All Comments on 'Fair-Weather Friends'

False pride, arrogance, low self image, poor decision making skills; on and on.

What did he learn and when? Why wouldn't he ever talk to her? Why didn't he confront the "other man"? What did her letter say? How long had the affair gone on? What did she tell her kids? Her friends? If he had talked to the children and told them what he knew (if he actually knew anything) would it have made a difference? Why did he run away from or refuse to engage in the events following the discovery of her affair?

This is a difficult story to understand or even like because of Not Enough Information.

I take it you do not, nor do any of your friends, live in California?

Some of the commenters say the main character was a coward. Hmm. I suspect those commenters aren't 25 years old, let alone been married 25 years. This means they have no concept, purely through ignorance, of the pain the man was dealing with. To be betrayed by the love of his life, then betrayed and demeaned by his own children, is probably not an experience one could deal with in a week or so. As for cowardice, who was it that took their life? Is there a more cowardly act than suicide? How about all the "fair weather friends," how cowardly were they to say things to his back that they did not dare say to his face? He took a stand against his so-called friends and two of his children, moved to a new home, started a new life, and learned how to trust and love again...I suggest that takes courage, and lots of it. I have grave doubts about some of the commenters and their grasp of the concepts, let alone literal definitions, of courage and cowardice, they sound as flawed and warped as the son who fucks around and expects it to be taken as a sign of normalcy. The author did a fine job with this story, and I'm happy to see many of the commenters agree.

We all differ in character, and thus differ in our reactions to the events that happen to us. That's what makes life so intriguing; you never can be certain how someone else would react, especially to monumentally big, dramatic events. Regrettably there are too many people around who cannot understand the concept of differentiation, and are not able to accept and tolerate personalities other than their own limited views of life as they understand it themselves. It is called narrow-mindedness.

It is the task of the writer to crawl inside the skin of his characters and relate their reactions according to their specific personalities. You succeeded to relate just that in an exceptionally beautiful and truly believable way in this story. You obviously have been around the block a few times yourself and are a very good observer and evaluator of events that occurred around you.

You really got to me with this one and I’m sure it will stay with me for a while. Thank you so much for sharing it with us all.

BUT he lived through it -

It cost his wife her life (her actions not his) and years of his life confused and angry about what he was and did.

The "friends" were asshats - the daughter and son worse than that -

The details were not important - (for those who missed it the affair lasted 6 months) - the singular one was that she did what she did for 6 months not just one mistake a series of them without remorse or intent to stop or regret while doing it. Then she was caught and could not cope either -

What "should" he have done - what ever the author decided - that is why he is the author - what would I have done? what would you have done? who gives a shit??

If it is that important write your own story and say what you think you would have done if it did not happen to you - you have no real clue -

All the poor, put upon saint of a wife did was carry on a six month affair behind his back with a neighbor, a long term lie of omission, followed by a series of straight-out lies when he called her cell phone. The affair was with a married man, so she got the two for one deal on wrecked marriages, and even had the guy at their twenty-fifth anniversary celebration and renewal of their vows.

Yes, some may have forgotten that little detail, but at the anniversary, they renewed their wedding vows. She had the gall to have her lover in attendance to witness her apparently tongue-in-cheek recitation of her wedding vows.

Now, some may find those actions selfish, but at least she didn't commit suicide and bring a lot more pain to her already suffering family. Now THAT would have been selfish.

No, the villian here is clearly the husband. Twenty-five years of marriage. A six month affair that only ended (if it even HAD ended, which we don't know) because she was caught red-handed...and he needs two entire months to get over his feelings enough to want to have a discussion with her about it?! What a cold-hearted bastard!

Some of the comments truly astound me.

Cog

Normally I abhor a man who finds it difficult to forgive his kids, especially in a cheating situation. When infidelity is exposed, emotions run high. Kids typically pick the side that leads to the dynamic of the family remaining intact. In other words, they usually want the person who was cheated on the forgive the cheater, and they want it done quickly so life can go on as it has been.

For this reason I always feel that parents who are divorcing should not take their anger out on their kids for not understanding the pain involved. Kids are fundamentally selfish creatures. They usually don't understand when things don't go their way. That is why teenagers are such assholes when they are going through puberty.

With all of that said. I ABSOLUTELY understand why he was filled with rage at his two older kids. For one, they were grown. They had the capacity to understand what he was probably going through. Hell, the daughter was MARRIED!! I'm almost certain that if her husband had the same morals as her mom and brother that she would be just as unforgiving. That fact that she refused to put herself in her father's place showed that she picked a side based on her favorite parent. Then, to top all of this off, she channeled her anger at her mother's suicide toward making her father the villain. During a time when they all needed to stick together, she chose this time for further run a guilt trip. I honestly thought that the author would make her husband cheat on her as karmic justice.

Stuart was just an asshole. Clearly his mom's morals rubbed off on him. This is where her true villainy was shown. When he made his stupid comments about everybody cheating, she should have sat him down and explained that what she was going through was a result of the consequences of that mindset. She could have put him on the right path with her example. Instead, she played the victim. She sat back and lapped up the pity for the poor misunderstood housewife who simply made a small mistake. This allowed her to remain the good guy to her kids. This made them dig their heels in the dirt and stand firm even more. Then, in a final act of cowardice of martyrdom, she cements this line of thinking by killing herself.

