Wayne Gray

Monday again. I hope you're all having a great one. 🙂

Hehehe. Yep. You sorta called what was coming. Close enough! It took Nate to make Christopher see what he did was wrong (I forget which chapter they had their little confrontation about it). I tried hard to make it apparent that Christopher loves Tad. But he's not perfect. Emotionally he wasn't ready to accept that Tad's life would end. He wanted, so badly, to believe that if Tad just tried, that he could beat the cancer. He's finally coming to terms with things, and it started (of all places) with Nate. Mmmmm... that scene. Yeah, I like that scene with all three of them. Kent and Stanley are becoming more than they were, while Markus circles the drain. There's a reason I'm telling all of these stories. It's all connected. Or, it will be. Thanks for reading, Jeffrey.

They're taking a big step, yes. And Eureka is a small place. You'll run into the same people over and again if they run in similar circles. These guys have yet to have that happen, but as you've guessed, it's coming. 🙂 Thanks for reading! More's on the way.

He's stuck in that feedback loop. That negative self-reinforcement many of us deal with. You're right - he needs proof that he is loveable, worthy, and that he's not broken. Let's hope he finds that proof... somewhere. Thanks for reading and commenting, Tom.

Christopher is still in that process. He's still going through it. He has begun, though. With Nate and Tad both there to help him, he has just about all he could ask in terms of support. Markus... yeah. That one is painful. Amarillo isn't exactly rural, but it's firmly southern. It's not a place crawling with visible examples of alternative sexuality. Thanks for reading and commenting, Fae. 🙂

No need to be sorry. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Yeah. It's very hard for Markus to view his sexuality as anything but a liability and as something deeply wrong and broken. Right now he truly hates himself, and he feels unworthy of any kind of affection. Someone needs to intervene in his life, or there may be more than one sad ending after all. Thanks, Bryan. More is on the way on Wednesday. Though, Markus won't show up again until next Sunday.

Markus tried. He tried reaching out to his mom, and he sorta hinted around with Shane just to test the water there. He wasn't encouraged. So now he's spiraling. Thomas isn't a bad person, but he's ill-equipped to help. And they're in Texas. Austin, I could see resources and examples abounding for Markus. But not in Amarillo. You have to go hunting for it there, and Markus is in no state of mind to do that. Thanks, Thorn. 🙂

Yeah... Markus is in a deep and terrible place. Thomas only just got to the point where he likes himself, and he simply can't spare more bandwidth to try and help Markus too. Things are dark for Markus right now. The counter point is our trio. All are fitting well, and they find that they're more than suitable physically. Christopher had some work to do... to really wrap his mind around Tad's condition. But, he's doing it. Kent and Stanley march forward, a bit at a time. Thanks for reading and commenting, Chris.

Kent waved goodbye to Liz as she locked up the bookstore. He had covered two of Nate's shifts during the week, and that meant a bigger paycheck, but it also translated to less study time. He was a little worried about his physics class, but he'd just have to buckle down on Saturday. Nate was very thankful Kent was able to cover for him. "Kent, buddy, you're a lifesaver." Nate had sighed with relief on the phone. "There's a situation with the guy I'm seeing and we just need to keep an eye on

It's definitely okay. By all means, pass it along. Markus has his part to play. Though what that might be is yet to be be revealed. He's certainly not doing so hot right at the moment... It will be very difficult for the characters to imagine a world that never had Tad in it. Why that is... well, that's coming too. I hear what you're saying, as a "what if" scenario. It'd be utterly and extremely dramatically different for all involved. You'll see why. 🙂

Man, I hope you're all right! Best of luck to you, Bryan. I never knew the symbolism of "V", but it makes great sense. Tad is definitely the apex, the force which draws Nate and Christopher together. Actually, he's the center of it all. Almost everything that follows in the story does so because of him. I thought about what would happen if Tad was never there. Kent and Stanley probably would have still met (though later you'll see what Tad's influence has over their lives too). Markus would still have his troubles in Texas. Though, Nate would still be his shallow self, and Christopher maybe would have paired up with Stanley, excluding him from ever truly connecting with Kent. There's just so much with Tad at the center. And don't worry... an update for Markus is coming next chapter. I'm glad you're interested and invested in him. 🙂 Thanks for the comments and for reading.

