Yay, Callie finally leaving the hospital. Johnny is a Lifetime star? I may have seen him several times, then. A beautiful tone as Callie is cuddled with Frank, watching Johnny’s old movies. Playing chess and board games—reminds me of the Twilight honeymoon, haha. I agree: love only deepens the longer marriage goes on, if the couple knows how to process the good and the bad. “Whether it was a miracle of God or a miracle of science, this baby was a miracle for sure.” A beautiful line, and it doesn’t matter where the miracle came from, does it? “Survive and thrive”—I remember that well from the chapter of IT, as it has stayed with me as an excellent rule of life—glad Callie is thinking of it again now. And she sounds like a HOT mom!

Oh, no, Frank is a true suburbanite dad now with the minivan! That was a SEXY scene by the minivan, although JJ may need therapy. The tinted windows don’t mean that you can’t see OUT of the van, Frank! HAHA thinking of Joe naked to calm his reproductive urges! I love how you come up with these funny lines no matter what is going on in the story. Excellent (and accurately healthy) rendering of Frank’s progress in therapy. Wondering what Callie’s maladaptive coping mechanisms are: I would guess holding it in and not talking about it. “Love your babies so fiercely that you know they can thrive without you.” Were you born with all this wisdom or did you learn it along the way?
Frank pumping Snoop Dogg with his father-in-law…nice vision. Discussions of only having two children…I wonder if the author knew how many children Frank and Callie would end up having eventually, or did she think they were truly done at two? For some reason I got choked up when reading about how the baby was named after four people! That is so not like me but you somehow brought it out! I love Vanessa’s birthing scene with Joe—you never leave Vanessa out.

“While the vacation wouldn’t be quiet, it would be peaceful.” A wonderful description of life with children! “[Frank] lost his logic; [Joe] lost his instinct.” A great summary of the crux of the barrier of this story! “This old man can still kick your ass.” Must end with a brother moment! Glad that Pat and Biff are in the final section. The Mortons are there at this party? Wonder what they are feeling as they look at Van, Joe, and Evan. Also wondering how Fenton and Laura patched things up, since they were essentially on opposite sides in this war, like Jacob/Esau in the Bible (did they talk about it then? Did they talk about it afterward?). Now that Joe has an improved relationship with Collig, will Joe finally assume an attitude of submission and read Respect Your Elders? You will have to forgive me if the title of that book is the number one thing I remember from this story! Oh, I love it, a positive version of the alphabet code at the end! I love that, at the very end of this story, it is about Frank and Joe’s bond. I believe you do that at the end of every story, off the top of my head….the last bond mentioned is Frank and Joe’s.

What a fabulous ride this has been! I was hesitant at the time commitment it would take to read a story so long, but this actually helped me ground myself at the beginning of each workweek, and made me more productive the rest of the day too. I love how you leave no relationship unexplored. You love and respect your characters so much. Frank and Joe may have made up a tad too early—I was really looking forward to some rivalry—but I’m not sure I’d be capable of writing a Hardy vs. Hardy story myself. I can’t even imagine all the hours you put into this labor of love. Sorry that my reviews (and spoilers!) are now dominating your review pages! I had a great time reading this!

My thoughts will be jumbled because I couldn't stop to take notes...had to read the whole thing straight through. Pat was not in the books, right, he is an OC? How fabulous that there were soooo many resources deployed to rescue Fenton and Ezra-although also made me sad to think that most ordinary citizens would not get such resources deployed. Whoa whoa whoa, Biff just pissed me off, abandoning his post...1) what if they really had needed him in a Penelope Garcia role and 2) if things go wrong, he would contribute to the problem if others have to focus on rescuing him as well. If this were a movie, I'd be throwing popcorn at the screen-although I highly suspected that it would turn out for the best.

"Third cousin, twice removed"-very nice, good to hear another person understand the correct genealogy terms! I can't believe I managed to totally forget about Rangers! So they used the pin on the back of a sleeve button, very creative. Both Joe and Fenton couldn't kill Cotnig when they had the chance: see what I mean that your characters are always so good? Terrific montage of events when Fenton is wrestling with himself. Had to be a fire, it's just part of the theme of the story, very ironic that Cotnig is burned AGAIN in his OWN fire, and very dramatic rescue-although Fenton and Ezra did half the work of rescuing themselves. If you are working on getting published someday, my biggest constructive criticism is that you tend to switch POVs frequently within a scene (if you mention what each character is thinking, it is a switch in POVs, since we should only be able to know the POV character's thoughts), which is wonderful for fanfiction because we do want to know what each person is thinking, but a publishing company would notice. (Also something that I have been working on in my own writing.)

