Laura S. Fox

Ah, Maestro, so you caught on 'inquisitor Gui'... That is Lyn indeed. He cares about moral purity.

Oh, that's a good one. There is a price to pay, and Lyn is aware of it. He knows he'll hurt people if he speaks up. It is a big test... one that will force characters to reveal themselves with all the parts they'd like to keep hidden. Lyn and Alexander will grow so close

So yes. Like I replied to @Cane23's comment earlier, this is a defining trait for Lyn. He does care for people with flaws, but lying like this... it can be severely damaging. Alexander did show his vulnerable side here Lyn better pack him in his luggage... But you know me.

The fact that readers mention that they can see these characters in people they know makes me so happy. I wanted to make this story more realistic than the usual romance plotline and heroes, and this is my reward I think you will get the answer to your questions about Brad by the end of it all - I like to believe that I will be able to deliver on it.

Yes! So far, Lyn has presented himself to the reader through the lens of his many vulnerabilities concerning love and sex. This is him, the one who knows the importance of truth and can't easily dismiss it, now that he knows it. It's part of him being a lawyer? Yes. Although I think he chose law as his profession, because he needed something that will fit him and his moral makeup. (I know that many lawyers are anything but truthful, but on the other hand, the people I know who chose this profession have a deep love and understanding of right and wrong. In Lyn's case, I'm thinking of the latter category, of course). What was foreshadowed here about Brad's family taking Lyn in is starting to be displayed in the future flashback chapters (including the one I just posted). You are right to consider Lyn's guilt here - he is well aware how many people he'll hurt by saying the truth. This isn't only about those directly involved: Brad, Luke, Bella. And let's not forget Lyn's fear of exposure... that also comes into play. And these are the forces that keep pulling him apart, while he remains acutely aware that he needs to make up his mind. Alexander is... so very cute this chapter. I love him to bits. He shows Lyn a different part of him, and Lyn starts to see him. It's a process

He knows the truth will hurt... that's why he torments himself over it.

Oh, wow, the last bit! Luke's reasons won't be explored - since Lyn is the only narrator in the story and you guys get only his POV. As I mentioned, Lyn's moral torture has begun. And it will continue.

Oh, well, once it gets blinding...

Alexander at his sharpest.

All of this is valid, and Lyn will consider all the possible option before going to Bella with it.

Chapter Forty-Four – [Memory, Summer Break Before Senior Year, Late August] – I’m Not Leaving You Making sense of everything was so damn difficult. It made Lyn realize that all the knowledge he thought he had acquired while keeping his nose in books turned out to be a big pile of nothing once faced with harsh reality. He might lose the house. Well, he didn’t know for sure, but all those numbers were dancing in front of his eyes like bouncing ants and he had no way to make them behave.

Thank you for this comment! He will

Thank you. I knew it was coming, but I couldn't let you guys know in advance... It will define Lyn.

The financial changes are coming, indeed. They are a part of life, and now they will affect Lyn, without a doubt. He will be faced with many challenges, and as a young person, he's not ready for them. It is the practical aspect of all things in the physical world and Lyn can't escape it. I see why you believe his running to become inevitable... I like to think you won't change your mind when the actual moment comes. In his memories, he has love, indeed. Even if it was imperfect, it was still love, and that's the truth of it. In other words, I understood it all

I'm glad I could capture the essence of this moment in a way that created the opportunity for such commentary. The first time we deal with such a moment in our lives, this happens, just as you say. Some things are irreversible. And it hits hard, especially when you're young, although I don't think there's ever a moment when you can truly adjust to it. I'm afraid you are so right about this moment kind of being the last showing them as a trio with strong links between them. A lot of changes are coming, and Lyn is like a castaway. A miniature version of the future... oh, my heart That last paragraph really hits home. Lyn is forced to grow up, and his choices are forced by circumstances just as much as his own - built-in - determinism.

Thank you. Maybe not so many rewrites, but it did require a lot of breaks to find the next right word.

I love this. They're all complicated human beings. I think that's true for a lot of people who live in the real world, so this piece of fiction borrows from it a bit more than I usually do. Brad does care about Lyn, in his own way. I feel like I mentioned this quote from one of my countrymen thinkers before, but I'll make an attempt at translating it here again. It goes something like this: If someone doesn't love you the way you want to be loved, it doesn't mean they love you less.

It is one of those occasions when friends come through.

I might make you cry again... But not like this, I promise.

Yes, indeed, it is a good question. Because friendships can be of all kinds, and the definition can differ from people to people. I like to believe that all the characters have it still in them to surprise you.

This sad event in Lyn's life will have ramifications, without a doubt. There is still about one third of the story left, so expect more before the big falling out

You are right to believe that... and he'll have a lot to deal with (in the past).

Thank you. Not the easiest to write, I must confess.

Chapter Forty-Three – You Went for the Heart The food he’d ingested over dinner tasted like nothing. Lyn couldn’t help the emptiness he felt in the pit of his stomach. Although he had tried a couple of times to drag Brad away to have a serious conversation with him, he’d been completely out of luck. As expected, a lot of people were swarming around the soon-to-be couple, so Brad didn’t have time for Lyn’s plans. There was still tomorrow. The wedding was closing in, and Lyn knew the tim

That misreading got me... lol. Reading the prunes should be just as popular as tarot reading. Ha-ha, me and singing... nope. But Samatha Fox, what a babe. I still recall when my sister brought home a poster featuring her barely covering her chest with her forearm... We were all in awe of her magnificent assets, lol!