Mark Arbour

I have to agree with you on that; I didn't see this as a very controversial chapter at all. That's fine though, it's more exciting this way. I think that would ultimately be Marie's game, to drive Will away so she can have her group of friends back and resume her reign as Queen.

Will's self-absorption isn't quite as self-centered as it could be (he is still a caring guy) but it is there. Marie's all caught up in defending her world. Visualize a cornered lion.

Ooohhh. You went all "mom" on Tim. About the only thing that works. ;-) You're right that with such a broad batch of characters, it's not possible to always be up to date on all of them. It's best to go on the assumption that they're living peaceful, happy lives away from my manipulating keyboard.

No one likes to read about warts, but I figured it was about time to throw those in. ;-)I think the fact that Will seems oblivious to his 'bubble' says more about him than anyone. He probably takes it for granted, to the degree that he notices it, but largely remains in ignorant bliss. I think you're right about Noah.

My pleasure! I did the same thing with the artwork (and the baby teeth). LOL. Will had an STD test in Hawaii, so he should be clean, but even if he isn't now, he was then, which means Kyle didn't get it from Will. Erik got totally screwed.

You have a bit of a wait ahead. I'll try to post the next chapter of Odyssey tomorrow, but the question on your mind won't be answered until Chapter 61.

Hey Bill, hope you have a great birthday!

Since Will tested negative for STDs in Hawaii, they didn't get it from Will.

Cliffhangers strangled. ;-)I'll bet Will is reacting just about like you would have. He is so calm and composed. Actually, he does pretty well in situations that don't involve his father.

Thanks for the review! Remember, Will went to Menlo last year, so it's not really new to him. Lots of mysteries.

August 20, 2001 “I need your help,” I said to Stef as I walked into the kitchen. He was sitting at the table reviewing some documents, and didn’t answer me right away, waiting until he finished making some notes. When he was done, he gave me his full attention. “What do you need?” “I have this date tonight, and I’m trying to figure out what to wear. Erik told me to wear khakis and a nice shirt,” I said. “Let us go look in your closet and see what we ca

It will definitely be a shared (live) experience for some, and hopefully the body count won't be too high.

Thanks Edward, for your review and your kind thoughts. We're getting closer to the big day.

If you just start with the premise that I'm right and you're wrong, you'll find that things work out pretty much correctly. :-)

I liked that line too. Sometimes the stars align and I can come up with something good. So your review is excellent, but too long for my ADD mind to comment on everything (SMILE) so I'll pick just a few topics to focus on. First off: not Will's first time puking after drinking. I gave him and Brad the same trait I have...and when I drink too much, puking is likely. I think that having Isidore give her rings to Darius is actually pretty understandable, and I doubt any of the other would have an issue with it. He is Isidore's oldest grandson, and I think that alone puts him in prime position. He's also the only one of her grandchildren who's had a more meaningful relationship. I guess that does make Brad and Robbie step-brothers. Not that that's a big deal in their list of kinks. ;-) “no small amount of justification” is JP' way of saying "a lot".

Happy Birthday!!!

Who said it was morning?

Push it to the limit, baby. Push it to the limit.

You're welcome! I will have to keep the Windows of the World idea in mind so I don't write myself out of a story. That's also an interesting idea on having Isidore talk to Brad. Hmmm.

Thanks! I think that is Will's first real date, unless you count his excursions to St. Louis with Tony as a "date".

Merci! The switch to Bellevue from Belleville is a regional problem. We have a city near where I lived named Belleville, and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I must have subliminally done that in this story. It is always difficult to write about a place you do not live, and although I do try to research well, I make mistakes. But I am planning to do a rather thorough re-edit of CAP in the future, so any ideas you have, let me know.

Well, the dhow theory was fun to imagine, and no, I'm a right-hander. But I applaud the lefties. Vive la difference! I am fairly positive that Humphreys will make it through a court martial on the loss of Bacchante with no ill-effects, other than he may be considered unlucky. I'm not sure what impact that would have on what the Admiralty decides, as far as giving him another ship goes. Thanks for the congrats!

Thanks for the side note. It is perhaps the most flattering when people re-read the stories, because the suspense is gone. And don't you think having George meet up with Bacchante to face off against Maidstone and save the day would have been a bit too easy, and contrived? LOL.

Thanks for your review! I really have appreciated all of your comments and your reviews! I don't think Humphreys will get into trouble for losing Bacchante. The Admiralty understood navigational hazards and the like, so unless there was negligence involved, I think Humphreys will escape from this alright. Whether he's given another ship remains to be seen.

I'm a bi-polar writer. Or maybe it's just latent sado-masochism. :-)