Great story with a lot of emotion.

And the children (at least two of them) bought into it. In my opinion he should have talked with her sooner but I cannot condemn him for only acting human. No one can tell except the ones involved of the hurt that is involved. Too bad but Connie brought it on herself. She did not even consider how her husband and children would be affected while she was screwing around in the Holiday Inn. An excellent story that has probably been a true experience for many to a certain extent. Go radk!

this was a well written gut wrenching story. It flowed nicely with good insight of the characters. well done.

...whether you are male or female. Blaming the husband for what the wife did, is in my opinion, the height of stupidity. Please post where it says in the Cheating Wifes Handbook, preferably on what page, how many months, weeks or days, perhaps in your eyes, hours, a man has to wrap his mind around his wife spreading her legs for another man, giving him entry into what is ONLY THE HUSBANDS. I will be interested in seeing and reading it.

Keep in mind, when a married woman does that, she is tearing something away from her husband and marriage that was his/theirs only. It has then been given away and is gone forever. Call it whatever you wish, trust, companionship, love or whatever name you want to call it. What was once THEIRS, now belongs to someone else. It belongs to neither the man or wife. And no matter what, never will again.

Imagine what happens when a mans wife cheats. We could call it intimacy. We could call it lovin' or just fuckin'. But lets go through what happens to a mans wife when she goes to another. It isn't just they disappear into a motel room and then eventually reappear, nice and clean from showers. Much more goes on that that, things that they will share and will be in their memory banks for their lifetimes.

He kisses her. He fondles and pets her. He may be the one to disrobe her and look upon her nude body that is supposed to be another's. He sees her wet and swollen sex as only her husband should. He sees her breasts and the arousal on her face, the lust that comes between a man and wife. He sees her lay and spread her legs and to enjoy the sight of her treasure that she promised HER HUSBAND. He smells her lust, enjoys it and is treated to her welcoming him to all that she is. ALL that she is. Those memories will be burned into his memory for as long as he lives. What he knows of another mans wife.

And then she allows him into her hot, swollen and wet depths that is reserved FOR ANOTHER. She allows him to watch her reactions, listen and smell and feel her while she is open to him. She allows him to sate himself with her body, to use it while working toward spewing his seed into her depths, once reserved for one man only. He is allowed to hold her tight as she is open wide to him as he convulses and sends pulse after pulse of sperm into the body of another mans wife. It is a wet and juicy process that they both lose themselves into . He eventually withdraws and then lays and enjoys the time afterward. The touching, the kissing, the playing. He is allowed to see and be a part of what no one else is to witness. Perhaps they will repeat it before leaving. And then do it week after week or month after months.

And SHE allows it. Her, the wife. Not the husband who is working his ass off for her.

So tell me again how the husband in taking time to process the multiple acts is suddenly the bad guy, you good for nothing worthless fuck.

Anonymous03/09/13

You are mistaking someone observing and intervening on behalf of someone they love for betrayal.

i've no comment on the way the story developed , its your story & i found it very moving . heartfelt . & i was totaly emersed & absorbed in your tale from start to finish , extremely well written , cried buckets , dried my eyes , checked your bio & then cried again when i saw the picture of the Goldie. (retriever) you currently have displayed .

xxxhugsxxx

godbless & be well

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Alicia standing there. "Care to introduce me Marc?" she said with more than a hint of command in her voice.

"Alicia, this is my late wife's daughter Megan."

Well said! And thanks for a good story radk.

A very good story. I don't understand why everyone is blaming the husband for the wife's death. He did what he had to do. Was he supposed to accept a 6 month affair?

Is he supposed to forgive her because she said she was sorry and she really "loves" hum? How much did she "love" him when she was spreading for another man along with all the lies and deceit that involved? She did not "love" him, he was just someone that she was comfortable to be around.

As for the husband, the ONLY thing he did wrong was not to divorce her sooner. He should also have spread the word about why he left her. He did what he had to do and got away from the cheating wife. He didn't want to hear why, or go to counseling, or hear details. He just wanted out and I can agree with him totally. He didn't try and burn her or any of the other off-the-wall stuff. He just wanted out and I can agree with him totally.

Since Megan thinks a married woman having a six month affair is no big deal, did her husband have a DNA test done when the children were born?

That would be at the top of my to-do list.

great story sad through alot of it but I can see what he did when he found out was the right thing to do for himself. as far as his wife goes i dont think she really knew just how much she tore him apart with that affair and how much he died some too when he found out.

I do not believe the wife would have been so upset over what she voluntarily did, to suicide. That part wasnt believable. You dont have a long term affair and get broken up over the husband leaving, She didnt love him that much after all to have had that kind of affair in the first place.

After 25 years married it takes someone not in love with a spouse, or a selfish cold unfeeling person to do what she did.

