Summerabbacat

I assumed the man at the funeral was Joey's father too @drsawzall, not least of all because he was crying and obviously avoiding being seen by those in attendance. I wonder why he left when Joey was a small boy? Is Joey's father perhaps gay, something Joey may have found out, and was acting like he was to prove to himself he was not his father's son? I wonder if @Josh Aterovis knows why he left, and if so, is he going to tell us? Will's revelations to the police assisted them in closing the case so no harm was done to Will, however, it was alarming he attended the police station without a legal representative, particularly given Joey's mother's claim the police were looking for him, which they confirmed upon his arrival. I don't think he is stupid so much as naive @drsawzall. He responds to many things, particularly those which are unsettling or upsetting, with a purely emotional knee-jerk reaction, rather than taking the time to think rationally, which I cannot criticise him for as I am very much like him, much to my frustration. I don't think Joey's mother should be advised of the possibility she is a grandmother by anyone other than Caitlin. If Caitlin asks for Will's advice about revealing this to her then he should, if he so desires provide that advice, otherwise he should leave well enough alone. His motives for wanting to help Caitlin raise the baby are purely selfish on his part as he has expressed, but given he is essentially a "decent" person, I do think he genuinely wants to help Caitlin and the baby too. The necklace presents a problem because the police have closed the case and what evidence does Will have he received the necklace in an envelope with the letter. The necklace appears to hold the key to what really happened to Joey. The suspense ratcheted up several notches in this chapter @Josh Aterovis. I was, before this chapter, beginning to think Caitlin may have been the killer, but her shock at seeing the necklace appeared genuine, so she is off my suspect list for now. The arrival of Killian will no doubt herald progress and the introduction of additional characters, presumably, who may have done the deed.

You would have a very "thin" story for sure @Josh Aterovis, something reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster action flick.

OMG I "felt" that hockey stick just reading about it. It is a wonder you weren't accidentally gelded. Were you playing hockey at the time? If by chance you do have any Romani heritage you are in good company with Robert Plant, Adam Ant, Tracey Ullman and Charlie Chaplin to name but a few.

Maybe I have you all wrong @Lee Wilson. You are not really Lee Wilson from Georgia, born and bred in New Jersey. You are Madam Zelenska Procházka, Czech clairvoyant and former mistress of President Vaclav Havel. Your crystal ball/tarot cards/tea leaves/magic vodka bottle was very accurate.

You could be. You may have had a twin brother, Leopoldo, who was also kidnapped, but by a wealthy family from Lichtenstein. That damn hospital had very lax security.

I have to agree with you @Cane23, Vienna and Nolan were very remiss in not being at home; they could have, as I commented, remained in their bedroom for the evening. I have been surprised in prior chapters at the cavalier attitude both have taken towards the alcohol consumption of Blair and Calvin in particular, as both were drunk at Carter's party, and yet neither seemed to be subjected to any punishment or restrictions because of this. Monty appears to either hold his alcohol better than the other two, or drinks less, as he has apparently not been drunk. He also does not appear to have the same sense of entitlement the other two have, especially Blair (she pisses me off big time - vapid millennial princess). He behaved far more rationally even though he did beat the crap out of Victor, whereas the other two started screaming like 5 year olds. Your point regarding the undoing of all the good work which has been achieved through therapy for both Jonah and Will, is a very good one. Unless Will has lied about his sobriety, I suspect Victor has drugged him, but the question to be answered is, how did he manage to do so without Will suspecting something. I don't believe there is anything Victor will not do to get what he wants. As Kath and Kim would say, he is effluent, just like his parents.

There is a difference @Chipplette. @irivera is redeemable, Victor is not (LOL).

