All Comments on 'Long After the Fact Ch. 02'

You are an excellent story teller. I find this reconciliation quite believable. Particularly as you allowed the abused husband an appropriate revenge on the cuckolders.

Believable because the wife had two years of proving herself, that meant that there was evidence of repentance. Granted no confession until being caught. But many people will tell you that if you're not already under obvious suspicion, that your confession is more to make you feel better than to clear the air with your spouse.

Thankyou for writng this

Ohio, you have done it again. An excellent portrayal of the emotions of the characters, and leaving various opitons available until the end.

I love the way you dealt with Teddy, clearly not a wimp husband in any way. Teddy paid a major price for his victimizing Susan, and far better than a Navy Seal beating him up.

And for those who will object to them getting back together, sometimes it takes a strong person to deal with matters, to understand the hurt, the circumstances and be prepared to try again. Dan didn't accept it, clearly it is still causing him problems and concerns, and likely will for some time. But he did allow his love and understanding to come forward, and to try and make things work. He didn't take the bait from Kim and jump in for revenge sex, but used the moment to consider what he had, and what he may lose.

Clearly their marriage will never be the same, but Susan obviously made the choice, her husband and a second chance by signing the affidavit, and moving with Dan to San Diego.

She probably still didn't understand the true level of his hurt, but was making efforts to do so, and stated she didn't understand, which is far better than trying to suggest that she knew it all.

Again, a great story, and I can't wait for your next effort.

andrew peters

Did you hack my computer? I can't believe the resemblences to the story of mine that was just posted today. As yours is so much better, I feel small and humbled. Great job, and after writting Road Rage, I felt like Ive read most of it already. So OHIO fuck you, but I mean that with all respect. Can't wait for your next LYG

You can really write. But where is the equity in this story, where is the justice. ?? Just another wimp husband eating his wife's shit. There's a million women out there he could have found to love and not think FOREVER how good Teddy fucked his wife and how much she loved it. I'll take my pride as a man over your simpering reconciliation any day.

The hideous psychobabble that excused her REPEATED adulteries made me just throw up

or cynicism, or something to liven up this grim little problem piece. The husband and wife are like stone chessmen on a board, going through their obligatory moves to the predictable conclusion. The boss and the therapist exist only to pick up the pieces and move them to the next square. Such humorless self-absorbed people deserve the misery they inflict on each other. I appreciate the generally smooth writing, but ultimately this tale arouses no more empathy in this particular reader than an episode of Jerry Springer. Best, Ken

Once again, the "reconcilation at any cost" theme prevails. What a pile of bullshit. Ohio- we like you as an author but if this is rubbish your going to proceed with, then please stop wasting your efforts. This one sucks "big time". Geez, quit hanging around with wimpy authors like JPB, Gary and take some lessons from Charley Ace & Winterfrog. Man, you screwed up a great opportunity to not develop a wimp husband piss-poor plot line. Instead, invite others to write a "realistic" ending to this cuckhold bullshit. Come on, step up to the plate for once!

You did a great job of delving into the complexities of a relationship under extreme stress.

The time gap between the affair and the discovery added an interesting layer of complexity.

If it had been me I would have been gone after her blow-up in the therapist's office.

Regards, DJ

oh, such real emotions, such tears, such real outbursts and walking into the sun-set in La Jolla, San Diego!

it is so romantic!

blaming "depression" and Teddy for Susan's part of a voluntary infedility is like Susan saying,

"I have no control over those incredible orgasms; they just kept coming and coming! Even if I had wanted to, I could nto have stopped them; but of course, I didn't want to. Nor did I want to, you know?, it's all subconscieous to me. Please, could you forgive me?"

that's how silly, it's not even "stupid," it's just silly "reasoning."

"But of course, I can, Susan. You were sick in the head and Teddy was just taking advantage of a SUBORDINATE! But I'm glad, Susan, the second time around you CHOSE the correct man to back!" LOL

You are obviously a better than average writer. Save for the random misplaced modifier, you are quite good in fact. You have, in general, a decent turn of phrase. I can't find anything wrong with it. So, how do I say this? I just don't like it. There is a stale quality to the writing, a sameness. Now to some folks that is good because it makes you predictable. I am not saying it is bad. You crank out a good solid product. After a while though it is like a watching a Clint Eastwood or Sly Stallone movie. One is pretty much the same as the last. In short, as good as the writing is, it has become formulaic. (Yes that is a word, I looked it up) You aren't stretching anything. You know why so many people couldn't believe Stephen King wrote Shawshank Redemption? "He writes horror! This is almost mainstream!" People loved it.

Ohio, there are elements which are almost invariably in your stories you need to look at changing, IMHO.

A "social worker" usually a psych of some sort spewing out platitudes of psychobabble which really lend nothing to the story. For folks like me these people are just enablers. It has be postulated that what you would need if you had all the lawyers up to their chins in cement is more cement. For my money, the entire psycho-therapy career field, save VERY few exceptions, should go right in with the lawyers. The more the merrier.

The wronged spouse can't get their head together. Thsi is getting done to death. That is what I so like about HDK's work. X_Bishop is another. Their guys know what they are about from jump street.

The offending spouse is unable to understandhow the poor schmuck must feel until some contrived point.

The "friends" are always supportive and give the wrong advice.

In the plotting, you seem to have walk-on parts. They do nothing for your story. Kim was a good example. I just skimmed her part because I already knew what was going to happen. And I was right. Other than to show Dan he really wanted to be with Susan, Kim had no function. You could have had Dan sitting at the lounge, talking with Joe, the Bartender (remember Jackie Gleason) and it would have done better.

So, a competent job. I just expect better. I am sure your fans will BBQ me for this but the story still remains rather flat. Every good story should be grounded in reality but lately you have watered it down to the mundane. Try something new. Shock me. Shake me out of my stupor and make me sit up in my chair!

Take this for what is is worth, You need to spread your wings a little, my fiiend.

Regards,

C

it's a damn good story. It's a believable story and a reasonable ending. As a parent who has lost a child - the emotional fallout of that event; the rage, the depression, the grief are more intense than most can imagine. The vast majority of marriages when a child dies spiral toward divorce in a matter of years.

Tough subject, handled well. Yet another great story ohio.

Well done.

For the "reconciliation at all cost" crowds. for others who crave non-girly-man endings, there's a current story in another site, which I can not mention; but I will mention the name of the author: A.A. Nemo

The story is titled FIFTHIETH BIRTHDAY and how a spouse fucking around totally shattered a man's image of her. the woman in that story, by the way, is given a lot of selfishness and greed, as most or all cheaters are or have. but the author's also realistic and gave the woman a lot of intelligence, too; but the story is more in the line of "intelligence does not prevent a person from commiting selfish and stupid and heinous crimes against one's spouse."

You'd see in that story the love, emotion, and fear of BOTH characters; but you'll also see REAL DECISION MAKING on the wronged's part: his decision did NOT depend on the other person's decision. he forgave her and gently told her so; but it's only so that both can move on and start a life with someone else.

You don't display of false tears, emotions, or psychoanalysis" in A.A. Nemo's FIFTHIETH BIRTHDAY. Nor is there Rambo or Navy Seal activity going on... The "moral" of the story seems to be: Each of us, wittingly or unwittingly, make our bed and we will have to lie in it and blaming others, or beyond-our-control nonesense for our narcissism is not going to cut it...

What you see, in that author's story, is smart dialogues with and about tragedy, wit, and ultimately redemption, for some that is....

What you will see is real pain, the kind that time will heal but will heal somewhere else, not next to the person who put that deep wound there in the first place... What you'll see is tragedy staring out of both parties eyes and each knew they will never grow old with the other,,,,

Ohio is one of the best authors here, no doubt about it, as reflected in stories like this. But this is one of those truly "reconciliation at all cost" stories and that's not everyone's cup of tea.

for it to be truly good.

Take a look at LYG's Roadrage. He managed to keep the actual 'cheating' episode remarkably low key, yet still end up with a similar amount of tension to what you managed in this story with months and mulitple episodes of full on sex.

This comparison clearly shows how unnecessary it was for you to make Susan's betrayal so absolute with multiple episodes and those far too graphic emails.

So many authors like to make the cheating wife's actions too extreme. Way too extreme for anything but a contrived reconciliation if there is to be one.

Try keeping the cheater's actions within the range of credibility for a reconciliation and the story will be far better.

I'm sure I logged in.

The "Too much was overdone" post is mine.

WHEN SUSAN THE ASST.SUPT if i was Dan i would have had red flags waving in the air i would have said find another school that has a woman Asst.Supt. instead

Not sure if I liked the ending. But it's your story. Hopfully, your next story won't have any counselors or psychologists in it.

Boyd

i'm sorry but i just do not believe the outcome works in this one

however, of all the parts i find most unbelievable is the decisions and role the psychiatrist played, there is no way someone like that would be able to continue a practice

i like your stories but this is not one of the better plots you have used

Certainly a story completely detailed with filled out characters. The right choice was made. I see there are some here who have no idea of the depression a woman can go through, even after a normal birth let alone the loss of the baby. Hell, the woman who killed her 5 kids was judged to have been out of her mind and therefore not guilty. They commit suicide too often, too. It IS a big deal!!!

If he can realize that he should have no trouble seperating her actions from during her depression and the 2 1/2 years afterward. Most men don't worry about what the little woman did before they married. This is really the same thing. He shouldn't have had a problem with it if he had merely talked to someone about it.

But ALL's WELL THAT ENDS WELL!!

But just okay. At least he took down Teddy who truely deserved it. (After getting away with it once do you think he would stop?)

As Ohio brings out this affair just happened for Dan while for Susan it was over and done with 2 years ago. She has been looking at it with 2 years of 'good behaviour' under her belt. And she was 'sick' when she did it. Well, she might have been depressed but her emails showed that she was still able to distinguish right from wrong. And in a few of the emails she sounded pretty non-depressed!

Ultimately it is Dan's decision to go on with her or not. The question is whether or not he is happier with her or without her. He gets to choose. I just wish he had had the choice two years earlier.

When MY OWN parents were having marital dificulties in the middle of my brother dying of bone marrow cancer, they went to a marrige councilor who was a psychiatrist. At the first joint session they had together he told them to each go out and begin an affair. This he said was to save their marriage.

