Summerabbacat

Thomas' workplace sounds like an architectural travesty. Thank goodness he has the delightful Alison for company. A weekend at a spa for Thomas and Keith? I agree with @Gary L. It sounds like fun, so ditch the worries and have a good time Keith. Apart from the bleak and dreary man-made landscape @Robert Hugill, this chapter sparkled with humour from Keith's “I managed to introduce myself rear first!” to Alison's "So, I need some civilised and entertaining company”, her eyes sparkled with mischief as she said this." As with Owain and Colin, Keith and Thomas are progressing their blossoming relationship at a leisurely pace which suits both admirably.

I have to agree with @Joie J. @Laura S. Fox, the masked audience should be caputred and imprisoned. Do not kill them as they deserve to writhe in agony for their term of their natural lives. Describing them as fuckers as @Joie J. did is not nearly harsh enough. I was ecstatic it was Otis who saved Hudson and destroyed the putrescent evil Keres. As many of we readers had commented it seemed rather too coincidental Otis had only recently fired a gun for the first time and shown such remarkable prowess. Unlike @akascrubber I did not realise the significance of Hudson instructing Otis to lay down after shooting Keres to protect himself from being shot by the police when they raid the club; I assumed it was to ensure the police did not suspect Otis of shooting Keres, although I was unable to reconcile why the police would find Otis' actions reprehensible given the circumstances. Jackie proved himself a worthy ally in the end too. I wonder if his rescue of Jasper will forge a relationship between the two. Although I have not read any of your stories before @Laura S. Fox, I am aware of your reputation for HEA, as you yourself allude to in your comments after this chapter. Hopefully the HEA does not confine itself to Otis and Hudson. And if the HEA acronym can be flipped 180° to satisfy @Joie J. and I, hell ever after for the masked audience and Watkins. Perhaps the latter could be placed into isolation with only the putrescent corpse of Keres for company.

"Inches away from where he lay, crouched and gasping, an unsuspecting ground beetle emerged from under some dry grass and began to putter across the dirt in front of him. Overcome by rage, Cosmo brought his fist down on top of the creature with all the fury that his broken heart could muster. He felt its hard shell crunch beneath his skin and withdrew his hand, blinking owlishly at the fresh devastation he’d just wreaked. The insect’s delicate legs were broken, its wing cases crushed and torn. At the pathetic sight of its antennae twitching their last, a fresh wave of guilt and shame coursed through him. Luca’s right. I’m a fucking disease. Hot tears began to form at the corners of his eyes. He let them fall, darkening the dry, dusty dirt, sending the flattened beetle to a watery grave." Cosmo's genuine reaction to his heartless cruelty demonstrates he is a boy worth saving in my opinion. He is also a boy worth removing from the clutches of the venomous Elisabetta. I had not thought of this, but I believe @drpaladin is correct in his assessment of the Elisabetta/Cosmo friendship "He can't see the reason Betta hangs with him is he is lower than her and makes her feel good and powerful". Perhaps, with any luck for everyone else, but particularly Cosmo and Giorgio, she will accidentally do herself great harm in an attempt to harm Pietro. I was not surprised Giorgio came a running when Cosmo finally returned his texts. Giorgio, like Cosmo, has been starved of and craves love and affection. He like Cosmo, is not genuinely evil and nasty like his bitch of a sister and any attention, especially the attention of another boy, is likely to be well received. Fortunately he had the sense to bring Marco along with him, although I strongly doubt Cosmo would have raped him (not while sober anyway). The chapter was not as dark as I thought it was going to be @James Carnarvon as I feared there was going to be genuine contemplation of suicide by Cosmo. If it had been Elisabetta I would not have shed a tear as I find her despicable and without the possibility of redemption, however, I don't believe Cosmo has reached such lows yet.

As my fellow readers have attested, this is a beautifully told story of two men Owain and Colin. Ordinary mature men, with ordinary lives, getting on with the business of living. After a tentative first meeting their relationship develops and blossoms to the point where they are very comfortable with each other, such that family "issues" are jointly resolved or determined as not worthy worrying about. Filled with humour and some wonderful local idioms, this story has much to recommend it. A true 5 star experience. The only "negative" with this story is that it ended. Robert's readers have begged for more of this story and hope that one day in the future the lives of Owain and Colin may be revisited.

