I'll start this by saying I hadn't intended to do a post on this chapter. But since it turned into a longer-than-expected chapter (again), I felt compelled to share.
First, a request: Don't hate Layton. I'm sure most of of us have friends that are not monogamous. In gay circles, that's very common. Not that Layton ever acted on anything while seeing Mitchell. He just asked.
But that was the plot point. Now out of therapy (mostly), Mitchell has come to terms of who he is, or more importantly, who he wants to be. And life, being the fickle bitch it is, is throwing temptation, curveballs and a slew of mirrors in his face.
For the Mitch-haters, this was an easy chapter to go, "Ha! You deserve this." For those readers who see Mitch as a human being, Chapter 25 was an opportunity to know all people hurt sometimes.
Click here to read Chapter 25 of Say Goodbye to Sparkleland.
When I started Chapter 25, I wasn't expecting it to be as sexually charged as it was, but the steamier scenes seemed to have a purpose. It drew the two of them closer together.
Overall, I like Layton. He was good for Mitch — to a point. He never wanted to hurt Mitchell; he just didn't feel ready to be tied down to one guy. And again, there are a LOT of people like that in the world. But Layton served his purpose in the next step of Mitch's journey — and he's not going away.
I've teased bits and pieces of Mitch's future in both Laramie and A Bed, A Desk and My Unfortunate Soulmate. We'll see those weave in soon.
Like I said, I hadn't planned on a post for Chapter 25, but it was the last lines that influenced me to do one. I almost stopped at Carter saying, "I don't want you to come back to The Black Stallion." It was the perfect stopping point for a good cliffhanger. Some of you might think, "You should have!" But, clearly, I have set up the next chapter. I think you're going to love it. It will be filled with a lot of soul-searching (as if Mitch's life hasn't already).
Stay with me.
I don't get the monogamy hate, especially gays who tell other gays when you are single you can take 20 a week but as soon as you get coupled don't even look at another man. No one has the right to tell others to be monogamous or open. Second Mitch haters, grow up. Hating Layton well he seems a player but again it's better before you get a relationship to say hey I'm not monogamous, so the person can decide to stay with you or find someone. I think many who have read the series forget about Jakob, Lance, Trent and Mike's orgies. Why is that ok but not Mitch? Sure cheating is wrong but I think all the books for how wonderful they are hopefully have forced the gay moral police to look at their own issues and leave others to their path.
ReplyDeleteCan I add - those orgies between the four of them, even thought Jakob only allowed Lance penetration, were so loving and warm. It did not ruin their friendships at all. How can anyone deny such a beautiful thing between four men that love each other. Can you imagine the howls from the peanut gallery if Larry and Cooper decide to join in? Isn't that being like Mitch on Cooper's part? Or is it different? Just stay out of peoples' relationships and also be upfront if you don't want to be in an open relationship.
DeleteWell-said. The book poses so many issues and that's what I like about the whole series.
DeleteYou're right. If you had left it at that cliffhanger, it would have made me want to strangle you. However, Carter and Mitch? I'm not seeing it. But he didn't say "yes" yet.
ReplyDeleteIntrigued.
I'm getting a vibe that Larry is actually caring for Mitch, perhaps a bit out of respect for Cooper, but if he really objected he'd not allow Cooper to go to lunch with him or return to the coffee group. Cooper is firm with his boundaries with Larry but also that he wants Mitch in his life. I still think maybe L & M should have a passage in the book where they work it out, because Larry is persisting and if someone hated someone they would not be stopping them walking out the door upset like Mitch was and they wouldn't be hugging like that.
ReplyDeleteMitch’s lesson is just amazing. Floored me.
ReplyDeleteOk. You fooled me. I thought Lorenzo was a decoy to lead us to believe he was going to be the unknown "LB," and you were actually going to make Layton "LB." Now, I don't know what to think. You are devious.
ReplyDeleteI think people are being hard on Lorenzo.
ReplyDeleteTo an extent yes. Lorenzo wants to stay in the closet it's no one's concern. Some of us just need to. Often the gay liberation community says come out but when you lose family, friends and jobs they magically disappear.
DeleteDo know that I have plans for Lorenzo.
Delete_Timothy
I hope compassionate ones. I hope your plans for Larry and Mitch are also good. I just agree with others, some would find Larry is being too accommodating, but his persistence with crying in the bathroom, grabbing Mitch at the cafe door and inviting Layton and Mitch to dinner suggest to me he's not got plans to get rid of Mitch. You could change that but, I hope you don't, but many would not let someone like Cooper near Mitch after what Mitch did, but I just get teary to think Larry is understanding and kind, he just does not seem uncomfortable with Mitch.
DeleteI'm glad people are bending over backwards to support Mitch. He has learned a huge lesson but also many other lessons. I mean if you were Larry wouldn't you be trying to get rid of Mitch? Larry and Cooper were effected by Mitch's actions yet are doing everything to get Mitch into their lives forever. That's friendship. Amazing chapter again.
ReplyDeleteYeah I do find it odd Larry is being accommodating, unless Tim has some plans for Larry to turn on Mitch, but I really don't see that happening.
DeleteI love all these twists and turns. Glad you're back.
ReplyDeleteDL
Brilliant story thank you
ReplyDeleteMitch and Layton remind me of Hank and Larry in The Boys In The Band. They too are a couple with different takes on having an open relationship. Not a good place for a relationship to be for sure.
ReplyDeleteNo but it's better to find out very early. People should not assume it's one way or the other. If the person does not want open, or indeed monogamy, speak up early, because sure enough it will likely end, and not always because of being open, some men just can't be exclusive.
DeleteI've been catching up slowly, and found the Mitch-Layton story fascinating. (Note that I haven't read beyond this chapter yet.) The early stage is a beautifully imagined romance, irrrespective of what might come of it. (It's a shame Mitch couldn't enjoy the romantic idyll for just what it turned out to be. I also find it interesting that something inside him kept him -- seemingy PROTECTED him -- from jumping prematurely to the "I love you" stage.) The great moment for me was Mitch saying, ""I'm not right for you, Layton. You aren't the one for me. I'm not enough for you. I need to be enough." Everyone recognizes where that idea -- "I'M NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU" -- comes from, right? That's Cooper, after Mitch cheated on him. It's what he made clear was what he would never be able to get past with Mitch: not the cheating in itself, but the stark demonstration that he, Cooper, wasn't enough for Mitch. Oh, in Mitch's mind Cooper was -- except when he WASN'T.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that characters who want the total commitment of monogamy cause such agita in readers who don't. Do they get that nobody's telling them that YOU have to be monogamous? Cooper, however at least in the time we've known him, DOES want that, and what first made and then doomed his relationship with Mitch was that Mitch claimed to want the same thing. It now seems possible that Mitch came out of the loss of Cooper (once Logan helped him dig down to why he had cheated) more honest and secure in believing that a one-and-only man is what he truly wants.