All Comments on 'February Sucks'

..but not very realistic. In real life it would had been all over the internet. Plus forgiving some one who just left with someone else to fuck, like if the husband and family did not exist, with no respect for her family and friends, is not something that can end up in a story the way it did in this.

I don't believe that people should stay together just because the children. My parents did that and it did not end up well. I liked the story. ***

By writing a plethora of sequels and variations of this story, many other authors have shown GA fashioned one of the most memorable submissions in the history of LW. Reading that multitude of derivative works over time made it difficult for me to remember the details of the original plot. After completing the seminal February Sucks once again just now, I am surprised to feel much less frustration and dissatisfaction with the conclusion than I recall experiencing last fall. Somehow I had mistakenly come to remember GA's original plot as much more of a contrived reconciliation than it is in reality.

The exact impact the derivative works had on my memory is difficult to say with certainty, but the power of such follow-on stories to alter the reader's impression of the original tale is perhaps easily underestimated and too often dismissed.

What I do not understand about Lit is how this story can be below 4.0 in scoring? It is more literate than 90% of the fumbling attempts at prose and obviously attracted the attention of some of the best writers on Lit. There should be a Hall of Fame and this should be one of them. It is not perfect and some of the alternate stories have feature that are fun but isn't this what Lit is all about?

I have read other stories by other authors in response to this story and I have to say of the 3 other stories I have read, all are more believable than this story. But I still gave it 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You ask a fair question. Obviously the technical aspects of this story are beyond reproach. GA is better than 99%+ of the writers on here. So why a low rating (which I’ll admit I gave him)? Because the protagonist is a weenie. In order for a story tiresome age with me, I have to are about the characters. His wife is a self-centered bitch. Hall passes are great. My wife and I have them (CB and AM - if you’re reading this, I want you both BAD), but that’s something that’s agreed to ahead of time. For her to think she can unilaterally take a hall pass on her own makes her a terrible wife. To ruin the special day they had planned on top of that just makes her a terrible human being. The fact that he just accepts him makes him an utterly unlikable weenie. Don’t even get me started on their idiot friends. Who am I supposed to root for in this story? What am I supposed to feel when I suffer my way to the end of the story?

One additional comment. I have been thinking about this idea of being swept away by someone. I have an incident of that nature in my past. In 1997 my now-wife (just my girlfriend at the time) was a producer for an awards show. Most people watching on TV don't realize that the celebrities in the audience are often called away to prepare for being on stage presenting an award etc and are not in their seats for most of the show. The show gets seat-warmers to give the appearance of a full audience when the show is aired on TV. My wife got me one of these seat-warmer gigs.

I got seated next to a woman who is today considered one of the sexiest women ever to be on TV. At the age of 48 this woman is walking Viagra. You can imagine how devastating she was at her prime at 24. I was somehow lucky enough to be seated next to this goddess, and she did not have any obligations that took her from my side at any point. For close to 4 hours (something else most people don't realize is that the show lasts much longer live than the two hour air time), this woman conversed with me. And she is an incorrigible flirt. She touched me, she leaned in to me so close I thought she might want to kiss me (she didn't of course, but she knew what she was doing to me), I could feel her breath on my face and neck. I had the biggest erection I've ever had in my life. I was leaking for the entire time. My underwear was a mess. I thought my dick was going to rip right through my pants. I'm glad the pants were black and the seating area was dark. To this day, it is the most erotic thing I have ever experienced.

AND STILL ... if she had suggested going somewhere (she wouldn't have, she was just having some fun with me), the spell would have been shattered instantly. I knew I had a girlfriend, and I wouldn't have put myself into the position of going anywhere with her.

Excellent thought-provoking story.

I especially liked Linda's letter. When one is in a loving relationship, it is easy to believe that one would resist temptation, but the reality is very different and not nearly as simple as people make out. This story was a honest examination of that, for the most part. The ending was perhaps a little pat and I didn't quite buy that Jim would have gone off with the 'siren' in front of his wife (although Guy Ritchie famously did that to his girlfriend with Madonna). The real test would have been if the woman had done that when he was alone at the bar.

Even so, a great story.

So the wimp took the slut back i thought maybe he had some balls but apparently he didn't too bad he let the whore winm

I am in my 80's. At the age of 40, I faced the same choice. I took option 2, stayed married till children reached late teens. 2nd marriage was so much better.

Making of a cuckold.....

the plot and characters are so badly done that there should be a special award for a story that combines those features with fluently flowing prose. Maybe we should call it the "You Can Fool Most of the Readers Most of the Time" award.

I usually don't mind reconciliation in stories like that one, but the whole Ellen thing looked kinda forced, just to fool the readers

First of all: good story. Very heart rending and thought provoking. I like the character development, including all the heart ache on both of their parts. I could feel both of their pain. The editing was good. The pleasure we get when we cheat is never worth the later heartache! Thanks for sharing it with us.

An easy 5 😊😊😊😊😊

Only a wimpy duck would keep the slut.

Most of the time when the wife cheats I hope she pays and most of this story I felt the same. But the author pleaded her case over and over and the asshole was good at his seduction. However the story didn't seem that real but it was entertaining.

Same ol same ol

I had to stop reading. All this story did was repeatedly make a case for her cheating and make him a weak cuck by not leaving her that night. I don't know if you had him grow a set and finally leave her; but your writing seems to indicate that you're a RAAC person. You don't have to BTB, but at least leave a cheater. I despise cheaters and I have no respect for anyone that takes them back. At least with laptopwriter's version the MC wasn't a cuck, even if I didn't like his ending. You should have had him screw the blonde for revenge and to obtain equal standing if you're had them stay together.

