All Comments on 'F5: Desperate Times and Measures'

A six-pager racking up 9 straight 5 votes coming out of the gate but with no comments or favorites. I think I smell fish. One could play the game of "One Is Not Like the Others" with this one.

This is a trip through heartbreak and back in a beautiful setting. I loved this.

I find myself torn on stories like this. I think the husband was a jerk, although he did apologize himself, so that counts. And it was well-written. Hmmm. Nice use of the first sentence, too. Recurring but not hitting the reader over the head.

This was a good story. Believable in detailing the initial demise of the marriage. If the reconciliation was fanciful, at least it seemed plausible and internally consistent. You did a good job showing how much Dan was hurt by Sandy's actions, and how long it takes for him to forgive her and accept he really loves her and needs her in his life.

BUT, I do have one big problem.

Having Dan stick the playboy with the knife, in my opinion, really takes away from the story. I feel you wanted readers to feel for Dan and identify with him, so why make him an attempted murderer? It's also weird how Sandy and the kids seem to completely gloss over that fact. Yes, I'm sure they love Dan, but at the same time it doesn't make sense to have them basically ignore he damn near killed a guy. It makes him a lot less likable than he should be. I feel you could have accomplished the same thing by just having Dan punch the guy in the face instead. It would still be believable that he'd want to live in Belize and really get away from everything to start a new life instead of having the additional complication of such serious charges.

Maybe it's just me, but it's too bad, really, that one poor decision tarnishes what really is a well-written work.

Where your story really sang was the details of Dan's life in Belize. I have family in Central America, and it put me right back there. From just a few details, you brought the secondary characters to bold life. I could see David and his daughter making fish and I definitely know a Manolo and a Chainsaw Eddie. That part of your story was exceptional. Unfortunately, I made an assumption on page 2 that so strongly colored my perception of the rest of the story that I was legitimately surprised to get to the end and find out it hadn't happened.

I thought for *certain* that Dan's interactions with Sandy in Belize were hallucinations. The conversations they were having about the end of their marriage were him working out why his beloved wife of 20+ years would cheat on him. I also thought his connections with his daughters were his hallucinations/wishful thinking of what his life would be like. When Sandy appeared with the bloodstained handkerchief, book, and attempted murder weapon, I convinced myself for a while that Dan had killed her and was reconciling with her ghost. I thought the end of the story would figuratively pan back and show that he had been lovingly building this amazing jungle retreat for guests who were never going to come and the helpful Belizeans were only too happy to help him spend the money.

Maybe I've been reading so many of the darker FAWC offerings that it's put me too much in that frame of mind, but I don't think that's entirely it. I have to agree with drteetho, I think the reaction to the fact that he gut-stabbed a guy and left him for dead before becoming an international fugitive from justice was what took me so far out of the narrative that I reconstructed it in my head to make it fit. Or Sandy disappearing for months in Belize without contacting anyone - Dan's girls didn't even mention to him in their weekly calls that they hadn't heard from her? I thought Sandy's extreme contrition versus his was also unbalanced, considering his characterization at the beginning of the story and the fact that he revenge-fucked the housekeeper while Sandy was standing on the front porch. All together, it adds up to reading credibly enough to me for the rest of the story like a fantasy of reconciliation rather than the real thing.

I think I'm going to have to come back and read this with fresh eyes after a few days so I get that unfortunate "Sixth Sense" assumption out of my head.

You are a masterful story teller and, as such, made this a good story despite the fact that I disliked both the main characters. For me, Dan's journey was very much undermined by the fact that he stabbed a man with no proof of any wrongdoing and, at the end, still thinks the guy deserved it. To my taste, there was a bit too much psycho-analysis that rushed the character development. I found the story detail luscious and I'd like the recipe for that fish! I think you made great use of the first line and carried it through the story to great effect.

Not my cup of LW tea, but quite well written. His anger felt a bit rushed. I also didn't buy the need to stab the guy, but it did set up the need to leave and stay out of the country.

I think I will just ditto everyone else's comments its was a great story, very entertaining :)

The title is VERY apt. Like Ellie, I'm hesitant to repeat what others have said. The knifing in particular. However, kudos for a full bodied story instead of a little snippet!

