All Comments on 'It's a Place of Beauty - Theresa'

The main character was a nigh sociopath in first installment , cheating on husband, fabricating lies on innocent husband to gain full custody of daughter and deny visitation. I get people can change for better, but speaking as a man , I don't wish ill on her type, but no way in hell am I retrusting an ex who went off the rails rogue and waged scorched earth divorce.

She's not that way anymore ? Godspeed. Hope she finds fresh start and does right with that new partner. But not with me. Too much of a stretch. Sorry.

I like to end a story with a smile on my face and your writing does that. I noticed a little mistake in the middle where you used Early's name instead of Darrell's, but otherwise pretty well edited for those that really get hung up on such things.

Great late " in your years" story. The ending felt a bit squeezed still, it did put a smile on my face. Nicely done.

Your stories are simple, meaningful, full of lessons, and beautifully written. I sincerely appreciate your writing. And the ending didn't seem forced to me - she had suffered enough, and it seemed to be a perfect time for reconciliation. No one wants to be alone in their old age. Thanks very much.

I'm sorry, but there's just so much bullshit going on in this story.

Why are the women, that men find after they divorce their unfaithful wives, always going for "Oh you still love her" and do their best to brainwash their husbands into thinking so? Why can't it never be "Forget about the cunt, we're together now"?

Not to mention, her constantly hanging around cheaters, like Charlie, and thinking nothing of it.

I think this is a marvelously well written story. Maybe I'm becoming too much of a softy in my old age but the idea of a person realizing their mistakes, their frailties, taking responsibility for them and changing is an idea I buy into. I like to think I am a far better person now than I was as the self-absorbed, egotistical 25 year-old that treated his first wife so abysmally.

I liked the characters and the pace of the story. There was that minor mixing of Early and Darrell's names that admittedly annoyed me at bit. Since I live near Charleston and my work carried me to Maine relatively often I identified with the locations and the people well. Hell, I even know a stripper from Moncks Corner although she was a server at a favorite breakfast hole-in-the-wall when I met her. Small world stuff.

I had to go read the first one to see just what the wife did and damn i cant believe you forced this reconciliation. I get it, time heals all wounds and apparently makes you forget that your wife cheated on you for 3 years with multiple men, divorced you to be with her lover and only came to apologize when it didnt pan out, oh and let your daughter think that you beat her which led to a year and a half of estrangement. The writing was fine but i am unable to wrap my head around how she professes to love him and how the hell he would even waste any time with her

I liked it...Of course I tried to look at it, as if I didn't have read the first part...Time can change a person, and a last wish from a person in her dying bed, has strong effects...a good reading...4*

but then again, i love all of your work. probably your best work to date. more please!!!

Obviously some of the haters will never be happy if an erring spouse is ever forgiven in a story. The first point is that it's just a story, not real life, and the author can have the characters do, and turn out however he or she wants them to. If that's having the erring former spouse finding forgiveness and happiness, so be it. You, the hater can just go find something else to read that mirrors your own apparent unhappiness.

"I believe we have two lives - the one we learn with - and the one we live with after that" - paraphrasing dialogue from the movie "The Natural".

Although I believe most people never change, still, I feel we have the capacity to.

Superficially I am a cynic about the selfishness of the human character, but I find hope and edification in Theresa's character. Well written - thank you.

I think it could be real interesting if you had someone read the second story first, and write down their impressions. Then have them read the first story second, and see if their impressions change. I suspect many people would judge the reconciliation more harshly after freshly reading of her despicable behavior. But if you approve of the reconciliation without a fresh read of the breakup, I think you more accurately feel the effect of 14 years of time diminishing the grief and sense of betrayal. I found it an interesting illustration of psychology and emotions. I think writing a sequel to your story was a good challenge, and perhaps allowed you to resolve some issues you reconsidered after completing the first part. I did get the feeling that his young daughter was being treated as a bit of a hindrance, or an afterthought. I would think he would engage her much more in active discussion and consideration, especially with his older daughter, regarding any possible reunification with the first wife. She just seemed to be a collateral consideration rather than the focus she should be.

