John Henry

The original idea was for Caleb to be a sociopath from the very beginning, but only Diego and Bryan knew it, all the while to show him being vulnerable to fool the audience. This scene was supposed to reveal that, with Calvin having kidnapped both boys. The scene was supposed to play out with Bryan back talking Calvin who would then punch Bryan in the face, prompting Caleb to strangle Calvin with the shoelaces. Bryan would then make a comment like, "Dad said you had to stop doing that!" Or something along those lines. In the end, I decided it was too complicated to work into the story, especially after Calvin stopped his claim over Bryan. The final chapters will be out next weekend, so we see what happens then.

“All rise. The Honorable Stephen J. Arthur presiding,” Court Clerk called out. Diego's heart raced as the elderly man took his seat and told everyone to sit down. “Mr. Clarke, where's your client?” Judge Arthur asked, looking at the Petitioner's table. “He's ill, Your Honor,” Mr. Clarke said. “I called the Court this morning about it, but it appears you didn't get the message.” “Is your client at the hospital?” “Yes, Your Honor. His wife says he's at the emergency room gettin

The disappointing assassination attempt and fascist take over aside, the story is finished and entering the last couple of chapters, so the "how to get out of this" has already been concluded, along with Calvin and custody. With that said, I do like your ideas, especially the Tusk part, which is very theatrical. I'm also not known for happily-ever-after stories; most have been very Game of Thrones to the point that my grandmother wanted me to either get counseling or a see a priest. Lol The American Legal System is not about "justice." It's about what's "fair," and the world has been seeing how much of a falsehood that "fairness" really is, and not just from the US Supreme Court, either. From the lowest Traffic Courts to SCOTUS, the system is heavily flawed and currently, not getting any better. John Grisham (writer, former district attorney and former state legislator for Tennessee, I believe) wrote about several decades ago about the corruption that money brings to the legal system. In that book (I can't remember the title off hand, since it's been over 20 years since I've read it), he was talking about electing state Supreme Court Justices and how partisan politics are making bad laws, and now, we're seeing it in the federal court system after Citizens United, that said corporations are people, too (yet they never go to prison or face any criminal charges for breaking the law!) Why bring all of this up? Despite everyone's optimism, you haven't read the closing arguments, and as SCOTUS has proven over and over again in this session alone, you can never make assumptions when it comes to judges and their rulings.

It is much sadder, and I left out those details on purpose. If he ever sees this and wants to create problems, I could reveal those facts and ruin his life for good.

Some people's sense of humor is off kilter, for want of a better phrase. Personally, I wrote it to imply that Jacobs knew Bryan had an anxiety attack and nothing else, so he used a poorly timed joke to invoke anxiety to see what happens.

I won't spoil anything, but I haven't seen the boys in about two years. The real Caleb will be turning 6 soon, actually, and they moved in with me when he was about 3-1/2. This story is my way of processing everything that happened and mourning that loss. Hopefully, I'll see them again at some point, but it doesn't seem to be anytime soon, and mostly like would come at a cost, since the real Calvin only talks to me when he wants something.

Well, it's a quick way to break the ice....

I'm sure, given a few minutes, Caleb's list would be just a little bit longer, like a new PS5.

Yes, I honestly wasn't sure who should walk in on James and Bryan, which is why the previous chapter ended the way it did. I knew you all were going to take your guesses, then I thought having two people walk in would be good. Diego, obviously, after getting home from Court, then Kenny, a little less obvious, who was coming over after school to see how Bryan was doing. It just seemed right at the time. So, congrats on guessing correctly.

No, I didn't and it never crossed my mind. I do miss the boys very much, but I'm not looking to go to prison; plus, I'm smart enough to "not write about my crimes," as Simon Whistler would say. I'm a big fan of the Casual Criminalist and one of his rules is not write about your crimes. Incidentally, I did run into the real Calvin at a Walmart. We walked right passed each other, within inches, and he purposefully averted his eyes. He's a total piece of shit. I wonder how many people read the "ten years" line and was fooled by it. Probably none, but it's a good joke to throw in. "HIGH-larious"...how dare you. 😜

“What the fuck are you two doing?!” Diego practically shouted as he looked at his eldest child making out with his business partner's son. Both boys looked at Diego, frozen in fear, yet still holding onto each other. “Oh my God,” Kenny choked out before he took off running in the rain. “Fuck,” Diego exclaimed. “You two better get your story straight before I get back!” With that Diego took off after Kenny. Bryan started to cry again and collapsed into Steve's chair. “What's f

I actually forgot about that part. Lol Look, it's been a long couple of weeks.... Lol

Not necessarily. Per the story, the statute of limitations has expired for Diego to press charges.

I, personally, don't care for Tusk. Fleetwood Mac (1975) is probably my favorite, with Rumours (with Silver Spring) as my second; in fact, I only like Rumours with Silver Spring coming after Go Your Own Way and Songbird ending the album after Gold Dust Woman.

I like Lindsay's songs on Fleetwood Mac, Rumours and especially, the Dance, with some from Mirage and Tango in the Night. The song Peacekeeper is the only song of his from Say You Will that I liked, but that album fell flat without Christine in it. However, I'm a fan of the band going all the way back to Peter Green, so for me Lindsay is just an extension of that rock connection that Peter had formed the band under, though with less blues influence, but also the experimentation that Bob Welch brought in the 70s, such as Hypnotize. Stevie is great, but her songs and lead vocals had always been under been under played and sold by the band, despite their successes. Excluding Silver Spring from Rumours and Mick refusing it's rerelease until the 25th anniversary compilation is a great example of that. Christine was the singer that really sold the band after Lindsay and Stevie joined, though. She had more hits that the others, and had been on nearly every album. I see why Mick, John and Stevie ended the band after her death, because there is no Fleetwood Mac without her.

You could've just sent a blue letter on Monday morning, with some big love with it.

Former President Crisis Actor is as weak and pathetic as a paper doll, and all of us Americans will go insane if that fat, fucking fascist becomes Dictator again.

I guess, when the sun goes down, this needed to be repeated the second time.

My little demons can keep me going like a black magic woman. But, it's actually 11pm here, and the eyes of the world are now on the attempted assassination of former President, Crisis Actor. I'm so afraid it's going to stay in the news cycle longer than it really should, and we can't go back. In any event, Bryan and James might have a no questions asked policy, but who knows if Kenny will say he'll never go back again, especially when it comes to love.

That was one Albatross of a paragraph.... Ashley and Calvin's manipulations might have the judge hypnotized in their favor, though, but it's good that Billy let everyone see behind the mask she wears. Diego still has hard feelings when it comes Calvin. As for the kiss....