Clancy59

Yes, Alec has to go because he’ll regret it if he doesn’t, even if he’s nervous about seeing Finn and confronting his mother. Maybe his mother has had a change of heart, now that she’s facing her mortality (hey, we can dream, can’t we?). He is understandably upset with his father for not standing up for him to his mother, when it seemed like he didn’t completely agree with her. Dad may not have liked that Alec was gay, either, but it certainly didn’t seem like he agreed with the extent of the punishments inflicted. There may be hope there, at least. Anyway, I am really looking forward to the next chapter and the various reunions. How will they happen? Where? When? Who will say what? I hope the next chapter comes soon!

I had the same thought. Usually, especially in today’s world of identity theft, you have to notify your card companies that you will be traveling overseas and using the card in order to not initiate an automatic freeze until they can verify the use. Although Vincent could have told them that he does a lot of last minute traveling, so they shouldn’t be surprised at charges from various global locations. But he’ll still have to be careful. He can’t logically have charges in Tokyo, then Italy and then Indiana, all within a 2 hour stretch! They really will assume identity theft! I said in the last chapter that Dirk was going to be devastated. Of course he is. Right now, he is in shock. I agree with Henry. He really shouldn’t be working the scene, but right now, he’s working on adrenalin. Sarah is proving to have been such an evil person as a Hunter, that investigating the scene like this may actually help him overcome his natural Lycan inclinations to run. His bear is surprisingly level-headed in this situation. He may be functioning right now, but when he falls in a couple of hours from now, he’s going to fall hard. He’s going to need people around him who can hold him up physically and emotionally. Tierney will be there for him. So will Vincent, Mace, Dave and the rest. I’m glad Ingles will be fine. Silver bullets are no jokes to Lycans.

Wow, Northman’s behavior first thing upon CJ’s return, and it’s continuation later on, immediately raised red flags to me. The alarms were blaring and lights were flashing. Then to learn that Jimmy had a little ‘talk’ with him about CJ’s potential future…. The guy is a slithering, reptilian sycophant. He now sees the possibility, in truth, that CJ will absolutely be going far and has much more power and potential in his little finger than Northman has in his entire body. So, now he is going to ‘martyr’ himself, all in the name (he thinks) of keeping on the good side of the PTBs in the consular community. Please tell me he does not have any contacts outside the Embassy! The thought of the Russians wanting to ‘talk’ with CJ is a scary one. If this does happen, there had better be a really great, savvy rep going with him! I know I don’t have to mention this, but CJ has to make sure he has his story completely straight in his mind, complete with his proper, righteous indignation at Domogarov’s infiltration of his home. It’s a good thing he has had some exposure to dealing with questioning. It’s just never been at that level. On the plus side, he’ll be able to get time off to go to the Oscars! And thus (I think), we have the real beginnings of The Mexican Incident.

Welcome back! This just gives us a chance to reread things to remember who various people are. Those poor boys! Not that they didn’t deserve it—planning to show that film to the twins! They deserved it! I just feel sorry for the campers around them! It would not have been nice to have been any easier being woken up than it was for Hunter, and they didn’t get an explanation!

Yes, sighting the Red Star through the Eye Stone in the coming midwinter is supposed to confirm the approach of Thread. But before that happens, Ramoth rises and F’Lar becomes Weyrleader. The boys get to the Weyr shortly after that, I believe. They should be able to stand as Candidates for her first eggs.

@raven1 described Loe’s parents as “idiotic and cruel.” I disagree. They are simply cruel. If they hadn’t wanted him, they could have given him up for adoption. But instead, they relished in inflecting emotional abuse on him for 7 years. This is on a child who is totally dependent on them for safety and sustenance. And then they abandon him in the middle of the night, fleeing like the felons the are, leaving him with nothing—no food, no protection, and no idea what he could possibly have done to warrant or understand this abandonment. Man, this chapter is really doing things to my own psyche. And then they have the nerve to come back, crying that they’ve changed?! Póg ma thóin! That judge should have been sued for malpractice! Anyone could see what they really wanted. This idea of keeping blood families together simply because they are blood relations is ridiculous! Too many times, people have suffered more abuse because they ‘belong’ to the abuser. Besides which, I was under the impression that courts took the child’s interest into account, especially at his age. Sounds like the judge never spoke with him, let alone asked him. No wonder he had to file for emancipation. Keep it up Jay. We know Loe is insecure about Seamus, but you’re going to need your buddies for support. Matt, keep up the contact with Loe (which I seem to remember you doing from the first story). He needs contact with this group, and you’ll be able to settle him down about Jay’s relationships with his college and team buddies (mainly because of your relationship with Seamus and Aiden). Loe wants what everyone else has. He has just been conditioned to believe he can’t have it. The gang, Jay’s and his own, have to prove to him that they are there for the long haul because they love him because he is a very special person and anyone who knows him is privileged to do so. OK. Enough of the soapbox! I’m getting down now. I really didn’t mean to go on like this, but the words just kept coming!