It's hard for me to take it all in and put it right here. It was quite a long tale. Looking back I have a lot of mixed feelings about the story, though to start I thought this was incredibly well written, a good concept, and a really plausible trip through the themes you presented.

I tasted that anger you used at the beginning of the story from Dan. That was really good. And honestly? This has nothing to do with any morbidity or anything like that, bit I loved that you had Dan stab Mr. Playboy. That was such an asshole move, such an irrational and impulsive thing for him to do. Sorta made you hate him a bit. That was actually awesome. To me, it set it apart from what otherwise woulda just been a mundane same ole start to a cheating story. It was kind of a shocker, but equally plausible. I also liked the little freak out Sandy had when that book started to burn. It was a simple but powerful little moment. She's frozen in shock from being confronted by Dan, then clawing at the flames for fear of losing it all. So for me, great opening.

I liked how you took the items from the sentence and used them. Very fitting. A guy thst carries a hanky, and even offered one to the guy he just stabbed. The decorative knife was one that looked so familiar. Most powerfully symbolic was that book. Seems like that burned book resembled the entire story, and the struggle of this family.

I do love how the story progressed. The slow build up with Sandy gently prodding her way back. Their struggle to forgive each other. I liked the touches with David and DeeDee. You really gave life to this setting. It really is a heartfelt love story full of revenge and reconciliation, rebuilding (literally too), and forgiveness. Everything was basically right in place.

Technically speaking the story is pretty perfect, so I guess the only issues I have are really just my issues. My personal preferences. I was enjoying the story, but as it went along it got a little bit predictable, just in where it was going. It also started to crawl for me. The pacing was right, even in those areas where Dan was building this or that or talking about expats or whatever was happening. The slow rebuild was actually symbolic of the family building themselves anew and putting the past behind. So it fit, but honestly it still kinda lost my interest a bit here and there. Like I already knew where things were going to go so it lost a bit of the... I dunno excitement? Like a lot of the time I was reading things and wanting it to get there already.

The sex was tender and sweet where needed (the end bit). Though I admit it didn't really "turn me on" or anything. Actually, the two of them made me want to blush and close my browser and let them have their privacy. So... take that as you will. :) But, aye, a little short in supply on the erotic for my tastes.

All in all, this was a good journey through this couple and family's hardships. Parts of this tale lost my interest or attention, or just weren't my thing. Even so, it was a great story of love, through every twist and spin and turn, every climb and fall. I liked yoir shocking and powerful start, and admired the slow emotional build to something new snd beautiful.

Great Job. Good Luck in the contest.

This was the second story I read. It's one of the last for me to comment on. I've been letting it stew. I read it again just now. Now flavors, different textures, a different day. Same story.

*sigh*

I had a professor once, rather famous fellow with several acclaimed books under his belt, that once put forth that a story could be nearly anything, so long as that thing changed or adapted. I've always thought it was bullshit. Everything's a story. Everything. Not changing can be a very interesting story. Bartleby the Scrivener comes to mind. Melville aside, however, change is definitely as good a way as any to dictate what is and isn't a story.

This is certainly a story.

No work in this competition manages to showcase the kind of change that this one does. And it's not even close. There is a fullness in this tale that is lacking in the others. It's richer, deeper, more complete, than even "The True Oracle", which was almost an exercise in world-building. This story manages this with superior dynamic shifts in location and, more importantly, emotion.

Emotion is everything in writing--evoking it, conveying it. Without emotion, you're just a good describer, not a writer. In the beginning, this story is heart-wrenching, in a true, awful, bring-out-your-dead kind of way that anyone who has ever been divorced or fallen from love can immediately identify with. It's that scene from your life when you're looking at this stranger that was once your best friend and lover and their eyes are so foreign to you, and you want to kiss them, or shake them, or smash their fucking head in with a rock. You depicted that marvelously. It gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Of all the dark, wicked, stories in this competition, it was that scene that disquieted me the most. Real life is always more frightening than fiction. You conjured my ghosts. Kudos....bastard. :)

Then we shift gears. You let your fingers stretch a little bit, and show off the ole' writin' prowess. Great descriptions, clever sentences, top-shelf stuff, all of it handled with the kind of grace and pacing that only comes from being supremely comfortable with ones own ability. There are passages here, that just tumble along, shaped in just the right way, given just the right pressure, that most will never be able to ape, regardless of how much they try. No need to go on about that. You can write a sentence. I'm sure you're aware.

