travlbug

Making up is the bestest. So what brand of coffee do they drink in heaven?

Ordinarily, privacy laws benefit the patient; but in this case, they prevent Cynthia from going directly to the papers, as she would be putting her license at risk. (In the U.S., revealing confidential information would be a HIPAA violation.) Further, she is legally protected by reporting to CPS and the police, regardless of the outcomes of their investigations, but she would be at risk for libel if she goes to the papers and then, for whatever reason (e.g., political pressure, fear of repercussions), Tyson's parents are exonerated. If Tyson's father doesn't already know these facts, the family lawyers will. Thus, while Cynthia's mention of career-threatening headlines is dramatic, it is far from certain that those headlines would ever come to pass. Hopefully, the Belmont-Lovetts will be so afraid of the investigations themselves that they will not try to force Cynthia's hand.

In the present chapter, Cynthia demonstrates how she interacts with Vlady, Tyson, and Edith, sometimes together and sometimes separately; and she also shares some of her insights. I love her entrance into the adolescent wing of the psychiatric facility: The grimness of the situation is emphasized by her use of the sally port--the “airlock style system of locked security doors”--but her first view inside the locked unit is of two sleepy teens cuddled together. (The contrast is beautifully done.) Cynthia acknowledges being “scared” of Tyson's ability to plan and execute a suicide attempt, but she still refuses to transfer him to the high-dependency unit: "'I don't want to separate him from Vladimir,' Cynthia admitted, speaking quietly. 'If I take any more of his freedoms away, particularly the only friend he's ever had, then he'll never trust me again.'" She is willing to break the rules, as it were, in the interest of a better outcome for her charges. In fact, she feels that the boys’ physical closeness is beneficial to both--another rule broken in the interest of successful treatment. Cynthia is able to see Vlady for the sweet, open, and honest person he is, as separate from his disease process, and her view is contrasted with the fearmongering of Tyson's father (for anything “abnormal”) and Dr. Shrubb's view that major episodes should be treated by “caging” the sufferer. Vlady's sunny disposition is reflected by his wish to have his session out-of-doors, and Cynthia (who could have refused) indulges him. Cynthia does an excellent job of recapitulating all her insights regarding Tyson's issues: First, “the only freedom he ever truly had [was] to inflict harm on himself,” leading to his “addiction” to suicide. Second, many of his antisocial behaviors are “elements of himself that were moulded by his parents”--in other word, learned behaviors (which Edith still has in spades). Third, he demonstrates “fits of rage and aggression” as a byproduct of having to repress his true feelings. Fourth, perhaps because of the “good” Tyson beneath the bad, his apparent “narcissism went yin and yang with his self-hatred, his reliance on his privileged background cast a shadow of guilt and unworthiness.” To sum up his situation, “Tyson, thanks to years of cognitive dissonance, was an amalgamation of complex and conflicting learned behaviours and responses,” and only by teasing these issues apart and then addressing them in gestalt can Cynthia hope to show him a new way. She is certainly aware that part of the solution is to keep him out of his parent's clutches--to stop the mental torture--and to “[help] him think for himself and slowly learn to feel and process his emotions in a healthier way.” (While she is aware that Vlady and Tyson are good for each other, she does not seem to realize--at least at this juncture--that Vlady is the actual reason that Tyson no longer wishes to suicide.) I love that Cynthia realizes that her “fight wasn't with Tyson - it was with the environment that created him.” I also love that Cynthia makes clear that she will be Tyson's champion: "'I'm on your side,' she put up her hand to slow him down.... 'I'll take care of you, alright? I promise.'" Cynthia's says of Edith, “That woman is killing [Tyson] and she doesn't realise it. Or she doesn't care." (Of course, the irony in Tyson's wanting to kill himself is that the father “aims to defund the mental health service if elected the state premier.”) Edith's treatment of Tyson actually leaves Cynthia thinking, “What a cold-hearted *****”; and after Edith threatens her with lawsuits, she says internally, “Tyson was right when he called her a ****.” After Edith tries to fire her, Cynthia shows her real mettle: “If you fire me, then I will launch an investigation on you and Mr Lovett. Abuse, endangerment, cruelty, neglect - and that's off the top of my head. Your husband's career will never recover from headlines like that, and that's not taking into account whether the two of you avoid criminal charges." (If Tyson himself had called Child Protection Services [and who knows, maybe he did at one point], I doubt it would have helped him, in view of his parents’ standing in the community, his father's job in politics, and the subtle nature of the abuse [his parents, at least on the surface, appear to provide for his every need]. His parents would simply have branded him a thankless child, a brat, and the case would have been speedily closed.) It would take an adult of Cynthia's standing--as a third party with the appropriate psychiatric credentials--to initiate credible investigations by reporting to CPS and/or the police. While any adverse headlines that follow (if any) would not be under her direct control, at least the threat of such headlines is enough to make Edith leave and provide Cynthia--and Tyson--with more breathing room. And Cynthia's reward: A look of hope, relief, and joy from a young teen, and the knowledge that she's making a difference. 😊

