A story is effective indeed when the reader feels an emotional response to it. That happened today with the inkwell curator. You have finely tuned the narrative so that we experience Mark's longing and Norm's grief over the loss of his parents.
Great use of the prompt, skillful presentation of conflict and resolution. Good job all around.
Thank you for sharing this story with us. We appreciate that you support other authors in the community with your engagement.
Thanks for the encouraging reply.