I think its stupid to judge the reconciliation, since only the two people involved can know if its a good idea. If they make it, fine. If they don't, at least they tried. What has Darrel got to lose? At 60 years old, what she going to do, become some slime balls sex toy or trophy wife? Men age like wine, women age like cheese. For her to presume she is secure with Darrel is just that, a presumption. If he really looks like he's in his late 40's or early 50's, he's going to have some opportunities to trade up, as she did once. Especially considering her fake tits and a dry pussy. As she already demonstrated during their marriage, sometimes people do things you never anticipated. Good luck to them.

I did find the pot smoking distracting. Smoking pot is unlawful in Maine, and he has a young daughter that he is influencing. Together with the fact that pot is smoked as a mind altering drug, be it minor, it still tells the daughter that using chemicals to enhance or change your mood is legitimate behavior. That's an unfortunate message to give his daughter, who is also dealing with the grief of losing her mom at an early age. How surprised will he be when he finds out his daughter is seeking the same solace from a similar or alternative drug? Since I am not a pot smoker I cannot relate to its recreational use. I drink a fine crafted whiskey, beer, or wine for its flavor, and stop drinking before it has any affect on my senses beyond my nose and taste buds. You seemed to be pushing pot use as a legitimate form of recreation, and somehow preferable to alcohol. I suspect we can agree that abuse of any mind altering substance is stupid.

Thank you for you story.

Life does not have to be made of extremes. Love, hate - happiness, sadness - that is for the bipolar people. How about a little understanding? She cheated on her husband because that is who she is, her selfish, whore, business woman personality is who she is even later when she was selling real estate. Her cheating was not by mistake, it was not because of some low self esteem issue. Her cheating was that of an ambitious whore. That willingness to do anything to get what she wanted is core to her personality. So, he could grow to understand that he had married a whore, he could even forgive her for being who she really was - a selfish whore who would put her ego before him and their daughter. The only thing he couldn't reasonably do is believe that she changed into someone completely different. I have known many people from the time we were kids until middle age. None of them "changed" who they were other than the good ones got better and the bad got worse. So, short of a miraculous conversion, I don't believe that people "change".

I'm a sentimental sucker so I enjoyed it. But it probably belongs in High Romance. The prospect of a calculating, self-centred bitch like Theresa doing a 180 degree turn is remote. It is one thing to gain wisdom, another to change personality.

My father was a drunk who finally got sober about the time I was born. He stayed sober for 40 years. People can change. Theresa was a virtuous woman who became a slut. She stopped being a slut for 14 years. There was no great likelihood she would cheat. As we get older, a old friend, someone to be comfortable with, becomes attractive. New, hot and exciting isn't always better than old, warm and relaxing. I found the story excellent. No need to rush into marriage, neither is going anywhere soon.

You have to be one of the best writers about. On a trivial note, I also like how you say someone who died passed away. It irritates me (I don't know why) when folks say he passed.

Chilley

It was a good read and gave an ending!

Please keep writing and I will keep reading

Very nice. Enjoyed it!

Thanks for sharing. What a great read,

Heart wrenching yet it felt real & right. People can change - for worse or for better. In this great RAAC story, it is our heroine definitely for the better. And Darrell was always a nice guy & proved it here in spades. Yes despite huge mistakes in her life that saw Theresa lose her husband deservedly, we come full circle out of a sad event. Glorious writing too (apart from one small name switch - I have done it too, mate. it is hard). 5* & Favorited!! Fast becoming one of the top writers on this site. Ken

Evocative. Eloquent in spots. YOur writing is improving quickly.

Wow!!

Powerful emotions, evocative plot with much introspection, poignant and sad memories. Not much action to the plot. Yet never had a dull moment!

I really enjoy when you brought the "old" Theresa back, drinking with Charlie. It gave us a bit of insight about her behavior in the first story.

