Daddy Doc gave Monty another pill that ended his day, and sent him off to dreamland.
Patty returned to her room. Alice soon knocked on her door.
"Patty, could we talk?" Alice asked.
"I guess."
"I want to apologize for how we all reacted this morning. You and Monty sure surprised us. I want you to know that we all love you and Monty and that is why we came down on you like that."
"But it isn't fair."
"I know, sweetheart. But there are some real differences between boys and girls. I realize that there is a double standard. But if it were Todd and Eve I would feel this way too." Alice explained.
"Huh? Who is Eve?" Patty said, confused.
"No one, If Todd was with a girl instead of a boy, you know Eve instead of Adam." Alice said, her exasperation showing. "Would it be better if we put a stop to Todd and Adam sleeping over?"
That made Patty stop and think. "It would be fairer, to me, sort of, but not for them. No, don't stop them."
"Good girl. Now, I want to further explain some things." Alice decided it was time for 'The Talk.' "I know you are being careful, but accidents happen. Boys even have ejaculations in their sleep, called 'wet dreams', and if you and Monty were sleeping together and he had one...well, you get the picture. There are some forms of birth control you could use, but they all have risks, especially for a girl starting as young as you are. So you know, I told Doctor Turnman that he could prescribe whatever you and he decided. In other words, you do not need to get parental consent. I just want you to have a better life and not make the same mistakes I did."
Alice hugged Patty, and Patty hugged her back, big time. "Aunt Alice? Could I, I mean would it be okay, if I could call you Mama, sometimes maybe?"
"Of course you can, sweetheart, anytime you want. I can't think of anything that would make me any happier. I love you so much." Alice hugged her again.
Monday morning Leo went to the hospital to do rounds. He had to treat a little boy who had a broken leg, and who desperately wanted to go home. When he was finished and getting ready to leave, he was paged, "Dr. Turnman to the lab, Dr. Turnman to the lab."
Leo thought to himself, "Gee that sounded like 'Philip'."
In the lab, everyone was baffled as to why Leo was paged. He finally went to a computer station and typed: "What is it, 'Philip'?"
The DNA results for Ed and the Pats came up. Ed was their father to a 99% certainty. Leo printed the results and hurried home.
When Leo arrived home, Ed was in his office with the door closed. Jim said he was in conference and didn't want to be disturbed. Leo then went to Monty's room to find Patty. "Patty, could I talk to you, privately, please?"
Patty squeezed Monty's hand and got up to follow Daddy Doc. She was sure this was going to be more of 'The Talk, like what Alice had talked to her about last night. Leo took her into the Master Suite and had her sit on the love seat and he drew up a chair to face her.
"Patty, I don't really know quite how to start this..."
"Don't worry, Daddy Doc, I already know."
"You do?"
"Sure, Mama Alice gave me 'the talk' last night."
"Oh, no not that... this time. Now for something completely different. Remember, when you said you wanted to find your brother?"
"Sure. You found him? Where is he? Can I see him?"
"Hmmm, Yes, he has been found, and your Father too."
"You keep that slimy fuck away from me!"
"Patty! Now listen, young lady, the story you have been told by your mother doesn't stand up to investigation."
"But, he left me... to that creature! He didn't even try to find me!"
"You don't know that. You need to settle down... and you need to be open minded enough to listen to his side of the story. We have been trying to piece together your past, and now I want you to calm down. Your Father needs to be informed, and then we need to get you two together.
"No fucking way, I don't want to be alone with the creep."
"Don't worry, you will not be alone. I will be there, too."
"I want Mama Alice, too. I know she loves me."
"I do too, sweetheart. I do too."
"Yeah, Sure." Patty got up and stomped out of the room.
'Gee, that went well, Doc.' 'Philip' commented.
Leo glared at the camera mounted in the corner. After several deep breaths he left to try Ed's office again.
Nick Regnad, the private investigator, was just coming out (shouldn't he tell Linda before he goes off half cocked and comes out to Ed?) of the office. Ed saw Leo and said, "Doc, I just got the most fantastic news. Nick has found my daughter, isn't that incredible."
"It certainly is, since I was coming to give you the same news." Leo said, eying Nick strangely. "There may be some problem here, Ed. Your daughter is under the impression that she was abandoned by you, and that you don't care for her one little bit. I would guess, to put it mildly, she hates your stinkin' guts."
Ed paled and found a chair, "But, I...Doc what do I do?"