As soon as it looked like he was going to take her back. Only a cuck would go back to her even if only for the kids. We have pride as men and should never lower ourselves to the point of taking a cheater back. Instantly less of a man if you do that.

I finally got to read George's original story that engendered so many alternate versions. (I've never seen anything quite like that, especially in a LW story). So I knew the basic plot line and the device used to focus it. Hah! The self-important jock athlete. He sweetened the pot (plot) by casting Linda as the loyal, loving wife who, until just a moment before H--hour, was looking forward to a passion-filled evening with her husband ..... and then . . . . Most of the subsequent sequels wrestled with the ending and how to deal with Linda. Here in the original, after a lot of back-and-forth, George gives us a "happy ending" by way of an ingenious maneuver that would break through Linda's "it was no big deal; I'm home now. What's for dinner?" defensive mindset. Te critics who leap to the divorce court solution may be OK for a fiction story, but such binary decisions that involve children, etc., are not so cut and dried in actual real life conditions. On balance and consideration, I think George ave up a compelling plot, a series of very challenging relationship questions, and some thoughtful "complicating factors" that combined to make the story real, and therefore compelling. Nice work. Many thanks.

I'd rather cut my dick off and eat it raw than think about this story ever again. Any man with a spine, the tineist bit of pride or self respect would divorce the bitch. I can't fathom how so many fucking losers in the comments are saying this is a good story or saying the ending is a good one.

Cheating IS cut and dry. All these losers defending the ending are nothing but spineless cowards.

I'll throw my 2 cents in like everyone else. I wanted to see why everyone felt the need to copy this. It is rather so-so. The most amazing part is the author could drag it out to 8 pages as quantified by literotica, for what is probably worth 2 pages. The general concept is the modern day cheating dilemna. Most guys can cheat and feel like it was a one-time fling and they can forget it in the morning and return to their marriage without any consequence. Most women can't behave that way and most men don't think their women can do that. When James Joyce wrote this scenario in Ulysses, that a woman fantasized about other men and the husband could accept his wife had her own libido, it was novel. It's not novel any more. You can write all the cuckold stories you want to, but you'll have to work harder to make it novel.

Sucks

For her to really understand he should have went out had had sex with some woman and then told her how much better it was.

I have read every one version of this story I find can't see any outcome where Linda and the Asshole do not end up dead. Even Saddletrampt them off too easily

Author really played up the kid part. Overplayed in my mind.

I could live with this ending if the bitch had been burned more.

Dancing & almost leaving with the whore hurt her a good bit, but not near enough in relation to what she did.

Of course every time I read this same plot I can’t believe it would ever happen in real life.

Stretched too far for the people I know with one exception.

It was in a graduate course with a guest speaker who was a spitting image of Tony Orlando & she declared that if he asked her she’d throw away her marriage for an afternoon with him.

Nine of the others in our class would believe her.

Bill

very very good idea of ​​history. you have a very good imagination.

80% of the story is very credible, but 20% is really too easy. it’s a shame.

the fact that adultery and disrespect are so well known to those around me seems to me a crucial point that you do not address.

the rumors and the trading will never stop. maybe not from the front though, but people will certainly keep talking about it from behind and never forget.

wife and husband will always be seen as a slut and a stupid cuckold.

and unfortunately sooner or later adult conversations reach children's ears.

how do you protect your children when other children report the words and insults of adults ???

in a similar case where adultery was common knowledge, the marriage did not work out. it ended in divorce in order to protect the children from the outside world.

this helped to show the example that cheating or lying has consequences, that the spouse deserves respect and is not just a consenting victim.

in the end after a few years, the couple began to see each other again as single people in a new relationship with no guilty or victim.

3⭐

I read and read, and the story went on and the wife sort of regretted her night out. But kept bringing up his name. I know this is a story of fiction and make believe. No one can be that engrossed with another persons animal magnetism. or maybe they can, (Monic Lewinsky comes to mind), I guess I can see a female succumbing to that but a male? Maybe an unthinking pussy hound, of which I am sure there are many. The story was a bit long with a lot of self pshyco therapy and rationalizations and re-criminations.

Still a good story. But I am of the mind one and done, their are no excuses or rationalizations for cheating in a marriage, you both signed a contract and made a vow and a promise. Good writing

RAAC . With a spineless cuck. Keeping it together for the kids? How long can they fake the fractures and gloss over them?

So anyway, I made a comment when this first came out, saying it was a more important story than I expected and promised a follow up when I got time.

Then the deluge of follow on stories came... to my mind obscuring this story.

Which was a pity - because this story made clear something which is important - that the sex in these situations is not why they occur in the first place. That the wife character was motivated by perceived status, not imagined sex, to go with the antagonist.

Now, the author wrote the sex as significant - but sex is also modified by self image and status issues - I believe the story "The Prenuptial Agreement" in chapter 2 made that argument quite strongly. And... the sex comes after the betrayal.

Many of the follow on stories focused on the sexual aspects, which I think misses a major point.