Thank you Mainefiddleheads, that was fine entertainment! Look forward to the next story.

AMerryman

5* effort.

Thank you.

She's a complete slut in the beginning. And I suppose the message in this is that with age comes perspective and wisdom. But I didn't see her wearing her rings around her neck and living like a monk all those years as some for of penance. She got caught, she earned her divorce and she moved away. End of story. With those types of emotions I don't see them keeping in touch. In the beginning the emotions are too raw. In the end, they've both moved on. Him especially. Going back to something familiar just because he's afraid to be alone really seems both illogical and implausible. That's why I couldn't enjoy this story. Been there, avoided doing that.

You write well with sensibility and emotion. Betrayal and subsequent reconciliation is a difficult subject to handle and you did it very well. Treachery leaves horrendous scars but hopefully in some cases leads to enlightenment.

lots of character development. a unique resolution to the original piece. but it is very hard to like these people.

Very nice wrap up to the Darrel and Ex's saga. Rarely do you get a sunset years reunion, but why the heck not- they had history and a daughter, and as you get older you realize that connecting with people with shared experiences is essential for happiness. I do believe in her penance- the people who claim "she's a cheater, so she can't have remorse" are off base. Yes, leaving a spouse with no explanation takes a lot of self-centered heartlessness, but that needn't define the person for all time. We all grow up eventually, if we are lucky. 5 stars

The device of killing off Sally to resurrect a possible relationship for the exes seemed contrived and at first disturbing. Theresa having no sex for 14 years also seemed contrived, as if any dalliances would taint her for this planned reunion. And, of course, that these two would get together out of the millions of possibilities was a bit irritating. Still, you can argue their shared progeny might pull them together. Along with their lonely longing. Otherwise, your ability to get inside a character's head and make it seem real is quite good. And the tentative but steady steps these two take toward each other are well realized. Even the ambivalence about remarriage is a nice note as was her wearing the rings. You are a good writer!

just a few pages. I basically like the premise of the story and could relate to the characters. That being said, I probably couldn't have taken the wife back that used her pussy to sell real estate and I'm not sure that I could have reconciled with Theresa. But I'm not everyone and if they can find happiness then I'm all for that. After 14 years everyone has changed, basic nature that. So I say, thank you for sharing your talent and giving us a glimpse of the far northeast country. I couldn't have taken the extreme cold or the extreme mosquitoes that probably live there.

....for the engaging and interesting story it is.

Someone mentioned they felt the 14 years penance and Sally's early and untimely death were contrivances. Not a bit of it. My best friend divorced when he was 26, for his wife getting caught up with swingers....only she didn't tell him beforehand. He remarried two years later and was happy for 16 years before losing her to cervical cancer.... 5 years later, he reconciled with his first wife. They remarried about three years later. She claims to have been celibate that entire time. She lived three doors up from us with her two kids. We didn't socialize, but crossed paths several times a year, over the years. She was often at neighborhood parties, barbecues, bar mitzvahs, Christmas parties, anniversaries and certain birthdays, some at our place. In all that time neither my wife nor I ever saw her drink anything stronger than egg nog at Christmas. She never got under the mistletoe, never danced, always left alone or with other single ladies. She was not shy, but never engaged in flirting with men. About ten years out from the divorce, I wrung up my courage and wife in tow, worked a conversation to the point of asking her why, but offering her an easy out if the question was presumptuous. She smiled that Mona Lisa smile that everyone knew so well and said point blank, "I was an arrogant fool, whose stupidity and arrogance cost me the only romantic love that ever mattered to me. The pain and shock of what my behavior cost us all, changed me.

We have our children and still interact. I swore to myself during the divorce that I would never again give him cause to question or doubt me. And I can't get interested in anyone else or even the idea of anyone else. My friends call me a fool, but I'm not going to risk my self respect or my heart for cheap thrills. There are other good men, I know, but I'm atoning for the harm I did and when I feel clean again, I'll think about romance....".