BTW, what “bad things” did Vlady do? (A real concern or remembrances from a psychotic break?) 🤔

Another important point in the chapter is how powerless a mentally ill person can be--that his words might be discounted merely because of his illness. 😧

Despite his upbringing, Tyson is one of the sanest, most reasonable characters in Heart. That said, his parents are the ones who sound like they need a psychiatrist. As time goes by, with separation from his parents, the “real” Tyson begins to emerge--especially in his interactions with others. He shows curiosity about Vlady's schizophrenia, and he also shows empathy, addressing Vlady's demons: "You loud bitches can fuck off. He's mine from now on and I've never been any good at sharing." Vlady's mother has clearly been impressed with him and his generosity to the point that Vlady jokes, “I'm starting to think she likes you more than me.” Neil's action in shielding Tyson from consequences (in the stolen sharpener “debacle”) has “[broken] the intense resentment Tyson harboured towards the system.” (In other words, he responds to TLC.) When Brianna asks Tyson to participate in a therapy session with her, she responds to his honesty by agreeing to his wishes, and he, in turn, awards her a greater degree of trust. When Tyson teaches math to Charlie, “...the distressed and broken boy lit up with the joy of succeeding in his learning, [and] Tyson felt warmth he didn't know existed.” Thus, in the setting of typical human interactions (even though occurring in an atypical place), Tyson shows himself capable of typical human responses. In fact, Tyson's “psychiatric” issues stem from his trying to make sense of the completely nonsensical: As he says of his mother, “Have you ever really hated and loved someone at the same time?" For Tyson to have been exposed to such lifelong cognitive dissonance makes it a miracle that he is doing as well as portrayed. Part of the issue is that his parents have starved him for affection: When Vlady touches his hand, he realizes that “he didn't know physical affection was so... nice, nor did he realise how much he craved it.” Since childhood, he's known that his existence is meant to perpetuate a lie, with his father, a racist politician, trying to show himself as a non racist by marrying a brown woman and having brown kids. Yet, his own father doesn't even talk to him. “I'm not even a person to them, Vlad. Just... an example. I exist just so my dad can pretend he's not a racist.” Further, the cruel training he and his sister are forced to undergo is not even for their benefit but to promote the father's agenda. (Tyson cries as he relates the sad truth to Vlady, but he sees the truth clearly and does not delude himself.) Basically, the husband and wife have tortured their children mentally in a situation where the children, realistically, have no recourse. That Tyson sought escape from this setting (through the only means possible to him) may be construed as showing his sanity, whereas one may wonder about Kelly's decision to accept the abuse. Edith as “Cruella de Vil?” Tyson reveals that she is a “self hating hypocrite” who is “ready to sacrifice her children so that her husband would buy her another exquisite coat.” That she is willing to remove Tyson from the unit before he is deemed cured or safe is just another indication of how little she cares for him. Since Tyson's welfare is not her concern, family therapy seems doomed to failure before it starts. In fact, with both parents virtually psychopathic towards their children, Tyson's psychiatric team will have to find another way forward on his behalf.

Josh sees what's going on between Joe and Xander, but he doesn't have the same clarity to realize what's going on between Gavin and himself. (He really did hit his head hard a few chapters back!) Now that Taylor has fired him, I hope that Josh isn't too stubborn to accept Gavin's offer. Hope things are going better, KD. Glad to see you back. ❤️

The idea of charging an SUV (and getting the points!) is very cool, but here in Southern California, the max that dealers will accept on a card is around $5,000: After giving the best price possible, as per negotiation, the last thing the dealer wants is to pay a credit card company up to an additional 4% of the selling price (unless that fee was a part of the negotiation)! The nicest thing that Lex could have done for the hopeful salesperson is to have paid with a check. Hmmm. The Great Helen Carnak has foreseen love and romance for Cassie at a time when Cassie is bored with her job and ready to leave it: Will she meet her future spouse at the wedding? Somehow, I think that Lex and Ian are about to get themselves a new neighbor!

