The Prodigal Twin

Wooton Bassett's twin brother, Wellington, has vanished. He was last seen at the airport trying to buy a ticket to the Cayman Islands, and half of the family company's new stock has been sold for a dime a share, making it look as though Wellington has stolen four and a half million dollars from his own partners. As the story opens, Detective Custer questions Wooton and his father, Winston, at the company office. Wooton cheerfully rambles about voicemails, a childhood garage snake named Sir Hissalot, and Wellington's grudges about baristas, while Winston bristles at any suggestion that the Bassetts have money problems.

Waiting for the detective, Wooton reminds his father of a summer at the family fishing cabin just before the twins started middle school. In a flashback, young Wellington secretly packs his bags, planning to run away to a diving school in the Caymans to become a marine archaeologist. Wooton worms the truth out of him and realizes the real reason: Wellington is terrified he won't be accepted to the prestigious Westwood Academy and that their father will be disappointed in him. Wooton insists their dad would still love him, arguing that Dad is disappointed in Wooton all the time and he's still okay. Wellington quietly answers that it might not be the end of the world for Wooton, "It would for me." That night Wellington tries to sneak out with a forged letter of consent, but Wooton catches him - thanks to a rubber chicken superglued to the bunk ladder - and threatens to blast a hidden tuba until Wellington agrees to at least wait for Westwood's answer.

Winston is stunned; he never knew his son was afraid of him, and insists he has always been proud of Wellington. Just then Wellington himself calls Wooton's phone, saying he's in trouble but thinks he can fix it - then hangs up when he hears his father shouting in the background. The call is traced to Cooper's Landing in Alaska, near the Bassetts' summer cabin, so Winston and Wooton fly there on the family plane. On the way, Wooton talks with his wife, Penny, about how his father has slowly been softening, and about the verse from 1 Corinthians that love always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres - and how painful that kind of hoping can be.

Winston shares another memory of that long-ago summer: when Wellington's Westwood acceptance letter arrived, Wooton discovered that his twin's application essay claimed he was an only child. Wooton was deeply hurt but forgave him, even claiming he understood being an embarrassment. Winston marvels that Wooton is still going out of his way for a brother who never returned the favor, and admits he has been telling his wife to give up planning a family reunion weekend, because some relationships can't be fixed. Wooton disagrees - anything can be fixed unless you give up on it. When his father asks why he's willing to keep waiting, Wooton answers, "Because that's what Jesus did for me."

At the cabin, Winston wants to wait for the police, so Wooton walks up alone and finds Wellington on the porch. Wellington confesses everything: the stock sale was an accident. He thought he was running a test, and before he knew it half the company was gone. He panicked, too afraid of his father to admit the truth, and fled to the cabin to think. He's sure his father will never forgive him and expects to end up on trial. Wooton simply tells him, "For what it's worth, I believe you."

Then Winston steps up with news: investigators have found that the stock was bought by small day traders in Kansas and Nebraska, and the evidence has convinced the police it was user error, not fraud. Wellington won't be arrested - and he isn't fired either, because, as Winston admits, the company couldn't survive without him. Instead of heading straight home, Winston announces that the three of them will stay for a family weekend at the cabin. Soon the Bassett men are attempting to tie fishing flies, with Wellington repeatedly hooking his own fingers, until they all happily surrender and head to the Blue Arrow Diner for waffle burgers, steak, and world-famous blueberry pie.