travlbug

This story would make a great movie! Carter could do "voice over" while sharing his thoughts. (Hallmark channel, eat you heart out!) I wonder how long it will take until Carter realizes where his true happiness lies. 😏

Love this chapter! Eli should bottle his wisdom and sell it, he's that good. Dogs 1, weed 0. Mom may be scary while dispensing tough love, but this is exactly what Riley needs. For the first time, Carter questions his ability to take care of Riley, but Riley provides the perfect antidote. We finally get a logical explanation for Trey's behavior towards Riley, and it suddenly turns Trey into a sympathetic character. As always, the banter between the characters is priceless. I will be very sorry indeed when this novel is finally finished, but it feels like we're getting close. 😥

I am relieved to see that Riley's concern for the family's safety has been addressed: Dad says "we have the best security system money could buy. Plus, ever since you ran away we added motion alarms to every door or window," not to mention the outdoor cameras. He goes on to note "we are basically a fort." Walter then has the brilliant idea of asking Riley--"one of the best thieves in the South side"--what he would do to improve security. Riley's response--"dogs"--couldn't be more perfect. I love how excited Walter becomes over the idea of having dogs; and with Riley getting peace of mind out of the deal, it's a double win. I am touched by Eli's perception of Riley, as told to Carter: "People like Riley, they're rare, but if they survive long enough they can change the world." While Carter may not have said it as eloquently, he makes sure that Riley knows that "we all believe in you." While Riley views himself as "just a kid from the streets who got lucky," his loved ones clearly see him as a diamond in the rough. However, my favorite part of the chapter is the very last line: "Now I know the James' are my real family, and no one could ever replace them." Since when did Riley get so smart?

Adam is only surmising that his father was a "hero," at the end, trying to save his boy from being killed: l wonder if he'll follow through to find out what Mike has to say about it (although Mike's version may prove a self-serving lie). We all have to believe what makes life livable, so if Adam can forgive his father and move on with life on the basis of a conjecture, then I'm all for it.

Nice seeing Eli and hearing from Aidan again: They feel like old friends. Riley was his old, grumpy self, so I think that Eli's visit is doing him good. I'm also glad to see that Eli is healing as well. Trey is still a wild card, and paired with an Ace.... I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. And Riley, just because Carter's a bit jealous of Eli doesn't mean he doesn't trust you--feel flattered! You've still got the perfect boyfriend, as he's proven over and over again.

Poor Jeffrey: Being restrained and exposed to aliens, not to mention "pissing himself" in front of them; being conditioned against maple syrup (blasphemy); and being subject to "unbearable, horrible pain"--no wonder he's in a prissy mood. Still, shame on him for taking it out on Sean, though admittedly, Sean (with his romantic dream) seems to be getting the better deal. What a surprise when Jeffrey tries to visit the basement! The aliens have really done a number on him with their conditioning. (Now, of course, I'm dying to know what lies hidden down there!) Jeffrey and Sean are even deeper into their mind meld then before: I love the scene where Jeffrey experiences an orgasm just because Sean is having one. (Mom always said that sharing is a virtue.) And just think of the possibilities with consensual sex! Fun chapter. My thanks to the author.

Interesting that Sean and Jeffrey's telepathy has a specific range. I'm very curious as to the reason for the limitation. Love the scene where the boys mess with Emily! After all, it's "magic." The dream scene, with the boys floating naked together and sharing a kiss, has the earmarks of an alien abduction, and I wouldn't be surprised to find that the experience was somehow real. It was also cute to see how Sean reproduces the kiss outside of the "dream." Thanks for the chapter. More, please!

Mystery, personal telepathy, an incipient romance (maybe), and aliens. Love it! More, please.

Brian found Eric cheating by accident, not as part of a plan by Eric to end their relationship: Eric did not break off his relationship with Brian even after giving up on it, and he never forced the issue with Brian--i.e., over his need to spend more time with Brian--allowing his love to die slowly while Brian's love remains in full force. While both parties are clearly at fault, Brian's crime--being oblivious to the needs of his partner--may be far less heinous but just as clearly shows the need for good communication as the bedrock of a long-term relationship. I love second chances, and Brian and Timothy both appear deserving of one. And at least, this time around, Brian has learned his lesson.

