Jjeffalch

I may have missed it, but what makes Ryder think he has a commitment from Owen? He is sitting there in whatever situation he is in--probably without any family constraints, oh but wait, nobody knows anything about Ryder's situation, do they, because of course, Ryder gets to decide what he reveals and when--and he is claiming rights over Owen that simply don't exist yet because he hasn't earned them. Of the 11 days they've known each other, he has spent five of the last six sulking like an 11-year old. Instead of showing support, he acts like an insulted prima donna. Showing up like that, at the fair, as if he has right of first refusal over Owen's time off and weekend activities, is for me an act of emotional manipulation that should be a huge flaming red flag to Owen, and if only he were a bit less sheltered and cowed, Owen might recognize this. All of us readers are overtly outraged at Margot. She at least has been around Owen for ever. Ryder has NO STANDING WHATSOEVER in Owen's life. My most fervent wish is that Owen realizes that Ryder is purely selfish, that Margot is purely selfish, and that he then decides to get a little selfish too. That may mean sticking to the plan with Margot and getting away to university safely. Who cares if Margot is acting in her own self-interest? If that also serves Owen well, more power to them both. What does Ryder have to offer to balance his pursuit of his own self-interest? Maybe Owen should just wait for Theo to grow up--his luck on Ember has been piss-poor.

I don't know how you do it, @CasualWanderer82, but this was sublime. The whole story seems to move forward with a certain inevitability, starting with that vague and strengthening sense of foreboding as the boys accepted Mister D's offer and got on that plane to Italy, rising to a clear feeling of alarm as Luka's disquiet deepened in the villa. And then the finality of his sacrifice, and the way the story resumes five years later, and the way you lead it to this wondrous conclusion. I do know that I will come back to this story again and again through the rest of my time to re-read it, not the whole thing, but the passages between The Maker and Mister D. That whole interplay was profound, deeply unsettling, but it also gave me a feeling of optimism, because for all their power, it seems that both The Maker and Mister D are neither omniscient nor omnipotent--there is still room for human agency, choice, love. “I knew what I was doing, more or less. But that… what that boy did… I didn't make that. I made things that could do it. And then I stood back, the way I always stand back, and every so often, very rarely, one of them does, and it breaks the world open a little, and lets in something that wasn't there before." He smiled, faintly, at the dark tree. "And I have never once been able to see it coming" That's my favorite piece of this whole magnificent tale. It makes me hope that what you said there is true. Thank you for this.

You're right on both counts, @pvtguy. Owen is entirely and totally passive. "My phone was in the cup holder. Dark. Quiet. No messages from Ryder". And it never occurs to him to send a text to Ryder and at least try to explain, to salvage something that he and Ryder could possibly build on. And I do hope that Ryder does realize that he too hasn't been entirely forthcoming to Owen, is guilty in some respects of the very thing he is so judgementally accusing Owen of. And he'll have to admit, at least, that Owen hasn't bored him. That should count for something!

Two humble suggestions. - more Gremlin, and more Carter!

Well, good ole Ryder got pretty judgemental there. But when I think back over their conversations, I can remember not a single thing that Ryder has told Owen about his own background. What he's doing now as a job, sure, the intricate dilemma about lunchmeats, sure. But nothing to his background, his family, his wishes and aspirations, his fears. And no sign that he understands or has any patience for the utter and absolute fear that makes Owen maintain the elaborate pretense of straightness and compliance with his parents' demands and his familyobligations. In fact, I rather suspect that that Ryder has no family, because he was somehow outed there and kicked out. Maybe he has no sympathy for someone in the closet because his was violently torn away. Unlike Cole, who set out clearly but kindly that he couldn't being a relationship with someone still in the closet, while understanding why Owen might not yet be ready to leave his. Not a healthy foundation for Owen's first relationship.

I knew Jed would end up being hurt but I thought emotionally, I didn't anticipate this horror. The poor boy--he was trying so hard to atone. This end he did not deserve. It's going to fall to Alvarez to eliminate that psychopath. Hopefully Ephraim will take down Acosta on the way.

