Summerabbacat

It's Grey Harbour @drpaladin. Judge shopping? More than likely. When Blanchard is alerted and takes action hopefully Dr Duclose will be working as a cleaner in Walmart, Grey Harbour, and Diana Holloway as his "understudy".

He was a little spitfire if I remember correctly, and I liked him already.

"Then, once the IKEA boxes were delivered, he had appeared—much to Mother’s amazement—and proceeded to assemble everything. Meticulously. Far better than I could have done—nothing wobbled. Though he worked with a constant running undertone of cursing, which was frankly hilarious." Is there no end to Neil's practical talents. A skill not to be sneezed at. I have limited myself to purchasing funky lamps (bright orange and bright green) which only need to have a bulb inserted. No Allan key required. I don't know what IKEA is like in other countries, but the one in Sydney is huge. I am not certain of this, but I would guess by the time you have exited the store you may have done your 10,000 steps for the day. "He went bright red as he unfastened his work jeans to reveal... Well, go figure. And we didn’t use a condom. So double cause for celebration." Practical and very sexy. They can frame a somewhat saggy arse (like two empty wallets) and still make it look relatively attractive. Lift and separate. A kebab, not something I have ever had the misfortune of eating either. Filled with questionable meat, which I would not eat even if the quality and source could be guaranteed. In short @Gary L, I don't believe you need to add eating a kebab to your bucket list. Meeting Almòdovar and presenting him with your manuscript is far more important. @Robert Hugill may be able to score the theme music for you. Suggest that to Pedro.

I had the same thought. I can just imagine the conversation. Why did you never try to hit on me Neil? Am I not handsome enough or am I not fancy enough now you have your poncey arty boyfriend, and you're listening to Wagner and the Young Warthog instead of Oasis and Bob Marley?

Diana Holloway. Salope (thank you @Vcs). Not only should Diana be in prison, so should Dr Duclose. Or better still put them both in a psych ward and force feed them totally unsuitable and unnecessary medication as they have Caleb, regularly changing their dosages until they are dribbling into their incontinence pads. If, and I guess it is a big if given it is Grey Harbour, the judge who signed the emergency medical warrant is competent, then presumably he or she was served with fraudulent documents prepared by Dr Duclose. I wonder if Vickie Morrison had dirt on the good doctor and was blackmailing him/her (I cannot remember if Dr Duclose has been gendered)? Caleb's father's return to town must surely be nigh. Hopefully he has a bad business trip and is the mood to rip his ex-wife a new one.

That crystal clear sharp mind of yours @drpaladinto the fore again.

And maybe they all did as I have speculated before.

They were, have been on several occasions if I remember correctly and Caleb doesn’t remember it.

Is Skarg perhaps the skeleton of the real wisdom tree or the good wolf with the branches growing out of its head? I have become somewhat confused by the shifting realities, the past and the present, and the "baddies and the goodies". Fortunately we have @Laura S. Fox as our tour guide to keep us heading in the right direction. All will be revealed in the fullness of time, and I assume a HEA will result for the "goodies" at least.

Unless it is Gary.

"Someone who wasn't trying to use her," he said finally. "Someone who just... was there. That's rare, Cay. Most people want something." Caleb looked at him. At the boy who'd slipped him money in the hallway. Who'd pushed him into lockers so no one would suspect. Who'd waited for him in the woods, night after night, hoping he'd remember. "What do you want?" Caleb asked. Billy's jaw tightened. He looked away. "I want you to be okay," he said. "I want you to remember. Not just me. Everything. I want you to know who you are." "And if I don't know?" "Then we figure it out together." Who murdered Vickie Morrison and is her murderer now continuing her blackmailing enterprise? I am not sure that I really care who murdered Vickie Morrison, nor do I really care who is blackmailing Chloe RichBitch and to a lesser extent Tyler Archer, but I do care who is blackmailing Isaac Foster as he does not deserve to have been treated as he has. What I primarily care about is justice for Caleb; Caleb's mother losing permanent custody of him and being sent to prison. She has committed the "real crime" in Grey Harbour.