"Well, I recommend we get you all together, and you listen to her and she listens to you. I think once all the facts are known, and you each understand where the other is coming from that the rest will work itself out."
Nick looked at Leo and said, "I think we need to compare notes here. You seem to know the involved people better than I do."
"That's a good idea, Nick. Let's go down to my office and let Ed recover for a bit." Leo led the way downstairs to the medical office. "Coffee, Nick?" Leo asked, as he set up the coffee machine.
"Yes, please. You totally blindsided me upstairs. I would have thought Patty would be excited, to find her father and to know that he has been looking for her all along." Nick said.
"Oh, no doubt she will be, but she will have to listen and believe, first."
Meanwhile in Tom's office, "Uncle Tommy? Can we talk?"
Tom, who had just returned from the gym all sweaty, was on his way to get a shower when Patty peaked into his office. "Ah, sure, if you don't mind me being all sweaty, sweetie."
"Doc just told me he found my father." Patty told him.
Tom felt like he had been given a boot to the head. He sat in his chair and said, "Wow, that's a shock. What's the problem?"
"I hate the fucking son of a bitch!" she said, venom dripping off each word.
"Hey, don't hold back, tell me how you really feel." Tom said and grinned. "Patty, we don't know the whole story. Don't you think you should give him a chance?" Tom said.
"No! It's not like Patrick's Dad, who has been searching everywhere. The bastard abandoned me. He took my little brother and left me to be used by that... monster." Patty broke down and cried.
Tom soothed her until she regained her composure. "Honey, I hope by now you know that I will protect you. So we just need to go slow and be very careful. I'll be here for you all the way."
"Thanks, Uncle Tommy." Patty left.
Just as Tom was getting up to go get his shower, Ed knocked on the door. "Tom, have you got a minute? I need to talk."
"Sure Ed," Tom replied sitting back down.
"Nick, just located my daughter and Doc told me she hates me..."
Faster than a speeding calculator, Tom put 2 and 2 together, and started laughing.
Ed was understandably upset.
"Chill, Ed. Did he tell you who your daughter is?" Tom asked.
"No. Do you know?"
"Just figured it out. Let me think on how to handle this. I'll get back to you soon." Tom said.
"Tooommmmm, whhhooooo????"
"Later, Ed." Tom went through the door into his suite, and his overdue shower.
As Tom was getting into the shower 'Philip' said, 'That was mean.'
"Yeah, but it might ruin my plan if he knew." Tom replied.
'Wow, you have a plan!?!? I'll take your word for it,' 'Philip replied. 'By the way the work-outs are paying off.'
"'Philip' go find your own man, that one's mine." Leo said as he walked into bathroom.
"Tom, can we talk?" Leo asked.
"Only if you join me." Tom replied from the steam filled shower.
Faster than a speeding bullet, Leo hopped in the shower.
Tom said, "You could have gotten undressed first."
"This was quicker." Leo said, as he helped Tom remove his soaking wet clothes. "I have a problem with Patty..."
"Let me guess. You don't know how to tell her Ed is her father because she hates her father."
When Leo recovered from his shock, he said, "Well, yeah, that pretty much sums it up. How did you know?"
"I just talked to each of them. Now stop thinking about Patty and think about your extremely horny lover. Ah that's me by the way, in case you weren't paying attention."
'Philip' took the cue and started playing romantic music and dimmed the lights.
At lunch, Patty just picked at her food and Ed was agitated. Tom asked Todd and Adam to take Monty his lunch. Then he asked Leo, Ed and Patty to join him in the game room. He chose this room because it would lock from the outside. "Patty, please sit here, Ed sit across from her, please. Now there is a reason you two are now facing each other, Ed, Patty is your daughter. Come on Leo; let's get out of here before all Hell breaks loose." Tom pulled Leo out the door and bolted it.
Father and daughter sat and stared at each other in stunned silence. Finally Patty said, "How could you leave me like that without even saying goodbye?"
"Oh sweetheart, She took you away. I woke up in the morning and she was gone. She took you, all the money she could get her hands on and the car. She didn't even leave a note." Ed told her.
"Don't lie to me! She said you...that you...didn't like girls, and threw us out. She said we were lucky to have Mel. God I hate that bastard!" Patty got up and ran to the door, but of course it was locked.
Ed resisted his urge to go and comfort his daughter. He sat still and waited until she turned back to face him. "She lied to you. She even changed your name. Your name is Alison Patricia Hillguard. Your mother in her hurry, took your brother's birth certificate. His full name is Patrick Alan Hillguard. I've spent the last seven years searching for you. Ask your brother, he knows we moved around a lot. The money I've spent on Private investigators could have bought me a very nice house and some fine cars."
