All Comments on 'An Absence of Trust'

Powerful and well written. Deserves a sequel.

Well told with no over-the-top revenge or spying etc.<BR>

I do have one question for Anon, below: "What more could be told in a sequel?"<BR>

This story is complete as it stands.

As I read into the story, and became more involved with the characters, I found that there were a lot of giving on the part of the husband. So much that I think that was the main reason for his wife's actions. It's just a sad state of affairs, and the story parallels life a little to close for comfort, but was interesting to read. A very well written and organized bit of work. Thanks for the good post.....Rich

I think should forgive her because that was almost 3 decades ago. If they did have kids, what kind of parent will Edith be? I've seen many women who have kids they didn't want, Horrible PARENT! Besides, how can u force someone to have kids? Over time Howard himself forgot about adopting, that was always an option and route that was available. Her sin was not getting her tubes tied, it was lying, and that is forgivable. So writer please write a sequel to reunite them. Sorry so longwinded, this just hit home with me. Keep up the good work. Q

Well written story and more beliveable than most stories in this section. Good to see you back writing.

I was surprised that he could even consider trying to save the marraige after discovering that she "killed" their grand children. Beautifully written and structured.

liked the story! it may be not that late to start a family.

All i can say was it was outstanding.

Good job Coaster! What a treat to read a well crafted story. I think your spelling and punctuation are much better then you give yourself credit for and I appreciate your applying this ability to a strong vocabulary. I particularly enjoyed being able to consider how I would have dealt with the situation in the end without being directed one way or the other by the author. Again, Coaster, bravo!

Try to be less boring next time.

After some consideration, I believe this is either the very best or equal to the best writing I have read in this forum. Frankly, It surprises me to say that, considering my usual motivation to read stories in this section of Literotica. Nothing really prurient here. Just an intriguing short story with well drawn characters. Very engaging stuff - I really felt sad for both of them. In some ways, it reminds me of O. Henry's short stories, particularly "The Gift of the Magi". Cruel twists, and all that. But this is much more tragic than a lost watch fob.

A tiny bit of advice. Next time you are trawling for a cheap 3-paragraph piece of trash to help you jerk off and come across a story like his, just quietly accept it's not for you. Don't criticise it out of hand merely because it doesn't fulfil your simplistic requirements.

"If you are looking for a selfish wife to cuckold and shame her husband while having sex with 10 men, then this is not your story. If you are looking for a strong man who does not accept a wife who would cheat him of happiness, then this is your story." Great job! Love the irony of race and behavior. Some spouses really are that stupid!

written story. both sides had time to make there points. but in the end he did not see, that the woman he loved so long is not able to love. the way you described her, she appreciated his loyalty, that he worshiped her and never denied a wish and to be a bit coarse, his ability of good fucking or making love , in a short way the best lay she has gotten. as for her, she won't be able to see that she is unable to love. she lied and betrayed him for so long and started so early with not telling him that she never will get any kids and then just had it done. also pushing him out of sight because the bostoner high society would have had a problem with her black husband if he would have been around more. so she lived her dream and had him as an anchor at home who gave her stability. but again she needed her obligatory reinsurance. the so called best girlfriend, because after all these years of lying, she was so far away from him already that she could not share her intimate thoughts anymore. another betrayal in my eyes if somebody else knows more about a couple that what they know. he has to see that pretty soon and also the register that he now has place to find people who would fill his lonlyness he feels at the moment and that he was a lot more alone the last 27 years eventhough he did not feel it. there is no way I would take back a cold stone in my bed just it's warm like a human being and has a whole or two to stick my dick in. besides the good story and writing, there is to say , I missed something here. where was the erotic point in this story?

I don't easily give out 100 so this really was special to me. The story was well-written, the characters were very believable, and the spelling and grammar were also quite good. I can't understand Anonymous from New Orleans' point of view. The marriage was doomed once it was clear she lied to him about such a fundamental issue. Edith really committed more than a simple lie, she actually committed fraud, deception, with malice aforethought. They both agreed on children before they married. It was basically part of the marriage contract. If she then decided she really did not wish to have children (and let's face it, the woman does the lion's share of "having" the child by carrying it for 9 months, then bearing it through childbirth), then she should simply have said so. But she knew Howard would divorce her, so instead, she chose fraud and deceit and such. Part of the reason men agree to get married is to have children within a marriage. Men understand they can have sex and companionship simply by living with a woman. But bringing up a child as a single parent, out of wedlock, remains more difficult in our society than if there are two parents legally joined, for obvious reasons. So Edith's deception was a deal-breaker. She decided her career and self-advancement were more important to her than a family, more important than even being truthful with her husband whom she claimed to love. Although he'd be a bit older at this stage, Howard can still in theory find someone to give him biologic children; the question is, can he ever learn to trust a woman again after what he has been through? "Deceit, thy name is woman."

