Wayne Gray

You're getting deep into things now, and so is Corbin. Maybe you're right - and Corbin made a bad call partnering with Karen. Maybe it'll put him into a higher profile than he'd like, and he'll pay for that. And that's an interesting thought about the Family. There's only one way to find out.

There were subtle tells that, for someone as familiar as Corbin, were like gigantic red flags. It was the absolute deference to Luca by the Family. The way Luca worded things. The little nod at the end. All of it together told Corbin what he’d already suspected.

I deeply enjoy the suspicion. Hopefully, something will come along to distract mister Bruce!

They were in the house for about four years. And maybe they could be sued. But Troy could barely make himself get out of bed. Fighting them was beyond him at the time. Now? Maybe. And the downpayment (and Grants mortgage payments) go to pay off the debt still owed to the bank. It’s a repossession, so that made it the bank’s property. I’m sure it’s more complicated than that, but this is how it went in the story.

Georgette gets so much hate! Lol. I love it. 😝

Oh, you'll see what Mother is about once you get there. She's something else, that's for sure, but a homophobe is not how I'd describe her. God, she's hard to describe. I guess you'll just have to find out. But, yes ... someone can be controlled to a degree that they don't even consider a path outside of the one chosen by their parent(s). Thanks for reading!

Carlos was the one to reach out and ask if I would be interested in becoming a Promising Author. He critiqued my writing, and he made me a better writer. His volume of work he leaves behind is vast, and people will read, and know his name for many more years. A legacy. Rest well, Carlos.

Ahhhh. We have a couple of distinct advantages over Grant. Those are: emotional distance, and this meta-knowledge that writers love drama. Lol Grant is trying to justify invading the most private thoughts, dreams, and fears a person can have. He’s not ready to give up the journal, so he’s trying to make it okay that he continues using it. Grant is smart. However, he is not recognizing something important. It’ll become more obvious down the line, but … Grant is absolutely missing something that’s clouding his logic. That emotional distance I spoke of earlier? Well. Let’s just say, we enjoy that while Grant does not.

weird ... double post

I have such a bad reputation! You write one suspense story with a surprise, and everyone has you pegged for a mean, twisted man. But I'll let you decide that for yourself. 🙂

Well, now you know. T=Troy, and Grant is trying to find the guy. Found him he has, though Troy is less than happy about it. We'll have to see how that works out. Thanks for reading!

You've read far enough now to know how that ends up. Though, for new readers of the tale I won't reveal it here.

Hi, weinerdog. Nope! This is a standalone story, so you're free to keep on reading. I hope you enjoy it. And you'll find out if "T"= Troy. By now, you probably have!

Thanks for reading and for the comment. And yep - I figure if someone is going to gift me their time to read, that they’re also invested enough to pay attention to the details. While an assumption on my part, I don’t think I could write much without that one. I’m not out to confuse people, but I do like subtlety. 🙂

I’m happy you enjoyed the story. I rather like how it came out myself. 🙂 Thanks for reading and for the comment!

That’s the idea. 😏 Thanks for letting me know you enjoy it!

We are all stories that live on in those we've met. And it sounds like Pops' story goes on. This is a lovely tribute, tim.

You’re welcome. I hope you find this story engaging as you follow along. It’s what I’d call a “slow burn,” but I think it’s worth the time to read. 🙂

I’ve got the day off and Monday too. I’m planning to write, relax, and attend a BBQ with a bunch of fun people. Frankly, I need the break. I hope you’re all doing well out there in the world!

Thanks for the nice comment and for the read. Yes, there's more work from me coming. I'm in the process of writing and posting a very different (for me) story, but once that's done I'll get back to my roots of this more socially aware writing. I hope you find more you like in my work. Many who enjoyed this series also liked "Ash and Ember," so if you've not tried that one yet, give it a spin.

You never need a TL:dr with me. I always read. I read them all. First, I appreciate you. I appreciate that this little bit of writing has inspired thoughts and emotions from you. It's not ridiculous if it's real, so just be real. And I think you have done exactly that, so thank you. Yeah. LOL. How to distill this down to a soundbite? I think you've got it as well as a person can. And I love the particular way you did that distillation. "we lost Faith but gained Hope." Yep, noisy guys. But they were due. And nobody begrudged what they were owed. Regardless of all else, this whole thing started with Wayne and Mark. It was them - the center of it all. The gravity which attracted all others to them. Whatever comes after, the beginning initiated with these two men who were way out of their depth. Just trying to survive and cling to their humanity in the midst of a crisis that tried to strip it from them. You have spoken what you felt. And that's never too much. Thanks for reading and for your words. I appreciate all of it. See you next time.

Okay. That's too much, man. I hope you got lots of overtime $ for that! Enjoy your time off, Chris!

Unfortunately, Mark has some experience with losing someone to the disaster which has befallen most if not all of the world. So he’d know better than any of them. And it wasn’t really luck that they got formula. They had a LOT of room on Erin’s trailer, and they used it all on their trip to the store. I agree - having the little luxuries of normal life makes the rest of it bearable. Garrett is a horny teenager. So, yes, he is happily making fun of the guys for loudly getting some from each other. Lol. Though it’d be better for all once they get that cottage built. Thanks for reading! 🙂

MaryAnne is such a caregiver she made it her career. And she has run into a group of people who all need someone to remind them to slow down, take a minute, and enjoy what is left of life. She does that naturally, without ever saying the words. And that's nice. I've already thought about a game they're going to find. I won't say which, but I bet it makes you remember your childhood. I know it did me when I thought about it. 🙂 Yep. Time for a cottage. Wayne wants to see how they work in the real world and not just on paper. So they're going to get the chance to do exactly that if he gets his way. And ... of course, it'll be nice for the guys to have their own private spot. Thanks for reading, kbois!

Yes, I went a bit heavy on the symbology of her name. But with a mother called "Faith," it's at least believable. But I do think you're right about the humanity comment in a couple of different ways. Both in the accepting of someone whose usefulness wasn't immediately apparent to MaryAnne's effect she had on the group just by being herself. Yep, they need more housing, and they know it, so why not let that benefit them too? Plus, they'd like to be able to get a little wild and not worry about their housemates. Garrett is a crack shot and a good little hunter. Things that made him a bit of a geek in school have turned into huge assets in their current situation. Thanks for reading!