OMG Cotnig still playing alphabet games while the world goes up in flames, yes, I agree with Joe's assessment of obsessive-compulsive coward. So, ironically, Rangers killed Cotnig- no honor among thieves- wonder if it was deliberate or Rangers just didn't care who he hit as long as Joe went down. Biff saves the day, so I will grudgingly admit that the ends justify the means. "I will Easily supply the F word," hehe Biff! and Joe and Biff have a moment at the end. I love the pacing with this chapter-short and sweet (short in Cherylann terms! haha) and keeping it moving-any longer/more detail than this and it would not have been as riveting as it was. VERY nice conclusion, complete with jimmying out of handcuffs (a HB/ND must), fire symbolism, comparing/contrasting a strong team vs. the weak, no-loyalty connection of Cotnig and Rangers. Can't wait for the feels of the final chapter!

An excellent way to start the new year: inappropriate comments by Biff. Wow, how did Frank figure out that the gossip came from his mom? Nice Frank/Mom convo, Frank somehow finding a way to not take sides between wife and mom—you never shy away from relationship convos, even while Cotnig and Fenton are traveling to their dooms (and cursing, too!). Callie is “only the second girl [Frank] has ever given his heart to and loved”—Frank did not explicitly state that the first girl was his mom, so I will assume it was Nancy! Give me an inch, I’ll take a mile, when it comes to the Francy department. I’m with Frank here: don’t make promises that it’s not in your power to keep. But Frank and Joe are right, there is not one published book out there that they haven’t gotten the bad guys! A shame that ALL the girls are left out—would be nice if we had at least one female on the away team. Joe’s prank with the Chief’s iPad GPS will save the day! Good thing Joe forgot to read the Chief’s “Respect Your Elders” book, haha!

Ezra going through the alphabet, coming up with every synonym for “ass” kicking-haha! I am of two minds—would be great for Frank, Joe, . to rescue Dad and Chief, but wouldn’t it be cool if Dad and Chief took care of it themselves? I imagine it will be a joint effort. Frank telling Joe “you had life figured out a long time ago”—I disagree—in this series, didn’t Joe go off the rails for years because of Iola? I like the brief centering Frank/Joe convo before the storm, where they figure out that BOTH of their instincts were wrong on this case. “To opening a can of whoop ass”—that takes care of O, C, W, and A for the alphabet!

Yes yes yes the bad guys attacking with chloroform instead of guns, a staple of the HB/ND universe, I love it I love it! Good choice to use psychoanalysis with Cotnig, Cotnig’s love of attention, but I wonder which of them was starting to “win” here—maybe Fenton also wanted to piss off Cotnig to keep the attention on Fenton, not Ezra? “Arid. Banal. Cliché.” So witty and apropos! Wow, and Cotnig goes straight through the alphabet! Ending with “zenith”—I do admire that—good one, Cotnig. “One pain is lessened by another’s anguish”—ooo, will there be a decision between the men, who will sacrifice themselves for the other (both of them arguing over who GETS to sacrifice himself)? Such possibilities. OMG I feel like the 24 minute countdown is still going even while I’m not reading! I can’t believe there are only two more chapters left!

“Pulling a Joe,” that is great! Callie is becoming more of an antagonist in my mind, every time I hear of her struggles to GAIN weight (grrr-jealous!). So cute, Callie wanting to sit on her husband’s lap before the new year. I love that this chapter was revised based on reader response! I hadn’t had the specific thought that Frank and Callie were pulling away from other people, but I can understand how other people did. “Fenton Hardy’s supposedly responsible son,” oooo, that “supposedly” intrigues me. If only men would listen to women as intently as Frank and Joe listen to their wives. Callie: “I should never be your JOB. I should be your PLEASURE.” No, Callie, I will take that burden from you and be Frank Hardy’s pleasure, haha! Good idea for Frank to go to therapy; vicarious traumatization is finally starting to get the recognition and the diagnostic criteria that it deserves. Callie is understanding what a balancing act mental health is: being able to talk about the trauma (this is the chapter I was waiting for!), yet not wallowing in it; having a close marriage, yet letting other people in too; being independent, yet accepting an appropriate amount of help (“They were not one person, yet he knew that they were of one soul”); being wholly devoted to the kids, but having a separate identity too; making responsible, safe decisions, yet acknowledging and accepting that 99.9999% of life is out of our control. “Frank had done it FOR her—but TO himself”—yet again, aptly put. “You need rest. I need a cold shower.” Haha!

All of Frank’s bags of food are for Chet—shout-out to the published books! With Frank’s good mood, does the family think that he and Callie did it on the hospital stretcher? Cotnig followed the Handbook of Evil: waited until everybody’s guard was down, struck just when everyone was at their happiest. Oh, crap, Bayport PD? Ezra playing Angry Birds, yaaasss! “Listening to your Elders: The Importance of Respecting Authority,” sent to Joe and Pat, HAHAHAHA! Though I have a fear that those two young rascals may have the text transcribed onto the toilet paper, donated to the Bayport PD police station? Whoa! Crappy security, Ezra and Fenton are down!