One thing I did not understand in this outstanding realistic story was why Howard was giving Edith so much latitude. His three demands were not so much demands but normal expectations for a spouse. What spouse demands fidelity - that is part of the relationship? What spouse whose partner enjoys success would not expect that paartner to share his or her success? What spouse demands honesty in the relaationship? Let's face it -Edith did not have the capacity to keep the promises she was making to Howard. What is this mystery about how she got the idea for a stud muffin? In the circle she traveled and flirted around how could she not see younger, exciting and "hip" guys? She no doubt knew "successful" women who had strange cock on the side. The fact that she had signaled to Howard not to come with her on these events meant that she was available. She enjoyed this high profile social life leaving Howard to hang out with people she thought were losers. Perhaps this notion that she had no one ready as a lover was the only unrealistic part of the story. The other thing which pointed to how unlikely Edith would change was the fact that she had to be advised by Ginny on what to do and she still did not get it right! I salute Howard for choosing to live his life alone rather than living as Edith's sock puppet.

her, sorry I never found those points. Actually I felt even his demands were to weak. There was no choice except divorce from finding the emails. To hate your spouse as much as this woman did to betray him, deceive him, and deny him children, is beyond understanding. She deprived him of the essence of marriage to raise children for her own greed and egotistical need. She had already delivered to him a most severe humiliation then compounds it by wanting to have sex with another man, there is no way this woman in any rational sense had any love for her husband at all. Love of herself, yes, overpoweringly.

this is Your best work. ever!! Really.

It is your best because you make it clear there was no actual infidelity per se but instead the issue is her secret refusal to have kids and NOT telling her husband.

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BEFORE you do a sequel coaster consider the Alternative!!

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Suppose Howard never read the email to Ginny and therefore never found out about Edie's BIG secret to LIE about not having children.

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But now keep everything else in the story more or less the same.

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Now imagine the same answers given by the wife at th end. What would Edie's reaction be?

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Edie would be ****RELIEVED*** or proud that she fooled OR tricked OR deceived her husband one more time.

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<b>>You see? Edie based her actions on the ASSUMPTION Howard did NOT know. THAT is the very essence of a selfish self absorbed person.... deciding what others should or should know or could or could not know. </b>

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Ginny warned her Howard might know. Hell even Howard warned her he might know. Both of them warned her NOW was the time to come clean.

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INSTEAD Edie decided to say "I am being Honest with you" while she was still Lying about a very serious massive long term betrayal.

When the wife slaps down the money she declared in the story wouldnt that pop up a question mark in your head ?like who is she doing and how many BJs is she doing to get that kind of money she had.

I still enjoyed this story a great deal as I do most of your work. I thought you did a very good job of exploring emotions and coming to terms with them. I do have to admit that I thought for a while that Ginny was Edith's alter ego. As always, I continue to look forward to your future postings.

You've written some excellent stories, but I think this is the best. Very well-paced, well-structured, with two very believable multi-faceted characters. At first blush, I was thinking the husband was awfully harsh, but on reflection, he played it exactly correct. What she did was worse than an affair, because it was a deception that never died. When an affair is over, it's over. It leaves its own residue of distrust and heartbreak, but it's something that fades over time. But this was a deception that deprived him of the children he wanted and the grandchildren that make old age a little easier to handle. And for all of that, he'd have forgiven her and taken her back if she'd just been honest and fessed up to it, and it would have been the right thing to do. But because she held it back and didn't admit to what she did, it meant that she was still in a deceitful mindset, however slight it might have been. And she knew it, as soon as it became clear that he knew. This is excellent, thought-provoking writing and I'm glad you've shared it with us.

As much as I enjoyed the intense dramatic exchanges between the spouses in these story, I have to take some exception with regard to my overall feeling about the story. It is due to the particular plot detail where Howard discovers the irreversible damage made by Edith: her decision to unilaterally –and most importantly: secretly and deceptively – avoid having children. Had Howard discovered almost anything else: that Edith was an ex prostitute, that she had a lover in the past, that she once had a child but gave the child for adoption as the experience overwhelmed her – any thing that would not present the same irreversible devastating denial of this basic wish of Howard to have children.

