All Comments on 'Never Her'

Two things. As always, the conversation is wonderfully delivered. Two, the end was just like what people do. So refreshing and I really liked it. Be well.

Very good story

Good story!

5

Ok, where did you steal "the dildo of consequence" from? How do you know Jon?

Very good. 2 comments - when they were having their initial discussion and Celia didn't understand his problem, he should have reminded her of the old saying 'you're judged by the company you keep'. If you hang out with bad people, you may not be a bad person but other people are going to question your actions. The ending could have had another saying - coral snakes are beautiful too, but deadly; or beauty is skin deep, but she's ugly down to her bones. Another happy thought, maybe when Celia last saw Ithaca, maybe she was a mother - either a divorced mother (likely) or unhappily married. Ithaca is a narcissist and too selfish to be a good wife.

Good story.

This was a perfect flash story. Started in the perfect place and ended in the perfect place. Five stars.

I have a feeling that this writer doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. She’s going to write what she wants to write, do what she wants to do. I’ve never read a story from Randi that didn’t make an impression on me about her personality. This is no exception. Not many shades of gray here. It’s all in or all out. I happen to like that. You’re with me or you’re not. “The dildo of consequences…” may be the best line I’ve ever read.

5* A good story which develops well and keeps the complexity of the three relationships in focus through, mainly, Mac and Celia's words. Thank you for not having Celia seduced by Ithaca (unless she was and Mac and I don't know) and thank you for not including any "hump and grunt" sex scenes. They were not needed here. I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for posting it.

Great story. But I'm not surprised. 5stars

Good job.

I loved this story....

Character development in such a short story was amazing.

It left me wanting more, but that's just me...

Wonderful story...

5 stars

Cagivagurl

I feel terribly cynical but the three days away from Mac left her wide open for Ithaca to finagle her way into Celia’s bed, no no that would never happen (would it?).

Best line “I’ll put you on top of the refrigerator until you calm down” what an image.

Faultless writing as we have come to expect from Blackrandl1958

Nice story... he made his position perfectly clear - gave celia the chance to let the seriousness of the situation be seen and felt and, in the end, she came to understand the depth of his feelings. so a nice, short little story of two people who communicated and it all worked out. Nice!

Where's the baboom?! There's supposed to be an earth shattering kaboom!

I liked but it seems unfinished. It’s too bad Ithaca was at their sons birthday party. I’m sure McLaine wasn’t very happy about that. I know I would never want to be in the same room with an ex who cheated on me.

?!?

I must have missed it...

but what was the point of the story?

As it should be… Thank you

I always admire your work, but this one didn't do it for me. Perhaps I don't fully understand the relationships between women, but I can't understand why

Posted by accident before I finished comment. I was about to say I don't understand why Celia would want to be friends with Ithica, knowing how much Ithica had hurt him.

Nice quick read. Loved it.

Maybe a slight over reaction on his part. Good story. D

Still one of the very best writers on the site! Thanks for putting yourself out there time after time. This was a nice snapshot of the possible demise of a relationship. Ever thought of writing a novel

Don't get me wrong, Mac is the victim and I'm trying to respect his feelings, but he comes across as a real asshole and a control freak. Celia should have told him to take a hike.

Well done!

I’m not totally on Mac’s side. Just ninety percent. What he calls ‘evil’, I’m more apt to see as stupid and arrogant. Most people never change, but every now and then a person learns it’s not pleasant to shit in their own pants. Enlightened self-interest. I’m apt to accept their apology - until their poison impacts someone near and dear - like Celia. So, kudos to Mac, but easy on the self righteousness just a bit. As usual, a well written entertaining story. Thanks much.

It's sad that some people just don't get betrayal and what it does to people. Mac set boundaries and stood by them. And because of that, he won. 5* storytelling of consequences. Unlubed ones, at that.