Green-something

I agree with green the story is complex and to answer it adequately can't be done in these comments. What annoys me most about cuck stories is if the hubby went off with the swim suit model (or escort - which he should have done) - he's a total dog but wifey does Asshole she's to be tolerated, forgiven, RAAC because it raises her self image and status? WTF? Or are women so weak they are incapable of resisting Asshole? Ie the perceived status or self image enhancement and/or great sex afforded by a night with Asshole. She was just swept up by his Alpamaleness? She willfully destroys her husband's self image and status reducing him to a whimp cuck that can't possibly keep his woman and does it in front of all their mutual "friends". She implore him not to hurt the kids and not take a lover. Wow. Selfish bitch. When the rumors spread (photo of asshole's latest conquest in the papers) she thinks her children won't know she's a cheap slut? What was good for her self image and status enhancement isn't good for the husbands? Good for the goose but not the gander. BS. Yes obviously the sex comes after the betrayal. And the betrayal is far more important. He could take a lover for a weekend and they'd be equal sexually (notches on the bed post) but that wouldn't undo her betrayal. That bell can never be unrung. He should have smashed her precious vase, told her to fix it, glue it together and that is the best that could be hoped for in a fractured marriage. The fractures would always be there. Scar tissue remains. The betrayal was devastating but so was the sex. A man wants his wife to be desired by others but no man wants his wife possessed by another - for a night or even a minute. The line "I love you and only you, you are what's most important to me, but the sex with Asshole was the best I've ever had - sorry loser cuckyboy you just don't have what it takes to rock my world like he did" is beyond tiresome. Some love that is. Never mind respect. And if hubby did get the SI Swim Suit model - to raise his self image, status and ego - along with the great sex, he'd still love his wife, right? She said Asshole was better, played her like a fiddle, because he had more experience at pleasing bimbos and sluts. Ok. Then hubby better get more experience and practice to improve his game.

BS ending. changed my vote from 4*s to 3.

i would have preferred they go celebrate her birthday at Brannigans & hope mark was there, too. let the fun begin.

Bullshit. I can't ever believe that a happily married woman, would walk out on her husband after three dances to sleep with anyone. Possibly slip him her phone number and try and meet him without the husband knowing. Then the husband almost doing the same after what they were going through, how did L W know they were going out that night. It's got more holes in it than a rusty bucket

The introduction of this story regarding the 10 men and 10 women in a restaurant in a stranger city is absolutaly superp and brought to the table the discussion about the way that "modern" marriage is being seen by many couples in ourdays in the ocidental society. The result is, up to now, more than 400 comments and 30 sequels. Congrats GeorgeAnderson, your sensibility exposed one of the worst Achilles' heel desease of our times.

I skipped about half to 3/4s of the story as it was page after page of justification and rationalization. It was classic female solipsism and narcissism. I gotta say you nailed that aspect of female behavior well.

You failed on the male response though and that’s why this story failed to make any real impact. I’d be laughing at a friend if he took a woman back after this. Honestly this story doesn’t even make me angry because it’s a typical Hollywood style story of a loser who just accepts everything. Men like this are not worthy of respect and deserve to be cucked. Not only would I be laughing but I’d drop the guy as a friend for being so spineless. A woman tells humiliates you like that, tells you it was the best sex she ever had, and you still take her back? If this is the real you then I’m not sure you would ever have my back if the going got tough. I would never be able to trust such a man to have my back in difficult time because I would always be concerned he would wimp out and crater.

Some stories are ripe for a RAAC ending, this is not one of those, not with the level of disrespect.

I call bullshit on this.

If a wife did that to anyone I know, she’d be toast so fast the. Room would be filled with smoke.

She chose to fuck over the kids, not him.

Worst waste of my time ever. Too bad 0 stars isn’t an option .

Bill

This story left me with mixed feelings. One of those situations where there are several choices but none are perfect.

1 for this horrible story and every revision trying to fix it.

Thankfully, this is just a FANTASY FICTION story, without any truth or redeeming facts.

One comment I will make - there are millions of current and ex-military veterans in North America. We are all professionally trained killers - that is the first thing they taught. Along with the hundreds of re-qualifying training courses over the decades of service, plus hands-on practical experience all over the world.

If some famous person were to try that with one of the above trained professionals - the famous person would be a long lost memory in just 3 days, because that's how long those headlines last.

1 for this story.

This has got to be the all time worst story on this website.

They should add some negative numbers to the choices.

Dear LW commenters: “It makes me feel angry when a character in a story doesn’t behave or think the way that I want them to behave or think” is not a sign of good mental health, fellas.

The various spin-offs this received were generally a bit one note and uninspired, and I guess I had transposed those qualities onto my memory of this. I was wrong. It’s a very well constructed exploration of a person who handles their trauma in a way that feels authentic to the way the author constructed them, even if their choices done always line up with how I or others might react.

Gosh, Mr. Unoriginalist, you've schooled us again. Gee whiz, we're really ashamed of ourselves for hating this stupid story so much and, from now on, we'll certainly check with you first so we'll know what to feel and how to vote.

A great story. My issue is the stupidity of Linda. She wants him to forgive her and for things to get back to normal and yet whenever she talks about her experience she constantly reminds him that Marc was and is better than him. How can someone try to get past something when it is constantly being thrown in their face.

I wanted to give this story a 1, because I could not stand were it went, but shouldn't we be grading the writing, not the direction it takes?

The structure deserves a 4 but I still couldn't do it! Her, thinking she didn't do anything so very wrong, or something that could be categorized as 'one mistake' yet she saw it coming, and made a conscious decision that it was okay? No, that is not Loving Wives. There are open marriages, and I have no problem with that, but they were not in such a relationship. I gave it a 1.

