All Comments on 'Shouldering the Burden'

NTH is a writer of considerable talent. This piece is well written but very hard to conceive a situation where under any circumstance this "marriage" survives. She put herself in the situation to be taken advantage of, consented to being "blackmailed" for months and had no trust or confidence in her husband through all that. Sorry, but she would never have to struggle to remember me during her lucid days, I would already be a distant memory.

In my best Wayne's world pose -- we're not worthy. 5* should be more. An outstanding story, outstanding writing - just not enough superlatives. A good man doing what a good man does, understanding all actions have context that can lead the non-thinking man to throw away something good or guarantee a action with no regrets. Now in the twilight of life (where I am at these days myself) you look back and see what your actions wrought, understand what got you here and make peace with it.

What a story! Painful, difficult, loving and hard work. Real life, not fictitious crap.

You are becoming a better writer over the course of the past few months. Good Luck brother

Without a doubt an amazing writer. Please don't stop. This was a great story.

You managed to take a pretty well trod story and turn it into something different and touching. The btb types wont get it but anyone with a hear will. Charlie is not a cuckold and Marge is not a slut, they are two fully human ppl trying to navigate themselves and each other.

VERY GOOD STORY! CD

My situation is similar. Your story helped me forgive. Thank you.

A 5* oasis of kintsugi and wabi-sabi. A sad, but beautiful story of true love and devotion.

Excellent as usual, I do sometimes read stories here for the erotic content, but mainly just to enjoy good writing. I read many new stories a they come, I'm never looking to be judgmental, just to enjoy the well told tales, well spun characters.

That was a very well told story and in a strange way, despite the character's pain, I feel better for having read it. I seldom feel that, so thank you.

Excellent.

You just keep getting better and better.

Such a beautiful story.

You’re best yet. Such a beautiful story, the like of which you don’t often find in LW. Amazing author.

Thank you for going there, in that loving way.

Damn fine story. 5-stars

Wow! Great story. Great idea using the vase! Thanks for the story…

What a hell of a Ground Hog this is! Clever set up, nice misdirect, and finally a bittersweet story resolution. Bravo! 5 stars.

You are an absolutely incredible story teller. In each and every story you post I see some small part of my own life. I look forward to each day's LW new postings to see another story by you. Please continue to open the minds and hearts of most of your readers. The others don't mean anything.

I can really relate to this. We never had to deal with infidelity. Our devil has been Alzheimer’s. She is dying slowly, her mind and memories fading away. Even now, I am fading away for her. The pain of watching your

Love slowly die and be powerless is is almost too much to stand.

My only issue is the husband taking responsibility for what she did. No way is he at fault. She's an adult. But damn....so we'll written 5 stars anyway. Thanx!

Loklie

It’s not clear to me how someone could read this powerful, moving story and give it a low rating. But Powersworder, ZK, and lujon2019 run true to form. I’m not sure that they even read the story. They seem to be motivated to keep the score of the story as low as possible. Fortunately, they’re in a distinct minority. I can only surmise that they’ve been cucks themselves in the past, which is why it’s such a button for them. You know guys, you could simply stop reading stories in LW and maybe take up Romance or Sci-Fi.

Sad but a beautiful, compassionate story told in a way that can resonate with many. Thank you. Nice job.

The truthful, and perhaps more healing, response would be, "Marge, my love, I forgave you years ago. I forgive you still. Thank you for still caring about me."

Liked the love Man had for his dying wife. Hated that he just made himself her punching bag from her cheating repeatedly to him blaming himself for doing it. So average 5 and 1 stars gives a final score of 3 which on the lit scale means I just liked it and nothing more.

I liked it. Sad, beautiful, and very realistic. With 50 years of marriage, some things happen that there's no control of.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

The situation was a shock--a woman of impared memory confessing her infidelity over and over and the man who loves her supporting. her as best he can. It's always complicated with NoTalentHack. Well done.

Well written but not for this category, please be a bit more discerning where you dump your stories; we will still find and read them.

Poignant thank you

Well ...

RAAC stories today are few

and far between, thankfully.

But we're beginning to see a new trend.

Reconciliation stories at any cost.

They often include a very drunk woman

and/or date rape drugs.