Everything else could be accounted for and corrected with mature attitude and openness to change. Not so with one’s own biological capacity… Therefore, once Howard had that devastating discovery –his main issue was no more just trust but also the realization that he was conned of something that he could have had –children. Even had he decided to have children (adopted or not) with another woman, no one could have given him back the years of bringing them up as a younger man etc. No, this one huge item has nothing to do with trust. At the moment he read his wife's confession to her friend, he KNEW that his wife stole from him a key experience; a fundamental expectation –define it as you wish – of having children. <P>

It would have made much more sense to me if Howard had left a note for Edith stating that he had stumbled upon this devastating revelation. Now he realizes that her perhaps temporary slip of judgment (the request for a permission to have a lover…) was peanuts compared with her lifelong decision to lie to him and to give herself the license to deprive him of having children just because she did not want to have them, but at the same time she just wanted to keep him without informing him about this decision of hers (and actively making up lies about her health to cover it up). <P>

Frankly, I found Howard's willingness to sit and listen to whatever Edith could come up with, more than a little puzzling. This is the same woman who had already proved to him that throughout their entire marriage she was capable of being such a good liar as to deceive him into believing that they could not have children for the rest of their lives... How could anything she could SAY at any one sitting be of any comparable weight to this evident life long history of mental cruelty towards him and the evident ease of deceiving him? <P>

To me, once he found the facts about her early decision not to have children – the current crisis became mostly a mute point, both in terms of magnitude (the length of time which elapsed) and the severity of the offense – irreversible damage which had already been done, not just contemplated). IMO, you could have ended the story in some way similar to the scenario I suggested (the focus shifts from the trust which relates to the future) to the evidence about her proven life long ‘career’ of lying and its irreversible damage to his life in the past and up to this moment. <P>

If on the other hand you wanted to keep the focus on the trust and make Howard decision to continue any of his negotiations with his wife more credible (IMO), you might have done better in choosing some lesser offense appearing on her computer. Anything that could be difficult to admit, but atill something that would made sense for him to hope to be able to work with her on, if she only came clean about it (since there would not be an irreversible damage as is the case with them not having children). <P>

It was hard for me to buy Howard's last statement thrown at Edith. I could not imagine them going on living their life with the huge elephant silently floating in the room all the time – the fact that they both know they don’t have children right now because of years of her systematic lying….

Another thought provoking story from a great author.

THis story was very well written ,but I found her deception about the birth control use deastating , but marriage destroying? That was 30 years ago .Sorry, I thought his reaction was over the top.

the Ct. Yankee

"THis story was very well written ,but I found her deception about the birth control use deastating , but marriage destroying? That was 30 years ago .Sorry, I thought his reaction was over the top. the Ct. Yankee"

Nope. Now he probably feels it is too late to start a family. There will be no-one there for him when he dies. No-one to continue his legacy. If she had been honest with him so long ago, he could have moved on to a woman who wanted kids. Her selfishness cost him that.

Good story. I hate tragedies, but I had to rate this one well for it did get me emotionally involved.

An excellent work... The intellect of the characters portrayed is foremost to the flow of the story...

But I disagree with Jack Straw and can't give it 100.I agree that people are generally not so well developed that they can objectively remove their own "agendas" from their reactions to the behaviors of those close to them.But Having or not having and raising children is a wash with everyone I've ever met, at least among my generation(late boomer).So I would posit that Howard is not capable of the strength he showed towards end of story,as I believe he would have had a more philosophical outlook on the lack of those ever-so-wonderful miracles in his life.(Even more so as he is male, and by no means does the average male desire children as much as the average female-hence the joke that population control could be easily achieved if men were the ones giving birth.)Therefore I don't see Howard's strong reaction to her fertility deception as being realistic.Of course on this site no-one seems to believe in abortion either,another deviation from the reality of western culture.And my experience with seniors,which is extensive furthers this contention as I've known more who find their grandchildren a hassle then vice-versa.Perhaps tragic but that is what Ive seen.As always the contrarian,Pistolpackinpete

commenter. I am a male that married early and at first didnt want kids in the way. Later in life my now exwife decided she wanted a child before she became to old and we had our daughter. When she was very young I actually spent more time with her than her mother did. After I divorced my first wife, I actively sought a younger female that wanted to have kids. I dropped many very nice and good women simply because they didnt want kids, more kids, or had already made themselves so they couldnt have kids. I fell in love with a woman whose husband had refused to have kids. She fell in love with me and after a few years she gave me two children which I love dearly. I would never have married a woman that did not sincerely want children. Even now my wife and I would take in another female that was younger that would enjoy having kids with us. The male in this story was a good man married to a flighty piece of self centered fluff. She was a liar and a deceiver and manipulated things in the life to please just herself and didnt really care how they affected her husband. Hopefully he will find a younger woman that wants children, my wife is 21 years younger than I and I married her when I was older than the male in this story, and have a good life. I do hope the exwife enjoys all the expenses she will have correcting her mental problems and that she and her lesbian lover enjoy life together. Boy she had no idea how much she would change her life when she decided she wanted a lover to spice up her life!