Excellent writing as usual 5stars!

nuther rdk submittion. actually it is better than most of his wimpy submits

2 star

What a great story. Read it 4 times up to press. There were no easy answers to Marc's dilemma. Pain and destroyed trust if he reconciled; pain and loneliness if he divorced and moved on with his life. Connie gambled with her marriage and wanted her stake back when she lost. Life isn't like that.

bill....

To use an object less for the author who I think is desperatly tried to Justify the behaviour of the charcter Marc by the way this is written

The good book says I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink

I was Hungry and you gave me something to eat

I was cold and you gave me clothing

The charcters Wife needed forgivness and he would not.

Then he claimed after she was dead he did no wrong

So did he really love her?

Or was HE just a husband in fair weather

So sad! -6-month affair..I love you? -Please talk to me and forgive me...I love you? -I know I hurt you deeply...I love you?- I'm so, so sorry...I love you? Let's try to start over...I love you? Let me tell you how (why) it happened...I love you?

" I love you! " is so meaningless! If one can tear the heart out of someone else but yet "love" them, what, pray tell, would one do to someone that they hated.....Hmmmmmmnnnn!

I UNDERSTAND THAT IN ALL OF THE LOVING WIVES STORIES THEY CHEAT ON THERE HUSBANDS BUT DO THEY EVER TAKE THE TIME TO SEE WHAT IT DOES TO EVERYONE. LIKE CONNIE SAID I LOVE YOU BUT HAD AN ONGOING AFFAIR. HOW CAN YOU LOVE SOMEONE AND RIP THERE HEART OUT WHEN THEY FIND OUT ABOUT IT THAN YOU WANT TO TALK AND BE FORGIVEN. YOU SHOULD THINK WITH YOUR MIND AND HEART NOT YOUR PUSSY. XSURE ALL CONNIE DID WAS RUIN A MARRIAGE OF 25 YEARS KILLED HERSELF BECAUSE SHE WAS A COWARD AND TORE HER WHOLE FAMILY APART AND LET THE BLAME BE PLACED ON HER HUSBAND. NO BIG DEAL I AM SORRY FORGIVE ME I ONLY LOVE YOU.

RON TEXAS cowboyridecc@yahoo.com

I remember why it is in my favorites. To be honest, I didn't like any of the characters except Faye and Alicia; Marc and Connie in particular were both really flawed and weak people; but love for the characters is not what makes a story good. It was entertaining and captivating, definitely worth a 5 in my book.

I don't see why you thought Marc was so flawed. Everyone has their own opinion, but I see yours as flawed.

She betrayed him by having a six month affair with an old neighbor, was caught and husband could not get past her selfishness and stupidity and left her permanently. Before divorce papers were received she committed suicide. Stupid cheating woman left her family because she was selfish and stupid. It wasn't the husbands fault. Everyone realized that years later. Now the cheating wife is decomposing and he now lived happily ever after. Bottom line, all's well that end's well.

It is really a fine description of painful relations. Even at this point there is a lot we do not

know about what happened. I understood this a writing device to keep us focalized on the feelings of the ex-husband, but he knew more than we did since he read his wife's letter and we didn't. Probably the cause was that near fifty feeling that she is no longer beautiful. But to have 25th Anniversary Celebration in the middle of affair showed she had no sensitivity. The fact that he feels guilty about her suicide is a natural reaction because he knows that he could always have done something different.

But the main characters were thoroughly unlikeable. While Connie may have been a cheater I'll never understand (and it wasn't well explained in this story) why a husband would run away and stick his head in the sand with his fingers in his ears telling himself no, no,no I don't want to hear or talk about it - or anything else. That's not the way a man behaves. Or at least any men I know. You don't solve anything by not talking. I found him to be gutless. And more than a little to blame for Connie's death. In the end, I just didn't like the story.

Everyone has their own reactions to extreamly stress and usually it is not rational. That seems to have been the case with the characters in this story.

He didn't say he never wanted to see her again. Would he have reconciled? Who knows? Maybe they would still have divorced but could have managed to salvage some sort of relationship as exes. But just as she was faithless in her adultery, she was faithless in not waiting for his anger to cool enough to for him to hear her out. First she doused herself with gas when she cheated, then she lit her own match.

The only thing I can think you left out is where does he get off loving her so much that it hurt him so bad that he DID need all of that time to get his head working again...?

What sort of bastard is he to not just be ok with it...? Why couldn't be just forget he loved her, opted to hate her (or better yet become indifferent to her) and let her explain how she crushed him and tore their life apart...? Sheesh, it was ONLY sex...

(Yes people, that's sarcasm too...) :)

Second reading. Marc had a couple of weird kids, didn't he? Good writing. "Different"

kind of LW story, for sure. Cheers!

The previous commenter seems to have misunderstood the meaning of 'Leave a comment here'. He seems to think it means "Write an entirely fictional story, longer than the one you've just read, and post it as a comment, instead of posting it in Fiction, or Loving Wives". Actually, it just belongs in Fiction. You became a millionaire, in just 5 years, working on 2 boats (Watch Discovery Channel much?), and as a labourer on a pipeline? Really? Where do the rest of us sign up?

