Chapter 10 – Tommy Wayne’s Homecoming

You ever walk back into a place that still remembers your sins better than your face?
That’s Piedmont for me. Every porch, every mailbox, every sigh of the wind through the pines says my name like a warning.

I been gone fifteen years, most of it spent trying not to remember why. But the thing about the past is, it waits. Patient as kudzu, growing back no matter how many times you cut it down.

The Huddle House looks the same as the night I left: windows fogged, neon buzzing, smell of grease and coffee thick enough to choke on. Sadie Mae’s still behind the counter, movin’ slower maybe, but her eyes are just as sharp. I didn’t go in. Couldn’t yet. Not till I knew whether I was remembered with pity or poison.

I walked the edge of Terrapin Creek instead, same path I took the night I ran, moon high, heart hammerin’, Lily Pearl callin’ after me. Only this time, she didn’t call. Just the frogs and the soft shuffle of leaves.

The secret that sent me runnin’? I can still see it plain as that lightning strike that summer.
Lily Pearl’s letter, written in her hand, tucked in the family Bible. The one that said the man I called “Daddy” wasn’t blood at all. That the real one was somebody else. Somebody still livin’ then, a man married to somebody else.

I’d thought she was holy, my aunt. She was, in her way, I reckon, but holy things burn, and I got too close to the flame.

That letter tore through this town like wildfire when I told it. Folks picked sides, friendships ended, and Lily Pearl, God rest her, locked herself away and never spoke my name again.

Now, standing at her grave, I felt that silence like a hand on my throat. I laid my palm on the cold stone and said, “I’m back, Aunt Lily. I finally came home.”

The wind stirred, soft and sure. Somewhere out by the fence line, a bird whistled one long note, the same one she used to call me in for supper.

And for a moment, I could’ve sworn I saw her, not as she died, but as she was: apron on, hair pinned back, eyes full of weary love.

Then she was gone, and the pines were still again.

I turned toward town, knowing full well the whispers had already started.
They always do in Piedmont.

And maybe this time, I’ll let them.
Because secrets don’t rest easy here, and I reckon it’s time somebody told the whole story right.

*****

New Yesterdays can be found at: Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon, as well as your favorite bookshops. The Audiobook is available from Libro.fm, as well as Amazon.

About Ol' Big Jim

Jim L. Wright is a storyteller with a lifetime of experiences as colorful as the characters he creates. Born and raised in Piedmont, Alabama, Jim’s connection to the land, history, and people of the region runs deep. His debut novel New Yesterdays is set in his hometown, where he grew up listening to stories of the past—stories that sparked his imagination and curiosity for history. Today, Jim lives in Leeds, Alabama, with his husband Zeek, a tour operator who shares his passion for adventure and discovery. Known affectionately as “Ol’ Big Jim,” he has had a diverse career that includes time as a storekeeper, an embalmer, a hospital orderly, and a medical coder. There are even whispers—unconfirmed, of course—that he once played piano in a house of ill repute. No matter the job, one thing has remained constant: Jim is a teller of tales. His stories—sometimes humorous, sometimes thought-provoking—are often inspired by his unique life experiences. Many of these tales can be found on his popular blog, Ol’ Big Jim, where he continues to share his musings with a loyal readership. Jim’s adventures have taken him far beyond Alabama. For seven years, he lived in Amman, Jordan, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. His time there, spent in smoky coffee shops, enjoying a hookah and a cup of tea while scribbling in his ever-present notebook, deeply influenced his worldview and his writing. When Jim isn’t writing, he’s thinking about writing. His stories, whether tall tales from his past or imaginative reimagining is of historical events should read from his past or imaginative reimaginings of historical events, reflect a life lived fully and authentically. With New Yesterdays, Jim brings readers a rich tapestry of history, fantasy, and human connection. Visit his blog at www.olbigjim.com to read more of his stories, or follow him on social media to keep up with his latest musings and projects, one of which is a series that follows Bonita McCauley, an amateur detective who gets into some very sticky situations. His book, New Yesterdays, can be found at Amazon US, Amazon UK, Smashwords, and Barnes and Noble.

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