All Comments on 'I Am Not a Wimp: My Sequel'

You were absolutely correct - there is more to infidelity than just fucking outside of the marriage. Infidelity is just as much about the breach of trust and the deception as it is about the lack of monogamy.<br><br>

Of course, such breaches of trust can be overcome - but there are people who will not give a second chance. They are not "wimps", it isn't a matter of being scared to have another go. It is simply that they are people who cannot trust a person after a betrayal. The protagonist in this case had very good reasons in his background for being that way, so this outcome is very realistic.<br><br>

Good ending to a good story.

While I liked the story, I think people forget that life is lonley when you live it by yourself. Honesty and fedility are important, in this case, however the Husband took fedility to an extreme and beyond all reason. If the wife had been having sex outside of the marriage, that's one thing, but with no sex and FBI tapes to prove it, it's too much. Nights get lonley in a big bed all by yourself. Principals won't keep you warm and provide companionship.

you either take your marriage serious or you don't.the wife fuck up big time and she pay a high price.i bet who reads this story thinking how easy it is to lose your love of your life so easy.marriage is full time job and playing games ,just want cut it.if she new her hubby she would've play the game.in marriage if she and hubby had talked to each other this wouldn't happen.wife fucked up by dating this man alone in a hotel so many time.

u did nothing to advance the story, seems like all u did was go over what happened in first story

Ted is a deeply flawed character, who deserves his life alone while seeking perfection. Jenny is just about as bad for never dating again after her divorce.

Both of them can contemplate their success, while others around them enjoy what is really important in life.

effort and exceptional talent you put into this. I am very impressed at how loyal you were to the characters I originally created. I'm glad now that I didn't try to finish it! In my wildest dreams, I don't see myself as having done it near as well as you have done.

as "where is the sequel".<p><p>

I was thinking almost those exact words before I saw the comments. Nothing happened in this story. You didnt even give us your opinion on who was right/wrong since you just rehashed the same pov that everyone had in the original story. The brother-in-law still thinks Ted is a wimp and his sister's actions were nothing more than a minor mistake (I disagree). Ted still thinks that his ex behaved badly enough that there is no way to get past it. <p><p>

All that happened is you rewarded the pretentious boob of a brother-in-law by making him happy and successful and made sure the main characters were still wallowing and unhappy. Almost nobody from the original less deserved to be rewarded than the brother-in-law yet he's the happy/successful/content one? Seems like a step backwards to me. <p><p>

I really do like your stories usually but I cant say the same for this one. The big selling point of your stories is that they often resolve ambiguity and/or let the good guy/girl move on and be happy again. Many authors around here seem to think they are being deep by leaving things open-ended. They seem to believe that realism is a measure of how profound their stories are (i.e. everyone being bitter and alone must be realistic/good). What I really like about most of your stories is that you reversed that trend in some glaring examples of authors letting their reach exceed their grasp. This story just adds to the problem imo. <p><p>

Anyway, sorry I didnt like the story much. I still appreciate the effort and really like your other stories. Thanks again for writing.

What--were you mad at something when you wrote this? This is/was the most confusing morass of words I have read in a while. I understand what you were trying to say, but you need to look at a different way of telling it.

If you have ever been down the road and walked in another man's shoes, you have not right to criticize him. Ted did what was good and right for him. He did not want to have to live with the knowledge that his wife had been

unfaithful to him. How could he live with her anymore knowing that he could not trust her? Once marriage vows have been broken and/or there is no trust in a marriage, the marriage is over. As for the unfaithful wife, she got what she deserves and maybe she can join her mother-in-law in hell for destroying here marriage and a good man.

He cheated on the marriage by not committing the time and effort. She called his hand, but he only cleaned his act up for a very short time. He then devoted time (which should have been spent with her) on a project that HE felt would be what she really wanted -- it's a "surprise", so he doesn't feel the need to be forced to talk with her or see what HER needs are. Yet somehow he projects himself as an upstanding victim. He says appearances are important, and he projects the appearance that his time is too valuable to spend with her. He's a self-centered wimp and an ass.

I went back and read Cageytree's story. Your ending was consistent with Ted's character because it would have required years of therapy for him to reconcile Jenny's behavior with what he expected in his wife._____________ Ted was no wimp because the definition of a wimp is "a weak, ineffectual, timid person." In the context of these type of situations usually a husband who violates his own moral standard to go along with an intolerable condition (i.e. cuckolding). Jenny's attempts to manipulate him was not done out of love or respect and she certainly did not trust him. Quite simply, she engaged in actions which fundamentally changed their relationship. If Ted had taken her back he would have been wondering when would be the next "misunderstanding."_________________________________

Rob was correct in his belief that Ted and Jenny should have found a way around this "misunderstanding." Everyone should at least be given the possibility of a second chance.

Perhaps the greatest failure of their marriage was the fact that Ted never shared his pain about his parents and their relationship. In end, the best ending is not necessarily the romantic one! ______________________________________

Excellent Story -Thanks for giving your characters their dignity!________________________________

SleeplessinMD

FDK is a fair writer. I didn't see many technical errors in the writing so one can score his mechanicals fairly high. But, as others have noted, he took up the story at one level, and many pages (and thousands of words later) he dropped the story right back on the same level. Nothing was resolved. Nothing was added. No new understanding was achieved. All in all, a very bland and uninteresting bit of underachievement.

Infedility is all in the eye of the beholder. In this case the beholder was Ted. Jenny IS guilty of extreme stupidity. The fact that she wanted Ted to think that she was having an affair to help what she saw a a troubled marriage only made matters worse. She accomplished her purpose and should have been self satisfied that Ted divorced her, because it showed that her scheme worked. The infidelity comes from her screwed up mind of right and wrong. If she was faithful in this case she might not have been in the future. If her scheme had worked then it would have only been something else further on down the line. She would have recieved positive reward(AKA BF SKINNER)and would have been prone to repeating the same sort of thing again. No one has said it but Jenny was a sort of control freak. Instead of approaching the man she was supposed to love and letting him know how she felt, she did this. The mark of a controlling , spoiled person. Rob thinks that Ted is a wimp because Jenny was his little sister and blood is thicker than marriage. No you have my vote that Ted is not a wimp. As a matter od fact he is very smart to end a marriage that would only be full of similar incidents.

