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Steve searched her eyes, as if he were trying to read her mind. He couldn't miss her sincerity or her determination. Donna was a strong woman, but he didn't know if she was strong enough to do what she intended. He did know she was going to try. Finally, he said, "That's a mighty high price for one slip isn't it?"
Donna snuggled into his chest. "My darling husband, when you slip, you can expect a very had fall. You have to expect things to get broken, unless there is someone there to catch you, sometimes twice.
Epilogue:
Donna and Steve watched as Steve Jr. stood in his cap and gown and delivered the valedictorian address at his high school graduation. Steve had his arm around her and ever so often, he would pat her affectionately. It had been a very hard six years. It had been almost three months before Steve had resumed sexual relations and it had been over a year before sex was 'good.' One bonus was that she learned she enjoyed anal sex, when she was properly prepared for it.
The move across the country to a small town had also been very hard. However, it had let them have a fresh start. The kids had hated it at first, but had learned to love it. Because Gil's company settled rather than go to court, a wise decision with all the publicity that Gil's trial and 30-year sentence produced, the tape was never made public. The seven-figure settlement and the sale of his construction business had allowed Steve to start over in a bigger and better way.
After years of marriage counseling, Donna believed their marriage was in good shape. She had lived her new rules and had never resented them. Steve and his happiness remained Donna's top priority and if she hadn't yet managed to fill all of the hole she'd created, she had found that she derived great satisfaction working on new ways to make him happier. The reason that she had never felt any resentment for some of the attitudes, moods and rules that Steve had forced on her was that she never lost sight of her admiration of him, and what he'd sacrificed to keep her.
It also made it easier that they could fight over the things they'd always fought over. As soon as Donna moved back into their bedroom, the laptop was once again banished. Steve threw seven kinds of fits over the change in their menu, but Donna had stood her ground. The real difference from before 'the slip,' was that when Donna decided to stand her ground she was always convinced it was what was best for Steve and their marriage.
Donna patted Steve's leg as Steve Jr. finished. It hadn't been a long speech, just thirteen minutes. Her whole 'affair' from the time Gil had turned on the cameras until she begun to get dressed lasted four full minute less than her son's address. Yet those few minutes had turned her whole world upside down and almost destroyed it. "I so proud of our son, honey, almost as proud as I am of you. I love you Steve."
Steve was watching his son, and it was impossible to not see his contentment, "I love you too honey, you've made me the happiest man on the planet. I don't see how life could get any better."
Donna swallowed the lump in her throat and thought, 'But it will, I'll make certain of that! I promise!'
- COMMENTS
Anonymous7 days ago“One of your best weapons is you marriage vows. Yes you broke part of them, but not all of them. You need to show that you still value you word as much as he does."
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That is just asinine! Once one spouse commits adultery, the marriage is null and void. Divorce is simply the process of letting the government know that the contract has been broken.
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The attitude of the slut and her mother that adultery is no big deal, certainly no worse than a scratch on the car is vile and evil!
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ZK
Anonymous11 days agoWhat a painful trauma. Such determined will to try again was admirable with all the thought behind it. The journey was the process of rescue and recovery and both through suffering and deep reflection became fully committed. (Politicians could learn something...)
Anonymous18 days agoThis is quite a good novella in response to the writing prompt!
Excellent that both realize so thoroughly that life and its problems (like the things they have always tussled about) will still be there while they work on this particular problem, and it will not be quick.
Good enough that I will look at your other works, thank you for this effort.
Five for you
Anonymousabout 1 month agoGood story. Given the circumstances, Donna's confession (admittedly after blackmail threat so maybe a low bar), and her active contrition (not just remorse), reconciliation while it still takes work, is a no brainer once Steve has time to think it through. And for those who would burn Donna? God have mercy on you. 5 stars.
TrainerOfBimbos3 months agoI really liked this story, if anything the problem I have with it is that Donna is too perfect of a remorseful spouse. Hell, even the circumstances surrounding her infidelity clearly portray her as a victim of Gil (if his actions later didn't make that clear). And while I agree that HER ACTIONS after that really are the measure by which the reader will judge her worthy of forgiveness or a second chance, I feel that you went a bit fucking ham here dude and I suspect you did it to placate the "BTB" crowd, which I think is also a fools errand since they will never be happy with any kind of reconciliation story. As for me - I enjoy both types of stories so I try to judge the on heir merits and this one has a gripping storyline for the most part because I too was interested in just HOW such a hard ass as Steve was going to find his way back to his obviously remorseful wife Donna. I mean, people complain about Steve's character being too mercurial and angry, but if he WASN'T like that, then a lot of the tension around what appears to be an obvious reconciliation story would vanish. Instead, it was held almost right up until the end. It was great, no sexual innuendos intended by my previous sentence. I don't know if you're still reading these comments or not, but this is a very rare 5/5 from me. Everything here was great.
