All Comments on 'February Sucks: Same Old Me (4of4)'

Hello everyone. I'd put this at the end of the story proper, but I don't want to mess up the posting date by resubmitting it, so I'm pinning it as the first comment.

First, I'd like to thank the overwhelming preponderance of responders who've enjoyed this novel-length story (the word count puts it squarely between the second and third Harry Potter books). You are kind, generous, and encouraging, and I appreciate all of your feedback and kudos. After all I've been through, I feel heard. Thank you.

Most of the negative reviews and comments about parts 1, 2, and 3 address length and repetitiveness. That's fair, to an extent. I could have told a bare-bones version of same story in about a quarter of the space. Hell, I could have listed the bullet points of entire plot and all the events as a 750 word challenge. But if I'd done that, the story would have failed. Miserably.

Picking your way through the fallout of a failed marriage, ESPECIALLY when dealing with children, property, extended family, and a common social network, is, at best, like trying to clean up after a glitter bomb. YES it's interminable. YES it's arduous and exhausting. YES it's repetitive. And, YES you're never really done with it. Even after you've gotten rid of the bulk of the mess and you THINK you're finished, you'll still keep finding more and more of it for years to come. In order to be authentic, Jim HAS to spiral around a maddening series of negative thoughts for a while. There's no way to avoid having him beat his head against the same brick wall, again and again, even when he knows he shouldn't. Ask anybody who's been through a betrayal and divorce. Even though it gets better, the itchiness never really goes away. Those who fail to understand that much and say "Just BTB and be done with it, you simpering cuck" have either 1) never gone through it themselves and don't know anyone who has, 2) are emotionally or psychologically stunted, 3) live in stark denial, or 4) have some combination of all that.

"Same Old Me" was meant to be a deep dive into the unexplored whys and wherefores of the FebSux scenario that GA left so painfully unresolved. I think it's that lack of readers' satisfaction which has motivated so many of us to riff on the original so extensively. If I've done my job perfectly, many of you will come to think of this as a kind of "definitive" version that ties up all those loose ends into a comprehensible package. But in order to go that deep, the project demanded a large scope. I'll admit I didn't do the best job of reigning it in as much as POSSIBLE, but I do think that the dialog (however extensive) is tight, and I managed to keep the story to its fighting weight. Believe it or not, I did trim almost 30,000 words out of it from between its various working drafts.

There are some other issues that you guys have brought up that I'd like to address. Nearly all of it should be understood in the context of the intended theme of this story: "You Never Really Know What You're Dealing With, When You're Dealing With People." Everyone, including Jim the POV character, is an unreliable narrator. They all have hidden agendas and motivations, some of which they're unaware of. Everyone has a hard time admitting the truth, even to themselves. And we are to presume that there's always, always, ALWAYS more going on than anybody understands.

First, there's Jim's chimerism. Infidelity is such a taboo in our culture because of the parentage of children within a marriage. Jim's genetic legacy was always going to be compromised, no matter what. He never knew it, and he never had a chance. His origins as a chimera were buried in the story- his mother said he was a difficult pregnancy, and he was an only child. She had difficulty conceiving because his dad's sperm was wonky from his cancerous prostate, and she was on fertility drugs. It's no surprise that a pair of relatively weak fraternal twins decided to fuse for a better chance at life. Yes, the twist resolved abruptly, but there wasn't much more to say about it.

Second, there's a perceived issue with the characterization of the ladies in the friend group. I thought it appropriate to take the 'naughty girl talk' from GA's prologue and incorporate it into the story itself. Dee, of course, was the worst. Then Jane, who nearly beat Linda to the punch. Then Helen, then Rose, who was the most reticent of the bunch. Lots of you thought that the meeting at the Willing Mind had the girls telling Jim The Truth. Well, they KIND OF did. They told him as much of the truth as they thought he could handle. The rest was reserved for 'Just Us Girls.' Despite Jim's explicit request, they refused to drop the veil completely. Rose was genuinely sorry, but was still choosing her words delicately. I meant for the ladies' alliances to be torn in that conversation, and it's my failing if that wasn't apparent. I don't believe their characterization is inconsistent between that meeting and their behavior at the Irish pub, which happened off-camera. Rose and Gus were there, but so were their spouses, Andy and Helen. The gathering was supposed to be fun, but it was tense. Dee was defiant. Linda was nearly in a fugue state, drunk on Affair Fog. She'd been corresponding with LaValliere in the meantime, but didn't know for sure that he'd be there to seduce her again. He came, of course, because his destruction of her life wasn't complete. He absolutely expected Jim to find out about his continued desecration of Linda, because fucking things up is his fetish. The other two couples swore each other to secrecy, because "Things were bad enough," and Jim was mostly incommunicado anyway. That secrecy, though, was enforced by the girls' "cheating is awesome" club, and Gus and Andy were actually very angry about it. Jim's subsequent email to the men merely touched off the fuse that had been set. At that point, there was nothing left for those characters to do, and Jim needed to evolve out of that circle anyway.