“With VBS over, he’s got a lot of free time. Too much free time.” He looked at me. Brief. Pointed. “There have been some distractions lately. New friends. Late nights. Activities that aren’t consistent with what we expect from a Donnelly heading into college.” Thomas Donnelly, what a man. Devoted husband and father. How thoughtful he is, thinking of his son's welfare and future, paramount in the decision making processes. Give that man a medal. Given that man a strychnine-infused enema. “It’ll keep him focused,” Mom added, in the voice she used when she was supporting Dad’s decisions regardless of whether she’d been consulted on them. “Structure is good for young men.” Hopefully Owen will remember this on the day he has to make the decision on whether to turn off Suzanne's life support or maintain her in a vegetative state. Stay focused Owen, switch her off. Keeping her alive is wasting resources. And just think, you can have her funeral with all the fancy trappings done "in house". I am sure Eric will know what is the best for her; he is so understanding and his condolences so genuine. She will look the part with no expense spared by Eric with his phenomenal cosmetic skills. 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 And what of Margot. How awfully generous of her to concede Owen needs a day alone with Ryder. The fact it maintains the charade she has orchestrated would never have entered her mind. Not.

We already know Shayna’s dykedar is well developed and she does seem to like that word dyke.

Payback can be such a bitch. Think of it in terms of “natural selection” or a “mercy killing”, mercy for Owen and perhaps Jules too. Besides, doesn’t Vermont get a lot of snow in winter?

No objection on my part @Vcs.

Chloe at least believes the murderer is the same person who is now threatening her and Isaac. Whilst this is not certain, it appears very likely. I still believe Caleb is the key to the murder and likely to the person who has now assumed Vickie's blackmailing business. For this reason, I believe it may be Elena. Elena is fiercely protective of Billy, and because Caleb is so important to Billy, she is by default fiercely protective of Caleb. I believe she would have known Vickie was besotted with Caleb and that this was troubling both Billy and Caleb. What if she followed Billy the night of the murder, saw Vickie assault Billy by scratching him furiously and decided to take matters into her own hands. She then read Vickie's leather-bound notebook and found the list of blackmailees. She knows she will not only make some money from this list, which the family desperately need, but she can pay back those who have been unpleasant to Caleb in one way or another. Chloe who ignored him and treated him with contempt, Tyler who essentially raped him and Isaac who took the photos of the rape. This is all mere conjecture of course, but I do love to speculate. Vickie is dead, but I believe there are an increasing number of candidates worthy of the same farewell @Topher Lydon. Diana Holloway and Chloe RichBtich for starters.

If I lived in Grey Harbour I think I would want to murder someone too @Topher Lydon. What a dump.

I only mentioned my love of disco and my loathing of classical music and opera because in many circles disco is still considered so uncool and low brow, music for philistines, whereas classical music and opera are considered elite and for the educated. I like jazz too, although much prefer with a vocal accompaniment rather than a pure instrumental. Those "bodice rippers" are so trashy and low brow, but if someone likes them my attitude is that it does not hurt me so who cares.

I disagree. It is not sad; it is honest and admirable. It may not be "cool", but "cool" is subject to change and so subjective. I love Doris Day films and her music is sublime. I also love disco and loathe classical music and opera. I would draw the line at Mills & Boon novels though @sandeman. LOL.

