Summerabbacat

I will fight you for him. Back off bitch!

You have superb taste @Tris, first Todd and now ABBA. A masterpiece in a similar vein to the greatest pop song ever written IMO, Knowing Me Knowing You.

I would like to think they would be @drsawzall, although many products one would assume are vegan contain glue made from animal by-products or have been tested on animals in some way.

They would both presumably have very large ....................................... bank account balances, so I cannot imagine why a comment by Daniel to this effect should have caused such rage @Cane23. Perhaps he made the comment that he loves "disco" and hates hip-hop and rap.

Send him your dating profile @weinerdog and let him know you are from California. "Problem" solved for both of you. He may be like Brian from Thicker Than Water and call you Daddy.

The developing "relationship" between Todd and Barrett had me thinking of another masterpiece by ABBA, The Name Of The Game. Rarely mentioned as one of their great songs, it is one I have always loved and feel is criminally underrated. Its lyrics very apropos for the action which took place in this chapter and for which promises to be (at least I hope so). This story is a delight @Superpride. I strongly encourage you to keep writing it; it is a joy to witness the growth of Todd and Barrett in particular.

I have siblings and you don't need to get it @Tris. I am not impressed by Anthony either, although after this chapter I am beginning to think maybe he does genuinely care for Todd but is either too frightened to stand up to their father and tell him he is a bully or does not want to rock the boat and threaten his own security. Either way, a spine transplant is required. Todd certainly appears to have unresolved grief from his mother's death too. As for his father, enough said.

"But the things I was told that he thought of me as made me feel like total crap, and I even wondered for a while if loving boys was morally wrong and that I needed to be fixed." Barrett's alleged homophobia towards Todd may be based on lies, lies told to Todd by his brother Anthony, a brother who has already "challenged" his best friend and co-worker, Barrett, with the statement "You’re not gay, am I right?". Any homophobia exhibited by Anthony would have received the full support of his and Todd's father. What a pair of arseholes. Unless Todd still receives some kind of financial assistance from his father, which seems very unlikely, then a "fuck you" from Todd to both him and Anthony seems well warranted. I hope Todd's animal activism does not find him unemployed @Superpride. Most humans I encounter do not really care how animals are treated, apart from domestic pets, and even then most people assign "ownership" of domestic pets to humans as they do any other "possession". Todd is wonderful and I have a feeling he is going to receive support from Barrett, which will put Barrett at odds with Anthony and his father.

I thought (wishful thinking) the stickers on the milk cartons may have been a protest against the treatment of the cows and the use of their milk to feed humans. I shall always remember a statement made by Prince, who at the time was reportedly a vegan and said "we are the only species which drinks the milk of another species". Grotesque, to me anyway, when I think about it. I am a hypocrite though as I still eat dairy cheese (from both cows and goats). Todd is wonderful @Superpride and Barrett is beginning to grow on me. Anthony is a slob. Before Barrett questioned Anthony's eating habits I was thinking how ironic it was that he was ploughing into a burger and fries whilst working as a paramedic. Biceps and blubber, not an attractive combination at all Anthony. Not to mention the damage such a diet is doing internally too. And my apologies (not) @Cane23, but I cannot get the song Trouble-Maker by Roberta Kelly out of my head. It is a disco song released in 1976 and sung by Roberta Kelly. Released on the same label as Donna Summer and written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, who also co-wrote many of Donna's songs with her. She even sang backing vocals on some of Donna's songs. Check it out on Youtube as I just know you will love it.

ABBA, I'm hooked. ABBA Dancing Queen, doubly hooked. I am an Aussie who was a teen when ABBA catapulted onto the world music stage and in Australia we adored them and I was, and still am, no exception to being part of that national adoration. They are the GOAT along with Donna Summer. Not a fan of karaoke @Cane23. Have participated in it once with an ex-boyfriend. I was somewhat tipsy and have no recollection of the song we attempted to sing or where we attempted to sing it at (I do recall his name though). Sassy Sabrina. The girl has chutzpah and is not your typical fruit fly. I like Channing and Dillon too, but Todd is a standout. The big unanswered question (for now) is, is he Todd Faltskog or Todd Lyngstad? I must have an answer to this question @Superpride, my very sanity depends on it.

