Adm. Antilles, 19maria9, Cylon One, : Sentinel103, thank you for the story alerts and fav's.

Oh, screaming phoenix--you bring a smile to my lips. And I say that with love.

Let me explain. I do not fault your indignation one whit. Such passion is what fuels the motivation to repent. Some people need the tender wooing. Some need the scathing rebuke.

In my reviews for chpt. 1, I was actually somewhat surprised to to learn that there was a lot of judgemental and negative opinion regarding Kim and Ron's behavior. I found this encouraging. It showed that, at least among my readers, people still accepted the quaint and moralistic notion of lifelong faithfulness to marital vows--that they weren't buying into the popular concept that the grand all-consuming passion of being in love is lawful ground for breaking the marriage union. At that point, the rough draft of my story already had Bonnie confessing to Kim the part about Josh being a two-timing prick in high school. But I could sense a groundswell of sympathy in Bonnie's favor against Kim. So what did I do? I tweaked the story--I contrived--as I mention in the last chpt--I extended the scope of Bonnie's involvement with Josh. I increased the degree of her wrongdoing.

Maybe I did too good of a job? At least as far as you're concerned?

At this point, we're on the verge of powerful spiritual concepts. Ancient religions call them Mysteries. Things like Dualism. Good and Evil. The Fall from Grace. Redemption.

Modern Atheism spends a lot of time trying to debunk the Mysteries without adding anything substantial in their place. There's a scientist whose book is incredibly popular. I won't mention the name of the scientist or the book--only because in the grand scheme, he will be forgotten in a brief span of years--just like you and me and all our pitiful scratchings. But he out there selling this notion--that belief in God and supernatiral is actually comparable to a computer virus in the collective hard drive of the human race--a mass delusion--that the virus is the origin of all the evil behavior and persecution--that the virus has to be deleted. Are you picking up on my clues?

But back to my explanation. The Mysteries. We come to a paradox--the whole puzzle of how to repair the damage Evil has caused. That's what Redemption is. And the seeming paradox is this--that confession and repentance is enough to undo the damage and avoid the penalty.

I absolutely hear what you're saying--and I should save this for a private response to your review--but I'm composing this on the fly and trying it out on my target audience--you all. (And I thought my discourse through the lips of Manny Katz was too long.) My brain is bursting with concepts--and like Rabbi Katz, i have to collect my thought, and go slow--step by step. In fact, I have to fall back on the words of others.

My man C.S. Lewis wrote Perelandra--the story of two earthmen who went to Venus--one to corrupt the Adam and Eve of that world, the other to oppose him. The good guys won, of course. But as the Guardian Angel of that world says--it is well to speak of justice--because on our world things so often fall short of that standard. But God's ideal standard is greater than justice. All is Gift. Grace. Undeserved, unmerited favor, as the old definition goes.

In The Great Divorce, we meet two souls in the afterlife. It's an imaginary bus trip from Hell to Heaven. The Ghost from Hell meets the Spirit from Heaven. They knew each other in the mortal life. The Ghost can stay in heaven, if he wants. But he won't. Why? Because he's pissed. Someone they both knew was a murderer who was executed--and got into Heaven on a deathbed confession. In fact, the murderer and the victim are now good friends. The Ghost is offended. He was a "decent chap". Paid his taxes (sort of like the guy Rabbi Katz talks about) And if he can't get into Heaven on his own, then he would rather not be there. It would offend his sense of manhood to ask for the "Bleeding Mercy".

But his friend gently reminds him--he really wasn't that good--he beat his wife and co-workers, among other things--but that wouldn't matter--he would still fall short. And his friend encourages him to go ahead and ask for the "Bleeding Mercy"--every last bit of it. Accept the free gift. Complete abandon any effort to earn a ticket into Heaven. You can guess how it turns out. The Ghost won't budge an inch.

At Calvary--or Golgotha--we see one of the two thieves crucified with Christ. According to tradition, his name was Dismas. And he gets on the other guy's case for mocking Christ. "Don't you fear God? Even now? We're here because we deserve it! But He's done nothing wrong!" And he makes this plaintive plea. "Jesus! Give a thought to me when You come into Your Kingdom!"

And the plea is recieved. "You will join Me there--today!"

I'm sure you know the parable. The landowner goes to town early in the morning. "I need workers! A decent day's wage!" And a bunch of guys sign up on the spot. But he's desperate. He wants to get the crop harvested before sunset. So he makes several more trips into town and makes the same offer--a full day's wage.

The last work crew arrives in late afternoon. It works. The entire crop is harvested. The workers line up to get paid. The guys hired last get the promised full day's wage.

The workers who were at it all day are groovin'! This is golden! They're gonna be rolling in cash!