The middle portion is tension, conflict. The stabbing was easy, happened so fast we didn't even notice. This isn't man vs man. The struggle here is against ego, against self, the fight to love again, more exactly, to admit that one never stopped. It's an awful thing, to love someone you hate, to be hated by someone you love. Makes you stupid. Childish.

"Papa says that you are two foolish people. That you need to kiss and makeup, before it gets cold." Indeed, and not just dinner.

Then, when hope has inched along just enough, we get the reconciliation, and it's so satisfying because of what we have witnessed and what we have all been through. Haven't we all wished that? To start again, somewhere new, where our problems are a thousand miles away, a place where no one knows our past failures? For these two, that paradise exists. It is a land literally built for them. A new life, sectioned and labelled. And it's as warm and glorious as a Central American summer.

Now...what I didn't like.

Let's talk about the stabbing. I don't need lovable characters, or even likable ones. I want people, real and raw and unfiltered. Still, I couldn't help but feel like this reaction was..pathetic, especially after we learn everything. Combined with the fact that the onus for ever misstep is placed on the woman (granted, this is from the man's point of view, but she doesn't do a lot of arguing) gives the story, at times, a misogynistic vibe that I really didn't like. I know that this doesn't mean it expresses your feelings as an author, but it kind of turned me off. It made Dan seem not unlikable or unsympathetic, but uninteresting. Here was this complicated, fascinating man, who, every once in a while, would just seem like an ignorant, socially backward caveman. The story was so well-written that I was able to brush past it. But every time I came up against it, it gave me a bad taste in my mouth. And it comes up quite often.

Which brings me to my next issue: this story is probably a bit too long. As a lover of all things insightful, clever, introspective, and emotional, I have to say that there was likely a bit too much of that here. Too much thinking in spots, and God do I love thinking. And it's all good quality stuff, but ultimately unnecessary. With diligence, I bet you could have pruned out a page of understated, eyes-narrowed against the sun, Hemingway in Belize-esque contemplation. Having said that, I enjoyed every bit of it.

In closing, this was a damn good story. Does it deserve the ranking that it has? I'm not sure. It's damn good, and well above the vast majority of the others in so, so many ways--a different league, really--but it isn't without flaw. But with only a 1-5 rating, there is little choice but to give this a 5, for quality of the writing and scope alone.

It was a masterclass on how to handle emotion in an erotic story. Thank you for sharing it.

I don't think I have read a bad story of yours, in fact I know I haven't. You tapped into to some pain that I related to in many ways and were able to force me to abandon my dislike of a couple who kept tearing one another down and route for love. Well done, and I hope to continue to see more of your work

I too was very upset with that scene; for crying out loud, a CAKE knife?! If someone goes after my wife (and life!) I can guarantee at least a 9 inch Bowie. And what's with the poke and go. Obviously you didn't intend to kill him; so why didn't you at least take out a knee and mess up his face. I'll bet that motherfucker was after another man's wife inside of six months. Please please pay no attention to the meddling liberal do-gooders that are scared shitless of the idea that the people they're always fucking with would actually take responsiblity for their lives and defend their rights.

Welcome back from your self imposed, or life imposed absence. A Great story and now just waiting for "It Was Only a Blowjob" to get finished. Glad you're back writing again.

A well written story, although sometimes a little rambling; I find the American male phsyquie a little peculiar, if the way you write about it is to be believed. Never the less it makes for a good story. Well done

Enjoyable read. Perhaps a tad too long and drawn out at points. I had difficultly believing or understanding why he believed she never really cheated. She may not have consummated the physical act, but she cheated in every other way possible and his initial response of never being able to trust her would have held true. And ambushing him by moving down next to him, creating liars out of David and Manolo would not have sat well. I don't see him taking her back. And I would have fired Manolo for starting to cut a road between the two properties without talking to him first. A nice reconciliation story that I just couldn't accept.

Then things geared down to purposeful healing pace, only to ratchet up again to a transcendent flourish of an ending. This story is sooo favorited. Better believe that.

Excellent use of the first line of the story. It was creative and a recurring theme.