Well, life being what it is, he was single and NOT looking....they also kind of gravitated to each other and today, they seem very happy together. He told me that once he let go of what she did, he actually liked her. They both grew over the years and seem to be more grounded.

So....not contrived.

Excellent work.

Thank you.

It was nice to get this follow-up and very real feeling. Like I say to the author jav before he deletes the comment - good stories get good scores!

Thanks

"Being the one who inflected the wounds on both of them" - "inflicted" not "inflected"

"I don't want him to become a lonely man, Theresa." - How can he be lonely? He's got two daughter's, a son-in-law and a grandchild!

I guess I'm glad that Darrell is happy, but I would rather have see Theresa relapse and Darrell and Sally grow old together!

this was a great story i was born in lewiston maine and now live way up north where it is not uncommon to see 30 below zero in winter , colder with chill factors so i can relate to the story well , glad she got back with darrel in the end great writting keep it up ,,,, r g

I gave it a rare 4.

I still didn't really like Theresa but I felt compassion for her and I liked how she could help Darrell after Sally passed.

She still had whorish thinking as an older woman but it was tempered with a lot of well earned pain so it kept her mostly straight.

I never actually liked her because she still enjoyed the company of bastards that cheat on their wives and prey on married and unmarried women.

I think it was a very real look at an individual nature that never really changed but was kept under discipline after she destroyed her family with her whoring.

She was still an old whore by nature but managed to keep that "bitch" on a leash.

Good reading.

The author did have an old whore in the story - in fact, several. Charlie was an old whore... or at least a slut. She didn't ever get with him, though the temptation was there.

A clever bit of writing to validate confidence in her not going back to her old ways... as was the scene with Alyson.

Reading it any other way shows more about the reader than the story.

Green-something

I was right. The story did not need this sequel and really it did not hold my interest at all.

Sally did not need to die, and there should NOT have been any lingering love with the way you wrote the cunt in the first story. Her betrayal and dishonour and contemptible behaviour should and would have killed ANY love in any normal man.

As I said, this held such little interest that I just skipped to the predictable end.

2 stars for it written well at least the little I read

This was an absolute pile of garbage..... After what she did to him in the first story, we are expected to believe this is how it ends????? The author says it's maturity that keeps him from BTB angle, I say it's cowardice and low self esteem for anyone to just roll over after that betrayal. Even if by some miracle he forgives, there is no way he would ever take her back IMHO.......

Altough I suspect I found it less enjoyable.

This story really reduces Sally to a disposable plot device. In the original story she was already little more that the trigger for Darrel to move forward, and here she dies to pave forward the reconciliation with Theresa, while cheering it all the way to add insult to injury.

Both these devices (killing off a romantic foil to clean up a supposed romantic loose end, and having a new paramour pushing for reconcliation with the initial partner) seem to be overused or at least are wearing thin on my patience.

Which is a shame because in the original story I wouldn't mind seeing Theresa move forward.

She whored herself out (obviously without telling him she was going to), she had an affair (doing things with him that she'd apparently never done with her husband), she left her husband (without telling her husband what led to it), she destroyed his relationship with his daughter (and she gets NO credit for telling the daughter later since she only recanted when "the gig was up")...

Any of these were reason enough to hate her (even WHILE still loving her)... And nothing she did was reason enough to take her back... Even if you didn't actively hate her, even if you still loved her, even if you forgave her... How...

How could you ever trust her...? Because she lived the intervening years behaving like she SHOULD have behaved while you were married...? How would you KNOW that...? Because she said it...? So...? She said, "love, honor, forsake all others" too at one point - how well did THAT work...?

....of redemption and renewal. I agree with some others that Sally didn't have to die so quickly, but that was necessary to move the story along, I suppose. Theresa accepting and acknowledging that she was totally responsible for the shitstorm of deceit, lies, and whoring that destroyed at least a handful of lives (including hers) is a good start. Her heartfelt remorse, combined with Sally's touching and generous letter, help complete the circle.