How tiring is that?

Ok, so they had a fight.

He leaves and she reacts ... like a man?

Goes to a bar to get drunk.

Most women don't do that.

They need to talk. They call a girlfriend.

They don't get drunk with strangers.

This one does and accepts drinks from an ex boyfriend?

Do women really do that?

This story leaves more unanswered questions

than it answers.

You want more of those questions?

Ne comes to her with pictures and she fucks him several times a week.

He comes to her where?

To her home?

Does she fuck him in her and her husbands bed?

And our guy feels guilty?

Ok, he's guilty of half of the fight.

What else is he guilty of?

What happened fifty years later is the good part of this story.

The only good part.

3 out of 5 from me.

Unlike your name would indicaten, you do have talent. 5*

I don’t know how you do it. You keep coming back with better and better stories! Very touching and very thoughtful. Please keep up the great work and thank you for sharing with us.

An old curmudgeon

Boy, this is really good.

I’m a bloke . You know blokes aren’t supposed to tear up don’t you ? But since you didn’t know I’ll forgive your transgression this time . Seriously though that was truly powerful and touching , a true work of art like the vase and your characters marriage . It’s the past , the present and the future all puzzled back together flaws and all - kintsugi

As always, NTH, your storytelling evokes a significant amount of emotion. This story is one of the few that I will read over and over again. It has both the power of the BTB ideology and the significant admission of dual responsibility /healing. 5 stars. Definitely 5 stars.

Just wow. 5*.

Wow! An incredibly moving story. I am stunned by this story 5 stars

Thank you for sharing your exceptional talent for storytelling with us again and again.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My mother has dementia and has been in memory care for a year now. Early on, she had delusions and thought she could communicate telepathically. Surprisingly, she recalled several tryst and affairs (quite unlike her as I’m pretty sure she was faithful to my dad for 60 years). We found these recollections to be delusions when she couldn’t answer simple questions about them. Sad disease. These days, almost no delusions and she would never believe she previously said that she had affairs. Best advice I ever received in handling her was from a psychiatrist of hers who said to just agree with anything she says unless it’s dangerous. She won’t remember that you agreed 5 minutes later.

Absolutely brilliant, what a well thought out story, so well written and I have to wonder how many people have to go through this for real, I think the vase was a stunning idea to compare the devastated remains of a cheating partner with getting passed it and carrying on with life in a loving way

Absolutely brilliant, what a well thought out story, so well written and I have to wonder how many people have to go through this for real, I think the vase was a stunning idea to compare the devastated remains of a cheating partner with getting passed it and carrying on with life in a loving way

I agree with all the accolades commenters have laid on this story. 5 stars.

The one thing I would want to know as the husband, 50 years ago during the initial confession, is "Why are you confessing now, after weeks or months of being 'blackmailed' for sex. He still has the pictures, why confess now?"

Dammit...

This hits too close to home, at least the part about a life partner of many years and a progressive illness stealing her away on a daily basis...

Some won't understand, others won't care because they can't relate.

I don't know if this is coming from your personal experience, but this is a love story, plain and simple.

Well done, sir... 5 stars.

Such a sweet, painful story

NTH does it again! Another Home Run HallMark Movies! Great Writing, Heartbreaking Great Story. Thank You NTH for so much hard work. Great Effort Sir. Thank You. #Buster2U

Truley a life story!

Boring

Truly a moving story exceptionally well written, NTH.

OMG, that’s just so moving. I have a real love-hate relationship with your stories. They are well written, with a good storyline, but just so sad. Thanks

I can't believe how much dust gets in my eyes while reading this story. Having recently passed our 50 years of marriage I can relate to the major ups, and downs of a long term marriage. Thankfully we're both in fairly good health, and not in a care center yet. Beautifully written, and worthy of more than the Five Stars I gave it. Thank you for it.

I really ought to do some housework before reading your stories. Always seems to be a dust problem in the room when I sit and read one.

Another ☆☆☆☆☆ story.

Thank you.

Your writing is changing. For the better IMHO.

Thank you for writing.

Wonderfully done.