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but WTF were Vienna and Nolan thinking leaving the party unsupervised. They could have stayed but remained in their bedroom if they did not want to embarrass the triplets. I cannot see any way Jonah will be able to avoid returning to North Carolina, particularly if the judge who presides over the hearing is Gina Hardfacebitch again. The only possible scenario I can think of which might assist his case is if it can be proven Victor gatecrashed the party, drugged Will, assaulted Monty and Jonah and fled the scene to avoid arrest. Even then, if it is Gina Hardfacebitch she may not care. I would be a hypocrite (which I am in other respects) if I was critical of Blair and Calvin for getting hammered again as I certainly did when I was 16, quite a "normal" thing for 16 year old teenagers in Australia in the 1970's, but I will be any way. Until they can prove themselves responsible they should not be allowed access to their new BMW. It does not appear Monty was hammered, so if not, he should be allowed access to their new BMW. Victor could not have wished for a better outcome. I have to wonder if it was him who called the cops. I hope you have something ultra-vicious prepared for his downfall @irivera, and while you are at it, something ultra-vicious for his parents and Jerk-Off June too.

You are a tickle-temptress @Ticklishboy30, titillating temptation twixt testicular terrestrials.

OK; "forewarned is forearmed". I had forgotten about Pete's extra curricular activities with Michael. Your long-lost twin sister Leonie, Leonora or Leontyne Wilson perhaps? The one you know nothing about as she was kidnapped at birth by a wealthy family visiting New Jersey from Luxembourg.

Jim reminds me so much of myself, a complete fucking idiot at times, overanalysing everything including the minutiae. This is why he see saws and is so indecisive; it was so easy for Jon to change Jim's mind even though he was adamant he was going to end their fledgling relationship. And to be blunt, at Jim's age, a "genuine" relationship is next to impossible to find. He is not Jon's sugar daddy and they are not in a daddy/son relationship, it is a relationship where both parties bring something to the table, one of equality. I, and several others, have said it before, Jim needs to give Alex some credit. Alex has only met Jon once and liked him. Alex told Miss Skankypants to fuck off when she demanded he cease his relationship with his father, that in of itself should tell Jim that he is important to his son, a son who expressed that he wants his father to be happy.

Surprisingly no tears from me @Lee Wilson. I was pleasantly surprised Stephen's parents only real concerns about him being gay and attracted to Michael were that the attraction was mutual, and that Michael did not force him to do anything he did not want to. There was no hesitation on their part to affirm their love and support of him because he is/may be gay, a refreshingly sensible and adult response. LK may be a different kettle of fish though, but I doubt their parents will tolerate any bullshit from him. Pete and Alex's response to the affectionate display by Stephen towards Michael was also a very pleasant surprise; for them it was a non-event, although Alex did express delight at knowing "boyfriends". A @Lee Wilson lite chapter on this occasion, with the only negative the comment from Leon Jr that Stephen is not a fag. I don't believe it was said with malice, however, hopefully Leon will learn that some words can hurt.

This complaint seems awfully petty, particularly given a significant proportion of the population do use the word "mate" as you have noted. I am glad you realise I was not having a go at you; my comment was an observation of something which I found very interesting. I have certainly known many people, including gay men and quite a few lesbians over the years who used the word "mate", but it is not something my immediate group of friends have used to any great extent that I can recall. This is also interesting. I am reasonably certain you have mentioned before you were born in 1963, as was I. I also lived in rural NSW until the age of 20, but always on the coast rather than inland. I wonder if this was of any relevance, not that it matters, but I do find it interesting. I used to cringe at "G'day mate" but have had a complete change of heart regarding this in more recent times. I have come to regard it as somewhat irreverent, a bit of a "piss take" towards social elitism, something I have certainly been guilty of in the past.

You must be a true blue Aussie "bloke" then @Mark Ponyboy Peters, whereas I am a Kylie-loving, cat-loving, vegetarian, shift-lifter. I am not one who has ever followed rugby league, rugby union, Aussie Rules (although it is at least a great perve), cricket (the most boring game ever along with golf) or car racing. I have never called any male friends "mate", primarily because growing up I don't recall any of my friends or family using "mate", and as an adult I don't recall any of my friends using "mate" either. That is one thing which has particularly struck me about all the boys in this story referring to each other as "mate". I know it is a very "Aussie" thing, but I have never been amongst people who have spoken like this to any extent.

I am obviously not much of an Aussie when it comes to rhyming slang as the only ones I can recall ever hearing are dropkick, frog and toad and porky pies, and the only ones I can recall ever using are dropkick and porky pies. When it comes to swearing, well that is a whole different ballgame.