I'm going back now to give part one 5* as well. Thanks!

.... some transgressions are so heinous, so hurtful, so .... evil they can and should never be forgotten... or forgiven. Theresa was and is the embodiment of these traits. Self pitity .... self loathing .... self imposed abststinence are the RESULTS of her grotesque betrayal of a good man and should NOT have been used as a tool to curry favor from "your" readers to justify reconciliation! It's your story .... your ending ... but it's the "wrong" ending .... Your readers know it .... You know it!

The question is "will" you 'wright' this wrong or allow another writer do it for you?

That weighs only 12lbs,must have aids .

The average male Maine coon cat weighs 14 lbs

Thank you for your comments. Might I suggest you skip over my stories when you see them appear. You'll save yourself the angst and allow yourself the additional time to find one to your liking.

MFH

Very nice story, I liked it a lot. Contrary to what some people seem to think, every divorce does not have to end in a “BTB” scenario. I liked this story because it showed real people with real emotions, emotions that didn’t die just because the marriage did. And it illustrated how those emotions can sometimes be rekindled years later, and maybe forge a new relationship out of what had been a dead one. Great story, MFH, thanks. D

on the first page Theresa is say how cheating destroyed her marriage and so shes fucking a married guy lol wow. well tbh i did call her evil in the last story so idk guess it make sense she would help to destroy another marriage. still thinking if i should keep reading or not

im confused the start of the story u have her with a married guy then u she says she hasnt been with a man in 13 years?

u have no cut off point between times and ppl so it read like she was fucking charlie after showing a house to a couple. so like one second she is showing a house then the next second she is with charlie where? is he with her at the house showing?

1*

I can't believe you killed off Sally just to give that evil old whore a happy ending.

As a old school romantic I love a happy ending.

I have always said that it's a good thing people can mend a broken heart.

Live is to short to live in guilt and sorrow.

For Theresa to obtain redemption, Sally is made to pay for it with her life. And Darrell loses a love to be treasured after being utterly crushed by Theresa.

If Sally had lived, Theresa would have died a spinster but no further harm would come to her at Darrell's hand. That's not a BTB ending. It is a consequence of her own actions. And I can feel sympathy for her.

But this story, intentional or not, is the ultimate RAAC. A wonderful, loving, compassionate, wife and mother has to die leaving a young child motherless so an unworthy corporate whore can be reconciled to her ex-husband.

No matter how well the story is written, that's just an awful trade-off. I find the storyline about as dark as I can imagine.

Why couldn't the author have left Darrell and Sally alone in their happiness. They certainly deserved it. Theresa certainly did not.

I don’t know what to think about Loejtc’s comment. ‘Sally was made to pay with her life for Theresa’s redemption ‘? What the hell does that even mean? Did someone intentionally expose Sally to cancer just so she would die and Theresa could reclaim her ex? Really, what kind of convoluted logic is that? I liked the story, although I’m not sure I liked the ending that much. Thought it was kind of weak. Just as an aside,I once spent a couple of weeks of early November in Maine. It’s a really nice place but I’m just as sure as Theresa was that I would NOT want to spend the whole winter there. Pensacola (or Destin ;-) ) is a much more appealing idea.

I think most people have no understanding of what really happens unless you go through it. There's an old saying, if you seek revenge on someone dig 2 graves.

Good story and good ending. An acceptance of life as it is is about the best anyone gets. to be happy.

Agood story about life.

re loejtc comment.

Your logic concerning Theresa's redemption is about as flawed as can be.

It is equaled by your expectation that we all always get what we deserve .

However innocent babies still die. Tragedies happen to one and all. There is still collateral damage in warfare. Some people steal and don't get caught.

Most people work hard all their lives and still do not have enough money for a comfortable retirement.

The rain falls on both the good and the bad.

Life's not fair.

The sooner you understand that the less stress you will have.

