Summerabbacat

Bjorn from ABBA whom @Tris finds attractive.

LOL @weinerdog, proving that Ben is not the only "smart arse" (although I am sure you are not smug, just smart). I seem to recall some other stories we have both read in the past where you had an uncanny knack for predicting future plot lines such that I questioned if you had a crystal ball. It seems your crystal ball is working again @weinerdog, or should that be Madame Zelenska, fortune teller extraordinaire. How appropriate it was the partaking of a milkshake which returned Ben's memory. I seem to recall it was a spilt milkshake which set Tim and Guy's loins afire. And the connection between a milkshake and Samantha has relit their fire (fear not @Al Norris, I will not post the video for the Village People's Milkshake again, the one which heavily features Samantha aka Valerie Perrine); instead I have posted the edited version of Relight My Fire by the late Dan Hartman featuring the soaring vocal talents of the late Loleatta Holloway for your aural pleasure. If you like the song (probably not), the 9:43 version is much, much better. Wonderful writing as is your wont @Mark Ponyboy Peters.

If you have a Manzillian often enough @drsawzall you barely notice the discomfort unless you are exceptionally hirsute to begin with.

Thomas' interaction with Micah was extraordinary. No amount of training or theoretical experience would have achieved half of what Thomas achieved, particularly in such a short timeframe. Thomas is a "natural" fit in his new role as confidant or big brother to the abused boys, a role I can only see expanding as more boys are hopefully rescued, a role which both Roger and Qian Liang can also relate to given their similar experiences. It may take either one or both to provide Thomas with reassurance, particularly given his very distressing, but neither surprising nor warranted, guilt for not having reported Uncle Charlie earlier, thereby sparing the boys who have been used and abused by Uncle Charlie and his cohorts. Thomas and perhaps Brendon too, may benefit from counselling for this guilt as if allowed to fester it will harm them going forward. Amongst the chaos and heartbreak of uncovering this appalling boy flesh racket a family is growing, a family centred around two extraordinary gay men, Thomas and Roger. The respect for and understanding of that each has for the other is heartwarming to witness. In just a few days each has brought more joy, happiness and resolve to the other than one could have imagined possible at the beginning of this story. I sense Jason Rizzo's ego will be his undoing. I believe the "ancient Italian artefacts" are likely to clean up this mess before the police have to take action against him. I hope if he is silenced by his "own kind" the CPD do not waste taxpayer's funding on investigating his murder. Treat it as a "social cleansing project", collecting the trash and disposing of it in the least expensive and most comprehensive manner. A superbly crafted chapter @empath. Many of my fellow readers have complimented you on your story telling in this and the prior chapter, compliments which are well deserved in my opinion.

And another of your delightful Hugillisms appeared in this chapter @Robert Hugill, bandbox tidy. I don't recall ever having read this little idiom before and it is delightfully descriptive.

Dare I say @Cane23 their individual qualities and abilities complement each other.

Nolan, Nolan, Nolan. The man has the patience of a saint and the wisdom of, well I don't know who, but someone very wise. Not a hint of jealousy in his suggestion to Ralph to contact Gordon, "his" Gordon, “See him, apologise or whatever, then that’s it. Done and dusted.” If Ralph follows Nolan's sage advice, and there is every reason to believe he will, it will contribute significantly I believe to Ralph breaking free, breaking free of the guilt that has plauged him for close to 20 years. Nolan is the "perfect" boyfriend for Ralph, attune to his insecurities and there with wise counsel on how to address or overcome them. He receives a lot from Ralph in return, a comfort to his own insecurities. Such a harmonious relationship thus far. Russ Khan keeps on "growing" on me. Unless he is very dishonest and an exceptionally good actor, he is nothing like Frances Heyward. Independently wealthy (a self-made man), above board, generous with his time and money, and seemingly not a pretentious bone in his body. Is he too good to be true? He was never found wanting by Brian and Gordon, and has apparently impressed Morrie no end. His kindness towards Ralph was duly noted. A very moving chapter for me @Robert Hugill, with Ralph's emotions running high, soothed by both Russ and Nolan.