Finally, the big question- Is Linda Evil? The answer is that I don't know. She's opaque to me. I've preserved the Linda from the original story as best I could. She's an immature narcissist, she's utterly self-absorbed and doesn't know what she's doing, she gets carried away by her terrible instincts and ill-considered ideas, and she has no concept of the consequences of her actions or their impacts on the lives of others. LaValliere isn't so much a character as a mechanism. The same is true of Dee. They're the bookends between which the dramatic tension happens. But Linda has made a hash of everything, and the only growth her character experiences is that she manages to understand as much over the course of her lifetime. But she doesn't really change. That's her curse. Same Old Linda As Always.

Thanks again!

Awesome. Close to definitive. Heaven help me, I love all these stories, but my favourites are this one, "The Two Notes", and Blackheart93's version. Part 3 of this series had me shaking, it was so wonderful. Well done.

What an awesome sequel, i really do praise your ability to write such personal and descriptive stories. I wish i had the same skills. Good effort and well done.

First, in response to one part of your final comments, I would say that to some degree all women are politicians with achieving their agenda taking precedence over the methods used by them. Linda’s friends fit this in many ways, as they traded favors and information among themselves while treating their spouses as part of the appropriate public image and financial support. On the lighter side, my bad dream for the wedding did not happen. I somehow envisioned Asshole showing up for Emma’s wedding as an invited guest and trying the same old dance and dash with bride herself. Then we would seen if nurture or nature won out and if Jim tried to kill him. What can I say? Your version took some of us to a number of new places in terms of thought. 5 stars and well done.

This was the measured, in depth sequel I've been waiting for. Not the full BTB hate train, but that full deconstruction of what her betrayal is - how abusive the situation was, how fantastic the situation is (in that it is some awful fantasy).

And it touches on how we DONT really remember those stolen moments down the line - it all fades. I love how you really showed that Linda needed Jim to stick around so she COULD retain those memories.

And I like how you didn't go down the trite "but I still loved her" line - which seems the shorthand in these stories for potential RAAC. Showing that Love is Not Enough and how it can be harmful was brilliant. It isn't some shining beacon - it's an emotional response.

A measured, emotional, traumatic story with a fantastic ending. Brilliantly done.

Thank you for writing this, well done!

The ultimate alternative version of FS.

Great writing, even if it did get unnecessarily wordy on occasion. Four parts worth of drama, but what got to me was elizabeth dying. That just gutted me.

This is the best alternative ending to February sucks I have read. A little worst, but a lot of little nuggets if knowledge in there. Very insightful.

I would love to see what you imagine Emma's me me me moment was that got her kicked out and talking to her mother. To see Linda do something good for her family after she destroyed it.

Thank you for writing

I agree with most comments. The four parts showed exceptional writing skills. I did think it was a tad too long but that's just me. As an older dog owner you really got me emotional as you vocalised the last "conversation" with Elizabeth. I didn't agree that if Marc was destroying so many marriages that it wouldn't come out, at some stage, in the media. However a big blazing 5 stars for the whole story.

Thank you for writing this story for us

Nice job. I stand by my earlier assessment that Linda's second tryst with ML was unnecessary and took away from the drama. The fact that it doesn't even rate a mention in her and Jim's final talk showa this to be the case.

/

Finally, as someone who just recently sat cradling my best buddy's furry head in my lap as the vet put him to sleep, I was moved to tears by your description of Jim and Elizabeth's goodbye.

Wow. What a piece of work. What a story.

I'm bookmarking it so I can read it again someday, and you've earned a subscriber.

Of course, each of us has our own experiences, our own pains, our own feelings, and it's so easy to find things or passages we don't like, or wish were different.

But your story is surely one of the most realistic and mature we've had on FS.

- no revenge on Linda or Lavallière

- no sex expert models (Helen)

Just a description of the probable and real consequences of this betrayal.

Personally, I find in LW modern epics of ordinary people, where, like Jim, they have to endure hardship and betrayal.