Patty just stared, for the longest time, and then meekly she said, "Daddy?"
"Yes, sweetie." Ed held out his arms and she ran to him.
"Pat already told me that. He wants to stay in one place; he doesn't like moving all the time and having to make new friends. How come she lied to me? And then, when I told her about the creep, she was glad couse then he'd leave her alone, she told me... Oh. Daddy!" Patty cried a good long while in her father's arms and of course, he cried too.
As they were leaving the now, strangely, unlocked game room, Patrick was coming down the hall. "Jim said you wanted to see me, Dad."
"I don't know how he knew but, yes. Patrick Alan Hillguard I'd like to introduce you to Alison Patricia Hillguard, your long lost sister." Ed said.
"No shi...Oopps. Way kewl." He gave patty a huge hug. Then he looked up at his father, "Can we stay here, Dad?"
"Yes, son, for as long as Mr. Richards will let us." Ed replied.
From behind them Tom said, "Well, at least the next twenty years or so I would say. All of you are family now."
GROUP HUG
Eavesdropping boys managed to appear from every nook and cranny imaginable.
Adam said, "See, I told you so."
Ed, Patty and Pat looked at him. "Well, I had a hard time telling which one of you was which. So I told Neal and he had me tell Dad and well, I was right, see." There was much back patting and congratulating. Tom promised a special dinner.
Patty and Pat went to see Monty. He was still using the wire tent frame. Patty said, "Look who I brought."
Monty responded, "Hi, Patrick."
Patty said, "Not just Patrick, my brother Patrick."
Monty looked back and forth between them. "Yup, someone should have noticed the resemblance."
"Someone did," Patrick said, "Adam."
Monty laughed at that, "Oh man, that's priceless, The Blind Kid could see it, and the rest of us couldn't."
When Alice got home, everyone was waiting for her. She could barely get into the foyer and close the door. She looked at Todd, then Patty, "Okay, who did what?"
"Mama Alice, its good news." Patty said.
Everyone then started trying to tell her, and she couldn't understand a thing.
"Quiet!" she used her most fierce 'mother' voice. Silence fell immediately. She searched the adult faces and Ed seemed the most excited for some reason. "Ed, would you please tell me."
"Alice, I have found my daughter." he said.
"Oh Ed, that is wonderful news." Alice began.
"She's right here," he said, and Alice noticed he had his hand on Patty's shoulder.
"Patty?"
"Yes, isn't that wonderful." he replied.
Alice felt like she had been hit in the gut. She looked at Patty then at Ed and her world began to spin and the next thing she knew she was in Dr. Turnman's office with oxygen being given to her through a pair of those nose thingies. She was surrounded by caring faces, Leo, Tom, Ed, Patty, Pat, Neal, Todd and Genny. She could hear the others not far away.
Leo smiled at her, "Quite a shock. Just lie there for a couple of minutes. Now the rest of you have seen she's fine, so, out, Out, OUT!"
Alice grabbed Patty's and Ed's hands and didn't let them leave. When the rest of the room cleared, she said, "Sorry for the faint, I've never done that before. I'm really torn up emotionally. Patty, I love you like you were mine and I don't want to lose you, but you belong with your Dad, and I know he is a good man not like some of them out there."
"Oh, Mama, I hadn't thought about that. I don't want to lose you either."
"Girls, hold on for a minute, please. Nothing is going to change, except we all get to be happier. I'm not leaving and taking the Pats away. Patty, I don't see why you can't stay in your room. Besides, we need to get to know each other and we have lots and lots of time. Maybe we can arrange for joint custody." Ed offered.
"You'd do that?" Alice asked.
"I'll do almost anything if it is in the best interests of my children." Ed stated solemnly.
The three shared a hug and Alice was ready to go again.
Tom was true to his word, the dinner was special, Giant Pizzas with all the toppings the kids loved. Dessert was a huge five layer German Chocolate Cake and Hot Fudge Sundaes. Needless to say, the kids were delighted. Even Monty had made the trip down to the dining room for the event. The boys were very good about not teasing him; Patty's threats to mangle their jewels might have had something to do with it too.