I can understand that 25 years is a long time and the last 6 months of it she was cheating on him. My question is WHY? And his son and oldest daughter blaming there father for Connies death and spreading rumors that it was his fault she took a bottle of pills and killed herself. Did anyone every take the time to think that if she had not cheated on him they would be up to 30 years plus now. Boy there ex neighbor must have been good to destroy a 25 year marriage. TO PUT IT BUNTLY SHE FUCKED UP AND TORE HER HUSBANDS HEART OUT SO IF TAKING HER OWN LIFE LIKE A COWARD ENDED HER PAIN SO BE IT, The said part he was still hurting and two of his children turned against him as my thing goes they can go to hell so he only has one daughter and no grand kids let his oldest daughter live with that and her children will never know there grand father sounds cruel but his daughter brought it on herself. Good story Sad story yet in my favorites. I do not read it as much as others in my favorites in fact I seldom read it.

Ron Texas

cowboyridecc@yahoo.com

Need to get rid of Alicia. Anyone that willing to go behind your back over and over again, doing things they "know" are "good for you" needs to be kicked out. Unless you want another Mommy to take care of you.

Hmmm . . . I did enjoy reading this story, there are many topics relating to personal relationships that made you think, even under the guise of fiction. Sometimes family relationships can be the hardest. I have six grown kids and have good relations with all of them. I do not really know how I would cope facing some of the scenarios that you posed. On another note, the annonymous asshole that wrote some crap fiction as a way to get published under 'comments' has done this to other authors as well. I know Literotica is lighthearted with fictional stories. Many of us here love to write, some better than others, some brave and do so, others like me, a bit uncertain. One thing I do know is that I will always 'own' what I do, unlike ANY who comment as 'annonymous' *further rant in private using very bad language

You need to understand. There are a Lot of Alices out there. I think it is in the genes, closely linked to the female chromosome. Can't get rid of em all, got to love a few of em or your life will be male oriented. And very few people really want that. You just have to learn to recognize the events and decide what You want to do. Sometimes it would have even been something you would have done anyway and most of the others, well 'don't sweat the small stuff'. Live's too short. The other small percentage, just be strong and do what You think is best. You may be in trouble, but hay, you're a man after all, right.

ps: great story again, by radk. It's come to be what I expect from this author.

DHL

The characters and plot of this story pulls the reader's emotions in several different directions. It is for this reason as another commentat stated, that this story was a little hard to read.

A very good, well written, and deeply emotional story of what was a loving couple and family.

What the reader does not get to know is why the wife decided to cheat, and why the ex next door neighbour !

Had they been having an affair before he moved away, or was this a continuation of an affair that been going on for years !

Did his wife give her lover more than she gave her husband in the bedroom, did you allow sloppy seconds or creampies, what was her emotional state before, during and after one of her Holiday Inn meets ? !

Alot of detail in the story yet so little is actually known about Connie the wife !

The best part about this story is the resilience the protagonist shows in facing adversity. He continues to move on in his life recovering from each blow. Even her suicide was a selfish attempt to hurt him. If she had loved him, she would have faced her crimes and lived with her punishment - if only for him.

All those years and he just runs off and won't talk to his wife? Yeah. That's how a man solves his problems. Doesn't talk about them and sticks his head in the sand when someone reaches out to him and wants to talk. I really wanted to get a gun and shoot him. A truly terrible character. Nothing to like about this mess even if you did a good job with it. And why any woman, including Alicia, would EVER want to spend even ten seconds with such an emotional basketcase is beyond me. No woman, once she knew what happened would give him the time of day. You sure seem to write a lot of stories about people, men and women, that are emotional cripples. Horrible story.

Still five stars. Heart wrenching.

It was a few months that he didn't talk to her. I don't even blame him his wife shit on their marriage of 25 years. Of course it would take time for him to get his emotions in check. Connie's selfishness ended up making Marc suffer for years.

are not hypocrites or zealants. TK U MLJ LV NV a new word, mlj

But the best of anything I have read thus far on Literotica. 5-Star and my favorite of favorites.

We never found out what the wife's motivation was to cheat. I don't mean the horny details. Just what was the reason. The husband knew from the letter but never revealed any reasons. Just wrote a book.

Doesn't take away from the five star rating but is a curiosity.

The heartless cruel cunt of a pathetic man killed his wife - period!!!

You are a twisted person. I don't know why you get off writing under a male name. She killed herself. He didn't owe her anything, nothing. She broke her wedding vows and two of their children tried to emotionally blackmail him. We all have free will, she made her choice. You are wrong.

He didn't kill his wife, she cheated again and took her own life. That is what cheaters do - only care about themselves, their own pleasure, their own pain, their own reputations - everything is about them. As adults, we are the sum of are decisions. Cheaters make lots of bad decisions, this makes them "bad" people. Not demonic, evil people, just bad people to have in your life.