This is somthing I dont recall seeing in any of the stories of this type I have read previously. One sided stories of this type have all left me craving to know what the hell the other party was thinking and feeling. As such it was great to see a bit of insight with both parties involved.

Talk about going for the kill! My emotions are all over the place about our Hero. I felt for him and respected him. How he restrained himself from choking the life out of this..individual that had stolen something she could not return made him almost too good. Ct Yankee and PistolpackinPete are Morons. The story started out with Hubby talking about how much he had wanted children, so I don't know how they missed it. And like you pointed out, that meant no Grandchildren either. It made me think of the old joke about granchildren being a reward for not killing your children when they were teens. She changed her mind about having children, cool! Her body, her choice. But to keep that info from him and to compound it by lying? She was the living epitome of selfishness.

Great work!

Another great read!!!!

If I may be permitted to voice a MILD criticism, there seems to be just a touch of "paralysis by analysis" but that could just be me. It was a trivial matter, but I am trying to be honest. Your work is so superior that it can certainly stand by itself. Keep it up!!!

and not listen to their advice. Ginny told her NOT to have an affair and then to be completely honest about her deception about not wanting a family. She ignored both pieces of advice. <br><br>

Overall a well written story. I agree with the previous comment about over analysis but it wasn't too bad. <br><br>

I really liked both the husband's and wife's statements. Often these types of stories leave off major parts of the consideration for the situation. No sex happened here and yet the damage was just as great. This shows that the damage done by an affair isn't by the sex. It's done by the disregard and lack of respect to the marriage and to the spouse. Even when the spouse is not aware of the affair the damage is still done because the disrespect has already been done. Saying the partner will "never find out" or "it's just sex" are statements made by fools. The damage is done by carrying out the intent. The statements by both of them are eloquent in recognition of this. That is what gives this story such power. <br><br>

I also disagree that the reaction to the family deception is over the top. By cutting him out of the loop in the decision she corrupted one of the fundamental purposes of a marriage, to raise a family. A goal they had agreed on. This is a HUGE issue to deceive him about. If she had been honest and discussed it with him, she is entitled to her views as much as he is to his. But she robbed him of that discussion and that choice. That was a major belittlement of him. I was amazed after learning that he would even consider staying with her but accepted the character's choice. But then she destroyed herself in the end anyway.

This was in fact a story story! But...I am somewhat curious about both the story and the comments I have just read. I must have missed the part where for at least twenty years or more...he keeps asking his wife and himself "WHY" they have not been able to get her pregnant? Was there perhaps a paragraph or two where they went to some kind of clinic to determine "Why" or "Who" was preventing the pregnancies from occurring? Did both he and her have themselves tested for sterility at any time in that 30 years? Why was he not alarmed at any point along in their years together and why had they not discussed it more if he wanted children so bad? Hadn't they both agreed at the first that they did want children? Why did he let it go without pushing the issue for 30 years if it was to be the deal breaker at the end? Sure I understand that she was dishonest about her not wanting children and her preventing any such pregnancy from occurring. This absence of writing about what I have asked above takes away from the ending somehow and makes it hard to take that he would live alone without a woman he knows loves him! somewhere at the very first of their marriage he had accepted that they were not to have children for whatever reason! If somebody would clarify that for this dumb older reader I would appreciate it!

I just thought this was a wonderful example of good story telling. I could totally see this as the story of an inperfect couple and their struggles, personal accomplishments and failures. anon jerry

I have placed a copy of the paragraph you obviously never read. Yes they tried and she lied as it clearly shows.

"Edith and I discovered early on in our marriage that we could not have children. I was fine, but Edith apparently had a disorder that prevented impregnation. She took the news with stoicism, whereas I was quite upset. I wanted children and Edie said she did as well. We talked about adoption, but for one reason or another, the timing was never quite right. As the years passed, it was less and less on our minds."

What I don't understand is how she got away with the deception of getting checked by a doctor then a specialist. As far as I can see that the husband is concerned and caring so how would he have not been their with her at the doctors?

Don't understand something that important and him not being involved in the whole process.

Coaster I think besides that it was an excellent story. Keep up the good work.

Those who wrote about the issue of no children, missed the point entirely. Her initial request to take a lover directly attacked his honor and his trust for his wife. Had she opened herself totally and told him of her deceit early in their marriage, there was a possibility that they might have worked things out. The fact that she withheld that admission of deceit was the turning point for him. How could he trust someone who, while professing her love and desire to do anything to recover from the damage she had caused, withheld the admission of her single largest act of deceit of their marriage?