"Ryder is a criminal, Owen.” “He made a mistake when he was seventeen.” “He went to prison.” “For a year. Because someone he trusted set him up. That’s not who he is.” “You’ve known him for three weeks. You don’t know who he is.” “I know enough.” “Do you? Because from where I’m standing, he’s a jealous, possessive guy with a record who’s trying to isolate you from everyone who actually cares about you. He wants you to drop Ohio State. He wants you to move into his apartment. He wants you to cut off your family. That’s not love, Owen. That’s control.” I had the exact same thought as you @weinerdog when I read Margot's statement in bold text. 'Said the pot talking about the kettle'. Margot loves only one person in the whole world, and that person is Margot Brennan. Margot Brennan always knows best, which is why everyone should follow her lead, toe the line. Any procrastination or dissent will not be tolerated as it amounts to disobedience or treachery. I disliked Margot intensely before this chapter, but after this conversation I despise her. Who the hell does she think she is. The sooner Jules dumps her arse the better. Jules has compromised way too much for this selfish, spoilt, millennial princess. She deserves better than Margot. Perhaps Margot might go skiing in Vermont with Jules and get caught in an avalanche, from which Jules emerges unscathed, but Margot does not. It would solve a lot of Owen's problems and free Jules to have a relationship with someone who is proud to be seen with her, to rejoice in her companionship unconditionally. I was really hoping Owen's balls would finally drop in this chapter, but alas they did not. I am beginning to wonder if he is eunuch, although surely Ryder would have noticed this. Owen has been treated like a child all his life, so it is no wonder he continues to behave like one. The lecture his father gave him about being responsible and not going off with someone on a motorcycle was one you might give a 5-year-old child not an 18-year-old. It also illustrated just how insular and judgmental Owen's father is, just like his mother. I like many other readers believe Thomas and Suzanne Donnelly would discard Owen, as you would an imperfect tablecloth or a poorly made coffin, if he was to defy any of their plans for his future. He will behave as they have decided, otherwise he will no longer be a Donnelly. I wonder if Donnelly & Sons does cremations? If so, open the door/lid/whatever and push Thomas and Suzanne in. Suzanne and Thomas, what a pair of c#@*s. @mastershakeme I did not think any author on GA could hold a candle to @Lee Wilson for creating despicable characters. Your creations Margot, Thomas and Suzanne, may not be there yet, but they are certainly in a position to challenge some of Lee's horrors, with the exception of Abel and Kathy Taft, who are in a "class" all of their own. Truly outstanding writing, the number of comments bearing witness to this statement.

I made up "dykedar". I thought "lesbiandar" too much of a mouthful. Head injuries surely do suck, and not in a positive or pleasing way. I rarely drink coffee, although I do like it, strong and black. I imagine Kahlua in coffee would be something I would enjoy. I do enjoy vodka, particularly with cranberry juice, but don't often drink it now.

Two things were confirmed in this chapter, both Jake and Mannly have lousy gaydar, and Mannly has lousy "dykedar". Mannly's sudden uncontrollable sobbing and hysteria did not surprise me in the slightest; I too have been waiting for something like this to occur. Firstly he was targeted and viciously assaulted for being gay, and secondly the assault resulted in a severe concussion which lasted for days. The reason for the assault has likely caused the hysteria, whilst the concussion resulting from the assault has likely caused the uncontrollable sobbing. I had a severe head injury 16 years ago and emotional distress is a well documented common side effect of such an injury. Cinnamon in the vodka and kahlua in the coffee; I do like Shir's "natural therapies". A well-written chapter @Vcs. Now Mannly's "emotional vacuum" seal has been broken, I suspect he will have more instances of emotional distress going forward. I hope with love and care from Jake, Shir and CC, he will overcome his embarrassment and reluctance to allow himself to be vulnerable, to properly heal from his ordeal.

You are welcome. You surpassed the high quality of Volume 1 with this of Volume 2. Your characters are so well drawn, even the ghastly Marquesa. The temptation with someone like her would be to make her so extreme she becomes a caricature. You avoided this by infusing her with some good qualities too, albeit well hidden, and inconsistent behaviour. Ximo remains a character of strength, tenacity and principles, with just a touch of mischief and naughtiness, qualities he has obviously inherited from his father. You may have thought me commenting in jest on Volume 1 @Gary L, and to a certain extent I was, but with Volume 2 completed and Volume 3 on its way, I do believe this story could be made into a very good docudrama by Almòdovar, one which could prove enlightening as well as entertaining for "young and prosperous Spain".

Another very well written story from @Gary L depicting life for gay men during a difficult and shameful period in Spain. We meet up again with Ximo, a young gay man of considerable means, studying law whilst negotiating life under the fascist regime of Franco. His relationship with Gerardo has developed into something where both must remain vigilant to protect themselves from Gerardo’s fanatical employer. Ximo’s relationship with his father has blossomed into something wonderful, something neither could have imagined, whilst his relationship with his mother, a stupid, vain and shallow woman continues to sour. Suspenseful, intriguing and riveting short story.

I knew it. Underneath all that highbrow Wagner and opera, there is a disco diva resplendent in Gaultier and glitter go-go dancing his way to Heaven.