The overriding theme of the persistence of this couples love felt a bit like "The Notebook". It's fine if that's what you're going for. It gives the story more of a fantasy feel than a gritty realistic feel.

Overall, excellent writing as always. I felt for the character which is the important thing and makes the story enjoyable. Welcome back.

Perhaps it was a little drawn out, but this story had a bit of heart (not much sexy-time though). It's good to have you back writing.

Although I am a btb fan. Raac with right remorse and consequences dealt out toward to the offender. Is appropriate at times like this one

Good story

Sorry, I am originally from Mass and was talking to an old friend and she kept saying things were wicked good and it all came back to me.

Dude, this is one stupid good story. I can see all of it happening without a single unbelievable word in the whole thing. Thanks for writing it and posting it for us to read. Wish you'd do more cause I am almost through all your stories.

Peace out man.

-=zg=-

I agree with most comments about the knive and the stabbing. However the body and end were great. I just got through with TMTL, and did not like it. This story reinforces my belief in your story telling talents.

Just read this one. This is one of your great stories. Thank you for it.

Points in no particular order...

His stabbing of "swarmy bastard" - this actually isn't a stretch. He had no reason to not believe that this man had been instrumental in the loss of the thing he held most dear - the love of his wife. It's a good thing that he still SERIOUSLY loved her or he might have done something radical to her as well.

Perhaps though, it's the fact that he COULDN'T hurt her that made it so easy to stab the bastard - someone had to be hurt for what was done to him and them.

***

Her "I did it because I could" - my wife has often spent money we could ill-afford even after we seriously discussed the reason for that. And the obvious reason though maybe never directly stated by her...? "Because she could." I'm sure she knew no matter how angry I'd get over it, I'd forgive her. Is it that big of a stretch to think a spouse would forgive you for something they couldn't prove you did...?

The only thing about it that really irks me is even if he couldn't prove she cheated on him and would forgive her for the behavior she HAD engaged in - she had to KNOW he was hurting by what she was doing... and yet she continued to do it. Where was HER love for HIM during that time...? Knowingly hurting him...

****

Him having sex with Gabrielle - I don't believe he had sex with her when Sandy was there as a revenge fuck. He'd been building himself a structured life because that was what it was taking for him to survive - and really, that was all he was doing.

Sandy showing up was a glitch but since he had no reason to believe anything had changed since the last he had seen her, he needed his structure to continue.

Unfortunately (for his sake OF structure) her being hurt still had the capacity to get THROUGH his structure.

***

His apologizing to her because HE "cheated" and SHE didn't...?? - that was just him having to ignore a fact so he was more readily able to reconnect with her.

That fact being - the ONLY reason she hadn't cheated the last he knew was because HE stopped it. She was GOING to cheat. How close could she have gotten without actually having sex before he WOULD have considered her as having cheated: being at the other guy's house? being naked in his bedroom? laying on his bed naked? his dick an inch from entering her...?

No, he cheated - fine... but her plan to is as good as her having done it too.

***

Oh, I'm a romantic so am glad they worked it out... but I'd have preferred more honesty in what they both know what counted against both of them.

Congrats. This story was perfect. Five out of five. I don't give out a lot of fives. It is the perfect combination of BTB middle and RAAC ending. I think that is my favourite combination. You are a very good writer. The emotions were powerful. The characters believable. There was a lot of detail about their lives outside their relationship situation which I think makes for a better story. I am going to have to read more of your stories now that I have read Ohio's entire stock.

This is not RAAC, a true RAAC is when the one that broke the relationship is taken back without any real remorse or penance or change on their part.

Had he taken her back when she could not even give him an explanation of why she did it then it would have been RAAC.

the "why" she did it is clear enough, still for those who skimmed, she did it because her identity was lost hence she wanted to have an affair.

but finally i got a real reason rather a please forgive me am sorry, may not reduce the hurt but atleast its honest & logical.

I like reconciliation as long as it is done in a believable way and the husband does not turn into an absolute wimp. The narrative and dialogue are well written, well done. Will read more of yours.

regarding his "cheating". he had been gone from their home and marriage for nearly 2 years. she is the one who emotionally left him and their home. he brought gabrielle into his life long after the marriage had been killed by a woman he no longer knew to be his wife.