I can see HDK's influence on your writing in this one. You captured a complete story in just under 2 pages. Brilliant work as usual. I love how we were drawn into the heart of the conflict quickly, and I felt like I was living it as if I were actually one of the characters. Well done "Mac"...LOL! 5*

I just love everything you write and most of what you edit for others. Bravo

My first wife really messed me up and I detested her as a person. When I remarried my new wife really didn't believe me when I told her how my ex-witch was to me. The new wife continually was voicing her concerns that I was too angry and even at times defended the ex. One night(this was before cell phones) after midnight the ex-witch called me to talk about our son. She regularly would call in the early AM hours. My new wife got upset and called the ex to discuss not calling while we are sleeping. Well the ex-witch didn't take kindly to this and a full blown knock down drag out fight ensued. After that the new wife also used the term "ex-witch". Life became good.

Great little story, fun read. I'm looking forward to seeing another one in the December event.

Great job. Another 5 star gem 💎 💎 💎 💎 💎

I was expecting something a lot worse like sleeping with his father or best friend…but trying to force a threesome?? Divorce sure, but a reaction that severe to something fairly tame is a pretty major character flaw. Ithica should insert herself with his friends and family, joke how the little boy ran when she tried fulfilling every man’s wet dream, and give them what he ran away from. Just tell him California is nice this time of year whenever he tries crying again.

Man, I wish you published more frequently. I love your stories. 5 stars.

Very good writing on a serious subject. I'm sure there are many of us who have decided to drop a person from our life. I have become fixated on that person that hearing the name makes me uncomfortable.

The level of disrespect this wife showed her husband. the man she claims she loves asked her on multiple occasions to keep that woman away from him.. he didn't want to be her friend, he didn't want to associate with her... why was this wife having such a hard time RESPECTING his feelings? .. she's trying her best to force him to be cool with her.. why?.. I also think he's ridiculous.. if his wife still wanted to be her friend, it's her right, she's grown.. I don't understand why he didn't want them to be friends? They were friends before either met/dated him.. she could've stayed friends with her, spent time with her without her husband.. he just wanted her to cut her off completely.. that seem a bit fuck'd up... I understand what she did to him but he seemed to still be holding on to feelings for her of some sort.. I feel like both husband/wife were pushing their beliefs on another.. she was pushing the belief that they can all be friends, and he was pushing the belief you can't be friends with someone who did your friend wrong... why couldn't they each just respected each other? He should've respected that they've been friends for years.... and she should've respected the fact that he doesn't like her and wants nothing to do with her.. I think the hubby was afraid his ex would have his wife eating coochie behind his back like his first wife did. He should've just said that... 🙄 😒... let that woman be friends with whoever she wants until it starts affecting your marriage.. the only reason the marriage was affected was cause she kept trying to force a friendship between her husband and his ex(her friend) .. had she just enjoyed her friend, without needing her husband to be friemds with the ex.....the relationship would've been fine..

When she jumped out of bed, she was a "naked little sprite," when she was back kin bed, she pulled off her camisole? Did she out it on when she got the books?

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"I am not and never was good with her doing that." - Then how can she be friends with her?

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I'd have no SERIOUS problem with her being friends with Ithaca, as long as she kept her away from me.

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If Ithaca was truly sorry, she'd respect his wishes and not use Celia to get close to him.

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"I've told you I hate Eric. You stopped inviting him for barbecues." - Yes, he respects HER wishes.

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@bacchant2, he wasn't threatened by Ithaca, he resented what she did to him.

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@technofrog. Ithaca wasn't AT the birthday party, she simply happened to be at the same place, I believe.

Finally, a story by someone who 'gets it'. A past acquaintance who's done evil to you can and should be shunned, and not put up with. With remorse and repentance that can change, but not until. And to have that person 'pushed' on you is painful. The queen of this genre, Cagivagurl, an excellent writer, frustrates me no end with her 'Green Eggs and Ham' style of 'do you like her here or there, how about now' again and again, ad nauseam. And to see her comment here and call this a 'good and wonderful' story, well, it seems strange.