I had a girlfriend who pulled this same bullshit. Some people say it's minor, but making somebody jealous by acting like this is very stupid. I just turned and never spoke to this goofy bitch again. Staying with somebody this brain dead is nuts. I doubt that Ted was alone for very long. Dating while married is a big betrayal. As for anonymous saying he was cheating first, are you fucking crazy. In what world are you living that working hard is cheating. Try being the wife of one of our soldiers. Are they cheating? No fucking way! Anyway Fdkman262 It was a good try, but the wrong people won. Luis

I think Ted should find fdkman and kick the motherfucking shit out of him. Story sucks.

You don't have a clue. Was it a minor infraction to Ted? His feelings are all that matters. The slut must sleep in the bed she made.

Ted's character may or may not be a wimp but Jenny's brother's character is pretty wimpish, that's for sure.

<p>....I can't really say that here</p>

<p>I like the way you had Ted give his explaination of why he did what he did, but I'm not really in agreement that he should have given her character a second chance. I mean, I'm normally all for "second chances" but only if the situations warrent them. I've always believe that "no one" is <i>owed</i> anything in this world (save basic human kindness of course) but once you go beyond that, everything else you get in this world you get through hard work and acts of kindness to your fellow man</P>

<p>Jenny deservered his forgiveness, but that doesn't earn her anything</p>

<p>A lot of people want to blame the husband (from the first story) for the start of the breakdown of their marriage, because he wanted to surprise his wife and the surprise backfired. Ok, lets look at that a second. When is trying to surprise someone one you love, by doing hard work to get or earn your surpise, a <b>bad</b> thing? Those trying to blame the husband, the wife was more than guilty for any thing you could remotely tie to the husband for not trying to talk to the husband again instead of going with her actions, so trying to use that as a reason is just baseless. All that trying to blaming the husband from the story does is try to find a way to make the wife look less guilty, or even innocent of the end result of her actions. I'm sorry but her actions, without checking her facts first, don't make her innocent. To be innocent she has to be lead to believe that what she did was far less, or at the very least "equalled", to what her husbands character was doing in the story. Using one of his employee's to make him believe she was cheating on him, so that he would pay more attention to her, was stupid. Period. There is never a valid reason to do that</p>

<p>Personally I don't believe this marriage deserved a to be reconciled. Not because I'm hard hearted or because I think the wife was/is evil. But because of the extent of what the wife's character did. Why?:</p>

<p>1.) She used his employee to try and make him jealous</p>

<p>2.) She deceived and mislead another man to make him believe she was going to sleep with him, all for her own personal ends, and was never planning on doing <i>anything</i> for him in return. Mainly because she believe she was going to get what she wanted in the end from her husband</p>

<p>3.) To lead this man on she met him at multiple public places, let him caress and hold her, and let him have as much liberties as she could to lead him on. </p>

<p>4.) After correcting her husband, about doing nothing to break or destroy the respect of the people she worked with, she <i><b>intentionally</b></i> picked a man at her husbands place of employment (regardless that he worked for him) to give the appearence of an affair. That to me showed a total disregard of her husbands feelings, went against her previous remark about requiring him to be professional, and a disregard of him as her husband if she was welling to trick him instead of talk to him</p>

<p>5.) One time of doing it with his employee was bad, but carrying it on for "Three Weeks". The first time could be suggested to be a lapse in judgement, but "Three Weeks".</p>

<p>6.) Regardless of what happened, she never told her husband about what she was doing. He was just supposed to <i>know</i> what she was doing? How was he supposed to just know? Think about it. Through watching her interact with this guy most likely. And if <b>he</b> could see it, then <b>everyone else</b> from fellow "co-workers" to the general public would see it too. How could this "not" humliate and embarass him. Not to mention "crush" the public image he worked hard to setup to start his business. How does a "loving wife" never consider the full impact of what she is doing to both his confidence in their married life as well as the impact on his business by his actions? The answer, someone who really loves him wouldn't try to hurt him to make him pay attention to her. Only sadist do that</p>

<p>And some folks are using two things I disagree with as the reason for it to be valid. One she never had sex with him and Two the husband was at fault for not letting her in on the surprise. To answer Two first, it wouldn't have been much of a surprise if he had would it? If she had just talked to her brothers wife, who knew what was going on by the way, I'm sure she could have helped either her see what was going to or passed on to the husband the serverity of Jenny's problem with his working so the husband could have managed that concern. Instead she decided to make a mockery of him at his place of employment. And just because she didn't have sex with the other man doesn't mean she didn't destroy the husband. The very people the husband had to work with, as well as any mutual friends and business associates, unless are <i><b>all</b></i> showed the FBI transcripts from the investigation (yeah right) are always going to believe that one of his employee's was banging his wife and he sat and turned a blind eye to it so he wouldn't lose her. Regardless of what story he would have tried to concoct to stay married to her and save any face he could with friends and business associates.</p>

<p>In the first story he's excited to see her, and kissed her in front of her staff, and she took him to task about it in front of her staff about a simplex act of love between them. But later when her character intentionally gives the general <b>public</b> the <i>impression</i> that she is sleeping with her husbands staff (when secretly she is not) and she wants to call it a simple <i>misunderstanding</i> that he could get by if he wanted too? And various folks implied that because he doesn't he's the villan of the story? Say what? She does an act of cruelty and because he doesn't forgive, forget, and pretend it never happened he's the evil one? Wow.</p>

<p>Are some of you guys "CRAZY"? How can this character expect anyone to respect him if he won't respect himself? He <b>earned</b> all that respect the hard way, and in one fell swoop of a pretend affair by his wife, it was all taken away</p>

