Mancunian

I hope you will enjoy the rewrite. It may not be perfect still, but I think it is greatly improved by the editing that has taken place and by the added dialogue and descriptive text which I feel enhances the story. A similar exercise is being carried out on The Boot Three Years On. More stories will also be added to The Boot World in the future.

Chapter 4 of Goldstein Johnson & Cole (2024 re-write) is now live.

Early evening three weeks later, Marty and The Major were enjoying pre-meal drinks in The Grenadiers Arms when two men entered and approached them. Nothing about them attracted attention from other customers, but to the trained eye, they gave off the air of a military background. That was given away by the way they held themselves as they walked. The slight limp of the shorter man was almost unnoticeable. The Major stood, smiling as he held out his hand. “Good evening, Captain, Lieutenant.

The Major is the perfect man to have in charge of any situation, but what contacts does he have? And what can they do?

All is looking good at the moment, let's hope it stays that way. 🤞 What we have to remember is that there are still many hurdles to jump and anything could happen.

I've mostly been taking a break too, Terry and I have rewritten one story and improved it. I've gone through one other which Terry is now taking a look at. They are good stories but poorly written and not properly edited at the time. I'll get back to some proper writing soon, but not yet.

I'm happy to see that, I hope you enjoyed them. 😃

@Albert1434 you should read The Boot World stories, I think you would like them.

It's a rewrite of an older story that @raven1 helped me rewrite and edit. I think it greatly improves the story. It introduces Benjamin and Joseph into The Boot World with a bit of fun, mysterious behind-the-scenes manipulation and lots of tears.

I'm good thanks. Today I posted chapter three, chapter 4 gets posted tomorrow.

Aloha Albert, are you and Steve still wrapping up warm?

Chapter 3 of Goldstein Johnson & Cole (2024 re-write) is now live.

Following the meeting, Ian was quiet, which did not go unnoticed by many of the guests. It was not that he was not happy; he was, but he was also surprised and in shock at the revelations. Kevin, being Kevin, took charge of the situation and, after speaking quietly with Kate, left Ian in her charge. While Kevin welcomed guests, he also fended off questions regarding Ian's subdued behaviour. When Christian and Andy arrived, Kevin took them into the study. “Hey, what's this? Are you tryi

I just read it and loved it. It's a great short story, well worth the read.

So Aaron's father thought that Chris was from the wrong side of the tracks. Maybe Chris was, but Aaron knew that being from the wrong side of the tracks did not mean that Chris was a wrong 'un. Good for Aaron for sticking up for himself and Chris. I loved this short story, thank you.

Adding it to my reading list.

Ian and Kevin loved Manny in the same way they love The Major. It could be said that by taking in Joseph they are acting as if they are team Manny.

Ian does sometimes struggle when he feels that he is not strong, those are the times when Kevin comes into his own. But they are both strong and the role of being the strong one is easily interchangeable between them only strengthening their relationship. This is something they have both come to accept and use positively. Your analysis of Joseph and his situation is very accurate, he is fortunate to have met Manny and it is a shame that Manny could not finish what he intended to do. In Manny's honour, Ian and Kevin willingly step up and take his place, and everyone's lives will be richer, in a non-financial way, for it. This is not the way they intended to start a family, it will come with its own unique problems, but then, who said life was problem-free? Manny's legacy is far greater than anyone first realised, what else is there to discover?

I love the characters from these stories and I love to write about them. Introducing new characters helps to bring the best out of the more established ones. Ian and Kevin will do what they believe is right, they still have strong feelings for Manny and will trust his judgement and instincts. If Manny was happy to accept Joseph as family then Ian and Kevin will accept and love him too.

Chapter 2 of Goldstein Johnson & Cole (2024 re-write) is now live.

As Kevin lay relaxing on the sofa with his head nestled in Ian's lap, his eyes slowly closed. With thoughts of the upcoming barbecue, he drifted off into a dream-laden state, subconsciously planning. Ian continued to gaze at the TV as tears came to his eyes. His attempt to shift the conversation away from the emotional roller coaster of the last twelve years had worked on Kevin, but again, it felt so raw for him as he relived those times. The conversation was a painful journey down memory l

Thank you for commenting @Flip-Flop. The 2022 version is a good story that was poorly written and not well edited so I am happy that you enjoyed it for all of its flaws. @raven1 has shown me where the earlier version had gaps in the story and needed expanding to give a better flow, he also pointed out parts that needed to be altered. I hope that you will agree with me when I say this version is a better and more enjoyable read. @raven1 is currently taking a break from GA and I look forward to his return and hopefully more collaborations between us.

When you say it like that 12 years seems like a lifetime, lol, for many it is but for them it feels like yesterday. While they reminisce and remember the past I'm sure they have had some not-so-good times too, but like most they choose to not dwell on them and only remember the good times. They have good friends who are more like family which is good. The planned barbecue will be one of their first memories made in the house.

Thank you for the kind comment. I hope you will enjoy the story as it unfolds.

Thank you for commenting George, I hope you enjoy this better-written and edited version. I look forward to your future comments.