I absolutely agree. Having her die from some loathsome wasting disease is too easy (and much too satisfying). My own favorite scenario is that the Belmont-Lovett empire crashes and burns in a mess of legal improprieties (leaving Edith as penniless as the people she despises), forcing the clan to flee the country in the middle of the night, and abandoning Tyson in the psychiatric unit to fend for himself. He will then be adopted by a wonderful family (I wonder which?) and live happily ever after. Tyson will use his own accounts (separate from those of his parents--and thoroughly laundered--to pay for Vlady's care. (Well, it could happen that way! )

Tyson's state of mind--how he views others and how he feels about death--is changing slowly as he interacts with others, particularly Vlady, and with time separation from his parents. The very structure of the chapter shows this progression: At first, nothing seems to have changed: He sees an opportunity to steal a razor blade and takes it, almost like a reflex. When Petra asks him about the theft, he lies to her about it, not caring at all if it costs her her job. When Petra brings up the idea of family therapy, he can't help but erupt: "You guys just don't fucking get it!... Do all the therapy and goal setting and self-esteem based shit you want, but if you wanna involve my Mum, then you're out of luck, mate. You should just give up because it will never work." However, one lesson has actually stuck, a first for Tyson: “It's okay to be angry, he reminded himself. It's not okay to abuse people.” Additionally, Vlady has made him more aware of the consequences of his actions. When Vlady has a psychotic episode at lunch, Tyson has an epiphany: “It was me…. I did this. I triggered this episode by stealing the sharpener.” The idea sickens him to the point that he abandons his lunch to hide in the bathroom. (While he doesn't take a positive action, he at least acknowledges responsibility.) When Neil speaks to Tyson through the bathroom door, noting his love for his charges, and even giving Tyson an “out” (for possessing the sharpener) with no recriminations, Tyson has his second epiphany: “Neil cared. Evan, Sue, Alice and Petra cared. Hell, even dickhead Ron probably cared. He just wished his Mum cared.” He remembers Cynthia's support and his affection for Vlady. Something “clicks” in his mind, and he makes the decision to accept life over death--he gives the sharpener back to Neil, realizing that he now wishes to do right by others (especially Vlady) more than he wants to hurt himself. The biggest impediment to Tyson's recovery remains his family, as his death wish stems from how his family treats him: “Edith's answer to Tyson's obvious distress and pain was to crack down on him.” His mother views his suicide attempts as his “being a petulant little brat” and not as a cry for help--for relief from the horrible life that the parents (but particularly Edith) have imposed on him. Even though he is changing internally, Tyson views his situation as hopeless for an excellent reason: As Tyson tells Petra, “Doesn't matter what you think you can do for me because I have to go home to her in the end, don't I?” He feels that he can't escape the circumstances which have caused him to be suicidal in the first place--or can he? An obvious answer to Tyson's dilemma is to sever the parent-child bond, but Tyson is too young for emancipation. However, if Tyson could convince Edith to repudiate him, and if Tyson had the safe haven of another family to take him in…. (Just saying. ) Can't wait to see how the Glitter Giver deals with this issue!

Sablo is learning, and Theo realizes that, despite all Sablo's faults, he is still hopelessly in love with him. Theo's decision to toss him out has actually strengthened their bond. Azrael's empathic nature is beautifully portrayed through his friendship with Theo. Death is actually a warm and understanding fellow! Diego's suggestions on how Sablo can win Theo back are cute, funny, and over the top--especially if he does them all together. My only suggestion would be for him to present himself naked, other than cop boots, so that Theo can see the tattoo! (He can splay himself over the bike and artfully drape the kitten over his private bits--which should work out well unless the kitten finds a new play toy! 😂)

The Elite may have been a superior race at one point, but they are now in their dotage, making serious mistakes which the crew has exploited. (The "Elite" are now the "Senescent." ) Freska, remind me never to annoy you. (By the way, I hope that Freska, with all the information provided by the AIs, has already informed the Central Council about any Elite plant or shill on the Council [as well as revealing the names of all Brox Consortium members]: The Council's fleet may already be speeding towards the crew's location to perform a mop-up operation, with additional personnel sent to destroy the Brox.) And Kohen, don't worry: We'll let you torture the old Elite guy later! 😂 (Everret's idea of cutting out his tongue sounds like a great place to start! )

Does Charlie choose to teach the seven year olds or is he given that assignment as low man on the totem pole? (I.e., does he love children, or is he paying his dues until he can teach the older grades, or both?) I like that Charlie is observant enough to note that driving to (and from) work is silly when it takes all of two minutes to reach his destination. Additionally, walking may allow him to meet other people. I also like that Charlie dresses up for the first day of class: It shows respect for his charges, even though he learns that a casual approach would be acceptable going forward. And as for Tom, I guess we'll find out if he's worth 50 points!

I love that Nemo and Dory are "hidden" in Lex's tattoo, as this is the touch that personalizes it. Lex is clearly making the right decision in sharing his tat with the world (one might think that the picture will be seen only by the patrons of the tattoo shop, but I have a sneaky suspicion that Cassie will make sure that it gets a wider distribution, with instant fame for Ian!). Cassie is a force of nature (it's either that or ADHD!). Far from alienating Kate, she has joined forces with her, and the world will never be the same!

So pleased to see a new chapter! Now, who saw Alex and Noah kissing on the closed circuit TV? No one has mentioned it so far, and I hope there are no homophobes in the new group. At some point in the near future, Alex and Noah will have to talk about the kiss and decide what it means to them.

