jess30519

David may have a mild form of OCD, but as far as we know he doesn't show many of the classic symptoms, like constantly checking and re-checking if he closed his locker properly or lining up all the objects on his desk. An OCD person wouldn't just suspect that someone might have been in his room, he would know for certain with just one glance! True, he is very picky about the food he eats, but IMO that's just a healthy reaction to the crap that Tommy's mother cooks up! David's biggest problem is that he overthinks things, sometimes to an extreme where he's inventing really improbably scenarios that he might have to deal with. But I had more than a few friends in high school who did the same thing. Still, David might be taking it a bit too far in this chapter! SkinnyD, you've got me thinking about David and Twoey while I'm supposed to be working! Okay, I might have spared a thought or two for Matty and Martin... ;-) But with each chapter these characters are turning into real people that I feel I ought to be concerned about! Well done! And thanks for writing and sharing!

Whoa. I think Matty has his hands full with Martin! Or something full! Whew! Martin could replace David in Matty's dreams for a while, I think. Who'd a thunk there were so many gay boys in one small town?! Hm. David is speculating on how to answer any questions Twoey may have about David's feelings for him. So he isn't quite as naive as I thought he was; clearly he's been doing some thinking on that topic, but he seems to be still opting for being straight. Well, good luck with that! :-) And what's up with the annoying kid that sits behind David? I can't wait to find out how this little interaction figures in the story, but I have a feeling that it does...

When David first met Twoey and experienced the instant attraction, he reacted so strongly to the possibility that he might be gay; he was in total denial. Then after Chris told him that both Danny and Twoey, members of David's close group of friends, were gay, I would have thought David would be suspicious of every boy who showed the slightest interest in him. Like Matty, particularly, but he just isn't picking up on that vibe at all. I know when I found out that one of my little gang of friends was gay, I started analyzing every word, every move that any of 'em made, looking for signs of gayness! But David is so naive and preoccupied with other things; he really does set himself up to be blindsided by events. And how can David's father not intervene or try to mediate when he sees that his wife and his son are locked in some kind of battle of personalities. Or Tommy and Liz, for that matter. I suppose some families are like that.

So Twoey really doesn't remember what happened to Danny. Not unexpected, nor uncommon, for events surrounding a severe head trauma to be erased. If Twoey is lucky his memories of that fateful day will never fully return. And since nobody else knows how he and Danny connected (not that way! Jeez) that afternoon, he may only have a vague idea that something happened there... Oh wait - Twoey did tell Ginny about Danny and him... But I think Ginny ought to break Danny's death gently, and bring him up to date with whichever version has been given out to the public before he leaves the ICU and his friends are allowed to visit. How she handles the difference between what she knows about Twoey and Danny, and what has been publicly released will be interesting. Good thing she's a psychologist!

On your "stories" page, the synopsis mentions a New Years deadline. I may have missed something important (probably!), but I don't think we know anything about this deadline yet. Many more revelations to come, I think! Thanks for writing and sharing, SkinnyD!

David's meditation ability is so effective at medical diagnosis and cures, I wonder if he can do other stuff with it. He should aim that thing at Tommy's mother and Pastor Johnson! Maybe work a minor miracle or two; that would change their attitude!

I found this story by accident recently, and I'm loving it! The balance between serious and humourous is perfect, IMO, and all the characters and their interaction is well done too. I know I should have been leaving comments but I blasted through the first few dozen chapters without stopping. I'll try to do better. I do hope you can finish this story - by my calculation there are a *lot* of chapters to go! ;-) Thanks for writing!

Congratulations! At least you have a user's manual for the crib; there won't be one for the baby! And every one is different, so a whole lot of the well-meaning advice you will no doubt receive won't apply. As Puppilull said, try to be kind. And read books with the child from the very beginning! Lots of books! Good luck! Oh, and a new baby should keep even Dashi awake! ;-)

John Deere green with a yellow accent, I trust! :-) What manner of conversion does a chicken coop need to accommodate imminent chickens? Bunk beds? Hot tub?

Aw, man! How very frustrating and disappointing for you. *throws lawyers into the branch chipper*

Damn. The iPad is covered in tears now. What a lovely, happy, totally unexpected ending to a wonderful story! So nice that Boris is half of the creative team! I can just see him nosing the keyboard! You do have a gift for making your readers feel deeply all the emotions as the tale unfolds, perhaps more so in this story. I enjoyed every word - thank you for writing and sharing it with us!