Just another cuck show from the author with the typical RAAC at the end.

The sequel is worth a read

This is one of the Greatest stories that I have read. Please keep on writing. We have been married for 45-years and could write many stories. Always work to make marriage loving and fun.

I would have added that they renewed their wedding vowes. That is what we did and continue to live happily.

Originally posted by Powersworder. I just thought this was better than anything GA has writter and much more honest.

But this is how it should have ended...

---

A couple of days after the party, I paid another visit to my uncle.

"I wondered when you'd turn up," LW said with a knowing smile.

I thanked him for Ellen's number and called her that afternoon to arrange a meeting. Taking a discreet day off work the following week, I spent the entire day in a hotel doing things with Ellen that would make a monkey blush. Not only was she by far the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, that bewitching blonde was a wildcat in bed.. and she taught me a host of new tricks. I was in nirvana; it's not everyday you get to fuck a goddess.

When I went home that evening, Linda could see how elated I was and looked at me questioningly. She was so desperate for forgiveness that she eagerly bought my lies about being keen for us to have a fresh start, now that my cheating wife finally understood what I'd been through. I put her off that night, having been drained dry by Ellen, but we slept together the following evening... and it was very tender as it had been before. She cried happy tears, so thankful for a second chance.

We dropped the kids off with their grandparents, who were happy to give us a weekend alone to "reconnect". I then proceeded to rock Linda's world for 48 hours, bringing into play everything I'd learned to leave her in ecstasy. There was no lovemaking, I fucked her like a debauched whore and she loved every minute of it.

By the time the weekend was over, Linda was looking at me with newfound adoration. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for my forgiving her, and thrilled that I'd "spent time on the internet" finding ways to spice up our sex life. The truth was, I didn't do it for her, I did it for myself... To prove that I could be better in bed that the man she cheated on me with. My pride demanded nothing less.

14 years later...

We returned home after dropping off Tommy at college, and with Emma having left two years earlier, we were officially empty-nesters. It was a poignant moment... One I'd spent over a decade preparing for. We were both in our early forties now... older and wiser.

"Linda, sit down a moment. I want to talk to you about something."

"That sounds ominous," she said with a playful smile. "Have you got something naughty planned now we have the house to ourselves?"

"Yeah, pretty much..." I replied, returning her smile and handing her a thick envelope.

Linda looked at me quizzically as she opened it, her curiosity turning to stunned disbelief when she read the title. Petition for divorce.

"What is this? I-I don't understand..." she stammered, still in shock.

"I'm divorcing you," I replied with a shrug. "You ended our marriage 14 years ago when you betrayed me. I had no intention of being a part-time dad... so I stayed for Emma and Tommy."

"But you forgave me!" she sobbed, bursting into tears. "You said you loved me!"

"I lied. When you betrayed me to fuck that asshole, you proved you never really loved me. I pretended everything was fine while I looked for your replacement."

Her mouth fell open as she stared at me in horror. Whether that was due to the realisation that she'd been in a sham marriage for the past fourteen years, or my nonchalant delivery I couldn't tell.

"So now you've found someone, you're leaving me for her?!" Linda shrieked, her eyes wild with rage. "She can't have you! I'm going to fight for our marriage!"

"Like you did when you spread your legs for Marc LaValliere?" I asked quietly.

That doused her rage and she burst into fresh floods of tears.

I rose to my feet and looked at my soon to be ex-wife with pity. "There's nothing to fight for. I love Stephanie and the last five years with her have been amazing."

"You're leaving me for your secretary?! But she's only 28!" Linda gasped, devastated to be replaced with a prettier younger woman. "Wait... five years?!"

"I know. Steph's been so patient and supportive, but I want us to get married before the baby arrives." I smiled, remembering the joyful moment when we'd shown the sonogram picture to my kids. "Tommy and Emma are really excited about having a baby brother."

Linda seemed to have gone into a catatonic state, staring into the distance with an expression of utter devastation. She finally understood the consequences of humiliating me and betraying me in such an appalling manner.

Payback's a bitch.

According to the kids, Linda had some sort of a breakdown after the divorce and turned into a recluse. Oh well, at least she has all those cats to keep her company.

Steph and I had three more kids together and we're still happily married 25 years later. I'm an empty nester for the second time, but this time it's with the woman I want to spend the rest of my life

I'm a fan of reconciliation stories but I think this one was unearned. The wife blatantly cheated on her husband with the help of their friends, showed little regret except that it would ruin her marriage, and did little to make up for it. Not a terrible story mind you just not one I think worked especially trying to make the husband and wife equally bad towards the end. Though admittedly I would have probably been happier with a reconciliation ending if Dee and Marc got their comeuppance and it didn't have the attempted seduction of the husband.

Truly excellent story about love, betrayal and redemption. Expertly written! Somehow and someway true love does triumph. I cried at the end because they were meant to be together. Thank you!!!

Rereading and still 5 stars for me. I think I've read every other version and this one is still the best one overall.

