Summerabbacat

How about Toxicity Bitchface Sourpuss or TBS for short.

She was hugely successful, especially in the USA. You may have heard her Prince-penned Sugar Walls, which was on Tipper Gore's list of "filthy songs" at one time, along with several songs by the Purple One himself. I loved most of her songs, even the somewhat cheesy Morning Train (9 to 5). I love listening to her speaking because her Scottish accent is so strong, which does not come through in her singing. She is also very funny, taking the piss out of herself all the time. She is a smart woman too, she has been married and divorced 4 times, with the longest marriage lasting 18 months, and her last husband was a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon.

I was wondering why Alice was spelt with a lower case 'a'. Another Hugillism I have never encountered before, although I think you have used it in a prior chapter and I assumed it was Aunt Alice on that occasion too.

Madison O'Reilly, what a bitch. I am perplexed as to how Jordan was responsible for a shark attacking Adam, but I dare say "Maddy" will have an explanation. As for her defending "dear" Uncle Phil, perhaps she should be shown some of the pornographic footage he has made using underage children, assuming of course she has not already seen it. Perhaps the police should be alerted and do some investigation into Maddy's background, maybe dear little Maddy has been involved in the distribution of the porn in Europe. There is something suspicious about "innocent" Madison O'Reilly, calling "out of the blue" after Daniel has handed over his diary to the police and additional charges are to be brought against "dear" Uncle Phil. Vanessa started to irk me again @Paladin (and it does not take much at the moment), but she was forgiven when she cooked asparagus risotto and home made apple crumble.

Just your heart @andy cannon? You have set this up well @Robert Hugill, what with Tom's stepfather being a builder and Tom having absorbed some of his skills/knowledge. Tom indicated he wants to stay until after the weekend, but he did not state which one. I sense Tom is at a loose end and he may have had a health scare given his appearance and professed burn out. Helping Louis in the restoration of his home and all the outbuildings might be just what the doctor ordered, and his company may be welcomed by Louis too. “We all turn up, open our doors, and answer stupid questions from curious punters.” Tom laughed. “I can see you enjoying that.” Dare I say shades of Gray Philpott @Robert Hugill. The "artistic temperament" on display yet again? I am curious about Ian. Will we get to learn a little more of his history? Is there a reason for his extreme shyness and very poor self-esteem? And was his Aunt's name Alice given he refers to her as allus?

"Tonight, he was all swagger and flash. He wore tight white jeans, spotless designer sneakers, a fitted Armani tee, and a puffy white vest that matched his backward baseball cap and tinted glasses. His overnight bag was Louis Vuitton." Label queen much Miguel? Whilst I loved Wham!, the white jeans were always just so wrong, LOL. I remember having a pair of tight white jeans as a teenager in the late 1970's. As well as being completely impractical colour wise, I vaguely recall whenever I wore them I felt like I had been kicked in the crotch when I took them off. “Everyone thinks I’m this stuck-up, arrogant asshole,” he said quietly. “But that’s not really me. I don’t even like the parties half as much as I pretend. I’d rather have a quieter life... less stress, less noise". Everyone thinks you are a stuck-up, arrogant asshole Miguel because you behave like a stuck-up, arrogant asshole. And making excuses for your behaviour with statements like "And I sometimes act homophobic for the same reason. I’ve even beaten a few people up for being gay or acting too afeminado.” is pathetic. As a very wise old dachshund, @weinerdog said, "I know Miguel says he putting on an act to hide things about himself but I can't respect bullying behavior". Nor can I @weinerdog, and hopefully Hunter will not either. I am with you, Team Yeison all the way. Miguel is a prat, making excuses for the fact he is essentially a jerk. Maybe he is parroting his father's behaviour, but frankly I don't care. I can appreciate smoked salmon and cream cheese, especially if accompanied by capers and on a poppy seed bagel @Altimexis, but sushi with cream cheese and mango. Although I no longer eat fish, I did enjoy sushi from time to time, but with mango, no, no, no. I must admit though, that whilst I enjoy most fruit, I loathe and always have loathed mango. As with pork, lamb and eggs, just the smell of mango makes me feel somewhat queasy. And the taste, sickly sweet. Agreed on all fronts @drsawzall. It will not surprise me if Miguel's father proves to be one of the biggest criminals in this story, and may pose a threat to the safety of both Hunter and Miguel. A "savaging" of the family jewels by Max may save the day.