This story was not only well written but very emotionally intense. Unlike others, I saw no holes in the plot. Howard was a caring trusting husband who believed that Edie wanted children just as much as he did. So, when she told him that she was unable to have children there was no reason for him to doubt her and would assume she had covered every base. A very true to life story. Excellent writing I was very moved and saddened when the outcome of their fates were revealed. The mark of an excellent story and author. Thank you for sharing your talent with us.

Great plot!!!!There a lot of couples like that in real life...

The story was a good one basically and ended as it should have. The fact that she made the decision to not have children without talking it over with him was a marriage breaker. It was so bad a betrayal even in her own mind that she could not admit it. What I don't like about your story was the pretense throughout that she did not ever mind being in an interracial marriage. You must think all of us readers naive. I ask you...why really did she prefer her own set of friends over his? Why did she really not want children with her black husband? Why did she so willingly go to her business affairs without wanting to proudly display her black husband? I would have thought this story one of the best except that you tried to downplay her racial bias when it was subtly implied throughout the story! What else could we readers have thought? Maybe this was your true intention after all? I am white but I still picked up on the reasons she did what she did...and it was not because of the reasons you listed throughout.... I would have preferred you used that theme (Because he was Black) rather than the politically correct but dishonest ones you used. Maybe other commenters don't agree with me. I will now read their comments and see for myself. Still...a great story and I have given you a one hundred for your writing ability. Thank You

I agree with 'RonRWood', in that this story is almost perfect. There is just one single problem to this story in my opinion. The end is just way too depressing to give it a perfect score.

she loved herself more than him, it took a bombshell to make him start to see but his acknowledgment of the end and her acceptance were appropriate

I was rereading this story and caught up on recent comments. I disagree with the view that she was racist. I think the author presents us with a Black man with a powerful voice to evoke the sense of Jame Earl Jones. I think he does this quite successfully since I can HEAR him speaking when he says simply "NO" and the tone of command it carries.

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As to why she doesn't want children and distances herself, the explanation in the story is very sufficient and rings true. She's a Diva. In her email she tells Ginny, who she tells EVERYTHING to, her reason for not wanting children. They are inconvenient. For a woman like her, this is true. As to why he isn't going to her parties, it sounds like as much his choice as hers. He doesn't like her new friends. They are posers, phonies, friends of convenience. Her own thoughts about him saying he will attend these parties with her show she is more puzzled about why he would want to rather than that SHE doesn't want him to. She IS self centered and has learned to treat her husband as a piece of comfortable furniture. She doesn't much care what color his upholstery is. Her thoughts and words to Ginny, where she is most honest, show no sense of racism. Why make it up? Ginny, who is honest and blunt with her, doesn't accuse her of being prejudiced. The fact that he us Black is coincidental to, not cause of her problems.

you tell a good yarn just rember pls lable IR so we can pass on them..........thanks.

The end left something missing so I gave you a 4 instead of a 5.

I would not have an inferior nigger bastard if my life depended on it !!!!!

Damn good story, I liked the colour difference, made the story distinct from the rest.

Well written & had enough detail without drowning the reader in spurious facts.

What I didn't like was the racist comments from "anonymous" readers.

Hell, I'm impressed they could read. Maybe you should use longer words & they'll get bored & give up!

You must be judging from your reaction, halfwitted as it seems.

What surprised me is that you can actually put a sentence together. They normally cannot do this. Oh well,live and learn.

Why would any rational female want a black bastard ??

i thought the story was great. i cannot believe my eyes when i read the racist comments. are we in the 21st century? i am from canada where there are 100 races in a city block of houses. how can people be so narrow minded when there are many other races than just black. i do find it instructive that ignorant racists are so gutless that they remain anonymous.

punk ass bitchs that are to much of a pussy to say in a black man face. so they say it in the anon comments. i would love for one of you assholes to say it to me. after i kicked your ass, then i would show your wife what a real man looks like. By the way i like the story, he left the bitch for lying. not for the cheating and i glad she got rid of his kid, she didnt deserve to be his childs mother.

He didn't really love her. He was thinking about himself just as she had done. Love is not about one's self. It is about the other's happiness. He deserves to be alone and will be. Had he forgiven her, they both would havee had a long happy lifee together. Her selfishness and his selfishness caused the break up.

Let's have a follow up where love and forgiveness are learned and then re-applied to their relationship.

