The cabin by Cedar Lake hadn’t changed much since their last visit, but it felt different to Tom as he stepped inside. The scent of old wood and ash from long-extinguished fires tugged at something in him, but it didn’t bring comfort. His body ached, not from the drive, but from something deeper. He tried to shake it off, rubbing his hands together as though that would somehow erase the tension crawling beneath his skin.
The sound of gravel crunching outside made Tom turn toward the window. Jesse’s old pickup rumbled into the clearing, a familiar sight. As he hopped out, a grin stretched across his face, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Still standing, huh?” Jesse slapped the side of the cabin. “Guess some things don’t change.”
Tom managed a smile, though it felt tight. They’d only just arrived, and already, Tom could feel the weight of the weekend pressing down on him. The cabin suddenly felt much smaller than it used to.
Inside, Jesse dropped the case of beer onto the counter with a solid thud. “Place still smells the same too. Like campfires and bad decisions.” He gave the cabin a look over, his smile fading just a little. “Good to be back, though. Right?”
Tom nodded, though the words caught in his throat. He wanted to say something meaningful, something that would acknowledge how long it had been, but all he managed was, “Yeah. Good to be back.”
Sara arrived next, stepping out of her car with her phone already in hand. Her face was tight, her thumb hovering over the screen as though she might turn right back around and drive home. Instead, she shoved the phone into her pocket and forced a smile.
“Hey, it’s like we never left,” she said, her voice bright but a little forced. Tom gave her a hug, feeling the tension in her shoulders, though he didn’t comment. Jesse handed her a cold beer with a grin.
“Still feels like home, doesn’t it?” Jesse asked, but his question sounded more like a reminder.
Sara nodded, but Tom could see her gaze flicker toward the door like she was already looking for an escape. It was subtle, but it was there. “Yeah, just like old times,” she said, taking a sip of her beer but barely tasting it. Her thoughts were elsewhere, probably miles away, back to her job… back to her kid. The weight of her unread texts pulled at her, but she pushed the thoughts aside. At least for now.
Mike was the last to arrive, stepping out of a sleek rental car, his phone in hand, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Even as he approached the cabin, his attention was elsewhere.
“Sorry I’m late,” Mike called out, barely glancing up from his screen. “Jax Slade’s people are killing me with this interview.”
“Still working, huh?” Jesse asked, raising an eyebrow. “Can’t even catch a break up here?”
Mike laughed, though it felt distant like the sound hadn’t quite reached him. “You know how it is. Some things never stop.”
Tom watched them from the corner of the room, his discomfort growing as the minutes ticked by. The itch under his skin was getting worse, but he refused to let it show. Not yet. He needed to keep it together, at least for a little while longer.
That evening, they gathered around the campfire, the dark lake stretching out before them, its surface reflecting the last light of the day. It felt familiar, but something was off—like the easy rhythm they once had was just out of reach.
“Hard to believe we used to do this every summer,” Tom said, poking at the fire with a stick. The flames flickered higher, crackling against the silence. “Feels like a lifetime ago.”
Jesse nodded slowly, taking a swig of beer. “Yeah, things were… easier back then. No bills, no stress… just us.”
Sara sat quietly, staring into the fire. “Easier, yeah,” she murmured. “But we were kids. Didn’t have to deal with real life.”
Mike smirked, pulling his phone from his pocket and giving it a quick glance. “Real life doesn’t have to be boring, you know. Some of us are still living the dream.”
Jesse chuckled, though the sound was hollow. “Yeah, some of us are. The rest of us are just trying to keep the lights on.”
The words landed heavier than they should have, sinking into the quiet that followed. Tom glanced at Jesse, catching the edge in his voice, but before he could say anything, Sara stood abruptly.
“I’m gonna grab another beer,” she said, her voice too tight. “Anyone else?”
Tom watched her head back to the cabin, her movements stiff, almost robotic. He didn’t need to ask to know something was wrong. They all had their secrets, but none of them were ready to share. Not yet.
The night deepened around them, the firelight casting shadows on their faces. Silence settled between them like a heavy blanket, too thick to ignore but impossible to throw off. They had come here to reconnect, but now, sitting together under the stars, each of them seemed further apart than ever.
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