Like Homer's mythological characters, they find themselves on a long journey to find a safe harbor at the end of which they can continue the rest of their lives.

And that's exactly what you've done with this version.

Thank you so much for the journey.

Thank you so much for sharing your story and your talent.

A thought for the scene with Elizabeth, which brought back old memories. 18 years old, absent parents away for the weekend, a faithful canine companion of only 5 years injured and suffering, a very difficult decision to make, and support right up to the end.

Thank you for your excellent interpretaion of 'February sucks'.It was good to read a greater level of depth to the feelings of 'Jim' and 'Linda'

I have not rated or commented on each part of this story, but I am here to tell you the 5 rating I gave applies to the whole story, each part as well as the whole. You have done a superb job in presenting all of the intersecting parts of this account. I applaud you and have determined now to read each of your stories. Thank you so much for tackling this project and seeing it through to the end.

One of the best thoughtful rendition of the classic story! I enjoyed reading this it, I was looking forward to the next chapter at the end of each day. Thank for posting it. 5*+++

One of the best George Anderson followup.

I've read all four segments and I say to you Cockatoo "BRAVO!"

It was long, there was lots (sometimes too much if I'm honest) conversation, and I'm a bit sorry that ML didn't get his nuts pureed in a blender while still attached to him, but this story seemed to be a realistic assessment of how people cope with major disruptions to their lives as they move forward with their lives.

Thanks for the story telling. Great job putting an end to it also. Good luck on your next endeavor. If it's in LW I will see it. Not into a lot of the other crazy categories, fetish, trans, sci/fi, gay, lesb, etc. I think in the end GA would have liked what you did with his original. Thanks again.

I very much enjoyed this series…..well written and I think the only version that really came to the end in a realistic manner. Nicely done.

What makes "February Sucks" so tantalizing and what attracts readers to "February Sucks" and what inspires other writers to add to the body of literature of "February Sucks" is.... the psychology of "February Sucks."

/

The human psychology of the act of a married woman just up and vanishing from her husband to go and spend a night having sex with a stranger (but well known celebrity) is almost beyond comprehension. But it is very plausible and because it's plausible we have to deal with all of the human emotions (psychology) which result from such an act i.e., surprise, shock, disbelief, hurt, anger, hate, loss, revenge and more.

/

The aftermath of such an act (a wife spending a night having sex with a celebrity) is a psychological and sociological... train wreck. And readers and writers can't take their eyes off of this train wreck.

/

With this four part series I think you've taken a very deep dive into the psychology and sociology of the aftermath (the train wreck) of Linda's night with Marc LaValliere. You've offered us an in depth analysis of Jim and Linda's psychology and well as the psychology and the sociology of their friends and families. It's very good work. But there is much more to explore, discover and understand about what drives a woman to do such a thing and how her husband and family will react. And, we may never fully understand the whole psychology.

/

Five

Wow, short attention span (me) got all the way through this! No question, it's the most thorough and in the top 5 of the sequels. But I detected a "just once if you don't mind" in there. Please don't give that one a 100,000 word version!

HAHA I loved how Jim made Linda instantly realize her dancing with him was her doing the same thing to her new husband.

Excellent read!!! Loved all 4 parts. I don’t care how long it is. If it keeps my attention the whole time where I just can’t stop until I’m finished reading and eagerly awaiting the next installment, then you’ve done a great job. Please, continue writing and submitting your excellent work. I’m a fan! Of course all four installments get 5 stars.

This story is quite good because it endeavors to account for Linda's behavior. In order to do that it adds some things, like the coven, that helped. In some ways that's fine. However, part of the shock of the original story - all of it really - came because Linda's abandonment of her husband was so abrupt and unlike her. D

(Also, ya gotta kill the football guy. Or at least maim him. That's actually more realistic than letting him slide. Someone who regularly screws with other guys eventually gets badly messed up. Nowadays, anyone, no matter how small and weak, can get a Glock.)

It's not the ending I wanted but it worked extremely well for your story.

One of the major flaws of G.A.'s original is that it rode hard on a baseline assumption that any woman could be zapped a star or celebrity armed with a slut ray. It excuses her behavior and forces Jim to accept it and reconcile. In other words, the entire story is steeped in the misogyny of lowered expectations, of treating women as beings incapable to rational thought, accountability, or the empathy required to understand their own cruelty.

This retelling dismantles that misogyny one step at a time. Methodically.