Can a leopard change its spots? He can at least change his clothes! Clearly, Brandon hasn't given up on Alex and is trying a different tact. At least, he's been a gentleman--so far. Alex has integrity and wants to pay his debts, but his gambling is an addiction: While Alex has been "punished" for what he's done, he really needs a good behaviorist to address the root cause. A "gambling addiction center," as mentioned earlier in the story, may be overkill, but I can't believe that the parents haven't insisted that he see a local psychologist. I agree with @droughtquake that Alex is setting himself up for a fall.

Being a guy he couldn’t help but to browse through the store [Home Depot]. Really? This is an unwarranted heterosexual stereotype, and as a gay guy, I demand an abject apology, with lots of groveling. 😂 (When I'm dragged to Home Depot, I hide in the Garden Section and read.) BTW, it wasn't just Rocky who needed to be told, “Down, boy!”

Kudos to Drew for bridging the gap between the twins and their grandmother: He has helped to initiate the peace talks which otherwise might never have occurred. Kudos to the twins, especially Aria, for accepting Jane's overtures and making the first steps towards a true reconciliation. Again, Kudos to Aria for demonstrating a strong demeanor and taking the helm where Grandmother is concerned. While the earlier portion of the novel shows Aria as fairly shy and delicate, he is coming into his own, and he is actually forcing Amara to follow his lead. (My prediction is that Aria's newfound strength/force of character will continue to grow and become pivotal to our little group's success.) So what is going on with Jay? Drew is clearly disturbed by what he sees in the file: "The images he’d seen in the folder hit him in the stomach like a physical blow." Yet, the pictures don't want to make him abandon Jay. Rather, he wants to join Jay and provide moral support-- protect them from being hurt by Grandmother. As he tells Jeff, "It’s bad, mate, but for Jay. I need to get to them." Whatever is in the folder, it has actually created a "need" for him to be there on Jay's behalf. The implication is that Jay is a victim who needs protecting, but then why would Grandmother hate them so? I love that Drew deflects the twins from going with him: Whatever the issue, he intends on preserving Jay's privacy.

Lex is honest with Rick and Kathy, and his honesty garners their complete acceptance. (Had he held back any part of the truth, their acceptance might have been less forthcoming.) Wedding or no wedding, he is now part of their family. I don't want tickets to see Kathy v. Cassie: I want protection!

Yes, Rilecca, all superior beings stamp their foot when their evil plans fall through! 😂 Another indication that the Elite council has no idea about the trigger words is that the members actually see Dani and Kohen's blank faces but still are fooled. (They may have been suspicious but did not act, and they certainly had time to do so.) A corollary to Rilecca's evil plan, but not actually voiced, is that she would have had to kill the crew to get rid of witnesses after the council was killed. (I wonder if she is also armed with a scanner-proof weapon that she intended to use for "self defense." The crew may want to frisk her now that Rilecca is, at least, temporarily thwarted.) Kudos to Freska, as she may have saved the crew by saving Dani and Kohen! Now, the crew has two important hostages--the head minister and daughter--as well as a potential AI army at their beck and call; and the Elite governing body has just been slaughtered, potentially leaving the Elite in disarray. It's time for our heroes to make their move!

I love that Cassie is promised the first viewing of the tattoo (excepting if Ian's mom insists and Lex wants to live!). Of course, the best way to show everyone at once is a naked wedding! 😂 (Saves on the tux rental. 😏) Second best might be a poster discreetly placed at the reception (possibly above the gift table, as the tattoo is the best gift that Lex has ever received and as Ian is gifted in turn with Lex!). Of course, Lex, if you prefer to take off your shirt and drop your pants for everyone individually over the next month or two, then who am I to spoil your fun? 😁

Mental scars are even harder to endure than physical ones, and the pain can be invisible. At least, Casey is trying to go on with her life.

"You got what you need?” He turned to me then, his eyes bright, and he smiled with a happiness I’d not seen before. His voice was soft when he replied, “Yes, Louis. I have everything I need.” Yet, Max only thought he had everything he needed. He will always remember learning that his Dads wanted him for their own true son on Christmas day, in a place of natural beauty, while surrounded by family. 😊 My thanks to the author for a heartfelt story that shows what love is capable of accomplishing.

I love that Max's hospital farewell is a mini-production: It's nice to know that people care. Max's homecoming is perfect, with a simple family dinner he helps to prepare (with lots of comfort food!). I love that life for Max settles down and that, quite simply, he starts living again--going to school, dressing for Halloween, attending a wedding…. I love that Max is willing to sell his artwork for charity--to help people worse off than himself. I feel sad for Aunt Marylin, as she's destined to be a frog in her next life. (I hope she likes flies.) 🐸

Sablo, you may be a guardian angel, but you're still an idiot!