<p>Sorry, I could stand it all the way up to your ending quote where you said that you felt that the husband's character was being unrealistically unfair by not giving the wife a second chance. Why? If the character went that far to get attention from the husband, regardless of his background, he would always wonder "If she thinks I'm not doing what she wants, what's she going to do to me this time"? Sorry that just doesn't work for me as something you can do to a marriage mate and still be forgiveable. Whether she had sex with someone else isn't the problem for me. The fact this character went through all of this to "make" the husband (and who ever else saw her) <i>believe</i> she was, is enough for me to have a problem with her character.</p>

-Risq

I can often agree with your take on a story, but to leave Ted almost blameless in this situation is downright ridiculous!<BR>

Jenny would have had no reason to even consider making Ted jealous had he kept his word to cut down on work and spend time with her.<BR>

Some decry her for not talking to Ted about it - Well, she bloody well did, and he gave her a couple of weekends before he deserted her again. I can see her reasoning that making the direct approach Ted insisted on was absolutely pointless.<BR>

Was her motive in doing what she did 'clean' in her conscience? Yes! Was her choice of method and accomplice at all sensible? Definitely not!<BR>

Was Ted's motive in building the retreat 'clean' in his conscience? Yes. Was it in any way sensible after he <I>promised</I> Jenny he would spend time with her? Definitely <B>NO!</B><BR>

So, we have Ted deserting his wife twice. Then she makes a bad choice of method to snap him out of his preoccupation with work, and all we hear about is how silly Jenny is? <B>You all must be joking!</B><BR>

Ted is a first class mysoginist who obvioulsy should never have married - no one was going to satisfy his need to stamp out the memory of his parents.

<p>I can't speak for everyone, but I feel that my wife publicly "dating" another person, regardless of what she did or didn't do, is never acceptable. And she picked the worst human being she could find to publicly embarrass him with. But in the end, Dating is dating and the only thing she didn't do after "three weeks" is have sex. But she did everything else to make him believe that was going to happen.</p>

<p>This was never really a misunderstanding as it was more of an abuse of trust, as well as a cruel and demanding act, by someone to get the attention they felt entitled too. I guess I'm old fashioned when I feel that acting spoiled instead of acting like an adult seems to be seen as valid actions, and anyone who doesn't feel that she wasn't treated fairly is a selfish wimp.</p>

-Risq

"and anyone who doesn't feel that she wasn't treated fairly is a selfish wimp"

Is that really what you thought you meant to say???<BR>

<B>I don't believe she was treated fairly by Ted!</B><BR>

He was too self centred to acknowledge his <B>BIG</B> part in the problems in his marriage. He deserted her for work twice, the second time a only couple of weeks after she pointed out his failing to be with her and spending too much time at work.<BR>

You ask how could organising a surprise for her be wrong. It wasn't, of itself. But his timing and covering excuse were no less stupid than what Jenny did, <B>not one bit less stupid!</B><BR>

I never said in anything I posted about this story Jenny was blameless, but Ted sure wasn't blameless either.<BR>

Therein lies the unfairness to Jenny - he dumps all the blame on her and never once acknowledges his seminal part in the whole process.<BR>

Could this person called Ted stay married to Jenny? No, not with his baggage and selfishness. Maybe no one in similar circumstances could either. <BR>

I called Ted a 'person', because a man could acknowledge his own fault in the matter, learn from it and move on. Ted has no manliness to toss all the blame on his ex wife, none at all.

<p>Just the punishment exacted by Jenny didn't fit the crime</p>

<p>I remember from the first story that Jenny asked him once to quit working so hard and spend more time with her. And I remember from the first story that he did at first. But what I find fault with was that instead of "reminding" Ted that he was slipping back away from his promise, she instead decide to make him believe she was cheating on him by "publicly" dating one of his employee's. And what does dating normally consistant of? Going out to dinner out with someone else who either you have intrest in or they might have intrest in you? Possibly some "dancing"? Possibly light kiss? A hint of possible sex later if you play your cards right? Doing it more than once with the same person, and you go out one on one with them? That would be basicly everything that she was doing with this guy in essence.</p>

<p>Do I find Ted blameless? No, he could have found a way to explain it or at best tell her he had one big project he was trying to finish and after it she would be happy with the time they would be spending together. But to suggest that because "someone said your moma smells bad and you pulled out a gun and shot them as an acceptable response" it's going to be hard for me to swallow. And that what she did. Because she feared he was slipping back into "working hard" again she started dating another man, while married to Ted, to make him start to pay attention to her again. In other words she wanted him to fight "for her" all over again like he may have done before they started dating, and certainly before they were engaged. Her character was trying to recapture that feeling all over again, but at Ted's expense.</p>

<p>But lets be honest a second. I think from our converstations before you my possibly be female. Let's say your married (not sure if you are) and your husband tells you he's been seeing, and taking out to dinner and dancing for almost a month now, a hot young thing in his office all because you burned his toast for almost a month straight. And he's beeing doing this all so that you will start to make his breakfast the way he likes it, and once you start to make him happy again he'll quit seeing the other woman. Or lets go a step further and say he's stopped seeing her because he didn't get the end results he wanted but figures if he tells you what he did you'll feel so bad you straighten right up and do what he wanted you to do all along. Never mind you are getting up at 5am to make it for him. But he decides an adequate response to your actions of not making him happy with breakfast is to make you jealous of another woman so that you and he can recreate the feelings you had when you were first dating and later married. Are you going to tell me that this would work on you? Or would you get <i>pissed</i> at him for doing this too you? Now lets throw in that your parents, your priest, your neighbors, and the people you see at church saw him doing this at the local "Holiday Inn". And lets say that the only reason you burned his toast was because you were trying out new ways to make it and you just didn't quite have the knack yet, but you were taking cooking lessons on the side to surprise him later with.</p>

<p>Still think what your husband did to get an end result justified his actions to get it? I wouldn't. Especially when a 5 minute converstation would clear it right up. I can't personally believe you would sweep that lack of respect to you as a wife and as a human being right under the carpet so that you could remain married trying to share some of the blame for his actions? I just don't see that.</p>