Why did she cheat? For the same reason all cheaters cheat, they want the pleasure that comes from the excitement of the cheating. The intense feelings that come from trying to get away with breaking the rules, the feeling of romance, the sex act. The act of cheating makes the selfish cheater the star of their own illicit romance story: the feme fatale or the alpha stud. Of course, it is a self deception. It is always a lie. Cheaters are not the cream of the crop. They are second or third stringers. The cream does not have to cheat. They have their shit together. They do not have to lie to anyone. They do not have to sneak or steal. So, when cheaters are discovered it is best to use their adultery as grounds for divorce and get away from "bad" people. Forgiveness is good for the forgiver, so forgive a cheater - but never stay married to a cheater. Even later in life, it is easy to find "good" people to be around why be miserable being around "bad" people. It is irrational.

"All right, since the two of you aren't going to say anything I'll do it," Alicia said with a gruff tone. "Marc, I invited Megan here because she has something she wants to say to you. I knew that you wouldn't invite her so I did. I know that I'm only a guest in your home but if you want me to keep being a guest then you'll sit right here and listen to her."

"Alicia my dearest, please take this backstabbing bitch and yourself out of my home and life. How's that for a reply to your ultimatum?"

are all the people assholes and cheaters in this fictional world?

It was a very moving, emotionally sad, and very well written story. I will echo some of my fellow commentator's questions about what was in the letter that Connie left. I am very curious as to her motivation, how long the affair went on, how she was able to compartmentalize the cheating. We would have liked to have learned more about Connie. In any case, thank you very much for the effort. Well done.

This is my second reading of this story. The first was quite a while ago. At first I was very angry with Connie, but this time around I may have mellowed somewhat and really wonder what she would have said to him if he had taken the time to listen. Probably the usual stuff about life in middle age was getting dull and needed a pick-me-up and having an affair was a boost. It doesn't make much difference what she said - the important thing is that a dialog would have opened and they could have moved ahead based on actual knowledge and negotiation.

I have never cheated on a woman I was with and I believe they haven't either. I would like to think that after blowing my top and ranting and raving for a while I would have sat down and with great difficulty tried to understand why the betrayal occurred, whether it was likely to happen again and whether or not our feelings for each other were stronger than the event of betrayal. I do believe that sometimes people think they can do something in secret and it never comes out, but then it does and they realize that their actions could cause an irreversible tear in the fabric of even the most durable relationships. It can never be the same as before the betrayal, but maybe you can live with what you have. The key, in my mind, is that you get all the facts on the table and make a decision with them in hand. Then you know if the right thing is to walk away, get counseling or work your way through it one-on-one. Packing a bag and disappearing into the sunset is never the right thing (I know, I know: 'never say never').

Many of these Loving Wives betrayals have the betrayed one packing that bag and heading out. Most of the time it turns out to be the wrong thing to do. People who comment here on Literotica are often manic in their insistence that the cheater be thrown to the wolves and recommend dire retribution. They are the true losers. None of us is perfect and you only work your way through life and keep your sanity if you seek perfection, but don't throw your life away when it isn't there. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan: "forgive, but verify". 4*

Each situation is different. Different circumstances, different motivations, different characters each with their own world view. So I think its fair to say that my lookout point sat firmly in the middle of the road, I take each story on its own merits and NEVER tell the author he or she is wrong for sending their tale in any specific direction.

Having said that, there is a trope that crops up time and time again that really grips my shit, and that is the cheated-on husband simply packing up, fucking off and refusing to talk to his wife. Basically sulking like a petulant child instead of dealing with the issue in a mature and adult fashion.

In this case, it resulted DIRECTLY in the death of his (clearly mentally unstable) wife and I hold the protagonist directly responsible for that. Communication could have prevented a needless death, even if there was no chance of reconciliation.

I am beginning to get really bored with the endless stream of husbands who just run away instead of dealing with the problem.

Just read this for a second time...the first being some time ago. The first time I thought what happened to Connie was justified but now...no. She made a mistake and betrayed her husband badly...but she did not deserve to die. He should have talked to her..after 25 years she deserved at least that. Most likely since the trust is now forever gone...their marriage was over. Maybe since they shared three kids..they could have ended up friends or at least friendly. Still a very good story causing me to think about things...which means the author did his job.

Solid 4 for me...Thanks for the story!

"Buckeye Fan"

Kids are going to be conflicted.

Mum and dad always forgave them when they said sorry, so how come you cant apologise and forgive each other ? So easy ...... not.

With maturity, life becomes more complicated and saying 'sorry' no longer does the trick. Suddenly, you have to face up and be responsible for all your actions, and accept the possibility that forgiveness may not be possible.

People do love gossip. They do love that warm glow that comes from feeling good about oneself. And nothing is more self satisfying than having someone you can all look at while muttering " shame on you ".

I'm with virtualathiest. I'm not sure why these guys who run away from problems and confrontation are so popular. After twenty-five years of marriage he can't even talk to his wife? Two or three months later and the little wimp is still too traumatized to read a goddamn letter? Hell, our kids faced their problems more bravely than he did when they were in preschool.

Some strange comments vilifying the husband. His wife cheats on him for six months and this destroys him emotionally and mentally. Perfectly understandable to me. I have known a few men, who gave cracked up in a similar way, through marital betrayal. It attacked their very soul. I have met others who have punched the lover and ended up in an even bigger mess. Who can predict how people will react.

