When they graduated from high school in 1962, best friends and secret lovers Jim McCutcheon and Ronnie Mayer had high expectations for the rest of their lives. Six years later, both are back in the small Nebraska town they called home, and worse, no longer together.<br><br>Once the golden boy, Jim now works on his grandfather's farm, away from the town's disappointment he didn't end up at NASA. Ronnie lives in his parents' basement, recovering from the blast that sent him home from Vietnam. Neither is where they want to be, but it takes a special request from Ronnie's mom for Jim to swallow his pride and visit.<br><br>Though it doesn't go well, it opens the door for the two young men to start communicating. One question haunts them, though. Have they changed too much to find their way back to each other again?

Silences of Fallen Stars

Guilt didn’t even begin to cover the depths of Jim’s anguish.


Then he felt it. A tickle along the side of his hand.


A moment later, Ronnie’s fingers curled gently around his.


“For being the smartest guy I’ve ever known, sometimes you’re pretty dumb,” Ronnie said softly.


In spite of his sorrowful regret, Jim snorted. “Yeah, I can’t argue with you there.” Carefully, he tightened his grip, wary of any change in Ronnie’s in case he pressed too hard and lost this valuable connection. “You don’t hate me?”


“Last I heard, that wasn’t the same thing.”


“Is that why you’re bummed out? Because you lost your shot at NASA?”


“Nobody expected me to come back. After I graduated, I told my dad my plan to help Grandpa, and he went through the roof.”


“Because he knows you’re better than that.”


“There’s nothing wrong with farming.”


“Except you don’t love it. You’re just doing it because you don’t know what else to do.”


Chapter 12