You and Kris are far more forgiving and trusting than I am @Davide. This is not the first time Dean has made allegedly idle threats in conversation with Kris. Given his father's history of violence directed towards Dean, I hoped he might be more self-aware about making such comments himself, perhaps he is not because his threats are not idle. Sooner or later I fear Dean will inflict physical violence on Kris, whether intentional or not hardly matters.

Would I be correct in surmising it was Senator Tom Day in the photograph with Fenton Black which Killian found in Jake's bedroom @Josh Aterovis? Killian has been remarkably lucky to date to have not been killed by one of the murderers he has apprehended. Todd, Caleb and Razi all tried and fortunately all failed. I have to wonder if, and when, Killian will disclose to Adam that not only can he "see" Seth, but is able to talk to him too. Perhaps finding a person who is able to "train" him with his gift; said person may also be able to help him with this quandary too. And what of Carmen @Josh Aterovis? When will Carmen's daylight identity be revealed? Sterling effort @Josh Aterovis. It is extraordinary that you wrote this 25 years ago, it is so contemporary, but then I guess murder, abuse and corruption are as old as humanity itself. You must have been awfully young when you wrote it too, barely beyond a foetus. A posting from me is barely adequate without a musical accompaniment. I just hope Jake's attempt is more successful than Amy's.

Gloryholes? Slings? A playroom complete with all manner of whips, dildos and other "accoutrements"? Gray and Vince's "missing" Aunt Marjorie? Ella's little yellow basket? Elvis? The list is endless @drsawzall.

They may have "warned" me my hay fever was likely to flare up again.

"Dean’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “I don’t know. But not that. If I wanna hook up, I can do that. What we had… did,” he paused, jaw working “it wasn’t just that. I like being with you. Just don’t,” his voice dropped “don’t go telling people. You do, and you’ll see your dad. Understand?” I have to disagree with my fellow readers who seem to be supportive of a relationship of some sort between Dean and Kris. I was leaning towards this too, until Dean made the comment above. The comment may have been made in jest or was merely a throwaway comment, but I don't care. I may have no sense of humour, but a threat such as this should not be taken lightly. Any smidgen of respect I had for Dean was extinguished by this comment. I no longer care if he is repressed, struggling with his feelings, depressed, sad or whatever. He is a fuckwit and Kris should stay the hell away from him.

Damn it if my "hay fever" did not play up again reading this chapter @Lee Wilson, runny nose and streaming eyes such that it looks like I have been weeping. This story has provoked my hay fever to play up on several occasions nhow. Yesterday it was 34°C and today it was 36°C supposedly, real @Summerabbacat weather except it has been windy too, which is what can cause the hay fever in the first instance. Continuing with the @Lee Wilson lite themes in this story (thus far), this chapter was one which sadly closed an era of what appears to have been a very happy life for Darren to date, apart from the recent death of his parents. He is fortunate to have already been in a relationship with Luca, otherwise he would likely have ended up in foster care.

It's not a red herring @weinerdog. It is what @Mark Ponyboy Peters and @Summerabbacat would call a Rock Lobster. A massively successful Rock Lobster. And if you want more words of wisdom and fun follow Kate, Cindy, Fred and Keith to the Funplex.

North it is @Gary L. Newcastle is the 2nd largest city in NSW after Sydney, with a population of approximately 510,000 compared to Sydney's 5.5 million.

Prepare to drool, erect and moisten (and that's just from listening to his voice).

Louis is very kind-hearted, assisting Ian and Charlie with tasks which would be very simple for most of us, but ones which presented Ian and Charlie with a real "challenge". Hopefully this will not make him an easy target when Thomas comes-a-calling for Farouk's Nimrud Panther.

Indeed you did, and I took absolutely no notice of you at all @Mark Ponyboy Peters as they hurt my nose. I am such a "delicate" little thing, I use a sleeve instead. The first time I heard a song by Cigarettes After Sex I was unsure of the gender of the lead singer. When I looked at a photograph of him online I got such a shock. His appearance seems completely at odds with his voice. I discovered them whilst listening to Orville Peck's last album on Youtube music one night. Do you like Orville @Mark Ponyboy Peters? He is smokin' hot, even with all his tattoos, and the boy can sing. I like me some female country singers, but very few male country singers. Orville is one of a select few.

