at the table," John teased.

"Oh," Rachel exclaimed, "...I wish I could stay for dinner. But my daughter is waiting on me back at the motel. I promised her I'd take her out for a cheeseburger."

"Daughter?," Beth asked, her interest showing plainly on her face. Before Rachel could answer, Rip spoke up, adding his inquiries to his wife's.

"I have a niece?"