Dodger

Hey Albert, how are you. Hope you're well my friend.

Robbie clearly hasn't been able to get over Nathan. He still has feelings for him, is still attracted to him, and is insanely jealous of his new boyfriend to the point where he would find it difficult to be in the same room. Conner is a nice guy who is eager to have a normal relationship but I'm not sure if Robbie is the right person at the moment. Not because of what happened with Alex, but because he's still obsessed with Nathan. I know she wants to help Robbie but it's still a little odd that she should invite him to her party knowing that Nathan will be there with his boyfriend. This potentially could make Robbie even more depressed and she should know this. It may sound like fun but Robbie should think seriously about the consequences. Jo doesn't like taking risks and she's obviously not comfortable with Robbie's situation at the moment. I guess she has been around long ehough to know the danger signs and she definitely recognizes them in Don's recent behaviour. Robbie needs to be aware and listen to her advice.

I think this was a deliberate tactic by Jo maybe to try to isolate Don. Sue's the weak link and her abilities as a mother are being questioned by someone with the authority to take Robbie away. As you point out, they can't ignore it.

Thank you @Arran for your kind words. I like Jo too and I've been itching to bring her into the story and see what kind of reaction she gets. She works well with Robbie who is completely mesmerized by her. He will find it difficult when she has to move on, but that won't be for a while.

So now Don knows what he's up against with Jo, and he definitely won't want the shame of having Robbie removed by a child protection officer. However, Don will know that Jo can only do this if she has evidence to suggest Robbie is not safe in the house and as far as he's concerned there isn't any. Sue may have challenged him but Don's still in the driving seat or so he thinks.

Poor Ginny has had serious issues with depression, which even Jo has been unable to reverse. Robbie has been a lot more responsive to Jo's therapy but he's not out of the woods yet. There are still serious issues that he needs help with, but Jo isn't going to tell this to Sue. She knows that Don is still a formidable opponent and is concerned by his recent erratic behaviour. She's seen something she doesn't like and this may well be the reason why she decided to push Don into a corner perhaps a little earlier than planned.

Robbie was convinced from the moment he met Jo that she was the right person to help him and so it has proved, but Don is unlikely to back down without a fight.

As long as he doesn't decide to expose himself. That would be too much!

As you know, Tony, it's important for Robbie to understand that there's nothing wrong with him and his recent problems aren't caused by his sexuality. It's the complete opposite to what Don believe and even Sue to a certain extent. Jo has made her intentions clear and Sue will have to make some life changing decisions.

I can't see Don going so easily or calmly. No doubt he will be back to try and assert his authority.

It won't be the first time we've seen Don drunk but it may be the last! While Rebecca has been instilling confidence in Rory, Jo has been doing the same with Robbie. Using different means, of course, but to the benefit of both boys. I hope. This image may be a little difficult even for Don's warped brain to picture. Hmmm..... Interesting. Maybe that's where he goes to late at night. Daniel because they share a room, Nicola because she likes to embarrass him and finds it funny, and Sue and Don from when he was a baby, although he would have changed quite a bit since then.

I like distinct seasons and I enjoy the changes and challenges that each one brings. Even now, at the end of summer I'm looking forward to the winter. Crazy, considering I know what it will bring, but I wouldn't want to live in a place with little or no variation in climate.

“You're his worst nightmare,” said Jo. “A gay son who he can’t control. Someone he believes is turning his family against him and undermining his authority. You represent everything he loathes and fears. No wonder he hates you, sweetie. No offence, but in his eyes, your arrival was nothing short of a disaster and one he could never have predicted. I wonder if he would have been so eager to bring you over here if he had known beforehand you were gay.” “I doubt it. He probably would’ve made up

Of course I'm going to read on, Tim. So we know from the first chapter, there is more to this boy than meets the eye. Stravor's master wants him killed because he will be a future threat to him. "You have the worst in your possession. He who will become. The boy." In this chapter we find out the boy has the ability to communicate without talking, but he's not yet aware of this. It opens up a lot of possibilities. Stravor is basically a good man and I don't think he will be capable of completing his task. Maybe by the end he will have a new master? As long as that evil sword gets what it deserves!

Not usually my genre but I'm glad I started reading this. For me, the detailed description at the beginning was perfect and enough to capture my imagination. I am intrigued by Stavor, but also wary of him. Like the townsfolk, I would give the searcher a wide berth and keep well away from that evil sword. His father's words offered an explanation and perhaps some hope for the boy. I have to believe Stavor will be influenced by them enough to question his allegiance to Hemothracene. I didn't want the chapter to end, Tim. Even though I knew chapters two and three were already posted!

Hello Gary Yeah, I've had a busy summer so far. Hardly any free time to check on the pool activity next door. Probably just as well!

Hey Clo. I'm good. I've been away at my sister's cottage in north east Ontario. It's quite isolated, so plenty of swimming, hiking, and a few beers. In that order, of course. Now I need a few days off to rest.

Hello Bucket. Hope all is good in your part of the world.

Good morning, afternoon, evening. I hope you're all well and active.

Ouch! That sounds painful, but I guess that's what you get after 123 chapters of being a paranoid asshole. I'm impressed that you managed to read it twice. That takes some doing. The next chapter will be posted this weekend. Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

Hope you enjoyed your 3 month camping trip. Robbie could find himself in the middle of a bitter family dispute if he's not careful. It's likely that Don will see him as the catalyst for everything that has gone wrong and try to blame him for his failing marriage, and for turning his kids against him. If the drugs were planted by Don, then this surely has to be the actions of a desperate man who is prepared to set up Robbie rather than question his own crazy beliefs. I don't think he expected Sue to oppose him, but it would have been difficult for her not to, especially knowing Robbie's mental issues. She has already blamed herself for Robbie's condition and promised him things will change. It's a promise she has to keep.

This is so true. I'd like to say this was intended to highlight what people say without thinking, but I have to admit, I wrote it without thinking of what it meant, so I'm probably just as bad. You're quite right though, other than defend himself, the only thing Robbie has done to get under Don's skin was to be himself.

Thanks @daveymars I will look into this program. it sounds interesting. I'm not sure how many hockey playing doctors there are out there. Sounds like it could be a conflict of interest, but at least he would be able to administer first aid to the guy he's just slammed head first into the boards. He's sure to be an improvement on Don though. Don is in for a few surprises but Sue and the principal? Probably not a good idea. Nicola could do with meeting someone like Robbie who would allow her to take control. The good citizens of Yellow Knife don't deserve Don, they have their own grizzlies to put up with. Now that's a little far-fetched. No way would Don fit into the back of a Ford Festiva!

Don is, of course, the trustee for Robbie's trust fund which includes his mother's apartment in London which will likely double in value by the time Robbie reaches eighteen. However, Don's role is strictly limited to overseeing the fund. He's not allowed to make any withdrawals unless in the case of an extreme emergency with Robbie as the beneficiary. For example, if a serious health issue required him to be flown to the US for private treatment at the cost of many thousands of dollars. Don would be allowed to access the money, sell the property etc. to pay for the treatment. Other than that he would have to pay for any habit he may have out of his own pocket. This would have all changed, of course, if Robbie had decided to jump off the end of the pier. In which case, Don would have received the bulk of the funds plus the apartment. I'm not suggesting this was his plan, but he would have benefited substantially from Robbie's demise, and it would have been made a lot easier by the adoption.

There are a couple of secrets from the past waiting to be revealed which may answer some of these questions.