Headstall

Thanks, buddy! This made my day. This was a really important chapter for me to write in my young writing career. So happy it feels real. Lanny and Candy have a lot to learn about life. I think lots of readers would have liked to help you dig the grave. That kiss... it sure caught Kendall off guard. Kudos to Michael for having the guts to do that. Cheers, my friend.

It would probably be aces and deuces.

You never gave me an evil or inconsiderate comment, Tony, and you have always been supportive of my work. That is truly appreciated. I really don't mind readers checking in to ask about the status of CotT... I consider that a compliment. By far, most comments and messages were genuinely considerate... just curious for the most part. Some though, made me feel really terrible, I guess because they made me feel the most guilty. Cheers! Gary.

Game on! Both men are truly hurting... nothing like a good hockey game to make things better. We'll see what kind of hand Michael is holding, but a full house would be nice. Thanks, buddy... Cheers!

What is keeping me? That's a great question, Tony. Maybe I got too far away from this story while I was continually writing others. I had/have so many stories in my head fighting to get out, and since I written a few and still returned to CotT with no problem, I might have gotten cocky about my ability to pick it back up at any time. Maybe because the last chapter I wrote was where I wanted to end this story all along... I should have followed my own gut instinct and not let myself be carried away by what readers kept asking for. It has been a hard lesson to learn. Health issues haven't helped, nor did a computer breakdown mid chapter... one I have not been able to finish as yet. I'm not proud of this, but I got some really angry messages when I was in the midst of writing something else... actually, a lot of them... and it turned me off. They have continued. I appreciated they cared so much, but it almost made me resentful. As I said, I'm not proud of that, but a muse is a funny thing. If I am not in the right head space when I sit down to write, it just doesn't work... I suppose that is a weakness of mine. All this said, I love how much readers care for this story, and I don't mind kindly-toned requests, so it is still my intention to wrap this up completely. There are details to finish, but the story is mainly told, and the last thing I wanted to have happen with such an important work to me was leave anyone hanging. The bottom line is this falls on me and bothers me pretty much daily, so this has become way bigger than it ever should have been. Sorry, Tony.

My grandson's fever broke this morning, and my granddaughter is still eating and playing... just sniffly. My son isn't feeling well, though. Fingers crossed. Be safe, all.

Thanks, Albert! This was such a sad chapter, and so pivotal to the story. It sure stirred up a lot of emotions in the readers. As a new, uncertain writer, some of it was startling, but I never lost sight of who my characters were. It was an early lesson I've never forgotten. I write for me first. Chet is an amazing person... and there is a story there. Kendall has no idea Michael has had his life changing epiphany, so he's still floundering, coming to the realization he hasn't made any progress in moving on. It is not a nice place to be, but at least he has a good friend who won't prey on his state of mind. Cheers, my dear friend.

Your words are very kind, buddy, but they mean a lot. This chapter had to work, and with me being such a rookie, I'm surprised it did. Well, relieved, more like it. In gay stories, we always hear about the terrible parents, and I wanted to show that that isn't always the case. Some parents, like myself, love unconditionally. You know, you might be right about Colleen saving her son's life. I really appreciate this, Albert.

I'm old. That's my excuse.

Was I? Sometimes I think that too, but I really wish I had figured that out sooner. You're right about love. Real love never just goes away. Some of us suffer a lifetime over lost love. Chet is a great guy, but he's no Michael in Kendall's eyes... at least not yet. Cheers, my friend.

Oh, sorry, Albert! I did miss this... and that makes me feel guilty. Thank you for your patience and your support.

Thank you for reading this again! I'm glad you found me too... your support has meant so much to me. Yeah, these men have lots of history, and more of it will come to light eventually. Being my first story, I have a strong urge to rewrite all these chapters... but I have to be satisfied with some minor fixes. Cheers, my dear friend.

Asparagus in a crepe is awesome!

Oh boy. This really took me back. This was a heartbreaking chapter for me because there are personal elements to it. You're right that Kendall deserves love in his life. It took a lot of courage to do what he did... but there is usually a price when we first come out. These are good men and good friends, so we will hope for the best. Thanks, buddy, and cheers! It's really good to be back here again.

I'm trying to stay positive.

Thanks for this, Aaron and @C. Henderson. Very interesting. I am intrigued. Name cheat sheets are a must, as is writing down random thoughts and phrases. Cheers!

My grandson isn't doing so well. He has a fever and cough... woke up in the middle of the night and it has been rough. He's finally sleeping now with his mom and my son is trying to keep my granddaughter busy. She had a mild fever this morning but is playing. They figure she is a day behind. I hate this... it is so scary. Stay safe, all.

Since her brother has it they figure she has it, so if they have to go to the hospital they will get a different test. She's sleeping peacefully so far tonight.

See, Tink?

Um... maybe a step too far, Tink.

IKR... the rest would be cute though.

Sweetie... we all knew that.

I'll be #1!!

You are welcome, my friend. Thank you for taking this journey again. This chapter left me feeling peaceful, something I sorely needed tonight. Cheers!