RJAdept

Cheryl lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She'd managed to get dressed for bed without waking the softly snoring toddler sleeping on the day bed against the other wall. Her arm was draped across her forehead and she gently spun the heavy bit of decorative cardstock that has started this mess across her fingers. She'd found it in the breast pocket of one of her husband's old work shirts that she was preparing to donate with a load of baby clothing and other stuff that they'd lost the need for

I know you are long finished with this story but I have to say it. The scene with Jed and Wolfgang at the beginning, their bonding, is incredibly compelling - Well done! I wish that sort of emotional sex were a more common thing, in life as well as writing. I have read all but one of your published works and, while I enjoy nearly all of your sexual/romantic episodes, this one has something that the others don't; I can't describe the difference but this one stands out for me. Thank you!

Thanks! It looks like a pretty common sentiment about Cheryl's behavior; all I will say is that it is inline with her character. I see it differently given the circumstances and the underlying issues but it is not my place to say how you should read the character. As long as you enjoy the story, we'll all have a chance to feel everybody out and I look forward to hearing how your take on her evolves! Thanks again for your kind words and sharing!

The setup for their history should be a little confusing just yet; it's all part of how we get around to the core conflict(s) of the story. I hope you'll stay with Cheryl for a little bit; she's had a rough day and, given how she is, this hasn't played to her strengths.

Can you say more about what you found confusing? Was there some passage or exchange that lost you or is it just the approach to the characters expressing themselves...or something else entirely? It is a very charged and dense little chapter but that probably isn't going to be uncommon in this story; anything I can do to understand how to keep the reader grounded and with us is worth me learning! -grins- Why indeed... I promise, you will find answers to these and more by the end of chapter 3. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you so much for the kind words about what I've done well. I worry, and I'll let you judge by the next chapter, that I lean too heavily on dialogue. Please speak up if it gets to be too much. I promise to do my best but if you think I start to falter - call me on it! By chapter three we should be well grounded in how we got to this point...though probably not why. Thank you for joining me on this ride!

Thanks all! I appreciate the encouragement and the responses!

Things will get more tangled before they get better but it's not without a purpose!

"You know, of all the people in Jared's life, you were the only one I ever felt threatened by. You were the only one that I was sure could screw it up for he and I." Cheryl adjusted her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders as she stared out across the lake from the back patio of Roan's home. They'd come out here after putting her son, Greg, to sleep in the front-guest room. They'd had an impromptu dinner of fried rice and dumplings made with kale leaves as wrappers and now she and Roan we

Roan caught himself and shook his head as he stood back up, recovering from being punched in the side of the head. His ear was burning and his jaw felt tight but nothing serious. He looked Jared in the eye. "Get out of my way! That's my wife, my family in there. You can't keep me from seeing them." Jared pushed against him again and Roan stepped his foot behind the bigger man and tripped his opponent back onto the sloped pavement of his drive way. He tried to keep Jared from hitting his hea

Roan has a pretty normal life. He's managed to buy a house in a nice neighborhood overlooking a lake; he has a decent job, a few groups of friends, and even a god son. What he doesn't have is a lot of experience in romance and, even what he does have has been questionable at best. One night, when the wife of his friend comes to his house with his god son in tow...things start to change in ways he's just not equipped to handle.

I am happy to see Rick's walls start to break. Rita's gamble, by all indications, was a safe one; Rick has never asked for help, never stood up for himself, never pushed his boundaries to show his faith in those around him or the community at large. He's been trapped in a hopeless fog of self-doubt and guilt. That Rita is knowingly marrying a rapist and a homosexual (though that coffee shop incident implies a lot...) seems well within character for her too. I hope, deeply, that Rick can find the room to let others see his pain and his trials; it's hard to get help when you say nothing and pretend to be all right. Great story and a good chain of climactic events! One, small gripe, Rick is portrayed as capable but understated; however, the setup for the history of the athletic field and the shortcuts taken in the prior project felt, if you'll forgive the phrase, out of left field. It and his expertise for it are fully believable but the groundwork for this reveal still felt a little...magical; I wish that there had been a few moments with Walter where they walked through the soggy fields and a running pattern of homes on the south side of town where Rick could explain to home owners about the trend for them to flood. Since neither Rick nor Gus are overtly protective or assertive, I am praying for them to both fight for each other. They both really need some unexpected support and a sense of safety. Thank you for sharing the lives of your characters with us!