We may crave Linda's downfall as an audience, or Mark's comeuppance, but that's not what this retelling is about. This story is a reminder that average people can hurt each other, that they can fall, but that doesn't mean everyone is a monster like Linda waiting to happen. This tale cautions us to watch ourselves just as much as to watch out for each other in our relationship. Put another way, weeds don't grow when we tend our gardens carefully.

That said, I was really rooting for worse to happen at or by the end, but you helped me accept your ending by showing how this affected the children, especially Emma. Well done.

5/5.

Damn!

This was epically good. Great even. I love how you tied elements of the original into the story all the way to the end. The 'second-best smile' - and all that it means - really got to me.

Very, very well done, author. Excellent!

Great through chapters 2.5 and perhaps a bit more then the story loses its sense of direction and falls to a standard ending. The earlier parts were a much better exploration of thoughts, feelings, actions and reactions on the part of the main set of characters. But somehow, it feels as if the writing was getting too hard to continue. Players in the story are discarded. New elements unrelated are introduced then left unused and hanging. These become diversions which take the story away from where it began. Ultimately it reads as a cliche and rather (as in many cases) a loving wives ending (wive sadly through many poor marriages and struggling and now and repentant, MC now happily married and living the better life). Yes, neatly tied in a bow but unsatisfying given the great beginning.

Elizabeth was a touching addition.

Ok, a little long winded but liked the take. Also, the passing of Elizabth choked me up. As a dog person with Shepards, I can relate. Thank you for having Jim be there with her at the end. Thanks for sharing.

This chapter was ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first two dragged a bit. Ok dragged a lot.

Third picked up.

This one was clear and concise. It had tension that wast not disappated with excess verbiage.

Nice work.

The dialog regarding Elizabeth caught me by surprise. I did/t think it would affect me the way it did. Roy got a bit more scritching around the ears after my reading of that. Good dog! Good story...

You should consider that a masterpiece. Not upstaging any literary giants, but it’s seriously great writing. The character development is just off the charts. You took Jim’s relationships to a much deeper level than a superficial telling-the-story. This final chapter hit close to home, but not for the most obvious reasons. Jim’s story of The Event and its Aftermath brought anger, disgust, volatility. I found Jim’s story of losing Elizabeth, much deeper emotionally, a draining sadness. 10 years ago we lost my wife’s beagle. A month later we adopted a rescue, yellow lab/pitbull mix aged between 3-5 years. Instead of bonding with the wife, she bonded with me and has been by my side the past 10 years. She’s in generally good health, but slowing down some. So yeah, that part just nailed me. You handled it exceptionally well in the story. Thank you for sharing this exceptional piece.

The best LW stories are full of conversation AND confrontation. What I love about this "February Sucks" treatment is that it's almost ALL conversation and confrontation. Terrific! Thanks, @Cockatoo

So very well done. I could feel the emotion in your script. I know you were deeply moved by GA's original story. This rendition of February Sucks is the best yet. I can only imagine how many times you went over paragraphs and sentences, while writing this story. I look forward to reading more of your stories in the future. Bravo!

The best thing to happen to LW in years. An absolute gift to those who want to read a story, and not a 750 word microtransaction.

1) You are an awesome writer and story teller.

2) Excellent ending and pretty realistic given the setup.

3) Thanks for having all 4 chapters ready to publish. It made for good continuity.

4) Elizabeth's passing made me shed some tears.

5) Ignore the riff raff.

I'm going to go back and read this again. But the main problem I have with it is your treatment of 'Marc the asshole'. Now with the overall detail and emotional introspection, I honestly did not expect Marc to get a beat down. Not the nuts turned into tapioca etc. but you left that whole thing with a whimper. He had a long fulfilling life with no ripples.

Yet in the story you had people forming a network to follow his activities.Only a tiny support group of a handful of woman was the result. Not even a public outing in the press. You even described how Tiger Woods caught hell in the press and it cost him dearly in terms of bad press etc. For Marc a serial predator with hundreds of victims, NADA. Just smooth sailing.

Excellent story, all the way through. A few little hiccups (like the chimera thing, and some of LW’s musings), but overall a very thorough follow up on the GA story. I doubt anyone can say FTDS (finish the damn story).

Gonna look over your other works now.

Each chapter of this series got better; this chapter is quite powerful. Having outlived three generations of Corgis, I really appreciated Elizabeth. Jim’s epiphany after dancing with Emma was especially poignant. Also appreciated the subtlety associated with Jim’s second wife’s name. Well done.

