Laura S. Fox

Just my usual MO...

Yet they are friends... and I so know how everything looks for Brad right now. You haven't seen the last of him, soul-related.

As kids would say today, that's literally me.

It looks like you were right! No, not in cahoots, oh, lol, that would be so evil...

We only have Lyn's POV... just as a reminder.

Oh, me like it...

There are questions... and they will soon be answered. If you know me by now, you must expect more drama before the resolution. But it's in sight, not that long left.

You can say that.

Chapter Fifty-Four – [Memory, Senior Year, April] – Secrets Between Us There was just so much to do. Lyn navigated between textbooks with the highest speed he could achieve on land, but if felt like they would swamp him soon. He only needed to stay ahead by gulping down large portions of text without even worrying if he could digest them or not. Across from him, Brad lounged with one arm thrown across the table, his head resting against his shoulder. Lyn snuck a glance at his friend.

Your patience will pay off We're not so far from the climax of the story, and I still have a couple of surprises in store for you.

I understand where this speculation might come from in the context of the story, and I want to acknowledge it. You guys will learn the truth along with Lyn, as usual.

Oh, that's so right... Brad will surprise yet again and again - I like to believe. He didn't forget Lyn all these years. If there had been nothing there, he would've done that by now. Lyn made a promise he couldn't keep, and that's another part of life I wanted to portray here. Despite our best intentions, there's only this much control we can exert over our actions and even our thoughts. Brad is, to a degree, 'entitled' to see himself abandoned. Lyn, for all the good he tries to do, is cruel in his own way. Also, there's a codependency here; I won't call it unhealthy, it's not my place, and when people insist too much on this by naming it that, I think they don't understand what loneliness can do to a person. I expected you guys to analyze Brad from a medical standpoint, as is natural. I can see why your interpretations apply. There is something going on; but, as usual, I will let the characters say them out loud. I was quite surprised later in life when I learned about dyslexia being more than just 'inability to read some words'. My heart goes to you and your daughter. I'm sure she's happy she has such a good dad, as I feel that you are.

Lyn does process it all through his own lens, and your analysis is spot on. And as usual, if he overthinks, he tends to choose wrongly. It can happen, that's why people who try to be logical all the time often have to confront things they fail to understand... The misalignment is in full force still. And Lyn still buries his feelings under 'should'.

And yet, there is something else there... but you guys will learn about it soon.

I hope so.

Oh, lol, I can't unsee it now... 8 for balls, lol!

He'll say something along those lines...

I believe that, yes. The readers, for the most part, will be saddened, and I'm ready to face it

Right!

And there will be more of him and his vulnerabilities.

Not the next, the next-next

Yes, I believe it is

We all need that

Yes, we are Not close-close, but what comes after close-close.