Cole Matthews

This is wonderful and well deserved. You are doing amazing things as a writer. I'm proud to be witness of what you are doing. Congrats! This is awesome.

Happy Birthday James! Hope your day was great,

I think you did a very good job arranging this scenario and it flows quite well. It's good of you to confirm Ty is in the mix. I also like how Kevin is finding his place in the story. I am enjoying the path Ross is taking. Wu's little insinuation/insider joke was quite clever. That's how I imagine it would play out. Friends care but also like to tease and prod. Neil and Liam are taking the place of Jim and Tony and I think it works quite well. The next generation of Leopards, so to speak, have become the central players. I think there is a theme to this chapter. Talk about anxiety-ridden!!! I love it! Great job and as always thanks Graeme!!!

i hate when my iPad acts up. Anyway, our perceptions color our Impressions. That's not a bad thing. It's something we need to consider though. Interesting observation.

I wonder if it has to do with our fear. When I was in my teens, being called that even casually was terrifying. For friends who were more vulnerable, it was more traumatic. I po think sometimes

I'm glad I didn't miss it! Happy Birthday Mann! Hope you had a special day.

I hope it will be fine. Trust in the best. It doesn't help to hope for the worst. Love you!

Cory wasn't healing and hasn't gotten better. Instead of growing and dealing with things, he used Lawson's death to distract him. Lawson's death allowed him to start a new phase of his life, yet he's not really whole. Cory is the antihero of the story in the end. He had all the advantages, but he couldn't get beyond his pain. It warped him. Thanks for the wonderful reviews and support throughout this story. It's a special piece of work for me. I don't thinks it's exactly what I wanted, but in the end it helped me get past the hurt.

Oh my, Graeme, you are certainly a sneaky one. I like what I'm seeing and even if it doesn't come around as I'm suspecting, it's a fantastic story line. In fact, I love meandering journeys with characters starting in one place and ending up where they belong. It's especially gratifying when there is such growth in spurts and starts. That's one of the things I like about this series. Enough of my babbling. I like how Ross finally found his way to his mum and his best friend. I think confessing to the blackmail was the right way to go. Fantastic way to reveal it showing the discomfort and awkwardness which comes with it. I like how Liam and Neil came around without much comment. I think they should be a wee bit embarrassed, but with these characters, they wouldn't be. The vagaries of the draft and reordering of personnel are an interesting back story that works with heightening the guys' worries and anxiety. I am nervously waiting for the brat's call. I hope he gets one. I think Deon and Dave will as well. Jim would be a interesting one also. Anyway, wonderful job as usual. It's heating up in here!!! Thanks Graeme!!!!

That was almost poetic in how it evoke emotions and reactions. I liked how bitterness came through with the resignation. I felt like the reader was being instructed as a student of life and yet there wasn't a sense the other felt better than the reader. Impressive!

What a dark and wonderful story of retribution and defense of others. Jack was portrayed well as a bad guy but you gave him human qualities through john's attraction. Great job though I was half expecting John/jack to be the same guy with two sides at the beginning. Loved it.

What a surprising and awesome story. I loved how it started so innocently and how the jar seemed to find him. Then it possessed him in a way that felt real and horrific. Fantastic job! Loved it.

Happy Birthday Renee! Hope your day was wonderful.

Happy Birthday! Hope you have a special day.

Lisa, this story is heart breaking. When I was reading about it, I was in tears. When I was a kid, the father of a friend of mine backed over a toddler. He was killed. This story has haunted me throughout the years. Imagine killing a child. It has to be awful. Then I read about this guy. He's a mess, despicable and selfish. Yet, within his selfishness, he realized he'd done something wrong. He felt remorse. He wanted forgiveness. I'm not sure if Lawson ever accepted the responsibility for his actions. Certainly, Cory didn't. Thanks for the wonderful reviews and the exciting comments which made me so happy.

Thanks Kitt!!!

Your comments are exactly what I'd hope to invoke. We are all flawed. Lawson is a flawed human being. So is Cory. In my mind's eye, Cory took advantage of the situation. Perhaps he's a selfish as Lawson but in different ways. Thank you Puppillul for such wonderful and insightful reviews. I appreciate your interest and ideas.

I'm glad you were invested in what I did. Let's face it, we have all met some predatory guys and watched as people were used. It makes me swear as well. Coolidge is a good guy. I think he knows what was happening and hoped it wasn't. There are good parts to us and bad. Gay men are a mix and we should remember that. We aren't pure or noble. We are human in the end. Flawed and I hope for most of us it makes us better. Thanks Tim. Your comments and reviews have been wonderful.

Chapter 17 – Sue Heck March 5th 2:59 am. “I think we’ve had a breakthrough with him,” the counselor said, nodding to his boss. Desmond Carroll scowled in response. “I’m not sure what that means in our context. While we certainly treat and monitor our clients, I can’t say we are in a position to find resolutions for them. What do you mean exactly?” Cory smiled and continued, “I only mean I don’t think he’s a suicide risk any longer. John Lawson told me the whole story. He's acting calmer,

Oops, Third Shift is missing from the list.

You handled the situation with Geraldine masterfully. I can now understand Kevin's dilemma. I've met a few Kevins in my life. He's trying to find something, something elusive and yet connected to maleness. Guys like Kevin are almost driven with the need to scratch that itch, whether they ever find relief or not. Really well developed and portrayed. Great subplot storyline! Onto Roscoe. Stuart has succeeded in doing one thing. He's dragged Ross out of the closet and into the light. Even if he hasn't been open about his feelings, Ross is now wading thigh deep into being a gay man. He's developing a support system and a second family. Certainly Neil and Liam are coming around as is Dave. I think it could be good for him to help Ross. I doubt Stuart is ready to stand down. I hope he does, but I don't think Stuart is done with Ross. Wu is going to be so mad. I had a very good friend I hid being gay from and he was furious. He felt betrayed which I assume Wu is going to feel as well. But, I'll let the story develop and stop trying to predict what's next. It's awesome as usual. Thanks for sharing with us. I almost feel like a Leopard myself!!!

I love it when a plan comes together! Your reaction and interpretation is correct. It will become more clear next chapter at the end. Lawson and Cory are definitely no longer at the same stage. It isn't neat and cookie cutter. Sorry it's a bit hard to comment on. Hopefully there is something about it that can engage more ideas. Thanks for an awesome review!

Ashes to ashes and from whence springs a new bud. I love the beginning image.

Thanks for a wonderful intro and summation @Dark! It is very flattering. @Carlos, you're intent seems hidden somehow. The Magic 8 Ball indicates I should try again later. Hahahahaha!

It's interesting how you put this, "they don't lock you away for the inability to love." Don't we? When a person doesn't know how to respond in a healthy way, they hurt others. Lawson overreacted to his father figure. He couldn't handle his mother's criticism, and now we learn his surrogate daughter was the object of his lashing out. You summed up the central question i wrestled with in this story. Lawson doesn't know how to love. He may not be the only one. Thanks for a wonderful and insightful review. I can't wait to see Val! Very excited! Lisa, you are awesome.