I agree with @weinerdog. This is so different than I thought. I am trying to decide if it’s worse, knowing that your parents simply left you behind without a thought or gave you up to another kind of abuse. Then having the nerve to come back 8 years later when he has money! Disgusting! What happened to Lars? He wasn’t mentioned. Kudos to Jay for knowing just what to do. Yes, he was rightfully upset that Loren didn’t share his celebration the way he expected, but he understood that Loren comes with baggage. He didn’t lose his cool like Loe expected. He sat him down and asked what was going on. The love finally broke the final levels of walls and Loe crumbled. Now Jay knows what happened. He knows they need help to deal with it (I won’t say get beyond it). Loe is finally beginning to accept Jay’s unconditional love.

As far as JJ’s Canadian idea is concerned, I think that is a terrible idea. It’s a knee-jerk reaction he is having to this stressful situation that needs a quick, powerful conclusion. If he and Henry took the kids to Canada, they could wind up in trouble for kidnapping! Remember, they don’t have official guardianship yet. They only have temporary custody. Something like that could even result in them losing the rest of the boys! No. They have to go through the legal channels. In the meantime, there are things they could do to protect the kids. They have the means. If they need to, they could go to Jeff and get his assistance, which he should give willingly, if only for their shared history. They could get body guards or a security detail for the kids, as well as the funeral and the house. They could get security devices that the kids could wear (phones would be too easy to take away from them) like watches, bracelets or necklaces. If they have an emergency, the security device could be activated with a built-in tracking element to get to them. These kind of devices are available today in 2022, so just imagine how much more feasible they will be in 2037!

I just am astounded by the arrogance of Jitendra’s family, and even more so, of their attorney! They must be accustomed to people simply doing whatever they tell them to do, whether simply because of their wealth or their caste (which I understand is still unofficially observed in Indian culture). They think the Americans will just roll over and give up on their say-so. They find it hard to believe they would be held accountable in an American court system since they are not Americans. However, for the American attorney to show up without any of the documents they claim to have is the height of arrogance. He knew how the Court would rule. Hmmm. Could he be playing a long game? Does he have some secret, nefarious plan that he will spring on the guys in court in order to thwart their plans to get guardianship over the kids? Is JJ’s background an open book now? Would the guys be able to prove the plans the grandparents have for the kids (I.e., the secret marriage, etc)? That would come off like child slavery to an American court. They’ve already been able to show the attempt at kidnapping. Child slavery wouldn’t be a big step. While I am astonished at the egotism displayed at the hearing, I cannot believe they are that stupid. What are their underhanded plans?

If Colin is now looking at the spires of Barcelona, imagine the building itself!

With everything Colin would like Armand to do to the Cafe building, it’s going to wind up an extremely eclectic piece of art all on its own!

Yeah, well look at the ‘parents’ and others who are screaming about the books in the Libraries and the curricula in the schools. They are so afraid that their little darlings’ innocent ears may hear something that they themselves deem offensive, they are trying to take control. Instead of actually teaching them, they want to hide everything under a rock and pretend it doesn’t exist and will go away. Sorry, folks. It doesn’t work that way. And all they are doing is making sure those kids will be unprepared for the world. I always told my students that anyone has the right to have control over their own child, but that’s where it ends. No one has the right to control someone else’s child. If Suzy’s mom tells me not to give her a certain title, I won’t. But don’t tell me to take it off the shelf so no one can get it. You don’t have that right. Thankfully, a lot of the places where this is being tried, cooler heads are prevailing.

Yes, this will be problematic for Alec, but River was a Superstar and will help him survive the self-doubts that will arise, especially pointing out how Alec was something of a Superstar, himself. Way to go, Alec! Just goes to show you how far you can go when someone you care for (even if you don’t realize it yet) is in trouble and needs you. Pretty soon, however, I hope River will be suggesting Alec get additional support from some kind of professional! Yes, unfortunately, fights can and do occur in modern high schools, @Seraph28. However, it is unlikely that it was over the possibility that Finn, himself, could be gay (although that is still an element in the testosterone-fueled sports environment). It could be more likely the fact that he was involved with Alec, who is basically on the bottom of the high school pecking order. The girl there also resents that Finn, the most popular guy in the school, could possibly turn her down. How dare he! She even shamelessly propositions him right in front of the footballers. What I am surprised at is that there wasn’t more of an audience for the fight egging them on and that a teacher was not there to catch them. Most schools, at any level, require teachers to be in the halls at the end of the day for just this possibility. I have broken up a couple of fistfights myself, in my years in schools, including one that started in the hall and continued on into my Library! Unfortunately, some things seem to have gotten worse in today’s political climate. The worst thing is that it is the so-called adults bring it into the schools, not so much the kids.

