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Wow...I just read your entire comment about 12-year-old (!) Nathan and immediately thought of Nifty.

Well, crap! From such highs to devastating lows. At the very least, I’m glad that Matty and his father had some closure and the beginnings of a reconciliation. It would have been so much worse had his father passed without that meeting. Perhaps the greatest gift his father gave him that day was the knowledge that his mother had known he was in love with Eddie, and fully accepted them. On the other hand, Matty was not looking forward to going back home and I think both he and Eddie would have felt a real loss if they couldn’t live together. This is why I have mixed emotions about the cliffhanger. It’s tragic but, at the same time, it allows Matty to stay with the family he’s grown to love and need on a regular basis - without feeling pressure or guilt. Life is complex; rarely is it neat and tidy. Excellent chapter!

Not the Mounties (drats!), but whatever providential powers there may be kept us with electricity. I agree that PG&E’s actions are reprehensible. While I understand that a corporation‘s first responsibility is to it shareholders (as was always drummed into us in law school by the professor who wrote the book on corporations - literally), a public utility is different. In their case, there is no excuse for them taking the extra revenue earmarked to harden powerlines and, instead, pay it out in dividends and executive bonuses.

I’ve never heard it referred to as British California, either. That’s a new one. Somehow, I don’t think my Canadian friends would be too amused. 😉 I live in the Silicon Valley. Fremont is just 25 minutes up 880. If I hurry.

Vancouver is more temperate. 😉

What is that phrase....a gentleman never tells? All I can say is, “Oh, Canada! Our home and naked land.” 😉.

Is that code?!

Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwww!

That’s been my experience.

I wonder if Amy let Nathan in! 😉

A cliffhanger?! And on National (US) Coming Out Day? Is nothing sacred? 😉 Interesting chapter. So, things with Connor are not quite so clear. To be fair, Robbie had kind of frozen him out for a while, but it seems as though they both have divided loyalties. Next chapter please!

Allegedly, Don has no access, but that’s been my fear, as well.

Jo is right. That home environment has been horrid for Robbie. Don is a persistent threat. Robbie needs to get out somehow.

Such a great, fun, uplifting chapter to read just before bed! As you were describing it, I was taken right back to the theater district. I can’t imagine a better way to end the day than great seats to Dear Evan Hansen, never mind the meet and greet and backstage tour.. How cool is that! Perhaps expected, yes, but that doesn’t diminish the fun or the wow factor of the surprise. One of my fond theater memories is the behind-the-scenes backstage tour and meet and greet we were given at Phantom of the Opera (not a raging Phantom fan, but still) because we had a friend in the cast. I even held the mask! (We actually enjoyed that more than the show itself.)

Is this like “Marsha, Marsha“? I think you’re confusing fictitious locations (they’re not in this story, btw) with factual errors that affect the plot’s credibility. I posted it late, and only realized later I should’ve probably sent that in a private message. My intent was not to embarrass the author whom I respect and admire, nor to elicit knee-jerk reactions from others. Your apparent assumption that the typical reader would never notice is probably accurate. However, being an attorney, it jumped out at me and my mind immediately went to “wait, that’s not right“, which distracted me from the story. I know many non-attorneys who also would have noticed the problem. As an author, I assume that you are interested in how details impact the credibility and quality of your stories. This is an example. Please indulge me in extending this discussion with comments that - let me be absolutely clear - now no longer relate to this story. I disagree with your statement that “it’s fiction, that means nothing is real!“. Here is an example: you could set a story at a fictitious college, in a fictitious town, with fictitious characters, etc. but the minute you take them to a major airport in the area that is real and then you neglect to accurately name the airport , you have committed a sloppy error which will distract your readers and negatively impact the credibility of your fictitious story. Imagine creating a plot line that requires your characters to fly out of Raleigh-Durham airport, and you refer to it as Pierre Elliott Trudeau International (which is in Montreal, by the way). Even though your story is totally fiction and other locations, names, etc. are fictitious, that inattention to detail would taint your story and cause your readers to think that you had not done your research.

What a great chapter! I love that song from Dear Evan Hansen, and the promposal was epic. So, you’re sending Donald to southern Utah?! That’s a stiffer sentence than you may realize. 😉 Yeah, it does make me sad that this story is about to conclude, but I’m looking forward to the sequel. P.S. You may want to correct the name of the court in an edit. The actual name of the federal district court where Mecklenburg County is located is the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. However, there is no federal jurisdiction in this case, nor is there a federal question at issue. Instead, this would be heard in the criminal division of Mecklenburg County Superior Court, which is a North Carolina state court. Just FYI.

I’ve actually made and eaten Mexican grilled corn. I was teasing Droughtquake with clumsy double entendres. 😉

Enormous meat, Sr. Seismic Seco?! I’m shocked! I’m sure the steaks were perfectly sized and delicious. In fact, I recall them saying so. I mean...it seemed as though they couldn’t get enough. As for street corn, I have no experience with that. 😏

No hate from me, either. Eddie is practicing principles of mercy and justice to which most Christians only pay lip service - if at all. I greatly admire him for digging beneath the surface to find what really went on with Donald Harper. No teenager without a prior record should have to face the kind of hell Donald has experienced in jail. Fabulous chapter. No one has mentioned it, but the group scene at the cabin was hot and quite sweet.

That was so sweet, and extremely hot! Felony assault?! I fully understand that the defense attorneys were simply doing their job, but that was an insulting offer. I’m glad that neither Eddie nor his dad went for it. So, Dev and Eric left their bedroom door open, huh? 😈

Don’t recall, exactly. It was before she became Speaker the first time. Maybe a couple of years before that. We knew she was going to join our group in the march, but when she was literally right there alongside my husband and I, we looked at each other and I thought, “Holy crap, it’s Nancy Pelosi!” We were really touched that she took the time. There was no glamour in it for her that chilly night. It was clear that she simply cared.

Mark Twain was right after all...including the wind! Even though it was a fairly calm night, Pelosi’s candle kept nearly going out. She never batted an eye and just kept talking as we walked together. Fascinating lady. That night I learned just how deep was her affection and respect for our community.

Loved it. The candlelight vigil was an especially sweet touch; made me tear up. The last one I attended marched from the Castro to City Hall to honor AIDS victims. Pelosi marched with us. I’m glad this one had such a positive motivation. I realize that the guys are exclusive, but you’re certainly setting up some provocative spring break possibilities! 😈

You did a nice job on the sermon; it brought tears. Moreover, it didn’t sound terribly ecclesiastical. Thank god!

I met Johnny Whitaker during college. He was actually a very nice guy. So sad to hear about his addiction problem; the entertainment industry is tough on kids. PS: I’m NOT a BYZoo graduate. 😱