Fun read. If Celia believes him to be her soulmate and wants him as a life partner, then NO ONE is more important. Friends must take a backseat. I would not insist she never interact with the whore but would insist she never ever let that interaction touch my life in any way. It’s called respect.

Good story. Excellent character development. It took a while, but both ladies eventually got it.

"Put you on top of the refrigerator" - what a classic line.

It didn't go anywhere!

It's always nice to read a LW story and actually see the spouse/ GF make the right decision for the right reasons.

This one hits home. My ex's best GF was having an affair with her husband's boss and I wanted nothing to do with her. Being that close to the same situation in reality, I could easily put myself in the protag's place. blackrandl1958 has again written an intriguing and thought-provoking story. She never fails to quench my thirst for a great LW story.

Still waiting for something yet to happen. Very anticlimactic well written. Could have given more details about events during his previous marriage.

That was very good! Ex-wives are dangerous territory and future relationships need to understand that. It seemed like a tough lesson and well written.

Very good story about relationship and personal boundaries and respecting them. Celia, had a tendency to ignore or failed to fully respect Mac's personal boundaries as they pertained to Ithaca. Luckily, for her and Mac and their relationship she realized it was important to respect Mac's boundaries whether or not she understood or agreed with his reasons for those personal boundaries in regards to having no contact or interaction with Ithaca.

For Mac, Ithaca was and still is a toxic person that he removed from his life. Manipulative and toxic people drain your resources by constantly pushing you to work harder to please them, making you compromise more and more to exclusively meet their needs or issues. This is life exhausting and transgresses all acceptable relationship boundaries. Toxic people are not motivated by what’s good for them or for their relationship with you. They’re motivated by their own complex problems and needs. Toxic people create drama deliberately in order to attract more attention and engage in manipulation. Ithaca was using Celia to create drama with Mac and was using her as a means to reinsert herself into Mac's life and once again control and manipulate him.

""I guess it's hard for me to feel like you do because what happened to you didn't happen to me.""

Story also provided an important insight into the concept of empathy. No matter how much we think we understand what an particular person has experienced until it happens to you its only then that you finally know and fully understand what the harsh and painful realities actually are. It took Celia contemplating or personalizing what Ithaca did to Mac to finally understand that Ithaca was indeed a shitty person.

This should be required reading for every author on here.

Dildo of consequences….🤣

Good story theme. It seemed a little flat and emotionless. Not up to your usual standards. 4✨

I loved the exploration of what a "boundary" is, and how it differs from an ultimatum. I haven't seen such nuance from many writers.

I do agree with some, the ending felt hurried and forced. You could have stopped it after the "...mutual demonstration of being back on firm ground.", and I think it could have felt more complete. Unless of course you are talking a sequel...

I got it; clear to me. Glad she did as well. Well crafted; great dialogue.

A wonderful story, as we know we are going to get from Randi. Her ability to write great dialogue is unbeatable, and it's such a pleasure to read her stuff. More, more, please! (Plus, you give your characters absolutely the best names--no Mikes or Steves or Ralphs or Marys here!)

Thanks, ohio

Loved it. I'm afraid I see a little of myself in Mac. If you wrong me, I never forget. If you hurt me, I want to hurt you back. If you do both you are history. My older grandkids can be raging mad because of something that is said about or done to them one day and be best buddies the next. Thats not me. I don't understand it, and I might not take it to the extent that Mac did, but if Celia kept pushing Ithaca at me ... I just might. Great story. 5-stars.

No fireworks, but a solid example of a typical cause for marital stress--the friends of a spouse you cannot stand but they love. The apparent agreeable ending? Well, I like it but somehow feel...uneasy, like it's really not settled--just pushed into a box which could later turn out to be Pandora's.

But the style and substance are top notch, as usual. It's just that the plot seems unfinished, like there's another shoe to drop somewhere down the line. Hope not. I like this couple. Thanks and lots more, please.