<p>And about Ted being a <i>misogynist</i> I disagree. Ted was a "serial" dater. I give him that. But when he met Jenny he didn't try to embarass her. His character was always thinking about putting her first. Think about it. In the first story by "cageytee" what did he do first? He explained how he wanted her to want to be with him because she "enjoyed" his company and not because she thought he expected sex from her. He wanted her to feel comfortable and not pressured by him. He waited for her to set the pace and he followed at her comfort level. He was in a monogamous relationship with her once they started sleeping together. He stopped his serial dating, and certainly didn't create a "saftey" net with any other women in case she didn't work out. He asked her before Christmas if it was ok to give her an engagment ring because he didn't want to embarrass her and force her into saying yes in front of her family incase she didn't want to marry him. And when she got on his case about not kissing her in front of her staff Ted didn't take offense at what she did. He appologized and said that was one of the things he was going to have to learn about her. And when everyone in town thought she was cheating it caught Ted by surprise because he wasn't checking up on her when he left town. He didn't ask people to <i>watch</i> her when he wasn't around. It was a complete surprise that she was doing this.</p>

<p>How that that make him <b>misogynist</b>? The defination of a misogynist person is:<b> <i>–noun</i> hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.</b>. If anything from the first story, he had "complete" trust in Jenny and strived to put her first in his actions and deeds. It wasn't till <i>after</i> she pulled this stunt that he started to feel he might not be able to trust her, not before. Before he gave her the total benifit of the doubt. After? Well.... her character proved to be of less trust worthy stuff by dating a man she clearly knew he couldn't stand just to make him jealous enough to pay her more attention. And I have to agree with the characters assestment that if she reigned him him to make him do what she wanted with a "pretend" affair, what would she pull later if she didn't get her way again? God only knows</p>

-Risq

<p>Just so you don't that I believe that because it was a female lead I didn't like her, you should read my comments on "The Wanderer's" latest story "Marriage Of Convenience"

(http://www.literotica.com/stories/storyfeedbackboard.php?id=309247&pagehint=2#cid386753)

</p>

<p>Normally I like the Wanderer's stuff, but I thought the wife got the shaft something royal in that story and the husband got a way with murder. And it was tied up to be a "Happy ever after" ending that didn't make sense or was right by the end of the story. I personally don't like it when someone takes advantage of someone else in a story <i><b>regardless</b></i> if it is the male or female, husband or wife, who does it</p>

<p>But in the end Kanga, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree here</p>

-Risq

The Author of the original story, cageytree and I [by his comment] agree that this was a superlative effort in continuation of the original story.<P>

So, KUDO's MR. fdkman262, you did NOT convolute his character nor hers. Your very strong effort carried forward from the track laid by cageytree and gave it a plausibly lifelike conclusion.<P>

It wasn't romantic or conciliatory as wanted by some but it was a very real possible given the history and actions of each primary character. "People [we] are what we do." It doesn't always make sense to others but it is a product of our history or character. <P>

We are all shaped by our past and character flaws aren't very easily overcome or not at all. That she was severely wrong isn't rationally challengeable by anyone. She cucked him intentionally for a period of time in a very open venue without concern for the likely outcome. Stupid. Did she deserve another chance? Why? RATIONALLY WHY?<P>

This was such a departure from her prior apparent character foundation as understood by him that no rational person could be confident that this aberration really wasn't one and as such she was totally unpredictable nor trust-able.<P>

So, REGARDLESS OF HIS HISTORY, his actions were not only predictable but expected. She shamed him in front of his friends, neighbors and business associates then she couldn't or wouldn't understand the depths of her stupidity and his reactions - make that pain.<P>

If there was a flaw in the story's conception and its continuation, it was the statement that he was a wimp. But that was the storyline for better or worse that I wouldn't have continued given a choice.<P>

So Author, a great - no - a superlative job with which you had to work with. You accepted the challenge and delivered reality and life with all its wort's in a very talented manner!<P>

You are appreciated and looked forward to. Your growing is evident as well. Thanks!<P>

With Very High Regard

How dumb is it possible to describe a man, I just wonder.

If prices for stupidity are to be handed out, Ted would be the supreeme winner!!!

I agree with a previous poster's assessment. The author's prose is good but the sequel broke no new ground. Ted is the same insecure person as he was before, and his wife remains as clueless as she was in the original story.

I do so agree with Average Joe and Alvaron53 in their comments. This is not an ending just a continuation of what was. Two people lost in their own fractured lives of not facing their own pain and letting it depress them for a non-life.<p>Thank you for your efforts<p>PT

My conclusion after reading this story was that this pair of idiots deserve each other, but please don't let them breed...

i loved your story but it is so sad!please try to get them back together years later.perhaps they meet in jamaica or something.

lot worse than a divorce. She was just plain stupid and arrogant. Good thing she doesnt date, would hate for her to ruin another man's life.

Belatedly, I wish to add my comments to the story. First my appreciation, mostly to the elaboration of the dilemma as it was left at the end of the original. I agree with AJ that despite the introduction of the final decision to get divorced, the conflict on which the plot was based was not moved forward in your submission which was therefore more of an epilogue, IMO, than a sequel. Still, you created a forum for a very lively discussion and as I said, elaborated on the husband’s main considerations.

It is interesting to look at the focus of most of the comments. Many of them were analyzing behaviors in isolation - those of the husband and those of the wife, as if you can derive the meaning of them without the essential contexts of the extent to which the intentions of each actor were or were not transparent to the other spouse / was there a basis for mutual trust or mistrust as a default assumption between these particular partners; do we know the extent to which each actor could have predicted based on their mutual knowledge how the other would perceive each of their main controversial decisions? Without trying to answer these more subtle questions the behaviors themselves have no meaning whatsoever, or at most they have a different meaning according to our own intuition and life experience. Only it’s not about us but about the story and the characters in it.