With every chapter I read, I think of those questions that you posited in the author’s note for chapter 1, and I think of what a good job you continue to do, exploring these gray areas in life from every possible angle. Three chapters to go—I’m excited and sad!

“Existing but not functioning,” aptly put. Her heart monitor measured every beat of his own heart, beautiful and poetic description. Wow, I certainly didn’t see the slowed down timeline coming—I thought we were catching Cotnig the same night—but now we get to celebrate this story over the Christmas holiday. I am still surprised that Frank and Callie never spoke of IT after the first night, even though they ritualize the anniversary through him holding her, telling her she is safe…something seems weird about it to me but glad it works for Callie. OMG Iola’s funeral was the same day IT happened? That sucks. I love how Joe and Frank are together without words, just drinking when need be, hanging stockings together etc. Joe always AT his side and ON his side, nice character growth.

Wow, what an ethical dilemma, but beautiful on Mother Nature’s part, Callie’s body neglecting her own needs to care for the baby first. What medical research you have to do for all your stories, our heroes are never out of the hospital for long! “You’re safe”—the best words Frank could have spoken to her. Maybe Callie is spending all this time with Johnny and Iola. And suddenly Callie is awake for Christmas, yay! And Callie still has her back sprain throughout all of this! I agree with Johnny: no “heterosexual heroes,” so no “homosexual heroes.” Good talk between Joe and Callie—I wonder if the author genuinely believed that Callie would NEVER open up to Joe about “it?” Wonderful Christmas hospital scene. Yes, Joe is figuring out what happened to Callie—I agree that there are more than enough puzzles pieces for any rational person to figure it out. “They deserved peace. Finally.” Oh, no, famous last words! I had heard all those filthy applications of Christmas carol titles except “O Come All Ye Faithful,” OMG! “The biggest blessing was in [Joe’s] arms,” aww….

What a contrast, going to Alan Cotnig’s evil head, and soo effective not to give us a scene with him until chapter 28—he’s larger than life now! Contrast of how the Hardys view family over Alan’s view of his “brothers”—they are actually “pawns” to him, and he is fine that they are back behind bars. What a sinister list, my goodness. Wait why is Iola on there, maybe that is something from your Cotnig Part 1 story? And we are up to K for Kill! And Cotnig deliberately waited until Christmas, Callie getting better, people letting their guard down with hope and distractions—so revenge can be “a dish best served cold.” Here we go!

Hmm, I wonder if that was a praying posture Frank was in? Glad to see Van "weirded out" by some of the "inner circle" dynamics-she's only human-and, as far as the core four, she is definitely the most on the outs although the group tries their hardest to include her. I enjoy the character analyses through other character's eyes; I love how all your characters mentally tally up their gratitude lists and ruminate over each other's strengths, not weaknesses. "I'll beg her to stay...but if she can't...I'll let her go and honor her life with my own." Too many feels for Monday morning! I have such respect for Frank here-most people don't have such a selfless approach to grief even after years of therapy.

American Shakespeare Theatre of New York: definitely jotted down on my bucket list (and my boyfriend will be mad at you because he will be going). A minor character caught offscreen, a major character caught onstage, looove this continuing slow-then-fast buildup. When Fenton and Joe entered the theatre with "two officers," I was afraid the officers were wearing red shirts, thereby making them disposable in Star Trek terms-they owe you their gratitude for making it through this scene alive! "I asked if you understood. "Yes, sir." I loooove badass Fenton/Frank/Joe scenes, love the hand on the shoulder, hoping to see more in other stories. He is still their father and they are NEVER too old to be reminded of it, haha! So sweet, Joe's left hand to his chest in a gesture of solidarity for Frank.

Good choice of exposition about the theatre rather than a bland description of opening doors and searching hallways: it was also a terrific segue into the battle of the bards on the stage. "wear that mask accurately," great description, "lost and gained identities, find the truth in a land built of fiction"-so on point! And a nice moment of insight for Joe about Callie and Johnny's relationship, which he will come to understand more and more over the years.

The curtains opened on the stage, how great! "Get the F out of here"-I don't remember Hamlet saying that? hehe. Grant stabbing the sword into the stage...uhhh, I think Joe was correct about Grant's sanity after all...this interaction with Joe and Grant is terrific because Grant thought he could stab at Joe's identity by rubbing the brother fight in his face and talking about how much smarter/better Frank is, but Joe just calmly and genuinely agreed because Joe's identity is not based on those things, or threatened by rivalry. Meanwhile Grant's ONLY identity/value is being good at theatre, so Joe can bring him down with "what do you have? Pretend?" "I hold off on doing porn with my brother." haha love it! Bet Joe never thought he would have to quote Hamlet to bring down a bad guy.

