Each person in this mismatched family adds something to the whole, something that helps glue the whole family together.  They've all struggled, they've all grown.  :) 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 

Thank you!  I do work hard to find the right words.  Some of the best writing advice I've read is that you need to search within yourself to find the words that feel the most true.  If you write what you feel is true, then there will be other people out there who will see it and respond to that truth.  I think that's why some readers respond so emotionally to parts of the story; they're responding to something that is true for them, as well.  I think that's a goal to strive for in any writing...even fanfiction.  ;)

I try to avoid excessive wordage.  Sometimes I pare it down a little TOO much, and it gets confusing.  But I don't want readers to try and find the good bits amid an avalanche of words.  All the bits should be the good bits.

This chapter contained one of the scenes that inspired the entire fic (the garden scene).  When I was writing the rough draft of earlier chapters, I got a bit annoyed with these characters.  "Reconcile, already!" I would tell them.  But they wouldn't.  Not until they were ready.  They were very stubborn.  :)  But when they were finally ready, it was all the more beautiful because of the struggle they went through.