Uh oh. Maddie isn't going to give Oli a moment of peace until she gets to meet Boris. Are there life-like robots in the Sashaverse? Holograms? Gotta be a way... Bittersweet flashback to Alex proudly saving the drawing of Ruff; just a shame he could never communicate that pride to his son. Perhaps there will be a breakthrough at lunch on Sunday...

Oh my. What an incredibly beautiful chapter. How do you manage to pack so many different emotions into thirty-six hundred words? The love that radiates from Oli and Boris; playfulness with the spaniel; humor – supposing someone saw a wolf reading a Mathis book; and the sadness of poor wistful Oli always settling for second best. Burning the letter was heartbreaking. But he and Boris truly love each other as they are, and their future looks bright, indeed. So it doesn't really matter if they will never be the same shape, does it?

Boris certainly doesn't mince words! But the situation is hardly a normal after-dinner scene: two humans, one of whom was recently a wolf surrounded by three canines, two who were recently humans, plus one genuine dog... One can hardly expect genteel conversation! And how could Andrea not know, after all the years? She is a very smart woman. If only she could help Her son and his boyfriend solve their out-of-sync problem.

How tragic that Oli's painting of Ruff was lost in transit! His big achievement - first ignored by his father and he didn't know why, then it is just gone. Poor Oli! Nice little cameo with Kieran and Robin; at least there is one couple living happily ever after! Perhaps Oli and Boris will get there, someday...

Oli and Boris are surely the perfect couple! And I believe that would still be true if they were ever the same shape at the same time. *sigh* I love Oli's mum - apart from being a wonderful person she must have the patience of Job to still be with Alexander. Now, does Buddy knowing the probable reason for his reverse shifting help our happy couple in any way? Can't wait to find out!

How you manage to infuse your characters with so much depth, in such an economical way is truly wonderful. When Oli and Stuart were heading for the bedroom I was yelling, "No! Don't do it!" at my iPad. Poor Buddy... and poor Stuart, too! Curious to see how this pet shop deal pans out; maybe Buddy becomes a star, and is enticed to Hollywood. On we go!

Heh. I made almost that exact recipe last weekend. Didn't have a wolf (or anyone) to help, though. Oli should read Farley Mowat's "Never Cry Wolf" to Buddy, if they get tired of Call of the Wild. I see in the comments that there is plenty of hatred for Alexander. As a human he is abrasive, but no worse than my own stepfather, or the fathers of many of my friends, come to that. As a wolf, he seems to behave like the dominant wolves in other stories. Apart from the affair with Ana, of course. Werewolves seem to be complicated!

Are these two to remain moon-crossed lovers forever? OTOH, it would be awesome to have a dog that you know understands every word you say. And that gets to respond verbally once a month, not to mention payback for any perceived affronts... Liam seems to be a lovely person; too bad it could never work out. Being a werewolf can be tough!

Your way with words is truly marvelous. A lovely chapter, sweetness tinged with a little sadness. They are both so happy with life as it is, man and wolf soon to switch places, that I fear for some impending doom. But this is a Sasha World, so anything can happen and probably will!

Yay! John Deere t-shirt! Excellent choice. *hugs Boris* There has to be a way for Oli and Boris to get together in the same shape, but I don't see how that can happen. Yet. I think it is as frustrating for me as it must be for them! They really deserve to be in sync! I have a feeling that things will work themselves out, though. On to chapter 7!

Whoa. Alexander and Anastasia! Poor Oli! What a thing for him to see. I gotta admit, my first thought was, good thing she's spayed! Yeesh! And to think Alex had planned this for years. I wonder if Oli's mum knows... Meanwhile, if Oli and Boris can't get their phases in sync, what they might get up to would be worse! Moving right along...

Ha! I knew it! Well, no, of course I didn't know about Boris - but I had a strong feeling that the story was about to take a sharp turn into unexpected territory. Now I can't wait to read Boris' story. *refills tea mug and settles back on sofa*

A very happy chapter, full of contentment. Nice. I love that, throughout all your stories, scents have colours. I've always thought so, too. Is all this peaceful description of Oli's daily routine merely setting us up for something dramatic about to befall him? Must read on, to find out!

Looking at the previous comments, it seems some were unsure about the flashbacks. I found that they work very well to establish Oli's background, and that they are in sync with the current situation is good, too. Buddy certainly understands Oli, and has an avid interest in what Oli does in bed, too! Does this mean that Buddy is a gay werewolf? Maybe...