Date: Sep 27, 2018 9:40 am Title: Chapter 17
I think both Grandma's got off a bit too easy.
Author's Response:
Maybe... maybe not...
It was a choice Justin made for his own sake as well as the sake of his sons. Maybe it was too easy, but as mentioned in another comment, they will always have to live with themselves, knowing what they have done. That won't go away :/
Date: Aug 08, 2018 11:16 pm Title: Chapter 17
Ok. Justin, don't let your mother strongarm you into buying a house just for the boys and yes I think you should discuss it with Brian. Before anything else is decided they need to talk again.
As for Debbie. Her mistake with Michael and Danny is not quite the same. Yes Brian kept Luke a secret but look at all the support he has raising him. That, Deb never had.
What Justin really needs to do is sit tge adults down, tell them exactly what he wants and what he expects of them. One step at a time.
Author's Response:
And they will talk about it - definitely!
No, it's not quite the same, but to her it was similar enough to understand Brian's position :( Which doesn't excuse her behaviour one bit, but yeah... she could understand where he was coming from.
One step at a time - indeed!
More will be up soon!
Date: Aug 07, 2018 10:34 pm Title: Chapter 17
How do you want them to be held accountable? What do you want Justin to do? Please, I am really interested to hear what readers who think Justin is being weak here would like him to do. So far I've only heard generic statements like him holding them accountable, but what should he do specifically that would make you see him as strong? Should he have taken Brian to court? Should he have uprooted his son from the only home he has ever known? Should he have forbidden his mother and Debbie from ever seeing their grandson again?
I’m not talking in terms of any of those things, make them actually work for the affection the Justin is doling out. None of them have done the hard work needed yet. I was never suggesting court or uprooting the kids. Everyone has said all the right words, but the actions aren’t there at this point. They cried, said sorry and Justin forgave without them really earning it. They’ve gotten the milk without having to buy the cow.
Date: Aug 07, 2018 2:38 pm Title: Chapter 17
I think this chapter got me from being annoyed to livid. Each chapter i hoped for justin to grow a backbone. Thinking of the kids doesn't mean forgetting yourself.
Jennifer got off free just like that, sure she felt guilty and shed a few tears here and there, but to just forgive her like that... and dont get me started on debbie. The most stupid applogy i have ever heard. And to think justin actually took it is sad. Each time someone started crying, he feels bad and forgets everything. At this point i start to wonder if he will be doing the same thing when mikey/lindsay/melanie have a breakdown in front of him?
I think what i loved about justin is his ability to stand up for himself. That just doesn't seem to be happening here. So regretfully eventhough i really like your style of writing, this is the end for me. Maybe i would revisit this once again when it is finished.
Author's Response:
I have to disagree - Justin is not forgetting himself. He is doing exactly what he wants to do. And he is doing it for himself! He is doing it because he has made a choice about what he wants his life to be like. What he wants his son's life to be like. He wants these people in his life even though they have hurt him because he loves them and he doesn't want to live without them. Yes, he is hurt and feels betrayed, but he also loves these people and apparently he loves them enough to try to forgive them for their behaviour and to try and move on. That to me takes strength and makes him the strongest character in this whole mess...
We seem to have very different views of what standing up for yourself and having a backbone means, but that's okay. That's life :) People disagree, people have different views and that's what makes life so interesting.
I am sorry this story is not for you, but I don't think we would have ever seen eye to eye about Justin's behaviour ;)
Thanks for leaving your comments anyway and for sharing your opinions. I really appreciate you taking the time despite disagreeing with the characters so strongly :)
Date: Aug 07, 2018 6:26 am Title: Chapter 17
Hi! Again, great chapter! i'm so in love with Luke and Gus - they area so cute! But first, a few words about Deb. I'm glad she apologized and - most important thing - told Justin the truth. Because I think Justin's right when saying, there's only a chance to overcome the past and to try to forgive, if you get honesty. Her reasons... What should I say? From her point of view understandable, but again, Justin is not Brian and Justin is also not Denny. Justin is Justin but that's unfortenately something they haven't seen or understand. But it's terrible how you can destroy at least a part of someone's elses life by such a thinking or through your own issues. But nevertheless, it's a little start for Justin and Deb and at least Justin knows that it was never about him but about Deb's own issues and problems.