Definitely not the Green Day song reference from me. Tony Bennett had a hit in the 1950's (even before I was born) with a completely different song of this title. I can imagine your beloved Pet Shop Boys doing a cover of it and doing it well. The only "bête noire" I know is an album of that title by Bryan Ferry. Rather appropriate for him I think. I thought Black Betta appropriate because of her dark nature/soul, her penchant for black clothes and her black hair. I recall Vincenzo referring to her as an "emo chick". The ABBA and Bee Gees song titles were completely coincidental for once. It was not until after I wrote and then reviewed my comments that I noted them. I may not have noticed them at all except I had already mentioned the Tony Bennett song and its "link" to the avenue of oleanders (such a beautiful description which I am sure you have used before in prior stories too). I had forgotten my reference to Kate to Chris. I have made a number of references to her in the stories written by @Robert Hugill, so you are both in exalted company IMHO. Although the content of your stories and Robert's stories are nothing alike, I find myself often reminded of music by them. Such is the power and impact of your writing. And Ram Jam courtesy of @drpaladin. It was an enormous hit in Australian in 1977 and a hit again in 1990. They were certainly a one-hit wonder.

Andrew's business acumen shone again, but equally his compassion shone too. His offer of employment to the employees of Fountain House and his generosity to the bereaved owner of Thatch Lodge demonstrated again his compassionate and kind nature. He may be wealthy, but he has not forgotten that he is fortunate to be in such a position and that there are many who are not. I must confess the discussion and description of the various aircraft under consideration for purchase went over my head @Andre Delport, but it appears Andrew's considerations were soundly based.

You had given us fair warning of this sad event @Robert Hugill, but like many other sad events in recent memory, I lived in denial. Now that it has arrived, I am not ready for it. It was odd, a chapter without the presence of Colin or Joe in the flesh, although both were mentioned with great love by brother and sister. The growth of the relationships between our four main protagonists is what resonated the most, particularly the relationship between Owain and Colin. From a tentative first meeting to an engagement, what a transition for both, more particularly perhaps for Colin, and yet it seemed such a natural and affable transition. I sincerely hope you wander by Netherwich in the not distant future and run into Owain and Colin and reveal more of their story to your appreciative readers who have been privileged to benefit from your literary talent.

"Marco wandered down the avenue of oleanders, not quite looking where he was going, ducking slightly when the overhanging sprays of pink flowers and glossy green leaves threatened to get tangled in his hair". The first mention of the avenue of oleanders for some reason brought immediately to mind the classic Boulevard Of Broken Dreams as sung by the late, great Tony Bennett, and admirably covered in more recent times by Diana Krall. Given the content of the chapter thereafter the lyrics of this song, were at times, somewhat prescient. I have not given up entirely on Cosmo @drpaladin, but have to agree with several fellow readers, particularly @pvtguy, that Cosmo has to recognise he needs help, ask for it and accept it when it is offered/given. The best thing that could happen to him would be to distance himself from the aptly named Black Betta (very cleverly named by you by the way @drpaladin). She is a negative force in the life of both Cosmo and Giorgio (every time I read his name in this chapter @James Carnarvon I thought of Moroder and his heavily accented vocal in Daft Punk's Giorgio by Moroder). Whoever would have thought in earlier books of Marco as the confidant, the peacemaker, wise beyond his years. He may not be "roaring" for himself yet @James Carnarvon, but he is certainly "roaring" for the underdog in the shape of Giorgio and may yet again for Cosmo. There may not be any new couples after this story @weinerdog, romance may not be the Name Of The Game (great song by ABBA @James Carnarvon) of this book, Tragedy (the Bee Gees version please @James Carnarvon, not the bloody awful cover by Steps) may be its primary outcome. And finally @James Carnarvon we are six chapters in and I have not made one reference to Kate Bush yet. There have been opportunities to do so, but I have refrained from doing so under great duress.

A wonderful story from which I learned a number of things too. I recognised behaviours of Alec's which I experience at times and thought I was making a "mountain out of a molehill". I am frequently told by many that I am too harsh on myself and that I need to ask for help and be kinder to myself. At the age of 60 this is very difficult to do. The HEA in this story seems wholly believable given the progress Alec made during its course. And I agree, Mae's death was 100% a good thing for all concerned. Thank you @Demiurge for this gift. I still don't like Kenji.

The leather sofa is completely impractical with pets (and I won't mention how a cow died so a fucking lounge could be made). Alec's taste in furniture appears to be monochromatic and sterile whereas Finn's "farmhouse" style may be just a little too much. How does one compromise when the tastes are so vastly different. A puzzle indeed. Another enjoyable and amusing chapter @Demiurge.

Alec has never mentioned a desire to have children prior to this chapter. Let us hope it is something that both he and Finn give a lot of consideration to before even contemplating how they wish to go about this.

Unsupervised visits with Bryan and Caleb. Judge "Crustypants" is already showing his hand. Let us hope that Billy manages to sever it.

