Page 134 of Shattered Melodies

We all laughed, the sound echoing through the barn. It felt good, like old times.

Just then, the barn door swung open, and my mom walked in, carrying a tray of drinks. “Thought you kids might be thirsty,” she called out, her eyes twinkling.

“Mom, we’re in our thirties,” I said, rolling my eyes even as I reached for a glass of lemonade. “Pretty sure we don’t count as ‘kids’ anymore.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “You’ll always be kids to me. Now, drink up. You all look like you’ve been working hard.”

As we gathered around, gulping down the cool lemonade, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. For my mom, for my friends, for this moment.

“Alright, I think that’s enough for today,” I said, setting down my empty glass. “We’ve only got a couple days left before the fundraiser, and there’s still a ton to do.”

Sarah nodded, stretching her arms above her head. “Yeah, we should probably start setting up the ranch. Want some help?”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by the offer. “You guys sure? Don’t you have your own stuff to deal with?”

Mark shrugged. “Nah, we’re good. Besides, this is important. To all of us.”

“Thanks, guys,” I managed, my voice a little rough.

My mom, who had been quietly listening, spoke up. “Oh, before I forget, Caleb. We’re running low on supplies for the fundraiser. Think you could make a run into town?”

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. “Sure thing, Mom. What do we need?”

As she rattled off a list, I turned to Sarah and Mark. “You two okay helping out around here while I’m gone?”

Sarah grinned, throwing an arm around Mark’s shoulders. “Please. We’ve got this. Right, Marky?”

Mark rolled his eyes at the nickname but nodded. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. Go on, get out of here.”

I chuckled, grabbing my keys. “Alright, alright. I’m going. Try not to burn the place down while I’m gone, yeah?”

Before climbing into his truck, I remembered the posters Jimmy had designed. They could use all the help they could get, and the town’s high street seemed like a good place to start.

“Might as well put these up while I’m out,” I said to myself grabbing the stack from the passenger seat.

The drive to Main Street was short, giving me little time to prepare for the potential scrutiny I might face. As I parked and stepped out, I could feel curious eyes on me. It had been a while since I’d ventured into town for anything other than supplies.

Spotting the community pin board, I made my way over. It was plastered with flyers for bake sales, lost pets, and the occasional yard sale. Nothing for the coming weekend, though.

Perfect, I thought, pulling out a poster and some tacks.

As I pinned up the first one, I heard snickering behind me. My shoulders tensed, but I kept working. Maybe if I ignored them, they’d go away.

No such luck.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice drawled. “Look what we have here, Paul. The prodigal son, gracing us with his presence.”

I turned slowly, coming face to face with the Marley brothers. Rio, the older one, had a mean glint in his eye that I remembered all too well from high school.

“Rio. Paul,” I nodded, keeping my voice neutral. “Something I can help you with?”

Rio’s eyes flicked to the poster, his lip curling. “You think people would actually come to something like that?”

I raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. “Something like what?”

Paul, the younger Marley, stepped forward. At thirty-three, he was still trying to emulate his brother’s swagger. “Something that’s associated with a queer. You know, like you.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. For a moment, I was seventeen again, scared and alone. But then I remembered Liam’s smile, the warmth of his hand. I wasn’t that scared kid anymore.

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