BendtedWreath

A deep love that transcends a lifetime. 😭

It hit everyone reading it pretty hard, as well!

As far as the "In Too Deep" theme goes, this character experiences it twice...once in adolescence, and then more progressively in his adult life. While I didn't relate with the main character much, I do thoroughly enjoy this writer's style, and I equally enjoyed reading this story. Nicely done.

This character and I shared maybe 25% commonalities. The rest of the 75% couldn't be more different, as I would not have chosen those specific paths. But, even so, I wished him well, and I'm glad he figured things out for himself and that both he and Tom found special someones, even if not each other.

Yet another story that took the "In Too Deep" theme to heart. This one is all about heart, showcasing platonic and familial love along with a romantic love so deep that it's reminiscent of how lovebirds mourn their partners into the afterlife, chasing right on after them. A short and heartfelt read that was written wonderfully.

The next morning, I sipped my tea and watched the wind tug at a huge red wine leaf. It eventually would lose the fight, but for then, it persevered, like Dad. - What beautiful writing. Where was the man who easily carried my sixteen-year-old brother to the EMT at the other end of the beach when he stepped barefoot onto a glass shard? Where was the laughing big man who showed us how to swim, the man who moved back to his homeland after his messy divorce to start anew? - No, where is that roll of toilet paper I had near me? My eyes were just barely recovering from being drained of fluid and here they are watering up all over again. Dad’s eyes glistened brightly with tears. “When?”/I closed my eyes. Dad remembered Matteo’s passing. I sat down beside him, my hand on his thigh. “In January.”/He nodded a few times, surprisingly alert. “Matteo went ahead. Typical. That man.” He chuckled. - (struggling to read through gushing tears) He saw us when he took Dan’s and my hand. His gaze became unfocused again when he smiled. ‘There you are...’ - 😭

Yet another story that took the theme "In Too Deep" and ran with it. From the very title of Depth Perception down to the 5,555 exact word count. (Why has no one mentioned that magical word count?) This story will suck you right into the complexity of familial relationships, the various ways we (as humans) grieve, and the many bonds one creates over the years. I cried, I laughed, and then I wept some more. This was a beautiful and bittersweet read that resonated deeply with me.

This one is dedicated to my mom. You're in my heart forever. - Oh no. My heart hurt just reading that. This is going to hit me like a ton of bricks, isn't it? (taking a deep breath) Let's dive on in. You may need some tissues. - Oh, come on! We didn't need that warning when you already mentioned the dedication to your mom. Now, where is that roll of toilet paper... I didn’t bother correcting her. She wouldn’t remember anyway. - No, stop it with the watering, eyes. We're only a few sentences in. Gone were the days of dieting and complaining about the weight she gained after having four kids. She had to be fed these days, forgetting how to do the task herself. - Heart, stop it with the squeezing. We're not even a quarter of the way through. Pull it together! The idiot mutt got sprayed by a skunk. - Quick! Mix a quart of three percent hydrogen peroxide with a quarter cup of baking soda and a teaspoon or two of liquid detergent to wash him with! Once in my car, I called Jordy. In the background, I could hear a distinctive howl. “Hello, my love. How is it going with our stinky pup?/“I’m gonna kill him.” - LMAO!! Life's many woes. “He’s an embarrassment.” Jordy lowered his voice to a whisper. “A dog mom is sitting across from me, looking like she just bit a lemon. She’s judging. I know she is.” - LMAO!! She's judging, I know she is!! I laughed when he turned around and nearly tripped over Visa, who, as usual, lived up to her name. Like the old commercial, he was everywhere you wanted to be. - THAT's why they named her Visa!? (Still laughing over here) “I’m losing my mom.” My voice cracked as the words tumbled out. - (Instant gushing tears) Hold on. I'll be able to read on in a moment. Doggone tears blurring my vision. She never admitted to having favorites, but more than once, I caught her saving the biggest piece of lemon meringue pie for Jordy. It was his favorite. The only other person she did something like that for was Dad. - I'm gonna need another moment...and to order a lemon meringue pie from somewhere. Her mom lived to ninety-five and was as sharp as a knife until the end. - Yeah, but everyone's got a different blend of genetics. “I one hundred percent blame that witch he married. I hated her from day one. I’m glad I kicked her shin.” - Nice!! I glanced at Jordy, and he grinned. He was a sucker for Annie’s wings. Whatever the hell she put on them tasted fantastic when they were grilled. - Ooo, Mojito? Adobo? Cajun?? Soon, mouth-watering burgers and hot dogs joined the chicken, chips, and a huge bowl of fruit salad. - I'm not drowning in my own drool right now. (I say while wiping my mouth) These impromptu get-togethers were getting harder to coordinate, but I resolved to make more time for my siblings in the future. - Yes. This. No matter what title you knew her by, she loved you all. - (More gushing tears) Mom’s depth perception included the ability to see love and, in turn, give freely of herself. Her heart was bigger than she was. I am forever grateful for having her as my mom. - 😭 (Can't see through tears) This was beautiful. I lost track of how many squares of toilet paper I used.