Now they are three... Tad will need all the support he can get. You're right - so will Nate and Christopher. Ahhh. Miranda. I like her. She's a warrior - she stepped in when their parents wouldn't. She's the one to save Tad from the constant, quiet judgment at home. She gave him a place to be where he could be himself, be safe, and know that he was loved. So... yeah. If she had to, she'd go to war for him. Christopher definitely knows that. Kent and Stanley are fun to write. I like leading them through this nascent relationship, and watching them grow into their own skin, and into one another. Plus... though they have their own issues, their side of the coin isn't as heavy as the storyline with Tad. But they're all connected, and they all come together like spokes in a wheel... Thanks for reading and commenting, Parker. More to come.

You're welcome. I never wrote a relationship like this before. I truly wanted it to feel good, natural, and right for them. Unforced. They just sort of fell into it, and seized the opportunity when it showed up. Thanks, Thorn. ❤️

A very vocal and insistent Kali will not go unfed. Chris knows better than that! She's pretty happy now that she has both of her daddies, and then Nate too. A warm, familiar body... that's what she is after. Like many of us, I suppose. Huh. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting, Timothy!

You assume correctly. It was just the flu. Tad still has the tumor, of course, but the flu only mimicked the symptoms and caused panic in everyone who loves Tad. Trio or Triad are both acceptable, I believe. 😛 I don't have the severe aversion SOMEONE has to that other "t-word" but I'm happy enough to leave it alone. Thanks for reading and commenting, Jeffrey!

That's exactly how I wanted it to feel. It wasn't forced for my three guys to end up together. It just happened as circumstances demanded. And now here they are, tangled together in bed, and, in varying and increasing degrees, all invested in one another. Thanks for reading and commenting, Tom. 🙂

You know me and those curve balls! 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting. There's more on the way, so stick around.

Thanks, Chris. Yeah, Tad's bout with the flu may have been a blessing in disguise. It brought Christopher back into his life, and now all of them are going to try and forge forward. We'll have to see how it goes. 🙂

Stanley was beat. He had to work a couple of hours of overtime, and now it was after eight PM on Monday. He was learning the trade as a mechanic and his job included many of the things the other guys didn't like much. This included playing a "go-for", running back and forth almost constantly, grabbing tools, lubing vehicles, and hauling heavy parts around to wherever the guys needed them. Luckily, they paid him well. The dealership valued Stanley and his hustle. Without him, the lives of the

I've got one for you. My husband makes this one for us, and it's always amazing. There's something fantastic about the things heat and acidity do to the solids in the milk. It turns into these tiny, savory, lemony curds. I thought it sounded so gross at first, but I was happy to be proven wrong. https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/chicken-in-milk/ EDIT: It's idiotically easy to make. For the amount of effort spent this dish really rewards you.

Oh, that sounds goooood! Thank you for sharing, molly!

I'm largely basing Tad's acceptance and actions off of a cousin of mine. She was diagnosed with Primary-Progressive MS. Usually people live years with it, but not her. She had the most aggressive sort, and they gave her weeks to live. She was a picture of grace, acceptance, and concern for those around her. She had her moments of weakness and despair... but they were rare. She died two months after diagnosis. But her actions over that span of time, they really ensured that her family would be okay. So, yeah... the characters and the specific situations are fiction. But she taught me the power that there is wrapped in a person who focuses on leaving a legacy, and not just a sad story. I didn't think you doubted how they felt. You really said something important too, the "before or after" comment. Emotionally, nothing has changed for Nate or Tad. Nate was scared and weak, and so was Christopher. But that doesn't change anything around how Nate feels for Tad.

I hear you. The things we survive turn us into who we are. Regardless, I'm sorry you went through that.

They really can. It's not hard for me to imagine acceptance though. I fantasized about it repeatedly... so at least I can write it in some of my stories. 🙂