You are a gifted writer. Was it long, yes, but so worth it. So many layers and messages interwoven in the story. The part about Elizabeth ripped tears from my eyes. In the end, the entire journey was more than worth the time invested. I'm sure your story hit many of those who read it hard and challenged how their own relationships worked. I know it did me. Thanks again and I look forward to your next entry.

Oh, Man, Oh, Man! Great deep dive into GA's story! Many high points here, but I have to agree with the many comments about Elizabeth. I love that dog! You captured emotions very well for the human AND canine characters. I had to put a dog down years ago and was in the room as he drifted off for the last time. That dog loved Brach Cinnamon Discs hard candy, and just before the injection, I gave him one last candy. I still remember his eyes looking at me while he was lying on that cold, stainless steel veterinarian's table, getting the injection that ended his life. I cried over Elizabeth, remembering my Australian Shepherd friend, and just thought, "It serves the bitch right" over Jim's dumping of Linda. I do wonder if any man would have taken as long to analyze the situation as Jim did, but hey, it added great depth to the story. Keep them coming.

I think that generally George Anderson's tale has had far too many followups, particularly as the story itself was meaningless to me, just a tale of cheating which should have immediately ended the marriage. When I started Part 1 of this one I stopped reading quickly and didn't come back to it until this one, Part 4, which worked really well as the marriage was long over and it was about moving on with life. It read more like a Romance without all the crap about whether the marriage should be over.

Part 4 was extremely well written and very worthwhile. I'd have given this part 5 stars except that there was one thing I really disliked. Grace was not set up to reject Linda. She could quite easily and properly said that whether Jim danced with Linda was up to Jim, or just said it was fine to ask him and it was up to him. Accordingly in my view Grace was wrong to think Jim owed her an apology or that she'd been set up--but that wasn't as far wrong as saying Jim owed Linda an apology. Jim owed Linda no apology for not wanting to dance with her and in my view Grace was out of line saying that he did.

It seems wrong to give such good writing a mediocre rating, but that part seemed absurd enough that I gave the story 3 stars.

...but the follow-ups are a persistent phenomenon. There is something in the original that begs to be explained. I think this quadrilogy does it for me. Thanks for showing Linda never changes.

The only follow ups that I have liked to GA’s original have been the ones that take a deep dive into Jim’s emotions getting past the traumatic experience. I really like how your story utilizes all the little details of the original to craft the set up and intent of the original scenario to better understand Linda and the why she did it. Thank you for this- since your story is so complete I actually feel like it gave me closure to the original that I was needing.

Very well written, but my god the energy that man surrendered to that selfish cunt! Why? Why on earth would he not instantly remove himself from that disease? Like the day after she ditched him. Never share another word with her unless it directly concerns the kids. Use the grandparents as go-betweens until the kids are grown. Erase the bitch and never give her another glance. All the crap he went through investigating her, doing counseling with her, and trying to reunite with her, that's just insanity! GA's story hints that, deep down, ALL women are sick, selfish, bitches and will cheat if they think they can get away with it. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think it's true.

Welcome back after 20. Great long-winded job. Turns out the dialog is the heart of your tale. thanks and thanks again. Great job.

I think I've read all of the FS stories that have graded over 3.5 stars, and I will continue to read them as they are published. I don't think I will read another one without comparing it to this magnificent story. I keep wondering if George Anderson read this and what he thinks of it.

Thank you. I appreciate the effort and the result; excellent story telling. I’ve tried to read all the February Sucks stories, and this is the best. Now I have to get to know all of your work. 5*’s.

Thanks for your story. Yes it was long, but I think the length was needed to convey all of those thoughts. Hopefully, GA will feel honored he has inspired this and several other good stories. I'm glad to see talent like yours return to the site. Please, purge your mind of all the stories you have and place them in all of the various categories you feel best, but please don't forget this category. We have several fantastic authors here but it takes many to keep our voracious appetites sated, and your talent is more than just an appetizer.

A truly magnificent story. 9.5 stars, as I pay extra for the privilege. The only problem I have is asshole (small 'a') is still walking around upright. Happy ending, BTB, children have grown up well, and the M/C is content. It took long enough, but then again, as you pointed out, it was a long story. The Bear approves. Welcome back, sir. More, please. Just, if you will, a little shorter. I'm too old to read long ones all the time. Thank you, again.