But they get the same thing--the decent day's wage. And they're mad. "What? Not fair! Raw deal! We were out there all day, sweating like slaves!"

And the landowner says, "Gentlemen--you hired on for the agreed-on price. It's my money. Can't I do with it what I want? Or do you begrudge me that right--and my generosity?"

I could go on and on about how I believe that sincere contrition is valid--and I could use a lot of hundred dollar words like "efficatious" and "expiation"--but the two individuals I just quoted--my departed Christian brother, my fellow mortal, C.S. Lewis and my Elder Brother, my Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of His Father, Who with the Father and the Spirit comprise One Being, Who alone is Uncreated, Whose existence extends from all Eternity past to all Eternity future--there I go--getting theological

You can see I'm bullish on the Christian--and by derivation Jewish--world view. Some common ground also with Islam. But the idea that the world is in a screwed-up way is present in all world views--even scientific Atheism--i.e. Marxism. The only diff is how to deal with the problem.

And here's another Paradox. My man C.S. Lewis talks about it in Mere Christianity. If all we really are is glorified Animals--get born, get weaned, get laid so more can get born (sorry--graphic), and finally get eaten--because that is how most living things pass on--very few animals die in bed--we would be okay with. We would feel at home with with it. We would cry out in pain as we're being devoured, but there would be a zen-like acceptance--I think.

But the truth is, we don't feel at home with it. Our entire history is the story of religions and philosophies bubbling to the surface, like a kettle of soup boiling on the stove. We keep coming up with explanations. From the simplest tribal tale of a love affair between the sun and the moon to the most complex theism, complete with ordained leaders, systematic theology, scriptures, apologetics, yadda, yadda. We can't shake it--much as the anti-theists would like us to. As a species, we're hard-wired for belief.

Karl Marx gets frustrated with it--his whole thing about religion being an opiate--a habit we have to kick. I prefer to see it as Ralph Waldo Emerson said. "We are born believing. A man bears beliefs as a tree bears apples."

Well--there you go, my friend--words from the lips of clay. I too am a poor wayfaring stranger. I could go on and on--but y'all didn't come to hear a sermon. you came to hear a story.

captainkodak1--you're one of the deans of KP fanfiction. Your appreciation is always treasured.

The Enduring Man-Child--I could do worse than contrive an ironic masterpiece.

To answer your question. Yes. Erik Drake is the syntiodrone of So The Drama.

Regarding adultery in Judaism. You are quite right. It is indeed a capital offense. The penalty under the Law of Moses was death by stoning. And yet we find the sentence is suspended for David--who not only committed adultery with Bathsheba--but arranged her husband's murder--to whom the Psalm that Rabbi Katz quotes partly pertains

We find it a recurrent theme in religion in general--those who are stricken with an awareness of their own wrongdoing, and seek God's mercy--the penitent--find it. And sometimes that mercy takes the form of an increased consciousness of sin and guilt.

In Hebrews 12, the writer urges us not to lose heart when we are chastized by God. Like any true parent, He disciplines His children when they stray. Christ speaks in the same theme when He speaks of the Lord pruning the branches of the vine.

But these are New Testament examples. And I wanted to find something applicable to Judaism. I did see a passage in the Talmud once upon a time about how God punishes His Chosen in small doses, so to speak, instead of one fell swoop--lowering the boom, as Rabbi Katz says.

The point is the same. God says plainly in Ezekiel 31 that He does not desire the death of the wicked. So if we can do deliberate wrong without a qualm of conscious--like Adolph Eichman--it's a bad sign.

Yeah--poor Josh. I know. I agree completely with you. In the canon, he's not at all as I portray him. Actually, my first exposure to him was in the fan story Paragon, by Jao--who portrays the unfortunate guy as a serial murderer, rapist, incestuous, black magician, etc.

CajunBear73--a VERY good point. Mrs. Dr. P. was instrumental. And we're going to give a nod to her.

Sentinel103: a volley of WOW's. Thanks

Muzzlehatch--only "practically bawling"? Dude--I've got to tug the heart strings harder then. But thank you. I'm glad it was worth the wait.

Katsumara: yes. The road they had to take was--and still will be--a long, hard, winding one.

Mack53B and Comet Moon: Thank you

All characters--except the twins Kim and Mim--are taken from the KP show, by Mark McCorkle and Bob Schooley.

Like I said--no neat and tidy end. Just a candle of faith, hope, and love to light the future. Vaya con Dios. And God bless us, every one.

A TIME FOR TENDERNESS

the--ahem--postscript

Annette Possible arrived home from the Stoppable household. In her heart, she was praying hard--that Kim and Ron could somehow reconnect at some level--that Bonnie's remaining days would be good days, now matter how many or few they might be--that her grandchildren--both by blood, Jon--and by love, Frankie--and especially the twins, little Kim and Mim--would not grow embittered by grief and loss.

