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Now What? James didn’t know where to look, at first, glancing from Carol and Jim to the door Casey just walked through, but he quickly recovered and walked out after Casey, closing the door after him. Casey was sitting on the deck, his legs dangling off the edge, a couple of feet off the ground. He was leaning against a post, and made no move when the door opened and closed – just kept staring at a spot on the ground. James sat next to him and wrapped his arms around Casey, leaning his head aga

Parents in the 50s said much the same. And the 70s, and the 80s. And the 90s. As for politics, a large percentage of Americans surveyed would not object to government by the military in some form or another. In a democratic republic, we have an uninformed electorate voting (those who bother) and basing their decisions on name recognition, so the reality tv star has the leg up on the zodiac killer.

How peacocks shake their tail feathers The lead-in to the article states, Male peacocks fan their colourful rear feathers and shake them, but somehow keep their plumes' iridescent circles, or eyespots, nearly still, like a fixed stare. Since this is an author's website, I'll point out that writing "male peacock" is as redundant as writing "male cock" when referring to a rooster. The gender-neutral name for the species is peafowl.

Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter, but I'm glad you enjoyed the re-read. As for luck, Casey's isn't all brown and smelly, as you see. Yep, he's still got blood relations. Casey's Not Done Yet.

Thanks for the comments. As I've told some young friends, you can't prevent bad stuff from happening, but the good things are what give you the strength to carry through. Let's hope Casey's got the credit in his account.

Glad you liked it. One of the greatest joys "fun" parents have is making their kids blush. And photos like that often turn out to be the kids' most favorite. Mixed feelings indeed.

Morning Light Casey woke to the sound of dishes clattering and soft voices downstairs. The smells of breakfast cooking reminded him of his first morning in this house, but this morning, he woke up to find James’ arms wrapped around him and their legs tangled together. He smiled, feeling James wedged into the cleft of his backside. He breathed a sigh and nestled in a little tighter. James must have felt him move, because he took a deep breath and squeezed Casey tight before nibbling his ear an

Hey darlin'. Always good to hear from you, whatever the season or reason. They say that every artist must be a marketer, or hire one.

Hey Drew! Happy Birthday, dude! I hope it was full of square pi's and inverse functions! Remember, the day doesn't end until midnight. If that's not long enough, remember, discounting daylight saving time, you've got 'til 1:00 a.m..

I'm really glad you like the edits/rewrites. It was a tough decision to pull back what was already posted, and I guess I lost some readers in the process, but it was the right thing to do. Slowing the pace, the reader gets to know the characters a little better, and the holes in the storyline are a lot smaller. Writing this chapter felt really natural and inevitable, and that's how I wanted James and Casey to feel about each other and their relationship. Thanks for reading, and thanks for taking the time to comment.

It was a really tough chapter to write, but I've been around foster kids, and could tell true-life tales that are much worse. Thanks for your comments.

It was a really tough chapter to write, but I've been around foster kids, and could tell true-life tales that are much worse. Thanks for your comments.

Never underestimate the power of curiosity. Encountering two outgoing guys on horseback is unusual, even in small town Texas. I lived outside Bastrop for a few years,so I've tried to just paint a faithful picture. It sounds like I might have succeeded.

Honoring your commitments is a big part of building character. Jeremy, you've done a great job by working to pay off your debt, even if it's taking a while. Whenever somebody walks away from a debt, a creditor has to raise rates overall to cover the loss. That hurts the rest of us. Tim's right - it's stealing. Too many students bought into the belief that the more you spend on education, the more you'll earn. I have a friend who got a law degree from the University of Houston. His brother got a law degree from Harvard. The guy who studied in Houston retired twenty years ago; his brother will have to work for ten more years. Then there's Jeremy's point about borrowing money for living expenses, rather than the education alone. Kids in high school aren't taught practical skills like managing their finances, and nobody else teaches them, so they overcommit easily.

Thanks for reading, and posting your thoughts on the chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading, and posting your thoughts on the chapter. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Structural or electrical engineering might be good fits with your love of math. Both fields pay decently, and both are in demand. Think about prospective employers, too. National Instruments is an extremely desirable employer, and is always looking for electrical/electronics engineers for R&D.

Bowie was a part of growing up. Some songs I loved, some less so, honestly. I don't think of him as a great musician, or actor, or producer, though he was certainly talented at all of them. The man successfully reinvented himself over and again. He managed to make and remake himself relevant for decades. Maybe his greatest attribute was as a harbinger of style and fashion. Musical style, lifestyle, appearance, schools of thought. Bowie often sailed in uncharted waters, and shone a light in dark corners.

I was never a competitive athlete, but always kept active. As a kid in school, it was running. In my twenties, MMA and fencing (rapier). In my thirties, bicycling and fencing (broadsword). In my forties, paddling canoes and kayaks. Now, although I still pull out my bike or kayak once in a while, I do more hiking and backpacking than anything else.

Finally? It's only been 20 chapters, and I'd like to think there's more to the guys than "that". I really believe gays need to believe this can happen, and that there's reason to hope. That's what I really wanted to write into this chapter. Thank you very much for reading, and taking the time to comment.

Soon. And thanks.

Good people find allies, and societal attitudes have changed a lot in a few years. Maybe this time, those will overcome the hatred taught at home. At any rate, the haters have been exposed, and there will be a reckoning.

Thanks. Last year, I met two young couples online, who had each been through great personal challenges to come together. Their relationships have inspired a lot of the arc of this story line.

Fan the Flames Life had settled into a rhythm since Sam was hurt. Sam and Casey both quit the team. The coach was unhappy with them, but more unhappy with the rest of the team, and the way they'd let down a teammate. Determined to dig out what he called "the rot," he drilled the boys. He worked them as hard as he could. And he called upon them to join him in volunteering for every charitable cause in the community. Slowly, the grumbling subsided. With more time on his hands, Casey became a reg

Merry Christmas, everybody! I hope you're spending it with the one(s) you love, and your spirits are high. I hope you're spending it in a peaceful place, free of fear. Hugs on the wind, friends.