I don;t know. he told at the party he knew what was going on, and she still followed through. That chick was dumb, and humiliating him at the same time. She finally wised up, but too much had happened. too much disrespect

I have to admit that I didn't want to stop reading until I found out what happened! I usually read a story or two then move on to something else but this one had me captivated! Well done! Oh and I also agree that although technically he cheated on his wife, he wasn't even sure they were married anymore. I understood what he was saying when he didn't want to change his routine just because she found him. That said, damn! I am an asshole sometimes but wouldn't have been able to screw the cleaning woman with my (possibly ex-)wife just outside, waiting for me! That was about as low down and dirty as her getting dressed up to go screw that young guy!

There were only a few details that needed clearing up. What ever happened to their supposed friends who covered for her? It stands to reason that they were persona non grata after the party. How his pouring the beer all over the carpet and basically calling the guys wife a slut and him a cuckold wimp didn't serve as a wake up to her I don't understand. How exactly did she know that he could go back if she stopped seeing shithead? Had he told the children about what happened or had his wife? What were their reactions I wonder.

One last thing, since he put the album to burn, he should have or could have told her "why are you saving it, the marriage means nothing to you anyway since you've torched it, and I am gone so let it burn!".

Still overall, it was one of your better stories. Thanks for the offering....

i really enjoy your writing.

till your past and present catches up in the future. TK U MLJ LV NV

'people next store'

Shouldn't that be 'people next door'?

Not the only story I've seen that in, so is that a common speech to text glitch?

better than a many of stories on here.... Really good. Thanks very much, TTT.

once I got into it ,realized I had read before.

Why did a hermit have two chairs

Why did he give her a beer

Why did he buy her lunch

Why did you not tell how she found him.

Empty

Why have I not read this before? 5* Can't wait for your next effort: 'The can of Spam was tipped on its side'. Begin writing your story......

This was as good a read the second time as the first. (another 5)

I wish I had that ability. Thanks for another excellent tale.

we all make misakes, your story has wishing we could get the good ending

Always a tough question to answer because the more pressure you put on the

question the uglier the replies get. Perhaps in the end a brain tumour would be a better explanation. She did seem a bit young for the big A.

He's living a hermit but has two chairs. How did she find him. Why did he buy her a meal. Why did he owe her and apology for living his life as normal when she barges in on him. He start out ok and you turn him into a damp wimp!

.

Really liked the story, until she comes back into the picture, then he goes from being a man to a cuck.

Believing that after 6 months she hadn't slept with him or anyone else, is just plain stupid.

She destroys his life in his country of birth and he just takes her back!

Taken in total this was a we'll written, entertaining, and enjoyable yarn.

Too Long. Too much of a fantasy. I realize that people do things because "they can" but that is not an excuse for stupidity. I also realize that, once a break occurs, it should be irrevocable.

Other than that: well written but too long.

Thanks for posting!

Loved this, keep on writing. 5+*

Aside from me teaching him where to put the knife a little more effectively (quite a bit lower but the S.O.B. would still survive), I wouldn't change a bit of this.

I understand how he could get so much done. I've been in the same mental state in my past. (I just wish I could capture that kind of energy now.)

Thanks for writing this. Please keep writing more of these thought provoking stories.

J

"Too Long. Too much of a fantasy. I realize that people do things because "they can" but that is not an excuse for stupidity. I also realize that, once a break occurs, it should be irrevocable."

In YOUR opinion, obviously not in the eyes of many other readers.

Perhaps you'd prefer to limit stories to 140 characters or less because you're too poor to pay attention.

So I guess Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and pretty much anything Disney has ever done doesn't sit well with you either because they are too fantastical?

Just exactly "what" would you consider an acceptable excuse for stupidity?

Just because YOU "realize" something, that does not mean that works for everyone. My wife of nearly 22 years and I went through a terrible period about 10 years ago. We were separated and in divorce court. Only by an incredibly "stupid" but well intentioned act on my part did we get back together and our marriage is stronger now than ever.

I loved it! Well written. Read easily. Likable characters, even an almost cheating wife. A 5 Star Rating.

the loveliest stories on Literotica. Should be a 10 star

The part that I did not feel complete about? Yes, the stabbing - but that also made the relocation to SOTB necessary, and put the protagonist in limbo...