They were not to disclose the details to one another and to keep their actions a secret from one another. This he said would save their marriage. So yes. A therapst would in fact tell her to lie to her husband and hide an affair from him.

[My parents ignored the quack BTW and are still together.]

You may notice she managed to pick up an added client to bill for didn't you.

The story was well written and in my opinion I also might have tried to work it out with her because she did not rely on her depression as an excuse. She conceded that while she was ill it was still HER responsibility. The illness was merely a mitigating factor not the sole reason for it. and he was willing to see that while she was responsible in the main her love took egregious advantage of her in a very vunerable and impaired time in her life.

The spelling checker in MS Word is far from infallible but it does find most typos. Writers and commentators should first use it then proof read their text.

I've never found the grammar checker of any value. I think MS like to remind us how bad expensive software usually is.

[My parents ignored the quack BTW and are still together.]

there is no way someone like that would be able to continue a practice

(don't those comments agree somewhat, believable isn't necessarily outside the realm of possibilities, just not plausible as an accepted means of behavior)

But ALL's WELL THAT ENDS WELL!!

(that is just a dumbass statement)

The story was well written and in my opinion I also might have tried to work it out with her because she did not rely on her depression as an excuse.

(okay, this proves that the weak and accomodating characters in the reconcilliation stories are possible, doesn't mean i have to like the spineless reaction, does it?)

My suspension of disbelief failed about halfway down the first page. At that point I thought "I know where this is headed, I can write the rest of the story in my head". With one minor exception that surprised me, this was another walk down an excessively beaten track.

I should have been thinking "how is this going to turn out?" rather than "how is the author going to bullshit their way into reconciliation?". Which is what I was thinking, and as usual I was disappointed with the route chosen. That pshrink needs to be banned from practice, that wife needs some serious time to catch up with reality and the author needs to learn something that scientists identified years ago: LOVE IS NOT PERMANENT, AFFECTION IS - BUT AFFECTION CAN'T SUSTAIN A FUCKING MARRIAGE!

Christ, what is this? A place to find erotic literature or a recycling centre for C-grade Hollywood romance scripts?

In trying to be "deep," you actually ended up being very shallow. Sorry, but this is one of the most uninteresting endings I've ever read. So predictable and trite that it certainly doesn't deserve more than a .25 for originality and content. I think you've lost my loyalty, OHIO, and I don't plan to bother with any more of your stories. But maybe you'll forgive me and take me back as a reader since I've been diagnosed as Clinically Depressed.

Another great write. It is interesting how some readers become so offended that a fictional character is capable of love and forgiveness. What a shame.

As a psychologist, I have no concerns about how you wrote about anyhting. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if you are a mental health professional. I'm sorry for the one reader whose parents got such lousy advice. My guess that might have been in the 60's or 70's. I know of no on who would advocate that kind of advice.

Looking forward to future stories. btw, Does being a writer mean you never have to say you are sorry.........

All in all this was a well written, entertaining read. There were levels of complexity and tensions that kept a reader's attention. Was the reconciliation plausable? That's a question that readers must answer for themselves. As a story, this was well thought out and well plotted. I enjoyed it.

ohio!! Great job as always!!

This is NOT Ohio's best work and not his worst...

First... LEAPYEARGUY your story is FAR better than this bland story ... its called Roadrage right?

MUCH better

I know this is going to surprise many here since I have in the past ripped into OHIO b/c sooooo many of his stories are on the FRAAC train--- forced reconciliation at all costs

But NOT this time. In Fact I can agree with the reconciliation to a point. Her 3 years of devotion and remorse SEEM to be real. But Dan should NOT rely Just on his "Guts" as his wife says ... since his guts at the beginning of the story Failed him so badly

This story FAILS b/c of 2 HUGE problems. Many of you MISS these 2 key points and never talk about them

One is OHIO's over use of Depression as a "angle" for wives to cheat. I know Many here think OHIO is a great writer.

I do not. OHIO could be ...One of these reasons I do not think so s OHIO's lack of story variability. This author uses the depression thing a LOT with cheating wives...

a LOT.

SECOND... Much Bigger issue. Once the wife was better the decision by the her and the therapist NOT to tell her husband was EVIL and in no way Justified.

The TIMELINE of this story says that she started seeing the therapist in AUG... and by late AUG the wife "woke up" ended the affair and recommitted herself to the marriage.

According to the story time line the wife and therapist talked about this decision to tell the husband or NOT tell for several weeks as she has Happy and loving and OUT of her depression.

I presume then by SEPT or OCT she was mentally strong enough.

Therefore the decision made by the wife and and therapist is really almost a CONSPIRACY made by 2 mentally healthy persons to fuck over the hubby.

Yet Not 1 person commented on that. maybe it is me but OHIO's constant misuse of the therapist in his stories is a real problem .

Ohio, I found your take on the dichotomy of the situation very intersting. It doesn't hurt that it mirrors my thoughts (and a story I have plotted)to a degree. The one item that I thought was very interesting was the point about her rebuilding trust over the years since the affair.

There are two others things I wanted to comment on. The first is an issue that I wished you had addressed a little more and that is why she kept the emails. In part one you had a line where the good Dr. "tactfully" didn't bring the issue up because of she knew it was a "unconscious desire to confess".

Allow me to play Dan for a moment. The reason she kept the emails was because of a wistful rememberance of the affair. It was a way for her to secretly relive the exciting times that she had with Teddy even while trying to rebuild her life with Dan. In short, it would be seen as an ongoing betrayal.

I guess I see the issue of why she kept the emails as a big issue that would have focused on. I guess I'll just assume that the discussion and resolution on this issue happened off stage.

The other issue is the tell/not tell issue. You kind of addressed this tangentially, but you also focus on this as a big part of Dan's lingering anger. To me, the reason she didn't tell is the most obvious part of the whole mess, at least from a pragmatic point of view.

Quite simply, what would Susan have to gain from confessing about the affair right after it happened? You make it clear that she knew very well that she had done something horrible to Dan. Something that she would not have forgiven him for if the situation had been reversed. In addition, it is pretty clear that for a long time she didn't even forgive herself.

In this case, I think fear of the unknown is a great motivator to keep silent. What would have been the most likely outcomes if she confessed? At best she could have hoped for a long period of tension and unhappiness at a time when she was most fragile. At worst, she would have gotten kicked out, divorced and likely faced a even worse bout of depression.

On the other hand, if she keeps quiet, she has the fear that he might find out some day, but that is tempered by the thought that she would have the "history" of making it up to him that she mentions at the end of the story. In addition, the longer she hides it, the further she is removed from her problems and thus in a stronger emotional position to handle the resulting mess.

When I look at in this way, I think the decision not to tell is a no brainer. The worst possible outcome of keeping quiet is that she will have to face the uncertainties of telling. The only issue is whether her long term guilt over the affair will affect the marriage.

Anyway, I liked this story. As usual it was well written and it made me think. Nice job!

The first Chapter held a lot of promise, but the second Chapter was like it was written about two different people. And nothing Ohio had written prepared me for the ending. The characters, especially as they were developed in Chapter 1, just could not be the same characters who reconciled in the end.

As usual, Ohio writes very well. A professional. Some of his stories are outstanding. This one was not.

The first chapter was outstanding. This chapter however, had all the emotion and substance of a Pez dispenser. A word of advice - write your endings first.

Ohio fails in this endeavor in that he never comes to grips with the fact that the husband must do a complete 180 degree turn in his thinking as to how he can live with someone he can't trust.Ohio has gone to great lengths to portray the husband as a man of principle and honor.Yet we are asked to believe that suddenly a breach of his moral code is no longer a big deal.Adequate care was used in the presentation of the husband's character that several conclusions may be drawn that contradict his acceptance of the cuckhold ending. #1 .The husband is vengeful when ,unjustly, hurt.This statement is proven by the fact that he leaves the electronic devices in the home so he may listen to the wife's misery when she finds him gone.This statement is, also, proven by the fact that he takes pleasure in getting even with the man who cuckholded him, Teddy.In both these cases the husband enjoys the suffering of those who have wronged and dishonored him .The affair has been over for a least 2 years by this time yet he ,still,relishes his vengeance.#2. The husband is a man of honor.This is proven by the fact that he refuses sex with the California slut.He honors his wedding vows inspite of the fact that his wife has dishonored him.This proves that this man's word is his bond.It is the true insight into the enigma that is his personality.These are facts which Ohio crafted into the story for a purpose yet they are at war with the conclusion to the story.We are asked to believe that the husband achieves some type of apotheosis of husbandry at the end of the story.He becomes the liberal,politically correct paragon of how men should react to their wives' misdeeds.He is the ideal of forgivness!

Mr. Ohio this story fails because you are at war with yourself!Your story can not overcome the contradictions which you have built into it.

WHY IS IS THIS IN LOVING WIVES?????

This story,although sex is mentioned/alluded to,is NOT erotic(Chapter One made me cry for Susan! Yeah thats REALLY sexy!)

Youre a very good writer but Im frankly upset that ,instead of putting this in the proper section,you chose to put where unsuspecting readers who were looking for 'erotica' would unkonwingly stumble across it.

You obviously have some issues regarding some type of situation involving depression/infidelity in life....Its great you want to "work through them" by writing (again: VERY well written) fiction but in Future if its not Erotic put it in Non Erotic.

Oh and the ending seemed hastily tacked on so we dont think the Husband is an asshole......I didnt buy it.

Hes such a jerk that ,as others have said,it wasnt belivable and I still hated him at the end of the story-Sorry.

CapeCod mercury

Your post -- THE REASOINING makes no sense. But given your proclivity to super wimps husbands I am not surprised by your post/ remarks

first you assert tbat the wife Kept the emails to relive her sexual affair /fantasy. GREAT post...

CCM wrote

"The reason she kept the emails was because of a wistful rememberance of the affair. It was a way for her to secretly relive the exciting times that she had with Teddy even while trying to rebuild her life with Dan. In short, it would be seen as an ongoing betrayal."

GREAT point!!!

