Echoes of Friendship - Ch 11

Chapter 11 - Under the stars, friendships are tested as laughter fades into whispers of conflict and secrets that could reshape Echo Canyon’s future.

To begin from the first chapter, START HERE.

The previous chapter is HERE.

Dear Reader,

In this chapter, you will learn more about the Echo Canyon community as old bonds are tested, secrets are revealed, and a growing conflict looms, threatening the delicate balance of tradition and progress.

More will surface about the advanced technology facing the canyon. If you haven’t read “Land Beneath the Peaks—The World,” you might want to take a minute to read it before this chapter. It will help you understand where Echo Canyon fits within the mountains. You will find the chapter here.

~ Marylee

Echo Canyon friends gathered around the fire pit - Image conceived by the author and generated by ChatGPT

“Who’s coming up the back steps?” Quinn’s voice held a note of tension as she crossed from the front door into Riley’s kitchen, peering toward the sound of footsteps on the porch. Riley glanced up from arranging platters on the counter.

“Relax, it’s just Ben. He’s probably got his hands full, as usual.” She set down a bowl of roasted spiced nuts and moved to open the door. Sure enough, Ben stood there, balancing a pie and a canvas bag. His broad shoulders filled the doorway as he gave a nod of greeting.

“Hi, Ben!” Riley exclaimed, stepping aside to let him in. “Look who just got here!”

Ben eased into the kitchen, carefully setting the pie on the island between platters of vegetables, hummus, and a charcuterie board. “Hi, Riley. Hello, Quinn.” His face softened into a warm smile as he turned toward Quinn. “It’s great to see you. Did you have a good flight?”

“I did,” Quinn replied, crossing over to give him a quick hug. “And I’m glad Riley suggested I come over. It was getting pretty quiet, rambling around the hale by myself.”

“Well,” Ben said, gesturing toward the pie, “I brought this for tonight’s gathering. It’s apple pie from apples I picked at the ranch orchard.”

Riley leaned over the pie, inhaling the aroma. “It smells amazing. I’ll try to make sure some of it survives until tonight.” She grinned, her teasing tone easing the mood. “You’re coming back for dinner, right?”

Ben nodded his head lightly, his voice steady. “I’ll be back around five. I need to check on a few things first. Give me a holler if you need anything.”

“Thanks for this, Ben. See you later!” Riley called as the door swung shut behind him.

Once he was gone, she turned back to Quinn with a warm smile. “All right, let’s get you settled in. Do you need something to eat or drink? Or maybe a nap?” She grabbed Quinn’s suitcase and gestured toward the hallway.

Quinn followed, glancing at the kitchen island loaded with platters. “Looks like you’ve been busy. Is that lemon I smell?”

Riley chuckled. “You have a good nose. Lemon bars are cooling on the counter. And there’s lasagna in the oven—vegetarian, of course. The drinks station is set up on the patio, and I even made a fruit salad just in case someone’s watching their carbs.”

“You thought of everything,” Quinn said, shaking her head. “You didn’t leave much for the rest to bring.”

“Oh, believe me,” Riley said with a smirk, “this group will bring enough food to feed an army. Someone will show up with an entire meal, and someone else will bring … I don’t know, a bag of chips.”

Quinn laughed as they reached the guest room. “Well, I’m not the chips person, but I’m impressed. You really are ready.”

“I try to be,” Riley said, setting the suitcase by the bed.

Quinn nodded, glancing around the cozy guest room. “I think I’ll start with a shower. Then I can help you with whatever you need to do before everyone shows up.”

“Perfect,” Riley said. “Take your time. Everything is under control … probably.”

“Famous last words,” Quinn teased, heading toward the ensuite bathroom with a smile.

Riley and Quinn set out platters of food on her spacious patio. It was a warm evening, and the stars were beginning to dot the sky above Echo Canyon. Her garden lights flickered with a soft glow, powered by discreet solar panels, a subtle nod to the sustainable tech that Echo Canyon residents cautiously embrace.

Skylar and Val arrived first, laughing about a mishap from earlier that day. “I still can’t believe you thought that cactus was fake!” Val said, shaking her head with a grin.