2nd read for me, and I liked it better this time. All the negative comments are

misguided, in my opinion. The wife cheated, he separated himself from her, (as I

certainly would have), and the rest is on everybody else. It was THEIR OPINION

that he should forgive her, take her back, etc. But I think he felt like I would have.

"Fuck'em all."

Marc shows integrity and honor that Connie could not match. Her looser morality (evident by her suicide) made any living happily ever after impossible, He had no choice if he was to continue to be the man he was. Five stars * * * * *

Very well written story.

He owes the cheating scank nothing after six months of cheating and ling to him. Let her rot.

Only the person that wrote the letter and the person that read it knows why his wife of 25 years cheated on him with another man that been a friend and neighbor. His two older children stood by there mother and bad mouthed there father and she was the one that cheated. After getting caught she loved only him all the excuses yada yada yada but she cheated tore her family apart and took the cowards way out she took a bottle of pills and killed herself. Shame. Disgrace seeing what she did to her husband guess she felt guilty for betraying him. Her lover needed to have a bad accident as in being mugged and beat where his privates no longer worked. A very sad story about betraying the man that you say you love. In my favorites not sure.

Ron/ cowboyridecc@yahoo.com

One of the best stories i have read on here, my only change i would have liked was for you to publish the letter from Connie he eventually read.

So he was rid of the cheating wife and gained a manipulative one. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. The reincarnation of Matt M.

This is a first rate short story! That's meant to be a congratulations. It is a good reflection of how one very bad choice by a partner can easily kill the partnership and leave a personal trauma in its wake. Perhaps meeting with Connie might have saved the suicide but forgiveness is a very personal choice. It is much more complex than either a BTB or "let's forget and make up again".

Yes, it would have been helpful to have read Connie's letter to him but in this story, that is one of the issues that remains secret.

Thanks for the story, you did a great job here. Carry on!

Tiny Tim

Damn Radk well written, Nice story

What was in the letter? The contents may have made a difference in my opinion. The guy seemed to casual about the entire situation. He also needed some "closure" with the asshole Jablonski. Other than that it was very entertaining.

all these husbands who love their wives more than live itself, but their egos more than that!

And they suffer, they suffer. Seems to me a bit too much. They recover more easily from the death of a loved one than from being cheated.

The son Stuart, hops from one girl, including married women. Yet nobody calls him a slut or whore. Why are these terms reserved for women?

Where can one find "loving husbands"?

They are much more likely to cheat than wives.

Y, you are accepting the ultimate in passive aggressive evil, when you side with a suicide.

Hubby was not a bully, he was a man just coming to terms with a continuing affair.

Male ego has nothing to do with story no matter what your fragile feminine psyche would have you believe.

Wife had long term affair that was not discreet. She had to know she was busted after ticket but continued affair.

Then because husband needs some time to think he is irrationally blamed for wife's suicide.

No matter the gender a cheat is a cheat and nowhere did author defend son whose amoral actions were result of mother's influence on him

The theme was cliche, the story was upbeat in many aspects but when a main character dies it can upset the proverbial apple cart. The excursion of the author to showcase the protagonist as a successful author pulled some sunshine in to a noir story. I felt the author missed an opportunity in not engaging the protagonist with his wife after the incident. Nevertheless, I rated this five stars because I like success stories for aggrieved parties in cheating relationships. I don't think the wife dying assisted in anyway, if radk just left her out in left field the story would've been better for me.

at the beginning of your stories. DEPRESSING STORIES DON'T READ AT LEAST YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF AFTER READING.

Give me a fucking break.

i never get how a cheater can be so devasted or claim to love their spouse so much that they can't live without them, even if they don't go to the extremes of suicide. they must have a degree of at least indifference if not contempt for their partner or marriage.

even though i enjoy reading them, i do find some of the more juvenile revenge more believable. thats not a pop at the author btw just my inability to get into the mind of a cheater.

i think we should have been told why she was cheating, what was the nature of her extramarital dalliance. fun? love? evil? kink? cuckoldress? why why why?

Marc was not responsible in any way for his wife's death and to think otherwise is silly. She made the choice to cheat. Over and over. She made the choice to lie. Over and over. She made the choice to do the absolute worst thing you can do to your spouse. Over and over.

She knew it was wrong and therefore tried to keep it hidden. She deliberately hurt her spouse. There is absolutely NO way that she loved her husband the way a spouse is supposed to.

She made the choice to end her life. She made the choice to take the pills. Marc didn't force her, didn't open the bottle or give her the glass of water. She made the choice to end it like she made the choice to end the marriage.

I don't get why she would be depressed, except for maybe guilt. She clearly didn't love Marc, otherwise she wouldn't have cheated over and over. It must have been guilt that she couldn't handle.

Very sad story but we'll written, even if I don't agree with some of the ideas presented.

Good riddance to bad rubbish. About as good as it could possibly get. She's dead and he didn't have to kill her. Now John on the other hand should have gotten a nocturnal visit from a baseball bat wielding attacker wearing a ski mask and a hoodie. Oops!!! Is it possible to put those nuts back together after they've been crushed like that?

You have writing ability, but this story is less than average.