But this is where you lose me... you argue that NO good could of the wife coming clean with Dan as she was getting " better" in the therapy and by waiting she would have the chance to Build up some "good will" or HISTORY as you call it in rebuilding the marriage SHE destroyed.

Let me see If I follow you on this ... I hope to show why you bizare thinking leads you to love super wimps husbands thing so much

1 wife gets to have the affair.

2 wife rejects her husband during the affair sexually and emotionally

3 wife lies to husband

4 wife and therapist decide dumb old stupid DAN is NOT entitled to know-- which is just a simple lack of ANY RESPECT towards the husband

5 wife keeps the email to relive her fantasy fucking the BEST of her life-- so she says-- while supposedly working on rebuilding the marriage DAN.

and You call this a MARRIAGE? The Husband is treated like a fucking DOG

****tell CCM is a Man/ husband ever entitled to any respect in your views? ****

she has the affair then controls ALL of what happens... keeps the emails lies to him to build up good will all the while reliving the sexual fnatasy...

and he takes her back? WHY?

Great read, I especially enjoyed the increasing sence of frustration build up, as it became more & more apparent he was gonna "Wimp-OUT" and take the cheating wife back. I was compelled to see it through to the dismal end. The little wimp actually APOLOGIZED to his cheating wife for striking back in anger. No wonder she fucked around on him, and will do so again. Poor Dan was to afraid to grab the easy piece of ass bimbo, and couldn't even beat the crap out of Teddy boy while handing him his papers. BOOM! Just one little sucker punch as he walked into the office. BAM! A quick piece of ass from the California bimbo. These two simple theraputic acts would have helped Dan deal with any future anger, regardless of whether or not he keeps Susan around. But Hey! It's just a story, a work of fiction, and a damn fine read. I enjoyed the heck out it, as I do all your stories, whether I agree with ending or not. (zed)

I think it was a good story. I guess I saw the reconciliation coming as that is pretty usual for your stories, but I kind of held out hope that based upon some of your most recent posts there may have been a chance for that to not happen.

I think you set up the beginning of the story so extensively that it makes the reconciliation a bit rushed. Perhaps you should have gone through a few months of them together working it out and given us some insight into the struggles they went through during that time.

This just felt like a long period of agony from the time he found out until he split from the last counseling session to a couple of short weeks until they were living together in CA ? Seems too fast to me to just end it there.

Thanks for a great effort, your work is appreciated.

Charleybear

I've never been into your psychology stuff and I thought Dan's reactions were a little cinematically over the top but you made, as you always do, some solid points. That Dan was grieving when all this happened meant his discovery ripped open a healing scar - what is worse than losing a child? That they were "out of synch" - a better title, I think, btw. That the other guy preyed on a woman who worked for him when she was in deep pain. I liked the device of having them pull together at the end.

Best is I think your attention to working in detail has become more life-like. Her folding laundry was the right touch. I think you could have found similar business for other scenes - more interesting business than drinking a beer. This is not a crticism but an encouragement. Developing those bits means seeing the situation as though it's really happening and that not only conveys a gripping sense of immediacy but is also fun for you.

I could see this going either way: reconciliation or divorce. You're the author; it was your call.

I got a kick out of DJ's comment "If it had been me I would have been gone after her blow-up in the therapist's office." From my observation, this is just typical female have-it-all-ways-at-once crapola that should be dismissed in passing. To DJ. If your wife or female relatives aren't like this, then you are one lucky guy.

The major problem I have with reconciliation here is that wifey turned away from hubby at the very time she should have been turning towards him. They were both in pain and that was the time to face it together and help each other if the marriage meant anything to wifey.

Phil

Gosh, Ohio, I hardly know where to begin.

First of all, the story was well written, like most of your stories. And like so many of your stories it ended up with reconciliation. Reconciliation at all cost, eh? The problem with the story was that the reconciliation was abrupt and seemingly contrary to the gist of the story.

Insofar as the psychological aspects of the story are concerned, much of the negative comments about shrinks is warranted in this case. With regard to Dr. Branden, I would like to make a couple of points.

First, I am in a unique position of talking frequently to several family counselors (five to be precise), and they all say that mild depression makes a woman susceptible to having an affair with a sympathetic lover. Clinical depression, on the other hand, hardly ever. In this story, Susan was a functioning person (she taught, carried out daily activities, etc.) She was responsible for her actions and should have been held accountable. Dr. Branden really served as an enabler with respect to Susan's avoiding responsibility and accountability.

Second, Dr. Branden developed a personal relationship with Susan and then tried to justify that relationship by empahsizing the fact that the affair was remote in time. As one commentor pointed out, the shrink should have removed herself from the case when Dan become involved.

Another comment, offered constructively, is that the ending was abrupt, unexplained and somewhat out of the flow of the story. Since there was a reconciliation there should have been more of the story that dealt with Dan's coming to grips with Susan's infidelity, and about how they, both Susan and Dan, dealt with the conflict. There was a wonderful opportunity to develop that part of the story which, unfortunatley, was missing. It was hinted at by Susan's outburst, but never fully developed.

All in all, a good story, but not an excellent one. The second chapter drug the first chapter down.

Thanks for all of your stories. Keep on keeping-on.

Cheers!

Much has been said about why the e-mails were kept. So how about this, Susan kept them as a subconcious reminder of what she had done, not to 'wistfully remember her affair', but as a reminder of what she almost did to her marriage, to be able to see that while she did have 'fun and pleasure', that she almost through away what she treasured most. Remember the keeping these messages occurred after she 'woke up' from her depression and realized her love for Dan, and how he had stood by her, and after deciding that she would do whatever to make it up to him.

Was it smart, no, but it sure made for a well written and thought out story.

Like louguy35, I too am in a unique position. Unlike where louguy35 has talked to a few folks in the profession, I mentioned before where I had been in the postion of Dan after my wife misscarried. I can't honestly say if I was in his postion this would have worked out this way.

Ohio, I still think you have incredible skill as a writer, but I often wonder if you think out the ending of your stories before you write them and then make them fit. I mean in this story you carried along and created valid points. Sorry the comment is so long.

1.) The couple was out of synch.

I totally agree with this point and supported it. Where as the wife had over 2 1/2 years to put it in her past the husband had to deal with it now. One thing you showed was the "righteous indignation" of the wife.

I've seen that first hand in various folks, where someone has done something in the past and they feel it's not big deal now because they've come to grips with it, but where as the person who just found out has to deal with this new knowledge. The person who has caused the damage often feels slighted and that the other person is acting unreasonable because they can't get over it quickly. Time is relative and it may have taken them months to get over it, but often they expect the knowledge to blow over the other person quickly leaving little damage in it's wake.

I like the job you did in showing this reaction on the part of the wife when faced with the knowledge the husband knows and might not want to continue on.

2.) Forgiveness without admission.

This is one of a few of my personal pet peeves. When someone does something wrong and tries to make it up to the person without ever telling them. I hate that. While this might help them feel better the other person doesn't have a clue to why they are doing this. This isn't the actions of someone that is sorry. It's the actions of someone who doesn't want thier secret out. Someone truely sorry wants forgivness for what they did. You can't get that if you conceal what you did then try to get blanket forgiveness.

That's what this character did and everyone, including the husband, seems to recognize this as acceptable. I disagree. The righteous indignation fit the wife's character but everyone agreeing that her doing this was a valid source of forgiveness, including her therapist doesn't make sense.

I've never heard of a therapist deciding that helping someone hide and conceal the truth is better than facing it head on. Why would anyone go to a therapist who helps you hide from life?

And the wive's comment about working for almost 3 years to make it up to him, that this should prove she was faithful to him. Your kidding! He didn't know she had cheated! That doesn't count as proof if he didn't know he was supposed to be looking for her to be proving to him she wasn't still cheating on him. If I steal a car and no one know's know can I prove I'm not still stealing cars if no one knows I did it and what to watch out for? I disagree with this reasoning as well.

You can't get blanket forgiveness and time served for actions no one is aware of.

3.) Not telling the husband ever syndrome.

Again, why? I have to agree with a point Harry made. I mean if you look at the reasoning: The wife shouldn't tell the husband because while she was cheating she was sick. If the husband hadn't made the wife go to the therapist he would never have found out she had been cheating on him for months. The therapist reasoned that she wasn't well enough to deal with the husband's reaction so they should hide the affair. Then once the wife was better then it was too late to face the husband so it was better that he never know. So the husband was never to know? And that's a valid excuse? No harm no foul? What he doesn't know can't hurt him? And that's supposed to be a loving wife?

Why is it ok for the wife's character to keep the husband in the dark? Based on this reasoning from the story, long as you don't get caught by your mate, all you need to do is feel sorry and thats ok. If your mate gets mad at your cheating then they have a problem not you. You've done your part by feeling bad at some point in the past.

4.) Visiting revenge ONLY on the other man.

What the crap! I'm sorry Ohio, but this is another of my pet peeves! The other guy is always the one at fault. He's is always the seducer. He is the primary one at fault. No matter how the wife acted in the story, if he hadn't poked the wife she would still be pure. If she came on to him he should have resisted. If she starting taking off her clothes, it was up to him to resist her. The wife only has limited blame when something like this happens.

Ok, I'm sorry, but most adult women know if you go to an adult man's apartment, in his bedroom, on multiple occasion, and if you had sex with him there once, your going to have sex again and again if you keep meeting him there. I mean they all know this is a possiblity and the more times you have sex there the higher the possiblity becomes. Each and every time isn't a new suprise. And then she even went as far plan the days they could get together, when they could have sex around her husband's schedule, and while at therapy where therapist started to help her see the affair "MIGHT" be wrong, she went as far as to send him an email in which she decided even though they had to quit, she would try to wring him dry for their last time together to make it memorable. And he's the one primarly at fault in this story.

I'm sorry I some how don't see this as enough of the other guys fault that he has to pay for most of his life and the wife goes back to some semblance of a normal life, that according to the end of the story is starting to get better for her. What the crap! Why does the other guys have to have his life totally ruined, but the wife gets forgiven and all is well by the end of the story?!?! If your going to offer blaket forgiveness EVERYONE should get it, if your not then no one should get it. If two people shoot someone you don't let the guy that appolgized the most go free and the other guy who you never confronted go to jail. That the first guy gets 3 months and time served, and the other guy gets life. And thats what you did here. You let the wife who was confronted appologize, bash, and tear the husband a new one. The other guy you gave no equal chance at anything, just wrote the story so that it ruined his life. The wife didn't come to her husband he went to her once he caught her. They worked it out by the end of the story. The husband didn't even give the other guy the same chance. Just "WHAM" end of his career.