Hmmm, 5 chapters to go and Joe out of commission, I am guessing that Callie will wake up and have a scene releasing Frank to go fight, Frank will have a solo scene bringing down the rest of the minor villains, and Joe will sign himself out AMA (again!) so everyone can bring down Cotnig together? We shall see! Hope you are you doing well and thanks as always for enriching my life with your talent.

Good choice to give us Callie's decision but not her full wake-up-still some suspense! "soul found its home" in Frank's arms, awww. And Frank says to Joe, "Thank you for thinking FOR me," so profound. Frank using his son's full name (perhaps subconsciously?) because "Callie would be protected, one way or another"-she's got plenty of people who love her, on both sides of the divide-so touching. "Hope is never bad"-Biff says it best, plainly and succinctly as always. I love this fab segue back into the case, how first Fenton/Ezra went on a revenge/justice mission, now Joe and his posse are on their revenge/justice mission straight from the hospital where loved ones are hurting.

"The only person who gets to kick [Joe's] ass is me"-nice, Biff, is that from Shakespeare too? Very cool apartment raid to build up to the final action. Love how Joe's injuries are a barrier to his success, I had a feeling they would haunt him the rest of the story back when it happened. Roof fight, yay, there are NEVER enough of those in the world! I like Joe's quick thinking move here, simultaneously rolling out of the way and tripping the assailant with his own body at the same time. "At least I work with MY brother"-low blow from the criminal, going straight for Joe's weak spot, and might have been Joe's undoing if not for his friends. Very nice Pat talking Joe down from full on rage, I LOVE scenes like that. Very nice touch of the WalMart taser-I need no convincing, there is no doubt in my mind that ANYTHING can be purchased at WalMart.

Ooooo Joe, you've lost Pat to give a statement-you must face the worse bad guys with even less men (although I have a strong suspicion that Frank will be joining the team). I forget if what Joe/Pat/Biff did just there was legal, I guess there was an arrest out for Horatio and his girlfriend so they were the ones sent to make the arrest? Quick thinking of Biff to get info from girlfriend. "kicketh his assesth" and "thou art a jackass"-hmmm, I could finally get my boyfriend to read some Shakespeare if Biff was in charge of the translation...final action heating up! This chapter had a bit of everything-family and romantic moments, humor, action, Joe's dark side, his brotherhood talking him down from the edge-very fun, whetting my appetite for the final showdown!

I can't even describe how much I was not expecting this...! Which makes it all the sweeter! This is the final "interlude" before nonstop action-although, with your writing, there is NEVER a boring middle part-there is constantly something happening. Loved Frank falling to his knees; descriptions of Callie using her body as JJ's shield..."son was going to lose his mommy today" ah! Frank's description of his child "going to sleep with its mother-together" "she wouldn't be alone" "the lifeless machines giving her life" OMG. And Frank saying goodbye to their baby, oh my goodness I can't take it. Your choice to have essentially no dialogue for Frank's hospital scene and Joe/Vanessa's scene made them that much more powerful. Such courage for Frank to do such a painful thing, staying by her side, because he couldn't let her go alone. I respect Joe for admitting to himself (however guiltily) that he is also relieved because Van wasn't there. What opposite emotions we humans are capable of at the same time. That Ezra/Fenton short scene was just enough of an "oh, shit" to make me briefly scared for the bad guys, haha!

Callie smiling from above, looking at JJ as her "greatest contribution to this world"-wow. Iola: "Hey girl." Understatement of the century! I LOVE that Iola is there as well. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we all got this escort service at the end? Love these descriptions of the heaven, "flipping the pain intensity to the joy intensity" ad infinitum...we have very similar opinions on heaven and relationships by the way. We all have multiple soulmates, just different ways and intensities. No cliffie here, even if I had been reading this "live," because if Callie's maternal instinct made her shield JJ's body with her own, of course she is going to go back so her little girl can live! Love that this is how she found out she was having a girl. What a precious and unexpected chapter!

Nice peek into Laura's thoughts; glad she saw that she was "out of line", and saw the parallels between Frank's personality and Callie's. Amazing how we take attributes like strength, determination, reservation, etc., and make them positive qualities in men (Frank) and negative/untrustworthy in women (Callie)-and Laura seems to realize she's done that while observing Callie at one of the lowest points of her life. OMG and now a car crash and abduction-and I'm sure Vanessa was also a target, as the medical records hacker knew that Van was supposed to come to this appointment-I think the babies (and therefore the entire Hardy legacy/continuation of line) were the real targets of this gang.