Bad behavior and low character are not a racial characteristics. Right now, today, in this society many blacks have chosen to rebel against what they consider as the "white man's" rules. As a consequence of their rejection they frequently behave badly. (Please someone try to defend the actions of MANY of the black rappers who spew their vitriolic hatred in their songs). Thugs with "bling" would be just as thuggish if they were white, brown or yellow.

Well, they're wrong. The "Rules" are not the "white" mans rules they are the rules of a decent society that rejects "judging a man / woman by the color of their skin but by the content of their character".

It was true when MLK said it and it remains true today.

Which I doubt. Unless you're a Proctologist. One thing is for sure you definately don't know anything about behavior.

It's a good thing you hide behind your "no name". You see, I'm the psychiatriast that you believe knows nothing of human behavior. What do I know about people who accuse others and hide behind a skirt or worse yet the "no name" title? Wel,l it would accomplish nothing to say it here as you do not have the ability to understand what I said and if, perchance you did, you could not apply it to yourself.

Again, I plead for a follow up chapter of reconcilliation to make this fine

story complete. REALDOC

I'm no psychiatrist, or other mental professional. Just a man. Married many years. And this is how marriages end. One spouse has a secret, the other either senses it or definitely knows. They offer a chance to come clean. But there is only a slim thread of trust remaining. If that thread is not re-enforced, with truth, it dissolves. And once the trust is gone nothing holds that marriage together. And the injured one decides separation and pain is preferable to living with someone they don't trust.

The professionals can rationally explain how the couple can, through therapy, repair their marriage. But one person will always have a quiet question somewhere in their brain. And the other will always feel it.

Let the story end here. It won't be a happy ending, but in situations like this they seldom are.

It took me a while to read this one because you were so blatant with the racial aspect up front. This, for whatever reason, turned me off to reading it. Maybe it's racial sensitivity. Maybe it's worry that it turns into a mess at the end. Don't know.

But after rereading Double Whammy, I decided to take that chance. So what did I think?

I was skeptical but found that if I ignored the race aspect, it was still an intersting read. I enjoyed it. Not sure the I liked it as much as Double Whammy, which I recalled fondly and reread. But it wasn't a waste of time and you still show your skill as a wordsmith. It was a fast, engaging and easy read. Your prose works.

You did a good job building up how things changed in the marriage, while still using a very light touch on the race thing. You did not pound on that, which is something that these stories usually do...unless they spring it on you at the end as I read in one story.

Another thing I enjoyed is that I was guessing up til the end on which way the story would go regarding the secret. It was a nice tension. Not a surpise, since we knew there was only a few ways it could go. But a tension that was nicely done.

Now to the bad.

I hate to sound racist, but the Howard didn't read as black, which made ignoring his race easy. He was still a realistic character but he seemed a bit off that way. Maybe that has everything to do with me. Maybe I don't know Candaian African Canadians.

The cliche of 'I want to be honest and take a lover' is not orignal and I think there were other ways to twig his lack of trust because the story wasn't about the lover, it was about the hysterectomy. I would have prefered a different plot device in the story.

Ginny was sprung on us. She was also underdeveloped, but provided us with the one non-retarded female in the story, so I'll overlook it.

I appreciate your writing talent. While not your best, it was a good read and I will take the lesson that I should try all of your stories in the future. Thank you.

Windows passwords are very easy to handle.

Download an iso image for "Trinity Rescue CD/DVD" and burn the iso. Now do an alternate boot from the computer - ie the DVD drive instead of the harddrive - Usually one of the "F" keys on boot before windows starts (or del or esc) will let you select an alternate boot.

after trinity boots ... go to the password reset program and reset the passwords to blanks - if this would be too invasive just look at the harddrive(s) from within the linux boot or copy the whole thing to a USB drive.

Done.

Too bad she learned too late. Honesty and trust is everything. No relationship will survive without it.

Is to copulate with a genetically inferior species like niggers.It is better with an animals,cleaner anyway.

what do you mean an inferior species...Black women are very beautiful and, considering their attitude, deserve to get screwed

even if the flames are extinguished, you can still burn your ass. TK U MLJ LV NV

thank you

... He's a mensch. I'm not the type who can't stand a sad ending, but a sequel in which Howard finds some happiness would be very gratifying.

Damn dude Tone it down some don't go all racist crazy on us no ethnicity is superior or inferior to another and we are all one race (human - for the people that are a little slow on the uptake). Anyway nice story coast.