This story is sad and beautiful and well written. Nicely done b

A character that is developed to have faults but still can exhibit compassion and love is enlightening and a welcome from the shallow “Some woman wants he’s spouse to clean another guys come”.. or some other lame self absorbed excuse from a slut wife. Good job telling a very good tale

Those comments rehashing the infidelity are missing the point of the story. It's about their enduring love in the face of her memory loss.

Good story. No reason to seek out an ex boyfriend after an argument...

Lovely

Sad and beautiful

A swim through life's greatest lesson for this couple, relived again and again, in a page, with love.

Five for you

Excellent story. A story of true love.

A beautiful, very moving love story.

A very dear friend of mine, who I have known for over 55 years has suffered from vascular dementia for the past ten years. It is so painful to see her slowly ebbing away.

This is a sad one. Well done

Sad but in a way almost fitting. If you hate a cheater and want some form of revenge then having the cheater relive what they did, over and over, and feel that pain they caused someone they professed to love - well that is a living hell. Unfortunately, our hero here feels he had some blame and loves her so that I guess is the sad part.

Sixty-two years ago I fell in love with and married a smart, pretty young woman. I became a fairly successful writer; she edited everything I wrote and invariably made it better. Ten years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I was her caregiver for eight years, finally wasn't able to give her the care she needed and she entered a memory-care home. Both her short-term and long-term memories are gone. I'll visit her tomorrow, she'll recognize me as someone she should know but doesn't remember that I'm her husband or what my name is. She has forgotten her many infidelities of decades ago that I have forgiven; it breaks my heart every time I see her with the outlook and mindset of a four-year-old, wheelchair-bound and always in a diaper. My only job now is to outlive her. Her lucid days are a thing of the past, but your story captures only too well the pain of watching someone you know (and once loved) slowly fade away. Thank you for being such a gifted writer.

A rare and.moving story. Well worth five stars. JPB

Jesus, that was a hard story to read, very emotional, in my mind it's better to just die fast rather to linger on, loosing your mind bit by bit.

Five stars from me on this one.

Good story, love your "no talent" writing.

Very strange, how an impaired women's past can be relived over and over again just to assuage to her that everything is ok.

Powerful stuff, very moving subject, well presented by such an "untalented hack".... Absolutely one of my favourite ever authors.

On a similar vein, think it's called the long goodbye.

Both stories my absolute worst nightmare.

Very powerful stuff, beautifully presented by this "notalenthack".

Truly one of my favourite authors.

On a similar vein, DFWBeast's Brownwood A Long Goodbye, absolutely heart breaking, and my worst nightmare.

First rate. Truly a wonderful imagination, rare and insightful. Bravo!

Sad but beautiful story,

Damn intense, thank you for the story

Good story but the qife is it fault I do qhyw he shoulder the bursen the first and the times after she shouldnhave came clean sooner

There is very little balance inbthe marriage

Very moving, and well written. No extra words.

First class writing and an A for originality. Thanks.

Ed

I'm 4 yrs into dementia. I feel god but my wife will tell me if I ask...Am I the same? The answer is no but still her man after 47 yrs. She gets mad if I look towards the future to far. She says we will adapt and love each other to the gates of of Haven together. I hold to that promise from her and God.

Good story that examines a problem a lot of us older folk have. I remember my brothers and I were warned not to say anything about our Dad’s death to our mother, who had Alzheimer’s. Her doctor told us that she would relive the memory of us telling her every time she remembered it and it would just be too painful for her. So we never told her, and I don’t think she asked about him more than a few times before she passed a few months later.

Thanks for the story, NTH. You are certainly NOT the no-talent hack your alias implies.

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dee

Never understood blackmail where the threat is more extramarital sex to cover up a one time fling or even a short affair. Makes no sense. Physical violence, harm to a family member or loved one, severe financial or legal ruin to you or loved one, ok sure, especially yo buy time, but more sex to cover up prior cheating, and in this case date rape as the original incident and then continued rape for a few months. Glad she had the wherewithal to finally come clean. Todd172 summarized this well, but surprised hoe often this blackmail sex trope is used in stories. Bit tiresome. No rational person would empower thr blackmailer so. And yes dementia sucks.