Justin and this house-situation... I asked myself why Justin is so insecure (still, I wouldn't call it weak) about the whole matter. Most situations I remember, Justin had always done what he wanted, never asked or speak to Brian first. And that's why I really like how he reacts here. We already agreed that they should've had talked more to each other in the Show, making common decisions and finding solutions and so on. And that's why I love the way Justin reacts. In addition, there's maybe also his slight insecurity as a sudden father, but I think first of all, he reacts this way because it's about the kids. His instincts told him not just to look for an house and buy it (and yeah, he could do this, he has every right to do it), but first speak to Brian about this situation, not to ask for permission, but for his opinion, to make a joint decision, that won't harm the children, but will be best for them. Because, Justin is not Brian, he is not Debbie and he is not Jennifer! Again, in my opinion, he is the most matured and bravest person here and I would like to hug him to give him some more strenght.
I'm very curious about the next chapter! Hopefully, there will be some more of Brian. I hope they'll find a good solution together... I kono it's much too early to move in together or something like that, but a new house... I don't know, but I don't really like this idea. I'm also curious about the family-drawing because you mentioned a reaction by Brian... I just hope, he won't disappoint Justin any futher. I wish, he would start to fight a little bit more for Justin. So far, he seemed a bit too indifferent, although I think they still love each other...
Another question arises to me again and again, and I wonder if this will eventually be topic in your story again? How much longer would they have concealed Luke's existence? They've more or less already dealt with their own problems or are currently working on them. Well, Brian has apparently only now realized the full extent of this tragedy and his actions. But Debbie won't have known for two weeks why she didn't inform Justin at the time. If Justin hadn't returned to Pittsburgh, wouldN't anyone have ever told him? And when he was back in Pittsburgh and everyone realized that he was living in this city right now again, how could Jennifer behave like that? Or had she already talked to Brian? Did Brian mean to tell Justin? So many questiions... :-) Can't wait to read more! Warmest regards!
Author's Response:
The problem seems to have been that not a single one of them has managed to look past their own nose to consider Justin in any of their actions. They all went by their own lifes, their own opinions, their own behaviours in the past and just projected that on poor Justin while at the same time totally misunderstanding the reason why he has left for New York.
To them him leaving for New York meant that he wanted this career as well, meant that he actually cared for it enough to cancel his wedding. If only they all would have talked honestly after the cancelled wedding.
I am sorry to say, but the way it was handled on the show it felt very rushed how Justin moved to New York. Not really thought through and planned and that is something I intentionally used in this story. If Justin was suddenly so eager to leave Pittsburgh for New York, maybe he did care for that career more than he had admitted at first? Or at least that's something Brian, Jennifer and Debbie told themselves to justify their actions. Wny else would he have cancelled his wedding, something he had dreamed of for so long and would have moved more than 300 miles away from the love of his life?
I wouldn't call Justin's behaviour about the house hunt and telling Brian insecure or weak. Justin is trying to live by the agreement he has made with Brian. That they would try to be friends and would talk about decisions concerning their son. Maybe he is being too considerate, that is for others to decide, but he is just trying to do what he now expects Brian to do as well: Talk to him and find decisions together when it concerns Luke.
As you so rightly noticed: Justin is not Brian, he is not Jennifer and he is not Debbie. He doesn't want to exclude them from his son's life and in my opinion would never treat them the way they have treated him even though they might deserve it. He knows how hurt he has been and he doesn't seem like the type of man to willfully go out and hurt people just because he can. At least not to me.
Yes, there will be more of Brian in the next chapter. I promise he will be back :) As for Brian fighting for Justin...hmmm... we'll find out soon about that. Does Brian love Justin? Does he want him back as a lover? Boyfriend? Partner? We'll see...