The female leads' run through the countryside - can't have been idyllic. What soul searing things happened there?

Yes, yes - I know... "people were so kind"... but self destructive impulses meeting poor/different country/culture ain't a good recipe.

Green - something

Man can this guy write! This is what we look for stories to do for us. And the stab moment was strong, was understandable and disposable in his frame at the time. Ratcheted up a bunch of notches right there in that moment, and made it for the story to take it's course.

timeandtide

I hated the hatred at the start but it became a beautiful story and now I'm weeping.

Well written and composed.

Wish I had a beach resort in Belize, with a woman I loved.

Every once in a while you find a story this fine. Real characters dealing with life changing problems. Well done Tex. Five stars, wish I could make it ten.

Well told and well written. I have my qualms about certain aspects of the story but it was really good overall. I have a lot more positive view of Sandy than Dan. Sure she screwed up once and had to be shocked out of it but it was a somewhat understandable point in life, all of the psycho babble wasn't so off center. Have to like Dan, a man of his own mind who wasn't about to put up with it. Once Sandy saw the light and went through hell to find him and apologize over and over, I thought Dan was way out of bounds. Oh well, all's well that ends well huh.

If you look at page 1 and read about Dan's strong reactions to Sandy's dalliance, it is hard to believe that she would have continued to go ahead with the planned assignation while thinking she would get away with it. So I find this part of the story unconvincing. It is still a good and well written story and I gave it 5 stars.

Hate cheaters. Sandy did everything but fuck the guy so she cheated. I find it hard to forgive or forget that she would disrespect him like that and believe she'd never do it again. She cheated because she wanted to and could. Move on bro. It would have been great to hear about the asshole maybe having to use a colostomy bag for the rest of his life after being gut stabbed.

.

Great story, do not know how I missed it, a lovely romance

Scores 5/5

Loved it

Good story and with a believable reconciliation. Didn't do like some stories unfortunately do "we hate each other but now we sex, everything is OK". Its hard work to put the painful past behind you and you showed that. 5 star story.

Loved it

WTF??? Infidelity only occurs when there's sex? Was there a memo?

Excellent, 5 stars!

Excellent read, bloody moving me to tears as well.

5* = Love It. This 5* = One of the Best. Awesome Story.

This is fantastic! Your main characters were interesting. You developed their characters extremely well. They were domineering, and they were shy. They were demanding, and they were forgiving. This is real forgiveness, soul deep, and not just people mouthing some words. They gave up on each other, but they never gave in to the sinister attraction of divorce. They kept their wedding rings, and always wore them -- A.K.A. they never really gave up on their marriage, family, or each other. Thank you for the great read.

Why is he back with that miserable, lying bitch?

awesome story. liked: Sanda's 2 psychologists stupid, wrong reasons and that she realized they were stupid. Didn't quite understand where he got all the $ to add things to his compound, but good story part. He should hire David for a big picnic lunch for Manalo and all his helpers as a HUGE thank you for what they did.

Gave it 3. He went too far with the sex with the house cleaner. His wife should beaten the sh## out of him.

What lukeshort said.

2nd reading for me and it's still such a good story

Tex is one of my favorite authors on here and has that (difficult) ability to write a believable, wonderful, reconciliation story. They both messed up and hurt the one they were supposed to live beyond all others. One a physical cheat, the other an emotional. Well done.

Well written, but still just a pathetic cuck story!

To the last anonymous, how in the world do you get "cuck story" out of this? She was in an emotional affair with someone who ended up with a knife buried in his gut. Planted there by the guy you're calling a cuck. Seems like Dan is the polar opposite of a cuck. He took no shit from either of them. Good man! While I am not a proponent of reconciliation, I find this one acceptable.

Page 2

Probably should have had a native girlfriend by then to run his wife off.

[14.04.23]

Excellent tale!

11/10!!!!!

Great story. Long but touching.

"Can I come home, Dan?" she whispered.

After all we'd been through, the hurt, the turmoil, I thought the decision would be harder than it was. Maybe it should have been, but I knew in my heart there was only one real solution. My life was empty without her. I'd loved her most of my life, and didn't want to spend any more time apart. She'd screwed up, badly, and it had cost us. In some ways, my response had been even worse. But that was our past, and if I ever hoped to by happy again, I needed to put that behind me.

