Tumbleweeds is the story of three friends growing up in Kersey, Texas – the sort of Texas Panhandle town that lives and dies by its Friday night football games. John and Trey are the stars of the high school football team, all set for future glory with all-but-guaranteed athletic scholarships to the University of Miami.
But these golden boys were not born into an easy life. At a young age, Trey was abandoned and put in the care of his aunt Mabel. John’s only living parent is an alcoholic, absentee father.
When Mabel Church’s best friend Emma takes in her orphaned granddaughter, Cathy, the boys are tasked with being her protectors at school, and the three “orphans” form a deep bond. As time passes, both John and Trey fall in love with Cathy, but it’s Trey—the swaggering, handsome quarterback—who wins her heart. John, more unassuming and quietly devoted, keeps his feelings a secret. The three remain fast friends, even making plans to go to college together. But one fateful night, everything changes. On the eve of a big game, Trey cajoles John into playing a prank on a boy from the rival team. The “joke” ends in tragedy, and John and Trey agree to cover up their crime. All at once, the golden boys with bright futures are conspirators with a dark secret—one that will cast a shadow over their lives forever.
Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas.