In addition to reading summaries, I should really stop and take a look at story genres, as well. For branching out into so many genres and sub-genres, this story is still rooted in enough reality that it doesn't feel jarring as we see different stages of Noonan's entire life flashing...shimmering before our eyes. Go on and read to find out if he makes the most of the curse...gift he was born with. You won't be disappointed.

She was even less pleased when the first poll came out and I had a twenty-point lead. - Nice. Each of his children shared the characteristic of having an extraordinary talent. Their stories will follow. - Awesome! I think it was just missing these lyrics: Ooh war, I despise 'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives War means tears, to thousands of mother's eyes When their sons go off to fight and lose their lives I said, war (h'uh) Good God, y'all! (What is it good for?) Absolutely (nothin') 'gin

Fuck. Did I kill over nine thousand people because of a fucking joke? - I mean, it was either 9,000 or millions at the time... "The other eight?"/"Leaders of the anti-Loof movement."/"I only killed eight murderers?"/"That is exactly correct." - At least there's that. What a wild mess that was.

That went from zero to sixty real fast. Gotta love the duality there. "The US is a bully and only helps the countries they like." And after sending said help. "We're destroying one small city for each of your offending drones."

I really had no intent on ever being President. Unfortunately, many things are out of one's control, and I really had no good reason to turn his offer down. What was I going to say? No, I don't want to be your running mate because you're going to die in less than a year? - Had to write a separate comment for this, but this is one of the best chapter endings I've ever read. 🤣

I smiled widely, couldn't hide it if I wanted to. My oldest son was yellow, with a long life ahead of him. - Thank heavens! Her shimmering claim? It was necessary for the country to move on from people who couldn't contribute fully. I wanted to strangle her. - Same! So, November second, twenty-sixty, I was on the Presidential ballot. - Look how far you've come, buddy.

I had reviewed all the case information, and despite the sympathy I may have held for the widow, I had concluded the accident wasn't even the Trooper's fault. It was going to be a bloody trial. - Bloody indeed. "That's less than a hundred thou a year!"/I poured on the sarcasm, "Oh my God, barely above poverty level." -LMAO!

Newborns had white auras. It took a few months before Avery junior started to turn blue. - Oh no! "Using proper English, if there isn't none there, that means there must be some. Do you have any favorite hiding places to keep the drugs you've possessed before?" - LMAO! "Understood. After hearing about your hijinks on that drug trial, I shouldn't be surprised this case would turn into a circus as well." - Exactly!

Two of us were criminology majors so any sort of ruckus that may lead to a crime was high on our radar. - I imagine so! Suffice to say, it made the creation, testing, and troubleshooting of software programs as easy as 1-2-3, or pie, or something. - Ah, AI. Tier 1 tech support will already be obsolete because of it in the next several years. As I was being introduced to the stars and slackers, sounds like a name for a bad rock band - Right? He was on the security staff and worked the graveyard shift. Somewhat prophetic, since he was the first in the company to end up in the graveyard. - Right?? And no matter how confident people are in their lying, auras didn’t lie. It almost seemed like the aura wanted to break away from the lie. - That's useful to know!

Bill was the only one of the five of us that was in my homeroom, but he shot me a look that showed his disbelief in Baskin Robbins 31 flavors. - Oh! I hope he's not thinking something too wild like seeing into the future. I was a pretty unpopular guy that lunch time. - Spoil sports. Blinded by the dollar signs I suppose. - I mean, he was just trying to use the hand he was dealt. “I knew she was going to die pretty soon, just the same way I know you have less than six months yourself.” - Oof, the worst thing he could have said. But at least he was honest. “Get him out of here. He just bought himself a ten-day vacation.” - 10 day suspension!? That's a bit harsh. I'd have called his parents and ensured he'd attend a therapy session...not that it'd help since he's seeing something no one would believe.. We obviously can’t allow you to profit from the unfortunate passing of Mrs. Miller, but ten days is excessive for that. - That's what I was saying. I told him six months. He made it a little more than seven. When I heard he died, I wasn’t so pleased with my reasonably accurate prediction. - Yeah, getting better at gaging deaths doesn't make it better. But he became my friend and confidant for my last three years of high school. I never did get that Xbox game. - Well, a friend beats a game any day, if you ask me. It didn’t click that Jeff’s was a reddish-brown for all the time I knew him. I guess you just never think about your friends dying, especially as a teenager. You seem to overlook those things. - Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good. Drug addicts that ended up overdosing were red auras. - Does that mean suicides are red, too? my planned major went from the overcrowded field of computer science to criminal justice/forensic science - Using the cards he was dealt again! Let's go!

I have no words so far and I'm a slow writer, so you'll always be above me- wait, that sounded so wrong out of context. 🤣

I knew if I looked at older ask the author blogs, I'd find more authors I've read! I've read some of the same books, and I'm glad @Lee Wilson found your way over here.

What a great interview!

I wish the altercations at the places I worked at would be "quickly resolved." 🤣

Just another day in the city. Whatever muscle I pulled stopped throbbing, so all is well. Hope things lighten up for you at work, too.

A story about how the fathers of two Joes develop a friendship that grows beyond their expectations. But how can they share their lives together while they both still have wives? Read on to find out.

Hey now, nothing wrong with the Joes being besties, hopefully for life. Glad they sorted things out.