I would like to place an order for a Finn of my own, with one slight modification he would be perfect. No running, any other form of exercise is welcome, but no running. He is the perfect antidote to Alec's anxiety and pessimism.

I thought Cameron a snotty little bitch. He must have other hidden talents because I would have left him at the rat and roach infested studio apartment. Lukas seemed very pleasant, Sage and August I think I could only take in small doses. Alec and Finn are certainly communicating far better now, resulting in less misinterpretations of actions and words.

River strikes again. The surprise guest arrangement has all the hallmarks of River's organisation. If Alec won't say it, I will. River you are crazy. Stupid. You need to come home. Mr Smug Charmless Watanabe is not worth it. I am sorry, he was too busy to even bother to come and meet you at the airport and leaves you alone all the time? Really, bullshit excuse.

Damn I thought it had some significance. I know when I copied it it appeared as bold red text. I thought there was perhaps some subliminal message.

River's friends are certainly a motley crew. "It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate River’s friends fetching him from the airport, or watching his home, but he was already at his people quota for the day." OMG I can so relate to this sentiment. My days of partying and enjoying the company of a large group are but a distant memory. The idea of such a gathering fills me with revulsion now. Finn's anxieties don't make an appearance very often, but when they do they make an impact. One tends to forget this strong, handsome and successful extrovert isn't completely without his own doubts. I am not a "car person", having never owned one nor driven one for almost 40 years, but I was very impressed with the image I got of a green Lamborghini. I would not know how to drive it of course and definitely could not afford it, but the appeal was there.

I am very impressed with Keith. His recognition he needs to attend functions to "please" Thomas in exchange for all the assistance Thomas has given him, and his commitment to doing so, bodes well for their relationship. His readiness to examine the sculpture without remuneration indicates Thomas' community-oriented ideology is also having a positive impact upon Keith. I am equally impressed with Thomas' commitment to "conscious buying" of products which have been responsibly sourced. This is something I strive to always do too, although my main focus is that no animal has been killed or harmed on in anyway for the production of the product. The development of this relationship is of great interest @Robert Hugill. Perhaps it is because Keith and Thomas are younger than your "other boys" (Brian, Gordon, Owain and Colin) and less experienced in gay sex/relationships that adds another facet to this story not present or as present in your other two stories. Once again, very well done.

This for me was by far the saddest chapter yet of this wonderful story. The departure of River to Japan (why oh why did you do this River) will leave a huge hole in both boys hearts. Although I agree with Alec it was good for him to have this separation as he was far too co-dependant on the "little pink gremlin", could they not have at least remained in the same country or even both in North America. I just hope River does not regret moving to Japan to live with Mr Smug Charmless Watanabe. Poignant is the word which best describes this chapter for me @Demiurge. I believe the journey Alec is undertaking to move back to Iowa is a continuation of his growing strength and resolve to deal with his mental health issues. You have portrayed this journey very realistically, with great sensitivity and compassion. Several revelations have been a real eye-opener for me. I hope Alec's journey includes an acceptance of and by his father, warts and all, and a relationship which is mutually beneficial. I think without Alec, Henry is likely to wither and die and I believe he deserves a second chance at happiness, because he got very little of it from the heinous Mae (I don't hold with not speaking ill of the dead).

What a selfish bitch. Even in death Mae had arranged to have more than what she deserved, likely knowing Henry could not afford it. I would have ignored her wishes and put her in the cheapest and ugliest coffin and certainly no headstone. I thought it telling she had very few friends attend the service, most of the attendees were there for Alec. This tells us something about Mae too. I assume she was only in her 50's or 60's so it is not as if most of her friends were likely deceased if she was 80+. Alec's meltdown was very well written @Demiurge. I believe it was primarily motivated by all the unsatisfied what if's, the root cause of which was Mae's intransigence and her belief that she was right about everything.