The next few days moved along well. Monty was recovering slowly, Wednesday, in the early morning, he awoke in pain, and realized he had a boner and as Doc had promised, it was pulling on the scabs. He did as recommended and took a hot shower that softened the scabs and made it better. He applied Baby Oil (Lube, It's about time he used lube) to help keep it soft. {The scabs, THE SCABS} Ed and Patrick tried to spend as much time with Patty as they could. Although Ed was very uncomfortable with Patty and Monty's relationship he tried to go with the flow.
When Ed and Patty were alone, Patty brought it up, "Papa Ed, I know you are kind of uncomfortable with the relationship that Monty and I have. But you need to know some of the background."
It took the better part of an hour for her to tell her story and how she had suffered from the day she had been stolen, until Neal threw her in the swimming hole and discovered her boobs. And then she told of how Monty had been stalked by his insane bigoted foster father, Todd's real father, and how he had thought himself gay and he wasn't.
She also explained that they planned on being very careful and knew what they were doing.
Ed nodded. He had a lot to think on. The story of each child was heartbreaking. He was so glad he was now a part of making life for these kids, better. When Patty left, Ed decided that he would take tomorrow off, and spend it with his kids.
Thursday, Brian Moe and David were excited because tonight at Scouts was a Court Of Honor and then the Christmas party. After dinner, the boys all put their uniforms on. The older boys put on their uniforms also, to show their support for their brothers. Tom and Leo were very proud of the gang. It took three vehicles to get everybody loaded. (Into the cars, silly) Ed rode with Alice, Patty and Monty were on the middle seat and Genny was in the back seat. Ed. Had spent the day getting to know Patty better and since he was almost always there, Monty too.
When they arrived at the church, the boys rushed in. As soon as they were in the activity hall, Brian gasped. He ran over to a boy about a year younger than he was. "Travis? Man, how in the world?" the boy was giving Brian a blank look, "It's me, Brian."
"Ah...My name is Mitch." the boy said.
"Really?" Brian was very puzzled. It had been two years but he couldn't have changed that much. "You look just exactly like a kid I used to know. His name was Travis."
There was a crash behind Mitch, and Brian's jaw dropped open, "There's two of you! What the..."
Mitch giggled.
"B...B...Brian? How? What?" Suddenly Brian had Travis wrapped all around him. Then the two boys were laughing, talking at the same time, and Travis pulled Mitch into it. Lee, the twins Dad, and Tom, arrived on the scene at the same time to find out what was happening. Neal, was already there, trying to get them to slow down so he could figure out what was happening.
Neal finally had a pretty good idea of what had just happened, so he told the adults, "Travis was at Juvy with Brian, but he disappeared just before I got there. We had kind of figured he had been killed, since all his stuff was still there."
Tom and Lee looked at their boys, and then back at each other. Tom said, "I guess we'd better get together, soon, so they can really catch up with old times."
Lee replied, "I think that would be wonderful. Travis has a lot if issues to work through about that place and having another boy who shared that will help tremendously. I'll let you know when we get back from our Christmas trip, and we'll get the boys together."
"Okay, sure, that sounds great," Tom replied.
David had earned his Bobcat award and Tom was called forward and asked to pick him up and turn him upside down. The badge was pinned on his uniform so that it would be upside down. He was instructed that after he did a good turn he could turn the patch right side up and sew it on his uniform. Travis was then called forward; he had also earned his Bobcat. Andy, Travis's older foster brother, automatically came forward and did the lifting to save Lee's back. Moe and Brian had earned several pins so the bunch was kept busy clapping.
Finally, everyone sang silent night to close the meeting. The Cub Master, reminded the boys that there were guests and they should let the guess go through the line first. There were many moans and groans but the adults did get first crack at the tables of goodies. The women of the Church always provided a huge spread for the Scouts and this year was no exception.
Mitch came over with Travis to join Brian. "See that tin of cookies there on the end of the table? What ever you do don't eat one of those, or you will be really sorry."
Neal, overhearing this, took it as a challenge, "Hey You can't tell me what to do; I'll eat all I want, and you can't stop me." Mitch started after Neal, but Brian grabbed his arm and held him back.
"Let him go. If you say they're bad, and he won't listen, then let him find it out for himself."
Neal had already grabbed a cookie, and returned, "Man, these
are Chocolate," he popped it into his mouth, and chewed. Cookie
crumbs sprayed everywhere, "Shit cookies!"
"NEAL HUXLEY RICHARDS!"
"Sorry Dad, but taste one of those, and tell me I'm wrong."
Tom picked up a cookie and just barely got a whiff, of fish before, Martha, the housekeeper and cook for Lee Harris, snatched the cookie away from him, "Sorry, but those things are lethal. Don't be angry with the little angel." She picked up the tin, and carried it back into the kitchen.
