jkwsquirrel

Thanks Dahawk! Our little Billy is growing up! David was able to give a perspective that George couldn't have. I hope you haven't had to have too much experience with Presbyterian hospital, or as it's known today, UPMC Presbyterian in beautiful Oakland.

"Little surprises around every corner but nothing dangerous!"

Well it is called War, after all!

How long did Brett know about Dustin's dirty little secret and Billy was oblivious? Could be an interesting couple of chapters ahead!

I think it's guilt. Like Jen, he's overcompensating. Nope, he has as much rights regarding Brett as John Taylor does. In other words, none! Yeah. There was a conversation way back before the birthday bowling incident where Paula expressed her discomfort with Billy being around Miss Winston so much. It does look like she's coming around a bit. Young William has been known to be a bit of a blond sometimes. Did he miss an opportunity here?

Thanks! We're seeing less and less of Nuclear Billy as he matures. This chapter gave us a glimpse into his mind in the midst of the argument. (Take a breath, relax, form your thoughts, don't explode.) Billy's temper has always been his weakness, so it's nice to see him controlling it, and his mouth. As for Ryan, I think there are a lot more resistance folks out there than Billy realizes. And I agree with you, the best example of a parent in this chapter was the man who never had kids. I do love irony!

We'll now have the ushers come forward to receive the offering!

I'll never tell!

While this wasn't the reason I killed off George, this was a conversation that George couldn't have had. He didn't have the experience with Carl that David did. David remembers the man Carl was before he became consumed with hatred. (The man who went to Pittsburgh to be with Paula when George had the stroke before she was even a member of his church.) But would there be tea and cookies?!? I'm guessing that Brett would have been proud of Billy for getting his mom to say 'penis' and 'boy's butt' in the same sentence. What's the one thing Brett hates more than anything? Trouble brewing indeed!

Remember, your doctor is just practicing medicine too! Hope you get lots of practice, my friend!

That's part of what makes them a good couple. Billy is sometimes too smart for his own good. He should have just ignored Jen and told Brett the truth. Now he's in too deep and can't figure out how to get out.

We'll have to look at that at some point, won't we? I don't know if Jack has ever expressed his feelings on B&B being together. He doesn't seem to be a fan of Billy in general after what Billy did to Joey. In this chapter, I just think he was worried Brett was going to be permanently maimed and was looking for someone to blame. Really though, it's none of his business. He gave up the right to have any say over any issue in Brett's life a very long time ago.

It might be a little more complex than that. I think we tend to grade sins more harshly if they do one of two things; the sin isn't my particular sin, or the sin hurt me personally. For instance, stealing is a sin, but it doesn't bother me so much when somebody gets robbed. That's life. But one time someone broke into my car and stole my Gameboy. You better believe I thought that sin was important then!

Thanks Mr. Fly! Glad you're enjoying it! I wonder just how out of it Brett really was?

I think he's earned Mr. William's respect as well.

I'm going to be out of town all day Thursday. So guess what? New chapter is up now! Just when you think you have the answers the questions change!

I found mom in the waiting room of the emergency room of the hospital where she worked. Her clothes were still covered in Brett’s blood, so she was wearing a set of disposable plastic scrubs to cover her. She looked exhausted. I arrived with Dustin, both of us still wearing the dirty clothes we’d been wearing before all hell broke loose. I had Brett’s dried blood all over my hands. “How is he?” I asked. “Not good,” mom said. “It’s fifty-fifty on the leg. E

"How cheap is this hospital? There are still shattered pieces of glass all over the floor!"

Just a little Monday teaser for you to get you ready for Thursday's chapter, Parental Guidance: “And where in the hell were you, Paula, while these boys were being boys? It’s obvious that you can’t control your son. Now he’s endangering the lives of others!” ..................................................................................................................................................................... I left the waiting room and walked numbly down the hall. I stopped in the restroom and stood at the sink. I turned on the sink and splashed water in my face as I tried to keep my composure. I looked into the dark green eyes of the young man in the mirror staring back at me. I didn’t want to be Billy Roberts right then. And then it hit me… “Holy crap, this is the same restroom! This is the mirror I punched!” ................................................................................................................................................................. When I got to the hospital, I asked the nice lady at the registration desk where I could find Brett. “We don’t have a Brett Reilly here,” she said. It's going to be quite a ride!

Exactly. Just a case of boys being boys, but this time the shoe was on the other foot. It is nice to be paying things off at this point in the story, though. Dustin's dirt bike has been around since the very first chapter of the series, lurking in the background, waiting for Brett's fears to be realized... (Ironically, in that first chapter, Dustin blamed the bike for his broken arm, when it was really his father.) Oh, and Brett's fear of bikes has been around since the fourth chapter of the series too. (Yes, I've been planning to smite Brett for a very long time...)

What happened when they closed those ambulance doors? We'll find out very soon.

Sure, they're fine. Unwholesome, but fine. lol

Maybe finding out his brother almost killed himself doing something stupid will knock some sense into Joey? Nah... "If you love him like you say you do..."

I agree. This is how it could have been. Too bad pride and stubbornness got in the way. Like I said, the "sweet little Dusty" scene is one of my favorites! We're going to find out more about that next chapter! (From an unlikely source...) You're welcome! lol