Marty

Seems I was correct to keep giving Philip the benefit of the doubt. Now let's hope Jacob turns up safely.

Why am I thinking that, with Josh's dad not having gone to Washington, he's going to bump into his son, who is supposed to be in Washington, in Albany this weekend..?

Okay.... Philip and Seth's rendezvous in the park certainly seems suspicious. But, as a few other readers have commented, we don't know the real reason for it yet. It could turn out to have a perfectly innocent reason.

I'll admit to being concerned about Philip's possible motives. But, unless or until he proves otherwise, I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that he will turn out to be ready to defend Josh should the shit finally hit the fan between him and his parents.

Everything seems to be gradually settling into place... So why am I so worriedly expecting waiting for the other shoe to fall?

I'm just panicking about the likely fall-out when Adam finally finds out that Ian is the brother of his missing pregnant wife, Anna... Loving the story, @Bndmetl!! 👍

Kleenex. I need Kleenex.

Counselling is good. My suspicion is the something that Noah has to do concerns his grandfather...

2+2 equals 4!! The table was for six. 😜 Good stuff, @Demiurge! My second time of reading (but first time of commenting...). Just binge-read the first 34 chapters (that's how readable this story is).

Rather than simply copy @weinerdog and just talk about this chapter, I'll talk about the story as a whole and how it might play out in the final three chapters. If I have my facts right, Dani and Giaco are both just 14 years old. To my mind, even though they've used the words "I love you" to each other, I can't help but wonder if either of them are actually old enough to understand what romantic love really is. Dani possibly still has his doubts. Giaco doesn't seem to want to admit to possibly being bisexual, preferring to use the term Danisexual instead (not to imply that that couldn't be possible). They're both still so young, with lots of maturing still to do. Entering into a sexual relationship so early could, if things go wrong, completely ruin the obvious deep friendship they both feel for each other. Dani is the one of the two that seems more likely to think about (analyse) things. So I wouldn't be surprised if this particular story ends with Dani deciding that he'd rather keep Giaco as a friend, rather than risk the friendship by getting into a sexual relationship. Could that possibly be the meaning of the word Selfless in the story title? But it's not my story. So I'll just have to read the remaining three chapters and see how the real author, @James Carnarvon, decides to end the story.

Like I initially read your comment as The Summer of the Shellfish? 😉

Not much I can add to what others have already said concerning this chapter... I must admit, though, that I'm intrigued by the actual title of this story: "The Summer of the Selfless." We're at number 8 of a promised 15 chapters, just over half way through, so a lot can, and probably will, still happen. Apart from Danni and Giaco, there's a third character lurking in the background, the "little mouse". James Carnarvon has already hinted in the story synopsis that Marco is waiting in the wings, and that he suspects that Giacomo’s motives are anything but selfless (there's that word again). I suspect that the remaining 7 chapters will perhaps deal with this aspect of the unfolding story. I'm just not sure yet which of the characters will prove to be the selfless one...

😂

I'm also hoping it's not Ben. Perhaps Nat offed herself?

Deliberately writing this comment before reading any of the other comments to this chapter... Seems like Natalie may have been stealing Steve's pottery and passing it off as her own. If so, could Steve have found that out, and Nat decided to off him to stop him exposing her? And now Ben is walking up to her apartment...

For the first time in this story, I am worried for Clay.

Not much I can add to what @GanymedeRex and @Summerabbacat have already written. This is truly a masterpiece. Fantasy? Perhaps. A Happy ever after? Not quite, but there was at least hope in the final paragraphs. I would highly recommend this story!

Again, there's little I could add without repeating the comments already made. As @Summerabbacat says: a masterpiece of wordcraft, @Biff Spork! ❤️

In my comment to the previous chapter I said: To which @Biff Sporkreplied: This chapter (with the tornados) explains what was meant by that reply. And much of what's not up in the air appears to be under the water. I see there's one more chapter. Let's hope there can be some sort of a happy ever after for at least some of the protagonists...

Not much I can add to what's already been said and speculated. The storm clouds certainly seem to be gathering.

The following from one of the Homeland Security Agents near the end of the chapter worries me. We could see dead agents on the mountain, killed by the animals. Or we could see a dead Zhiv (and possibly others) if the agents arrive by helicopter...

I'm feeling the same pessimism that @Summerabbacat has expressed. Much of that pessimism comes from the final sentence of @Biff Spork's original synopsis for this story:

Things seem to be moving to (some sort of) conclusion. However, I worry about the comment Zhiv made in a much earlier chapter, about worrying that the vision of growing old with David may not eventually become reality. When the task force storms the mountain, all it would take would be one stray bullet to snuff out one or other of their lives... I have the same disgust over Jude's actions as other readers have expressed. At first I was thinking along the lines of the Wicked Uncle Ernie from The Who's rock opera Tommy. Jude turned out to be as bad, or worse, than Cousin Kevin from the same album.

Well this chapter answers one of my earlier questions. The one where I pondered who (or what) the insectorator in the story' title might be. The boys now appear to have at least four adults on their side; David's parents, Hector and Celia. The question remains as to whether that will be enough in the battle (war?) to come.

I'd be surprised if River will be able to relax his mind enough to allow David to meld whilst the two boys are in such close physical contact, And it is likely to be an interesting dinner.