Tom, Leo, Alice, Ed, Monty, Todd, Jimmy, Pat and Pat all said in prefect unison, "Angel? Neal?"
"Jeez. This is horrible! What will get this awful taste out of my mouth?"
Mitch, feeling sorry for Neal, said, "A kosher dill pickle and jalapeño peppers, helps, a little, but not much. With any luck it will wear off by Christmas."
"CHRISTMAS!!!! Jeeeeezzzzz!"
"Well, I warned you... I really did try."
"I thought you were trying to get more for yourself." Neal said, sheepishly.
"I would never do anything like that." Mitch stated.
Martha returned from the kitchen with a jar of dill pickle slices, "Sweetheart, here, try some of these. They should help. We try our best to keep that woman's cookies out of circulation. She must have stopped in and put them there when we weren't in here. However, if you had waited, as you were asked to do, one of us would have removed those terrible things, before anyone was poisoned."
Tom, who was standing right behind Neal, started laughing.
Brian brought Neal a chair. "Come on guys, you need to back off, give Neal a break, you know he's always there to help, when it's needed. He saved my butt more than once, in more ways than one." He looked at Travis, "I'd still be in that horrible rotten stinking place, if it wasn't for Neal."
Travis came and gave Neal a big hug, "Thanks for saving him, Neal; I will always love you for that. Brian was there for me, and I am so glad you were there for him."
Mitch and Travis moved off a little, Mitch whispered, "You think we could make it better for him?"
"Oh, sure, we could, but do you want that taste back in your mouth?" Travis replied.
"Ah, never-mind." They both giggled and returned to the party.
Later that night, when everyone was in bed, Tom said to Leo, "I haven't asked, but I have the feeling that you are Jewish."
Leo tensed, "Is that a problem?"
"Well, I'm a Christian, and well, with Christmas coming...I don't want to do things that offend you." Tom said, quietly.
"Jews have been living with Christians for a couple thousand years; I think we can manage a decorating crisis. Why, all of a sudden, are you getting all PC on me?" Leo demanded.
"It's because I love you, and wouldn't hurt you for all of Haven." Tom replied.
They hugged and... some time later...
"So, decorating for Christmas won't bother you?" Tom asked.
"No, as long as you don't plan on hanging tinsel off my dick." Leo laughed.
"Hmmm, interesting... Spoil sport."
"No, don't go there."
"You have a holiday about that time too, don't you?" Tom asked, seriously.
"Yes Chanukah. Most non Jews think it is a Jewish Christmas, but in reality, it is only a minor holiday. Of course, for some reason, many Jews have kind of picked up the gift giving thing and run with it, I suspect, to keep from disappointing the kids."
"I don't know much about it. Maybe we can kind of do it too. I think it would be great for the kids to learn about."
"That would be really nice. I'll stop somewhere tomorrow and get a Menorah, to replace the one I lost in the fire. And some dreidels for them to play with. This could be a lot of fun. I think it will be a good learning experience for everyone too."
Friday, when Daddy Doc came home, he brought in a big bag of Chanukah things.
An adult carrying in an unexpected full shopping bag, draws kids almost as effectively as a bag of food. Leo took the bag into the library; School had finished for the week. Leo took out the Menorah and candles.
David said, "Kewl, candle holder."
Leo, replied, "It is actually a very special one. It holds nine candles, all together. It is to help us recall the Miracle of the lights."
"What's that?" Moe asked.
"Well, we Jews call Chanukah." Leo said.
"I've heard of that." Patrick said.
"Me, too." Brian chimed in.
Moe's eyes had gotten big, and he quickly ran from the room.
Leo told them that he would be telling them the story, and sharing the holiday with them. Their curiosity satisfied, Leo was free to go find Moe. After searching the places he could think of he asked, "'Philip'? Could you please tell me where Moe is?"
'I believe he is hiding, Leo, and does not wish to be found.'
"You are correct.'Philip'; I think, however, there is something he and I need to talk about, before he makes problems where none exist."
'So, you think it would be in his best interest for me to disclose his location?'
"Yes, 'Philip', I do, very much so. I'm sure you already know that I love him, and would never do anything that would hurt him."
'Philip' gave Leo directions to an empty room on the third floor. When Leo opened the door, Moe scrambled into the corner and curled into a ball, and began sobbing.
Leo went to Moe and sat down near him, on the floor. Moe cringed away even more. "I see your father did a pretty through job on you."