"Pull a Penelope Garcia," yes, she is the real hero in that show, isn't she? I have always thought that she had the coolest job. Van's prayer will save everybody. I have heard how guilty pregnant women feel when other pregnant women miscarry...poor Van.

"Did you explain how to build a computer to Phil?" I don't know why this line struck me as so funny, I think it's because I am frantically looking for a break in angst, which I know you will not give us until the very end. Horatio/Roy half brothers, Cotnig/Daniels half brothers, it's been a few years since I read Hamlet so I think that has significance in the play but can't place it...I really liked this side paragraph on Phil as Fenton's favorite of the sons' friends. Good adolescent throwback moment, and whatever parents pretend that they don't have favorites are only deluding themselves.

A gang of prison buddies-a very cool solution. I didn't see it coming, yet it is not totally out of left field, and when I think back on the story, I can see how it makes sense every step of the way-therefore it meets all requirements of an excellent twist! So the colors/gay pride just showed why Frank and Callie (and sort of Joe and Vanessa) were the targets, since they were connected to both cases. OMG I hate myself so, so much right now...remember when I even wrote out the first letters of the colors of the scraps of paper and I STILL didn't see the ROY G ROY G? That is a new low for me, but my hat is off to you. "Chief, your language." HAHAHA where are the Model Chief policies, Collig? OMG you seriously must have written such a complex sonnet yourself, just unbelievable. Also disappointed in myself not to think of reading the first word of each line, second words of each line, etc. (my mother reads nonstop detective stories and would have done that before even reading the sonnet)...maybe next time I will figure it out. And the "method acting," wow, just layers on top of layers on top of layers. But unless I'm missing something obvious (again) our boys still don't know what's going to happen next, just how some of the puzzles of "why" and "who" work out. What a web of intrigue!

I settled in for another case-focused chapter-and Collig gave that pep talk about miscarriages to Frank-back to the feels! This was a validating yet tantalizing chapter-it turns out I did get a few things right about the case, the prostitute was Trina (didn't all the men recognize her from the court video? haha), the Grant case was only intended as a mind-screwing way to break up the team, the video used a voiceover of Johnny, Cotnig-Grant are connected-but the list of questions at the end reminds me how much further we have to go, and I don't know the answer to any of those questions!

I admire your bravery in making Roy Grant flat-out NOT crazy, and a damn smart and good actor to boot. If I were writing this story, I would have tried to find some way to make him halfway crazy so neither brother was wrong, but this is the braver route...Joe was flat-out wrong, and it will be interesting to see how he processes that in both his personal and his professional lives. Cotnig feels like Michael Myers to me at this point, always there but never there, mysterious and sinister-I will probably see him for one chapter and that's it (and will his body disappear?).

Fenton: "This is a little awkward to view with my sons." Then Joe offers recommendations of better quality videos in this most esteemed genre. Hahahaha!

Grant's "opportunity to be on a stage, to enact his convictions." Nice job bringing up the theme multiple times again this chapter, this time from Grant's pathetic POV. Grant used the stage of prison and hospital...to enact his conviction that he should get more attention and acting roles and money? For the first time this story I am grieving for the losses surrounding Grant...if Grant is that great of an actor that he can fool JOE FRIGGIN HARDY then maybe he WOULD have had a terrific career if he had been willing to put in a few more years in the trenches. Grant's promising career is cut short due to his own ego, whereas Johnny's promising career was cut short due to his love and courage.

"He didn't need a break. The case did." This simple play on words struck me as profound. This is fun, you have weaved such a web of intrigue!

After all the extreme feels of the last few chapters, it is such a relief to focus on the case! Why are they still not speaking to Callie about these riddles? 22 year old female prostitute-is that the girl who was in "Johnny's" naughty video? I have a feeling that fingerprint is going to be important in a few chapters. I will not mention other theories for why a prostitute's fingerprints could be on Frank's bottle of medication...:) Glad to see that Phil will be resurfacing. Yes, I agree, there is more to targeting JJ than his connection with Fenton. I also have a weird feeling that Cotnig isn't as focused on Ezra and Fenton than he was in your previous story-it felt more personal to Frank and Joe somehow.

Haha every time we go through these strips of poetry, I can't help but laugh that Tony thought his riddle was a message from his irate wife. Yes, FINALLY somebody goes to get Callie-and really they should have had the rest of the women there too for extra brains, why not? These are tough, smart women, who wouldn't burst into tears if they were involved in the discussion (and they have a right to know everything). "Less than 5 minutes later Frank returned with Callie"-it doesn't take almost 5 minutes to get somebody-what were these two doing? I wonder if Callie is healed from her back sprain yet?

