Summerabbacat

No it would not Claire, LOL. I loved this description "I'll buy you a burner phone from a backwards convenience store without cameras, pay cash, and you can use that to call." A sad indictment of our world that because it accepts cash and does not have security cameras the store is considered backwards or antiquated. Lindy did well to get out of Tennessee. I cannot imagine her "gift" would be well regarded by those with dogmatic religious beliefs. Burn her at the stake, she must be practicing witchcraft.

What a useful gift to have, one which Elisa has put to very good use to help others, the missing boy, the missing cat, the missing shirt and the missing porno magazines. Finding Teddie was a delight to read of. I can only imagine the grief I would feel if one of my cats was genuinely missing (I occasionally have locked one in the pantry on the bottom shelf where she loves to hide sometimes and I freaked out). I dare say the latter may have saved not only her brother Kevan grief but also her father Neil. One word of advice to Mrs Drummond. Get off your fucking phone and pay attention to your child. Well done @Lee Wilson.

Keeping children ignorant of sex and their bodies is what can lead to unplanned teenage pregnancies. I sense very troubled times ahead for Matthew. If he is gay and his father is made aware of this there is no telling the harm he will almost certainly cause his son. Enforced conversion therapy as a bare minimum I envisage. Matthew will have to be hyper-vigilant whilst ever he still lives at home. If he is exiled from the family home he may well end up living with Granddad, a situation which would vastly improve his quality of life. I am curious as to why Solomon and Mary only have one child as I have always understood that reproduction was one of the central tenets of dogmatic religion. Perhaps Solomon has a low-sperm count, a blessing that has borne fruit in that he has only reproduced once, thus forcing his nonsensical beliefs on one child only.

"Oh Joshua, you have been such a naughty boy, you need a spanking". "No I have not Malcolm, I have been exceptionally naughty and I need a bare-assed thrashing". "You call that a thrashing, wimp, harder, harder, harder". Joshua is going to have to be careful to protect the "merchandise" as the ladies may not like to see his butt or his nipples in any way damaged, the former like spoiled rockmelons. He may have to restrict his spankings between butt bookings. Perhaps Lorna can provide some on-the-job training to Malcolm on how to best spank Joshua's butt and keep his nipples satisfied. Joshua should do well financially at Anthea's party with women who usually attend Cynthia's parties. I seem to recall there was a woman at one of Cynthia's parties who got a "little out of hand" with Justin and had to be forcibly restrained, but I cannot recall her name or the specific circumstances.

Therese's character growth was almost as significant as Ralph's @Gary L, although unlike Ralph she has not broken free, but has at least loosened her rigidity a little, as evidenced by the improvement in her relationship with Ralph and the moderation of her expectations of the twins. Sheila and Norman, priggish and incredibly arrogant to the end. I am sure Ralph has far better things to do in life than participate in activities just so he can embarrass his parents amongst the "golf club set". They really should just fuck off and move to Texas or Florida to live and swing those clubs to their hearts content. Of all the stories you have published to date @Robert Hugill this one for me has been the biggest surprise. Therese surprisingly proved to be a much more appealing character than either Deidre or Jackie, her relationship with Ralph far more accomodating than Deirdre's with Brian or Jackie's with Ludo. Ralph promised so little when the story commenced, but as he set himself free from his self-constraints and the constraints of others, he became so much more likeable and interesting than I thought possible. You also added further to the character of Russ Kahn and made those damn twins so likeable too. And of course, Nolan delighted and Morrie, Ivor and Beth provided amusement on many an occasion. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable adventure for cast and readers alike. Well done (and I so wanted to use tret somewhere in this comment).