Skylar groaned, her cheeks coloring slightly. “In my defense, it was in a pot shaped like a flamingo. How was I supposed to know it was real?”

“It had spines, Skylar. They were sharp.” Val teased, her laughter contagious.

Quinn, who had just walked in from the patio, caught the end of the story. “Wait, what’s this about a cactus?” she asked, clearly intrigued.

“Skylar tried to move it out of the way, thinking it was one of those plastic display plants,” Val explained, barely holding back another laugh. “Turns out, it wasn’t.”

Skylar crossed her arms, her tone mockingly defensive. “It looked fake. And anyway, it wasn’t a big deal. Just a little poke.”

“A little poke?” Val snorted. “You practically jumped out of your skin.”

Quinn grinned, sliding into a chair. “This is why I stick to orchids. They don’t attack you for touching them.”

Skylar rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Well, now I know. If it’s got spines, it’s probably not a prop.”

Ben, Channing, and Cameron arrived together, bringing a flurry of activity. Channing carried a pot of aromatic chili while Cameron balanced a basket of freshly picked herbs and bread.

Raven followed, balancing a steaming dish of her famous enchiladas. “I told myself I wouldn’t cook, but you know me. I can’t resist,” she said, settling in with a glass of lemonade. “I’ll start with this before tackling the hard stuff.” Her sharp eyes swept the setup, ensuring everything was just right, while Ben lingered, quietly enjoying the scene. “Hi, cousin.”

“Hi yourself,” Raven replied while giving Ben a quick hug.

Once everyone had settled with plates of food, Skylar glanced around. “It feels like it’s been ages since we’ve all been together,” she said, raising her glass.

Riley smiled. “Too long. Between the holidays and everyone’s travels, life keeps pulling us in different directions.” She paused, deliberately avoiding mentioning Val’s trip to Washington for her mother’s funeral.

“Let’s not make it a habit,” Quinn chimed in, already halfway through her plate. “I missed this—food, friends, and gossip. Especially the gossip.”

Skylar jumped in, her fork pointing at Raven. “Speaking of gossip—Raven, your open house was amazing. I still don’t understand how you kept cool when that reporter started grilling you about the hieroglyphics.”

“Wait, what reporter?” Val cut in, glancing at Skylar, then Raven. “I didn’t hear about this.”

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Raven shrugged, her tone light but firm. “Decades of practice, my friend. You answer what you want to answer and redirect the rest. Besides, it wasn’t my first rodeo.”

Channing leaned forward with a grin. “Oh, come on, Raven. You’ve got to admit, it’s spooky out there by that big rock. Are you sure you don’t have any ghosts in your garden?”

“I felt something, too,” Cameron added, gesturing with a fresh drink. “But it was probably just the wind. Or Channing’s overactive imagination.”

“Hey!” Channing protested, mock indignation. “I have excellent ghost instincts.”

Quinn snorted. “Ghost instincts? Is that a thing now?”

“It is when you’ve been around as much pottery as I have. Pots absorb energy, you know. Ancient pottery especially,” Channing said, eyes wide with exaggerated seriousness.

Raven rolled her eyes, cutting him off with a teasing smile. “Maybe you should stick to selling pots, Channing. But if you see a ghost, tell them to weed while they’re out there. My garden could use the help.”

“That’s assuming they’d know the difference between weeds and flowers,” Cameron smirked. “I’ve seen your garden, Raven. It’s a bit … wild.”

“Excuse me?” Raven shot him a mock glare, setting her glass down deliberately.

Val chuckled, jumping in before things could escalate. “Wild is in right now. Sustainable. A natural aesthetic. Right, Ben?”

Ben, who had been quietly observing, raised an eyebrow. “If ‘wild’ means you can’t tell what’s intentional and what’s overgrown, then sure. It’s a look.”

The table of friends erupted in laughter, voices overlapping.

“I can’t believe you just said that!” Skylar said, half-laughing, half-choking on her drink.

“Careful, Ben,” Riley said with a grin. “Raven might make you weed her garden next time.”