I wouldn't have black bastard if you paid me million dollars!

its what goes to the heart and soul. TK U MLJ LV NV

I think the marriage was doomed when he let her be in charge, women, as much as I love them, are great partners but make crappy leaders. Not becaouse they are stupid or less intelligent. But because in their deepest core they dont want to lead so they make crappy decisions in the hope of being relieved. They just cant handle being in charge, at least the good ones cant, there are some, like Angela Merkel that can, but honestly do you want such a shrew as a wife ? (And I dont mean her physical deficits)

Look at the story: Her telling him about her wanting a lover is nothing but her subconscious desire that he may assert himself. And it nearly worked too. (Her total betrayal regarding the child question really had nothing to do with it)

hubby says he wants to be an equal in the marriage and then starts throwing out ultimatums.

one thing i have noticed, when the protagonist cant behave/think consistently within the same chapter, much less the same paragraph, i have found that the story fails to satisfy 100% of the time.

How could you say such a thing and mean it? I am not trying to make you see sense of your racist comment, but if you truly love some one, you would'nt care if they black, brown, yellow or white.

I know this is a ficticious story, but why would you get married to a 'nigger' as you so quaintly put it in the first place.

I feel very sorry for you. Sorry that you are living in a self imposed boxed prison. At the end of day you live and love hearts and souls not color.

I am pretty sure you are going to make a rude comment about this comment & you will find several small minded supporters. Frankly I could'nt care less.

And yes , I am brown, an Indian more specifically & the best thing about it I would eventually end up with fewer wrinkles than you:)

I am not an 'anon' by choice, some bug keeps me from logging in.

- fridayschild

It's interesting that he demands absolute honesty from his wife, but never admits that he broke into her e-mail. You can't insist on integrity or commitment to trust when you have none.

Great story about choices.

the fact he was black means nothing at all. it just adds an element to the story that might otherwise be missing. he was just like everyone else except for his color, which means nothing in fact. excellent story. and he did not have to admit he broke into her e-mail - she lied about something basic to a family unit and killed the marriage years ago. it just found out so he acted on it.

Putting aside the obvious and fatal lie regarding having children Edith lied and betrayed him in a more simple way. Her best and only real friend Ginny who she confided in more completely than her husband for more than 10 years was completely unknown to him. She cheated him out of that time and that closeness with no regret or apology

Good Tale but its not clear why she didn't want a child (why would that have prevented pursuing a career? Others have had both). Also, no explanation for why she suddenly wanted a lover?? If she had no time for a child, why time for a lover? Bad judgement, as well as lack of honesty were clear and explained the failure of her marriage.Gave it a a '4' for excellent writing and characterization. Dan

Wonderful story. Very sad on lots of counts. Agree her having a true friend (not a work ally) was an ADDITIONAL cheat! Much lesser sin than reproduction betrayal, but huge nonetheless. Ginny should have been a frequent weekend visitor to THEM!

Hubby dropped Sweetie, but not because of being cheated out of a family! He knew that was water (a tsunami) over the dam. It was because she opted, despite GOOD advice, to continue to be selfish, thus dishonest (or vice versa) and disrespectful!

Big 5*

cheating lying bitch dumped and told to go to hell. I like the man good riddance to her and move on she isn't worth it. he is absolutely right.

who was solely responsible for the destruction of her marriage. How could any spouse deceive their spouse by lieing to them they wanted children and at the same time making certain there would be no children ? As I said in the title not a tear shed for the wife.

and confides in her friend and not her mate, TK U MLJ LV NV

Why would he expect her to tell him a secret from long ago? And who while begging for forgiveness would say "Oh by the way, while we're begging for forgiveness of this sin, let's include all the other sins I've committed over the years." Really?

Makes no sense.

Sounds like a marriage that could be saved if they behaved like adults. I've been married for years, and there are some things I wish I could change, or she could change, but you can' t go backwards. The only answer I see is that he felt threatened by her success, felt out of his league, and wanted out, and was mind fucking her into a guilt trip.

If she wanted a lover, then she wasn't too happy in the marriage either, but her telling him was a dumb way to call for help.

Generally like your stuff though.

Chilley

To cheat your spouse out of children is worse than fucking someone else. To lie to your husband, to tell him you are barren, and for him to love you enough to stay with you - is a tragedy. Forget about "love", this is a total lack of respect for another person. To say she was selfish is to say Hitler was a bad man. She is a total piece of shit! I can only hope that Howard quickly hooks up with a nice young lady and bangs out a couple of kids. He may not live to see his grandchildren, but he can enjoy his own children. There is nothing better in life than having your own family. This is life's greatest reward.

If Howard had stayed with Edith (not Edie) I would have rated this tale a total failure. Worse than an affair was a lifetime betrayal she gave him when she lied about her ability to have children. He did what a man would do. Not a wimp or a sissy/cuck. A man. A man denied the family he deserved.

I don't care about race.

I'm not prejudiced. I hate everyone equally.