I found part of Malcolm's request “Yeah, about my mum; I don’t know what went down at Scott’s place and I don’t want to know, it all sounds too creepy. So if we’re going to be boyfriends you can’t mention it again and probably shouldn’t come to my place when she’s home” very odd. I cannot fathom why Lorna would make any comment at all if Joshua was to visit Malcolm as his boyfriend, unless Malcolm is worried Lorna will try and hit on Joshua in his presence. I assume Malcolm will make up another name for his boyfriend, but by not ever having him visit, Lorna is bound to be curious as to whether a boyfriend exists or is just a figment of Malcolm's imagination. Anthea has proven herself to be far more lively than what I anticipated. In this chapter she displayed a tongue almost as sharp as the knife she so lovingly caressed Joshua's body with, particularly his butt, in the last chapter. She hissed at Star (OMG what a pretentious name) and put her in her place quick smart. Star's attempt to save face was so obvious, even blind Freddy could have seen it. Anthea also had a not so subtle dig at Cynthia, which Cynthia took on the chin without complaint. It will be very interesting to see how the life drawing party pans out. Will there be any "cat fights"? Joshua's confidence in himself is soaring; he is proving the veracity of the old adage "sex sells". I wonder if a rendezvous with fellow "nude waiter" Justin is in the pipeline. Only the wombat knows.

Victor may come from money but he is trash. The following comments made by him I thought for sure would result in Jonah having a complete meltdown, but fortunately he did not, if anything they fuelled a witty retort from Jonah which surprised and definitely rattled Victor: “Jonah Kildare,” he says, “the poor orphaned boy whose parents died in a tragic accident right before Christmas.” Now I look at him with my now slightly parted lips. “Where did y—” “Don’t.” He cuts me off. “You should know that I have my ways. God, how was that?” His face is blank and emotionless. “Was it scary? Watching them die?" I am hopeful that Jonah's rebuff of Victor's superior attitude and threats may be observed by sufficient numbers of their classmates, such that the classmates feel emboldened to defy Victor's bullying and vote for Jonah. This may result in retaliation from Victor's parents of course, from whom I daresay he has learned his bullying behaviour. Trash invariably begets trash and that seems to be the case with Victor. It is certainly puzzling why William hangs out with Victor as they appear to have very little in common, an observation which Jonah has made in a very short timeframe. I had a great chuckle over Calvin's comment "I have always thought that Will was part of the fruit basket, but it’s been hard to settle that". It certainly appears William has an interest in Jonah which goes beyond friendship, but we will have to wait and see. And how very interesting that James' parents are divorcing. Like Jonah, I think it is highly likely the issue of James' sexuality may have played a significant role in this. Is it possible his parents are the polar opposite of Jonah's with his father having no issue with James being guy? His violent Christian right birthing vessel, Irene, certainly appeared to take issue with his sexuality, slapping him hard across the face and uttering several expletives which I would think would be considered if not blasphemous, certainly very improper for a good Christian woman to use. Excellent chapter @irivera. The intrigue regarding James' and his current whereabouts and circumstances increased as did Victor's toxicity. The track meet and winning results for both Monty and William were a pleasant diversion from the drama.

I agree with @centexhairysub's comments that it appears Tom was not the perpetrator of Grayson's assault, although it is possible it may have been boofhead #2 and boofhead #3 who assaulted him without Tom's knowledge. I strongly suspect though it is likely to be friends or associates of Stinky Shane who assaulted Grayson because he did not recognise the voice of one of those who spoke. I won't be at all surprised if the car driven by the perpetrator's of Grayson's assault was stolen, in which case I assume solving Grayson's assault will be a low priority to the police thereafter. @weinerdog has raised a very good point about Grayson's possible disclosure to Rafael of what happened to Richard. Although I am not a fan of Richard's, I was alarmed Grayson was going to disclose to Rafael details of Richard's molestation. I think what he did say was vague enough that it could be interpreted as any number of things, but he really should not have said anything other than something generic e.g. Dad took off and did not come home last night, but I saw him this morning and we spoke without any hostility from him. A relatively trouble-free chapter for Grayson on this occasion @Mark Ponyboy Peters, although his relationship with Rafael appears to be "heating up". I guess it may be difficult for them to have much action if they are both still living at home. They may have to go "parking", surely there is a lookout nearby where they may be able to have some action relatively safely.

