Summerabbacat

And if the "secret" is Matt has a son @Mark Ponyboy Peters, I dedicate this song to them. I always assumed the song was about two lovers, but I have just read it was inspired by Bill Withers' relationship with his son. A great R&B/smooth jazz song with impressive sax work by Grover Washington Jr.

@Gary L get yourself settled in your favourite pair of fluorescent lime green Speedos, your body slathered in coconut tanning oil, a pooch on either side, a bottle or case of your favourite wine(s) and your favourite wine glass, and commence the binge reading. Halcyon days for you in Villa Valencia. Now if only you could teach Greta and/or Lilibeth (have I got her name right yet) to fetch your caviar and cigars for you.

I don't know how I did not see your comment before I wrote mine @wenmale64. It must have been because I was so pissed off with Matt's parents. I love your suggestion that Matt go and stay with Luke's parents and block calls to his phone from his parents. Petty behaviour yes, warranted reaction yes.

It looks like a "secret" child is the winner in the Speculation Stakes @dboggs9700 and @Mark Ponyboy Peters. A 2000m race run under weight-for-age conditions for 3 year olds and upwards. Prizemoney, ongoing child support.

@VBlew I believe you are thinking of Samantha and Ben as to who lived with the lads in Beachside Lane to begin with. The piece of work aunt I think you are referring to is Margaret aka the Monolith, Tony's corpulent mother and Luke's aunt.

If I have any semblance of rational thought processes at the moment @Mark Ponyboy Peters, this story takes place some years before the events depicted in Traditions. Matt is still working as an employee in the auto-shop owned by Don Weston, rather than as the owner of the service station where Charlie was employed. If I am correct, then the dark-haired boy who cycled out of Beachside Lane in the last chapter of Traditions is unlikely to be Matt's son as surely he would have mentioned his son at least once in a conversation with his employees, including Charlie. If this is so, I am wondering if the dark-haired boy might be Jess' son, Tony's nephew.

Matt's parents' behaviour was irresponsible, selfish and reprehensible. Frankly, Matt should tear strips off them both and refuse to speak to either of them until they kiss his arse repeatedly. Just imagine if Matt had been involved in a car accident in rushing to get to the hospital to see his father, and had been injured or worse. His parents' attitude upon Matt's arrival at the hospital pissed me off even more, both almost cavalier in their dismissal of Matt's concern for his father's health. I remembered who Julie was immediately, and if I recall correctly (which may not be the case), she was a bit snarky when it was revealed she had been "dumped" by Matt for Luke. I had forgotten she went to stay with relatives though @centexhairysub and paid no attention at the time as to why, probably just relieved she left town as I cared not for her. As soon as Matt's stupid father uttered "Julie" my immediate thought was she is dying of cancer and has disclosed to Matt's parents directly or someone else has disclosed it to Matt's parents, that she was pregnant with Matt's child when she left town all those years ago. With her death imminent, she wants Matt to know his child and hopefully take care of him or her going forward. Completely fucking selfish, just like Matt's fucking parents. If this is the scenario, I have sympathy for Matt and the child only, Julie and Matt's parents can go fuck themselves. A fantastic opening chapter @Mark Ponyboy Peters, one which has infuriated me no end. I don't recall any character in the Thompsonville stories, other than the Monolith, who has pissed me off as much as Matt's parents did in this chapter. I have had a shitty day, so unleashing my speculative rage has been somewhat cathartic. Of course, if my speculation is completely wrong, I will feel like a complete twat, but it won't be the first time and I am sure it won't be the last. I will still be annoyed with Matt's parents though as how could they not have realised how the call Out Of The Blue that Matt's father was in hospital would be interpreted by Matt. If Matt is a parent it will certainly qualify as a shock coming Out Of The Blue.