I am currently reading another book - an autobiography by someone I've met and talked with - a DJ in Atlanta who has spent a lifetime in show business. Being a radio DJ, an agent, and many years a club DJ. In his book he relates a little anecdote about Paulette back around 1968. "The most beautiful woman he ever met" he writes. She was an 18 year old model and just a dancer on "Hullabaloo" at the time, but so beautiful she had already learned to handle all the wolves and "Alpha male" assholes always after her. In the DJ/agents office one day his personal phone rang and someone with a British accent asked for Paulette. It was George Harrison of the Beatles trying to hook up with her. She just brushed him off. Fascinating in comparison with this story and all us average "little" people.

This story is a litmus test. Scoring it highly doesn't speak well of the reader's ability to analyze literature. The commenter below cried after reading the story. I cried after reading his comment.

This Story started out good .. But what message is he giving his kids . He is telling his Daughter that it is OK to cheat on your Husband . He is telling his Son that Clucks have a great life . Because he ended up as a Cluck and the best part was She would have done it again . 1 Star

Interesting version after wife cheated hubby in front of with help of their friends. No real regrets not any excuse from her side only anxiety to lose prosperity and safety. Some uncertainty about children. Make your own decision, how you would act.

There is little doubt that GA is a talented writer. Although, the story is well written, it simply is not believable.

When the writer takes the reader for a ride, there has to be some semblance of logic that translates to real life. Linda’s reason for cheating is too flimsy. She had no control over the situation. Really?!?! Is she that shallow??!! Then she goes home after said cheating and expects her husband to get over it!! No I’m sorry until much later in the story and only because of a dubious plot situation. Ellen?? Who couldn’t see that she was a set up! Jim should have been elected to Sainthood or given a dunce cap. I’m thinking the latter! In a very long and contrived resolution, it’s as though the ball is always in his court as though he caused the problem!

And, the blue dress. A normal husband would have ripped it to shreds, burned it, etc. Instead, she keeps rubbing his face in the fact that she betrayed him wearing that dress.

And Linda always saying “it’s the same old, plain old me.” No she’s not. Not by a long shot!! In a previous comment, someone wrote with friends like theirs, who needs enemies!!

I honestly could not see how the marriage could survive, children or no children!

Most of the LW stories are not believable and this falls in that category.

While this was well written.....

It's a big ole what the hell ever.

No balls wimp.

I don't understand what stories like this - or the alternate BTB stories - are doing on this site. It's LIT-"Erotica", and there's simply nothing erotic about them.

Staying together for the sake of the kids is a serious disservice to kids who are already hurting and confused. Please trust me on this.

Love it or hate (I love it, myself), this tale has more emotional impact than all the sequels and alternate takes have put together.

It's not all that far-fetched, either. I once read an account by a roadie of a major rock band. The band had an assistant who would go through the audience at a concert, handing out backstage passes to the prettiest girls. Part of this roadie's job would be stand outside the dressing room, consoling a crying boyfriend, who was waiting to drive his girlfriend back home to her dorm or to her parents house, while his girlfriend partied and blew the band and the band's hangers-on. He would tell the boyfriend the band would be gone tomorrow, and then he would have his girlfriend back. A high school or college student, with his first serious girlfriend, to be so emasculated just when he was entering manhood, must have left life-long scars. Not to mention what must have been an awkward ride home with the girlfriend afterwards.

I commented a few posts ago and wanted to add some additional thoughts.

I reread the story twice and have found it to be very compelling and thought provoking. While I may not agree with the outcome, I respect the authors ability to draw the reader in completely. While most comments have suggested that it should be a BTB story, it takes a lot of courage to write a story from GA’s point of view. I respect that and appreciate that the story is so well written that I actually cared about Jim and Linda by page 8.

Jim does seem to come off as a huge wimp but it takes steely determination and guts to do what he thinks is best to preserve his immediate family.

I was finally able to understand how Linda betrayed Jim so easily. My significant other reminded me of an incident some 30 years ago when we attended a big noisy party at a mansion on the Main Line. Many local sports figures were there and of course the women were absolutely entranced by them. A friends wife danced with a local sports legend and spent the night with him. My friend never forgave her for her blatant betrayal and they divorced, in spite of the fact that they had 3 children. A few years back, I ran into him at the Mall and our conversation veered to that painful subject. He told me that he regretted the divorce and should have found a way to reconcile. It was devastating to the children who suffered the most.

However, it doesn’t excuse Linda’s attitude when she comes home to Jim after spending the night with Marc. I find it almost surreal that this intelligent woman could say those things and think that it justified her behavior. Jim’s anger dissipates a page or 2 later. Hell, I’d of been pissed off for months!

I stated before that the resolution took far too long and was contrived. I still feel that way. There is no mention of counseling. Linda should have seen a therapist at the very least to try and understand her behavior. After her night of unprotected sex, the possibility of STD’s is brought up. I’m assuming she is a healthy thirty something, what about pregnancy?? No mention that she is on the pill. Which brings me to the sleeping arrangements mentioned only 2 days after she cheated. Sleeping next to the women who writes that her night with Marc was the sexual thrill of her life takes a much stronger man than I! Most men would have repulsed by the physical contact alone, let alone sleep peacefully!

When Jim refuses to go out with their so called “friends” for Saint Patrick’s Day, it would have been far more interesting if Linda went and encountered Marc. Would she have been strong enough to resist or would she have fallen to the same temptation?? Interesting. That would have been a true test of her love for Jim if she had rebuffed Marc! Instead we get a contrived situation with Ellen that does not ring true! There is simply no comparison to what Linda did with Marc and Jim potentially would have done with Ellen. It was implausible and didn’t carry much weight. Linda saying she’s sorry would have been much more compelling if she had figured it out on her own or with a therapists help.

