CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN - Stories by the Firelight

" He trailed off, shaking his head with a self-deprecating laugh. "But who am I kidding? I've barely been outside of Cincinnati." Rebecca felt a pang of sympathy. She thought about her own travels, the adventures she'd had, and the worlds she'd seen. It was easy to take for granted sometimes, the freedom and opportunities she'd been given. "Why haven't you gone?" she asked gently. Tom shrugged, his gaze fixed on the distant treeline. "Life, I guess. There's always something keeping me here. The farm needs tending, the fair needs organizing. And then there's my mom. She's not getting any younger, you know? Can't just up and leave her." Rebecca nodded, understanding the weight of responsibility that came with small-town life. It was something she'd observed over the past weeks, the way everyone seemed to have a role, a place in the intricate tapestry of the community. "But hey," Tom continued, forcing a cheerful note into his voice, "it's not all bad. There's something to be said fo