I loved it and I'm very surprised more didn't. I liked the reality and the feel of being privy to the thoughts and progress of all those involved. 20 years is a very long time just to throw away.

Very nice. I was surprised that Darrell was so receptive to “making nice “ with Theresa after what she put him through. But I guess he still loved her, and after his second wife died he just needed someone familiar to hold on to. And I can really understand that. Very nicely done, MFH, thanks.

5⭐️s.

I know this skin is sound very strange;however one comment for the story . Just one.

Adorable💥

One f the best I’ve read of yours. I had tears in my eyes almost the whole read. 5*

I would probably have enjoyed a little more angst between 'once upon a time' and 'happily ever after,' but it was an enjoyable story nonetheless. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Wow. Sensitive deep dive into a heart filled with pain, regret, shame and self-loathing and unremitting loneliness.

Very well done.

5* Barring the near thing with Charlie, I found this a lovely, sweet story. It is a believable follow-on from the first "It's a place of beauty" and it resolves everything into a gradual happy ending. Thank you for posting it.

As with all to many travails in life -that involve loss/betrayal, the painful journey toward healing, rebukding yourself into a better person than you were-this story covers the span of that life in a heart wrenchingly fashion. That she was able to totally take full responsibility for what she did speaks well for the potential for redemption for even the worst of us.

Very well written and obviously from the heart.

To: Anonymous11 months ago

re loejtc comment.

Your logic concerning Theresa's redemption is about as flawed as can be....

Sir, this story is not about Pollyanna.

It is filled with loss, failure, repeated loss andof recovery of recovery. Occasionally, just occasionally it does work out.

People are frail, frequently weak, but most fight on. Both of these people did.

I'm afraid, as I see it, life must be unremitting painful and disappointing for you.

I'm not condemning your point of view, though do disagree in part.

I'm sorry you were not able to see another dimension to this story.

How could David have not noticed all her drinking if that was the impetus yo all her cheating like a whore? She apparently cheated a lot over three years. Before that did not drink much socially? And then all of a sudden is getting plastered enough to obviously stay out layer at night or run around at conferences, etc? David must have really been clueless to not see the changes.

Also how does a husband not know that his wife becomes a total nympho when intoxicated? Unless she abstained from booze almost entirely during marriage the first 17 years, he would know that even several glasses of wine get her really turned on and amorous. Heck my wife is like that and we have a firm rule no more than one glass unless I am present. Period.

Well written but I don't get the reconciliation here. Virtually of Theresa's penance is unverifiable to David. Somehow by way of Sally's perspective and David's predisposition, he is ready to fall back into intimacy, companionship and even openly sharing his love again with Theresa, within what maybe a few months and then a year after Sally's passing? Why? Theresa's sins were freaking epic. Forgiveness, even mercy are one thing, but David is so alone and has somehow forgotten the excessive burn by his ex that he runs back into her arms? I know we are told by the author and her own mind that she is different (and that David is different) but this seems like a bridge way too far. Contrast this to Gwyn in "A Mighty Pen" and its sequel. Or the girlfriend or Donna in "Second Chance" or half the "loving" wives written by Ohio. It isn't close. Why? Because of the restraining order, the lies to their daughter (even if by omission) and the extent of the betrayal (three years and a bunch of guys). This isn't a one time drunken fling or a fear of commitment to marriage or ill-fated revenge affair. Yes the author added in alcohol nymphomania (which apparently the husband od 20 years knew zilch about) but so what? Look I liked how he changed the Theresa character and how she repented and became non-evil. But she torched her husband with a flamethrower with her 3 year long (inexcusable and inexplicable) affairs and her one year plus of depriving David of any contact with their daughter. Gaah! I am all for a good reconciliation but not remotely in this case. Let him bang Carol for awhile. He doesn't have to remarry, which for all intents and purposes the two of them practically are. Give the guy some peace. How would he ever trust her again based on just talking and promises? Still well written as always.

Well written but I think the Anonymous below who spoke of "lack of verifiability" not to mention her torching the marriage and the false restraining order had it dead to rights. This is a RAAC too far by a country mile.