She may very well hate her brother because he stole the attention away from her, even if only for a while. She is such a narcissistic bitch that it would have pissed her off if her family grieved too much for their beloved son.

Throw Jessica's wet knickers at him after she has slept with Liam and apparently enjoyed herself.

The Real Housewives of Tallahassee.

You've got a small dick and you're a lousy fuck? Do you want to have a three-way with my sister and I? I know your mother killed Gerald Henderson and unless you give me what I want I will be sending the evidence to the police, Jakey?

"Ten years ago, when they first diagnosed him with meningitis, he was suffering from near constant seizures. They had to put him in a medically induced coma for two weeks, waiting for the inflammation in his brain to subside." Is it possible he continued to have these seizures, albeit in a different manner @Avogadro1001? Could this explain why he has seemingly been unaware of some of his behaviour when Dylan has disclosed it to him. Dylan commented on his "acting ability", but maybe he really was not acting, maybe he has no recollection of some of the things he has done and perhaps is not always aware of them when he is doing them.

"Ten years ago, when they first diagnosed him with meningitis, he was suffering from near constant seizures. They had to put him in a medically induced coma for two weeks, waiting for the inflammation in his brain to subside." I see what you are up to @Avogadro1001, attempting to have we readers weaken our resolve, to feel some sympathy for Liam, to cajole us into finding something redeeming about him, to regard him as salvageable and worthy of Dylan. Well let me tell you something Mr, it's working damnit (at least for this reader anyway). Jake is a conundrum for sure, with emphasis on the con. Is it possible Hank has manufactured all this evidence to have a hold over Shanice? I guess it is possible, but it is a big coincidence that it is proving useful for an entirely different purpose than that for which it was intended. O.M.G. Jessica's brother was quite possibly a decent human being, a total contrast to his sister, which is even more surprising than all the other revelations combined in this chapter @Avogadro1001 I still detest Jessica. Perhaps you can subliminally affect Jake's brain to "end" her by playing the song Like Sister And Brother by The Drifters to him in his sleep. The lyrical content is not the crucial component, just the song title.

Very ominous @bikerman. Could it be where the story title Crossing The Line comes into play? I had an image of Ercole as a very sleek and taunting cat in this chapter @Robert Hugill and Vaughan, primarily, was its prey. He, Ercole, seemed to be giving out little tidbits of information, hoping for a slip-up or revelation of some sort from both Vaughan and Dan initially, but I think he gave up on Dan when he, as Vaughan so eloquently described it "showed what I thought of as his policeman side, the ability to dead-pan stone-wall, being polite whilst giving nothing away." The banter between Vaughan, Amanda, Bill and Mae was very amusing, with the latter three "out-Vaughaning" Vaughan at times. Their gossip and innuendo made for great comedy, comedy which Dan appears to enjoy too. The big question after this chapter for me is, is Francis really heading for a downfall, and if so who is he going to drag down with him?

Ben is the complete package, one minute a SNAG the next a larrikin, but one thing remains a constant, his loyalty. When I read this story many years ago @Mark Ponyboy Peters I don't recall having the level of appreciation for Ben and what he brings to the lives of all those he interacts with as I do now. Ben's revelation of the depth of his feelings for Samantha came as no surprise. He has discovered The Miracle Of Love (another fine song as sung by Annie @Al Norris). I suspect he has taken on board Tim's suggestion of a trip north to visit her. He may be able to sell it to his parents, and perhaps Tim and Guy too, as an investment in their collective futures, confirming if tertiary education is something they really want to pursue, and if so, at Southern Star University, where it just so happens Samantha is also studying. Guy is quite the romantic. His acknowledgement of the exact date when he and Tim met surprised me greatly. Next thing we know he will be writing poetry, declaring his undying devotion to Tim, or dedicating love songs by Barry Manilow to him.