Will is setting things up so he can have his cake and eat it too. Austin has clearly explained why he can't stay detached. Will just overrides that and essentially 'manipulates ' Austin to give in against his better judgement, although he knows how much more painful the breakup will be when Will inevitably goes back to Travis. And yet, kniwingbbeyond any doubt that pursuing their relationship on these terms will devastate Austin when Will ends it, Will just goes ahead anyway. SELFISH AND SELF-ABSORBED behavior. But quite predictable, after four full-length novels about Will.

But Alvarez was reacting to what he saw, and that was pretty darn clear. Devon goes from a weird public lunch with Alvarez to an intimate sexual encounter with Jed, and he makes THAT fact just as public with their disheveled appearance on the landing in front of the whole saloon. Maybe he thinks he's just dating the two of them and is free to dangle the possibility of a relationship in front of Alvarez while he enjoys himself physically with Jed, whose guilt will make him agree to absolutely any condition that Devon sets. But that doesn't apply to Alvarez. Alvarez may have too much pride and may be hiding his insecurities behind his blustering facade. But for all the silly head-butting that he and Devon have done, Alvarez has never deliberately done anything to hurt Devon. He has done nothing to deserve being treated this way by Devon. That public humiliation - his pride can't accept this. I'm not going to blame him for this. "He pulled the farm boy close, leaning in until their noses were almost brushing, weaponizing the genuine intimacy they had just shared into a calculated, ruthless strike against Alvarez's pride." With all sympathy for what Devon went through, at tge hands of JD, no less, Devon is not the injured party here. What worries me is that Jed, for all his past transgressions, is being instrumentalized by Devon in his emotional war with Alvarez. Jed. will.get.hurt.

I may be the only one who does not sympathize with Devon in this "tale of two beaux" . Devon reacts poorly to the "colddismissal" he sees in Alvarez' eyes.

In the time I was typing this comment, two others picked up on the Vega Vixen link. Bravo!!

"Across from them a small family was bickering and trying to stop a four-armed alien from eating all the pudding. Their kid laughing and saying something about them not painting space ships yellow. His father gesturing wildly, and grinning at the man who was obviously his long suffering husband sipping a cup of tea." It seems I'm the first to pick up on the MOST IMPORTANT THREE SENTENCES IN THE WHOLE CHAPTER...Do you not see it? It's the CREW of the Vega Vixen, with GREMLIN!!!!!!!!!!!! I've been thinking for MONTHS , it feels like, in a grumbling sort of way, that I need more Gremlin in my life. My dear @Topher Lydon, it seems you agree, because this wee little cameo feels like the intro to the re-intro of Gremlin. My dear fellow readers, if we all join in a concerted chorus demanding this, perhaps we can hurry the re-intro process along (hint, hint). Of course, I've been thinking for EVEN MORE MONTHS, and this definitely in a grumbling sort of way, that I need more Carter in my life. Now, of course, re-introducing Carter won't be easily accomplished in this futuristic context (at least, not without a time machine and that wouldn't really feel right), but, my dear @Topher Lydon, I'm hopeful that you are feeling the same compulsion, for how else can one explain the similarities of slogan and personality of Tripp the Dictator with "Him-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"? Tye narrative bridge is almost there, I'm hoping. This not to say that I/we, your loyal reader(s), are not hugely enjoying the diverse adventures of Darien and Wylan and Ser Val, and especially Ashot: and the Vega Vixen crew, and especially Gremlin, and now Flynn, and especially Poitr, but....

This was your best yet, @Tony S.. There were times when I truly feared that Kent would not beat his demons. He struggled, and it sometimes felt that it would prove too much for him. But although Kent didn't really want to and his instincts were telling him to flee, he didn't, he stayed. He found the people whom he needed to help him stay--Marvin, Pete, Dr. Ratchanon, and Devon--and he let them help him to learn how to stay, maybe without really realizing the role they were playing. The whole story flowed toward this wonderful, quite perfect ending. It was masterful, emotionally compelling, and deeply, unexpectedly deeply, satisfying. It wasn't easy to read the first five chapters, but this ending has made it all worthwhile. Tham you for sharing this disturbing but beautiful story, and your skill and talent, with us. Please do it again soon!!!

