Replies:
lilMissFortuneCookie -- Um... I hope that you took away a little something more from this story than the opinion that Willow wouldn't own a Melissa Etheridge poster. But, I'm glad you took the time to respond. Thank you for your feedback.
Puff -- I knew that Josh wasn't going to have a very long life. It was an idea that I really struggled with. I kept going back and forth on it, trying to avoid the inevitable. I thought that maybe it wouldn't happen, it certainly didn't have to, but as I was writing and getting closer and closer to that place where either Josh was going to stay or leave, it was almost as though he made the choice himself. He said, "bye." I didn't say that for him (as odd as that may sound coming from the writer), but really he was the one who chose to say it. If he had just said "night", he probably would have made it to the end. But he knew. It's weird how characters just take on lives of their own. I have known alot of Joshuas in my work, and I feel that if we all got to know at least one "Josh", we would all be better, more complete people for it. Thanks for reading
Oracle of Magic -- Sarah, your effusive responses never cease to make me feel the warm fuzzies. So much nummy feedback goodness to munch on. As I said to Puff, I knew that Joshua was going to go... but I fought with it until the moment he actually did. Willow's ominous comments were as much to cushion the blow for me as for my audience. It was like me saying, okay DW, you're laying the groundwork here, you know it's gonna happen, so just get used to it. But how to you get used to the idea of the death of a child? It's impossible. I started crying at my keyboard the second I wrote "...and never woke up." I didn't stop crying until I finally got to "The End." and I still got all teary when I went back and re-read for spelling and grammar. Which I think I should probably do again cuz I am sure I missed some stuff through the weepiness.
I'm glad that you appreciated Tara calling an ambulance for Willow before she told her about Josh. I imagined Tara going into a sort of state of hyper awareness, functioning almost in an autopilot type mindset. I don't think it even occured to her that calling an ambulance preemptively was at all extraordinary, she was only doing what was necessary to protect her family.
Abby being a "normal" baby wasn't a twist really. If anything it was totally obvious. The decision for Abby to be without malady wasn't some grand scheme in my mind to "save" W/T from any further pain. To say that would suggest that Joshua was a burden, and I just can't be okay with an idea like that. Josh may have had his difficulties, but his parents loved him to much to see him as a problem. Every child has their problems, it just so happened that Josh's were a little more pronounced.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and inciteful feedback. I always look forward to it!
wimpy0729 -- It seems I got alot of people crying with this story. Including me. One thing I tried to communicate was that even though life does go on, no matter what tragedy befalls us, there is still a degree of sadness that never really goes away. Although I didn't say it in the story, I feel that both Willow and Tara aged incredibly following Josh's death. I tried to express that through Willow commenting on Tara leaving Easter Seals and talking about the heaviness that had settled on their lives. There is no way to ever really be free of a tragedy like the loss of a child. But life, inevitably, goes on.
slayer obsession -- You and I are both blessed I think in being able to work with these amazing people. Thank you.
Tiggrscorpio -- I'm sorry if I compromised your butch status by making you cry.But don't worry, it can be our little secret, along with everyone else who reads your post. Oops. I was concerned at first that Willow's reaction to Tara's proposition was a bit too over the top. I mean, talk about your hefty knee-jerk melodrama. Willow was unreasonable while at the same time she also was totally in her rights. It was a very weird place to write from. How do you write being wrong and right at the same time? Somehow I managed it... though it still does seem a little too high drama for me. Oh well. So long as it works, I guess.
TaraWillFan -- Thank you and you're welcome
Insanity -- I'm sorry I made you cry at the start of your day...and wow, such an early start, too! Hopefully as your day progresses my depressing story won't bother you too much. I'm glad that you liked it despite the tears.
DreamsToDream -- Only one of the best and not THE best? Wow...I must be slipping... Just Kidding
Thank you for your kind words.
WillowPowered -- Thank you
snuggle79 -- I know what you mean about forgetting to breathe. I held my breath while writing it too. It was a difficult moment to get through. No one ever expects the death of a child, no one ever should.
gabbles -- Thank you. Your loss for words speaks volumes. I am humbled.
MissKittys Ball O Yarn -- Yeah, it was sad. But I'm glad you liked it.
BFR from Paris -- Wow, "Mask", there's a movie I haven't seen in ages... such an awesome movie, too. It's interesting you should think it would make a good movie, b/c when I write, it almost feels like I am describing something I am watching in my head. Sometimes I even hear underscoring... which I try to communicate through describing my character's feelings or emotional state. I have no clue if it works or not... but I can still hear the music none the less.
Cheers!
DW