Well consider me gobsmacked. Jack threw the Embercasting flint into what he thought to be the eyes of the Wicked Tree and now The Trammps have paid a visit to the Black Forest. Burn baby burn, it's a disco inferno. Theodore has been punished for lying that he stole the Embercasting flint. His father does not believe he did so, even though it is clear he did. Jack and Vince need to make haste to the Whiteflame pack to alert Tharion that Jack managed to get the Embercasting flint from the Wicked Tree and set fire to the entire Black Forest which meant to do harm to the Whiteflame pack.

Krystle or Alexis? What is the old saying about "assume" @Paladin? LOL.

So George, the school principal, is a drunk as well as a child abuser. I wonder if he and the crooked sheriff, Brett's father, are friends? A town where the "old boys network" is alive and kicking. A town where the likes of Vincent, the librarian, and Noah, the bookworm, are looked down upon for not being "manly" enough. Something has to be done about Rylee. Perhaps Carrie could visit the town and set fire to her by looking at her, or Freddie Krueger could visit her in her sleep, or she could go swimming and Jaws could have her as a snack.

Your best friend is so polite. Mine would likely say "oh 💩" as a bare minimum.

I like Neil, but would have no patience with his ranting and abuse. As for his hissy fit when he saw Alex kissing his friend Liam, it would seem he was jealous. He cannot have it both ways though; he had ignored Alex because Alex had the audacity to reveal to Neil's boss, Gar (it's almost you @Gary L) he was a friend when visiting his shop. Did he disclose to Gar that he and Neil had had sex. No. If Gar had questioned him as to how he knew Neil he has their mothers' connection, and he could explain that it was he who had secured the tickets for Neil, Gar and his wife to attend the concert/opera/whatever it was I cannot remember, which Lila directed. If I was in Alex's shoes I would forget about Neil; if he comes back, well and good, if he does not, then so be it. Alex's mother has the subtlety of a sledgehammer.

Oh 💩. If Nathan's ex-wife does enter the story @Flip-Flop I cannot imagine her being as big a bitch as Natasha. Unlike Martin and Natasha, Nathan and his ex-wife had no children whom she could weaponise against him even if she is as nasty as Natasha. Who knows, she may even prove to be the polar opposite, a visit to the hospital to check on Nathan, she meets Martin and is overjoyed Nathan has found love. I wonder who the alleged friends of Ben and Justin were who Tyrone found hanging around the pool. I wonder if they may have been hired by Natasha to plant some incriminating evidence in Martin's home or to do some snooping around. I would put nothing past Natasha. If and when she finds out about Martin's new found wealth her head will about explode; that will be one scene worth rewinding and playing time and time again.

Perhaps George should be introduced to Rylee, both are as vile as each other. I was prepared to give Michelle the benefit of the doubt in the first two chapters, but in this chapter it became very clear she applies a different standard to Rylee's behaviour and Colt's behaviour. Even if Michelle did not admonish Rylee for the way she spoke of Colt to her friend's, she should have at least admonished her for referring to Noah as Colt's dorky little friend. Clearly Rylee is allowed to get away with being a prize bitch, but Colt is held to a higher standard of behaviour. Fortunately it does not seem to bother him, or perhaps he is just used to it. Vincent may be an ally for Colt when the time comes to bring George down. If as @dboggs9700 has surmised, Pam, Noah's mother knows of her husband's abuse of her son, then she needs to be brought down too.

Very observant @drsawzall.

Xanadu maybe @Gary L, with your Brummie friends from ELO and Dame Olivia singing along.

The death plunge, or at least a facial damage plunge, down the stairs is looking more attractive and we are only up to chapter 2 @andy cannon. Rylee is so two-faced, her description of Noah as Colt's "dorky new friend" indicative of what a shallow, prize bitch she is. Although I am a cat person, a tree-house in which you could enjoy the company of your canine friend is also very appealing. They are my second favourite species in the animal kingdom, well ahead of our species in both appeal and intelligence.

Rylee is hideous; a nasty, spoilt, self-centred princess. Perhaps she might fall down the stairs to the basement, face first, enough to at least wipe the vanity off her face. Noah's father appears to be a bully at least. Is he physically abusing Noah, or is his bullying limited to verbal bullying? Colt appears to have an attraction to Noah already. Is it solely the desire to protect him or is there a physical element to it too. Methinks it is likely the latter, and it may well be the first time Colt has ever experienced a same-sex attraction. If it is I imagine his sister will give him hell for it.