As for your last paragraph: That is definitely something that will be picked up in this universe... And you are on the right track with some of your assumptions there ;)
Thank you so much for your comment! I really appreciate all of them and love reading them :)
More will be up soon - and yes, with Brian :)
Date: Aug 06, 2018 8:57 pm Title: Chapter 17
Every chapter I keep hoping that Justin finally grows a backbone and stands his ground, but he has yet to do it. For the love of everything holy allow the man his anger and let him process through it. Every time one of them cries or starts to feel bad about how they hurt him Justin is somehow the one apologizing like he was in the wrong. Is Justin really not going to stand up for himself for the entirety of the story? If not then it’s a real shame and it makes me very upset. I am so sorry that you truly feel that a person being justifiably angry about something has vendictiveness and revenge seeking attatched to it. In all honesty, it’s a natural part of processing the pain of betrayal. He is forgiving everyone way too quickly and easily for him to have worked through everything sufficiently on an emotional level....that is what makes him weak, it looks as if he is just giving in. Justin shouldn’t have to second guess what he’s doing going forward in regards to his family life. Unsurprisingly, I disagree with the notion that it was too soon for Justin to be alone with the boys. Brian may have had more time to get used to the idea of being a father, but no one is really prepared to be a parent. Some people have one day, some have hours....literally, but you make changes as you go. Justin could have easily given the boys his room and he could have taken the couch for a couple of days. Now as for Jennifer and Debbie....more bullshit selfish excuses. Sorry but nothing is going to redeem them in my eyes in this verse. Are any of them going to ever be held accountable for their behavior? And no, self guilt and them knowing what they have done doesn’t count.....they need real consequences. You say the easy thing is to be angry and that forgiveness is the hard fight, but being angry isn’t easy....not easy at all.
Author's Response:
I think we're never going to agree on these characters and that's okay for me - I didn't write this story to convince people that one way of dealing with pain is better than another. This is just my version of a story that came to my mind when I heard a song a long time ago and my muse went with it ;) This is how my brain thought these characters would deal with that story, but of course it's very subjective and said before: My opinion and my version.
People are very welcome to disgree and I love hearing other point of views and opinions. It makes me think, it makes me question myself, my opinions and it gets my grey cells going. So thanks for that :)
To me Justin is standing up for himself. He is the one who is deciding where the whole family is going to move. What direction they're gonna go. He is the one who finally has a choice and he is making that choice. It might not be a choice some readers agree with, but it's the choice that to him seems right and that to him seems like the only way he can find happiness and move on.
He made a conscious choice not to stay rooted in the past. He made a conscious choice that he wanted to move on and didn't want to stay rooted in a past he can't change anyway and now he's making the decisions that he thinks will make him happy in the long run. And in the process he's showing all the people that have hurt and betrayed him that he can do so without hurting them in return. That decisions can be made together!
How do you want them to be held accountable? What do you want Justin to do? Please, I am really interested to hear what readers who think Justin is being weak here would like him to do. So far I've only heard generic statements like him holding them accountable, but what should he do specifically that would make you see him as strong? Should he have taken Brian to court? Should he have uprooted his son from the only home he has ever known? Should he have forbidden his mother and Debbie from ever seeing their grandson again?
I am sorry, but those things went through my mind and all of them seemed totally pointless and also slightly stupid to me. It would have only made Justin sink to the same level Brian and his mom and Debbie are on, but to me it would make no sense for him to do the same they've been doing to him when he knows how much it has hurt him. Why would he hurt them? Because he can? Because he has the power to do so? Because he has the right to do so?
I am sorry to say that that is not a line of thinking I can follow at all :( But like I said, I do appreciate you taking the time and sharing your opinions, because they do make me think about these things and they do make me question the choices I have made as a writer, but also as a human being in my life.
So thanks for that and for sticking with this story even though you disagree with the character's behaviour :)
Maybe one day we will finally agree on something - who knows? ;)
More will be up soon!
