We Invented the Remix...Redux V

Dan flips open his Hilroy. "It's funny," he writes, "how wrong you always are. I told Sam to go have fun with his friends. I told Rebecca she should do what her heart wanted. I told you where you could shove your misapplied psychoanalysis. I told Casey to leave. I wanted him to. I was glad I didn't have carry Jerry Lewis around on my back anymore."

This is gorgeous. It's Danny, trying hard to feel better about things and not able to really do it, and Abby seeing how screwed up he is and trying to help and knowing he'll end up stonewalling her. You've captured both of them -- through a story that's mainly written correspondence, which can be difficult at the best of times -- and managed to say so much about Dan, about the importance of Casey in his life, about his flailing attempts to keep everyone else happy and his wounded amazement when he's left abandoned. But everything is shown -- clearly, painfully, honestly -- and none of it is told to us, preached at us.

This really is a beautiful piece of writing, and you've completely done justice to an awfully complex and appealing set of characters.