Mattyboy

Ok, working on Caleb's list: Once-a-year visitation $2.5 mil trust fund new bike

Disappointing that after all this time Trent can't see that Chase's pattern of getting drunk/high before a family event is a recipe, or even a strategy, for disaster. Kind of abusive to force Kayden on this after being asked not to. This is going to be a downer if it ends with Trent just becoming mini-Chase.

If you ever revise this, perhaps a way to go here: one of the things that's powering this story is that Kayden and Trent had pretty different lives to start with, but they were alike in that they were trapped in patterns of behavior that they didn't really like but they couldn't imagine altering. Then they managed to connect and found they had the capacity to help each other grow. That's why Trent's bad behavior and stupid mistakes don't make him a complete villain: he's not really responsible because he's so conditioned to behave that way. And he is growing and changing, and that growth is what the story's about. And we're 25 episodes in and Diana's right there with a black eye and Trent does love Kayden, so why can't this be one of the moments he finds a new way to behave? Trent isn't dumb and he is really motivated to not be like Chase, so getting off booze and taking care of Kayden emotionally is a pretty viable story path. Or Kayden could take Lucas' wise advice about getting counselling, which would definitely be available and fairly easy to access at Stanford. But you gave us another go-around of Trent's not really grown up yet. Which, sure, he's not that mature, and no, he shouldn't just pop out of his bad-boy cocoon as an emotional support angel. But that could be the gimmick. He's mad enough about abuse to retaliate violently, so maybe he's also recognizing that he needs to break the cycle. I think that's coming anyhow in the story, just push it up a few chapters.

Trent, stop doing drugs while you're calling the cops!

Sara should have been a lot more helpful to a student who was being blackmailed and sexually harassed by other students. But good for Kayden getting out of the house. And maybe Trent will put it together about staying off booze and drugs for a bit.

Yeah, Trent, you want to fly under the radar and let this blow over, maybe before TMZ identifies Kayden?? Don't do public appearances at schools where everyone knows Kayden. And yes, Mrs Dee, you're terrible.

They should DEFINITELY tell Sara, Ivy's using her school account to sexually harass and blackmail another student - they can get after that pretty fast. And Trent, since the house is surrounded by paparazzi and stalkers with cameras, maybe close those blinds, and lay off the bowls?

Clarke had an absolutely terrible hand of cards to play, most of which involved keeping hard-to-keep secrets and then getting bendy with various technical definitions of perjury. Added degree of difficulty for representing-a-founding-partner's-estranged-kid. And looks like he probably had to win to get paid. Bettors who put chips down on "how's Calvin-Ashley paying for this?" as important should claim.

Certainly grasping more than "rational" exactly, but she seems to have figured that Caleb is her meal ticket from that day at the movie theatre and before.

Also revealed is why Mr Clarke is putting up with this terrible case for clients who don't look at all like they can pay. I don't recall Clarke personally doing anything really awful that he wasn't more-or-less obliged to do as Calvin and Ashley's lawyer (and I guess he's known all along that he's basically Ashley's lawyer). I didn't really see that at the time, but it's been pretty coherent with this. Also, Caleb should draw up a list of under what conditions he'd be willing to have Ashley be his legal Mom, that perhaps includes once-a-year visitation and a $2.5 mil trust fund

Aha! That explains Ashley being super interested in Caleb. And the inheritance theories were right even though it wasn't on Donna's side. And some very early groundwork on Bryan and Kenny moving forward. Adds up to a very satisfying chapter

Hehe, Mateo is mowing Mitch's lawn. Ugh Trent is so awful, if only Kayden wasn't so into it.

Kayden: " no, I don't like cinnamon rolls, I'd rather be pushed into a ditch. " Jacob was a bit pushy, but argh.

I guess Tony has very well organized wards (and we kinda got from Finley that housewards build power over time). Argh I caught up right at another cliffhanger!

Maybe gross energies from the nasty case, and everybody was so relieved when it was over they didn't notice they weren't done ?

hehe that's fun about the hoarding possibilities. I'm sure Finley can figure something out

has a nice Seanan McGuire kinda vibe to it. But very fresh as well. Keen for more, but I like the pacing

There was a great and rather cryptic passage in I Hate This Town in which River was describing to Alec that the relationship started out as a deal, but now "person A" was having feelings. River sorta framed it that it was Kenji that was changing, but it was always a bit ambiguous, and it never really got cleared up who was person A and who was person B in that little . . . um . . . scene.

The friends put very little conversational pressure on Mike, which would line up with Liam has briefed them that Mike is fragile, at least. With modern boys hair-ruffling and even "you're crazy" cheek kisses is sometimes just emotional-support-bros. You might be right, about the whole group, but I think it could still go either way.

Did this ever get resolved? I remember a significant trail of crumbs that there was some quite significant history between Andrews and Elizabeth, but did it ever lead anywhere conclusive?

Laura is too modest to mention that Jamie was very popular in the comments section; his "availability" was the topic of much speculation (and several offers). The Wicked Mitches of the West, are new, I think (and hilarious)

The brrr-grrr thing is so sweet

It's sure looked like that for a while. But it's becoming clear that Ashley is driving a lot of this, I'm kind of hoping that it'll be provable that her shitty cult was behind the attack on Caleb. Ashley wanting cross-ex on the old Diego-Calvin sexual assault issue sorta lines up with that. At this point it's not all that legally relevant re Caleb's custody, but Ashley seems to be really hoping Diego's at fault somehow there.

Yay for Billy reeling in his trap line in court the last couple of episodes. Nicely played (although he had a lot to work with on Calvin). Caleb still needs to be officially/legally saved but things are looking good. Still don't get why Billy couldn't have let Diego know what he was up to, and that he was setting traps when he was acting up early in the trial. Would have been great for Diego (and the readers), and I don't really think Diego looking shocked/pissed-off in the courtroom was a necessary part of the gambit.

That turned out great for Maria! Now she doesn't have a boyfriend because her Dad drove the last one off. Cover should last for months!