“Only if he brings his ghost friends,” Channing interjected, causing another round of laughter.

“Anyone want some pie?” Riley got up to start clearing the table. Quinn volunteered, “I’ll help.” Still laughing, Channing got up to help.“Me too. I want to see what Ben brought. I didn’t know he could bake without burning it.” Channing looked back at Ben, winking.

“Watch it, young’s. Maybe you should ask your aunt who taught her how to bake.”

Sheepishly, Channing cleared the table, suggesting, “Riley, if everyone helped, what do you think about taking the pie and coffee down to the fire pit?”

“Great idea. Come on, everyone. Get what you want, and let’s go out and look at the stars.”

Pausing momentarily in the silence, Cameron got up to put another log on the fire. “It seems every year when we hit September, the next four months fly by. We’ve been so busy expanding the nursery we haven’t come up for air in weeks.”

Raven gestured toward Cameron. “Well, that brings up the question I was going to ask. What’s going on behind your nursery? It looks much larger than expansion. It’s become a full-blown project.”

Taking a glass from Cameron, Channing answered, “Well, we were going to tell you tonight. We finally got permission to let the cat out of the bag.”

“Permission?” Ben looked at them with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Cameron hesitated, glancing at Channing. “It’s… a bit of a surprise.”

Channing, unable to resist, burst in. “Fine, I can’t keep it in! We’re moving the Pottery SuperStore to the nursery.”

“That’s not the surprise part,” Cameron chided gently.

Channing grinned. “No, it’s the drone shopping experience! Picture this: you’re sitting on your couch, craving a new plant. You open an app, pick what you want, and a drone brings it right to you.”

The group erupted in laughter and disbelief.

“A drone?” Raven said skeptically. “And here I thought you two were settling down.”

“Oh, we’re just getting started,” Cameron said, her grin matching Channing’s.

“Excuse me, am I the only one that doesn’t have a clue what you’re talking about? Drones, apps, drone delivery?” Ben looked at Cameron and Channing, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Cameron, ever the calm one, leaned back and smiled. “Let me explain.” She gestured for everyone to settle in, sensing she had their full attention. “We received a grant from the World University for Sustainability. With their help, we’re building a grand field house with greenhouse capabilities. But here’s the real innovation—they’re developing the world’s first drone shopping experience.”

“Wait, wait,” Val interrupted, raising her hand like she was in class. “A drone shopping experience? For plants? How does that even work?”

Channing, unable to resist jumping in, waved her hands animatedly. “Picture this: you’re sitting on your couch in your pajamas, craving a new ficus or some rare succulents. You open our app, and a drone gives you a live tour of what’s in stock—real-time condition, size, the whole deal.”

Cameron nodded. “Exactly. You pick what you want, or you can submit an order. Then, robots in the fieldhouse gather your items. Once the order is complete, you get another drone tour to review everything before you confirm. It’s seamless.”

“That’s …” Quinn paused, her brow furrowed. “That’s insane. And brilliant. But how do the plants survive all this tech handling? Isn’t it risky?”

Cameron shrugged. “That was our first concern, too. However, the grant-makers helped us design special transport modules. Everything is climate-controlled and cushioned.”

Raven crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “What about us old-school types who want to feel the leaves and smell the soil before buying?”

“Ah, the tactile experience,” Channing said dramatically, pretending to sniff an imaginary plant. “We’ll still have in-person shopping at the nursery. The drones are just an option.”

Skylar leaned forward, intrigued. “How did you keep this a secret? You two can’t even keep quiet about a new pottery glaze.”

Cameron chuckled. “The grant-makers insisted. No public announcements until everything was ready to launch. We couldn’t even tell family.”

“And what’s with all the construction behind the nursery?” Riley asked. “That field house is huge. You really managed to keep that under wraps?”

Channing grinned mischievously. “We told people it was a storage expansion. Technically, not a lie.”

Ben shook his head, still trying to process. “You two are dragging cutting-edge tech into the middle of a canyon that prides itself on keeping things simple. How’s that going to go over with the Echo Canyon Council?”