Lastly, I find the “friendly Barmaid” and “old curmudgeon family friend” plot devices that drag the story down. We’ve seen them before in many LW stories.

All in all, i think GA wrote a story that brings out very strong emotions; love, betrayal, reconciliation etc. The fact that there are 460 comments says a lot!!

Thanks GA! It takes a great deal of writing skill to take the tack you did. My compliments because I usually don’t read most LW stories more than once.

The way to think of this trainwreck of a story is to see GA as a literary Procrustes. He begins with a premise for the story and a determination to end with a RAAC. The characters are stretched and have characteristics lopped off until they fit GA's Procrustean bed. This is why the main characters are wildly inconsistently written and idiotic plot devices are inserted. If Jim and Linda were robots, you would be able to explain their behavior only by saying that they were being periodically reprogrammed.

I thought the prologue to the story was interesting. You have to wonder, however, how seriously should one take what men or women have to say when they are in a casual situation in their cups? Some would say "in vino veritas", but I think most of the time we are really witnessing "Dutch Courage". Women with families are tend to be very practical. I think that IRL if they actually faced the choice, they wouldn't jeopardize their families for what might or might not be good sex.

By the way, where is it written that celebrities are sexually superior and have big cocks (or that "big cocks" provide more orgasms)? Even while playing, pro football players have serious physical problems and are taking drugs for pain. Neither of these things would tend to make you a sexual superstar. The majority are also narcissistic because of the cossetted existence they have led since at least high school. Does anyone think that Johnny Manzel, for example, is a super lover? Ndamukong Suh? I have no doubt that women often throw themselves at pro athletes and other celebrities, but we have a word for those women - "groupies". Linda would have had to have been written far differently from the way she was to make her "insta-slut" behavior believable.

At point after point this story founders on false assumptions, incoherent character development, and ridiculous plot devices (e.g. "LW" and "Ellen"). The prose is slick, but the substance is awful.

Second time reading it, GA is a hell of a writer. But this was nothing more than a "what ever she does is okay" story. She isn't held accountable for anything. She cheats and everybody including a waitress puts it all on him. Where is her "fix" in all this. Hell you have a chance to go off with a super hot escort and you stay with the slut. It shows her true nature and it will keep happening because you've showed her your soft and a pussy.

I get it is a fictional story. But having had the experience of being cheated on and trying to stay together for the sake of the children, grasping desperately to the futile belief that the cheating wife's dramatic claims of " I screwed up and it will never happen again" only to learn later the expiration date on such fervent claims wouldn't even last a year, make this unbelievable. Don't get me wrong...you are most definitely a very talented writer. But the bottom line is, cheaters will ALWAYS do what they think they can get away with. I was able to get into the character development all the way up until the husband gave in to Ellen's temptation. When you have been cheated on, there are only 3 human responses. 1. You quickly go out and revenge cheat to " get even". 2. You give up your man card and accept that your wife is an unfaithful slut and accept your cuckness. Or 3. you divorce the unfaithful bitch and get on with your life. The magnitude of selfishness and hypocrisy of the wife blubbering when she thought her husband was going to walk out and sleep with Ellen is the BS moral equivalency garbage that too many modern women use as an excuse for their poor choices. Rant off...otherwise, as I said, your writing style is quite engaging and for the most part, rather enjoyable. Bottom line...liked the story until the end, and F@#$ all cheating spouses.

I have liked some of the revised episodes of this story ( not all of them ), but this one misses the mark, so badly. She would have been history the morning she came 'home' and a scorched earth policy, would have been implemented. BTB would have been a way to describe the way she would have been 'caressed', and kicked to the curb, ASAP.

You are the man

Anyone that can write one tale with the kind and quantity of repercution that you provoked here is much outstanding. Sometimes I suppose that you are just kiding by placing or modifying the seasoning of your creation, just to see the reaction of your readers.

And I quote:

“ I have learned that promises don't keep themselves: they have to be tended and protected and sometimes even fought for. There are no time-outs from promises. I will keep you first in my mind and heart every moment I'm awake. Now I have the pain, mine as well as yours, to remind me of what can happen when I don't.”

One of if not the most powerful statements i have ever read. And to be in a porn story…. Sheesh

I have seen the multitude of alternate endings published off this story. I needed to read this first as the baseline if the master. Perfect at using words to evoke our emotions. Cheering, shaming, despising, our way through the characters. Fantastic

I really liked this story (because I am a sucker for RAAC although I'm not sure it was merited in this case) and as a reader (male) I have tremendous dislike for Linda. My feelings toward Jim are mixed. Linda got her cake at and ate it. She got away with it. I can’t call Jim a wimp or a cuck. The children are a great argument and he did love her. The idea of them building their relationship again has been used in LW before. It’s not a bad idea. This is what is missing for me. If I were Jim on the first morning after her cheating, I would have sat down Linda and simply stated that her disrespect could not be forgiven. I would then ask her a hypothetical question.

“Linda, suppose you asked me if you could spend the night with Marc and suppose I would say to you that if you do our marriage is over. I would be at our attorney in a second. Would you still go with him?”

No matter what Linda answers, the marriage is over. She could say

1) If she says, I would have gone anyway  Then he should divorce her.

