Andrew Q Gordon

Neither did Peter evidently Just wait, things get a bit more complicated. Thanks for all the reviews, in a way each chapter is it's own little emotion or purpose. Seeing what works, and what doesn't resonate with the reader is really helpful.

That is who they are - Peter is more apt to give Jason pet names, is more confident using them than Jason is. He did give Peter Karate Kid but it doesn't come natural to him. What can you do??

Go to school with a bunch of rich kids when you're not and have someone you like treat you like dirt because you were poor and well . . . yeah he has issues with making sure he can take care of himself. Sadly it doesn't get better.

Chapter 27 is up a day early - gonna be busy tomorrow so might not get to it. To those who hate cliffhangers, I'm sorry in advance. I promise not to have too many more in the story, maybe. Here's a link: Chapter 27: Vigil

Jason told Amanda and Erin about the vigil. Both nodded, but said nothing. “Peter’s dad should be here soon.” Amanda put on her coat and gathered her things. Her haggard expression was painful for Jason. She was always so strong and collected. Peter’s rock. Seeing her this defeated nearly brought him to tears. “Call me if there are any problems.” “Do you expect a problem?” Amanda shrugged. “No, but with Tom I always assume the worst.” She appeared as if she was going to say more,

Well let's not get the Yaaaaays out just yet - but this time, this way [expensive as it is] the odds look extremely good for us - Damian [stonedOrchid] is wishing triplets on me which might not be too good in truth but I will not complain

Mike: Thanks you and so many others have always beens upportive - but you know - as a dad and a granddad, I am going to email you when I am going nuts Method: No not that Mark - though I am sure there is an element of God complex there as well Cia: - Not sure what else to say to you I haven't said before - you are always there to shore me up when I freak out. But neurotic Andy might be beyond even you - have to see how that goes - Thanks as always. Zane: We are not telling whose little boys we are using - we both donated, we did NOT mix em up, we told them whose to use, but we are not even going to list the biological dad on the Birth Cert - It's our child not his or mine. Kavrik: - Thanks - I will try not to hurt myself Frosty: Thanks - I am breathing, - yeah right, breathe Stuart: Thanks - now that it seems so much more real, I have no doubts, just getting anxious - Mike too, more than me actually LOL.

Me? Okay I get the hat, but I don't write fast, I had a lot written before I started posting

LOL. Fun chapter. Thanks - I will say the two chapters that I found the most fun [at least to write ] were 9 & 18 but you are almost to 9 so let me leave it at that.

The emails, calls, text message, and anxiety attacks are coming with increasing frequency the last two days. Today was the third and last ultra sound for the surrogate. According to the doctor, the surrogate, let me call her Eve at this point - surrogate is so impersonal - Eve, has 18 follicles - which in layman's terms mean she has 18 eggs developing. In theory each of these can be fertilized and we would have potentially 18 embryos. So being the dim sort, I asked if 18 was good, bad or normal. I didn't need to hear the words to know the answer, the nurse was effuse in her response saying this was pretty darn high, with high = good. I think I mentioned last time we paid extra for the 'insurance' plan which entitled us to a lot of additional attempts for 1/3 the cost of a single attempt. Well I realized on Monday - yesterday - that we didn't actually pay for the insurance plan because we had to 'accepted' first. Accepted means we were medically cleared. When I mentioned this to our agency's case manager, he expressed amazement that we needed to be accepted. It was at that moment I realized that the clinic is screening to see who is least likely to NEED the insurance. i.e. if the patient has a low possibility of getting pregnant, they aren't going to offer the insurance, because medically they aren't likely to get pregnant on the first go round and are more likely to use the extra attempts. Now let me say, I love this doctor and his staff. Money grubbing are NOT words I would use to describe them. Knowing what I do for a living and recognizing that we had to save up for years to get to this position, they have actually waived fees totaling in the thousands of dollars for us. That tells me that while they enjoy making money, they are not squeezing every last nickel from people. Or at least not from people like me who are struggling to pay for this. So the idea that they were screening and offering this only to folks who most likely wouldn't need it, was a bit of a shock. When I mentioned this the partner, he questioned whether or not we should buy it. I mean we have all the optimal factors in our favor, Eve's age, her response to the fertility drugs, the fact she is not only the egg donor but the carrier. All of these suggest we have a 90% chance of her getting pregnant the first time. - I bought the insurance anyway. If we end up in that 10%, we wouldn't be able to afford a new attempt. But on the other hand there is a 90% chance we just flushed $4800 down the drain because she is going to get pregnant. I should be upset about this, but for some reason I see it as money well spent. Okay back to One Week. Things are moving much faster than anticipated - another good sign right?? We were told as late as last night that egg retrieval would likely be this weekend, with Saturday being the most likely day. But today, after the ultra sound, it was determined that Eve is having very good response to the fertility drugs - remember the giddy nurse? - and that they are going to do the retrieval in two days - Thursday. That means they will do the implantation on either Sunday or next Tuesday - one week from today. Holy Shit! Unlike the first three attempts. these are live embryos, they are not a hope that sperm and egg will meet and create embryos. Nope, some guy named Mark is going play mother nature and connect to the boy and girl parts himself - do you think he something feels like God???. When they implant the embryos it is not insemination and hope. This is the big time. Holy Shit!! So if you don't see me for a bit next week, it means I fainted, hit my head and I am in the hospital recovering. This time it's going to work, I can feel it. We are going to be dads. What the hell have we gotten ourselves into? Holy Shit!!! [PS - I apprecitate those of you clicked the little "+" for this blog and the previous entry but for reasons beyond the control of anyone - they do not get added to my total - so don't waste those "+" that you have. They just go somewhere into the great unknown. It appears that only points given the responses get credited to the person. [at least that is how it is on my blog] Thanks Andy]