The BEAR

Pretty good even if a long one but the details and experience or rather consequences made the story really good. Putting urself in Jim's shoes, I bet most spouses would most likely divorce the other spouse. I feel this story is probably more realistic than most of the others and was explained pretty well. Kudos to the author

Best thing on here in a while. The length is not a negative when there is great dialogue. Hell, I wish it were longer. I know I will be in the minority, but I am not a dog person and I couldn't get into the Elizabeth part. I understand Jim needed a loyal friend, so the dog made sense. I just couldn't get into it beyond that. I kind of wish there was a conversation with Rosie after everything fell apart. Overall, you get the highest number of stars allowed.

Well, contrary to what a lot of others think, while it was the longest story I have read here on LitE, I don't feel it was too long. This is definitely the BEST Feb Sucks follow-up that I have read to date. It is (to me) an in depth and realistic exploration of emotions that most many people would feel when faced with a deep betrayal. This story delved much deeper into Linda's psyche than any other story I have read so far and I was glad that she was able to finally understand and be honest with herself about she had done. Being able to be honest with ourselves about our feelings and actions and learning from our failures is the best and hardest thing we can do towards becoming better human beings.

What a waste of reading of 4 parts All to show the pretense of Jim good Linda bad The kids were screwed over by both of these parents Good thing Jim could find a replacement slut

Chapters 1 to 3 kept the interest, not for the length but for the well crafted work of this story, for me the final chapter is a let down, (I said, for me), because it shows the RAAC quality will always be present in the “cheating” loving wives category, ( I have been disappointed twice, the second time was the ending of a 33 year relationship), I will certainly read your other, (I hope), well crafted works as story telling is a craft you have in spades. Thank you and welcome back.

The Feb story horrifies me. I couldn’t understand my reaction until you outed Linda as an dangerous abuser in the same category as physical abuse. That important part was lost in the coven description which was unnecessary IMHO.

Cockatoo, why do you and ALL of the other idiotic wannabe authors have to keep beating a dead horse into the ground with this story? Why? Let the fucking thing go, and I don't know, create YOUR OWN stories. I know you February suckers are incompetent, but at least try, I am begging you for the love of all things holy. It's behind pathetic at this point.

while I do so enjoy watching paint dry

the fact is psychic dogs get one star

Glad that's over.

Parts of it were really, really good, other parts were quite disappointing.

Overall, it probably ranks as the number 1 febsuck story for me, despite my dislike of some of the bits.

Bringing Elizabeth in just wasn't fair.

To the author;

You say that those of us who advocate for burning haven’t been through it, or are stunted people. There’s a fee choice words I could say in response. Instead, I will just say this

“You don’t understand US! We are NOT the emotionally stunted ones. We are those who Love Totally and Completely. It’s because of our intense devotion that betrayed is so much more devastating to us than those who love weakly, or not at all. To rage and hate at a negative 10 first requires love and passion at positive 10. The ‘divorce and walk away crowd’ never loved beyond a plus 5. Those who don’t care if there spouse cheated, or worse, encourage it, never loved at all.”

I hope this helps you understand the BTB Clan at least a little bit better!

ZK

I enjoyed it. My only comment, a lot was made of the relationships with his “so called” friends in the beginning. What became of them? Did Dee ever have her comeuppance? Did they all end up divorced as well? Other than that, it was an excellent.

I"'ve preserved the Linda from the original story as best I could."

No you didn't. Not February Sucks.

Pretty damn good story even if it’s a FS story.

I find it hard to believe that a guy like Marc doesn’t get some form of revenge enacted upon him. The dude had to of killed dozens of marriages. Not one husband decided to record him seducing wives?

You did an awesome job of rounding out the characters in this very sad story of the collapse of a marriage. I was really pleased that Jim recognised Emma's second-best smile, totally acceptable in her case, as exactly that of Linda's on That Night and that revelation seemed to hit Linda deep to the core when he told her. Perhaps that is the moment when she genuinely realised what she did.

I will not be reading any other versions of the GA story as you have made it complete.

Thank you for your superb wordplay.

Wow! That's got to be the longest sequel I've ever read here...and I rarely read anything THAT long. But it was all good (although perhaps it could have been cut back a little bit?). 5 stars!

I just wish the Asshole had indeed ended up suffering in some way!

Yes,

It’s a long read but well worth it! It is exceptionally well written and believable including the wives secret club.

Thank you

PW

A great story, giving so much more depth to the characters and their motivations. My own experiences reinforce the probability that a group of women will likely create an environment that will lead to lying and eventually cheating. It saddens me to think that women, who are supposed to be our life partners, can so easily cast us aside. Marc was just one man, but all of his conquests were willing participants and outnumbered him 100 (?) to one. Cheaters always cheat, it's the easiest thing to do.

