Mancunian

Interestingly, Nick is writing this from a child's point of view even though he is now an adult. Apparently, this is not unusual, as it is sometimes the only way some people can process, deal with and live with the effects of severe abuse.

My parents fostered a lot of children when I was growing up, and as a result, I heard firsthand from a few of them about the horrific abuse they had endured, thankfully, none of it was as bad as the abuse the Taft Children suffered. The worst part of reading stories that include child abuse is that it still goes on and often for long periods of time before it comes out into the open, and sometimes not until an innocent child has been murdered. It is my opinion that abusive parents are often let off too lightly.

Being told from a child's perspective, this is probably a very toned-down version of what actually happened and I'm glad that we didn't get too many details of abuse. This should be an interesting read.

The plot thickens, and what a twisted plot it is. Dexter is responsible for Elens's incarceration, which is not a great revelation, as most of us suspected it. Dexter comes across as a psychopath fixated on Jeremy, or is it Jeremy's wealth? But what has made him like this? He lost his parents, but under what circumstances are they dead, or did they disown him? Why does Dexter call her mum, and was there a rivalry between Dexter and Ethan? This just raises more questions and makes Ethan's passing even more questionable. The questions don't end there, do they? What is Laura's part in this? Is she manipulating and controlling Dexter? I wouldn't put it past her. Was she also behind Ethan's death, as it is now looking more like a murder and not caused by cancer? If Elana and Laura were neighbours, what caused the animosity that Laura holds, as it seems to be more than their son's relationship? Is it possible that Carter's father was involved in ways that we do not know? I could go on with questions and possible scenarios, as they seem endless, what I do know is the more we find out, the more the questions increase, as does the intrigue in this intricately woven plot. Whatever the answers and explanations are, I'm hooked like a junkie looking for his next fix.

You're still a youngster then.

I'll reach the grand old age of 44, lol, October 10.

A lot is covered in this chapter, by what is said and what is left unsaid, the trouble with what is left unsaid can also cause misunderstandings. I think Danny's mum has more than a few suspicions, about Danny and Jake and possibly about Brad, her suspicions need clearing for the good or bad, only then can they all have peace of mind. I hope Jake doesn't take too long before returning, as for a Christmas card, is that a good idea? After all, what he may want to write in it could cause tensions and trouble.

Hi Gary. It's good that your power is back on, the last thing you want is no power when the weather is starting to cool down.

My goal is to be home before my birthday so I've started my countdown, eleven days including today, or ten sleeps. I'll try to get back on later, the guys opposite me need their dialysis.

Lots of rest, the nurses won't let me go to the gym or run any marathons, lol. But I am allowed out of bed to walk around it and sit in the chair next to it. My fingers are getting some exercise running over the keyboard if that counts, lol.

Hi Spike, I'm keeping my chin up, so to speak, and just taking every day as it comes as there is nothing else I can do. I'm trying to finish a short story that I recently started writing and hope I can finish it it in time. I'm not sleeping at home anymore and I have to be careful when I connect to the wifi so that I don't affect the machines on the ward. If I have my way I'll be back home soon and have better wifi access.

Aloha my friend. I'm sorry I'm not around much, it's difficult at the moment. How is your story coming on, are you ready to post it yet?

What can we say, Ethan's actions are risky, to say the least. First, he goes to Russia, where the American police cannot follow him, then he goes in search of the scroll, and finally he agrees to help Maxim escape Russia, let's hope Lady Luck is looking after him as nobody else will if he gets caught.

Jake's decision to leave before he had another run-in with Frank Thompson was easy, but his tears when Danny confronted him told us something else: while the decision was easy, the act of actually leaving was hard and emotionally painful. Leaving someone you love is never easy, but Jake knew he had to do it to protect himself and Danny. I hope he is a man of his word and does come back soon. Nate is a good friend; he suspected what was happening between Danny and Jake, and now he knows, but being the friend he is, he is happy for Danny and is there for him at what is an emotionally painful time. I hope that Danny knows how lucky he is and appreciates the love his friend has for him. While he waits, Danny has to go home and make the best of things. Facing his mum is probably the easiest part; his stepfather is another matter altogether.

I love seeing how Carter and Jeremy are getting closer and building a good foundation for the relationship we all anticipate. But, I do worry about what troubles this will bring on them, Carter especially, as Dexter and Laura are bound to step up their actions to keep them apart. Carter should tell Jeremy about the level of animosity towards him and what Dexter and Laura are saying, I'm sure Jeremy would have something to say about Dexter trying to pass himself off as Jeremy's fiancé. In the meantime, Elena is still in the clutches of some unknown kidnapper, and her fate is in the balance. What efforts are being made to find her, and what will happen when she is found? Just as importantly, will she still be alive to identify her kidnapper when she is found?

