LOCATION: The Reynolds Ranch WHO: @angstfactory
The evening sun hung low over the ranch, painting everything in shades of gold and amber. Gus had been sitting on the fence outside the stable longer than he had meant to, his attention fixed somewhere far beyond the pastures. The man looked thinner these days. The weight had been coming off him steadily for months, first from worrying about Holden, then from a very short-lived Italy trip, then from the mess waiting for him when he got home. It seemed every time he managed to put one fire out, another sparked up somewhere else. The sound of hooves on packed dirt pulled him from his thoughts, and he watched Jesse lead Bender toward the stable. The horse looked as healthy and stubborn as ever, a faint smile tugged at Gus's mouth despite himself.
"Still can't believe that horse ended up listening to you," he called out in a playful manner, his voice carrying easily through the yard. "You remember the first month after we brought him home? Thought he was gonna put every fence builder in Carroll into early retirement." The smile lingered a moment before settling into something softer. Watching Jesse with Bender always brought back fond memories. Back when things had felt simpler.
He stepped closer, slipping his hands into the pockets of his work jacket. For a second he simply watched Jesse finish settling the horse in, grateful for the normalcy of it. There weren't many normal things left these days. "How are you holding up, kid?" he asked. "And don't give me one of those answers where you tell me you're fine just because everybody else has enough on their plate." His gaze drifted toward the stable door before returning to Jesse. "You've had quite the year too. Thought maybe I would check in and see how you're really doing?"
