John Henry

When I first made the "tenth inning" remark I was thinking of loose ends that I haven't covered yet, so there could still be come drama to come after the trial is done...maybe....

Glad you decided to come here instead of waiting for it on Nifty, since Chapter 26 was released there a week ago, I think.

You never know....

As I mentioned before, I didn't want to just hand over the answers/reasons for why the characters do what they do. I want the reader to figure it out for themselves or have it be revealed at a later date. I think it makes for a better reading experience.

All good things must come to an end...even my mediocre story.

I did try to find another parallel to baseball that would be more international, but unfortunately, I couldn't. Hope you were able to sort it out, though. There's a lot of subtext in this story, especially with Bryan. I want his actions to speak louder than just handing over the answers to the reader. And, with those actions, come the consequences, which I also don't want to just come right out and say. I know a lot of Westerners (especially Americans) want things spelled out for them, but I'd rather just let the reader figure things out for themselves. I think it's more cathartic that way. The answers to your "burning questions" are coming soon.... Another Top 10 ranking would be good, especially if it were not in Comedy. I think those who are writing actual comedy deserve it more than my dramedy does.

The answers to your "burning questions" are coming soon....

Billy isn't done yet. He's still got one witness and to recall Calvin and Ashley. He's doing his job to the best of this ability, though. Billy didn't want Diego to stop him from doing what he wants or needs to do. It's really that simple. Diego was already apprehensive regarding Billy, so it's highly likely that Diego would try to stop him. Plus, there's the whole plausible deniability of the situation if things went wrong. Diego could easily claim ineffective assistance of counsel and get a retrial; however, if Diego was in on the whole thing from the start, he wouldn't have any grounds for an appeal, let alone a retrial.

We'll see....

I thought the "scared straight" line would bring some laughs, especially from those old enough to remember that kind of program. Given the mounting tension as the court case is coming to a close, I felt a little humor was needed.

Ah, I have disagree with your assessment. First base was introducing Calvin. Second base was getting to Court. Third base was Diego's testimony. Home will be the ruling and conclusion. Now, if you want to go with Innings, we're entering the top of the nineth, with a slight chance of a 10th inning. Kenny is also under stress because of his mother's confinement, and he's always been an insecure kid, who leaned on Bryan's stability. Now that Bryan's stability has been shaken, Kenny isn't really sure how to handle it or what his place in their dynamic is. The next appearance might finally answer some of your "burning questions."

Billy's next witnesses will definitely answer some of your "burning questions." Kenny and Bryan have their issues, which have created a lot of tension for them. I wouldn't necessarily say that Bryan was lucky getting Luis. Lol

Not every lawyer will take a case because they think they'll win. Some do it purely for money. We'll see if Kenny and Bryan will make amends. The stuff going on with Terra has been lightly hinted at. It's really a set up for the follow up story that will be posted on Nifty, since the guideline on Gay Authors won't let me cover some of the topics that have already been handled on the other stories connected to this story and the next.

“Just to remind you, Mr. Padilla,” Judge Arthur said, as Diego took his seat on the witness stand, “you're still under oath.” “Yes, Your Honor,” Diego replied. “Mr. Clarke, your witness.” Mr. Clarke stood and said, “Thank you, Your Honor.” He grabbed his notepad and took a couple of seconds before asking, “Mr. Padilla, you claimed earlier that you denied my client contact with Bryan and Caleb, is that correct?” “Could you be more specific?” Diego asked. He and Billy discussed

I would say both sides are right. Bryan's feelings aren't being taken into consideration, but he's also not looking at the long term consequences of his actions, such as how his actions impact those around him.

Glad you understood the jokes.

IF it's TB, which I seriously doubt, we'll know for sure in a couple of days.

Very true. I wanted to give James much more depth than people would give him credit for, even if he's very blunt about it.

Thanks for the catch.

Got chest x-rays and they came back clear. I honestly don't think I have TB, and after all the antibiotics I've been on in the last month, it probably would've killed anything I could've had.

I wish I could get the fuck out of this medical mess. I just hope it's all wrong and that I can get on the road to recovery ASAP, though a tropical island get away would be lovely. Clarke was more doing the minimum requirement for a lawyer, since she's still on the witness list and anything she lets slip can be used in court. The real Calvin was very well-known for not caring if he spread an STI or not, so it would be within the fictional version to have done that very same thing. There was very little variation between what happened to Diego and what happened to me by the real Calvin, who used the same excuses as his fictional counterpart. Diego's reactions were also my reactions. The cross examination will be tough, since I'm basically going to have to attack myself and what I experienced, but I'll also be asking questions I and others have been asking since it all happened. It'll be tough but cathartic, I think.

Unfortunately, I have to go back to the same Emergency Room that misdiagnosed my tooth the first time, but I'll keep everyone posted.

Found out that one of my roommates might have contracted tuberculosis, so now, I have to get tested, which will likely postpone my dentist appointment. 🤬 He's currently in the hospital quarantined until his results come back, which could take a while.