Well written. Interesting perspective from Theresa the wife who torched her marriage. Honestly she comes across as a very different person, 13-14 years later. We learn that she was indeed a company whose the last 3 years bit triggered by alcohol. She has a real drinking problem rhat she hid from her husband somehow for many years. She lives like a nun in celibacy out of penance. She has rediscovered her personal integrity and morals. Too late of course but still she is NOT the same person. As an aside with the two episodes with Charlie and drinking (first more serious), I am surprised that she didn't end up at AA. She has a problem. If a substance causes you to destroy your life, then you have a serious problem and should never touch the shit. In fact would have expected her to seek therapy after Kelsey reconciled with her father. Why would a.woman suddenly start drinking and whoring herself out regularly for 3 years, after so many years of marriage? Something changed or triggered her. Look she came off as remorseful, trying to atone, and being penitent. Great. She is almost likable in this story. She shows compassion, moral character, and reconnects with Darrell after many years. But her betrayal in the first story was so freaking huge with the lie to her daughter, the restraining order, etc that how would this EVER play out. Her many self improvements and her guilt are not really verifiable by her ex husband. Maybe if he had just been the cheating whore for 3 years without doing the insta-nuke divorce and the legal devastation, when she freaked upon discovering by Asshole's wife (at the time), maybe this could happen. Maybe. Honestly I would have an easier time with an adultery based on whoring around at the office with small dicked guys (like her boss with his 5 inches) than an affair of desire. Of course she has no way to really prove that alcohol was always involved. She screwed her boss like 13 times in 6 months near the end. Maybe more at a hotel (what an idiot bringing her to his home, freaking amateur). So yeah the cheating is terrible. But it aples to.what happened when she freaked and got beat up by her boss' wife. That doesn't fit. It is closer to pure narcissism and temporary insanity. What did she hope to gain? Keep the truth hidden? Sure she assumed her marriage was burnt and filed for divorce. Except for the egregious restraining order, striking first really doesn't mean much unless the house is hugely contested or filing for custody. Those were moot in this case. If she had simply confessed to her husband, worked out joint custody (Kelsey wad going to stay in South Carolina for a bit anyways), and gone through a divorce, the betrayal would have been 10 times leas severe. Yeah she was a whore, again I think that while hideous less obscene than seeking sex for desire. She has an (unverifiable) alcohol problem with sex and she fucked clients and bosses for some (meager) monetary gain. She was alsmot certainly going to lose her job regardless. She didn't want to be with James at all besides the work related sex. She stayed with Kelsey in a company apartment and James didn't live with them. She gained nothing by freaking out. Anyways that was the story, but that massive betrayal makes this whole story, while well written, simply implausible. Perhaps if the author had just toned it down to the whoring herself while intoxicated, then maybe this could happen. Crazy shit happens with human behavior after many years. But this? No way. Her daughter wouldn't even associate with her after learning the truth. And Darrell would not call her regularly. And Sally would not keep telling him how much he still loves his ex. Not withnwhat went done. No way to RAAC with the coup de grace she landed in the first story. Almost better to read this sequel chapter assuming she just had affair and a contentious divorce after being caught, not thr nuclear Armageddon she inflicted. Then more believable.

Interesting how you left it. I will compliment you on one of the most believable and rather beautiful redemptions of a fictional character I've seen, here or anywhere.

There probably isn’t a better written example of a “Reconciliation AT ALL COSTS” posted on these fora.

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As a couple other commenters observed….a reader who read this story WITHOUT reading the earlier story about what Theresa actually did to trash her marriage, probably WOULD come away thinking that this was a validly earned redemption. But for anyone who actually read AND REMEMBERED what Theresa did to blow up her marriage….how could they not come away from this story asking their head in wonderment about how the fuck Darrell would ever get within a few zip codes of this creature?