It is now beyond doubt. EVERYONE NEEDS A GREMLIN!!

What an unexpected twist! This is a doozy of a cliffhanger. I hope the next book is well underway. No pressure of course!😉

Maybe this is Will's way of punishing Travis for his neglect leading up to the Xmas holidays. It really is a shame that Travis needs Will so much more than Will seems to need Travis, and that his father-induced insecurities won't allow him to just tell Will to enjoy his time in Australia while Travis enjoys his time in LA and they'll both decide where things stand when he gets back.

I may be missing something--- 😕 Will figure that Travis getting with Kendo would damage their relationship, maybe permanently, and he is insisting that Travis not get intimate with him. Travis feels pretty much the same about Austin getting closer to Will, Austin who has just shed the boyfriend who was holding him back from getting involved with Will. How are these two situations different? Will is heading off on a "honeymoon"- like trip to Australia with the one person whom Travis really feels threatened by, and Will feels justified in telling Travis "you know where I stand on this, and if you fuck him, you’re no longer the cloud hovering over my boxes. It’s just that simple,”. Sorry, that is glaringly one-sided, and almost guaranteed to send Travis into Kendo's bed, the next time he flirts him up. It's strange and actually sad, but every time it seems as if Will is maturing away from being a very self-absorbed and self-righteous person, something happens to weaken the facade and his inner asshole comes roaring out, proclaiming "I'M STILL HERE!!!!"

Is this self-inflicted Xmas fiasco the thing that sends Teavis spiraling down unto the self-destructive behavior that was announced in the initial description of this story? Seems like it might be. Travis seems to realizes he has fundamentally messed up his relationship with Will, to the point where Will is taking Austin with him to Australia, making the arrangements without even informing Travis. I guess this means Travis will now stop resisting the flirtations of Kendo, and allow himself to be sucked into whatever emotional cesspool Kendo is swimming in. As fragile as Travis is emotionally, and, with his family background, that is very fragile indeed, he is in for a traumatic ride. Will would be the natural one to pull Travis back from whatever disaster he is stumbling towards, but with Will in Australia at first, then back in Boston with a newly minted boyfriend, who seems incidentally to be WAY better at satisfying Will sexually and probably intellectually, Travis is probably going to fall into his disaster before Will is even aware of what is going on. But, maybe this is a good thing. Both Will and Travis are deeply self-indulgent young men, but Travis lacks the self-confidence to be the kind of foil Will realIy needs in his partner. Will really does make appalling poor choices for his boyfriends!!! Maybe this will wake him up a bit and help him recognize the problem. Maybe he needs to spend some time with that therapist who seems to be on retainer to the family in Cali. Or maybe he just need to date casually for a year or two, without the pressure of trying to build and maintain a relationship with some high-maintenance, spoiled guy who is too emtionally immature to carry any part of that responsibility. But now, with Will heading Down Under and his mind increasingly focused on Austin, maybe our attention can at last be fully directed toward Travis, as we anticipate his dissolution with morbid fascination.

The father seems to be somewhat resigned to his fate, not putting too much hope in the treatment--it was never going to cure him anyway. The best would be for the treatment to fail, and for him to pass on quickly. Then, James can go back to his life with Evan, and leave his mother alone with her favorite child. Sam is as useless a human being as last month's lettuce, and Mommie dearest will soon have to come to James for help. And now James has to stand firm - not a penny for Sam. She'll probably continue to give him what money she does have - James must stand firmer still, "no, no more money than what I have already given you to help with this month's bills." And above all, he needs to stop hoping for any kind of positive change. She is what she is, and he needs to stop contorting himself into believing that it is somehow his fault and that he can fix it. Then perhaps, he can put himself fully into his renewed relationship with Evan.