And went to watch his face as he told him how he publicly humilated him. Not his wife, everything he did was in private to her. Him, he screwed over completely and totally.

Yep that was fair. She's just as guilty, did just as much planning, and tried to "screw his eyeballs out" as she put it, but somehow deserves way more compassion than the guy she cheated with.

+++++++++++++++

At first I felt bad for the husband, but I didn't feel that it was resolved fairly at all. Just that it needed to be written so that they ended up back together because it needed to be so to make the story have a happy ending.

The wife had a long standing affair for months, regardless of the reasoning used, and she only had to atone in private (save only a couple of folks that knew why) for a few months then they went on their way. You wrote it so that the other person in the long standing affair had his carreer, marriage, future ruined. And this was thought of as a happy ending because the husband and wife got back together. Wow.

Didn't you see all the damage caused in the wake of this story where the wife basicly got away unscathed? She lost nothing by the end of the story. I mean she didn't lose her husband and certainly didn't lose her career over this, because she transfered to another school, but you can bet that the Asst Principle will never be hired in a postion of authority again. But she will continue to teach in a new state like nothing ever happened where no one will ever know what happened. The husband made sure everyone knew about Teddy, just not with who. Go figure.

-Risq

Rather than commenting on one or the other of these chapters (I've never decided what I think about this mechanism, but whatever), I'm going to try commneting on the whole story. It's just easier to focus on narrative flow and the story, rather than spending time picking at nits. I don't edit or write, I'm a terrible nit-picker.

I think the premise of this story - husband finds out about wife's affair years later, has to face the truth that she hid from him, and then has to decide what to do - is reasonably original and well-handled. It's not just another "cooked noodle husband" or "Drakkor the vengeful" story, but rather a thoughtful look at the strains of handling something from the past. In my opinion, this is probably more common than people think; it's very believable that a long-buried affair suddenly surfaces. How is it dealt with?

The entire "depression leads to emotional distance leads to affair" is frighteningly plausible - frightening because there's no way for the spouse to reconnect or do anything to help the depressed partner until the depressed one willingly seeks help. And the fact of depression isn't too likely to help with the wronged spouse - in this case the husband was really remarkably restrained in his reaction to the blaming depression for adultery. What Ohio has done with this story is pointing out that the two spouses have very different emotional responses to the discovery - she's shocked, afraid of his knowledge, and guilty, (but not very guilty because she's "already forgiven herself") while he's devastated by the new hurt, new pain, new betrayal. They never quite wind up understanding each other emotionally, because the combination of depression therapy and time insulates her from him. In fact, it's nothing short of amazing that the ending was happy, given this disconnect.

A key event (in my view) in the whole sorry mess is the therapist and wife agreeing to hide the affair from the husband, "in order to spare him pain." As anyone who knew probability and human events could have told the sorry pair, there's nothing more likely than old sins coming into light. In fact, there's a passage in the Bible to keep in mind here: "what you have whispered in the ear in inner rooms will be shouted from rooftops." It does no good at all to hide failures in the hope that they will never come to light, and here the real and enduring sense of injury has to be NOT the adultery but the post-depression, "I'm OK now" sweeping the affair under a rug. This will hurt more tahn months of hot sex with her boss, because it makes it clear to the husband that avoiding blame is the most important thing for the wife. He won't see it as pain management, since it didn't work. Instead, he'll see the hiding from wrongdoing as self-centered. And of course it was both. She no doubt concerned about keeping him from hurting, but a lot of that has to be self-centered. She's not willing to face the risks of honesty, even after finally quitting the affair. This is what really hurts in a lingering way: the lack of faith and trust that led to a vow of lifetime dishonesty. She sees the "makeup" period as a time when she rededicated herself to him & the marriage, but without honesty, this behavior simply undermines his trust when he finds out. He's going to wonder every time he gets a period of great sex or loving if its a makeup for something she did. And she just doesn't get it.

To me, the character of the therapist is a key ingredient here - she's so hands-off in the decision support process that she lets her patient get away with numerous blunders, and almost lets the whole reconciliation therapy go down in flames. Only unprofessional direct confrontation at the husband's house saves the situation. And she takes far too long to realize what has happened to the couple; it's not until the wife has a completely crazy explosion that she appears to make the connection with time and recovery.

There are several minor nits to pick with the story: the first is the rapid onset of depression => affair => therapy => recovery; three months? Seems a little fast for full-blown depression leading to misbehavior. I would assume that either it would take longer for her to detach and become vulnerable, of that the adultery was already beginning to grow before the depression. The second is the wife's whole "I had sex for three months with my boss and then worked closely with him for years, with no continuing sex relationship or ill effects." Maybe that works, but it's very unlikely. That's why the best adultery recovery counselors advise a complete break with the other party, especially when she's a subordinate. Unbelievable, and I don't see why the husband really buys it. The third point is the wife's irrational outburst - it seems totally over the top, especially when the wife is trying to reconcile. It indicates (perhaps) further need for counseling on her part.

A thing I really like about this is the husband's realization that the classic "one that got away revisited sex" would be destructive to any hope he might have to reconcile. He goes home from SD aware of what he really wants out of the rest of his life, no matter what did happen.

The only thing i would have liked to see about reconciliation would be a committment on their part to be honest at all times - if anything was leaned by either of them, it should be this. Honesty pays, lies kill. Well-menaing lies hurt relationships just as much.

Ohio,

Why not keep the discussion going on the discussion board? Frankly, I'd love to hear from folks about forgiveness and adultery.

First, the writing. You are good man, pure and simple. You write well, you develop situations well and at least the main character is very believable, even down to his foibles (his difficulty in talking through things). Not as good on Susan and you really needed to set up the Kim thing in SD a bit better; yeah, she was necessary for him to realize he didn't want sex with someone to get even, but still a bit more about why she 'showed up'.

But the broader issue is the question of forgiveness. And a lot of guys here seem to think that forgiveness makes a guy a wimp. Man, that's sad. Forgiveness makes us human. Frankly, the hardest part of this story is seeing why he was having trouble forgiving her given the situation (regardless of whether it was clinical depression or not), but to be fair to the 'story', Dan did seem to have that problem anyway.

But I still wonder about this issue. Yes, cheating is dishonest and hurtful, but so is keeping secrets or preferring to be with friends instead of your spouse or telling lies to them about work or life or whatever. And yet, put a dick into a pussy and all hell breaks loose!

OK, I know I'm over-simplifying but I've had friends who 'can't get over' it and I wonder what the hell is wrong. Yes, the other person did a terrible thing but I wonder what life would be like in the west if we decided that fucking around isn't any worse than any other act against one's mate?

Oh, and I've been married a long long long time and I've nver fooled around on my wife. Never. And I don't think she has either, although I'd bet she wouldn't tell me if she had. Big surprise.

Let me say it another way, if Dan had never found out, was the marriage still in trouble? Of course not.

I know, I can hear it coming. She'd have done it again, but if I believe the story, she wouldn't. But even more, lord, how many couples do I know that one or the other (and sometimes both) have fooled around and the other doesn't 'know' (I put it in quotes because I suspect they always suspect!) and yet the marriage isn't compromised. But let someone find out and the marriage ends. OK, tell me then, is it the cheating or the finding out that kills the marriage?

I have come to really enjoy your writing; your early part of this post in Part 1 has really good character development; it made the characters come to life for me. BUT, the ending was far too abrupt; Dan's character does not seem to be real at the end, in dealing with the pain of the betrayal; especially when she hid the affair for 2 1/2 years. I know I asked you to post the last portion right away, & from your notes, it appears that you had already written the ending; I just wish you had taken more time and fleshed out the ending more. It just was not believable, given his initial anger and bitterness at the loss of trust that only 4-5 months later he treating her almost like nothing had happened.

The concept was great (particularly the time difference - her having years to work out her feelings and/or make ammends while for him it just happened).

The husband was a real person instead of a overly perfect mannequin. He acted hurt, angry and confused instead of just saying he was then going on to be the ideal forgiving spouse who has a five minute cry then tells his wife he wants to work it out. At least this guy behaved like he said he was feeling.

The wife wasnt someone I hated. The author put enough effort into making her likable (in addition to the two years she spent renewing her marriage after she ended the affair) that I was happy they stayed together. She seemed like a real, flawed person but not someone I disliked or was sad to see the main character stay with. Even her outburst when he came back expecting and instant reconciliation was believable and made me empathise more with her instead of less.

The second part was a little weaker than the first imo but it didnt ruin it and, as I said, I was still happy to see them end up together. As others have mentioned, the ending was a little quick and seemed to gloss some things over. Not saying there were deal breakers left hanging but the husband did sorta tend back towards being a perfect robot type in part 2 after he started out so strong in ch. 1. His anger, doubt, uncertainty, etc. all seemed to evaporate rather quickly. Not sayign they should have gotten in the way of an eventual reconciliation, just that he should have been more emotional in parts of the second chapter imo. i.e. wifes outburst - would have thought that it would have pushed him away more than it did considering how close to the edge he already was. I also would have liked to see him get angrier with the shrink than he did. She (shrink) seemed very annoying, antagonistic and biased to me so you would think a guy that was carrying so much anger so close to the surface would have reacted more to her poking him with a stick. Not saying she was wrong or a bad therapist or that she didnt help them, just that I think his anger would have surfaced more during some of their conversations/confrontations.

There were some small descrepencies that I did recognize after reading the comments but, like others, they didnt detract from the story for me. I didnt even notice them while reading the story so I cant say they ruined anything. About the main complaint that I shared was the therapist. I did find her annoying and found it unlikely that the husband wouldnt have reacted more to her while reading. The rest (wages, summer, depression wrt sex drive, etc) I didnt notice till I read the comments (not saying the points raised are wrong, just that I didnt notice them).