Date: Aug 06, 2018 12:03 am Title: Chapter 17
Great chapter. wow, everyone has to deal with it in their own way. Great writing.
Author's Response:
Awwww, thank you :)
Lets hope that they will all find a way to move on together and can be a family one day - at least Justin and the boys would deserve it :)
Date: Aug 05, 2018 10:10 pm Title: Chapter 17
Once more a hard chapter to read: Debbie has a lot to be forgiven for. At least, she stopped blaming others.
The house hunting could be fun for the boys.
Author's Response:
Lets hope it will get easier from now on - Justin and the boys would deserve it! :)
Debbie has learned a lot about herself and her little family in recent years. As she told Justin: A lot has happened and knowing that her son was part in a kidnapping ploy to take away Brian's and Justin's son... that must have made her face some uncomfortable truths about him :/
Oh, most definitely! They are beyond excited :)
[Report This]Date: Aug 05, 2018 9:17 pm Title: Chapter 17
Deb's excuse doesn't ring true. She just found it easier to do nothing. I think she was mad because Justin went to NY and wanted to punish him.
Author's Response:
Maybe... but it wouldn't be the first time Debbie just chose the easy way :(
More will be up soon!
[Report This]Date: Aug 05, 2018 8:48 pm Title: Chapter 17
Jennifer took Justin house hunting and didn't consider Luke just that it had the perfect studio space.
WTF?????!!!!!!!!!
All this chapter tells me is that NO ONE PLANNED ON TELLING JUSTIN ABOUT LUKE OR GUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just another excuse so Justin can be the adult and everyone can move on with total forgiveness.
Justin isn't Danny he didn't need the accolades or time to find himself he knew who he was from the first time he set foot on Liberty Avenue.
Deb's mistakes has nothing to do with Justin Brian was an A-Hole to keep this from Justin and everyone else was too weak to stop him from making this momentous mistake.
He broke Justin's heart, destroyed his trust might aswell have killed him like Chris Hobbs tried to do.
Justin may be in control now but no one is really taking it seriously they just keep expecting him to be as selfish and self-absorbed as Michael, Lindsay and Melanie.
Its like they forgot who Justin is and are just expecting to deal with the doe-eyed seventeen year old they met before, while also forgetting that Justin was stronger and smarter than all of them at seventeen.
I don't know where they get Justin is this evil controlling monster from but they all need to stop projecting others misdeeds onto Justin.
Cause It Ain't Fair and It Isn't Right!!!!!!
Author's Response:
I have to admit that sadly you have lost me with this comment. Who sees Justin as the evil controlling monster? If anything, some people might see Brian like that, but Justin? I don't think any character in this story would see him like that. At least I don't know where they would have gotten the idea from...
As for the house hunting, I am sure it would have been fun if she had pushed Justin towards houses with more guest rooms and every time he had asked: Mom, why would I need at least two guest rooms? She would have been like: You'll find out soon... Soon...
As for no one planning to tell Justin: That is the question. Would someone have told him if he had not shown up at Britin?
I have to admit that I do take slight offense to the comparison with Chris Hobbs. What Chris Hobbs did was a vicious attempt to kill someone. Brian, even though misguided and totally wrong, thought he had Justin's best interests at heart and thought he was doing the right thing at a huge sacrifice to himself. He gave up the love of his life because he felt he needed to do this for Justin's career, a career he was under the impression Justin wanted because Justin went as far as to agree to cancel the wedding and move away to New York to get that career. I am not saying Brian was right (God knows, he wasn't!), but Brian did have good intentions, no matter how misguided. What Chris Hobbs did had nothing to do with good intentions, sacrifice or love. It was pure hatred and vicious! Brian didn't try to kill Justin, if anything he wanted to give Justin the life he thought he wanted and deserved. Misguided and wrong? Absolutely!
Who is expecting Justin to be as selfish as Michael and Lindsay? If anything, I think they're all surprised by him not being selfish at all and they all feel very lucky that he would even consider giving them another chance to be a part of his life.
Maybe I am misunderstanding something here and if I do, I am sorry :(