Overall I would say that both partners seemed pretty entrenched and defended in that despite their knowledge about the emotional needs and psychological baggage of each other, they were too defended in their behaviors – namely acting in a way that was supposed to preempt a repetition of past painful experiences in their own past, rather than ever devising a coordinated game plan for the marriage that would best serve both their needs. Similarly, simply sitting and working on finding practical solutions to their problems through communication and compromise seem like too much for this two fragile characters. Usually this type of avoidance is rooted in the fear of a rejection of any explicitly expressed needs; it’s the fear of being vulnerable without the security that the spouse will be flexible enough to accommodate them. In essence they both voted a vote of no confidence on each other as a fully trustworthy companion when they each chose the path of acting out on different schemes which were supposed to manipulate each other rather than to directly communicate with each other.

To borrow the language from the title of the story, this was a ‘wimpy couple’ or more accurately a weak couple in terms of their combined ego strength, which would have required to expose themselves with their ongoing needs then find together mutually agreed solutions.

In the context of couple counseling, it’s hard to pin point blame or responsibility on one person only. The ‘relative’ to this mindset: ‘who is to be mostly blamed’, is equally futile, as long as you keep within the boundaries of the couple. Now, have those boundaries been violated? The very fact that there isn’t an agreement on the nature of the problem proves their weak and shallow couplehood. Both agreed that there was a problem both agreed that the wife made a mistake in the way she approached the problem, The wife believed that she stayed within the boundaries of the couple (i.e. that she never cheated nor meant to cheat) the husband citing precedence appearance and his own fears defined ad hock her behavior as the kind that crossed the line -essentially on the same magnitude as if she had intended and ‘or had sexual relations with other men. It’s difficult to believe yet deep traumatic experience could block people from ever recovering by simply preventing them from having enough social experience to exercise new relations to their full normal scope which unfortunately include mistakes on both sides and the process of learning from them then moving forward. He fully “inherited” his father’s social disability. Thanks again for the elaboration on this tragic case study

Well done story and sequel?, in which frustrated wife makes a real dumb mistake and egotistical husband makes an even dumber mistake and destroys their marriage, because his feeling were hurt and he was traumatized by his early life. I don't think it is stupidity that destroyed the marriage so much as total lack of communications and again I think Ted is most guilty. After wife moans about his continued absence, HE disappears for weeks building her a dream cabin that HE thinks she wants, increasing his irritating absence.

60 year old George

I could not understand from your comment what you were trying to say. From the title to your comment it sounded like you thought he was dumb then later you said he was not stupid it’s the lack of communication that doomed their marriage.

You mentioned his guilt and I am not clear; if you think that he was traumatized, what exactly was he guilty for? If you did not buy that conclusion and he is not dumb why didn’t he fight to save the marriage; why else was he avoiding all the obvious good measures that would have helped him (communication etc)?

In my reading of the story (of either this or the original), there are plenty of direct and indirect references to what would amount to traumatic experience and its life altering aftermath. I can’t understand how you could not weigh all those references and conclude with your assessment of the husband, simply as ‘dumb’?

Well written but your story only describes the "status quo."

Maybe this was real life but the sequel of some story must include developement of characters, tension, suspense. Nothing shown here.

<p>Sorry, failed</p>

<b>Nucleus<b />

Ted had to do what he belived was the right thing.Jenny lied and cheated on him.This is who Ted was.How could he change and live with that for the rest of his life.How could he say,"OK this time,just dont do it again,and all is forgiven".If she did or did not fuck the asshole is not the question.She was a lier and a cheat.Ted was right to leave her.But.he was a wimp.He should have kicked her ass out right away.

I've read this a few times, along with its predecessor, each time finding some new angles. My initial feeling was that Ted was true to his beliefs, and that his 'wife' was streching creduality with hers. Dumb and dumber comes to mind. With the emphasis on fidelity that they both showed, I'm still surprised that she would try to make her husband jealous.

After more time letting these stories percolate, I find sadness is my most prevalent emotion. The marriage should never have been in the first place. They didn't really 'know' each other even after being married for years. The disrespect she showed him by the public humilation (the perception of infidelity) was behaviour she wouldn't put up with, why would she expect him to? The secret cabin after all her complaints of his priorities being skewed, a simple "I have a surprise for you" would have sufficed. No more details would have been needed. As previously commented (paraphrased) the codependent relationship wasn't strong enough to survive. Sure communication would have solved most of their problems, but both of them were too damaged / unskilled to meaningfully express enough intimate details.

This was well written in my opinion, and I appreciate the skills and time devoted to it. I think fdkman262 wanted Ted to really appear as a wimp. In that for me, he failed. He did document a tragic case study, but Ted was true to his convictions 'forsaking all others' does not only imply sexual intercourse. She attacked her trust, he bent her wants. She never thought he was emotionally involved with another person. He was led to believe that she was involved with another, and picked the one that he felt betrayed by the most. With his past history, what could anyone really expect him to do? Too bad she didn't really know that past history. Sad isn't it?

Thanks for sharing!

I liked the story but I think you don't understand your own character. Ted had a certain set of beliefs, so did Jenny. Jenny messed up and paid thye price. Percpetion can be worse than reality.

The wife carried on an affair, whether the sex act had already been committed or was allocated to the future is immaterial. She had betrayed, disrespected, and was deceitful to her husband with one of his employees. Simple put she was a shameless slut. He made the right decision taking her out of his live. The fact that she matured, devoted herself to her work as a punishment of herself for her stupid actions, should not be held against her former husband. He was not the one that committed the wrong she was. Her punishment fit the crime. She is a cheater, and it is better she work herself to death than attempt to ruin another man's life.

what he did may not be what most would do, but it is his decision. will he regret it? probably. as much as he loves Jenny, he did it for his peace of mind. he just had enough.

I do not believe you're a wimp to stand by your beliefs, the higher the price of those beliefs the greater the pain that comes with them.