To make a long comment short, I liked the story, the main characters and was happy to see them get back together. Thanks for writing.

Ohio,

Man did you fire up the readers and Authors. There are people happy, sad, pissed, confused, and thrilled. Not bad for a short story. Some of these comments are funny, others contain some good points, I do hope you read them all.

This chapter was good, but not as good as the first. Just seemed quick to me. I will say I loved the revenge on Teddy, very well done.

Constructively for both the writer and the natives:

If the writer's sky is tangerine fungus colored yellowish green by his words than that is a parameter of the story governing the tint and stuff that follows no matter how much we say the sky couldn't possibly be that color. It's his sky to do with as he wishes - or must it be credible to 91.3% of the readers to be acceptable for the writer to proceed with his - his story?

Wait a minute - wait a minute - what if by his talent of persuasive imagery he is able to convince only 89.6% that it was that color? Jeez - how can a writer determine that before hand? Does the site manager have a staff meeting or do they recommend a survey of each age group and several horses?

So you are a new writer now or to be soon - oh what to do?

You do what you can depending on how serious you are about imitating life. After a time and several or many stories you are getting close (having done some subject research and tucked away many prior story comments). Prudent contemplation and not much site expense money to spend on hiring a batttery of subject specialists may cause the wobbles of commentorial anticipation to freeze your imaginaton just a little but you plunge on as you should along the learning curve.

The point is that there aint nothing perfect nor should there be. If the writing is good and the subject is interesting plus the writer's intentions are non-malicious and somewhat within the range of artistic license - Martha would say thats a good thing put the guillotine away - for now anyway.

However - however what? This Author is very good and works both sides of the marital consequence fence - I want him to do that as long as the set up is reasonably supportive.

As good as he is some of the comments seem worth considering for the future but not so as to compromise his standards and mission. He has to have some fun too.

Author - you are appreciated!

With Very High Regard

FOLKS

I dont know if I shold say this or not. This is JMHO and when I did this with that Pussy KK he over reacted.....

first what got me thinking about this was something a GREAT writer -- CHAGRINED -- said in the feedback section of THIS story (part 2) way back on like page 1 2 or 3... that a OHIO story well well written are somewhat formualic.

Many folks think that OHIO is GREAT writer. I do NOT although he easily could be. To be fair OHIO HAS moved away from the super wimp tendencies of that author's earlier stories.

I have detected a subtle trend in OHIO's stories...

This writer loves to raise BIG wonderful complex issue that we all LOVE to talk about but then NEVER resolves the issue itself.

Instead he comes up with a red herring or false issue Or one that readers are going focus on instead of the key issue that he raised in chapter1 or the beginning chpaters.

CONSIDER in this story... at the end of part 1 the husband explodes in rage anger and frustation and SEEMS ready to challenge the AWFUL cunt therapist immoral and unethical actions...

But in chapter 2 the husband NEVER does.

or the issue of her depression and the affair... its juicy but its not the BIG isuse... which is why the Wife and the therapist decided AFTER the wife become " healthy not to tell the husband...

again in part 2 of OHIO's story that point is never dealt with. For the wife to say well I have not cheated on yor for the past 3 years and that counts when he didnt know--- is absurd

or WHY she saved the emails> was it out of guilt that the wife wanted to be caught OR that she wanted to keep some part of the great sex she had alive in her memory / heart?

I see this tendency in many of OHIO's stories... and I think it is by design. Dont get me wrong .... if this some sort of tactic It is GOOD one to use.... I will ALWAYS read an Ohio story...

Lastly go back and look at the mis direction in his Best work HOUSE OF CARDS. In the middle chaptrs the husband has a imaginary affair that later becomes sort of real.... to teach the wife a lesson.

This tactic is so controverisal that it becomes the main focus of ALL the feedback. The wife develops a deep sexual VERY intimate sexual affair for the other guy for 8 months... fucks him 2-3 times a week-- and lets the other guy bang her so hard she cant have sex with her own husband on their own wedding anniversary...

the KEY isue is that the wife assert toi her husband ... firends... therapist that the other guys was Just sex and husband was #1 in her life. Yet when the husband confronted her about th affiar the 1s time she lied and talked her way out it.... then kept on seeing the other guy...

And the wife gets away with it scott free. Look at the feedback in the late chapters... The Husband who Never lied about his brief revenge is hated far more than the wife was with her 8 month double life she was leading...

Ya see? the mis direction tactic had all the readers IGNORING the wifes extreme behavior and actions and focusing on what the husband did for a weeks weeks in a honest open manner....

Sorry Ohio, I kept an open mind and wanted to like the story but there was not enough there for me to hang my interest or feeling of involvement. It was as I was afraid plus minus “the formula”.

In addition there were particular draw backs specific to this story, which many readers have pointed out in numerous ways. The biggest two were:

1+2. The misrepresentation of depression and the misrepresentation of therapy and therapists. Depression “as the big responsibility waver” which of course is an obvious categorical confusion. Depression is a mood disorder not a thought disorder. You don’t hallucinate or have delusions. And in general, unless the depression is so severe that you virtually cannot move from bad your character and judgment stay intact. There is nothing that would have prevented the wife from disclosing to the husband at the time what she did. If she open relations with him there is nothing that would have compelled her or obstruct her from acting within her character even if she was depressed. Honest people don’t turn into liars as they become depressed. And with the support of a competent therapist things could have handled without the escalation we have seen here. The whole “dance” with therapy and therapists has been a longstanding source of temptation and to the most part failure for many writers. Why? I could not tell. It almost feels like the attraction of fire to butterflies you want to cry please don’t!!! (But they do…)

3. In addition, there was the familiar fallacy of moral equivalency. The wife would agree to be sorry if husband on the other hand will be also sorry for the way he treated her and made her suffer. Forget cause and effect; forget action and reaction. This is, to put bluntly - just dumb. How can any one with his/her eyes in his/her head accept in earnest this type of moral “equivalency”?

4. The annoyance of the ongoing patronizing tone towards the husband through the story, from both the “therapist and the wife (Others touched on it). It adds injury to insult and shows how deeply these relations are in trouble. To assume that the husband's reactions are just a predictable stage to ‘observe’ from a neutral POV, flies in the face of any existing model of couples or family therapy(Please look back to comment two). At the least, the wife is in it just as the husband. If the sense of trouble; the need to do problem solving and companionship in sharing it is not mutual, then the outcome despite the very sweet ending is typically very short lived.

5. The husband never goes through any process (that we can tell) from a burning with fury man to a happy go lucky, reconciled and eager to be domesticated husband – come again? Few weeks with sun shine and bikinis will do it for you? Ok if you say so…

6. Strangely enough – the case of the wife is the least complicated, and yet despite that, it was missed too. At time of crisis she cheated. She did some things that she should not have done, they were wrong. There were mitigating factors, but they were still wrong. The depression did not do it she did. So taking responsibility admitting it and immediately taking full steps to reassure husband of her total intentions to rededicate herself but with his full knowledge as a full partner that he is would have been the beginning of a long way to potential healing. I could see though how under duress and fear that last decision was not made, and if that was the only mistake which the story explored it would have been a nice story about trust and risk. Unfortunately it tried to bite much more, but landed on a flat plateau of the formulaic cheating wives story. As always I will be waiting for the excellent stories which I am sure will follow.

But HarryinVA's last observation was dead on target. Maybe that is why this story left me with the "BLAHS". Hubby never DID really confront the main issues. They were danced around and misdirected, but it was never addressed. And his comment about the wife's "Well, I have been faithful for the last 3 years" was a bit dead. That is somewhat like saying like saying "Well, sweetie, I haven't crushed your balls in a nutcracker, lately have I?" Had I been thinking I would have asked her "That still doesn't tell me why the fuck you did it to in the first place!"

Good call Harry!

Regards

C

"Depression is a mood disorder not a thought disorder. You don’t hallucinate or have delusions."

I think that sort of summed up everything that is important where this silly notion of "depression" or "clinical depression" nonsense is concerned:

"Depression" or "clinical depression" --- beyond the fact that it is mostly mood thing --- doesn't make a person jump up and down, even via email, about what a fabulous fuck she and her boyfriend just had.

Again, it is a "mood" thing, not a thought disorder. A truly depressed woman, or man, would not say things like, "You know, Teddy, I wanted to quit, I was plannng to quit, after that first time we had sex. But you did it so good, no matter how hard I tried, each and every time we did it, no matter how hard I tried to tell myself it was the last time ---- I could never do it. I love my husband too much and I don't want to lose him; but I also can not stop it. Gosh, fucked so good; the orgasms you gave me, they were out of this world!"

No fuckin' way a clinically depressed woman would be having such clear-headed thinking and THEN blamed it on depression!

If you truly wanted a truly depressed person to talk (and let's assume she was truly "seduced"), it'd sound more like this: "Listen, Teddy, I don't give a shit about you; I don't give a shit about that husband of mine. You can go and shove it, okay?"

SUCH statements WILL TRULY REVEAL to the husband, who stumbles upon them, that the wife WAS TRULY depressed and her thinking --- not just her mood but her thinking and activities --- was BEYOND her control. That she might or might not have engaged in activities, but HER MIND was never clear on what she was doing and HOW HER MIND worked was CAPTURED clearly, solidly, on emails, DURING THOSE MONTHS, REGARDLESS WHOM SHE WAS DEALING WITH, REGARLDESS WHATEVER ACTIVITY SHE WAS DOING!

THAT would indicate an "irrational mind." But NOT one that was seeking ACTIVELY to hide her adultery from her husband and which was on over-drive in EXCITMENT about the meetings and orgasms she had just had with the superior at school.

Ohio and others who write decent stories should really stay away from psychology and psychiatry, subjects they have little or no firm grasp. Stick to more "normal" "reasoning."

E.G: ---- "I fucked up, okay? I thought I was depressed; I thought I would be able to hide it from you. I knew it was a terrible mistake, and yet I did it anyway, thinking I was thinking clearly,,, but in rettrospect, it was OBVIOUSLY not clear thinking.... Please, hit me, torture me, kill me,,, but please, give me a second chance to prove to you I am worthy of your devotion, love, and rspect again..."

To HarryinVA, I hope you enjoy Carmen Electra, as I AM a PhD Psychologist.