Maybe you had Christmas on your mind.

I am not Catholic and no bugger all about saints. Did you mean St. Nicholas or St. Christopher, Al, as in your earlier comment you referred to it as a St Christopher's medallion? I am aware of St. Francis of Assisi as he was the one who was supposedly kind to animals so I really admire him.

I don't recall ever hearing you're not on your Pat Malone before, which according to Google is Australian rhyming slang. I thought this use of rhyming slang was very much a Cockney thing, but according to Google we Aussies use it often too. I cannot think of any examples though.

And now that I have read Luke's statement again properly @Mark Ponyboy Peters, clearly I am a dickhead. Luke stated "NO!’ Luke reprimanded. ‘What happened, happened. It was a result of a number of things that were going on, almost all at once, so no one person is to blame. When are you going to get that through your thick skull?" Perhaps I should change my profile name to Summerabbamoroncat.

The Turd is not the only despicable Samson. The Turd was a little younger than Henry currently is "when his father started their special tutoring sessions." Angelica alluded to this in the previous chapter with her thoughts "Perhaps her husband wasn’t like his father before him after all. She wasn’t supposed to know what that man, thankfully long dead, had done to her husband when he was a boy, but Samson women handed down family secrets just as the men did." I have to wonder if it was The Turd's mother who revealed this to Angelica, a mother whom The Turd had apparently never known. I suspect she was treated in much the same manner as Angelica, a "wet nurse" for The Turd. Angelica's comments in this chapter “He has his father. You’ve certainly spent enough time ignoring him. You can use the time to teach him about money stuff and how to talk like a man… and girls.” Angelica couldn’t help but repeat Henry’s words from the previous evening, not even trying to hide the sharpness in her tone. “But I swear to God, if you hurt him, Walter Samson, your father won’t be the only Walter Samson to leave this earth before his time.” suggest Walter Samson II's death occurred at the hands of another. Was it The Turd's grandmother who killed her own son or had someone do it for her when she discovered he was molesting her grandson, or was it perhaps The Turd's mother, who discovered her husband's incestuous behaviour and ensured it ceased. The Turd's behaviour in this chapter, particularly his screaming at Henry at the conclusion of their conversation, suggest his grip on reality is fading rapidly. In a perfect world, Damir may end up killing him rather than any of his intended targets. Angelica's insistence she stay by Walter's bedside has likely saved his life as The Turd has now instructed Damir to take care of Teyshawn rather than his son. Devon may well have saved Teyshawn's life by leaving Teyshawn's home address at 624 West Division Street before entering the apartment building, although Damir may not be at the address lying in waiting yet. Devon's visit to Walter's bedside with Teyshawn has revealed much to Angelica. I am certain she now knows her son is gay and is in a relationship with Teyshawn, and it appears neither Walter's sexuality nor Teyshawn's "colour" are of any concern to her, unlike The Turd. I expect the information revealed to her about The Turd's insistence treatment on Walter be delayed will bear fruit in identifying it was The Turd who hired a hit on his son. Thankfully, The Turd appears to be the only member of the Samson family who remains alive, in which case Angelica, Walter IV and Henry will be able to live a "normal" life when The Turd is either imprisoned or killed. Daniel's decline is heartbreaking @empath. Your description of his decline, although brief, packed a very powerful punch. His death will undoubtedly leave Juan devastated; the adoption of Matteo will perhaps be his only saviour. The quality of your story telling never ceases to amaze @empath; painstaking attention to even the smallest of details ensuring authenticity, believability and continuity. Well done.