If we are going to behaviorally assess fictional characters then I would say your assessment of Ted is pretty accurate given the information. However, I noticed you didn't say whether Ted ever re-married or not. Following your train of thought I would probably say no for all the reasons you gave in your author's notes. Actually, was it really Ted's step mother that caused Ted's trust issues with women or Ted's dad for allowing her behavior to continue without consequence. Well there was consequences and we know it was positive otherwise her behavior would not have continued, but I digress. For that matter, do any of us really have a choice in the decisions we make since they are all predetermined by the consequences we have encounter in our lives. It takes a strong person to go against what they believe is correct even if those beliefs are fucked-up, sorry messed up. Reading the comments to your story you can pretty much determine the types of consequences those people encountered. I love reading the comments, especially, the ones that say, "Dump the bitch" Hmmmmm they must have been hurt really bad. Personally, I liked your story and your writing style but I thought it was a little short and I like happy endings. That's why I like fiction. Yes, you guessed it. I dumped the love of my life for what now seems like a small indescretion. Regrets? I try not to think about it...

Ted is not a wimp, he just has issues. Issues that needs to be consulted with a doctor or a counselor. After that, he should try to sort it out with Jenny. It might take years, but if they love each other, it might just work. Jenny on the other has to know Ted's issue too, otherwise she will not know the depth of her mistake & the pain Ted's going through. I hope this can be the conclusion to the story.

Put another way opinions are like fingerprints, everyone has one or more. The only person that can tell whether a marriage works or is worth it is the one married. It doesnt matter why he thinks what he does, he is the one that has to live with it. The woman in this story was silly and stupid. Cheating isnt just having sex nor is adultry. Giving a person not your spouse your time, interest, and thoughts that should be given to your spouse is also cheating on the marriage. Let her punish herself and work herself to death. It will save another man from marrying a very stupid woman.

Tired of fems pretending to me male and tryin to write dialogue for males, they never succeed, ever. This fem writer is but one in a long line on this site in which 95% of the submissions are written by fems, disgusting sets of circumstances and much like those of the old 'series situation comedies' wherein the comedy always makes the male the butt, ditto daytime slopehead drama series still on. I think this writer oughta get copies of all those early telly programs and spend all her time immersed in them rather than tryin to come up with something that's real instead of using all the behind the scenes pop pyschobabble she uses about gender.

So let me get this straight. This guy Rob comes out to your place knowing exactly what you know... and has the stones to call YOU a wimp. So as punishment for that... you make him COO of your company and set him up for the rest of his life. Ted in the original story was NOT a wimp. But this one is.

while still married is hard to take.some men don't play that bullshit.trust is lost and what happen the next time she have a mindfart.the wife was a dumby.

The only wimp in this story is Rob the brother-in-law.

It Sucked

wife was a fool and hubby was a fool.

I have read a two different endings to the story and I believe this is the best fit.

Ted's personality has been not just shaped by his step mother's infidelity and poor treatment of his father, to me Ted's whole life has been formed around the idea that trust is the most important element of any relationship. He has witnessed the trauma of his father’s marriage and eventually his father’s end, do to the deceit of his step mother. Trust must be in his marriage as well as his professional life. Based on my experience in business, trust is the key factor to be successful in business relationship and without trust you can maybe get by, but I doubt you will ever become truly great in a business endeavor without building trust in your employees and building trust with your vendors as well as your customers. Ted has courage to stand by his principles and relies on that to guide him in his business practices as well as his guide to life. Rob should have seen that trust was a key element of his business philosophy long before Ted was telling the tale of his father’s life. How Rob could have missed that element seems to be a character flaw in Rob.

Jenny seems to be a self centered person that really missed now important trust was to her husband. The only out come for this situation is that he must be able to trust people around him and Jenny was certainly not a person that he could trust. She seems to be a lying, manipulative person, which puts her own satisfaction ahead of her marriage and most definitely ahead of her husband.

This ending much better fits the characters in the story

at least, not much.

but I admit it probably is how it would have happened.....not many happy endings in life.

I disagree with this author that Ted is a loving man. During his marriage in the original (cageetee) he showed little emotion or feeling in his life to Jenny which prompted her to do some of the things she did. She was always making a effort with getaways or show up at her husbands job and going to lunch. She made a mistake with Jerry but Jenny had no idea of Ted's negative experience when he was growing up and saw how his stepmother made a cuckold of his father. Ted really needs major professional help. He was the major contributor to the break up of his marriage and he doesn't understand it. Actually it is good that he did divorce because he if he had kids he would of screwed them up and made them nutjobs also. I appreciate the effort of this author to complete this story and it was well written. Thanks for continuing it and sharing it with us.

Great comments. She did't didn't know about his early trauma. Thus, no communication. She was destined to fail. He was set in his beliefs but didn't want to convey them to her because...why? He kind of sounds like a self-centered male fundamentalist doesn't he?

I am surprised that he did not stone her or throw acid in her face for being seen with another man in public. Sounds like Ted developed his own belief system and just forgot to tell anyone! I don't buy the comment that everyone has a right to practice their own beliefs. Especially when dealing with others with different beliefs. If that was the case...then why are we so pissed off at the Islamic fundamentalists? Aren't they just demonstrating their beliefs and dislike of our open society?

The wife in this story was not going out to cheat. She had a purpose to just get Ted's attention, even if she didn't understand her husband enough to know it was stupid to try it on him. I blame him more than her for not letting her know about his childhood trauma.

So why identify with this male character? He was not sincere in his statement of love for her. He was unforgiving and did not demonstrate love for his former wife who was trying to save her marriage. Do you like him because he was Macho and stubborn to the point of being ridiculous? He destroyed his wife's life as a loving wife with his own issues...

I did notice that very few other commenters liked this story, even if well-written. No, he was not a wimp in actions, but like Rob said he was a wimp in his childish and immature reactions. Maturity is about tolerance and communication...not intolerance and dwelling in the past. We all change our views and change in maturity as we grow older. I no longer think my daughters have to get married to be happy. I am no longer as prejudiced towards blacks or other minorities even though I was raised that way. People can change their views and should. I am no longer traumatized about my first wife's cheating and our divorce 30 years ago.

makes lonely seem crowded. TK U MLJ LV NV

This ending was a lot better than the other one.

rational women who are in love with their spouse dont play mind games and destroy their marriages

Thanks for sharing.