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If this were a standalone tale where all the reader really knew about Theresa were the hints described herein about her role in the marriage destruction —- then yes….the reconciliation works. But knowing the ACTUAL details of her actions preceding the divorce…well — that’s why this is the poster child for an “AT ALL COSTS” reconciliation.

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5 ****

Before all else, Mainefiddleheads, I have to laud you for taking up your pen at all. Not every person puts themselves out there in such a way, and your doing so demonstrates strength, courage, and no little bit of moxie. Please keep that in mind as I write of my reaction to the current effort.

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After reading the second paragraph I couldn't stomach reading much more. I skipped to the end where it was revealed her ex unbelievably took her back. Just... NO.

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I've read many Reconciliation stories where commentators have blasted them as RAAC, when they truly weren't. Those posters only showed off their lack of real world experience of maturity and how some people IRL actually do choose to not hold on to anger when it doesn't serve them well. Unfortunately, this example is NOT that. This story is the first genuine Reconciliation At Any Cost that I have read on this site, and it sadly and undeservedly cheapens the previous work in a way I find inexplicable.

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I loved Darrell's story (of which this is a sequel), even though there were unbelievable elements there, too. I'm all for a normal Reconciliation story, if it is can be explained by what is written. However, his treatment of Theresa during her initial confession at the camp table (i.e., nearly overwhelming anger, with the possibly of violence hinted at by the Chekov-esque gun mention) is where his connection with his ex should have stopped. Anything further was unjustifiable, if I wanted to keep thinking this male was a man, much less the rugged outdoorsman he was presented to be. Likewise, the daughter feeling anything other than fury at Theresa's lies and betrayal of her was beyond what was possible, given what was outlined in the story. Regardless, for the sake of a good romance story, I let those slide, since Darrell and Sally had such a sweet thing going.

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I had hoped some justification might be hinted at in this sequel, but the outright betrayal of the readers by making Darrell take the creature back to his bed, for ANY reason, blasts any suspension of disbelief out of the water.

It were better this had been reworked to be a completely separate story about other people. I suspect it is true, as others have stated below, that readers unfamiliar with her actions in the original story might well find Theresa's remorse compelling, and even uplifting (enough, at least to justify her ex taking her back). But there's absolutely no way to read both stories and come to that conclusion.

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Rework this piece to be about a wholly separate group of people, and I expect you'd have a winner!

Just to clarify, I do not owe the readers their story. No writer does. What I owe any reader is a story that is crafted well and conveys the characters and setting as I envision them. For those who wish me to write their story for them, I am reasonable. $1/word, 10,000 word minimum. No refunds.

A HUGE HOOOOORAH for the author. I’ve always been puzzled by commenters telling authors what their story really meant and demanding re-writes or epilogues. This is a FREE site people. You get what you pay for. These two stories are among the best on this site. Use your imagination and/or write your own effing sequel if it means that much to you.

This woman paid more penance than any person should ever have to pay. We are commanded to forgive. If the MC chose to forgive AND forget that is HIS prerogative. Don’t let hate rule your lives. And yes. I divorced a wife who cheated on me 30 years ago. At this point, given the right circumstances, I would consider taking her back - though both of us have long since moved on and that would never be an option.

Live a little, be a Gypsy, get around…

(And Fiddler, I’ve managed to retiree with fuck you money…maybe I’ll take you up on your offer to write another epilogue…ONLY if it serves to urinate off the usual suspects as well as this one did. ;-)

Fantastic pair of stories, I wept when the lovely Sally died.

Glad they reconciled, it worked well.

So, Theresa goes to lunch with Charlie, promising herself NOT to drink, and an hour later she's half corked and dtf. Seriously, does she have NO willpower? All she had to do was tell their server to take the other wine glass away. Or just put it on another table. So weak. Also, this loses a star for calling Darrell 'Early' twice when they were talking to Carol.

This author always writes truth and it's always captivating. Thank you for sharing this.

In the words of the inimitable Borat, “Very nice!”

Thank you. I always enjoy your writing.