JLK9N

Late to the responses, but I have been reading, and feeling and mourning alongside everyone. Much has already been said that reflect my thoughts on Robbie and the others, so just a simple thank you and excellent job to Mark for sharing his amazing talent, by making these people come alive from the pixels on the screen.

I think it was this latest chapter where Will described a sound Jeff made as "snaughed." Well, we all know what family THAT sound belongs to. My .02 on the heritage of HJ.

I'm the "glass half full" type, so put me down as seeing this chapter as a message of hope.

I felt the exact same way about Will. But even after running away, after committing acts most would see as dangerous and psychopathic to the person and property of his parents, he gets emancipated and now is the pillar/rock for one of them? At least it wasn't the one he drugged. Maybe Stef and JP should remodel another fabulous room onto Escorial for JJ, so he can be showered with the love and respect he is due, as his actions aren't any worse (and I would argue MUCH LESS troublesome) than of his 'younger' brother.

Being a fan of Robbie, this was tough to read on an emotional level. Other than Stef being the evil bitch (which he does so delicously) everything said, while in anger, was all true. There's no question Robbie (and Brad too, frankly) are failing in their parental roles. But I'm sad there's no one who can try to work through this with Robbie in a way that doesn't get him so defensive. I'm not defending his actions, but I truly don't think he comes to it from a 'bad' place. In situations like this, a gentler style of guidance would probably get Robbie where he needs to be to understand this. It's also sad to really have it laid out bare in this chapter that most of these people only 'tolerate' him because Brad wants him there. Surely by now Robbie has engendered more feeling (and God forbid, love) from the others than just mere tolerance? <sigh> As for this being a set-up for him being offed on 9/11, if so, well I for one will really miss him in the ongoing saga because in so many ways he's the yin to the overwhelming yang of many other members of the family.

I do think Will gets way too much deference from adults, be it sexual or otherwise. Having said that, I thought this most recent chapter showed more of Will being the 14-year-old he is. He was really sad and in tears that he was excluded from a family event. He had every reason to feel that way. (I'm still annoyed at my favorite character for making it happen...) So for me, one of the messages of this chapter is that Will is still a child - one who through a miracle got himself emancipated, looks mature enough to get whomever he wants for sex and is well endowed, but is still very much a child.

What he said. Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas) Hau`oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year)

Aint that it! And, (why not suck up a bit to the author, right? ) in all seriousness, it's a tribute to your skills that we feel so much about these characters, whether it be good or bad. So thanks for the ongoing gift of your writing, Mr. A.

I'm one of Robbie's biggest fans, but I can't support his actions in this most recent chapter. JJ should be able to invite (or exclude) whomever he wants for his birthday party (the one on Saturday) but Friday's dinner is for family, and that means everyone, including Will. Even though Brad and Robbie have their favorites among the three boys, they are parents to all of them and have to teach them 'family values' from time to time. In this case, JJ doesn't get to ban his brother from a family dinner, even for a birthday. So, I am not happy with Robbie over allowing this to happen. I'm never all that happy with Will because of how he acts in general, but that's a whole 'nother story....

I pine for the day when Will really needs Robbie for something, and he realizes how much he's taken his second parent for granted. And Robbie will shower Will with his kind/generous/loving nature. Until then, I simply want the little shit (that would be Will) to get knocked down a peg or ten. But that's just me.

Well, there is that. I dunno, I guess I shouldn't be so annoyed by Will... he is only 14, after all. Maybe it's because it seems to me that anyone who could have a real shot at helping him get his head on straight (Stef, JP, Wade, heck even NANA!) just seem to 'enable' him.

Is it bad of me to hope that the judge smacks Will down when the court hearing happens?

In the process of moving (don't recommend it... stay where you are! Much easier!) so have been reading in between boxes. Will DESPERATELY needs therapy to deal with what happened in Europe. Brad and Robbie and Will (and probably JJ too) DESPERATELY need therapy to get the levels of communication and trust figured out. And while Stef said all the right things and had the right answers, remember this was "Grandma" giving Will money and ENABLING him a very short while ago in CAP time. So I put a little 'crocodile' in those tears from our dear Stef. He's right, of course, and what he said needs to happen, and yeah he's had 'uncomfortable conversations' with Brad off the canvas... but his actions- the ones we see in the story- don't come off as "helpful" until now. Indulging Will in the recent past was certainly not helping matters any, and may have even helped contribute to all of ... this.

This was a pretty big F-up on the part of Brad. And how dare my beloved Robbie be such a bitch! <g> But geez, these guys need to man up and be the parents. How could either one of them even think either kid - or anyone else!! - would give them a pass on this? It's just not cool, not acceptable. Even Will doesn't deserve THAT.

I truly appreciate the concept that those of us who haven't had kids (and are so old we don't remember when WE were 14... ) that it takes a bit to stand back and realize teens like Will DO act this way. And one of the things that has always made me love these stories is how real and multi-faceted the characters are. So while I still think Stef needs to stop undermining Will's parents by giving the boy money, I am quite happy to sit back and watch how things develop. And I do think Brad and my beloved Robbie do need to 'come around' and realize their kid needs more from them. Probably 'because' of all the stuff that happened (in CAP time) in the recent past.