The entire story was written very well , there was a lot of ups and downs but it ended clearly and cleanly , well done

Well it’s true time heals all wounds but it’s getting to that time that’s most painful but eventually everybody reaches it , the last one and a half chapters in this story was all l really needed to read but l read all of the story l gave it 4.5 stars because it did cover some new ground thank you for your opinion on a classic tale

Well, this iteration puts to rest that series of cheater's tropes that the author summarized above:

.

"Because it's something you needed to do for yourself. It's got nothing to do with him. Besides, it's Just This Once. And He'll Get Over It. He Has To. And He's A Good Man. Right?"

The next time I see that chain in an LW story I can say "Nope...because 'Same Old Me'". No cheater in any LW story ever gets to successfully use those again because they have been demonstrated to be empty, abusive, bullshit. Seems like the modern myth known as "February Sucks" is finally getting deconstructed. Imagine being able to reflect some of this back to those hotties sitting around plotting in GA's prelude to the original.

Excellent. Thank you.

Ed

Good!

This was such a complete story arch - and the length truly allowed the reader to get inside the head of Jim. As so many authors say "it's just a story" but your treatment will be hard to forget

i stuck with it. Not because I had other things I could do because I do have other things I can do, I stuck because I like to read and when the stories good I like reading more. thanks for sharing and welcome back

A fascinating read. It goes right to the bottom of things. And very well written.

But please, do something about your "different than". It's one thing that really annoys me.

Well, masterfully done. Triggers some soul searching. If behavior changes enough, does character change with it? Yes, but the seed is always there waiting for the right conditions to sprout and grow. Self-awareness and eternal vigilance are critical for remodeling and revision, not to be confused with transformation. The the flawed, reworked, and revised might be preferable to a more pristine original. Stronger, more resilient?

Life's lesson in one phrase ? Don't let others take you for granted. For your own good and theirs.

He could not help himself or his wife, long before the "Night". He was a prisoner of his insecurities.

Good. Enthralling from start to finish, and you have a depth to your writing that provokes (in me) some interesting discussions, albeit in my head.

The finish was well-worth the journey. Thank you

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your conclusion to February Sucks as it developed characters and had believable events and consequences. Thank you for writing again.

i enjoyed this and i think my eyes have never teared as much as when reading about lizzy passing. not the ending i was looking for but i am a romantic and thought they could rebuild.

Wonderful storytelling. Could you possibly a FebSux tale centered around Ankh-Morpork.

An excellent treatise on the aftermath of a horrific betrayal. Without a doubt, it's light-years better than the original. Well done. 5 stars. Looking forward to more stories from you in the future. Thanks for posting, and I hope you managed to exorcise a few demons leftover from your own "THAT NIGHT".

Very entertaining, insightful and thoughtful. I looked forward to each segment. Your ability to develop small details and tie them into a larger framework was very satisfying. Thank you for making the effort.

Damn, this read like an autobiography. I hope the happy ending continues for all of you. Thanks for coming back to Literotica for all of us. Of the 90,000+ words I saw only one (sew vs sow) used wrong. One out of 90,000 seems like an incredible feat. What I really want to sat is that your story is top notch in every way, an enjoyable read in every sentence.

"Do what's right FOR YOU", not just the (correct) "do what's right."

Ironic, isn't it?

That's what started this whole mess in the first place.

Too bad that no one else will see this comment.

Of all the silly conversations throughout this story the stand out gem was very near the end ‘My mom has this thing about how integrity is power’ this coming from the same mom who slutted around on her dying husband, not really sure she understands the definition of integrity with comments like that.

Several of the alternate endings have Jim just walking away without a word and frankly after reading this effort and enough angst ridden internal monologue to sink a battleship I kinda prefer those to the literary equivalent of verbal diarrhoea this behemoth presents.

Still credit where it’s due the author did warn us that it was looooooooong.

Excellent take on 'Feb Sucks'.

The entire story was very insightful. You must have spent countless hours of research and planning crafting this story. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

I don’t think I will ever need to read another FS story. All will pale by comparison. You have ended it wonderfully for me and I thank you.

Wow! Now lots of things make sense. Seems its true that to write well yu have to have a story to tell and you need to suffer.

Frighteningly great

Thank you, I thoroughly enjoyed your work. I am going out on a limb here and saying better than the original. Grounded in reality, Jim wasn’t ex Special Forces, an MI6 or CIA operative. He didn’t know a Mafia hitman or a family member wasn’t head of a News organisation. Just a normal bloke, kicked in the nuts by the person he thought least likely to do it. You have flesh to the characters, brought them to life. I waited eagerly for each new part….well done!