And that's the nice things. Was Jenny unfaithful? Did she share her love, her heart or her body with someone other than her husband? No. She didn't. So because someone else started a rumor, found to be false, the victim of the rumor is punished? Wtf? Oh right, because everyone believed a lie, the victim of the lie was punished. It doesn't matter what the truth is, so I would like to start a rumor, the author of this story blows goats. That's right. Goats. Everyday. So let's arrest him. After all, I said it so it must be true.

Fuckig stupid!

Burn the bitch.

I disagree with your analysis. I think he loved her too much to let her go, given the overwhelming evidence from the FBI surveillance, and that he put aside his ego and took her back. They had 3 kids and enjoyed a long and happy life. I chose the happy ending. You chose the train wreck without any conclusive evidence that he would have gone that way.

I forsee an early grave or suicide or Ted; dude needs some psychiatric help.

both the original and this follow-up, is that a smart successful woman (that eventually become a CEO?), would resort to an 8th grade schoolyard tactic of jealousy to "improve" her marriage, is just so incredibly unbelievable. This follow-up can't change the intent of cageytee's original hook, but the fact that neither version suggested any measure of therapy or counseling, was my biggest problem. Both of these people have severe problems, and yet no professional help was proffered from any source. The "to be or not to be" a wimp idea fell flat for me as well, because again, not a lot of time was spent emphasizing that better communication could have avoided this entire conflict. Hubby and brother can hint that she has a surprise coming, and these weekends away were not work related without ruining the surprise. Just as wifey NOT resorting to immature and juvenile mind games instead of continuing to stress to him the importance of prioritizing their marital private time should have produced the results she was looking for. Someone might say that if these two HAD communicated better, then there wouldn't have been a story to read. But I still think a better story involves a conflict, where the characters can learn something from it and emerge stronger and wiser from it. Neither hubby nor wifey are stronger or wiser after the events of this story. It is just sad that even with people in their lives that care strongly about them, that they couldn't have figured this out, and gotten the real help that they BOTH would have needed.

This ending wasn't any better than the original. And your analysis of Ted's behavior didn't ring true. I felt he was simply stuck with his stance regarding cheating. And he had no give in his feelings on the subject.

In the end Ted had 2 choices given his life experiences and resulting world view: 1. Suck it up and go back to a relationship in which he had no trust in his wife...and did something that made him unhappy and settle for an unhappy relationship he did not want (which is what his father did); or, 2. Decide not to be unhappy or compromise on his morals and view of what a loving and trusting marriage should be (which his wife did not abide by) and change his life history by his choice of zero tolerance for infidelity (lack of loyalty). He chose the second which is not that path a wimp would take. While I understand your thinking, it appears to the reader that you have a stilted view about second chances that is either unrealistic or prevents you from seeing further than what you wish to see.

In this and in the original story. A wimp is one who backs away or runs away. Ted did both. He is emotionally stunted and will die a lonely sad excuse for a man. Unfortunately his actions appeared to have destroyed his ex's faith in men as well. So the cycle continues but at least there will be no future generations in this bloodline. Darwinism at it's best.

I see nothing wrong with the husband. He had a underlying belief about trust, loyalty and love that his slut mother gave to him. Right or wrong, it was what he believed and how he lived his life. His wife may not have physically cheated on him but how many "dates" and how long did she carry on with the other guy. It was obvious that many, many people saw them and realized something was going on. She never mentioned it to her husband, I wonder why not. No, this husband did nothing wrong. He lived his life, right or wrong, with his underlying beliefs. We all have these 'things' that help determine our course of action, and the way we live and interact with others.

I do think the husband should have told his wife about his early years to maybe help her with her insights. Is the husband a wimp? I don't think so.

This could have been a reconciliation story and I would have been OK with that. But he just couldn't get over her betrayal.

Sorry. But a no-brainer sequel.

i think that he should of let her know what happened to his father before they got married when they talked about infidelity so that they both agreed on what it means. most people think of it as sex only but in truth it really is about emotions also. seeing someone else without you spouse knowing about it is a form of infidelity especially if it more than one or two times. but having lunch and dinners and dancing together and not telling the spouse about it is misleading the spouse.

This was not a sequel at all, just some re-wording of the same things the original story had already said, which wasn't too good to begin with. Talk about taking the easy way out.

I agree it's not much of a sequel but it reminds us that we cannot let things in the past spoil today or our future.

it develops into a I'll Show Him. TK U MLJ LV NV

Everything that came before it just seemed like a rerun of the original.

about a wimp from childhood to supposedly adulthood

2 star

Ted still should have fired the brother-in-law, who he gave everything to. I say to all of the people who try to finish this and think that they are cute by saying that Ted is still a wimp, I hope that your wives cheat on you and let you eat all of the cream pies that your cucky little tummys can hold.

I agree with Ted, it seems to me that seeing a guy on the side, deliberately, whether you sleep with him or not, is a betrayal in a marriage.

It is worse to me, because she did it deliberately to make Ted feel she was cheating, and because she did it with someone who worked for him and in front of friends and family.

I can honestly say, if my wife did this that I would leave her too.

This was a fine Part 2. I am normally a BTB reader, but I thought the two should get back together. Apparently, Jenny is going to make do with a vibrator and Ted is never going to be happy until he gets rid of his baggage. He should have told all three of them about his hang ups re his father. They should have ganged up on him to get help. Then he and Jenny should have gone to couples counseling. How many years have gone by (in the story)? Do I smell a Part 3?

Good example of mystical linkage of our intuitive profiles. Consequences are fomented within the inexplicable forge that is our individual soul subject to our unavoidable touching of each other's destinies. Hopefully most of us readers will realize that there can be no salutary resolutions or summations for your carefully drawn characters. Great insight. That's all we have a right to expect or require of you.