You have articulated my primary concern in your usual succinct manner @drsawzall. It has been very easy for we readers to focus our comments on the havoc Alec's parents caused him because of their poor parenting. I am of the opinion that Mae had no excuses for her appalling treatment of her son, but one is inclined to forget she bullied her husband too. Henry certainly failed Alec as a father, but he also failed himself as a spouse. He let Mae continuously treat him poorly too. I am wondering if perhaps Henry also suffered from anxiety and/or poor self-esteem when he met Mae and she provided comfort to him, and consequently he did not have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to her bullying of both himself and their son. I believe even if he did not, living with her nagging and belittling over the course of their marriage would have done little for his self-esteem. I too am concerned for Henry as statistically widower's cope far worse with the loss of a spouse than widow's do. One can surmise that for Henry the loss of Mae will be a relief, but will it? He was still trying to defend her appalling treatment of Alec even when she was clearly on her last legs. Why would he do that? Social convention perhaps, but was this the only motivation. I was very impressed with Alec's calm demeanour when Henry did try to defend Mae with “I know. It’s just hard Alec. She wanted what was best for you, but I don’t think she ever knew what it was. She honestly thought you were ruining your life and that she could somehow save you from yourself.” His father continued and the words made Alec nauseous. “I don’t want to talk about this right now. I understand why you feel like you need to defend her, but please stop.” “Okay, I’ll stop. I just wanted to say what she didn’t get to.” I am not sure I could have been so kind, I would likely have responded with "No Dad, you wanted to say what she refused to say because she was a nasty, spiteful, manipulative mother and wife". I do believe the death of Mae will herald a reconciliation between Alec and Henry. They have already taken tentative steps towards this. I think each will derive benefit from an improved relationship with the other, and I believe Finn in particular because of proximity and River will contribute to the process. Terrific chapter @Demiurge. River best summed up my appraisal of the situation: “She kick the bucket then?” River’s head tilted to the side. “River! Christ!” Finn scolded as he came to sit next to Alec again. “What? Too soon?” River raised an eyebrow, frowning a little. “We’re in front of hospice.” Finn sighed, combing his fingers through Alec’s hair. “So, if the wicked witch is dead, where does that leave us?” River asked.

Just die already Mae. You are like a festering scab on the wounds you inflicted on Alec and Henry with your hate and vitriol. River and now Finn are as essential to Alec and air and water. He is going to need their support and strength of friendship, not just for himself but for Henry too. I daresay Mae has driven away what friends, if any, Henry and she had.

Six missed calls in a short period of time from Henry can only mean good news for Alec. Mae is dead. I just hope she did not do an about face and want to see him as she was dying. If so and Henry discloses this to him it well may upset Alec significantly. A visit to the gym with a professional trainer such as Finn could induce immeasurable benefits to Alec's anxiety. Just the serotonin production alone could make a significant impact thereon. He would also get to spend more time with Finn in a very positive environment. As mentioned by several of my fellow readers, Alec and Finn have adapted quickly to a settled domesticity. This bodes well for the future. Excellent chapter @Demiurge. I hope to find the next chapter is minus one major character (at least).

The questionable Elisabetta is no longer questionable. Unlike my fellow readers I have no sympathy for her. I may change my opinion as more is revealed of her history, but for the moment I have little regard for her, apart from her attitude towards Cosmo's sexuality. I was not surprised to learn she knew of Cosmo's sexual proclivities and that it is of no consequence to her. She is, at least, not a homophobe, unlike Vincenzo. Was that Toto who almost ran Cosmo and Elisabetta over on his Vespa @James Carnarvon? Was he visiting Michele and Salvatore and upon returning to university had the near miss with them? This may explain how Marco came to know of Cosmo's late night activities so quickly. One cannot blame Pietro for not holding Cosmo's job open for him. His flagrant disregard for informing Pietro he was not coming to work at least, was a slap in the face for Pietro. I knew Cosmo was generally a Greek name, but did not know it was gender neutral. It is very ironic as to the meaning of the name @James Carnarvon. This Cosmo is certainly not ordered or organised. He may be "beautiful", but given his propensity for greasy hair and less than satisfactory personal hygiene, any "beauty" he may possess is diminished by these habits. It is only speculation for now, but the obvious person whose life spirals to include thoughts of suicide is Cosmo, but perhaps it is too obvious. It may be Elisabetta or even Giorgio. Whomever it is, I don't think it will be Marco. He may be cynical about love and boyfriends (the cynicism belies his true feelings of course), but his confidence in other aspects of his life continues to grow. Well done Gianni and Angelo for helping him feel a sense of self-worth to at least some degree. And finally, I have but one question to ask @James Carnarvon. Why was the following sentence underlined: “You could probably ask Giorgio. I’m pretty sure he’d be willing. The kid’s seriously fixated on you.”

"Brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken skewers.” As a long time vegetarian reading this made me want to throw up. I have read of such eating in many American stories, but have to ask is it likely someone would eat so much meat and of such variety in the one meal? It seems Alec has succumbed to the charms of Herky just as he did the charms of Gracie. I imagine the former in particular would be a very good stress release. I know myself if I am stressed (usually over work or a "technology issue"), a few long strokes of any one of my cats generally produces enough serotonin to rectify the problem relatively quickly (this of course does not work if it is one of my cats "causing" the stress, which will usually be me worrying about a health issue they may have). Finn atoned for his recent indifferent and/or mixed-signal behaviour as I was positive he would. And a Kenji-free chapter. What a joy.