Alec has serious problems. He is socially awkward due to: 1) having been home schooled, thereby lacking contact with his peers, 2) coming into a situation where social groups had been established several years ago and not easily allowing newcomers, 3) coming to terms with his sexuality, which, although not as problematic as for some, he still doesn’t know how to handle, 4) he’s a teenager! His parents are not helping by pushing, especially with the “Did you make any new friends?” questioning. They are the ones who created this level of anxiety. Yes, he would probably have had social anxiety, no matter the conditions—some people do. I do, and I wasn’t pushed like this. But his particular circumstances made it worse and he doesn’t know how or where/who to go to for help. Thank goodness Noah seems to understand and is willing to help. (Maybe he should become a therapist!)

Loren has obviously had some kind of serious relationship problem in the past which affects his current relationships. Jay is smart and is taking it slow and at a pace that shows Loren that he is not out to cause him any harm. By this slow action, he is gradually breaking down Loren’s protective walls. Slowly and surely, they are getting there. BTW, I meant to ask. It’s just curiosity. Where does the Petermeyer family have their cabin? You’ve mentioned Northern Wisconsin. The reason I ask is I am a proud Wisconsin girl, born and bred. 🥰

Alec is fully aware of his issues. He told Finn about some of them previously, like the no-touching rule. The problem is that his parents have turned a blind eye to them. They think that having him go to those homeschooler social groups and now enrolling him cold turkey in public high school will make him a normal, social, popular kid. They are totally oblivious to his issues. Please understand that I am not denigrating homeschooling. It has its place. However, if not done correctly and overseen properly, it can lead to a slew of problems. If a child has issues, like Alec obviously does, like anxiety, it needs to be diagnosed and treated. Parents are often the last people to see this kind of issue because they think this is normal behavior. Classroom teachers are often the first to raise the issue and ask for further intervention for a child when needed. This comes with the experience of dealing with, literally, hundreds of children over the course of just a few years. Even novice teachers can see problems and ask veteran teachers for help in evaluating students. No child is put through the rigors of this kind of testing lightly. Other interventions are tried first. Sorry for the lecture. The point I am trying to make is that Alec’s parents did him no favor in homeschooling him. Even if he has a superior intellect, there are enrichment programs available that would have challenged him quite sufficiently and provided a better chance at socialization.

Carlos and his parents are in for a surprise and a real treat! They’re going to be thrilled!

I had to go back and reread to get remind myself of everything. I’m looking forward to this story. One kinda complaint, though. At 22 years of age, unless he is advanced and graduated very early from college and graduate school, there is no way he could be working as a fully certified librarian, let alone a head librarian. He would have to have gotten his BA at about 20 and his MLS within a year and a half after that and then be the ONLY librarian in his system. Sorry to nitpick, but I have that MLS and worked in both public and school libraries for over 35 years. It’s just something that has bugged me from the first time I read this.

Armand is going to wind up opening his own art school or, at least, teaching at one!

If I remember correctly, the first Falls are over High Reaches and come down as black dust because of the cold weather, so the first couple of actual Falls are missed. However, it’s enough to prove F’Lar correct and galvanize the Holders via the Harpers. The problem here is Vikkel is one of those who thinks the Dragonriders and Harpers are alarmists. You’re right. He won’t believe until he sees it, and by then, there won’t be enough time/equipment/supplies/money to prep the Hold properly. Jevikel and Kadin will be much better off away from there for multiple reasons. Kemi was lucky to get away when she did and with no one following her.

That was the LAST thing I expected! Sarah?! Dirk is going to be devastated. I know we are. Thank goodness their, or rather his, relationship hadn’t gotten far. Unfortunately, when someone finds their destined mate, the connection can be instantaneous. However, this can explain her reaction to Dirk when he told her about it. She must be quite an actress to be able to have hidden her true feelings all this time and even lead Dirk along like she has. Now the questions are: Will Stefan somehow come to Sarah’s rescue? Somehow, I don’t see it happening, because I see him throwing her under the bus as ‘cannon fodder.’ He only cares for himself and his own interests and rolls over anything and anyone to get whatever he wants. Just what are they going to do with her? Even if they arrest her, how could they prove she killed Shaw? Is she going to survive this confrontation? Because, if she has shot an officer, Dirk now has justification to take her down, if he is able. How is this going to affect Dirk in the long run? Will there be another mate for him? Has there ever been a second destined mate? There has to be someone for Dirk! I’m sure there are other questions, but those are the first ones I can think of. And all that made us forget about Cy and Kap’s happy reunion! It’s so good to see them back together. That’s a relationship that will last a long time. We also got to meet that mysterious shadow mage who was helping them. All and all, a mind-blowing chapter.

Nah. I think we knew that already.

That’s the way it should really be. Yes. Have distinct parties for specific ideologies, but don’t become so enamored and entrenched in them that you fail to recognize the good points the other parties are making. The key is COMPROMISE. Everyone has to have an equal say. It can’t ALL be one way. Too bad so many of those PTBs can’t seem to understand that.

With all the scenes Colin wants on the Cafe wall, it looks like it’s going to be a panorama of their European journey with them featured in each location! What a great idea!

Eric, I’m so happy to see you back. Hope you are feeling better! It was fun getting caught up, but I had to backtrack to remember what had happened before!