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

After Dr. Southard detailed what restrictions he thought Ronnie should follow on the job, he gestured toward the brace. “Wear it while you’re working, but when you’re not on the clock, I want you to start walking without it. It’s going to hurt some at first, and if it gets to be too much, put the brace back on, but see if you can push through the pain. We’ll schedule your next appointment for a month from now, and you can tell me how it goes. Maybe we can get rid of it for good next time.”


“Yes, sir!” It was better news than hearing about the surgery. He was still floating when he got out to the waiting room and found Jim nervously tapping his foot.


Ronnie beamed. “You are about to have the best damn farmhand you have ever seen.”


Chapter 22