On a technical point, one CAN have hallucinations and/or delusions with Major Depression or Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression), although it didn't really sound like the wife was experiencing either. Was she in a vulnerable place? Of course.

Again, it is fascinating that so many get so upset about a fictional character.

Best wishes.

PhD in Ohio

Hi Ohio,

I thought the story overall was great. You did describe the husbands feelings and emotions perfectly. The ending you chose is what you wanted and it was well written, if a bit rushed. As I've said to other authors of the cheating wife stories both here and elsewhere, dont take this personnaly, but the endings are too rushed. The injured party gives in and forgives far too quickly as to be realistic. This was one story where "no happy ending" would've worked out fine. It was your story however and you write whatever you want and I will gladly read it.

Never Give Up,

Grant in Newfoundland.

The comment you made:

...it is fascinating that so many get so upset about a fictional character....

Makes me wonder why you say that as Psychologist. Are you saying that because you don't know why, your a "new" doctor and still find it unique, or after all these years you still find it hard to believe? I mean I really don't find it hard to believe with all I've seen and done because:

A good writer (and no one can dispute that Ohio is just that, whether you agree with the ending of his story or not) can make people 'empathize' with charaters in a story. The major problem is transference. I KNOW if your a Psychologist you know the "Think -vs- Feel" debate.

But to skip that, what is happeing is this Ohio wrote a pretty engrossing piece of writing. When s readers read this story most of them (us) got so wrapped in the character that some folks did tranference (put themselves in the place of the character) or they started to empathize with the main character who they (we) saw as wronged.

The problem with that is once a writer makes you invest something of yourself in the character(s) when you feel they get truely "shafted" (and thats not a medical term) you feel upset, outraged, or cheated.

Like if you were reading a story that got up to the fight between the Hero and the Villain (who killed the Hero's parents just days before) and right as they start to fight, the hero ask if they can get a sandwiche and talk. And during that talk the Hero decides he should share some of the blame in his parents death and that the Villan should have to shoulder the blame on his own. The Villian agrees and the story ends as "They lived Happy ever after". Most readers would feel robbed if the story being written to resolve the building conflict where we hope, and expect, the hero to win the day, but in the the story ends with making you wonder why you read it because you feel the hero was really treated unfair.

And thats what we have here.

And I find it hard to believe that depression like this was used as an excuse to explain it away in the story. Basicly it created a free pass for this character, that everyone in the story used to tell the husband it wasn't her fault. Even people that claim temporary insanity have to show that they were insane in the moment, or moments leading up to that point, where they performed their act. At any time they show planning and forthought, then it's not temporary insanity where they couldn't control their actions.

With all the premeditation and hiding of her actions (with and without her doctor) the story was written in a way that "tried" shifted the blame to be shared between them so that they could get back together. That because of how the husband reacted made him just as bad as her, that since he didn't understand and forgive immediately he was just as wrong. No one could argue that someone seeing a Psychologist, who supposedly was helping her get better, who also decided to have "one last one for the road", then explained lying about the whole thing was for the best, then tore the husband a new one for his reactions to an affair that happened years before he knew it, could claim she didn't know she knew what she was doing was wrong.

There is an old country saying: If your worried that someone may find out what your doing, you don't want to tell anyone because you feel they won't understand, and your taking steps to hide it, there is a good chance what your doing is wrong.

Not to mention the story was written so that the husband got to take SWIFT revenge against the other man and totally ruined his life, but his wife got an automatic out and the most that happened was a few tears.

And as Harry and a few other folks wrote, that was a dancing of the issue of what she did and how the blame was shifted and not addressed.

(^_^)

-Risq

Now that I finished oing down on Carmen Electra... what is the point of your post...???

First you agree with me... when you say that IT can happen in away lke OHIO set up in the story ... but then you said

"... although it didn't really sound like the wife was experiencing either.."

OK fair enough. Glad you agree with me and so many others here that as described it did not seem that the wife was anything close to Bi polar or clinically depressed

Then you seem stunned or surprised that OHIO's sory get such a varied reaction. ....Yet you claim to be PhD Psychologist...??

??????????

Obviously, a theoretical person can have a combination of both mood and thought disorder. It would have made some interesting story. But as we both see, no indication for that here.

As to your question, it’s precisely when you insert into fiction either technical lingo and/or detailed therapeutic protocols, when it could (as it has here) become clear to many readers that there are discrepancies between what they know, or even what they have experienced themselves and the story. My conviction remains - write about what you know. It shows, and then you do your best writing.

"There is an old country saying: If your worried that someone may find out what your doing, you don't want to tell anyone because you feel they won't understand, and your taking steps to hide it, there is a good chance what your doing is wrong."

The only THREE WORDS missing from that nice folksy saying is: "..... there is a good chance THAT YOU KNOW what you['re] doing is wrong."

Any time WE KNOW what we're doing is wrong, deep in our guts, and still go ahead and do them --- but try to take all kinds of precautions as not to get caught, etc. --- we can not turn around and "I didn't really know what I was doing was wrong. I was too depressed. I was too drunk." What-not.

When someone is depressed, they think of SUICIDE, the end of the world, feeling anxiety and attacks, etc.

They do NOT think how great their last fuck was, how many orgasms they had been having with the person they've been cheating with, how they ought to be more careful lest their spouse discover their infidelity, how guilty they feel over it but were powerless to stop, etc.

Don't give me Freudian BS nonsense. Some have no doubt Freud was the greatest psychoanalyst ever lived; others, including some intimate family members, thought he was among one of the biggest quacks out there.

but, again, as also pointed out: We are NOT getting all worked up over a FICTIONAL character. We ARE dissecting a story! a good story, too, at that. it's just that the excuses and "rationale" that author had his main characters say and do are just idiotic and unbelievable, 'tis all.

now, i realize that it's also idiotic to argue idiotic story characters, plot rationales, and dialogues make a story believable. none the less, i will let someone else untie that knot,,,

The whole thing seemed a bit rushed. The husband, realistically, would have experienced much more torment, had detailed, erotic or obscene images in his mind of his wife under another man, her legs spread, giving it to him good. By the same token, we don't know how the wife came to terms with her transgressions. How did she rationalize her betrayal? Was it not betrayal until she recognized it as betrayal? How does a woman explain something like this to a man who has loved her selflessly for so many years? A devoted,loving husband doesn't go through something like this and then have a couple of dinners, a couple of gentle conversations with his cheating wife, do a gut feeling check, and then ride off into the sunset hand in hand occasionally chiding one another. If he was bothered about her having sex with another man, then he would have fixated on that aspect of her affair to a much greater degree. If he was afraid of lies and betrayal, then that aspect would have been of much greater concern to him and he would have found ways to "test" her. Anyway, good basic story line, but rushed, and other than anger, seems to have left out that devastating "discovery of betrayal" emotional experience so many men go through. You know, how can he even look at her since she's had another man's cock in her pussy? How about being so devastated he can't maintain an erection? There are all kinds of things left out, at the expense of the detailed development of conversational psychobabble. Not Ohio's usual quality.

Somehow this story is just another fantasy created by OHIO (i really respect him as a good writer).

Probably, as an individual i would accept his version of the story as years have passed after those emails and screwups.

But, my life would be miserable thinking about whether my wife would be fucking others or not.

The hubby has to be really a very compassionate and open minded guy to accept her fallacy.

If she was really depressed, why was she praising the sex she had. Is her hubby lacking in some way!!! (I would never ever stay with such females) Why did she save the emails??? Lots of questions but no convincing answers.

It is even stupid to think that just being depressed gives the right for any individual to cheat on their partners.

That just shows to what extent they hold the marriage vows or the respect they have for the better half (In such cases, are the partners really the 'BETTER' halves).

Anyway, keep writing OHIO, as you do make a section of the readers reading your type of story excited.

Regards

lwyslv@hotmail.com

Often and here, the issue of a quick close comes to the front comment wise.

The challenge - well not really a challenge but a suggestion is that writers devote as much time and concentration to the closing as the opening. The closing is the desert - the last thing readers remember about the meal and whether their meal out was worth the money (or their time and emotion). The same problem exists in the movies. It is the last time to influence the reader / watcher to be impressed with the writers work. It is a big brick in the walls of respect and credibility for the writer.

The closing problem appears to be that there isn't normally as much action, excitement, or at risk emotion especially when reconciliation unfolds as a likelyhood. Especially when compared to the opening.

Some very good writers and Authors carefully craft their closings with that dilemma in mind & close it in style and emotion but it isn't easy - is it folks.

I also think attention, time and detail left in the writers tank is at low ebb towards the end - it's tough to sustain diligence to the bottom of the hill.

Thats another reason why to applaud many of these writers who work so hard for us to grow their abilities. Thier currency is our applause or constructive comment when we can see a sincere effort to be as good as they can be.

Thanks Author

With Very High Regard

I enjoyed the story but felt it had a rushed ending.

I wish there were "Twelve Step" groups for Authors like you. You are a fine writer and you sweep us readers along on currents so strong, we feel as if we're part of the story. But with this one, you didn't justify the ending. The way you wrote this story made reconciliation possible, but not as fast as you did it. And while I'm NOT a Doctor, you didn't convince me that her e-mails sent to her lover singing the praises of their get-togethers sprang from Depression. You torpedoed that idea yourself when you caused the Husband to get "revenge" on her Lover. Either it was a non-issue (the Affair) or it wasn't. Make up our minds!Also, she seeks an apology? She's never heard of "Cause and Effect"?

Congratulations on another fine story. As a minority voter ,I still think Dan is pathetic wimp who apparently plans on wallowing in his self pity for years. I thought the best part of your story was when Susan blew her top and told him to take his condescending forgiveness and shove it up his ass. As her friend told her,"You've told him over and over how sorry you are, you've grovelled etc and he's still trying to punish you for your ancient affair.Tell him to get lost" I agree with her. 60 year old George

Ohio- not sure why you continue to allow these "wimp husband-reconcillation at any cost" themes prevail but this story's conclusion sucks.

how you can fuck up a good story

Most of your stories are like this. The Husbands get angry, threaten the Lovers, prepare to start life over, and take these lying faithless skanks back. If you're going to do this (and it appears you will, more often than not), then you CAN NOT have the Husbands react as they do. It's like in a bad movie where the Hero get shot in his right arm, and a couple of scenes later, they lift a car with the same arm! Stop listening to Oprah and 60 year old George (who could be Oprah, I guess). He hates men way too much to give you sensible feedback.