A good finish but sad. When we are children its acceptable to blame our parents for their actions that may create the bad karma that affects our lives. But as adults we need to take responsibility for our own ideals and actions. I think Ted should have been able to give Jenny another chance looking at the circumstances i.e. he was also hiding things from Jenny for a surprise. He could have told her he was working on a surprise without giving out any details. However I'm with him on the jealousy bit. You can't make someone jealous if they don't know what you're doing. Jenny never explained that to any satisfaction. Was he a wimp? I think so. You need to fight for something that it important to you until you know the cause is lost, and then have the courage to walk away instead of just holding on because of a dream you had. Maybe he just didn't love her enough at the end of the day!

enjoyed part one and this sequel. Would have been nice to see mailroom Rod rewarded promoted for his comming forward to let Ted know what was going on.

This was a well written ending. Thank you for the effort.

Your perspective was that Ted was a "cut off your nose to spite your face" kind of guy regarding this situation. Perhaps that is true, but in this case I would prefer to see some personal growth and the ability to get by skeletons of the past.

Certainly had Jenny been doing what she was doing with Jerry for her own personal enjoyment, it would have been grounds for divorce. As it was, she was not.

Thanks again for writing!

Or pussy, or girly-man. Or asshole.

this was a faithful ending, pretty much how i imagined it going. the characters were complex and flawed. i know why ted is damaged, leading to his actions, but what made jenny so childish that she play her game? thanks!

To date a male other than husband is bad enough.TO INTENTIONALLY CHOOSE HIS MORTAL ENEMY AS THE MALE IS INSIDIOUS AND UNFORGIVABLE.

To engage so publicly in the betrayal just because she was miffed is unconscionable. True he had the proverbial issues but she destroyed his reputation and that of his company. The only way he is a wimp is if he took her back. Her brother allows his concern for her self-afflicted depression, to dispel his ability for rational objective thought

Sucked

Is one thinges you do not let go and that is lack of respect and dating another man ten times is piling it on way too deep. if you think that deserves forgiveness you have no brain or respect for yourself.

How rewarding! Jenny should file a counter petition against Ted and file paper against Rob (yes, her brother) for Alienation of Affection. Rob had repeatedly taken her husband away to build the "dream" cabin. The cabin was supposed to be Ted and Jenny's dream cabin. But it became Ted and Rob's dream and Jenny was callously left out. Then, somehow, Rob and Diane wound up with it. Jenny should drive up and burn the cabin down. Her dream became a nightmare. This sequel comes up lacking.

Rob was the worst person in this and the most rewarded.

Jenny did nothing right and deserves what she got. Authors notes on Ted is where marks for story go down.

This is a flimsy plot, poorly told. There is no movement, no conflict, and no dialogue. The characters are cartoons without a bit of emotion and they never develop, so why? Why add to the previous story. This story did not need writing. Even if it did, this dog needs a ton of work. Sorry. I appreciate the effort but this is bad. JPR

his brother in law was right he is a wimp a man would have put a stop to the other man and his a wimp like just puts his tail between his legs and runs damm WIMP

It's pretty much how this story would end, given how Ted reacted in the first one.

There's a lot of commenters around here throwing words like 'wimp', 'slut', 'cuckold', etc. All they did, really, was proving their own stupidity by showcasing they actually do not know the meaning of this words. Hell, even Rob calling Ted a wimp at the end proves how dumb he is! But, then again, he's a fictional character... 'don't think there's any valid excuse for all the anons around here.

At the end of the day, this was a story about two people that simply weren't meant to be married. Jenny showed, by her behavior, that she was too immature for a committed relationship (that sort of making-him-jealous scheme rarely work well in high school, so expecting it to work in the real world is simply idiotic and juvenile.) Ted, on the other hand, demonstrated how damaged he was from his childhood, first by not opening up to the supposed love of his live about what happened to his dad (I'm one thousand percent sure that, if he did, Jenny would have never try to use Jerry as an instrument to spur his jealousy), but also by not allowing ANY OPTION WHATSOEVER that may help to repair their marriage. Frankly, if this whole mess is not a perfect case proving the necessity of marriage counselors...

In any case, this is a very believable ending to this sad tale. As I see it, everybody lost here (there's a lot of morons who seem to think Rob somehow came out as the big winner... yet there's zero doubt he would have trade the cabin he now owns if it meant that the two people he loves the most, except for his wife and kids, would have a chance to come back together); Jenny's miserably wealthy, which, really, what's the poing of that? And, sure, Ted's probably dating, but there's little chance he'll ever allow himself to be as happy as he was with his ex, so, when all it said and done... he's probably just as miserable.

A believable cautionary tale about lack of communication in a marriage. 4*

He is no wimpy out ass. She did what she did on purpose. That is not a mistake that intent. If you can not tell the difference between intent and a mistake you have no brain!

Because she should not have screwed the pooch the first time.

If he insists on calling Ted a wimp, he must also call his sister a selfish, immature slut!

Jenny lambasted Ted for showing affection for her in front of her subordinates. Then she intentionally dates an employee of Ted's numerous times in front of his employees while Ted is out of town.

Jenny knew Jerry was a sleaze, that he would brag. Fact is she counted on those facts.

True she did not have sex and never intended to cheat but she cdrtainly was disloyal

He saw the situation; realized it needed to be dealt with, so he did.

You could just as easily have given them both a second chance and a happy ending. Too bad you chose not not.

You let the cheater win. Something is really wrong with you.

I never have been much on they-all-lived-happily-everafter story endings. But Ted is truly the person he never wanted to be...a WIMP! If I were Rob, I would have turned in my resignation and told Ted he couldn't work for someone who gave someone like Jerry Craig more credibility than he did Rob's sister Jenny. Or maybe Rob should hire Jenny to work for him.

Too bad Ted decided to take time off an enjoy(?) life. That would have avoided the whole mess if done sooner.