Nate's had a good day; the lad acts as though he doesn't have a care in the world. For the most part, Danny has had a good day too, but now he is worried about his friend Jake after his reaction to the news about Thommo's car. Although he doesn't know it yet, his mum knows he has sneaked out, so there may be repercussions later. Jake will heal physically given time, hopefully, with no lasting effects, but as much as he tries, emotionally and mentally, his healing will take longer, he is acting on some good advice, but maybe a session or two with his counsellor would be advisable.

Aloha Albert.

It turned out to be a chilled and relaxed day for Nate, complete with the satisfaction of seeing what happened to Thommo's car. For Danny, it's more of a mixed day, it started well when he left Jake and went to see Nate, but then it went downhill bumping into his mum who jumped to the wrong conclusion after hearing gossip. At least she did try to make amends with Danny, but already wound up he verbally lashed out, like many teenagers with raging hormones he needs to wind his neck in sometimes and chill. Nate is already curious about Danny's reactions, does Danny want his mum to become curious too? Nate's instincts about Danny's step-dad are good, so Danny needs to be careful or he will be out to Nate before he is ready.

Thank you @ReaderPaul, for the meaningful comments, they mean a lot to me. I'll admit I shed a few tears reading this story again. When I first came to GA, I came as a reader, not a writer. But shortly after my father's passing, I awoke with this going around in my head, and I could not get any peace until it was written, this was how my writing started. The Boot series was inspired by the voluntary work that he did and I continued. I don't know if this was what my father was thinking at the time, but it is how it was in my head and is an accurate description of events. When I reflect on the writing of this story, I think it was my way of dealing with the guilt I felt about his passing. I was always thought of as daddy's boy, I was a sickly child and depended on him, he was the live donor for my kidney transplant as a teenager, and I owe him so much. What I do know is writing this was a cathartic experience for me as it helped me to deal with and come to terms with the guilt I felt. I guess that really we should thank my father for the stories, as without his selfless actions and inspiration, I would not be here to write them.

Things are progressing, but not all are in a good way, others are posing more interesting questions. Carter and Jeremy are getting closer, this is good. Dexter and Laura are getting angrier at Carter and probably more desperate to get him out of the picture, which is not good. Oliver is happy to see his dad and loves Carter, but his brother, Andrew, has different feelings, he loves his dad but hates Carter, no doubt he has been influenced by Dexter and Laura, a step forward, but is it also one or two steps back, either way, this is not good. Elena is still trapped, and her worries are growing, is that partly due to some form of guilt? Is Dexter to blame for Ethan's early demise, and if so, how? Could Elena have done more to protect Ethan? I'm starting to think Dexter may have been messing with Ethan's medication and possibly aided by Laura. Is this the danger that Elena is referring to?

I think Nate already has a pretty good idea about which way Danny's sexuality leans, but they haven't had that conversation, so he probably has the questions in his head, only he doesn't know how to approach the subject. Maybe he has his own insecurities about his sexuality; it's not unusual for a growing boy to be curious and questioning, and that does not mean that Nate is gay. Danny has a lot going on in his head, and now he has to face the Spanish Inquisition. Sorry, I mean, questions from his mom, but that's how it probably feels, let's hope he doesn't slip up.

Ethan receiving the note confirms that he is in danger, but going to Russia is a stupid move, his best course of action would be to share this info with the police. We could be reading about Ethan's murder soon unless the police can follow him to Russia, but I doubt that can happen.

No, I wouldn't want to take Toby away from the only home he knows, but if Debbie is struggling, that may be something she is thinking about to give Toby a better life. Or maybe Debbie is considering asking Andre and Chris to be Toby's guardians should anything happen to her.

Everything looks to be going well for Carter and Jeremy, except for Dexter's jealousy and Laura's irrational temper. Jeez, that woman needs to rein it a bit. But what is happening with Elena? Is she okay, and who the hell is holding her?

WTF? What sort of a cruel twist is this? Elena being stuck in a dump after being kidnapped is not good news. Who should Carter be wary of? Elena refers to he/him, is it Dexter? But Dexter isn't someone who Carter would trust, but who does Carter trust? Wait a minute, are we all barking up the wrong tree here? Is there someone else in the mix who we don't know about yet, or maybe someone already in the thick of it who we haven't considered? It could be someone who we wouldn't suspect, no, it couldn't be Je... could it? Forget I said that, could it be that Lopez isn't dead and has returned? Damn, this is hurting my head, I want answers (and the next chapter).