If his mother refuses to accept him,then he should redefine for himself the terms so under which he engages her. First, every single thing she wants or needs, she must ask J for, individually. No more volunteering. No more doing the lawn. They kicked him out of that house years ago, the lawn is his dad's concern. Second, nothing more for Sam. James must stop conniving in his own denigration. There should no more buying spring rolls or more groceries for Sam, in case he shows up. Sam wants spring rolls he should ask James for them himself. Which he can only do if he's there. And third, no more inconveniencing himself. Mom won't let him sleep in his own room because of "how Sam gets", James should get in his car and drive him, and tell his mom he'll meet her at the hospital tomorrow. How she gets there is her concern. If he decides to pick her up, it's at a time that suits him. And when she starts to bitch and complain, as her type always does, he should simply suggest she contact her other son to fill in the gap. It will not cause her to change, and James should accept this once and for all. But he needs to take away her "power" to distress him. From now, he needs to stop hoping for change from her. And I'm doubly glad that he has reconciled with Evan, especially because he comes complete with a proper set of loving and supporting parents who see James as another son. No one ever wants to write off their parents. But James is better off without his. Refusing to allow them to put him down any longer will make him happier and more settled, and better able to devote himself to Evan without this parental baggage.

I really appreciate this chapter. It gives insights into James, his backstory, it helps explain his stoicism, his steadiness, his ability to focus, and his patience. It also helped me understand why he seemed unable to pin Evan down and force a discussion of their issues before their breakup. The poor guy was used to infrequent, superficial, one-way exchanges with his mother, not conversations where they talked about their lives. I like the insights into Evan as well. How he turned himself around, and put himself in a place where he could appreciate James fully. I had been wondering what was his epiphany moment. But maybe there wasn't any one thing. Maybe being out of the relationship gave him the time and the space to grow some more, to mature to the point that he was ready to commit a serious adult relationship and work at it. I'm glad he was brave enough to seek James' forgiveness and convince him to try again. And I particularly like Evan's stance on James' parents. He supports James but when the final confrontation comes. That support is what will help James draw the line and stand up for himself.

So, Tyler's back in the mix. That was very deftly handled, @Topher Lydon! That physical fascination of Charley's for Taine did feel a bit like a knee- jerk reaction, à la "he's wearing my body, so of course he fascinates me" . But now Tyler needs to be back in the kitchen, as does Chloe. Kitchen-brigadingvfrom a distance wears thin and has unintended consequences. Matt has become far too settled since taking over the family photo archivist role, witness his dutiful and surprisingly steady apprenticeship. Something has ro give in time for the showdown with Riccardo and his smooth family thugs.

Does anyone still see Tyler as part of the narrative? The two most 'normal' of the erstwhile kitchen brigade, Chloe and Tyler, both find themselves pursuing mundane normal activities at some considerable distance from the Hartley kitchen. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, dramas unfold, legalistic demons parade through and have their equanimity shaken in its foundations, the kitchen's denizens learn to excel at fire prevention, and the undead evolve into new (dare one actually say it?) "life forms". What possible role remains for Tyler? Even his tea-making has been usurped by Gregory, who through osmosis, apparently, has realized that the waves of tea somehow have to be organized into batches of seventeen pots (there is surely some diabolic, soon to be unveiled significance to the number seventeen as it relates to pots of tea). I confess, I miss Tyler.

Don't know how Tyler is supposed to compete against that. This might be the end of his relationship with Taine, who was deeply conflicted about it all at the best of times. It's a shame you wrote sTyler as such an amiable lovable character without flaw.

Well, Daniel has finally 'found' Malik, and it was clearly preordained to be thus--finding the "real" Malik will hopefully force him to recognize that the imaginary Malik he'd fixated on could not be part of his future and would never want to be. Maybe this inadvertent realization is just what he needs to give himself entirely i to hus new life, with Max, and to lay t he ghost of Malik to rest.

I agree, and I keep hoping the story line will shift back to Travis, though I'm thinking there will be some unraveling on his part...