I have to wonder what disturbs Liam more; the fact that Adrian appears to be attracted to him, or the fact that Adrian reminds him of Kevin and he is attracted to him, even if only subconsciously. Does Liam feel that he will be betraying Kevin if he finds love/companionship or something entirely different again? A most enjoyable read @ChromedOutCortex.

I have only just today realised @Mark Ponyboy Peters how many of your male characters, both straight and gay, occasionally (or more often) let their hair down and have a really good sob. This must be why I find so many of them appealing. They are "man enough" to do so, not succumbing to toxic masculinity bullshit which says grown men who cry are pussies, pansies, poofters or whatever other insult boneheads who think like this utter. Rick expressed his melancholy and sorrow on several occasions in this chapter, and was all the more attractive for doing so. "As we approached Stockton Cemetery, my heart skipped a little as I thought of my best friend, my lover, now lying there at rest." This kicked off my "hay fever" tears with a vengeance; and, "It was done from a photo I knew well, that Tom had taken of Martin and me, standing on the river bank behind their house and all dressed up for our high-school formal, standing back to back, each with our arms folded across our chest and our heads turned towards the camera, sunglasses pushed up onto our heads and grinning madly. We thought we were just so cool! " had me wailing like a Nonna at a funeral. "The kitchen was still that gaudy nineteen-seventies combination of lime green and orange, accompanied by sunflower yellow paint on the walls". Clearly I am going to like Tom and Beth immensely. the only thing which could have improved the kitchen would have been a divan covered in shocking pink and Prince-purple fabric. The message is in the title of this song, from a band I only "discovered" recently and like very much.

I think you have been watching too much CSI San Diego (?) @weinerdog or is this your empath skills coming to the fore again?

Just the one @Quixo? I had a bucketful, but am blaming it on hay fever. It was supposedly 34°C in Sydney today, nice and warm but with so much pollen and dust and overnight smoke from burn-off for the impending bushfire season, my two cats and I have been sneezing on and off all day, and have had sore runny eyes.

IF, and it is a very big IF, she likes cats, Sara and Keren, and accepts Rick is gay and not a lesser person because of this, I will consider forgiving her. If any one of these conditions is not met, she can take a hike.

I thought Tad was 16 and Jake 18 which is not that much of a difference, well at least in numbers.

Rick's sister, Gina, was/is a hard-faced bitch; bloated by gluttony and poisoned by homophobia; a toxic twat with tuck-shop arms, over-bleached hair and dressed in a too-tight baby pink tracksuit and ugg boots. Rick got out and made a life for himself. Where is Gina now you may ask? I respond, who fucking cares. Whilst I share some of @weinerdog's and @akascrubber's concerns regarding Rick's disclosure of information about the intended safe house for Jimmy and Shane, I suspect (or is it merely hope) Rick is a good judge of character given his profession. We also don't really know anything about the relationship between Rick and Adam. How, where and how long ago did they meet? What is Adam's profession and how has he managed to do so well for himself financially? Was he born into wealth or is he a self-made man? Interestingly Rick and Helen appear to have come from a very different home environment, one from a life of doing without and the other from a life of private schools and the best orthodontists money could buy.

AC Barrett has a wife and children. This makes me despise him even more, a "beard" and children whom he has used to further his career, presenting himself as a regular "family man". 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 When he is sent down for his part in Jarvis' criminal activities I hope Fergus "Fistfucker" Fletcher takes a fancy to AC Barrett and teaches him to submit to the real "headmaster's" discipline. Casey was very brave to appear at Jarvis' bail hearing. He could so easily have been spotted. Rick is forming an attachment to all the boys thus far. I hope not only for their sakes, but for the sake of Rick too, none of them come to any harm. I was not fond of Adam in earlier chapters, but I did not once think he might have any link to Jarvis or to the murders, more of which I suspect will occur. Will Jimmy Tan be the next victim? Although it is unlikely they are linked to the Mardi Gras murders, I certainly won't lose any sleep if Jarvis, Azzopardi, Ryan or Barrett end up "in the drink" like Alexis did. I wonder if Jarvis has any links to any outlawed motor cycle gangs or large drug dealers? You have a captive audience @Mark Ponyboy Peters, surely the hallmark of a tale well told.