As for awfully awkward, I think that’s an understatement.  I haven’t yet decided exactly how all of that will resolve, but it is certainly core to the plot.

Yeah, not much happens.  But then, it’s quite short, so you can’t have great balls of plot every installment at your average wordcount per update.  I like Tara so far, and the insight into her and Tiergan’s relationship.  Cuddly little puppies, they are.  She strikes me as rather motherly.  I’m picturing Tiergan nuzzling into her ample bosom.  (But don’t mind that, that’s probably just the sugar talking).

I don’t think the writing that’s there is bad, or banal . . . but one thing that does occur to me is that it’s missing the sort of grounding that was in some other installment.  Like in the first one; the ugly modern painting, the tea cup . . . the background objects in the setting seemed to give it that splash of color.  This is mostly dialogue with a little framing at the beginning.

But that’s only when I’m analyzing it based on what you were saying . . . normally I’d probably just read it over, digest the character dynamic, and wait for more.  So it’s not a biggie.  Don’t have to be immersed in color like a painting every minute, esp. when you’re trying to keep the story moving on a daily basis.

“She’s gone, Tara. And she won’t be back.”

Ah but it would seem Faolan wants to marry her (or something) so won’t she “be back” in the sense that she’ll still be in his life?  That is going to be awfully awkward.

BWAH HA HA HA!