Five stars isn't enough! While reading the story I felt a tightness filling my chest as the pain Charlie recalled became an issue for him to deal with as he shares his love for his beloved wife. Having a memory loop from the past come back is a challenge for those who were there then and are still here today yet are someone new to the one important person in the mixture. I became my Mother-in-Law's date while my wife became her best friend from her teen years...we miss you Mom.

What a wonderful story!!!

Have an argument with a loved one/spouse, angry, go for a walk.

I bet there are thousands of people who will say they did things they regret after and argument, this turned out to be a bad one.

How many have gotten booked for DUI, crashed a car, gotten a speeding ticket because they were angry after an argument/fight.

Be so hard on the husband having to relive that bad time in their marriage so sad 5*

What a beautiful story

Love can conquer all

I didn't like it as I lived through it with my dad.

Look at all the neck beard losers whining. Did mom make you Mrs Budds tonight? Don't you think it's time to move out? You are over 40

Fuck you

That was wonderful, for a cheating wife story

What a beautiful, touching, well-crafted short story. I love it. Thank you.

Five gold stars. Thank you.

Not many stories on this site make me tear up. This one did. Dementia, in opinion, is worse than cancer. With cancer, as horrible as it is, you remain YOU. Dementia takes that away. I can remember the pain in my grandmother's eyes when her husband of 58 years asked who that old woman was.

Great and touching

2nd read, and it hurt as much as the 1st time. My partner has so many healt problems, but the worst is the new terminal diagnosis of an illness that will steal her away mentally. We've seen some short-term episodes over the last several months, but the decline can't be stopped.

I know exactly how this MC feels, although not for the reason of the involuntary infidelity of his wife...

...5 stars AGAIN for this sensitive and poignant tale.

One question. When did this take place? Soon after the reconciliation or much later in life?

Milt should be walking with a limp for having sex with your wife, for the blackmail, milt should be...

A brilliant beautiful story. Thank you

your name is the absolute opposite of your talent

you really like these painful story accents. so sad. ouch.

"The love of a lifetime existed between us. I...How could I do otherwise?" Me too. Still married after 41 years.

Real sad but amazing story. To some of the commenters below: the rape and blackmail happened many years earlier before the birth of their first child. Thyr have been married 50+ years and she has dementia. Husband has to keep reliving this, but has found a middle road response that makes his wife calm down without freaking out as she relives her memories. Dementia is the freaking worst. It is a direct assault on both spouses and other loved ones. Depressing stuff. My only criticism is the blackmail sex to cover up extramarital sex trope on this site. Yes her husband has a a terrible temper and she was worried how he woukd respond. If he didn't get to the truth from others he woukd have walked out on her permanently, committing a grievous error. She was drugged with a date rape drug. Of course in reality those didn't become accessible to perverts in the general public till mid to late 80s. But ignoring that, blackmail sex (which is itself rape) for a few months m, a couple of times a week is beyond traumatic. But at the same time caving in just further empowers the blackmailer. Just ckme clean with your husband. Seek help. Confess (though in this case some investigation shows she didn't do anything wrong to provike her ex) and see what happens. If your husband cannot handle it, then so be it. It is what it is. Not much to be done about it. But heaping on top of it with more extramarit sex, actually rape, to cover hip one incident is just nonsensical. Exceptions are serious threats of physical violence and the spectre of severe legal and financial ruin. For the latter two, at most submit once or twice to buy time and then get help, record those sessions (electronics have come a long way), get counter leverage. In the case of physical violence, do what you have to save loved ones, but tell your husband, go to the authorities, flee if need be and disappear. Contjnues degradation and rape is virtually never the answer. I say "virtually" because of exceptional scenarios involving drug cartels, gangsters, corrupt police, or government officials. Who knows then.

i'm 65 now and starting to realize that this could be me in a few ? years . either i or my wife could start having issues and symptoms and start losing our minds .in some ways this is very sad,then on others shows how this man is doing his best to help her and love her no matter what . sitting her typing and crying at the same time . not sure i'd be man enough to cope with the situation like he did .

Married 52 years now and all the bad memories are so insignificant. I doubt she had an affair or anything but if I found she had at one point in time it would not change a thing. There is a point in lives that we meld as one. I hope we both go with a still clear mind down the road aways.