This chapter could have been poorly written and totally devoid of any enjoyment or entertainment value, total shit in fact, and it would not have mattered one iota (it wasn't though). It earned you not three Michelin stars @Andr0gene, but five Michelin stars for quoting Patsy Stone (and I don't care that three is the maximum you can be awarded). When I read the statement I thought how hilarious to quote something akin to what I recalled Patsy saying and did not notice the quotation notification beside the statement indicating it was a direct quote (I recalled her saying something like this, but could not recall if it was quoted verbatim). I am not one for thinking the whole marriage thing is necessary, even if there are children concerned, so Baldy's persistence was starting to "wear a bit thin", but with Adam's refreshing counsel and Megan's wholehearted support for a positive response, I became a convert. And in recognition of your absolutely fabulous taste @Andr0gene I give you Neil, Chris, Edina and Patsy, with one of my favourite songs from the 1990's. And I won't apologise @Cane23 for it being unashamedly DISCO. And note Edina's "reverential" accidental (but was it?) reference to ABBA too. Incidentally @Cane23, this is Pet Shop Boys highest charting hit single to date in Australia (even though Neil and Chris don't regard it strictly speaking as a PSB song), proving I am not the only "disco queen" in Australia.

Oh I am not blushing @Avogadro1001, I'm flushing. Size does count.

With all due respect Judge Carpenter, STOP WASTING TAXPAYER'S TAXES. The incubator got what she deserved. I agree with Nick. Give little Joey Keys' father a medal as those two c*%#s deprived his little boy of the opportunity to grow up to be a big boy. Spermie lost his cock and balls due to prison justice. Shit happens, nothing to see here (literally now), move on. I liked Jill's reaction to visiting her mother the best. "I'll be in the waiting room. If I stay any longer, I'll start yanking wires and tubes out of her body." Outstanding chapter @Lee Wilson, although I would have like to see the incubator suffer a lot more. Spermie has hopefully got years of "jolliness" ahead of him. Too bad he won't be able to masturbate to ease any tension. No happy hormones for you any more spermie.

I just changed my comment about La Puta @Avogadro1001. I think I improved it significantly.

Damn it, my "secret" is not safe from anyone it would seem. It's all bloody Jeff Stryker's fault.

“Jake I’m not lying.” I stressed. “It was just an accident. A fucked up, tragic accident...” I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him into a hug, tilting the feet of my bar chair towards his. He gasped and hugged me even tighter. “My parents cleaned things up.” he confessed. “They’ve dealt with his family and got the DA office to close my case. I spent a few months in rehab, got clean and I’ve been sober since.” The statement in bold text particularly disturbed me. It was as if Jake was talking about an inconvenient mess he had made, like he threw up in the bathtub and his parents helped clean it up. I shudder to thing how his parents "dealt" with Daniel's family, although if they moved in similar circles perhaps a healthy exchange of cash or drugs was sufficient recompense for the death of a child. Somehow I don't think Jake is going to take his rejection lightly. Liam or at least Liam's connections may be needed to dissuade Jake from any retaliatory action, and as for La Puta, well Liam's connections may be able to take care of her too - there's a ditch, lay in it bitch. What a tangled mess of lives @Avogadro1001. I am intrigued how you will get Dylan, at least, out of all this mess. @weinerdog, Liam may turn out to be the "hero" of the story yet.

You have done it again @Avogadro1001. You made me feel a smidgen of sympathy for Liam again. He "appeared" confused again, this time by the fate of Veronica and Jessica's involvement in it. Here comes that sinking feeling, sympathy for Liam because of the brain tumour or neurological damage caused by the meningitis. Damn it.