“That’s the tricky part,” Cameron admitted, glancing at Channing. “We’re walking a fine line. The drones and robots stay on the far side of the lake, out of Echo Canyon. We’ve made sure it won’t disrupt the community.”

“Won’t disrupt?” Raven echoed. “You’re introducing flying drones and robots next door. That’s bound to ruffle some feathers.”

“We’ve thought about that,” Channing said earnestly. “Part of the grant requires us to show how this tech can coexist with traditional practices. We hope it shows that innovation doesn’t have to replace heritage.”

“Sounds like you’re gambling,” Ben said gruffly. “But I hope it pays off. For now, I’ll stick to my hands and my trowel.”

The group laughed, though the undercurrent of skepticism lingered. Channing, ever the entertainer, raised her glass. “To innovation and tradition—may they find a way to get along!”

As the fire crackled and embers floated into the night sky, the conversation shifted from laughter to the heavier realities facing Echo Canyon. Val leaned toward Raven, her voice low. “What’s the latest with Whitman? Any progress?”

The group quieted, overhearing the question. All eyes turned to Raven, who sat back, her expression unreadable.

“Nothing good,” she said, her tone clipped. Raven sighs. “He wants me to prove my methods work, but I can’t shake the feeling he’s trying to stir something up. Something more than my training techniques.”

“Not only is he challenging my methods, he’s pushing back on the historical site designation we’ve been working on. Claims it’ll ‘stifle progress’ for the community.” She paused, taking a slow sip from her glass.

“But that’s not what this is about.”

“What do you mean?” Riley asked, frowning.

Raven set her glass down deliberately. “It’s personal. Whitman doesn’t like being challenged—especially not by me. I’ve seen men like him before. He resents my position, my heritage, and my age. And now he’s using the council to fight me.”

Ben leaned forward, his face dark, interjecting, his voice steady. “Let’s not give him more power than he deserves. Echo Canyon has stood for centuries. We’ve handled worse.” “If he’s making it personal, that’s a mistake. We’ve got the community’s support.”

Raven met his gaze, her voice steady but tinged with frustration. “Support isn’t always enough when someone like Whitman has influence. He’s smart. Manipulative. And he’s framing this fight as progress versus tradition. That’s a dangerous argument.”

Raven murmured, “Still, his interest in our history feels … invasive. Like he’s searching for something that’s not his to find.”

Ben’s face darkened, but said nothing, choosing instead to sip his drink. The others exchanged glances, knowing he was holding something back.

Cameron coughed lightly, glancing at Channing. “Speaking of progress… maybe we shouldn’t have told everyone about the drones tonight.”

Raven’s sharp eyes turned to him, and the others followed. “What about the drones?”

“It’s… complicated,” Cameron said, shifting uncomfortably. “We’re trying to strike a balance, keeping the tech on the other side of the lake, but it’s not exactly going unnoticed.”

Raven’s lips pressed into a thin line. “And Whitman will use that too. He’ll twist it, claim that modernization is inevitable, and make it seem like we’re holding the canyon back when we strive to keep the old ways.”

Skylar leaned forward, her voice calm but firm. “Then we need to be prepared. If this is the fight he wants, let’s make sure he regrets it.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group, but the atmosphere remained heavy. Riley looked at Raven, concern etched across her face. “What’s your next step?”

Raven’s expression softened slightly. “I’m focusing on what I can control. New clients, new projects. Keeping the traditions alive in the work I do.” She hesitated before adding, “And maybe bringing in a few fresh voices.”

Riley tilted her head. “Fresh voices?”

“A Sabákari teenager,” Raven said with a wry smile. “Someone eager to learn. The next generation. I figure the best way to fight people like Whitman is to ensure our future is in good hands.”

The group nodded, some smiling, but the weight of the evening lingered as they began to clear the dishes and douse the fire. Riley watched Raven walk with Ben to her car, her steps steady and deliberate. Whitman’s shadow loomed large over Echo Canyon, but in the quiet determination of her friends, Riley saw a flicker of strength that wouldn’t be extinguished.