“The dildo of consequences rarely comes lubed." I’m so stealing that for my short list of “wise sayings” that make me look so smart to the many youngsters I deal with!

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Randi…you have a unique talent for creating characters that a reader just HAS to fall in love with. Celia is such a one. After reading this I so wanted to have her come to life in my works somewhere. Can’t you work some magic and maybe have her show up to meet and marry one of my worthier nephews?

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Yeah…Mac was pretty “black and white” WRT his standards. And frankly, that’s to be admired. He never forced Celia to dump Ithaca…he just demanded that she never expose him to the bitch. Finally he had to deliver an ultimatum, and Celia sussed it out and recovered her relationship with Mac. And they lived happily ever after!?

5 easy *****

Solid writing - always.

Thanks for a good story.

Ok, but feels incomplete.

Took her too long to get to the right place but she did.

I really liked it but struggled with how you never really went to the place where these two women, being Bi, either have not had any sexual contact or did not have sexual contact. I mean, during that two week period I fully expected that this guy would had has some eyes on her and find that they got together, she would come back, and he would kick her out for good.

Awesome restraint to not go there.

Excellent tale, real wisdom in it. Thanks! 5 stars.

Thanks for posting a story, in your usual excellent manner. 90% of the stories in Loving Wives recently have been horrible; this is a breath of fresh air. 5*

The ending was very flat and abrupt. It went from refusing to honor Mac's request and then demand to stop forcing Ithaca on him and insisting on forcing them together to total removal of Ithaca from their lives after a 3 day deliberation.

It seems like so much was missing. Why would Cara become best friends with the Ex, who really disrespected and hurt her husband? Why would she continue to push to relationship which was only hurting her husband?

Were they secretly lovers or wannabe lovers since both were Bi?

How does he know that she kept her word after being so dogmatic and even beligerent about the relationship with Ithaca? Why did it take the threat of divorce or seperation to get her do a 180?

It just seems off.

I think we all have an Ithica or two in our lives. Mine were Syracuse and Troy. Nice little burn with this one.

I wish we could edit our comments after submitting them. I reread the story and realized that Celia didn't initially realize the Ithaca was Mac's Ex, BUT Ithaca should have realized that Celia was married to her Ex while they were "reconnecting".

Again, going from being beligerant about forcing Ithaca on Mac to, in a matter of 3 days, admitting she is a shitty person? Oh well, anyway, thank you!!!

Really your usual thoughness in a story but still readable.

First time I ever 1*’d one of your stories. The main character was beyond being a controlling jerk and Celia deserved far better.

That was great. Logical and well put together. Some people are simply not worth having anything to do with and cutting them from your life is necessary.

When you say "forsaking all others", it's not just referring to having sex with them.

Well done.

A wonderful approach to that theme. And like others, I'd love to see more stories with Mac and Celia (Ithaca can stay away ;-)

I love this story. I also respect Mac's strong sense of right vs wrong when it comes to relationships. A friend /lover/wife need not like or admire thievery g I do, however that same person cannot associate with my enemy. I even have a hard time with the enemy of my enemy is my ally. Finally, I wish I could write like you. The message is always clear and although I can communicate si similarly verbally I find it difficult do this with people that have Peter's Principle's disease. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for your story, it's a great way to start the day!

somewhere east of Omaha

well written and a decent plot line. I thought it was a bit abreviated but all in all a decent little story.

I like characters who have the integrity to set and defend boundaries. 5/5

Well mac is strange...i would be a little mad if i was in his shoes but come on.. i thought ithaca humiliated and destroyed him mybe just like linda did to jim in February sucks. But this? Two hot girls hot and ready for you? Nah man

Slice of life story but well writen (as usual). Not sure whether to take the story at face value or not. My only pause for concern was one sentance when Celia came to talk:

"She looked into my face for the first time. I'm not sure what she saw there, but she dropped her eyes immediately."