Perhaps it is because Micah appears to have been abused in isolation @Cane23, whereas the other boys have had at least one other boy to provide them with some degree of comfort, even if that "comfort" was only someone to talk to, to cry with or to share the terror with.

Much like "real life" there appears to be no limit to the depravity of the Cards in the Deck and those who are the Clubs. Arturo's resignation he was born into a life of prostitution and his welcome of what he hoped was his impending death were profoundly sad. The hope he may have a brother brought forth tears. Arturo and Micah may each prove crucial to the other's recovery, even though they have never met. Both boys presumably have their mother's eyes as it is unlikely they have the same father given their mother was in the witness protection program. I wonder if Arturo's father was a prominent criminal who "owned" his and Micah's mother and she provided vital information which led to his arrest and conviction, and ultimately resulted in her murder. Travis White has revealed himself to be sooooooo much more than what one could have dared he might be. With each chapter his compassion for the boys grows whilst conversely his dogmatic beliefs are stripped away. Superb yet again @empath.

The seduction of Harris by Colin has left me with three questions @chris191070: did Harris ever see little Stevie, the twink who Ken left him for who has now dumped Ken did Colin's cab collect him to take him to the airport to fly home to New York are little Stevie and Colin one and the same Call me cynical, but I have my reservations as to Colin's intentions. Colin is 25 and Harris is in his 50's, recently dumped by his partner, has his own home and seemingly not without financial resources. "Harris thought of it as having sex. He was surprised to hear Colin say, make love. It also disturbed him a little, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why". Perhaps I am reading too much into this conversation, but something disturbed Harris about this remark, quite possibly for good reason.

Joshua's burgeoning business gives this song a whole new meaning.

As Joshua rolled over and sat up on the table, the women noticed the tenting of his apron, and as he jumped down, the bounce. They all remained silent but some felt... just a little moist." and “Yeah, we could spread the items all over his lovely smooth body, and....” “....and scoop wasabi from that perfectly rounded arse” “Oh, I’m salivating already and my mouth’s not all that’s watering”. Lorna's group are certainly horny and prepared to pay to satisfy their desires. Moisture seems to be a common result from viewing and touching Joshua's pert bottom. Speaking of Joshua, he is becoming more and more cheeky with each passing luncheon he "serves". His late night conversation with Malcolm was amusing, particularly Malcolm's comment: “For a casual job maybe, but hardly a long lasting career choice” “You think so?” “I’m pretty sure so. Like what will you do when your butt sags or even before that what if you start growing hair on our butt?” If this eventuates, Joshua may have to invest in laser treatment or alternately find himself a beautician who will perform a manzilian on his back, crack and sac. I think Alvin Purple Rides Again @Wombat Bill. I hope the ladies were using dark chocolate, preferably 95% cocoa, which has the lowest sugar content. I assume they are in their mid to late 50's or older, at which age they may be starting to show signs of impaired glucose tolerance. .

Love in the afternoon for those in their twilight years, well almost twilight years. A delightful story from beginning to end @Tallguyct.

Tom showed remarkable restraint when dining with Solomon, his son-in-law, Mary, his daughter and Matthew, his grandson. He should have invited Solomon to visit him at the lake house too, taken him out on the lake in the kayak and drowned him. What an obnoxious, dogmatic bully Solomon is. I have to wonder if he is "free" with his hands too, ensuring both his servile wife and brow-beaten son follow his version of the "Lord". The perennially pious often have a skeleton in their closest (think Jimmy Swaggart); scratch the surface and you may find Solomon lusts for all manner of "sins of the flesh". An interesting start to this new story @Tallguyct. I hope Solomon does not make too many appearances, or if he does, he is soon exposed as a complete fraud.

"Three blind mice. Three blind mice. See how they run. See how they run. They all ran after the farmer's wife, Who cut off their tails with a carving knife. Did you ever see such a sight in your life As three blind mice?" Bob was a surprise, only too happy to join Darryl and Harris for a threesome. What will happen when they return to Ft Lauderdale? Will they continue as a throuple or will Bob and Darryl split and either one or neither forge a relationship with Harris.

