“Urrrargghh!” grunted Sean Kard as he reached upward and clamped the fingers of his right hand over the edge of rock.

About two hours away from Memphis, he and Seth were getting some outdoors training the best way they knew how: rock climbing. It was something they had done together growing up, and it was one of the oldest bonds they shared.

It was hard for Sean to believe they were working as a team again. It had taken a few days and a few conversations since Sean mistakenly accused Seth of being back on drugs, but they were still trying to make this reconciliation work.

Sean stuck his left leg out and to his side, awkwardly pressing it against a different fold of rock. Using it as leverage, he pushed up and tried to establish his left hand above him.

“Ahh!” he yelled as his right hand slipped off, sending him falling downard.

After a moment, the rope tied to his harness went tight and he jolted to a stop, temporarily bouncing and bumping against the rock.

“You okay!?” screamed Seth from below, who was pulling against the belay rope.

Sean stabilized himself against the rock wall and exhaled a big breath.

“Yeah, I’m good!” replied Sean before trying to find some holds on the rock wall. It felt good for him knowing that he could trust his brother like this again.

An hour later, the two Kard brothers sat together with their legs dangling over the edge of the rock they had just climbed. It was a short hike down the backside of the hill to their car, but they weren’t in a hurry.

“To be honest, Seth,” said Sean, calmly. “I’m really happy that old man dragged us back together.”

“I know,” Seth replied. “Me too, man.”

“I’m going to make you a promise, little brother,” Sean continued. “I can tell that you’re different, and that you’ve changed for the better. And I’m going to back you up one hundred percent from here on out.”

After a moment of silence, Seth lowered his head, and Sean looked over to see that tears were escaping his brother’s clamped eyelids.  Sean didn’t say anything and looked forward and outward to the open sky and trees below. A soft breeze blew silently.

“Sean,” started Seth, sniffling and raising his head while he attempted to pull himself together. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t at mom’s funeral.”

Again, it was silent between the two brothers sitting at the top of the rock face.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t even know about it until a month after it happened,” Seth explained. “I had been on a bender in a completely different city that entire time.”

“That was then,” said Sean as he leaned and wrapped a comforting arm around Seth.

“Actually, the day I found out about mom was the day I finally went and got help,” Seth explained.

The breeze continued to gently blow before Seth continued on.

“I won’t let you down, and that’s my promise to you.”

The two brothers stood up and embraced each other in a tight hug.

The Wild Kards were back together.

The way they were meant to be.