2) If she says, I guess I would not have gone in that situation  He should say, too late, it was implied when we married and you broke our vows and now you understand that you ended our marriage

3) And if she says that she would have explained that it was only for one night and then I will come back to you and be your loving wife and mother to our children and never be with Marc again, even if Marc begs and throws himself at me will I do this again. It’s just a one-time thing that I need to get out of my system.  in that situation Jim would say see answers 1 and 2 above.

It wasn’t even that she cheated on him, she did it publicly in front of all their friends. I know the author did not make to big of a deal on that, but in some way, as a guy, that was even more humiliating.

Damn

I keep seeing all these "February Sucks" sequels so I figured I'd check out the original. Was this a love story or a cheating wife story? I think it's both and neither. The only fucking people who don't leave with their spouses on a night out mean they have been cheating or have cheated before. I see why there are so many sequels to try and correct this fucking tale. Horrible tale. I only gave it three stars because you wrote so many words it earned the three. As a tale itself it sucked and was very hard reading. Hopefully many or all of the sequels will fix your fucking mess, author.

Question ( probable never know) does GA read all the comments? LOVE. slap hapy papy #9

The continuation of a marriage is always a matter of options and commitment. When Linda got a better option she abandoned her marriage, completely forgot about it, says so herself. If Marc had demanded more she would have given it, who can say how much and for how long? If Marc had truly wanted her in his life he would have knocked on her front door and taken her away, why not? Would she have gone? She claims he had complete control over her, her mind stopped working, so why not?

The husband had other options as well, but he declined them. His choice. So he is stuck with whatever Linda decides to do with her options. Maybe Linda will keep her meal ticket and her mediocre fuck around until the kids turn 18, then go off and find another MR. Fantastic Fuck? What's cuckboy gonna do about it? His decisions and actions show he thinks he has no better options. So Jim is getting what he chooses, what Linda is willing to dish out, which means he is getting what he deserves. Good for him. Marc might have sized up Linda as a great fuck, but he also sized up her husband as a wimp. One thing every predator knows, you don't fuck with the Shepherd. He spotted Jim as just another sheep in the herd, and he was right. He will live with the sword of Marc hanging over his head for as long as he stays married to this cruel brainless whore. Serves him right.

Thanks for the effort.

Would have liked Him to really publicize what Marc did. What no real counseling? Good that Dee and Dave got what they deserved. Hard to buy Jim falling for Ellen; shouldn't have needed Ellen to tell him to turn around.

Dee would be dead

People can complain, but GeorgeAnderson has written a thought-provoking story that has stimulated the imaginations of multiple writers. It also has elicited nearly 500 comments. That is an outstanding job.

GodivaFan

@GodivaFan, I disagree. To me, the other writers just want to get some of the readers their way. Most of their submission are just clones anyway.

@Anonymous: It's not like every popular story brings out this kind of response, both in comments and in attempts to, in some authors' opinions, "fix" the story. This touched a nerve different from other popular stories. RichardGerald brought out similar reactions with both The Bridge and Another Love.

This was an excellent story first of all,

Happy endings are great and all that but I have to say this wasn't the happy ending you think it was. Jim openly admits if it wasn't for the children he would have left immediately (who wouldn't) but if you know anyone whose parents stayed together for them, you'll see staying for the children is a very sub optimal outcome. In fact most if not all kids prefer to stay with 2 happily divorced parents than unhappily married parents. And when its for the kids' the resentment is definitely there which the kids are always a victim of. Always

Either you are the women you right in your stories or you hate men? Because for some reason in all your stories, the evil whores still get a happy ending and you make the poor husbands suffer by staying with them. Even in this story, when the husband finally had a chance to get revenge or see that there are other women they could move on, you cut his balls off and turn him into a wimp.

When she sluts out the next time maybe he will realize how quickly and easily the old and comfortable slipper (and/or relationship) ends up in the trash. He needs a new set of friends and most definitely a new wife.

Another well written, thought provoking story from a master story teller. I didn't feel much of an affinity with (or partlcularly like) either of the main characters but sometimes you have to walk in someone else's shoes, even if they don't fit, if you want to understand the world from a different point of view.

LA

This is my second merry go round with this story & it hurts just as badly as the first time year or more ago.

No, in this one I’d vote for a true BTB ending

Bill

Fuck you cunt! I wish you were fucking dead!

You’re an exemplary storyteller, and it is very clear that you have a vision when drafting, the skill to execute said vision, and the technical ability to come across cogent and intelligent in your writing. All that said, I’m not sure that knowledge of potential infidelity is the same as actual commission. I’m not sure that MC’s lawyer has his best interests in mind, and thus, I find his character despicable. It does show that a side character, in good writing, can bring out feelings. Good work, 5* on skill, 2* on content, so 4* overall.

She says that she was under his spell. She didn't see anything wrong with what she did. It may have been her first time, but she'd have gone back if he was not fazed by her whoring. If not caught, the slut would do it again, kids & husband, or not. She took all Asshole gave and thought nothing of her family. Typical whore...

I'm familiar with GA's wuss husbands; of course Jim apologizes for making Linda cry multiple times before she ever does. She never apologizes until she's crushed and humiliated by the Ellen incident.

I cannot conceive of being married a dozen years to a woman so stupid about the blue dress. She trots it out for supper with the kids and it doesn't go over well. Then the puts it on to go out for her birthday. She doesn't realize he will NEVER see that dress on anything but a whore! Unbelievable.

Recommend BlackHeart93 for a different take.