I don't even know who won any of the spring races, including the Cup this year. I miss watching them but I have to stick to my principles for the sake of the horses. The greatest female "dynasty" I can think of in Australia in my lifetime started with Denise's Joy (an outstanding race mare whom I assume you remember) who produced Joie Denise (QLD Oaks) who produced Sunday Joy (AJC Oaks) and Tuesday Joy (lots of wins and placings at G1) and of course Sunday Joy produced More Joyous, an outstanding racehorse who has produced nothing of note that I know of.

And of all of them, "Rosie" was the only one to ever throw a good foal, the best bred racehorse I have ever seen in Australia (when I used to follow horse racing). Kingston Rule by Secretariat from Rose Of Kingston. No wonder he was so large and won the fastest Cup ever effortlessly.

I was thinking she may be able to walk, or in her case hop, across water. If it was good enough for Jesus, then it would be good enough for Skippy. A female Aussie superstar long before Sunline, Makybe Diva, Black Caviar and Winx (even before Leilani, Surround and Rose Of Kingston).

It has always puzzled me that a person can wake up after having been in a coma for some time, have retained full language skills but have no idea who anyone, including themselves, is. The human brain is such a complex organ. And as expressed by several of my colleagues, Ben was lucky to have survived at all given he struck his head. I think the next chapter will be from Justin's POV @weinerdog. I believe Cye will retire as I suspect he feels responsible for Ben's accident. He is clearly fond of all his boys and to have one of them injured on his watch will devastate him. I think Justin's reason for being below deck with Ben was wholly "honourable" as someone had to watch over him. I am hoping the town will rally behind the four couples, regardless of the gender of their partners. I assume Cye knows at least two of the couples are same-sex couples, and if he lets it be known that he does not care it may have an impact. It will be interesting to see if Ben is still attracted to Justin. A very eventful and wholly believable chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters. Now, just like Samantha, we impatient and greedy readers have to wait (although not likely for 2 weeks) for another instalment. The big question which remains unanswered for me is, where was bloody Flipper, and if Flipper could not have mande an appearance, then where was Skippy? She was Wonder Woman in a marsupial form.

Let's hope not @Celian, unless the ugly besets Jackie only. Maybe she attempts to escape or to kidnap Damian and is shot by the police.

Maybe John, the husband, is a closet-case and when he meets Roger he will go all goo-goo eyed and dump the bitchster. John will realise how shallow his life is and divorce her and move in with Roger and bring little Mary and Joshua with him because they don't like their mother and she does not want them.

Her death was no loss to anyone other than herself. Good riddance indeed. Rosa would make an excellent choice to care for the boys, but it would mean having to give up caring for her beloved Mary and Joshua, unless of course their father is involved in the paedophile ring in which case he is out of the picture. I cannot see their mother Rebecca coping with them without him so she may be happy for Rosa to have custody of them. There you go @empath. Between @Danners we have developed another story line for you. John Renkin, high profile paedophile indicted on child pornography and trafficking charges. Rebecca Renkin, his selfish self-centred wife files for divorce and surrenders parental rights to the family Nanny whose services have been retained by Roger Cicero, the primary benefactor and architect behind the newly launched Thomas' house, a home for unwanted sons.

I find it difficult to believe Jackie would have taken Damian with her to complete the sham, or if she did, he would have been abandoned at some point in time, either left on his own to fend for himself, or returned to England to live with grandparents or other relatives perhaps. Damian is a smart lad. I hope he realises his disclosures of the bank account information on the scrap paper and the postcard he received were vital in locating Jackie. If he does realise this I hope he makes a point of informing Jackie of this, informing her with glee that he helped "bring her down". Perhaps he can also let it slip, accidentally of course, how happy he is that Ludo and Arthur will marry and that Ludo will finally find the happiness and the love he deserves. As for Ludo seeing Jackie, I think he should visit her so he can laugh in her face, particularly if it sets her off and she is screaming like a hyena. I think Lesley's idea of having Dot talk to Damian is a very good one. It would be very easy and tempting for Ludo to "poison" Damian's mind against Jackie, which given her prior treatment of him and Ludo, would be very easily accomplished. Damian needs to air his opinions of his mother and what she has done to him and to Ludo to a neutral third party. I am sure he can form his own views on what a c#@t she is. An impending wedding, one which was agreed upon without any fanfare or angst. An educational opportunity again @Robert Hugill. Lawks, joins anyroad and worriting as three of the marvellous Hugillisms I have picked up reading your works.