*screeeeeam* first colors of the rainbow-I should have been able to figure that out-just for posthumous kicks I typed those colors into Google and I could have figured it out with google's help if I had scrolled to the very bottom of the first search results page. 14 line poem-sonnet-rhyming pattern-iambic pentameter (silence)...okay, I just rocked myself in the corner for 20 minutes...bad flashbacks to Mrs. Cramer's 11th grade English class. VERY creative solution! I had been thinking, since it stopped with G, that had something to do with a musical scale. English class was my favorite, actually, in all areas except for poetry (makes me feel stupid) so I will not beat myself up for not figuring out the pattern, and I will credit your writing all the more for having obvious clues way out in the open that I'm sure not many people figured out. The GG line is the most important, so does Auntie G resurface? I doubt it, I think Callie was stressing that the "avenge" part is coming up. Ahhh, Cotnig skipped the E and F because he is saving those gentlemen for last, that is why the alphabet was out of order. Joe's hand on Frank's back-just enough evidence to them and the group that things are returning to normal-also keeping the continuity between case vs. character chapters. Fenton was brave to call attention to it-the comment could have backfired.

Can't believe Callie is taking JJ for an ear infection appointment before getting her miscarriage checked out! I do not trust you-something horrible will happen to Callie, Laura, and JJ sometime before, during, or after these appointments today. I wonder if/how Callie's parents will be involved later? I hope Frank and Callie stop at two kids, because pregnancies seem to be chronically difficult for Callie, and if she ever thinks she will have a stress-free time of pregnancy than she married into the wrong family! Nice to start to get this thing solved!

I am on vacation Monday the 15th, so can’t review that day…a perfect excuse to leave this review early. “Forced togetherness,” haha! Maybe Fenton and Laura will keep everyone awake tonight? Hehe! There’s Callie again as the strong one, giving Frank a pep talk when it should probably be the other way around—this story, even above all your excellent others, helped me bond with Callie and admire her incredible strength and resiliency. No, Cal, don’t ever tell a man that there’s not enough time for intimacy—they like that better sometimes. And Joe overheard, HAHAHA, maybe he and Van will give them a run for their money as Joe runs upstairs to get dressed? Frank having “the talk” with Joe, haha. Beautiful Frank/Joe scene of small hints, just the “sure” from Joe, the hand on the back, tears “from the onions”….I know you classify your stories as mystery/family/friendship, but I would throw hurt/comfort in there too (my personal favorite genre) because you gives readers emotions when the rift is broken, and emotions when the rift heals.
Enjoyed Frank’s prayer before starting the tough convo with Joe—I am not sure if you have a spiritual background or not, but I see those themes all the time in your stories, about love and forgiveness and healing. Frank’s apology was beautiful, and actually I don’t remember Frank saying things to Joe that were so terrible—no name-calling etc, just calling out Joe on Joe’s behavior. It pissed me off to a surprising degree when Joe replied with “Why? What did I do that was so bad?” Seriously, Joe? Just for kicks I checked the other reviews on this chapter and was shocked that the majority of people seem to be on Joe’s side—I had assumed that most people would be on Frank’s side. I was kinda-sorta on Joe’s side for this case, with the caveat that Joe should have referred out for conflict of interest reasons, but throughout this story it was perfectly reasonable to me that Frank and Callie would be upset (or am I rewriting history? I wonder if I am misremembering my emotions from previous chapters just because the rift is healing now? Human nature, haha!). Ooooooo Joe just won me over again (you can tell I tend to write reviews as I’m reading)—Joe: “a part of me didn’t understand why you didn’t understand”—it is impossible to choose sides in this war! Wait—now Joe is playing the “family over friends” card? Not cool, Joe—ahhhhh!
A beautiful crying speech from Frank, and a very careful and diplomatic way to phrase it—just like Joe has a private bond with Van, so Callie and Frank are allowed to have their private bond, “is that fair?” It is a shame that Vanessa was just parroting Laura’s words and graciously took the heat for it—it would have been great if Frank was having this strong conversation (about Callie’s platonic relationship with Johnny) with his own mother Laura instead. I had assumed that chapter 18 graveyard scene (out of 32 chapters) was the climax (making Shakespeare proud—weren’t his Third Acts the climax, right in the middle of each play?) but this chapter is so gut-wrenching, so profound (I have to read it in increments, the emotions are overwhelming sometimes) that it even gives chapter 18 a run for its money-especially because it is a relational chapter, not a solo scene. According to “the rulebook” we are only ever supposed to have one POV at a time but your technique of switching back and forth here was very powerful. Frank is giving Joe enough hints here that Joe could have guessed if he had spent one minute to think about it—Joe’s refusal to even guess is the same type of respect Frank is giving Callie by not going after her assailants—both men will not act on their desires unless Callie consents and initiates, which is what her assailants denied her years ago. This is one instance where I am glad I read your stories out of order—this is reminding me of the scene when Callie DOES tell Joe, and makes it all the more powerful. “His little brother…his most precious wife…this one moment.” Ahhhh! Ooooo and there is Frank praying again, like bookends—he prayed for guidance before the convo, and for thanks afterward. Watch out bad guys, the bros are on the same team again! Can’t wait to keep reading and find out how wrong all my guesses were about the mystery!