I agree that texting and even talking on the phone is stupid but I can't say I don't talk while driving. Although I use an ear piece, it is only marginally better. Yes I know it is dumb, and honestly, I am not as important as I like to think when I answer the call because it is someone from work. I think I will make a concerted effort not to do it anymore. As for texting, while I don't text while driving, I am guilty of reading them - which is probably not a lot better. Another note to self - don't even read them. One other thought. Texting/Talking isn't the only thing we should ban, it is just the most visible. Yesterday on the expressway we saw someone reading a sheet of paper she had up against the steering wheel - most likely directions. That is no better than reading a text. I suppose i need to avoid that too. If this were a test, I just got an F-. Thanks for the PSA Sky - i think I am going to spread it around work tomorrow. Andy

In little bits like those, you're giving the reader information overkill. We've figured out Darryl's problem after he speaks, so we assume Jason has, too (i.e. you don't need to say "now he understood"). And when Jason asks Pete to come in and piss, we get that he realized he had to pee. I'm working on this myself; I think it becomes an issue particularly with 3rd person limited . . . maybe that's why so many people write in first :-) King - - Okay well that was a bit riske but really, that was fairly tame, I mean think of what YOU were picturing in your minds eye, and I could have been that detailed - That would be riske As for the other issue you raise, you should see a significant reduction in those redundancies in future chapters. Where you are, was before Anyta set me down and got me to recognize these things - so good catch

To steal a line from Nephy - the true Mistress of Cliffhangers - what cliff?? I don't see no cliff? But, um, next chapter - there might actually be a cliff there at the end - Thanks for reading and I will have 27 up in a day or so. Andy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTA!!! 25 rocks! Have some fun today. Hopefully you didn't hurt Steve too bad for his comment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEN!!!!! Have some fun and make it a good one.

Thanks, I was trying to show their romance at first before - well why spoil what's to come. Hopefully you will like what is to come. Andy

Thanks Chris, glad you enjoyed it after how much I busted on you for not reading it. Hopefully I can keep you interested for a few more chapters.

ME??? I think Jordan did quite enough to Peter. I don't need to do anything for things to get worse. I can tell that . . . um no, you will need to wait for thursday :PThanks for reading, I promise TO drag this out a bit longer before you find out what happens to KK. [Yes I meant to say I AM going to drag it out ]

I love little bits of reality in the middle of romantic build-up Also, I can really relate to Peter's issues with his ex Hayden-- feeling inadequate about the whole money thing-- great dialogue in that part. Came across as very realistic. King, Thanks for the post, I always wonder if the 'little bits' are helpful, right, needed, stupid, silly etc. Knowing it adds to the reality makes me feel better, that is the idea, but just because I think it works doesn't mean it is right. Money is going to be an issue through out. Nuff said on that. Thanks again for the helpful feed back. Andy

Sorry, but yes, things are about to get worse. Well I would hope Jordan gets shanked in jail, but I shouldn't wish ill on anyone right? Thanks for reading. Next chapter will be up in a couple days.

Cia, if you are smart you will never give me your phone number and maybe even changed your email. I am so going to be pestering you when I am at wits end Honestly, this looks like the real deal this time so I'm getting excited and a tad anxious now. But I have wanted/waited for this for so long, I am just going to keep reminding myself all that went into making this happen if ever I feel the urge to smother 'them at the 4th wake up call in 5 hours.' That and Mike is SO much calmer a personality than me

Frosty dear, this days has at least three more chapters to go - Soccer Boy's day isn't close to being over. Neither he nor Karate Kid are out of the woods yet. As I said in the chapter end notes, things are about to get worse.

I believe it was Yogi Berrea who said - it ain't over til it's over - so don't count him out yet. There is a bit more to go, I would say I am only a little more than half finished with chapters - though these are going to be shorter than the first 20 odd ones. Still got a bit to go before this is over.

Chapter 26 is up. As promised, I will be posting twice a week. For those of you anxious, this chapter does not resolve a lot of questions about Peter's condition - sorry. But it does flesh give some answers to a question or two. Here is a link for the current chapter. Chapter 26

The interview lasted another hour. By the time they were done, Jason was almost asleep. "Let me take you home," Detective Belle said. "You look like you're about to pass out." Jason shook his head. "No, thank you. I need to stay here." "Are you sure? There is nothing you can do right now." "You don't know that," Jason said with a bit more anger than he intended. "What if he wakes up?" "Then you'll see him when you get back," the older man replied. Jason could feel his stomac