"I think it's about time, don't you?"

=====> damn. That was a great story. Liked how it distilled all the psycho babble to that she thought she risked nothing as she thought she coukd get away with it m, being bad once, just one time, as it grew like a weed of obsession in her mind. She was certain he wouldn't know for sure and even if he did he woukd forgive her. She was wrong. He tried one last ditch effort that failed. The book burning was amazing and her reaction. His then using the knife to stab the asshole and flee was amazing to read. His forced expat exile, the evolution of her visits. Her laying bare her real answer to hsi asking why. As an aside, suspect that she was depressed by virtue of her kids leaving and the hormonal change. But in the midst of her depression and distancing herself, she came up with a mental lifeline of being bad once, cheating once with the asshole Nathan who pursued and flirted with her. It became an obsession, a form of temporary insanity, as if she did this one thing, she would get it out of her system , this need to be bad, just once, hence why no real cheating occurred prior to that fateful night. Essentially she built this obsessionnin her mind as rhe thing that would lift her out of depression dn bring her back to her husband who she had been avoiding out of guilt and anger, mostly at herself but reflected back on him. Depression can lead to some strange things. She didn't realize she was in fact committing marital suicide. He stopped her but paid a high price. But really each visit, then his kids and the subsequent reconciliation was wonderfully paced and kept changing. First she made contact and begged but didn't know why. Then she went through her almost insane catharsis. See again she was so depressed, she just ran. It became her new obsession to punish herself, hoping some answer woukd arise. This is what she does when depressed. Earlier it had been her running away from her life and marriage to then figure out what she thought was her need to be bad. Now she was running (literally) to kill herself or get an answer. With the help of kindness of strangers, especially Marta, she came back with the answer, though hard to swallow. He still couldn't accept it. To him, though he did some crazy things, he was being rational, well except when he screwed the housekeeper with his wife on the porch. That sucked. She didn't deserve that. The other timed he screwed Gabrielle, he gets a pass because of what happened to dismantle his marriage and his life in exile. Technically adultery but that is splitting hairs. But that one time. Wow that was spiteful and mean and he caught hell from his daughters and rightfully so. Then she brings him his daughters and he had a great time. But unknowingly she made arrangements and moved down To be his neighbor, knowing that he wasn't ready. He had to feel for himself what he lost (see the quote above). He worked and built for his family, including his wife, not just his kids. She put everything on the line to reconcile. With her cathartic run that nearly killed her, to bringing his daughters down, to building her own Haven, to letting him have time to process everything, the why, her sorrow and guilt, reconnection with his daughters and the promise of the family resort, she watched as he came out of his shell. Excellent reconciliation. She was dead set on cheating but he stopped her and fled. They both did shitty things. She was borderline mentally ill and because fixated on doing something bad once, stupidly thinking she risking nothing. He refused to be a cuck and acted out and fled, burning all bridges. He became a bitter hermit. She tried to understand why she blew up her marriage. Eventually the worked it out. They both did some shitty things either leading up to that night (her) or after (him). The inexorable pull of reconciliation was well conceived and more than warranted. Definitely one of the better reconciliation stories with teeth that is not a RAAC. They both paid for that fateful night. It wasn't only him who suffered and she wa the one to bridge the divide several times. One of the author's best stories. Huzzah!

"Papa says you are two foolish people. You need to kiss and make up, and eat before it gets cold."

=====> classic line, especially since delivered by a 10 year old.

To the Anonymous poster from six months ago either you didn’t read the story, or you don't know what a cuck is, or you are a troll.

Started out great, but you just couldn't resist turning it into a cuck story!

The sunset is dreamy, but the road traveled was full of serendipity. Like kids. It is nice to be comfortably affluent, especially with the exchange rate to beat the cost of living. The locals are very tolerant of 'el Norte immigrants. Why is that?

Loved it

Well done

After what she put Dan through, Sandy has no business whatsoever getting petulant because he made an arrangement for sex with his housekeeper. After all, he left because he knew she was planning to have sex with her 'boyfriend', for the stupidest reason imaginable. I would be reluctant to take her back, for no other reason than discovering I was married to someone that stupid.