It is never stated @Gary L, but I thought somewhere in the Caribbean, perhaps the Bahamas as Noah's parents live in London, suggesting maybe a former British colony.

A light-hearted, sun and surf-filled, tale of two friends, Noah and Leo, best friends in fact, who suddenly find themselves attracted to each other beyond friendship. Their first kiss leads to a "disagreement" and some angst, complicated by the arrival of Noah's parents for a wedding, under the pretence of coming to visit Noah. Read and enjoy. A welcome reprieve from the doom and gloom which is currently ever present in our lives on Planet Earth. A shout-out to the author, @ObicanDecko, for this delightful, witty and uplifting story.

“By the way,” he said at some point, as we took a break from making out, “have you replied to Gina yet?” “No?” I frowned in confusion. “What for?” I found much humour in this chapter @ObicanDecko. In response to this question from Leo I half expected Noah to say "who?" “We can’t all have perfect parents like Leo,” Jay teased. “I bet they’re already naming a dish after Noah.” This comment from Jay was hilarious. I almost fell off my dining chair laughing. I was very pleased to see Fabian also readily accepted the change in the relationship between Noah and Leo. The change was of no consequence to either Jay or Fabian, although it has provided them with opportunities for some light hearted teasing, which thus far Noah and Leo have laughed off.

And that is a wonderful thing @chris191070. “Nah. Being stuck on a huge boat with hundreds of people… not my thing.” He shook his head, then picked up his surfboard as he looked at Leo and me lying on the towel. “Have your folks called since they left?” “No.” I shook my head. I was hardly even thinking of them now. “Things are still… complicated, but when aren’t they? They’ll just have to accept it.” I suspect Noah is just relieved they have returned to London. In fact, I almost "heard" a sigh of relief from him when I read this.

Jeff Lynne just happens to be holidaying in Thompsonville @Mark Ponyboy Peters and observes the encounter between Michael and the Monolith. He is particularly disgusted with her shouting at Tony and Jess that they are a poofter and dyke respectively, and in a Brummie accent he says "back off bitch or I will give you a dose of the Birmingham Blues".

Intriguing @Mark Ponyboy Peters. Perhaps Out Of The Blue the Monolith will show up extending an olive branch to Tony, Michael and Jess, claiming she is a changed woman, that she has set aside her religious prejudices. Naturally all three are somewhat sceptical as the Monolith has never been a Sweet Talkin' Woman, more like The Whale. They soon find out their scepticism was unsurprisingly warranted, the real reason for the Monolith's sudden appearance is that she is lonely and she attempts to kidnap her grandchild (whose gender we do not know at this stage), to free it from the evil environment in which it is being raised, all those poofters and dykes. Jess and Tony in particular see red, but it is Michael who surprises them all. He confronts the Monolith and advises her she will Turn To Stone if she does not leave immediately and never return. To prove his point he is armed with a spear Jack has leant him to go rock fishing with (he never uses it for this purpose though), and he demonstrates to the Monolith how adept he is at using it.

Another slice of life story set in Thompsonville, the fictitious Pacific paradise created by @Mark Ponyboy Peters. This is one of my favourite stories from the 'pen of the pony'. A story which takes place over a 12-month period. There is nothing startling about any of the characters, although it is the first time Mark has featured a drag queen prominently in one of his stories. Patrick aka Trinity de la Crème is anything but a caricature though, he is a fully realised character both on-and-off the stage. As commented by my fellow reader @centexhairysub, the strength and joy of Mark’s story-telling is the characters he creates, mostly likeable, although not always well-behaved. It is the interactions of these characters which capture one’s attention and holds it for the duration of the story. A delightful story which will entertain, enthral and enrich the life of any reader who enjoys realistic, often humorous and well-written stories. A true 5 star experience.