She went to bed tense and tired. And hoping that no emergent calls came from the hospital tonight. She stroked the empty pillow beside her in the queen-sized bed and gazed beyond at the portrait of her late husband on the nightstand.

Oh, Jim--my love--I miss you. Look down on us, and keep an eye on us--especially your Kimmie-cub--and all the other cubs--Jon, Frankie, and the twins Kim and Mim. If you could, tug on God's sleeve. We could certainly use an extra portion of blessing.

In the morning, Annette noticed a textmail she had received on her palm device.

Dear Annette,

I want to thank you for all you've done for me and my family. And like I always tell you--don't feel bad or apologize that you couldn't do more for me. The joy I've had in my life--after growing up in the family that I did--and being a little bitch all my young life--if I lived to be a hundred, I couldn't ask for more fulfillment. My Brick--and my Ron--and my girls. And my friends--you and your family.

We've shared the loss of the men in our lives.

You reached out to me, Annette, when we lost Brick. You were a mother to me--just like Kim was a sister. We wouldn't have survived without you, Frankie and I. God knows, my own sisters were worthless--and my mother hardly knew how to console me when Brick and I had our high school quarrels.

And you gave me the privilege of letting me comfort you when you lost Jim. He was a father to me--and it took some serious tragedy in my life to make me see that.

And it's happened. Tonight. At my house. After you left. Kim and Ron have mended fences. And Kim has consented to be a mother to my girls after I'm gone.

I'm so happy I could burst. After some of the crap I've pulled in my lifetime, I hardly deserve to be this happy. To see those two together makes up for everything--losing Brick, losing my health, knowing my girls are going to lose their mother.

I'd like to think my Brick and your Jim--and Ron's dad--are looking down from heaven--filled with pride for their families.

A final request I'd like to make of you, Annette--and it's not like I think I won't see the morning. But you never can tell. Help them after I'm gone. It'll be so hard on my girls. And Jon is so mature for his age. But I know what it's like to have a father who walked away from his wife and children. He has wounds that don't show--that he may not even be aware of. I've written a letter to be given to him when they read my will. Hopefully he'll look on me as a kindred spirit. Kim and Ron will have their hands full dealing with all this. It will be their most difficult mission--even for the girl who can do anything. But I can't see them any other way. They were meant to be together for a lifetime.

Your family has been my family--even your two boys, the time they sent me anonymous love notes and took me to the school dance. I think I could have fallen in love with one--or both Jim and Tim--as easily as I fell in love with Brick and Ron. LOL Listen to me. I'm as man-crazy now as I was during high school. It's just a better category of men. And you tell them for me--keep on harassing Kim now and then--just to keep her from getting too comfortable. And you can tell Kim I made this last request of the Tweebs. And she won't be able to get back at me. LOL again.

Thank you, Annette, for everything. Both as my doctor and my friend. Thank you for everything you've done for me and my family. I look forward to being with my Brick.

Love, Bonnie.

Annette clasped the palm device tightly in her hand. She found a picture album and slowly paged through it.

All the snapshots. Kim and Ron as children. Her freckles and braces. His dorky smile and making the peace symbol "V" with his fingers. Cheer Squad. Kim, Bonnie, and the other girls--who seemed also as daughters to Annette. Ron as Mascot. Kim, Ron, and the Japanese girl, Yoriko. Ron grinning like a fool between the two of them. Kim brooding with jealousy. Kim jumping with her pom-poms. Kim and Ron's Junior Prom picture. Kim and Ron's Senior Prom picture. Kim's commencement portrait with cap and gown. And the same portrait of Ron. Kim's wedding picture--with Josh, alas. Bonnie and Brick's wedding portrait. Kim and Josh with newborn Jon. Bonnie and Ron's wedding portrait. Kim when she received her Bachelor's degree--and when she received her Master's degree--and when she received her Doctorate.

And the special pictures on the last page. Annette and Jim's wedding picture. Kim and Jon's recent picture. A Possible family portrait taken when Kim was a junior--Jim, Annette, Kim, Jim & Tim, and Nana. Kim and Ron in their mission suits. And a family portrait of Bonnie, Ron, Frankie, and Kim & Mim. And a snapshot of Annette and Bonnie, taken while Bonnie was recovering from her first craniotomy.

Annette hugged the album to her bosom.

And thank you, Bonnie, for everything. Both as my patient and my friend. Thank you for everything you've done for me and my family--and your dearest friends--Kim and Ron.

NOW...

...it really and truly for sure is...

THE END

(maybe)