The story was teetering on the brink the whole time, mostly due to inconsistent characters, circular logic, and inane dialog. But, what pushed it over the edge was the whole Ellen stunt... too bad.

I'm happy it worked out for them, but I don't know if I could have done the same thing as he did. Sadly she didn't think she did anything wrong until it was thrown back in her face. "I'm sorry you were hurt" isn't the same thing as "I'm sorry I did it". She was the perpetrator and he was the victim. That said, I would have done something to Mr. Stud and his pals.

Wow! Long story! I'm still angrier at Linda than you seem to be -- but, then again, she's your character. I think the first thing I would have done was burn that fucking dress!

Disappointing. Could have been an excellent story but Jim just winds up being a cluck in the end and Linda skates. Just once I’d like to see Linda get her ass kicked at the end.

This story had the same intense effect it produced by many readers to me. I asked a few lady friends what they thought about the story and after reading it they said it was stupid and could never happen. Men seem to be affected totally differently. The original premise by GA was that he heard women state they would leave with an athlete celebrity in a heart beat given the chance. However, this was in the context of a cocktail background and was no more than idle bragging. No woman in a stable marriage would do what Linda did the night she walked out on her husband with her athletic stud muffin Marc. A woman in a stable home environment would not disrespect her loving husband to this degree. Dance with Marc and then go back to her table of friends and use her best female friend to cover for her while she sneaks out of the dance club to be with this athlete for an evening is too far over the top. I could understand a Linda character giving Marc her phone number with the intent of meeting him discreetly at a more appropriate time and setting. The lack of respect between this couple when she totally rejected her husband in order to be with a professional athlete she didn't even know is over the top and unbelievable even in fiction. After all the premise GA stated at the beginning of this story was that athletes feel empowered to take any woman they find attractive. In that case the story should have gotten into Marc's head and uncover how and why he chased married women rather than single ladies. To the contrary, the story became a psychological examination of Linda and Jim's marriage. Again this story was very provocative and interesting but almost reaches the level of a sci fi short story. So if this is the case, why did the story line affect many male readers so intensely? I think the answer is simple, the men who read this story are mostly husbands and they wonder if their wife would ever consider such a one night affair with a well known celebrity. George Anderson definitely aroused the emotions of many readers of this provocative fictional story.

Second time I've read this, along with other spin-offs, really good basic story, can see the pain off the MC, but the wife was never repentent, still can't see why the MC stayed with his wife, should have left, there was no going forward

meh people grumble and complain, if he was a real man etc. he stayed 100% for the children, not the first, if they have a marriage after the last kids go to college maybe, however it will never be the same as it was

This was a depressing and disgusting tale.... What kind of mind comes up with such

TRASH

I'd have taken the friends offer to fuck all their wives

post photos of their cheating asses to everyone and divorced the whore

Are there people who would cheat on their partners at the drop of a hat? Yes.

Who would do it without caring whether their partners objected? Yes.

Who would do it expecting their partners to live with it rather than see their family broken? Yes.

Who would do it and expect their partners to believe their claim that "nothing will change between us," or that "it will make our marriage stronger?" No chance. Nobody that stupid could survive to adulthood unsupervised.

The signal problem with this is that the women from real life that GA mentions were effectively "Dee". "Linda" isn't written that way at the beginning, and it's utterly implausible that she would do what is written. So, at heart the drama here is just created by the Martian Slut Ray, which is a very poor plot device. Similarly, Jim gets the Martian Cuck Ray treatment to manufacture a RAAC. The LW, Ellen, and some other plot elements are just childish and/or stupid. Authors also need to learn that being an athlete doesn't correlate with having a big cock or magical sexual skills. In fact, as far as sexual skills are concerned, having been treated as pampered princes since high school and having sustained injuries requiring pain killers on a regular basis, the correlation with being a "great lover" is probably negative. As for being "tough", playing a kids' game with a ball doesn't translate into street fighting prowess or even boxing skills (Too Tall Jones of the Cowboys, for example, thought he could become a boxer and was almost immediately driven to "boxing retirement" by a Mexican ham-and-egger.). Marc's larynx will collapse and swell if hit with 20 lbs of striking force just like yours. His eyes, knees, pelvic floor, and ankles are as vulnerable as yours. Almost any man could, if he has the mental toughness, could execute a kill sequence on some athlete in a social setting. This story is a trainwreck, but one that is slickly written.

@lujon2019about 23 hours ago

I'd have taken the friends offer to fuck all their wives

post photos of their cheating asses to everyone and divorced the whore

lujon2019, you know good and well you would have gone back to your moms basement and just jerked your little peepee until it fell off

The ravings of a fucking lunatic. What's worse others caught the lunatic fever and carried it on, thinking they could do better. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ears. This author should be ashamed to write such garbage. 1*

No man would take their cheating spouse back after that unless there were swingers

Would publicly outing the football star really do him any harm? Or would it only enhance his uber-macho stud reputation in the eyes of his fans?

Maybe if the celebrity was in a different field, where being a wholesome squeaky-clean, family-respecting person mattered, but football? I have my doubts.

I find it very hard to believe this would happen in the real world. And, if by some strange turn of events it did, it would be absolutely, positively UNFORGIVABLE. NOTHING, NOTHING could make one forgive this ultimate betrayal. It would precipitate a visit to a lawyer on the following Monday.

This is the type of scenario performed by 16 year old school girl sluts. Going to prom with boyfriend & leaving with someone else.