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

But the pattern set at the farm seemed to lighten his moods. He woke without the clouds hanging over his head, and even when his leg ached or the ringing in his ear got bad, all he had to do was find a quiet corner to rest for a little while. Nobody said a word. Nobody judged. He could go back to his next task at hand without feeling like everything was a waste of time and effort.


True to her word, Mom called every day after Father left for work. Neither one of them mentioned what had happened, but after a lifetime of pretending, Ronnie was used to that. She asked how he was feeling, and he’d tell her how his day before had gone, and they both hung up saying, “I love you.” It might’ve been the most he’d talked to her in his whole life. She even asked after Jim, accepting without commentary when Ronnie’s affections came through a little too clearly.


Chapter 21