Good Thanksgiving ritual: family time, then one set of parents, then the other set of parents...Frank's biggest concern was that he "failed in the role of big brother," glad to see that Frank is getting back into character once more...very cool and unexpected scene with Frank and his mother-in-law. Mrs. Shaw is a very selfless person, giving up her only (for now) grandchild for the greater good. Short and powerful scene of Frank and Callie taking a deep breath before going into the house.

Ah, yes, I believe Andrea is Van's mom. Nice decision to make the entrance scene from Van's POV, as she is the most neutral out of the four and we could see it from as unbiased eyes as possible. Cal is once again the bigger person, being the one to approach Joe-"permanent truce," yes yes. It looks like offenses will be forgiven...but will JJ ever forgive anyone for the turkey outfit? It looks like I will not be getting any scenes of Frank sneaking into Joe's office tampering with evidence, bribing judges, giving counter-testimonies etc, but that is okay. If I want to read about it, I have to write it.

Old hangout in the basement-very cool symbolism, back to where they were not-boys-but-not-men, just like how they are in this current identity crisis. And they can't talk yet-their actions and working together will have to suffice for reconciliation for the moment-Collig's wife, Grant escaping from the hospital, oh my! Not having read your previous Cotnig stories, I don't know if there's a possibility if Grant and Cotnig are the same person, but I have suspected story-long that they are working together. I know your writing and it will be nonstop action for the next ten chapters-taking a deep breath, waiting for the solutions, since I couldn't figure out ANYTHING about this mystery, good job fooling me!

THANK YOU for no courtroom scenes! The aftermath is what's important, so that's what you showed us. So telling and meaningful, who went back to whose office: the "teams" are divided, loved ones forced to choose sides. Fenton and Laura in bed that night...awwwwakward!

Now that we are more than half done the story, Team Callie had their moment of insight last chapter, and Team Joe had their moment this chapter: "Nothing, [Joe] now realized, was worth what this case had cost him." Good writing technique, the first half of the chapter devoted to Joe/Laura (Van doesn't need a moment of insight, as I still wonder if she ever agreed with Joe's decision in the first place); and Team Callie/Frank all getting on the same page for the second half of the chapter.

Such a sweet scene with Joe and Laura...not even talking about the case, just grieving about Thanksgiving. I have always pictured Laura as closer to Joe, as Frank would be more of the perfect nerdy son that always makes responsible decisions, so Frank would be closer to Fenton...but Laura as the mother would recognize and comfort the feelings of anger, inadequacy, and jealousy of the younger son (like Jacob and Esau in the Bible). I am hoping for a chapter later on with Thanksgiving speeches, filled with descriptions of food that make me squeal wheels to Italian Gourmet. Or will both cases come to a head in the next 24 hours, so the family can have Thanksgiving on time? Whoops, I forget who Andrea is...I am hoping she is an evil infiltrating spy sent by Roy Grant...but it is more likely that she is a family friend who is invited to Thanksgiving.

Most excellent theme of safety for second half-very important, probably the most important thing for those impacted by trauma. "Johnny's reputation is only a side effect"-"Johnny's reputation is safe with us, family, friends"-YES-Callie put into words what has been nagging at me this entire story! I feel like I as the reader was sitting in Frank's chair for this, while Callie explained things to me (very convincingly, too). I agree-Joe can be held accountable for not referring the case to a colleague (come on, Joe, didn't they teach you not to take conflict of interest cases in graduate school?) but not for betrayal. It is so much easier for Frank to sit back and blame Joe for all this when yes, the slander would have gotten out to the public whether by Joe's hand or not, and it is now Frank's turn to be the bigger person and acknowledge that this case is about something totally different from him/Callie than it is for Joe. "They'd promised never to speak of IT again"-that surprises me-but I am impressed that with Johnny's help, Callie is determined to fully live her life for present and future. Final lines "you're safe, you're safe"-sooo moving, how Callile needed to be GIVEN safety all those years ago, and now she is the GIVER of safety-and she never would have become so strong without Johnny. Frank thought he had to protect Johnny's reputation from tabloid-reading gossip-mongers in order to keep Callie safe-not true-so Callie lets him know that he is as safe with her as she is with him-50/50 in this marriage, no therapist/victim roles here. Sooooo good!