Molly Meldrum would be proud of you both. To quote him from his days on Countdown (my absolute favourite music show ever), Do Yourself A Favour, but in this case instead of going out and buying "it" (whatever album he was raving about) buy yourselves a lottery ticket because you are winners. And remember the wise words of Ms Faltskog, The Winner Takes It All.

It appears Brian has not been involved in the lives of his children since he and Brenda divorced, and that this has negatively impacted him and also Neil at least. It might be time for Brenda to reassess this situation as I assume it is she who forced him to surrender any custody of the children. A relationship between Neil and Brian is essential to healing both and will almost certainly help Neil through his current crisis, and this is not in any way finding fault with the role Uncle Jack is playing in his life. Lucas I fear will not stop until he has either harmed someone else, perhaps even his beloved Granny, or himself. Excellent chapter @Ronyx. Tension is building and the atmosphere surrounding Lucas and his sheep is suffocating, like a heavily cloudy day.

Congratulations @empath, #1 in the top 10 Most Read Thriller/Suspense for the month ending 17/01/25 on GA, just ahead of one of Australia's "own sons" @Mark Ponyboy Peters at #3.

As terrible as it is that both Richard and Grayson have been assaulted, albeit for different reasons, I sense their suffering is going to bring them closer together. I think Grayson's power of forgiveness is far greater than many others would possess, as evidenced by his response to Richard's admission of what happened to him and also his decision not to challenge, at least for now, the overheard remark by Richard once again equating paedophilia with homosexuality. I know Richard has just admitted something traumatic happened to him, but for fuck's sake, is he really so ignorant and disconnected from his own son that he is presumably worried about the safety of Oliver around Grayson. The sooner Richard gets counselling the better, even if only to dissuade him of this notion he has, which I assume is why he has always been so distant and unkind towards Brian too. I hope Brian discloses to Richard what he also experienced as a teenager of similar age, although given Richard's current mindset he will likely diminish what happened to Brian with a comment like "but you're gay so you would have enjoyed it, whereas I am not and did not". Grayson's attendance at work surprised many. I was pleased to see Julie Mack express concern and advise him to go home if he is feeling at all unwell during the course of the day. The support of many other staff also comforted him. The "nosey parkers" were out in force, no doubt headed by Esme, the biggest nosey parker of them all. Rafael's distress was genuine and a sign, if one was in fact needed, of his growing affection for and attachment to Grayson. Well done again @Mark Ponyboy Peters. I read this story about 3.00am this morning when I woke and thought the roof had just blown off my apartment building (my second level, including bedroom and bathroom, is on the top floor of the building). The winds in Sydney for the last few days, together with the storms, have been amongst the strongest I have ever experienced. The worst part is the temperature has plummeted, yesterday it was only 20°C and today it is only about 23°C. My cats have been snuggled up in bed to me the last few nights and I have had the doona pulled up underneath my chin. Too cold, like bloody winter again.

I normally abhor patriotism, or perhaps it is more accurate to say nationalism, but with this story at #3 in the Top 10 Most Read Thriller/Suspense for the month ending 17/01/25 on GA and What Brings Us Together - Part 1 by @Paladin at #2 in the Top 10 Most Read Fantasy for the month ending 17/01/25 on GA, I am going to celebrate @Mark Ponyboy Peters with a truly "patriotic" #1 hit song from 1979 about Aussie Rules. I do like Aussie Rules (unlike cricket) for its eye candy (unlike cricket) and skilful play and the song is listenable. Well done Aussie lads @Mark Ponyboy Peters and @Paladin.

I normally abhor patriotism, or perhaps it is more accurate to say nationalism, but with this story at #2 in the Top 10 Most Read Fantasy for the month ending 17/01/25 on GA and Stockroom Secrets by @Mark Ponyboy Peters at #3 in the Top 10 Most Read Thriller/Suspense for the month ending 17/01/25 on GA, I am going to celebrate @Paladin with a truly patriotic #1 hit song from 1979. I don't like cricket at all and the song is mediocre, but I don't care for once. Well done Aussie lads @Paladin and @Mark Ponyboy Peters.