Seemed like a hint that there was something for her to be guilty about. The underling subplot being that Ithica had mischeivously "found" Celia with the intent of either getting back at Mac or inserting herself into their reltionship....and in the three days Mac was gone she succeeded in seducing Celia. The final conversation was Celia ultimately choosing Mac after either realizing Ithica's treachery or deciding that the sex wasn't worth losing Mac over.

....or I'm reading way to much into a simple story ;).

Wonderful little story, well written and with emotion. We all know people like Ithaca, and they are a constant problem to most.

A point well-made in an entertaining story. Great pace.

Hooked

Tight story, well written. Credible characters behaving consistently and some delightfully, playful lines. 'Dildo of consequence', such a lovely, apt image in this genre. Thank you for sharing.

Excellent! You set the standard, Randi! 5*

I typically shy away from little stories. Glad I broke my tendency with this one. Tight, concise, very well told story. I'm stealing that "The dildo of consequence seldom comes lubed" line. Thought I'd let you know.

Randi, I marvel at the way you write. You made a good story out of someone's inability to see and feel what a loved one sees and feels. If someone hurts my friend, they have hurt me. Seems simple, but we can just be slow to take a stand, with the one we should stand with. So, good main point, made in a believable way. Good characters! Fun dialogue! That's fifteen stars.

That was very very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Very solid 4 star effort. It was almost a perfect 5 stars but some of the dialog between characters was slightly confusing as to who was speaking to who. You are still one of my favorite writers and I hope that my criticism doesn't in anyway upset you.

Good as far as it went.

As usual, Good read.

Not bad but not sure why he didn't paint her the same scenario if the roles were reversed

Great story. Thanks for writing.

Ithica is such an unexpected name for a person, a woman in this case, that ever time I saw it I was thrown out of the immersion. No, we're not reading about a place in New York. Unique names can be cool, but not when they don't sound anything like an actual name of a female character.

Good description of a person with boundaries and a clear vision. I do think more than a few men would be intrigued by Ithaca and the idea of two women, but the fact that Ithaca never told him she was bi would be a problem to a lot of even that type of guy.

I loved this ”Severe weather erupted in my living room. Lightning flashed from her eyes and thunder rolled from her lips.", That is dang near perfect.

Wow! Superbly shaped.

Thankyou.

Bravo!!! This has been the best written story of the week. No horrid attempts at phony slice of life crap, cuck crap. An actual real story with decent writing and yes, the plot is a rarity but you played it well.

And this is now my new go to phrase " The dildo of consequences rarely comes lubed."

Fucking laughed my ass off.

I can actually not smell the LW stench at the moment. Please toss us a bone for the weekend, the stench then is usually port-a-potty on a hot/humid August day when the temp is 98 degree and the dew point at 75.

The usual great story from a great writer.

Boundaries set…. Respect maintained. Good story.

Mac seems really unhinged about this...so she cheated, and y'all got a divorce...life goes on...there are millions of people who get divorced due to infidelity and they become civil again...especially a situation like this where it wasn't even a long standing affair....

Loved the “dildo of consequence”. As for the story itself well written as always. Content. For me it’s all about loyalty which is vital in a relationship. Thank you for the superb entertainment.

Yawn, what’s the ending?

Very nice. Thank you.

Celia chose wisely 😉

Nice to see a story where somebody truly gives up (after a couple too many tries) trying to coerce a partner into doing something they have been adamant about not being willing to do. Most of these types of stories just go over the top with repeated attempts until the relationship is finally blown up. And I guess that reflects reality sometimes; people really don't change very often and they just keep going back to it with the partner either just living with it as an irritant or else the behaviour finally breaks the relationship. Anyway, I liked the story.

don't trust her ,that was to easy.

I like how you handled the subject. Ultimately it’s about supporting your significant other. Sure, you try mediating, trying to get past the issue. If that doesn’t work, then you have to decide which person is more important to you.

Now, the fact that his wife and his ex are both bi, were once very close, and the ex was a cheater… he’d be wondering if the wife’s stubborn insistence is a sign that history is repeating.