I have a feeling that Carter and Aron are about to embark on a long and interesting journey together. (I sound like a fortune cookie! 😁) While Carter's soul may have moved into Alex' body, there is no guarantee that Alex, as Alex, survived the accident, and Carter may have moved from an irrevocably damaged body to what otherwise would have been an empty shell. Can't wait for the next installment.

The new Riley is still fragile, and David's death has him questioning his self worth and his own future safety. (If the Saints killed David just because he was related to Riley, then what do they have planned for Riley himself or the members of his new family? How can he assure everyone's safety?) I'm glad that Riley finally sees that he is not a bad person by "ratting" out the Saints: "I didn't snitch on the Saints for my own good. I snitched on the Saints to right their wrongs. I know I said I wasn't loyal, but fuck their version of loyalty. They would've sold me up river without thinking twice." This turnabout in perception is vital to Riley's healing but does nothing to decrease the danger to him and his loved ones. I am on tenterhooks to see how Ace handles this issue. I love Eli's surprise appearance: If anyone can get to Riley, it's Eli. (Walter, you're brilliant.) With just a single encounter, Eli has Riley expressing his love for Carter in a room full of people and apologizing to his mother for his previous outburst. Eli will sleep with Riley, go to school with Riley, and generally shadow Riley to help him through his crisis of faith. He is Jiminy Cricket to Riley's Pinochio and will make sure that Riley's thoughts remain well grounded.

If I were Riley, I'd want to check if any of Trey's relatives were in the Saints.

A powerful chapter. Riley got more than he bargained for at the prison, but at home, he "finally has the family [he] wished for." It's been an amazing journey for him, but happiness is finally within his grasp.

This chapter is intriguing in that it shows Riley in pain for virtually the entire chapter and how it affects, not only him, but his relationship with others: He starts out highly irritable: He has no internal editor and lashes out, even to Carter. While this approach may have worked on the streets, possibly even adding to his bad-boy image, it doesn't work well with family and friends: Carter gets stern with him, saying "...You're not going to take it out on everyone around you. Got it?" Excellent advice, and Riley begins to take it to heart. However, he finds it hard to fight the pain, and he actually has to isolate himself because of it: "Everything they did sounded like gunshots in my head. ...It all felt like small explosions in my mind." He literally has to leave the table and go upstairs to calm down. Still, he tries his best, and when he comes back downstairs, he answers his mother very differently than he answered Carter, when Carter asked the same question: When she says, "How do you feel?" he lies and says "better" just to make her feel better, showing himself capable of empathy--of thinking beyond himself--even through the pain. He acknowledges to Carter that he feels ugly, but it's difficult to know how much of the problem is driven by pain or even self pity: As he says earlier in the chapter, "All my scars, hell, even my bullet wound never really bothered me. So why does this?" Carter's response, that it's all about confidence, shows great insight, and the fact that he gets through to Riley despite his pain is a clear tribute to Chris Hemsworth (just kidding!). I was surprised that Nancy makes Riley do schoolwork while he is in such pain. However, it certainly distracts Riley, and she shows incredible patience with him. In turn, Riley opens up somewhat and discusses his childhood with his own birth mother. The contrast between the 2 mothers couldn't be more stark; and whether it's the pain, the pain pills, or Riley's overall vulnerability at this time, he acknowledges that he loves Nancy--his real mom--and says "I'm so glad you found me." He is finally willing to share his emotions, and he internally acknowleges that "she accepts everything about me with unconditional love. I know I mean the world to her, and I hope she knows that she means the same to me." While I wouldn't wish a similar situation on anyone, I think that Riley has actually gained more than he has lost: In a very real way, the adversity of losing his eye has made him realize just how well he is supported and loved. And, Ace, you made me cry again. (For shame.)

Cia, you're scaring me!