Sure, Susan was clinically depressed at the time, but Dan was supportive--She grieved over their loss by having the best sex and orgasms of her life while Dan was just plain miserable. The reconciliation was telegraphed when Dan disappeared and kept tabs on Susan in chapter 1. At the risk of sounding like the other commentors, Dan really wimped out. It would have been a one-chapter story if Dan had simply divorced her and left her for good from the get-go, but it would have been more satisfying. He honored his wedding vows by sticking with her during their time of crisis and not abandoning her, but it's just too much to expect him to keep her after her betrayal. Her depression caused her adultery, but he was emotionally crushed after the accident as well. Susan fucking Teddy was just the straw that broke the camel's back; Add to that her having the best orgasms of her life from Teddy. Dan should have just ditched her and started anew in San Diego alone, depite how much he loved her. His leaving her would not have made Dan a heel; a man's got to have some dignity, even if it leaves him miserable for a time. ohio could have written a happy ending for him in San Diego. Reconciliation need not have been the only solution.

the guys' always saying "I believe you, Susan"???

I believe you were clinically depressed

I believe you were honest on your regret

I believe you were trying to put things back together,

by being faitful for 3 years since I discovered your affair

I believe you love me

I believe I love you

I believe you are great

I believe you are awesome

I believe you are a wonderful person now that you've learned your lessons

I believe you when you say you'd never do it again

One minute he's like:

"I'm gonna tear Teddy's asshole; he fucked you when youre clinically depressed and were very very very vulnerable (taht's BS the idiot has t obelieve), and you EITHER take is side or mine," balah, blah,,,, and the next:

"Hey, honey, we've been having a long discussion here, you want dinner? Thai, Chinese, Greek?"

I mean, WTF!, it don't sound real at all!

I liked it the first time I read the story and I still do. Good prose, good story construction, interesting premise and believable characters.

Excellent fiction this is. This 100's for you, ohio, for a story well-told.

P.S. How do I know it's good? Harry hates it and that's good enough for me.

... thoughts away, it must be good.

I'm very impressed. I don't want discuss the facts like the "anonymusses." The story is well written, not foreseeable and hijacks the reader into another reality.

Thank you and excuse my funny english

Nucleus

It is a pleasure to re-read this very good "technically" written story. However, the end result leaves us feeling that she got away with it pretty easily and hardly any repercussions upon the cheating slut-wife. She gets the "whole cake & ice cream" package without any "significant consequences". If only life was that easy. Too bad, authors like "Incoming" could be allowed to add their distinctive endings to such wimp-husband type stories. Nevertheless, this author is one of the best on this site and we thank the author for their efforts.

It was a great story and evoked a great anger in me againist the wife. This poor guy had his heart ripped out supporting his wife, death of his child and discovers she is playing slap and tickle while this is going on. I don't know how he maintained his sanity after discovering the infidelity.

I wished you had spent more time when the husband confronted the psychologist. She plain and simple fucked up and should have encouraged honesty onto the wife. Many people have secrets they hide, but secrets of this magnitude coming out later really crucify someone and destroy them.

The husband, especially after the outburst should have kicked her to the curb. She is mentally unstable. Why continue to expose yourself to someone like that? There are a lot of loving women in the world.

the fact she cheated and then removed any hint of trust by essentially lying to him all of those years by hiding the affair. No she did not rebuild the trust she destroyed the trust by hiding what she had done. Depression or not a woman still knows the word no. No woman cheats by accident, she intends to cheat. And having cheated once it only becomes easier. This woman destroyed her marriage by adultry, disrespect, infidelity, betrayal, and lying repeatedly for over three years. Nope trash is trash, always throw out the trash.

Did like the style of revenge on arsewipe Teddy (what a sleazebag). Just felt this story was dragged out a little too far, soapie style.

Harry is dead on.

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How can the wife -- or the silly author - claim to be earning trust when he NEVER knew she cheated?

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then at the nd the husband says " I Yes I believe you? " How can he say THAT after all he has been through?

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how does the wife rip him a new arse hole when he decides he wants to try and make the marriage work?

Good story but this "self-centered" slut wife reminds us of certain "professional commentators" - lacking respect and full of bullshit. Amazing the similarites are so true. LOL

Read it again. Still have some issues, but liked his revenge. Do not think her attitude and penitence are still what they should be.

Disturbing, and depressing. Gives men a bad name, now all cheating sluts will start to believe that a man will just forgive & forget, just plead temporary insanity.

This is a well-written story which is different from many cheating wife stories in that Dan accidentally finds out about Susan's cheating several years later. When something bad happens (i.e., the 'finding out'), there is always a chain of events such that the alteration of any event could have prevented the bad outcome. The crisis would not have occurred if the affair never took place, either Ted not hitting on a subordinate or Susan not being receptive to his advances. Other steps included keeping the e-mails on the computer, keeping the old computer lying around, then going out of town on the cruise, etc. Though this chain of events is a series of coincidences, such does happen in real life. I think it takes very good writing talent to think of these things, to coordinate them in a believable way. That said, there are some problems as many have raised in their comments (and there are certainly lots of comments). Firstly, clinical depression results in poor sex drive. Susan's behavior does not fit a clinical depression. Secondly, treatment of clinical depression with antidepressant medication usually results in sexual side effects which include ED for men, loss of libido for women, and difficulty achieving climax for both men and women. It is extremely frustrating if you are a woman and can not reach climax; it becomes a total turn off. High libido (a woman seeking love and support and affection from a man, plus sexual intimacy) is not in the cards. Thirdly, I think Susan was correct in her decision not to reveal the affair. It was over, it wasn't going to recur, she loved her husband . . . certainly an intelligent, educated man like Dan can see that if the mistake had been his, if he had a brief affair, regretted it, and resumed a loving and subsequently faithful relationship with his wife, he would not want to hurt her by telling her, so he should not be angry with Susan for concealing it. He is rightfully pissed off and hurt that it happened once he found out, but he should be understanding that she did not shove it in his face and that she was ashamed of it. But having found out, then what? Suppose there was manslaughter and the event was covered up by the perpetrator but the evidence comes to light two years later. Should the fact that it was a few years in the past excuse the act itself? A prosecutor would file charges whether the event was one week ago or two years ago. I'm not saying that cheating in a marriage is equal to murder but one might argue that there are consequences to an immoral act no matter when it is discovered. But what punishment is appropriate for a crime of the heart as in this story? Dan chose to hurt Susan back by disappearing after leaving the computer evidence of her affair on the table. He could have confronted her initially, yelled at her, published her e-mails, mailed them to her family, had an affair to get even, immediately filed for divorce -- there were numerous options. Who is to say what is wrong or right? It's just a story and the author is writing one way it might play out. But one final thing -- Ted was wrong to seduce Susan, a subordinate -- but how do we know that she did not actually seduce him? All we have is her story. OK, as her superior, he should have known it was wrong, he should have resisted, kept it in his pants, whatever. How many virile young men would turn down an offer from a hot married lady (who will certainly not tell anyone)? I think Ted could have a great defense in court when Susan's e-mails are read into evidence. The fact is, a vice principal is not in a much higher position than a teacher; teachers are well-protected and it is difficult to fire a teacher or even to bring pressure on one. I know this from personal experience. I'm not even certain a vice principal would be prohibited from fraternization with a teacher. They are both employees of the school and I would think dating by mutual consent does not constitute harassment, sexual or otherwise. If blackmail or other coercion is used, that's different, but I'm not sure Dan really could win in court against Ted on the grounds presented in this story. It sounds good, however, and it is certainly more socially acceptable than beating Ted to a pulp!

I don't have a problem with Dan giving her a second chance, but there just wasn't enough there for me to care about either of them enough to get involved with the decision. This chapter seemed a bit rushed and it was a pretty big leap for a therapist to come to the guy's apartment on behalf of a patient (doesn't sound like any doctor's I know). I also didn't care enough about Ted to feel like he deserved what he got. Clinically depressed or not, she was very willing, so for him to get screwed while Susan gets off Scott-free is kind of hollow.

Unlike some of your other stories, this was a little light on the depth of the characters, so I just never felt completely involved. Still a good read and interesting way of approaching it. Plus it's made for some excellent Public Comment reading. :)

for improvement. Personally, I don't think she was made to suffer anywhere near enough...

One of these days when I get slightly older I will be able to reread without remembering the whole story, but since my memory is still reasonably functional I can spend my time savoring the character and plot development. A really great piece of work, Ohio.

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What I can't figure out is why so many of the comentators tell you what a fine creative story this is and what excellent writing you are doing, but then give you a low grade. Perhaps they gave you a better grade on the one to five star scale and considered that "like" means your emotional reaction to the outcome of the story, and not your judgement of the quality of the work. Oh well, but it worries me that a lot of good writers lose their motivation to write because of these critics.

I was feeling a little down tonight and went looking for a good story. You didn't let me down my friend. Great job, thank you for taking the time to write.

My second read was just as great as last year's.Thank you.

I don't like your male character that much. It seems a shitty thing to leave her and then listen by bugging. He should have been straight with her. Also it was a long time ago and she had just lost a child. Nah, she should have divorced him ,he's to sneaky and cowardly for my or any decent persons taste. Cheers Yoron. Otherwise it was competent piece of work :)

I was remnded of this story while I was reading another one by a different author. I came back and re-read this story. As some of the other readers have indicated, I didn't quite understand the husband's need to spy on her after he found the emails. I could understand leaving for awhile but I don't get the bit about hiding it all from the wife. He had her by the short hairs and she was in some serious pain just knowing that her husband knew about her affair. The one thing though that I have changed my mind about since I re-read the story was whether he should have taken her back. I now think that he should have divorced her. At the end of that August, she supposedly came back to him and was going be a faithful wife again. Oh, and by the way, she had just come out of her lover's bed just two days before. It is kind of like a chain smoker saying that they had kicked the habit five minutes after they smoked their last cigarette. Then, the next week she sends her lover an email basically saying that seeing him in the hallway at school was almost more than she can stand. She calls him "baby" and begs him to help her "kick the habit." She may have been sick and depressed, but she was also lovesick for her lover. She chose against her husband one time already. I didn't see enough in the story to indicate that she wouldn't be willing to do that again if the circumstances offered themselves up. Since the husband had ruined the lover's reputation, maybe Teddy's wife would boot him out and Susan would have a chance to get him back. Then she would have it all again. It was a good story though. I always enjoy seeing your work come up on the new list! I hope that you keep writing.

its nice to see a story where some forgiveness is involved. Too many writers go for the jugular and treat the wives inhumanely. I did have a problem in the therapist office when she exploded. Come on, she wanted him back bad and I don't think would have reacted like that.

