Day 4 - What's up with Dear Uncle?

[Dana, Founder]

It seems to me that Charley's uncle is the only one that on some level openly acknowledges Charley's "talent", besides Cookie. Although he believes she can sense things and not actually speak with the dead, that part she's keeping tabs on. What do you all think about Charley's uncle? Do you think he knows more than he lets on?

[Lisa Hoang]

hmmm no i don't really get the feeling that he knows more than what charley told him. he sure benefits from her talent/skills

[Dana, Founder]

Lisa wrote: "hmmm no i don't really get the feeling that he knows more than what charley told him. he sure benefits from her talent/skills"

Yeah Lisa he does reap the benefits, big time. :-)

[Cindy]

Dana wrote: "Lisa wrote: "hmmm no i don't really get the feeling that he knows more than what charley told him. he sure benefits from her talent/skills"

Yeah Lisa he does reap the benefits, big time. :-)"

But don't you think, sometimes, Ubie takes unfair advantage of Charley's talent?

[Dana, Founder]

Hell yeah he does, she lets him too!

[Mel]

Ubie loves to reap the rewards of her talents but he still treats her like a kid. As her uncle, he still sees Charlie as a little girl and therefore, needs to protect her despite his desire to use her skills to improve himself. His protective nature will not allow him to trust her or consider Charlie to have equal detective skills which is why Garrett is always stuck in the middle.

[Dana, Founder]

Hey Mel, I was wondering where you were today. LOL That's how I see Ubie! Now, Garrett is an interesting character, Reyes really doesn't like him.

[Mel]

Migraine... Yeah, I find it funny that Charlie talks about all these past boyfriends and Reyes has been shadowing her all her life. Why is Garrett the first guy he pushes away from Charlie? (Scene in her office before Reyes and Charlie make out in front of everyone but the ghosts are the only ones who can see Reyes). Shouldn't he have displayed signs of jealousy before Garrett? I'm very curious about this myself. Maybe this is a good discussion question.

[Cindy]

Reyes can only be with Charley when he's unconscious...so he has only recently showed up in her life...coma...demon torture }:)

[Mel]

He has been protecting her all her life. He is "Big Bad". He saved her when he was a child and she was a child. He would go into convulsions and leave his body. Reyes saved Charlie when she was lured into her current building by a strange man before the stranger could touch her. He eventually taught himself how to do this without having the convulsions. Charlie learned all this while talking to Reyes sister.

[Mel]

Reyes has a connection with her that allows him to know whenever she is in trouble. Charlie's father noticed a black smoke presence near Charlie in all her pictures as she was growing up. This is why her father chose to give Charlie's name while being tortured (in book 2). He believed she was being protected by another "force" or being. He knew she would be okay but did not believe she could take care of herself.

[Dana, Founder]

Cindy wrote: "Reyes can only be with Charley when he's unconscious...so he has only recently showed up in her life...coma...demon torture }:)"

Mel wrote: "Migraine... Yeah, I find it funny that Charlie talks about all these past boyfriends and Reyes has been shadowing her all her life. Why is Garrett the first guy he pushes away from Charlie? (Scen..."


Mel brings up some valid points. The events that took place don't jive with what we've been told. Could it be Reyes could be Big Bad and at the same time be the embodiment of Reyes on earth? Very interesting....

[Dana, Founder]

Mel wrote: "Reyes has a connection with her that allows him to know whenever she is in trouble. Charlie's father noticed a black smoke presence near Charlie in all her pictures as she was growing up. This is..."

I'm kind of mad at her dad. I didn't like the fact that he give her up, even if he knew she would be fine, what if something had happen. :{

[Mel]

I cried...:(

[Dana, Founder]

Mel wrote: "I cried...:("

OMG, I'm so glad you said it, now I can own up! It struck such a chord with me, I did the ugly cry....

[Cindy]

It made me MAD! I wanted to smack her Dad upside the head. And when he forced her to accept it in the cop shop...I wanted to kick him in the nads. Dumba$$! Charley has had to put up with the witch he married without him taking her side or acknowlegeing the stuff she had to put up with as a child, and then to throw her under the bus in front of everyone? That's just wrong. If I were Charley...I'd move ,my business!

[Dana, Founder]

Cindy wrote: "It made me MAD! I wanted to smack her Dad upside the head. And when he forced her to accept it in the cop shop...I wanted to kick him in the nads. Dumba$$! Charley has had to put up with the wi..."

Ditto to all that, Cin!

[Mel]

That is why I cried... I am a whimp. I would never react violently...always empathetically.

[Traci (Mad Hatter Reads)]

He was so wrong doing that to her!! I was so mad! Poor Charley has been used since she was a little girl, first by her Dad and then by Ubie. They love her, but they don't want to know too much about what makes her special.

[Cindy]

Traci...that's why it made me mad...they're users. As long as it benefits them they believe, when it doesn't they deny.

[Mel]

At the end, her sister began to show her some support...possible jealousy or competition for dad's attention growing up? She did not appear to be happy with how her dad treated Charlie either.

[Dana, Founder]

There are so many underlining currents in this story, they just pull at your heartstrings. I feel bad for the sister, too. I think besides the raping of Reyes, that it's one that resonates the most with me, maybe it's b/c I've come to adore Charley and Dad's should protect their daughters.

[Mel]

As a "daddy's girl" myself, I totally agree that all fathers should treat each child the same and protect their daughters. It is their job!!!!

[Dana, Founder]

Mel wrote: "As a "daddy's girl" myself, I totally agree that all fathers should treat each child the same and protect their daughters. It is their job!!!!"

I never had a great father, but he did show me what I didn't want in a father for my kids. Four kids later, it's worked out beautifully, my two girls are Daddy's girls, too. I can't wait to find out more! I have so much fun hanging out with you guys! :-)

[Mel]

Me too! :)

[Cindy]

I was the baby of the family...so had my daddy wrapped around my finger. }:)

[Traci (Mad Hatter Reads)]

I lost my dad when I was 9, but I was a total Daddy's girl while he was alive. Some of my favorite memories are going fishing with him.

[Dana, Founder]

Traci wrote: "I lost my dad when I was 9, but I was a total Daddy's girl while he was alive. Some of my favorite memories are going fishing with him."

Cindy wrote: "I was the baby of the family...so had my daddy wrapped around my finger. }:)"

Aww, You guys, see how great this series is? It helps us bring up all sorts of things that most likely wouldn't have been brought up!

[Cindy]

I was threatened once at the fairgrounds while cleaning my horses stall and I turned my pitchfork on the guy till he backed off. I then went and called the police, Dad and my boyfriend. Good thing the cops got there first, cause Dad was all for killing the prick...They evicted the guy from the grounds with a restraining order. *much loved me*

[Mel]

Daddy's should stick up for their babies...glad your daddy did, Cindy.

[Laura]

I think they Ubie and Dad, use her and go into denial about her abilities because it serves them. I keep getting angry at them. I'm in book three where Dad has demanded she give up her business. Boy, that made me angry. When do they think about her well being.

I sure like her character. She's a Cracker Jack! Dynamic. Funny. And able to let all this roll off her and still be ok.

My Dad was mentally ill (schizophrenic) but he was a great Dad. Unselfish and honorable. Honor is important. Otherwise how can you trust people?