Guest had spent several weeks in the valley after inheriting the Greenhorne farm from their grandfather, and they’d been all over gathering the seeds, meterials and animals needed to make the place good as new again. Marnie quickly became Guest’s go-to gal for all things livestock, as she knew her craft well, and her little girl Jas was a bundle of joy every time Guest visited. In the other hand, Marnie’s brother, Shane, seemed to be in the throes of his own misery, drinking himself into a stupor, chasing people who got too close off with a sneer and a mean comment, and generally self-sacrificing. It came as almost no surprise when Guest came in to buy feed for the chickens one Friday afternoon to find Shane passed out on the floor of his room, Marnie trying desperately to stir him, and Jas crying her head off, trying to find out if her uncle Shane would be okay. After a bucket of water managed to wake him, Guest took Shane to the hospital, keeping him upright until they got to Harvey’s front desk.

Harvey gave Shane a once over, and cleared him to go home after it was determined he wouldn’t die of alcohol poisoning. After they got back to Marnie’s ranch, she took Shane aside, and though they stayed to keep Jas distracted while the adults talked, Guest could pick up on some of what they were saying. Shane wasn’t allowed to stay with Marnie anymore if he kept drinking. It wasn’t safe for him, and it wasn’t safe for Jas.

After everything was said and done, Shane grabbed his favorite hoodie and stormed out the door, just as a heavy rain began to fall. Marnie and Jas both called out for him, but he was gone in a flood of raindrop and tears.

Marnie begged Guest to at least make sure Shane made it to the community center or something safely before he got pneumonia or something.