"NO!’ Luke reprimanded. ‘What happened, happened. It was a result of a number of things that were going on, almost all at once, so no one person is to blame. When are you going to get that through your thick skull?" I have to disagree with this statement of Luke's to some extent. Whilst I don't think Tony is to blame for what happened to Aaron, I do think Aaron's parents are partially to blame. Tony and Aaron broke up because Tony wanted to follow his dream and Aaron chose not to accompany him; it was a mutual decision made, not something done in the "heat of the moment". Aaron's parents however, left in the middle of the night without so much as a goodbye and this is our forwarding address, taking Aaron's brother, whom Aaron was seemingly close to, with them. This abandonment of Aaron was unforgivable, even if Aaron was living independently of his parents. This rejection by itself may not have caused a breakdown, particularly if Tony had been there to comfort him, but it certainly did not help his already fragile state. As many of my learned fellow readers have commented, Luke's suggestion that Tony accompany Aaron to an appointment with his psychiatrist is a good one. What remains to be seen is if both Aaron and the psychiatrist agree. I too look forward to Tony's imminent "fireside chat" with the Macquarie Harbour Writer's Group. An excellent chapter as usual @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I am very pleased Aaron disclosed his mental health struggles to Tony. His statement: "I had Jay, but then, afterwards there was still this emptiness. I craved someone to hold me at night while I tried to sleep . . . someone to dry away the tears . . . someone just to touch me. But there was no one, so no matter how much good Jay did me, it was never enough, it was never what I really needed." was profoundly moving.

"We were in the front yard under the tree the whole time. We didn't see shit. Besides, didn't you say you had a fight with him? That could make you a suspect." This statement from Caitlin struck me as somewhat odd. Was the latter part of the statement highlighted in bold text merely a throwaway remark or did she have some reason to believe Joey may have been murdered? And what of the necklace? Was it ripped off Joey during an altercation with his murderer by accident, or was it deliberately removed because the murderer thought it was of some monetary value or was it a sentimental keepsake for the murderer? I still find it hard to have any sympathy for Joey because of the person he had become. Was there a reason for his descent into his own made hell? We are unlikely to ever know, unless he kept some sort of journal, which I would find very surprising if he did. I felt sad that a young life which had apparently promised so much ended on such a bitter note. Will's idiotic clueless behaviour is I think at least partially the result of his sheltered upbringing. His borderline "obsession" with wanting to help Caitlin raise her child, which may or may not have been fathered by Joey, and his reluctance to seek help from Dr Kohler regarding this issue and Joey's possible murder, may possibly be due in part, at least, to his rigid Christian upbringing. I daresay he was instructed (bludgeoned may be closer to the truth) that in all matters, particularly when faced with a difficult decision, he should turn to God for the answer. I assume given his father's denomination, abortion is a mortal sin and should not be undertaken under any circumstances. As Aidan pointed out to Will, Caitlin's decision is none of his business as he is not the father of the child, and even if he was, it is still her decision to make. As devastated and clueless as Will is, I found his discussion with Laura regarding Joey's death surprisingly lucid: "He's here, but he's not my nursemaid. I'm fine. I...I lost Joey before he ended up in that pool. This just makes it more...final." "Will!" she sounded shocked. "The Joey that died last night isn't the Joey we grew up with, Laura. I...I have to go." There was one humorous scene in this chapter @Josh Aterovis, one which appealed to me greatly, one which I think John Waters might greatly appreciate. "I looked back and forth between the three sisters. They looked nothing alike, aside from the fact that they were all varying shades of blonde. Joey's mom was pretty in a sort of hard way. With ash blonde hair that she always wore long, well past her shoulders, and big brown eyes, I'd always thought she looked much younger than other mothers of kids our age. She suddenly looked much older than I'd ever seen her, her face haggard, her eyes sunken. Then again, I wasn't sure I'd ever seen her without makeup before. Mel, in contrast to Mrs. Taylor's slim build, looked like a bulldog in comparison, complete with hanging jowls and a stubborn expression. Her dirty blonde hair was cut mannishly short, and she was built like a fireplug. Misty, on the other hand, looked like a chicken, long-necked and gangly, rail thin, and beady-eyed, with bleached blonde hair so light it was almost white." I think JW might also find the names of the three sisters hilarious, Monica, Mel and Misty, particularly if their family name began with an M as well.

Yay!

You may be right @Philippe; what was a rage filled act could have been so much worse.

Twenty five comments on this chapter and counting @Paladin. It has certainly proven to be one which has created a lot of interest, speculation and debate.