"D, d, don't hurt me, Pleeeeease." Moe begged.
"Now, why in the world, would I do that?" Leo asked.
"'Cause you're a Jew." Moe whimpered.
"Yes Moe, I am. You're a Muslim, and your Dad is a Christian. Oh, and Jack's a dog." Leo said.
Moe peaked at the man sitting on the floor next to him. "Huh?"
"Well, you see, there are some things we can control, and some we can not. We were born and we were taught things by out parents. Now, as we grow up, we can continue to blindly keep being that thing; like Jack keeps being a dog, or we can look at the things taught to us, and decide if they make sense." Leo said.
"But Jack can't help being a dog; I mean he is a dog." Moe replied.
"Well, yes Jack is a dog and I'm a Jew. My people can trace our history back almost five thousand years. I can't change that. What I can change is how I feel about others, and also how I treat others."
Moe was sitting up, somewhat more relaxed, now. "You mean you don't hate me, just because I'm a Muslim?"
"Well, now, that's a pretty silly reason to hate someone, isn't it? Besides, I love you, Moe. I would think you would already know that. I would never do anything that would hurt you unless of course, it was to save your life."
Moe looked at him with wide eyes.
"Now think about something for me, would you please? You and I have been living here, quite happily, for the past six months or so. I have known you were a Muslim all that time, haven't I? Have I ever done anything bad to you?"
Moe thought for a bit, "Yeah, you gave me a shot, once."
Leo grinned. "I guess you got me on that one. But I gave everybody a shot. I did that as a doctor, not as a Jew."
Moe hugged Daddy Doc and began to cry. Finally, the tears ran out, "I'm so sorry, Daddy Doc. I know, in my heart that you love me, but, my father always said such bad things, my brain just didn't listen to my heart, and I just got real scared, for some stupid reason. I guess I wasn't thinkin'."
"I know, little guy, I just needed you to know for sure, that we still love each other. I love you for who you are, not what you are." Leo said.
"I love you too. Would it be okay if you just held me for a little while?"
"Yes, Son that will be more than okay, in fact, that will be wonderful."
They remained there for a long time. Moe told Daddy Doc about how hard school had been, cause when they found out he was Muslim nobody would be his friend. Everyone shied away from him. How his family had run from him, and how much that had hurt, and then Dad had come and rescued him and how everybody here was so kewl. He still had trouble believing everything was so good.
At dinner that night, Leo explained all about Chanukah and how his family had calibrated. The boys thought eight days of gifts sounded pretty cool, until Leo said "Yup, a pair of socks each day from Aunt Geneva, Aunt Sarrah was good for eight T-shirts, Grampa did eight briefs... Real exciting."
All the boys were groaning when he finished.
Later that night, Leo filled Tom in on the events of today. Tom thought Leo had handled everything exactly right. "You know, Leo, I think maybe Moe needs some more time with Dr. Lisa. He seemed to have adjusted so well, but it looks like there is still a lot of damage hidden away that it would be a good idea to dig out into the open."
"I agree. I think it will be easier for him to deal with it now than if we just let it simmer and stew, till he becomes too bitter later to completely heal."
Soon, they had drifted off to sleep. Little did they know of the turmoil that would strike them all, the next day.
Author's Notes:
That last sentence is NOT a cliff hanger. Let me repeat that,
That Last sentence is not a cliff hanger, a warning, maybe, but
definitely not a cliff hanger. I looked it up in the evil author's
handbook of harassment, and misdirection, and it said that that
situation that was described was definitely NOT a cliff hanger, so how
could I argue with that? Now, chapter ten of FIRE, you see, that is a
different story, and THAT is a cliffhanger!
Gotta run, again, I hear sirens, I think it's the Cliff Hanger Police from the Short Compound on http://www.jeffsfortboard.us/
Editor's Note:
Damn! We used up all the cute puns in the authors notes. What
am I going to say, except to point out that this was really a good
chapter, and gives us a lot of insight into the characters' hearts and
minds. I used up three boxes of Kleenex. I want a raise to help me
cover the cost of Kleenex.
Darryl
AKA The Radio Rancher
Fort Chief Editor's Notes:
I beg to differ Oh Evil Author and Misdirection that is a CLIFFHANGER!! And The CLIFFHANGER POLICE have been notified! It is cool to see that Patty, Ed and Pat are a family again. St8mayb continues to bring depth and life to his characters and I hope this continues.
The Story Lover AKA TSL