mayday

droughtquake is right, this is an intense story. Ending on a hopeful note, which was a relief, yet with my hopes dampened a bit by Liam's remembering the young man in the unhealthy relationship, a different kind of unhealthy from his marriage. And knowing that he did not help, did not step in. Unlike himself the young man did not ask anybody we know about for help. Like Liam we can only speculate. Maybe there was a Rob for him, too? At least I hope so. I wonder how any marriage built on a lie can end well - Interesting that Liam's son does not seem to matter to him, only as a problem, a topic to be discussed, as something to be organised. Duty only. I could detect no love anywhere for Ryan. He is afraid of many things but losing Ryan does not come up. I wonder why...

Wow, what a cliffhanger - as if this story needed them...

Makes me cry...

don't mention it!

it has!

Having no idea about what life in group homes etc. is like I cannot judge. I only know that people can be cruel everywhere without being instigated by outsiders...

Don't forget the loving aunt... She may be a main driver behind all this

Good thinking! These grandparents will stop at nothing unless they themselves are stopped.

Thanks! Today I need all the hope I can get, smallest or big or whatever places!!!

Thanks for chapter 5. I did not really expect such turmoil. As if having nightmares was not enough... Let's just hope Adam has friends to help him now and a good lawyer. I am so sorry for the two of them. Somehow both feel rather solitary to me. If Adam can see that the photos have been tampered with at a glance, evidence should not be difficult to get. But what is the use of living in a gated community if snoops do get in? Now it will be even harder to wait for the next...

fitting and soooo good to read... thank you for sharing your story!

You have made me weep, but also with joyous relief at the end. The fact that his desperation was his only. That there are people who love him to call and to come at a moment's notice. Who are there for him and for whom he can do something and be what he is. And he is on his way to being better by looking after things, by pushing the neglect of things somehow into the past. He just does not know this yet. He will make it. At least that is how his reactions to what he does and sees strike me.

I have raced through this chapter. So, not sure if I should comment yet. So much feeling, so many hints (I did notice the vast amount of narcotics and wondered what a desperate man might use them for, especially as vodka was mentioned right after). Glad that he's run into a sympathetic stranger. Probably exactly what he needs. There are so many different ways this story can go... I wonder where you are leading us to Thanks for sharing

just in time... some passages were hard to read, but so is life

I realise I could have read your intro, too, might have made a difference at the beginning... but reading without having any idea was - probably - more fun... and justice done indeed.

Wow, Parker! What a sequel! Heidi Graber was not the first clue. Ray Ericcson and Carlsberg made me wonder, if I got something wrong and how that man and the young attorney could have anything to do with each other. But Heidi Graber's name removed any doubts that this could not be connected to AtoZ. And it gave me the idea that GA might provide a margin, where we could jot down our reactions while reading and mark the details which make us reverse initial judgements. What about symbols like "eye-opener" "?" or something like that? Although I did neither overlook the young self-possessed, arrogant lawyer in love with his status symbols, his judgements and his own expertise I followed his lead and his opinions far too long into the story until I realised that the narrator had taken me in... completely... Then I loved how his arrogance makes him ignore every warning signal and every hint that he might be wrong, especially on the way up... R.E.'s attitude reasserted all the impressions you had created of him from afar in AtoZ. And I love the parting shot Williams delivered! Well written indeed!

Great chapter, but obviously you are another one, Stannie, who is fond of cliffhangers...

You have made it clear, but so much is going on in this story that I had to read the chapters again to avoid missing details... - very gripping and moving story! And now more and more to come it seems, at least there is fodder enough for speculation for everybody.

What a great father!

Actually this is something I would never ever have guessed. He seems too sure of himself to be in self-denial?

Great! Can hardly wait! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story.

so much loneliness and longing - in April 7 I like that the first and last verse complement each other: love and run after friendship and walk in the beginning I love the sonnets, too, love their rhythm how their lines run into each other you do have a way with words...

I hate cliffhangers. Still. You are obviously good at them, too... Great story. Lots of promise and it feels so real.

Wonderful story! It is so vivid. I have been thinking about poor Eric in his cold cottage with Christmas coming up while A+A were discussing Christmas shopping.

too true, sir, too true