Date: 02 Jun 2013 03:18 Title: Chapter 25
Wow. This chapter hits on two very important things here: the afterlife and forgiveness. Lili’s reasoning to be stuck in Kevin’s head is good reasoning in my view, despite my trepidation at the idea when I first saw it in print. I mean, going into the head of a dying person? Viewing the afterlife while they’re doing it? I would be afraid I’d get pulled in, even with Q there for Q has already proven that he can bleed. He can die. They don’t do this for a reason and that reason has to be a damned good one. But Lili once again proves herself courageous here, her curiosity getting the better of her but the answer providing a great comfort: yes, there is something tangible and real in the great beyond.
But Q exacts a nasty price. She has to view every death she and Doug caused, 16 mostly pointless deaths that were acts of barbarism and savagery by Doug. He was a product of his environment, he was a product of the nature of the times over there, but he changed for the better when he came to Lili. He made that change but she now knows all the nasty details of his past.
I can understand Doug’s reasons for not telling her. Often times, though, those reasons look awfully stupid when you tell the truth. Even if the truth is hard, which it sometimes is especially when you’re hiding things, it’s best to tell the truth. I don’t think Lili will leave Doug, I do think she’ll get him to tell the truth, but the point she makes here is a good one: once the truth is told, forgiveness is needed. Forgiveness has to be granted in that situation because if you hold out the wound will never close. It may not heal like you want it to, it may scar, but it will never get better if you don’t offer full and complete forgiveness.
Q finally gets to the point where he understands. He finally gets it and goes to be with Lady Q, to forgive her for the death of Amanda Rogers parents (nice reference, again) and to mate with her. My question is how will he repay his debt? If a near God owed you a favor, what would you ask?
Author's Response:
What would you ask, indeed?
When Doug comes over from the MU, he does so with hope and love and feels his future is a good one. But he suppresses all of this, and they get busy with life and he keeps not telling her. Over and over again, Doug doesn't tell, and Lili doesn't ask. But they should.