Overall this was a truly excellent sequel, and definitely one of the best we've seen... which is quite the compliment, considering how many there are!

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I thought the "second best smile" from the daughter reminding Jim of Linda was a very clever way of giving him a true understanding of what the original really meant.

The final conversation with Linda was great, with her finally admitting how selfish, cruel, and destructive she'd been. Even her ignoring the needs of her current husband for her own selfish desire for closure with an ex was a nice little twist.

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My only major complaint was Grace.

You introduced her on page 26 of a 27 page story. As she's Jim's "happy ending" the character is woefully under-developed.

At the absolute bare minimum, she needed some kind of physical description. What's her age? Younger than him? Hair colour? Eye colour? Tall, short, average? Slim, athletic, or curvaceous?

Also you narrated *everything* about their relationship. How they met. Their flirting and getting to know each other etc. We had to suffer through pages of repetitive dialogue in earlier chapters, then got short-changed on all the important interactions with a major character. Even the random barmaid in chapter 2 got more focus from you than Grace. Dialogue is super important for major characters. It lets the reader get to know them on a much deeper level.

The reason Grace is so important, is that Jim being happy with her, is what allows him to finally forgive Linda. But as Grace is just a 2D character, it makes the forgiveness ring hollow.

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I didn't mind the length of the story at all. The same with "C is for Cookie". But you really need to work on your endings when you write a story of this length.

This was great, but the final chapter is much too short for a story of this size.

1) The final conversation with Linda felt rushed (she literally rushes off and cuts it short).

2) The second wife is just not developed at all, and has minimal dialogue.

3) There is no cathartic justice for Marc.

In this version, you've really painted Marc as a proper villain. A genuine sociopath, who goes out of his way to deliberately destroy happy marriages. It's only a matter of time before an asshole like that F's with the wrong husband. A man who has lost everything, who becomes dangerously unstable, then takes a weapon and inflicts severe revenge. It's fine if Jim isn't that guy, but ultimately Marc needed to get a "Bad End", and not escape any consequences as happened here.

This version doesn't suck. Well done.

Best follow up to FS I've read

Being a story textured by your own experiences, there is a lot of truth in this, very well worth the read. Far better than almost all of the other 'February Sucks' reboots, but honestly, some of the others have also been great.

The psychology in this one though is also far, far better than George Anderson's original, which I actually detest. I believe it's the reason for so many other writers to have a go at it: fancy writing, but rabidly flawed. They all need to correct the injustice.

It's quite possible, Cockatoo, that you've brought an end to all the reboots. No-one can really top this, because it really did reveal the duplicity and betrayal of Linda's character for what it was, but you went so much further. You got into the psychology that shredded what started it all; George Anderson's preface. The scene at the convention where the women all claimed they would do it, to get to live their "Event with a Capitol 'E'". That WAS THE slut-women's group, and your story decimated their reasoning to Death with a Capitol 'D'.

It showed that each and every one of them were failures in their relationships, and had never committed to anything that they had uttered when they stood before their family, their peers, their 'God' (whatever form that takes) when they voluntarily, unreservedly, and faithlessly said their vows. They didn't mean it. If any of them did, they would have stood up, called the other women cheap, classless whores, and walked away.

Everything after that moment, is just 'waiting for the other shoe to drop'.

So, is the sub-category 'February Sucks' now closed? I find it difficult to believe that anyone could better this, but we'll see.

So, obviously I enjoyed it, thank you.

Funnily enough though, I doubt I will ever revisit it. Maybe because there is obviously too much reality in it.

But I know I will reread 'C is for Cookie's more than once. You're right, she outshone Jim and Linda.

She made a real connection with me, which is sad, for a character that can never be a part of a partnership again. I don't ever want to meet her real-life equal, even to be saved. I couldn't handle it.

In my book, this is one of the (if not the) best FebSux variations on GA's classic! Thank you both for those outstanding contributions to the LW lore...

Thank you for this wonderful story. Or perhaps this wonderfully crafted tragedy. Thank you also for the opening comment and its revealing content. I am not sure five stars would be an appropriate measure of the value. The length and the appreciation of it has given me a push to do a tell all of my almost 40 year misery. Welcome back. Please write more. I have no doubt there will be quality in all you transcribe. If there isn't an underlying true story then there someone who was very close to one.