Okay, so after I read your intro to his most excellently written chapter, I did two things: put away my sticky notes and pulled out my huge green notebook, since I knew the note-taking would be serious (we're gonna need a bigger boat!) and also hovered my mouse over the "PM" button, ready to take you up on that offer of requesting a synopsis instead-but I thought you did a fabulous job with both of your goals for this chapter: focusing on consequences, not the act itself, and promoting hope throughout. 60 edits, wow, respect!

So profound that what distressed Callie at the courthouse was JOE's despair. Frank felt that he had let her down; very nice segue, "Because Joe simply didn't know." Somehow you wrote this cemetery scene so well that it didn't seem cliche at all...I like how Johnny "wasn't really there," and "they will need each other to help [Johnny]." Callie is such a strong woman, knowing that the two brothers are broken up for her (well, really, Johnny's) sake, yet it is her role to bring them back together.

"Only four people would ever know"-not true-Callie tells Joe later on, proving just how close those two get over the years. I wonder if you knew that as the author when you wrote this chapter, or if Joe convinced you to let him know? It was very interesting reading this chapter, as I read your stories out of order, and this must have been the first time your readers knew about Callie's trauma-I knew the basic details, but this was very enlightening. Callie sometimes "wanted Johnny to hit on her"-plus the sex scene-more proof of the unique bond that gay men have with straight women, an attraction that is so profound that sometimes sex is the only way the partners feel they can express it, although sex is not what it's about and is not nearly adequate. My best friend was gay in college so I feel for Callie here-and it wasn't at liberal California college, this was at conservative, rural Christian college!

"[Johnny] put on masks to the world in these different stages, fighting to know who he was; what convictions he stood for." *light dawns on marble head* the literal stages of the plays that Johnny acted in! Johnny tried out different acting roles to figure out his identity and convictions! Just when I thought you explored the title and theme to the fullest, you flip it like a pancake so we can see it from another angle too! *bows to the English teacher*

IT/THAT-I agree with your use of Stephen King's term-some events/entities are so evil that they can only (and only deserve?) to be spoken of in the most generic of terms. Very cool that Callie was attending LGBT meetings to also figure out general "identity" issues (none of us have any of those while in teens and twenties, right?). Since this happened on the walk home from the meeting, I wonder if Callie's attackers thought she was a lesbian, and therefore were trying to teach her a "straight" lesson? Sick, but happens.

"Fought not to succumb to the demons as she clung to her angel"-very nice use of contrast. "I love you too much to do this"-Johnny knows when sex is about love and when it is not-honestly Johnny's behavior was so perfect that I am falling in love with him myself. First he held her and allowed her to grieve for several months, then gave "tough love" so she could survive and thrive. And she could "find herself again"-ironic and profound, as identity reasons were why she was attending the LGBT meeting that night, and the following year Callie does find herself, with Johnny's help, in the most not ideal of circumstances. Much maturity on the parts of Johnny and Frank-it certainly makes sense why each would not trust the other-that they could bond over their common love for Callie.

Where the hell was Van in all this? I guess the two women became best friends later? And the beginning of this chapter stated again how supportive Callie's parents are-Callie couldn't tell her mom either? Not good for a sexual survivor to have ONLY men involved in her recovery! Although it makes sense that Callie was in a place where she was incapable of telling additional people at that time, and it strengthened her bond with Johnny that he was the ONLY one there for her.

So touching that right here at Johnny's grave is where Callie can conclude that it would "take a long time to heal, but she had faith that it could be done." That faith and strength and fight and being the bigger person comes from Johnny! Forgive me but I think there IS a chance that Joe would have taken on this case even if he knew of Callie's past! It was either last chapter or the one before that so beautifully detailed Frank and Joe's different points of view, and this case for Joe is about justice for a potentially mentally incompetent inmate, with nothing to do with Johnny or Callie, so it might not have changed anything for Joe-although it would have broken Joe's heart thirty more times than it already does.

"IT was in the past-Joe was in the present-" just like Laura recently said! All Callie needed was a day or two and some space and respect to come to that conclusion on her own. "Self-inflicted life sentence"-oooooooh-so moving-also pisses me off that Johnny and Frank were the ones feeling guilty when all they did was allow a 19 year old woman to walk down the street at 6:45 pm? How about the perps feeling guilty instead of the innocent loved ones? But such is PTSD, the guilt never makes any sense. So Callie is the hero in this chapter, the "victim," then "survivor," then "thriver" is the living person who is most deeply affected by all this, the person that it would be most understandable if she allowed the brother rift to go on...and the person who must try to make things right.

...but don't listen to her right away, right, Frank and Joe? We've got 14 more chapters to go so my popcorn is still ready for a sibling war! All of this to conclude, in the two words we love the best...GREAT CHAPTER!