I seldom do as most cases the situation is such that to take back the wife is probably the worst case scenario. IN this case the Asst Principal deserves all that came his way, he is a predator for real. Known a few that tried to fuck their way thru the entire female staff. Had he found the message when they occurred I would agree he had to divorce her. You can say she was depressed but depression does not take away character, ethics, and morals. The mention was of a person with depression suddenly changing and robbing a bank, interesting. And would the police then send the robber home since he was depressed or would he be tried, convicted, sentenced, and incarcerated? We all know he is still responsible for his actions. She chose to spread her legs and let another man use her, that is the true calling of a wanton slut! And she didnt do it once, she did it over and over when the school was out of session.

followed. No woman fucks without an intent to fuck, end of story, it doesnt matter at all why.

given more ink is her desertion at a time he needed her the very most. I can't imagine the pain he was feeling as he dealt with the loss of children. He lost a future that is built into our very genes.

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During this, the most painful time of his life, not only did he have to bear it alone, he thought he had to bear her pain as well. That's quite a load for any man to try to carry.

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I can understand her impulse to avoid the pain with an affair... which would have ended the marriage if he'd discovered it at the time. The betrayal would have been too great.

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Still, what makes this story so great is that ohio was able to show the "out of sync" aspect. I think the wife's explosion at his "forgiveness" was right on. It's human, and in her inner soul she had to believe that, by her action, she'd "earned" a second chance. That's not rational, just human. She had put her husband feelings above her own (by sparing him pain of her cheating) and she'd done all she could to atone for her loss of sanity.

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Divorce is always justified in the case of adultery, but it is not required. I feel so sorry for those who read these stories and refuse to accept that one of the things that makes humans different from all other species is that not only can we choice what sort of person we wish to be, we also have the ability to change into that person. "Once a cheater, always a cheater" is 100% true... unless the cheater makes the choice not to be a cheater.

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The same is true for those here who can not forgive, they can make the choice not to let the past rule their lives, they can choose to release the anger and the need for vengeance. I hope for their own sake they will. That doesn't mean they have to accept bad behavior, it just means they don't have to let the bad behavior of other rule their life.

OK. I'm not usually sympathetic to adulterers but Susan was literally not in her right mind, and Teddy was just the piece of shit who took advantage of Susan's vulnerability after her tragic accident. Teddy's act was CRIMINAL sexual harassment with CRIMINAL INTENT. In reality, it's highly likely that a couple who loses a child will drift apart because they can't look at each other without feeling the painful loss of their child. It pisses me off when the cheating wife in these stories is so retarded even 'long after the fact' that they insist their husbands "leave him (the other man, Teddy) out of it!" BULLSHIT! Teddy acted CRIMINALLY with MALICIOUS INTENT AGAINST THEIR MARRIAGE in order to get some ass. Susan should have been 100% supportive of her husband's wish for revenge because TEDDY MALICIOUSLY AND INTENTIONALLY ATTACKED SUSAN AND HER HUSBAND, but as per usual she was slow to accept that point. GRRRRRRRRRRR. She came around in the end thank goodness as she signed the affidavit. Great work on introducing readers to the concept of couples being 'out of sync'. Very insightful and useful stuff. Thank you.

at the lengthy, novel like comments by the readers. Everybody is an expert of what Ohio should have done with his characters. How about this for thought. It's a story written for your entertainment. Where you entertained? Must have been, given the feedback. I liked the story, because it kept me entertained and reading. Great job author, love your work. <p>The same critics that mouthed off back in 2006 are still here, mouthing off the same old tired bullshit. Over and over, like a broken record. But I've yet to read a single story from the self acclaimed critics. Wonder why? ML

Very realistic, very well written, love the ending. Love conquers all. Affairs and one-night stands are enevitable in all marriages. Love is what holds a marriage together. Men just get really pissed when it is "their" wife getting both sexual and loving attention on the side. At least for women it usually involves an emotional reason for them to cheat. For men it is just a little extra nooky... Something they can brag about to their buddies! Oh how the big and bad cavemen roar and thunder mightily when they comment!

Why when people have tragedies do they turn away from those that love them in the first place. It is said in the story she was not in her right mind. Ok but how does that explain her going out and fucking someone else and having a great time and being home with her husband and abandoning him. I have news for you, if that happened in my home the wife would not be going to work, especially to teach, if she was not in her right mind. But as I recall she broke up with him in August and had a three month affair. That means it probably started after school ended. So how did she make her self available to lover boy, call him on the phone and suggest a meeting? Nope I can see them working out their pain with each other but I dont see him ever going back to her. As he said, the last two years of their marriage was a lie...that says it all.

I gave you a hundred earlier, but after re-reading I feel compelled to balance the score with "double ott." No matter how well written, wimp stories should always receive low scores as it is a form of male bashing. Love and forgiveness is a far cry from being just plain stupid idiot, which is how Dan comes across.

At last someone with the balls to put a name to their stupid comments!

I quote,

"I gave you a hundred earlier, but after re-reading I feel compelled to balance the score with "double ott." No matter how well written, wimp stories should always receive low scores as it is a form of male bashing."

How fucking stupid can you get, to give a story top marks, then realise you shouldn't have enjoyed it because you are really a big butch man, so you creep back and give it 0!

This so typical of the idiots who lurk around here offering nothing but stupid comments.

I will remain Anon as I do write here and I want to avoid the stream of low votes that always follow any comments by those same idiots!

Pretty tight story line if you know anything about depression. It's not only a mental state but it affects your whole physiology. Ohio explained it rather well, how she associated the mental pain of losing her unborn child and her ability to ever have children again with her husband. Making her repulsed by her husband. It's not logical but it does happen frequently and not only with depressed people. The person is not even aware of why they are repulsed. Haven't you ever just looked at a person and just didn't like them and not know why. Of course, most people don't even ask why. Throw in one lecherous person that has no qualms about taking advantage of a vulnerable person, knowing exactly what buttons to push and voila' one victim and one sex offender. The only thing I would have changed is their last conversation, when she asked if he was sorry for asking her to come out here with him? He replies, "No, (with a big grin), because whenever I start to get angry I know that you have what it takes to make me happy. So, Mrs. Flood why don't you bring that tight sweet ass over here or do I have to chase you down and wrestle you for it." Now that's a happy ending.

mroal or ethical decisions without taking her back. She cheated, she lied, she deceived, she betrayed, she placed him in harms way. Nothing will ever change that. You dont trash back in the house, you throw it out and get new. In reality, Kim would make a better wife for him, laffs.

the story has a flaw. Dr. B, Diane and Susan all assume that Susan made a reasonable decision not to tell Dan of the affair because she wanted the marriage to go on and she didn't want to hurt him. Included in that assumption is that she had the right to make that decision. She had broken the bond of honesty and loyalty that are at the heart of a marriage. She no longer had the right to decide whether the marriage should go on. Dan had that right. He had the right to know and she had the duty to tell him. Without knowing the truth he could not make the decision as to whether to stay in the marriage. At that point the decision was his right and his alone. Some mental health issues excuse wrong conduct but, in view of the fact that Susan otherwise functioned, had an affair that clearly excited her, that she planned and that she did not seem to be a merely passive, depressed automaton that was incapable of conscious decision-making action, the depression might have been somewhat mitigating but it just wasn't enough to excuse the affair...especially when her husband tried so hard to be her support. But then again as humans we are all imperfect. And that even extends to Ohio's stories...although not too much. Thanks Ohio. I have learned from all of your stories.

without reading comments from others. First, I understand her comments about not salving her own conscience, by revealing her destructive behavior to her husband. His response, on the other hand, was one that your average, walking around, betrayed husband, I firmly believe, just would not have made. When he read the e-mails, he should have had his lawyer draw up the divorce papers, and start his law suits against the administrator and the school board. He should have set her shit out into the street and had a process server meet her at the door. SLASH AND BURN, you bet! Wimp out? Ain't no fucking way! Thanks for your work. Like it or not, it was done with excellence.

There seems to be an impatience for Dan to "get over it". Let me recast the circumstances a bit. Let's say that instead of an affair Susan had a hormonal imbalance and stabbed Dan and almost killed him. He ends up in hospital and a long rehab. In the meantime Susan is OK now and is impatient that Dan is not fully healed. Her friend is saying she has a right to be upset about his long absence. Susan is the one who did massive damage and now is upset that the result of her action is taking a long time to get fixed up. Well, Boo Hoo for her. Next, we get this nice little theory that since Susan was depressed her responsibility for her affair is lessened and in the end should be forgiven. She couldn't help herself, right? Well, Dan is in the same boat. He has been delivered a huge emotional shock. He is not really able to control how he reacts either. In many ways he is probably suffering some psychological deficit as well. Where's the free pass and forgiveness for Dan? Finally, his wife lied to him and continued to lie for 2 years. Susan and the good doctor decided (yes, the doctor decided and I'm sure Susan KNEW she did) that it would be OK to leave that lie in place. The problem is, just like for the affair, Dan was left out of consideration. It was obvious he would be upset by the affair. But how would he feel about being deceived? If Susan was being honest she should have realized he would be as angry about the deception as the sex. She, of course, did not want to consider that because it would have required her to fess up. The good doctor facilitated that blindness and her choice to remain a liar. This is not my story so it could be written as the author wants. My problem is that these points I have raised are used to justify Susan's behavior. I don't think they hold up to scrutiny.