The story is unoriginal and cliche. There’s not much special about it, and it wasn’t enjoyable.

Exodus 20:5: you shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God, am a jealous God punishing the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.

Now if these third and fourth generation children had worshipped God all of their lives then why didn't God forgive them for their ancestors beliefs? So much for supposed Christain Forgiveness. Now don't tell me that Jesus would have forgiven those children. God is in fallible, all knowing for all time. God doesn't make mistakes. God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are all one thus they are of one mind and they don't make mistakes, ever!

I see no reason why the husband should forgive his wife's cheating since it wasn't a one off event! It lasted for years. The wife is a typical cheating semi believer like a lot of Americans. She figured that if her husband found out about her affair, she could just ask for forgiveness and her life would return to normal. The bible states that the rich must look after the poor. So what are these good Republican Christains doing? They are trying to repeal Obama Care because they don't want to support the American poor with their tax dollars. These people are hypocrite Christians, especially Texans! We in the rest of this world have universal health.

It is interesting that all of the so called Christians who are saying that the husband should have forgiven wife are just hypocritical Republican Christians.

I am a Republican Christian and believe that it is GOD's job to forgive not mine, and are you saying that democrats are NOT Christian?

A good story. The depth of emotion portrayed makes me suspect that it was based upon personal experience

Many of these commenter's make me despair at their comprehension of what they have read. Is this because these commenter's spend their days sending inane abbreviated text messages and don't understand real words - or maybe they are skim reading and missing 75% of the content?

Looking at the facts

1. Marc - speaking on their reaffirmal of their wedding vows on June 14th "I didn't see anything but Connie, the woman who completed me".

2. A couple of days later he discovered that Connie had been at the Holiday Inn on May 31st whilst he had been away.

3. Mid July he discovered Connie's car at the Holiday Inn - again whilst he was away.

4. Connie visited him within the next week looking for forgiveness. In other words she wanted to justify her betrayal and expected to confess her sins and get absolution then carry on as before.

5. Mid September Marc received her letter which he couldn't read due to his emotional state - so it is reasonable to assume that is was much the same as what she started to tell him on her visit but with more chapter and verse with spin trying to make it appear more excusable.

6. October 30th Marc turned 50 - admitting that he at last read her letter and felt he could now cope with meeting her - that's just nineteen weeks later.

7. On the eve of Connie's funeral Marc mentioned that her affair had been going on for six months.

To put this into perspective. You have a partner to whom you have been totally committed for over half of your lifetime - to the extent that you feel they are part of you - and that partner suddenly dies without warning. You would be grieving and distraught possibly taking a year or more to start living again. Now substitute betrayal for death and compound this by having your partner renew their wedding vows in front of over 200 people whilst carrying on an affair. You would hardly be able to function let alone talk to this partner about their double betrayal.

My personal experience of this type of discussion is that the offending partner is only really interested in restoring the status quo and any talk goes around in circles resolving nothing whilst increasing the emotional upset.

Personally I don't see how she could face over 200 people and renew her vows - and having done so how she could have possibly continued with her affair. To me that's the ultimate betrayal being many times worse than the affair itself - and many time more hurtful.

Those that blame the husband are either very emotionally shallow or have never had a strong all encompassing emotional attachment. This selfish attitude being exemplified by son Stuart. This is far worse than loosing a parent at a young age or a partner dying. Maybe loosing a child comes close.

Connie immediately knew the damage she had done else she would not have run into the glass door in her blind panic nor asked Marc for forgiveness for her six month affair - and who knows how long it would have continued if she hadn't been caught.

Marc's two older children were young adults and should have taken a more responsible attitude. Their continual blaming their father would not of helped Connie's state of mind. Son Stuart said they were concerned what their mother might do if left alone but made no arrangements for someone to be with her. Why did they not involve Connie's parents - they would have had the most free time - and I'm sure her mother would have had some words of wisdom to help her daughter. By her having sleeping pills it appears they had a doctor see her. Did this doctor not show any concern? What about the so called adult friends who visited and were said to be concerned - what support did they give?

At the end of the day did Connie intend killing herself because she couldn't live with her guilt or did she just want to sleep and took too many? In fact was it guilt or was it her loosing her previous carefree life? Only Connie knew those answers - and of course the author.

If Marc had spoken to Connie earlier and it hadn't gone Connie's way the end result could have been much the same.

There are a number of commenter's who said it would have helped to have seen Connie's letter and know her reason. Helped who? What does it matter what her reasons were - once she stood up and renewed her vows - they were all irrelevant as her words were no longer believable.

Although mark has found new love she will never have his complete trust. That sort of damage is permanent.

@shareher4fun - you have been a member for over six years - so maybe you should submit something to prove you are qualified to make such judgements.

...." I did something equally as wrong and destroyed her!!" Never ever is someone responsible for the suicide of a humans!!! Only the suicide victim is responsible for his decision!!! So dont sow doubts at other people!! Your protagonist is a wimp to put up with the actions his new fiancée enforced on him!!! Only he has to decide if he wants a new relashionship with his daughter!!

her self centered ass wanted what she wanted on her schedule, the two kids he disowned deserved what he gave em , forgiveness i doubt. im not sure I'd have been like him

Wonderfully told story.

