Page 21 of Rhett & Moses
I staredat the ornate wooden clock above the bar that seemed determined to move its hands at half-speed. After our conversation in Moses’s apartment the night before, I’d barely slept, my mind racing with anticipation for what today might bring.
Moses had texted me shortly after I’d left, confirming his plan: a public declaration on the school lawn at noon. The truth, finally, after twenty years. My response had been immediate and unwavering, I would be there, standing beside him.
I found myself drawn to Timbers & Tallboys like a moth to flame, unable to stay away despite knowing Moses wouldn’t be there. He’d mentioned needing to meet with Vanessa first, and some guidance in this situation.
So here I sat, nursing my drink and watching Bronwyn skillfully manage the mid-morning crowd, a mixture of locals and reunion attendees seeking something stronger than coffee to start their day.
“Should I be worried about you?” Bronwyn asked, pausing in front of me as she wiped down the bar top. “That’s your third in an hour, and you keep looking at that door like you’re expecting someone to walk through it any moment.”
I smiled wryly, recognizing Moses’s influence in her phrasing. “Just waiting for time to pass.”
She studied me with uncomfortably perceptive eyes. “He told me about the plan for today. You know what you’re getting into, right? This town has a long memory and a vindictive streak.”
“I’m well aware,” I replied, swirling the amber liquid in my glass. “But some things are worth facing a little community backlash for.”
“Some things,” she repeated with emphasis, “or some people?”
I met her gaze steadily. “Both.”
She nodded, apparently satisfied with my answer. “Good. Because he’s been carrying this burden alone for far too long, and I won’t stand by and watch him get hurt again.”
“That makes two of us,” I assured her.
Bronwyn’s expression softened slightly. “You know, I always wondered what would have happened if you’d stuck around after graduation. If you’d fought for him instead of accepting the story everyone else believed.”
Her words hit a tender spot. “So did I,” I admitted. “Every day for about ten years. But we were kids, Bronwyn. Scared kids in a town that wasn’t ready for us.”
“And now?” she challenged.
“Now we’re adults who’ve built lives, careers, identities separate from this place. Whatever happens today, we’re not those scared kids anymore.”
She seemed to consider this, then nodded once more. “For what it’s worth, I think he’s making the right choice. Finally clearing the air. It’s just...”
“What?”
“There’s something he’s not telling you,” she said cryptically. “About why he stayed away so long. Why he never did reach out, even after he’d established himself in Atlanta.”
Unease crept up my spine. “Did he tell you what it was?”
“No, but I’ve known Moses since we were in diapers. He has his reasons for everything, even when they don’t make sense to anyone else.” She shrugged. “Just... be prepared for more revelations today. That’s all I’m saying.”
Before I could press her further, the door swung open, and a familiar face appeared, one I’d been hoping to avoid until the confrontation on the school lawn.
Mayor Hayes strode in, his once-dark hair now silver but his bearing still commanding. He scanned the room, eyes narrowing when they landed on me. Without hesitation, he made his way to the bar, taking the stool beside mine.
“Rhett Callahan,” he greeted me, his politician’s smile not quite reaching his eyes. “I heard you were back in town. How’s Boston treating you?”
“Well, enough,” I replied neutrally, watching as Bronwyn moved to the far end of the bar, giving us privacy while remaining within earshot. “The architecture scene is thriving.”
“So, I’ve read,” he nodded. “Your mother keeps the town updated on your accomplishments. Quite the successful career you’ve built for yourself.”
The mention of my mother sent a pang through me. We maintained a cordial but distant relationship, the unspoken tensions of my sexuality and my choice to leave Gomillion creating a chasm neither of us had fully bridged.
“I’ve been fortunate,” I said simply.
Hayes signaled Bronwyn for a drink; scotch, neat, before turning his full attention to me. “I understand you and Moses Morley have been spending time together during the reunion.”
The directness of the approach took me by surprise, though it shouldn’t have. Hayes had never been one for subtlety.