It was wonderful to hear Riley sharing his honest feelings, and all it took was a little narcotic! (Maybe next time, Riley will be more forthcoming even without the chemical assist.) Riley and Carter confirm their love, and Riley freely gives himself into Carter's care at the time he feels most vulnerable--an act which, in and of itself, speaks volumes. I love that the parents give permission for Carter to share Riley's bed, as they give their explicit approval to the relationship, if not to any monkey business. 😊

What a roller coaster! At first, Riley is mellow but serious after smoking weed and asks to see his birth father, showing that he still has unresolved issues. Then, he experiences night terrors/anxiety, forcing a day off from school. Subsequently, he experiences a high when talking to the middle school students about basketball, with the coach noting that he has never seen Riley smile as much. (He may have found his future occupation!) Finally, he faces his operation with trepidation, and he has a bad physical response as he comes out of anesthesia. Riley could certainly use another high in his life right now, but I'm fearful of his response when he sees his unbandaged face in the mirror. I love the minor focus on Tak in this chapter. He really loves Riley as a brother, and it shows: He realizes that his brothers have been smoking, but he promises not to tell in exchange for sleeping in Riley's bed. When Riley shows up at his school, Tak is delighted and hugs his brother in front of the entire class. He introduces his brother with obvious pride, showing at the same time he doesn't care that Riley's gay. Talk about unconditional love: I hope that some of Riley's smiles were because of his great little brother, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Tak play a greater role in Riley's ultimate redemption.

Tibot's decision to help his brother is nice, but is it necessary? As the evidence against Adam is mostly doctored, he would likely prevail in any event. I hope the underworld involvement doesn't come back to bite him.

The school itself may have penalties for on-line bullying.

It's a joy seeing Nick encountering all these firsts in his life! The best miracle of all is his new family, with an awesome boyfriend thrown in for good measure. And what of Hannah? We'll just have to wait and see, but I sincerely hope it wasn't Nick's skin color, or his status as a foster kid, which gave her pause. As Mrs. C. says, Nick is "one of the good ones," and it's about time that he is surrounded by people who can love and nurture him for the good guy he is.

I love this chapter: Grandma doesn't let Riley down as she shows acceptance for Carter and his relationship. Nancy may be mother bear, but Walt doesn't let her get too protective: He overrides her veto and assures Riley that he will get his driver's license. (I don't know Nancy's reasons for wanting to deny Riley his license, but if her concern relates to his having only one eye, then shame on her.) Carter's role in convincing Riley to have his surgery is revealed, leading to the best lines in the chapter: Carter says, "You actually listen to me?" and Riley responds, "Depends on the day." Again, Carter shows himself to be the perfect boyfriend by assisting Riley with his dyslexia while preventing him from feeling embarrassed. It is also to Riley's credit that he accepts the help. I love that dad says, "One day, we're going to lock them [Aaron and Riley] both in a room and see what happens," with a subsequent scene showing Aaron and Riley together in their room. So what happens? They argue about the marijuana, but far from killing each other, they wind up sharing a bonding moment. "'I'm glad I caved,' [Aaron] said, as we made eye contact. 'I have missed hanging out with you,'" and Riley commits to finding more time to spend with Aaron. Riley's life has really turned around. So what could possibly go wrong? 😅

I still don't trust Trey. He's gone from nasty to nice a little too quickly.

OK, Ace, you've lulled our suspicions, so when is the axe going to fall? 😉

Riley continues to mature: His relationship with Carter is flourishing, and he is more willing to confide in him. He is civil to Carter's father, which even Carter finds somewhat weird. He tacitly agrees to accept the surgery for his eye, even when he truly doesn"t want it. He realizes that he has to be a better big brother to Tak, even though he has to have the problem pointed out to him. Riley may not be out of the woods, but the love of his boyfriend and family is clearly transforming him.

Jake has had time to think: He already knows that the safety was still engaged so that Klaus could not have shot him. He realizes that he still loves Klaus in that he can't stop thinking about him even when on a date with another man. He realizes that it is Klaus who covers him with a blanket while on the plane--a small act, to be sure, but one which suggests that Klaus still cares. He then finds out that Klaus has been "politely" making sure that the male wedding guests know that he is already taken. As far as Jake is concerned, the "conversation" has already happened, and he tells Klaus, "...let's just fuck." When Klaus says, "Jake, we should talk first, Jake's response--"Like fuck we should"--is classic. The make-up sex that follows provides a better declaration of their love than a conversation ever could. I think that there may be a double wedding after all. 😉