If any respect was left

for the wife, it went out the door

when I read she welcomed

her lover into the 25th. anniversary.

Great work writer!

Top ratings from me.

She stood in front of basically the whole town and renewed her vow of fidelity on 25th anniversary. She had to recognize the hypocrisy and should have been shamed into ending affair.

If she had ended it then, she would not have been found out.

That she didn't end if after anniversary ''wedding'' defines her lack of love and respect.

The person committing the act of Suicide is the only one to blame. My only problem with Marc is that he failed to inform Connie that he was waiting until she had suffered long enough to feel equal of his hurt. She had “fun” for a long time with John so she needed to “suffer” for a long time. Connie lost all hope and could not live, however if Marc had given her a clue rather than no communication, she might have found hope.

Marc was stronger than Connie. He landed on his feet but deserved better from his other family members. The other kids were wrong to take sides and berated their father. They were in a bad place but took the wrong approach when they talked to their father.

As Faye and Megan did not get on,how come Megan is staying with her?.

is with Literotica second wives sand bagging their new husband or fiancé? She couldn't tell him this was a requirement for her sticking around? WTF?

My Dear Heavenly Father please keep me from what happened to this poor Man!

That's how I feel because I'd hate that to happen to Me!

Great story plenty of If's (if he forgave her she'd be still alive) To some up this story please refer to my opening words! Thanks for sharing this Fantastic Story with us! ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ WOOF!

Known by her entire family, my wife had had several affairs with ex-boyfriends and her cheating ex-husband. She apparently would rather have them than me; and many family members helped her to keep her affairs from becoming public news. And I was made to be, at best, an idiot cuckold, and, at worst, totally to blame for the destruction of our marriage. Over time, she turned both of my sons against me, as well. I merely exist one day to the next. Living has become an increasingly dim memory.

This was one of the best written literary pieces on Literotica. Thank you having written it.

This story is a one portrait of the pain that can result from the betrayal of marriage vows and it is well told. I don't see any elements of this story that would make it a candidate for a best seller list, though, since there aren't any elements that would make it popular in the mainstream.

A wife cheats, gets depressed and commits suicide. The story is told well enough here, but nothing in the telling elevates it to anything compelling to those who can't relate to the circumstances personally.

Lots of cliches, if he cannot decide after 5 months or so, then when. Just wrapped in pity. Cannot have been a very good manager. A manager’s job is to resolve problems.

For one anonymous: read your ten commandments and the lord’s prayer, forgive us our sins, as we forgive....

Venustas has thoughtful insights. I enjoyed story and comments but fundamental part missing.

Dribs and draps of details of affair are ''hidden'' in story.

I kept waiting for Connie's reason to be revealed. All that we are told is husband couldn't believe anyone could be that stupid. Inference being lover blackmailed her or told some incredulous story that played on her sympathy. The reader deserves to know genesis.

Other comments seem to think husband should have resolved his feelings in quicker time frame

A six month affair puts start around holiday season - New Years??

The young police officer was aware of affair. Certainly those working at motel knew. A lot of people in town were aware but said nothing.

As others mentioned, she invited lover to basically town reception for Silver anniversary during which she renewed vow to forsake all others. THAT INSIDIOUS BETRAYAL - FORGIVEN OR NOT - DESTROYED ANY GOOD WILL. PERSONALLY THAT LEVEL OF DISRESPECT AND HUMILIATION IS FORGIVEABLE ONLY BY GOD.

She DID NOT intend to stop affair.

Funny none in town blamed lover...also strange husband did not confront guy and that lover's wife took no action until after suicide.

THE AUTHOR OWES READER DETAILS OF WHAT STARTED AFFAIR. Husband knew. Connie knew. Lover knew.

I HAVE CONCLUDED AUTHOR DID NOT KNOW. Having written the ''how anyone vould be that stupid'' author stumped himself!

You chose your name well as one who always immediately agrees with lewdslutdoogie

I am certain lsd loves that tingly sensation...his wife having chosen to do that for another...lsd reveals much about personal life in his comments...including a bigger dog had a bigger bone and lsd's ex welcomed it home

Marc certainly did not have the "strength" to meet, confront and attempt to talk with Connie and that did apparently lead to her taking her own life. Loss of life by however is always difficult. On the other hand, what he lost was enormous and effected life after marriage. One of the best stories on LW and well written.

Tiny Tim

I'm glad the wife is dead. She paid the price for what she did.

First, you left out a few things that could have made this a great story. One of which is, what happened to Connie in the motel room? Was it an accident, or intentional? I honestly DON'T blame him for not listening to her whining afterward. NOW,,, for the hypocrites. Your story is full of them, Connie the biggest of all. She could handle screwing around, even inviting the ass-hole to the refirming of vows, but somehow couldn't deal with getting caught? What did she expect? His son, daughter, and friends were no better. He did take longer than needed to make his decision, mine as served within a week. With all you left out, I can only give you a 3, but you could be great here.

Stuart's moral fiber is as dissoluble as Metamucil's,