**Chapter 1: The Call**

9:00 PM, October 5th I was sitting in my dorm room at BYU, surrounded by textbooks and notes from the day's classes, when my phone buzzed with an incoming text from Madi. My mind immediately went to worst-case scenario as I quickly grabbed my phone to check the message. "Hey, Kat, need you to come over to our house ASAP. It's about Uncle Justin." My heart sank as I read the words. I quickly got up from my bed and started to make my way to the door. As I grabbed my keys and headed out to my car, I couldn't help but think of all the memories I had made with the Bingham family. I'd met them through Madi, who was a year older than me and a friend from my freshman year at BYU. Over time, I'd become close with her siblings, especially Ryler and Krew, who were always down for an adventure. I'd also met Justin's kids, Turin, Ashton, Landon, and Ava, a few times, and we had always gotten along well. I pulled up to the Bingham's house and could see that their porch light was on, casting a warm glow over the front yard. Madi was standing outside, pacing back and forth, her eyes red from crying. I quickly got out of my car and rushed over to her, giving her a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Madi," I whispered into her ear. As we hugged, I glanced over at the house and saw that everyone was standing outside, their faces somber. Branden and Mindy, Madi's dad and stepmom, were standing in the front, with their kids, Ryler, Krew, Brex, and Hazy, all gathered around them. I could see the pain and shock etched on their faces. Across the street, I saw Justin's wife, Lindsey, and their kids, Turin, Ashton, Landon, and Ava, standing with somber expressions. I felt a pang of sadness and sympathy for them. Madi pulled back and took a deep breath before explaining, "Justin was canyoneering and had an accident. He...he didn't make it." I felt a lump form in my throat as I processed the news. I couldn't believe it. Justin was always the life of the party, always up for an adventure. As we walked towards the house, Madi's arm wrapped around my shoulders, I couldn't help but think of my own family back in North Carolina. My family wasn't like this - my parents and little brother, Jay, were great. But my extended family...they were a different story. Addicts, unstable, and always struggling. It was hard to believe that I had found a family like the Binghams, who genuinely cared for each other. As we entered the house, I was greeted with a sea of tear-stained faces. I saw Turin, Madi's cousin, standing off to the side, his eyes red from crying. I felt a pang of sadness and sympathy for him. I had always felt a little like an outsider with this family, like I didn't quite belong. But they had always welcomed me with open arms. Without thinking, I reached into my car and grabbed the duffle bag I had packed just in case. I didn't think I deserved to be there, but I wanted to be prepared, just in case. As I walked back into the house, Madi noticed the bag and raised an eyebrow. "How did I not see that?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice. I smiled, feigning offense. "You should always expect the unexpected from me." Madi laughed, a small, sad sound, and hugged me again. "That's what I love about you, Kat. You're always prepared." As I looked around at the sea of faces, I knew that I was exactly where I was meant to be. This was my family, and I would do anything to support them.