Joseph Claire thought he had escaped that family for good. He was far away from his father's perfect image, his mother's gentle control, and his older brother, who had everything from childhood yet could selectively forget even his own memories. He was doing well in California: no going home, no contact, no one bothering him. But five years later, a phone call dragged him back to where it all began.
They were brothers. But they had also shared a carefully buried night, an intimacy that could not be named. The Claire family excelled at making everything look normal. Joseph had always been the classic middle child: smart, well-behaved, and just transparent enough. He knew how to play the role of the one who never caused trouble, but he had never learned how to forget the things that had never been acknowledged.
This is a story about forgiveness: about how two biological brothers become entangled with and save each other within a repressive family structure; about how, after a lifetime of running away and people-pleasing, one person finally tries to stop, acknowledge his own needs, and see the other person's vulnerability.
Author's note:
This story is [heavily] inspired by the third season of HBO's hit series The White Lotus, especially the Ratliff family!!! The series deeply moved and inspired me, and I have therefore borrowed key plot elements such as the resort setting, the full moon party, and the oleanders. I [swear this story will not be used for commercial purposes], and I wrote it only to pay tribute to the original and for my own healing. I also wholeheartedly recommend watching the series. It really gave me a lot to think about.
Theme: Learn to stop, face your trauma, express your needs, and accept vulnerability.
Thank you, madam, for bringing us this super good and super healing article!!! (Hart Nuannuan) As a person who is also sensitive and insecure, after reading my wife's article, I feel as if I have also been seen. After being seen, I also experienced a healing process. There have been many ideas: You have to make a lot of money to feel safe. Fear of exposing yourself, fear of being vulnerable. You may also fear that you are worthless or not good enough. There are so many fears and anxieties, this kind of "insecurity" rooted deep in the heart, that makes people run forward and unable to stop (or they stay where they are and dare not change). My wife's writing is so gentle. Someone caught Joe's sensitivity and uneasiness. Ka admitted his vulnerability and was willing to face himself and Ka honestly. Both of them accepted themselves. Frankness brought their souls closer. Their growth and healing process is really warm, like the spring sunshine melting the winter ice and revealing the real earth. "When we finally dare to speak, dare to see, and dare to listen, we finally dare to live." When I saw this sentence, I felt like the bells I heard when I went to the temple, which completely cleared my mind. Courage is difficult for people who are good at escaping and sensitive. The two protagonists gave me the courage to face and "see" my own weakness and escape. Exposing vulnerability is not a sign of weakness, but a form of honesty, honesty with oneself, and trust in others. Honesty may hurt, but this kind of truth allows us to connect more deeply with our own hearts and with others. In the words of the article, we touch the souls of ourselves and others. Dare to express your thoughts and needs, dare to see the facts that you avoid and are unwilling to see, dare to listen to real voices, and live truly, authentically and honestly, just like Joe and Ka. After reading my wife's article, my heart calmed down, and my soul seemed to have a place to rest. Reading the article is like having a conversation with the protagonist, more like a conversation with the wife. Sure enough, someone as warm as the wife can write such a gentle article.
Nice! Love watching! See more! My wife's writing is a masterpiece!!! [Spread flowers]💪[Laugh][Cat head][Three-flowered cat head]🐰🐰[Panda head]🐶🌹[Rose][Good Luck Lotus][Orange sugar][Purple sugar][Cat paw][Pills][Lemon]🎆[Ingot]❤️[Orange heart]💛[Green heart][Green heart][Blue heart]💜[Pink heart]
This article is very well written! If the lab article was like sweet water, this article is like sour and heavy red wine. It was only the first time I read it. Some of the metaphors, philosophical and psychological things in the article made me feel very heavy (?). It gave me the feeling that I couldn't read this article wholeheartedly. I think I might read it three times or four times. The relationship between the characters and the mutual influence are really complicated! I really like this kind of writing!
Love is seeing each other exactly~ I believe in love again [Make me healthy]
It's really well written. When I read the postscript, I thought about what happened to my parents. My family situation is not bad, there is no broken family or controlling parents. In junior high school, I was basically in the top 20 of my grade. I had a harmonious family relationship with almost no quarrels. My relatives often regarded me as "other people's children." My parents were also envied by my classmates as "other people's parents." But in fact, I always control myself to stay calm, because I never express my thoughts and just do what my parents ask me to do, so I don't have any disagreements and maintain a "perfect" parent-child relationship. When they arrange make-up classes for me, they won't complain and become like "xxx didn't say anything, what do you have to say?" In other people's mouths. Later, when I went to a high school, there were so many masters. Those who were in the top 350 had at least 600+ in the college entrance examination. I was probably at the middle level, ranking around 400-500. I knew it was normal to have a gap. After all, junior high school knowledge cannot widen the gap. I don't often worry about my grades. After all, with my current ranking in our school, there is no problem in paying more attention to my grades. Although I am not anxious, I still have pursuits and want to move up. The most inner drama is the parent-child relationship, because I was admitted to the city's key exam from the county, and my parents worked very hard for me. Sometimes I feel that I am just like that, without the "aura" I used to have. My parents have increased their investment in me, and whether we can maintain a "perfect" parent-child relationship. Reading the story of Ka and Qiao also gave me some new ideas. I can accept my parents' love calmly, and I can also respond to my emotions. ❤️ (The product of late-night sensitivity in adolescence, just simply expressing thoughts [Good Luck Lotus] [Good Luck Lotus])
Playboy Cameron and cute yandere scheming Joe, they have a good fight 🤩
Wow, this drama is so exciting. Ka has just returned from Chelsea, and his brother and Christine (who is very perceptive) will definitely find out what happened to his brother. Kristen was teasing Joe intentionally or unintentionally (if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't say [shut up]), this wave is the "tacit understanding" of the adult group (Ka and Kristen teased other people at the same time), isn't this a kind of "pseudo" Mr. And Mrs. Smith? Will the card see it? Next, Qiao will start applying what he has learned 🐶🌹
Wow, at first I thought Qiao was a sweet and considerate child, but I didn't expect him to be so crazy and loving 🐶🌹. Also, I thought the kiss was an accident, but I didn't expect Qiao's thick eyebrows and big eyes to show that everything was planned [covering face and peeking] [covering face and peeking] [covering face and peeking]
Oh my God! The details of the wife's portrayal are so great. The character is established in just a few sentences, which makes me feel like I am reading a classic novel. If reading good-looking articles is like eating delicious food, the wife's articles are not just like small cakes, but a feast. I am so cool.
Mrs. Block's opening comment, I really want to comment ([cat's claw] is ready to move [cat's claw])