Anonymous3 months agoWell done. A real journey. Honest struggle and earnest desires to find a way through together if possible and certainly in ways that are best for loved ones.
Donna showed real repentance and commitment to making any agenda possible and forestalling any recurrence. She showed taking responsibility and shouldering the burden.
I think Donna too quickly dismissed the possibility of being drugged. She could not recall details etc of experience with Gil. Keeping in mind Gil was a serial blackmailer roofying women would fit right in. He certainly was not beyond making sure she had more to drink and taking advantage of her misplaced trust in him and his knowing his the alcohol affects her. People who do accept responsibility as Donna does tend to be overly harsh and take more than if their share. She didn't want Steve to think she's making excuses and is disgusted with herself and feels she's failed her vows, Steve and herself. As such she blames herself for what is very much like a "date rape" kind of situation
We all fall short. Donna had a "slip" of under 9 minutes with dubious consent issues. She subsequently tried to beat the burden to cause no further harm. Then when blackmailed confessed, showed integrity and love in apologizing taking responsibility trying to make amends preventing recurrence caring for and loving Steve putting him foremost and working to restore her self respect. That is a worthy loving wife. Steve should in addition to working in his hurry trust etc issues needs to deal with his having taken short in his vows as well. Especially given the dubious consent around the incident but even without her immediately lashed out at Donna when she came to him as her husband being blackmailed into being a whore, not even waiting for an explanation. He voted to love honor cherish... for better or worse. This is not to say situation is his fault but we all fall short. Seeing how can help us forgive ourselves and others. This is not being a doormat, rather letting go and observing clearly enough to see whether healthiest to move on together or apart and to release that which causes the ongoing pain and damage spring that which has occurred to be felt and healed when ready.
Anonymous7 months agoI've never heard a more convincing argument than Donna's. Only thing missing was a postnuptial agreement.
Fresh argument and comments like I traded a Diamond for fools gold were great.
Story drug in a few places but I loved it. The mothers early on I put was fantastic.
Might have spent a little more time on the perps pain, maybe action by some other harmed hubbys. And i wondered how many others ended in Divorce etc.
5 stars
Struckwrong10 months agoA good dissertation showing why Martian slut ray ladies should be forgiven and taken back by their cuckolds because they love them so much.
inka222210 months ago4 stars, but only because I don't give 5 stars to reconciliation stories unless they prove beyond the shadow of the doubt via actions and choices (in fairness, usually in less realistic way - like jumping in front of a literal bullet) that the cheater truly considers the spouse their first priority). Having said that, this story shows a really brilliant effort by the writer to sell the reconciliation, and he largely succeeds on multiple angles.
pfantom11 months agoI liked this very much. Steve’s strength and honesty was well shown. What bothers me in this type of situation is the one thing they dealt with and both accepted. The acceptance of the one time slip as something that doesn’t need to be confessed. That it was ok for her to hold it inside, that she’d had sex with another when he wasn’t there (even with the well played aspects in this story, her reduced inhibitions from alcohol, his predatory nature, etc.).
In my view, if the wife was in a situation when he wasn’t around and something like this happened, full confession of the one time slip is the primary piece that might help trust be restored. Like, as in this one, if things hadn’t gone toward blackmail, etc., Steve not knowing that his friend had fucked his wife, isn’t an “oops, one time slip”.
For me, something like her getting drunk and farting in front of their friends, could be considered a one time thing that doesn’t need to be confessed. Something else, like her getting drunk and then playing truth or dare, and her accepting the dare to lift her skirt and show everyone her bits, that is something I would expect a loving spouse to confess to right up front. Not that she only confessed when a friend threatened to blackmail her into showing him again or he’d show me the photos he took of her bits, for me that’s too late. At that stage, it’s been a lie by omission. I wish in this story that Steve would have pressed her that her lying by omission was the first problem. That she shouldn’t have been ok only confessing when blackmail came up.
I understand that not everyone feels the same and it’s a common piece in LW stories for him to consider being able to look past a one time slip, but lying by omission and knowing that our friends know that I don’t know what happened, would be a painful piece that would be hard to get past.
AngelRider11 months agoThis author was a dear but this story... Steve always came across as a hard ass, an intransigent douchbag. Gil was a trusted friend and he used that fact to betrat Steve and Donna. She fussed up, took full responsibility and without question proved her devotion and contrition. That Steve required so much if her to move on is ridiculous. Years of therapy for 9 minutes of what was rape by every definition today? Sorry, no. I wish I could have debated this with Josephus. At least his legacy lives on in a small way here