Ha

In my many years, I have never known a woman who could tell any man all her secrets. She could tell her best-forever-friend, write it in her diary, but never the dearest man in the world of her heart.

For you, Ladies, us men can see in you the secret when we open our eyes to look.

John

She could have saved her marriage with one sentence instead she played a weak poker hand and losses !

Silly women

I generally like your stuff. I hit the end of this tale and felt ... bleh .... The end kind of just pittered out.

I liked this one.

I sincerely hope that was sarcasm. Also, this story hurt emotionally.

A very entertaining story. As with several of Coaster's tales the logical answer is to end the marriage. Her response might well have been, 'I love my job and I'm very successful. You don't like yours and you're thinking of setting up your own business so both of us are going to be very busy enjoying doing things separately. I want more from a relationship than I'm getting from you. Let's recognise it was good and part. Then it's not too late for you to have a family and I can have some more satisfying relationships before settling down again, if I ever do.'

Cold-blooded? Yes, divorce often is. But it recognises a reality that they have grown apart and I suspect they would both be happier in the long run.

I gave it 5*

As with most selfish people they don't learn from their mistakes. Ginny advised her twice and she forsook that advice both times choosing the easy way instead. Stupid selfish woman.

As for Anon recently, what a cleansing of the gene pool it would be to have them be dead...

Good story, but dam I hate the sad ending. I think he should have just separated for their vacations and then worked together on there relationship. She was willing to change and he already knew about it. So it looks like 30 years wiped away that quickly, sounds like he had been in limbo with her for far longer then that week and truly didn't love her and he finally woke up and decided it was time to move on.

Your wife telling you, her husband, she wants a lover on the side: but, that she still "loves" him is non - negotiable. Finding out she could have and, even, professed a want for children, while they were married: but, she was physically unable was bearable. Her husband, at their final soul bearing, said the divorce proceedings would proceed since her biggest lie, being able to bear children at any time but not letting them get in the way of her career, was the end of the lie that had been their marrage! Nobody won! She was Selfish to the bitter end!

wish it had a happier ending

One of the best here.

.....written superbly. it actually evoke some feeling. Definitely going in to my favourite list of stories and 5*

A moment of stupidity and a 30 year relationship goes down in flames. I'm glad he didn't give in. Even though they spent all that time together she still was a selfish bitch. A relationship based on lies is no relationship. I guess it turns out they were really only fuck buddies who happened to share the same roof. Sad really.

we all know black men and white men, white american women are bitches...and this story is rampant of white power,nazi, skin head milk, the tit overflows with skankness.

1 she has her good friend that (lesbo) comforts her.

2 the man has no one in this story like his guys would not be in his corner,so we can tell the writer doesn't no men, or especially black men ie they are always there to help out the friend in need

3 the writer shows at the end the man is alone in pain and basically a pile of depressing shit, while she is shown with money,job,friends who support her...ie niggers gotta pay for being a stand up man

4 a white woman knows her friends lies to her husband had an abortion and kept him from having kids but she is still her (lesbo) friend. white women=raciest bitch

5 the writer tries to portray her as sad and alone, and it is really not her fault, but the "nigg"'s, once again clues through out story, she is shown to be worried regretful and he is sad and pathetic.

Truly a fucking cunt of a wife. She and her cunt friend should die in pain.

So, wifey wants to play single and available and she tells hubby. Why? Why didn't she just do it? Did she really love him??? It seems blatantly clear she did. She was aggressive and selfish and pompous but she love him on her terms. Like most story tellers in this category, this couple had major communication issues. I don't Howard had the rationale to execute a dissolution of marriage prior to marriage counseling. I truly believe this author presented good characters to live happily ever after. They were both successful professionals highly driven especially Edith. The deceit over the family was a ship that sailed at least a decade or two prior to their confrontation. Nevertheless, Edith was extremely selfish and deceitful in hiding the facts surrounding her desire to avoid having children. Notwithstanding, this story had solid characters and was presented with perfection by the hands of a skilled and sensitive author. I totally disagree with the author in his directing this story straight into the ground especially the ending. However,the poetic license was effectuated by this skilled writer. Thank you for an enjoyable read but it could've been better.

one of those 1 star

A little truism for Racists, A long time ago in a "Police Action" in SE Asia this Southern Born White Boy learned very quickly that 'color' wasn't that important during "Tet" of '68 and again while enjoying "Tet" of '69…

Just my thoughts, experiences and reflections over 6+ decades…

BTW: The Story WAS Excellent…!!

They already lived apart. They had different social lives with different friends. She was as selfish as you can get. He was the ultimate "yes dear" kind of husband.

Edie and Ginny will be a happy couple.