Hansi has it. She is not the innocent hausfrau she and apparently Andreas has portrayed her to be. Her visit to Ludo was a calculated move.

“There’s not much I can do, is there? I’m hardly in a position to help, thanks to you?” It all came out rather sharper than intended and she turned to him, surprised. “Well! What did you expect. The police keep dragging me in for questioning, convinced that I know where all the fucking money is hidden. Damian doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going, he hates you and misses you. We’re seriously thinking of getting him a therapist.” “A therapist?” “Yeah. You can’t just piss off and leave him and expect him to shake himself and carry on. He’s only ten for God’s sake. I do my best but at this rate, you’ll be lucky he’s still speaking to you when all this is over. And we’ve got bloody years of it. You realise that.” “Hardly years. Come on Ludo…” “No! You don’t get do to that anymore. No bloody come-on, Ludo. The trial won’t be until next year, if we’re lucky. The solicitor says that the finance side might be so complicated they’ll want a delay. And they are still looking for more money. Whatever happens, there’s bound to be an appeal. And we have to sit tight and pretend that life’s a dream. Thank you very fucking much.” At last Ludo let Jackie have it. He has had enough of her lies and selfishness and let her know in no uncertain terms she had finally gone too far. Well done Ludo. Jackie's revelations may have garnered her some sympathy from some of my fellow readers, but not from me, none, not a skerrick. She made her bed, so she can lie in it. Her totally selfish actions led to this "Damian nodded, trying to look serious but then he burst into tears. After all, he was just a ten-year-old who, despite everything, missed his Mum." Pesky Penis and Vivacious Vagina, what wonderful names. Such imagination @Robert Hugill. Wowjer? Is that another Hugillism or is it a spelling error? I googled it and found nothing. The only word I could think of which is spelt similarly is wowser, but that word does not fit the context. Another fine chapter @Robert Hugill. As much as I am loathe to admit I agree with @Cane23 on this occasion, the chapter did paint a slightly less obnoxious Jackie, although as I said above, she did not garner any sympathy from me. It is all Too Much, Too Little, Too Late.

The secret has been revealed, albeit reactively rather than proactively, or has it? I am somewhat puzzled as to why Jordan, his family and friends, have all seemingly worked so hard to keep this event a secret from Cameron. Did Jordan have a mini or full-blown breakdown following the death of Adam? I think it perfectly understandable if he did. Or is there something more "sinister" behind the secrecy? And why was Jordan so insistent when pleading with Joshua, "Josh, I’m so sorry. I’m really so sorry. I tried to save him. I wanted him to live more than anything. I did all I could to save him.” Tears were streaming down Jordan’s face. “You’ve got to believe me I did all I could to save him.” He let go of Jordan and sank to his knees sobbing. “I did all I could, but it wasn’t enough. I loved him. I really loved him but I still couldn’t save him.”? Did Adam's parents blame Jordan for their son's death or was there some suspicion levelled at Jordan from the "authorities? Or am I just being my usual contrary distrustful self in thinking there is still something Jordan has not revealed, and if so, for what reason. Whatever his involvement in the death of Adam, Jordan cannot be faulted for his kindness towards Joshua. Both he and Cameron initially assumed, as did I, Joshua was homeless. How old is Joshua and how has he managed to run away from home with the intent of killing himself without raising some kind of reaction from his parents who were presumably Adam's parents too? His statement "But you showed me you cared about me and wanted to help me. You didn’t want to just use me. Since being here and meeting you I’ve realized that people can care about me." has me wondering if Adam was perhaps the favourite son and with him dead Joshua's parents have shown him little affection and left him to his own devices. Very clever writing @Paladin. The "revelation" has raised as many if not more questions than existed before the "revelation". You certainly have a captive audience with this one, although unlike many, your captives have free rein to remove themselves from captivity.