Wayne Gray

Troy’s living a pretty sad life right now. I think we all can see that. 🙁

Grant has no idea, really. Though, he may learn.

Hehe. I hear you concerning the binging! I can’t blame ya there. I’m happy you enjoyed seeing Corbin and Paul again. I like them. They’ve lives that I find hard to imagine, but that’s ok. I need real, multi-faceted characters in both my reading and writing. Without that, I just can’t stay interested. It’s great you felt that in them! Thank you for reading!

Harlan screwed up huge. He threw the loss of a gift into Bailey’s face, all without knowing he was doing it. You’re right - Harlan’s foible is the reader’s gain. We learned a few things about Bailey, thanks to Harlan’s digging. Thanks for the comment concerning the chapter. And the song. 😉

Yup. Now we know. Bailey’s life is very different than it used to be, but his hardship never changed the core of who he is. He’s a good man. Thanks, Parker.

Ah, thanks! Yes, when I first turned this loose, nobody had realized Bailey hadn’t actually spoken at all in chapter one. Many wrote to say they reread the chapter, just to see how he interacted. I loved that! 😀 Let’s find out if you’re right about those developments!

Yep. I wrote an extra chapter already to finish things off. 🙂

I'm happy you're along for the ride, Tony!

No reason to be sorry, Parker. I'm glad you're hooked. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Thanks, David! It is Camp Refuge, and it's doing what it is it was designed to do. Hrm. Keep an eye on Rayne and Bailey both. They will have someone in common helping their situations that you may not expect. 😉 Aww, thanks. I like to sing. Somewhat to my husband's distress. 😄

Hi, Jaro_423! Thanks for the comment. It's amazing how close we all ride to the line. Most people in the US are about three months away from what happened to Troy. Unfortunately it doesn't surprise me that your situation was similar to his. As to how they connect ... well, keep reading. 🙂

Yeah, it's rough watching someone screw up that bad. Orson is still around. He still rents his little renovated cabin. Joseph drops by, stays multiple days at a time, and is pretty much living there with him. While Elias is camped on the futon. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, or it's getting to be. And we'll see more of how that is handled later. 🙂 You can bet someone tried to go talk to Bailey, to at least check on him. You can also bet that he didn't really want company. Thanks for the comment!

Thanks for the comments, mayday! Rayne's situation is made so much worse by his father. Rayne already lacks confidence in his sexuality, and Huck has turned that lack of confidence into a deep, abiding dread at simply existing. If that's not fixed, there will be repercussions. Unfortunately, the one person who's able to resolve it seems to want to keep his distance from Rayne. Harlan's not usually one to jump to conclusions, no. I wanted the reader to feel his unbalance, even as he struggles to find center again. Typically methodical, he's letting emotion rule, and Harlan doesn't usually make decisions that way. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Bailey. Well, we see how that turned out. Rayne and Bailey are both exactly who Greg had in mind when he started the campground. They're in good hands, if Harlan can keep from wrecking things, and if Huck can figure out what's really important.

Certainly! Enjoy it. 🙂

Oh man. Well, Harlan is a guy who is used to getting what he wants. More, he's used to making things happen for himself, and not depending on chance or luck. Unfortunately for him, his approach didn't work out so great this time around. And ... he's not exactly thinking clearly when Bailey's involved. Rayne really has been wounded by his dad's actions. Fixing that will take something special ... if it can be fixed at all. Thanks for reading and for the comment, jaysalmn. 🙂

Thanks, kbois. Harlan certainly tried. We saw how that went. Man, Rayne ... he's hurting. He just wants to feel loved, and right now Huck is screwing that up so bad. A lot of times parents have no idea what they're doing is hurting their kids. Let's hope he gets a clue ... and soon. I'm sorry you had to experience that with your son. It's wonderful that he's still here, and that he's getting help. Thanks for the comment on the song. I rather like it. 🙂

Yes indeed. He exceeds the qualifications, has the necessary credentials, and in Granite's communication to him in chapter one, they said "...we believe we can fulfill your particular requirement for workplace accommodation." Engineers and other similarly qualified folks are a commodity here on the Northern Coast of California. So, they snapped him up. More will come on that. Thanks for the comment!

Rayne is physically okay. He's still hurting really badly thanks to Huck's seeming disregard of him. It's awfully hard to think of a good reason to treat your kid that way, and most agree it's not a good tactic, no matter what. We'll have to see what's going on there. Harlan really screwed up by bringing up that old video of Bailey's. Usually, Harlan is far more methodical. I wonder what has gotten in to him? Thanks for the comments, Butcher. There's more to come.

Thank you, tim. I wrote it for this story, and it turned out far better than I had hoped it could. 🙂 xoxo

Bailey's lack of speech is revealed to have been from an accident aboard ship during his time in the navy. And then, we've got Rayne. He's a miserable kid thanks to how his father treats him. Nothing is ever simple though. We'll have to see what's up there. Harlan sorta shot himself in the foot with Bailey, didn't he? Well, let's find out how much damage he did. Thanks, chris!

Bailey stared down at his mug. At first his eyes were unseeing, his viewpoint merely resting on the lip of the ceramic container. He sat by Greg, who sipped his coffee and seemed content to sit quietly. Greg had started a fire a few minutes earlier, and Bailey let his eyes slide closed as the warmth began to sink into his bones. The river had been very cold. Bailey had only been in it for a couple of minutes, but that was plenty long enough for him. "Do you know sign language?" Bailey lo

Thanks, Quixo! I'm so happy you liked the story of the inception of Camp Refuge. A Silent Song continues this tale, and it will update today with Chapter Three. That will be a bit later, but it's coming. Thanks for reading!

I agree with you and Mike both. It's easy to value societal treasures, like the ones he mentioned. I was having trouble saying "yes, I need to figure out how to let go of what is expected, and do whatever it is I need to get through." People should take center stage. The needs of those who require the most help in particular. Production, work and wealth can all burn if it means one more vulnerable person stays healthy (mentally or physically). Thanks, tim.

Thanks, molly. I agree. We've got to recharge, and even let others help us with that if they're able. The story of the rover is so remarkable and unexpectedly sweet. The people keeping it alive, eking enough energy out of its crippled solar cells, they pitted their brilliance against an entire planet set on destroying their little creation. And for thirteen years beyond its mission, they did. you take care too, molly.

I'm trying to make sure I do all the things I need to, as my responsibilities are concerned. Beyond that, it changes day to day what I'm able to offer. Sometimes I'm able to meet those values you describe that society values so much, and sometimes I'm simply not. I'll continue working on being at peace with that.