mayday

beautiful, vivid - thank you!

Chase seems to improve. He seems to have gotten over his depression bout and started to act. Great to read how he reaches out to his father and Hank. Lovely scene with the dog. Seeing Hank so bent under his suffering was not easy to read. Right at this moment I have no idea how the two will ever get together again. But somehow I cannot help believing they will.

I wonder if I could have made Troy feel all right about accepting that chicken meal. Probably not. Grant is so observant and sensitive.

What a difference between the title and the content of this chapter! I was really grateful, however, for the funny and touching moments where Mac and Cheese was involved, as the rest of the chapter is rather heavy. Lots of new insights!

I love the little moments with the pillow and their pillows belonging together. Touching. Telling.

To me Chase seems to be more like child than a responsible and reliable adult. So I guess he will only have a chance with Hank if he manages to take full responsibility for what he does. He has taken a big step today. Actually more than one. But how will his change get back (am I saying this right?) to the man he still loves? The two men will need some sort of intervention from outside. At least that is my guess, but this does not promise to be an easy journey for both men or a short one either. Quite a complex story!

Is that not always the major problem: People thinking they know when they are missing a crucial point? Especially when the problem is huge and we are in over our heads. When we see only parts of what we should be aware of... But I do admire her for being honest and open-minded enough in the end to take that very hard step of realizing that she had been wrong. If we always had somebody as clever and thorough as Jeremy to show us what we are missing, we would not need to learn in order to solve problems ourselves... at least some of them. A heart-warming chapter!

What a great Christmas present your story is! Thank you! Merry Christmas!

Well done, Max!

Yes, this letter and the information it contains is overdue, but - of course - I get it. Who would like to volunteer the information when you are used to being ignored for being in a wheelchair? And still, it is heartbreaking to read it.

Isaak's first feelings on reading this - I really do not want to be in his shoes. He will need the patience of a saint and forgiveness itself to not be terribly hurt by Max' reactions. A very special kind of cliffhanger...

It is all due to your writing, my friend!

Though I can understand your reaction, I cannot share it. I abhor the evil such people generate in their self-righteousness, but to me they are more pitiable than anything else. It is the others around them who give them their power, out of laziness or a reluctance to form their own opinions and stand by them. If there were more people like William, Hilda would never have the influence she must have wielded. And if others did not leave organizing the funding to her, she would not feel as powerful and important as she obviously does. It is the others who give such people the power. And power does corrupt. Even those who might have meant well in the beginning (though I doubt that Hilda ever really thought of the people in need and improving their lives). I take her to be one of those who "help" in order to stand on a pedestal and be worshiped. And the rest of the congregation does that, simply because then they won't have to bother themselves.

Wow! What a story! I have just read another story where somebody has to decide who or what beliefs his decisions will be based upon, but - though brilliant in its own right - it is not as dense, not as commanding. You have managed to cloak an ancient question - whether to live by the law of God/the Gods or by the law of the people in power - into a poignant story. One, which has a happy ending for a change (those ancient ones don't) I applaud William's reaction and his praise of this confrontation making a great and exceptional sermon, which really is a wonderful demonstration of what love does and can do. Thank you for sharing this wonderful gem of a story with us!

Isaac has put up quite effective smokescreens - but I remember thinking once or twice that he was hiding something, too, there was something contrived about one or two of his statements, I can't remember which. I think both boys are incredibly brave to enter into such a conversation so fully, so openly and honestly. I can also see that Max does not need to write his letters out three times to send them. His writing has become much more fluent/ flowing - I'm not sure what the right word is. I am looking forward to the letters to come.

Happy Birthday to you! Your memories are so vivid and evocative! All the best from another continent across the ocean!

not beyond Tim's words, though...

Great chapter! I see that you have added some new scenes and comments. I think they are worth reading, no doubt, but I would not have missed them. Perhaps some more hints previously of Clay's bad conscience as to what happened to Olson, on which I share Greg's assessment fully, might have prepared me for his breakdown. It shows him to be a very humane man with profound feelings and convictions. But for me the main point still is that Elias is safe from his abuser and from his irresponsible parent, who seems to be totally blind to what her boyfriend has been after. It took the safety of Camp Refuge to give Elias the strength to stand up to D. and he needed this safety in order to get out of his dangerous and destructive home. Unfortunately parents turning a blind eye to what their children are going through or really not seeing it is all too common... the closer the abuser is to the parent the more likely that they are blind. Thanks for giving Elias a chance and also for those who actually do it.

Thank you for writing this story! So well, so gripping, so realistic, so poignant. And thanks to Mikiesboy who recommended it!

definitely not what I expected, yet so much better...

I had not read that, but you are right. Only too right in what you say. And predict.

Actually I do not think she can grab it. That is what being controlled does.

I am not as sure as you seem to be that Felicity is willing to jump off the wagon yet. She is doing all she can to cover up, in spite of the terror that seems to be a daily part of her life. I was appalled to read how controlling and demeaning (let alone the physical abuse) her husband is. And if the nudge to quit comes from outside it won't be enough, I'm afraid. I fear things for F. will get worse before they get better... I just hope that she will get the chance to get away before it is too late.

oh, hadn't thought of that...

Difficult to help somebody in Felicity's situation. He is right to ask his partner. Good to see Eric in his home again. I wonder what kind of idea for a present he will come up with. Painting something for them might be it?