pvtguy

Wonderful start. I really like how you have created the vision of life through a small child, but remembered by someone older.

So...high emotion leads to reflection and an injection of rationality. Great chapter!

Can only affirm all that precedes my comment: I truly enjoy and appreciate the talent you share through your writing. Excellence in every chapter!

From infancy, my son would cry when I left to go to work. Through the early years, I was the calmer but more consistent parent. When his mother and I divorced, he lived with me - even had her parents willing to vouch that he was better off with me than with her. To this day (he is in his 40's now), we still have a strong relationship though very strong and opposite personalities. He does seek me out to rationalize his more impulsive moments or purchases! It wasn't easy as he grew older, but I had to remain consistent while also supportive and respectful. His mother, on the other hand, to this day still doesn't respect him or his decisions. Her loss. Thus, when I said that it is work - but very much worth it when one wants to be a parent - I know whereof I speak. Not easy, but definitely worth it. As for the fact they are brothers by birth - psychologically, Matt will always be a father figure as well as an older brother.

Parenting is not an easy job if it's done properly - teaching self-control (discipline) takes time and patience and being firm yet fair. Aiden is just now starting to feel the strength of emotions and they are hard to handle. He's also developing a stronger will of his own. Raising a child takes real commitment and dedication. Matt, too, will learn.

Truly an overreaction, but it smacks of possible physical/mental illness.

As if there wasn't enough high drama in the last chapter...this one was amped up too! I have a feeling that this will be a hard learned growth period filled with lots of challenge, but hopefully, will resolve in deeper commitments and friendships.

Before Zeke can escape, he will have to get rid of the tracking device. Additionally...I wonder what drug allows for selective memory erasing...?

All I can say is just more questions about this organization...

Innocence and naivete seem to have created a cluster of a drama! Black is offended because he was not first to be contacted about the arrangements. Let's see how this plays out! Great chapter!!

As with the entire CJ related series, this story just magnifies the excellence Carlos gifts us with in each installment.

It does...but the required courses in most states include World History, American History, and Economics/U.S. Government - all of which are abbreviated to meet minimal standards for standards testing. What we learned in former years must still be taught in addition to the succeeding years - and it still is not enough time to cover it all in any depth. As a retired educator of 47 years, it is still a rant of mine!

Lucas is definitely portraying the stresses - many times overthought - of being out and upfront about who he really is. In spite of more openness and acceptance in general, there are still real pockets of animosity and homophobia. Well done!

Perhaps Sean is a bit jealous, but I do hope he knows he is the Matt's sole focus. Loe, for all his "bravado", is just another person in need of confirmation that he's more than a Tik-Tok personality. Hopefully, he will allow Jay to prove that to him. Great chapter!

You certainly ended the story well! While I would have loved about 40 more chapters leading to the end, due to the excellence of the writing, the characters, the well developed plot, and the forward moving intrigue in each chapter, I will take the Coda! Thank you so much for sharing your talent. I do look forward to more stories from you - perhaps another volume that includes these characters. However, whatever you write, I'll be sure to read! Tony

So good to see you back! I've missed this story, but more importantly, glad you have made it through your challenges! Now on to dealing with these new intrigues! Tony

I do so resonate with this story: I left my doctoral program in the last year of it and. while wondering if I might do it again after retirement, decided there are other projects that involved others, not just myself.

Delightful chapter! I could so relate with Matt about social media and not knowing anything about sports...

Wonderful chapter! At least I know I have four more Friday mornings to look forward to... Then, I'll have withdrawal again until the next "fix".

Though I still don't know what this organization is that Zeke is a part of, the intrigue keeps me looking forward to each chapter. I'm just wondering if, in the end, Zeke will want his memory cleared too and if he can start a life on his own... I'm appreciating the bit of insight into Zeke that as given, but hope we learn more.

Oh no...not just another chapter or two - A second movement to this tone poem! You just are nearing the end of the first movement. Think "Ma Vlast"! There are too many loose ends: Heinrich Sr., Rita and Willy, the future of the business, Gus' career, and a wedding! So, you see, too soon to end yet! And, I must say, the "No Willy" warning did make me chuckle in a most sophomoric way! Tony

I wish I knew her secret too! I would have passed it on to my son!

My mother did something (I wish I knew what) that caused my brother and me to fight over who would run the vacuum and scrub the bathtub! I even went to the neighbor's house and begged to scrub their bathtub! And I was only 4 years old! Truth is, nearly 70 years later, I still enjoy cleaning the whole house!

What a beautiful chapter! Thank you for posting so quickly. Now I can more patiently await the next chapter!

And think of all that can be done in Volume 2....just sayin'....