All Comments on 'The Gift'

You're killing me here. Think you pulled my heart out. Thanks for your wonderful talent.

Now if I can quit crying.

If course it's not realistic, but neither was "It's the a wonderful life" or "Casablanca" or any number of stories. A beautifully done piece of escapism is good for the soul now and again.

Thank you

Mary tried to make sure he was not alone when she passed away sign of a loving wife but he took the gift with great difficulty because of his love of his wife.

The writer wrote a tear jerker of a story, I couldn't fail but to give it 5 stars.

Loving wives is the right placement. The major theme was about Mary's love for her husband. The end of this story was your best. It was smooth and not rushed. You have a gift to get into the minds of your readers. You have a knack for finding and pulling on heart strings we likely didn't even know we have. Thanks again for a wonderful story and for your time to share.

Well written.

I didnt see that in the first two pages.

Quite enjoyable.

A time line would be good and more about the medical problems.

How long did it take for Mary to die after they got back? It seems a very short time but if it was that short a time there should have been some evidence of it?

Touching story though.

Emotions run wild and thoughts get in the way ,and nothing ever stays the same. I have found that time changes everything, The memories I once thought would never die have left me void and empty, and the shell of time has no meaning,and my conscience has no pity on me, Were I too die today I wouldn't be missed by many, My wife of 21 years and maybe one of my sisters. who's Troubles are greater than mine, her love of 39 years is going to die and theirs no way around it. Cancer and Heart troubles tied together with the hip issues and you have a concoction made for death, Leaving only the hopes of prayer, and the promise of being there to give what little bit of support I can. My point is that life is about change, the night turns into day and the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west, we live and we die and we Love,we have Hopes that sometimes get filled in with reality, It was set that way in the beginning.before light was called day and the dark called night ,Before understanding that up meant that their was a down as well, side to side was as easy as turning your head in one direction then the other. finding that point where you understand, that no matter how much you want too,You can't change those things carved in stone. Moses , watched the hand of God write on the tablets,and couldn't look into the face of his God, " No man can look into the face of his God and Live"

My wife has had breast cancer twice and is still with me, and twice I've been scared shitless that she would die and leave me, There is no doubt in my mine, that she would of given up if my love was not true. and the support I've given to her, to keep her going. she has had two surgery's and with each a breast has been removed, and for such a time refused to go any where but doctor visits, for those of you going through this yourselves, be built up Breast's don't make a woman more of a woman, just like a bigger dick doesn't make a man more of a man.The Heart of a woman is at the core of her soul. what she stands for,her kindness and the mercy's she gives freely to those in need. Just as a man who stands for Justice and Honor,for the right of being right to protect the weak, those smaller than you weaker than you not as smart as you ,to be kept from being cheated, because it's the right thing to do as a man, Stalls tall among men. To be a leader means to Lead by example set the rules and live by them, I've seen the men that say do as I say ,but they don't do what they say. they instead lie and cheat and hurt others,and get mad as hell when it happens to them.these are not men.they are the bad examples the rotten ones. I will come back to this if you let me have to go now. R.W.

this one is a REAL TEAR JERK ER ,but once again a "very good read.

hornyoldgoat6969

I really enjoyed the twist at the end, you did a good job of not telegraphing that too early on, so it came as a nice surprise. I think I only started to guess when they started sharing common interests...

/tips hat. Masterfully done. :-)

Tefler

Beautifully written and a story that grabs you. Very well done!

the story is full.

im slow, i see that.

i was rivited throughout.

your good.

please keep writing

thankyou

When Cathy asked him to speak Mary the first time to get her permission to go on the cruise I thought Mary had set this up. When he said that He and Mary hadn't had sex for 3 years and the story was called The Gift I thought she had cheated and had caught HIV and would be dying and she avoided sleeping with him not to give him the disease.

Although I got the HIV part wrong, but got her dying and the set up right, it still was a great story. I didn't get the part where Mary wanted Cathy to replace her until the coincidences with their interests. Anyway, it was amazing how truly that couple loved one another. Him for never accusing her for not giving him sex anymore and tenderly loving her. And her wanting him looked after after she was gone. Truly what an ideal long marriage should be. A true love story!

Wow.....lovely story.

This is really a home run! Sure it's Literotica; sure it's Fantasyland, but it was so satisfying to get to the punch line. I didn't see this one coming and I usually am cynical enough to guess these catch endings before they get here, but not this time. I see why this is rated so high and my 5* isn't going to pull you down at all. Thanks for a good one.

The premise, when looked at very naïvely, is unselfish and...interesting. But, the story had to be contorted to make it work, and immediately there are problems. Not telling him is not trusting and loving him, so it makes her Cathy action harder to buy. She inadvertently, but negligently, caused him a lot of discomfort, and she essentially went about it in a very underhanded way. And Cathy's pride led her to attempt seduction instead of being truthful, and it would have changed the outcome. Just imagine the bad omen for her if he had cheated, and it would have crushed him too. I totally disagree with how and what she did. Mary, I have disagreement with, but I'm more pissed at Cathy.

I dont like this story, even though it was written fairly. Its not what happened, but how it was effected. Totally disagree; too contrived and dissonates with reality too much. There are other reasons, too.

She should’ve been employed or ran her own matchmaking service before dying... she woulda made a mint!

Powerful story I have real tears running down my face......

DreamCloud has been on my “favorites” list for a while now, but I only read a few of the stories before looking for other authors. So I missed this one. That’s either good or bad. Bad because I’ve missed the pleasure of this story for all that time. Or good because it was a (unintentional) way to prolong the time I get to “finding” new, and wonderful stories here.

Again, a wonderful and sweet story. And, as usual, mechanically sound, which is something that can detract from the pleasures of reading (there are only so many times in a story that you can overlook “your” for “you’re” within a single story before i start pulling my (very sparse) hair out by the roots - one at a time).

I wish you were still contributing here, but thank you.

...like a good BBQ sauce. Loved it.

I read a similar story that escapes me now that reminded me that there was ALREADY a movie like this. "The Substitute Wife" (1994) starred Lea Thompson as a Nebraska frontier wife dying of a suspected tumor who solicits (cringe) a prostitute (Farrah Fawcett) as a replacement wife for her husband (Peter Weller) and 4 children. I didn't see the movie but noticed the ads for it (had a major crush on Lea Thompson after "Howard the Duck").

It would be an easier "sell" to a frontier saloon whore than to a modern day escort. At first I thought Mary just wanted him to get well laid. Instead she must have extensively interviewed candidate escorts to find one that would be the perfect soul mate for her husband. A bit if a stretch, but it apparently worked. Remember that Cathy was so sure he would take a tumble without the card that she bet double or nothing on her fee. Until Mary upped the ante, Cathy had no financial incentive to ever see or speak to him again.

One of the best stories on here.

Were like this, had a very human element of a person truly and honestly in love with his mate. 5

Very Good One

I really liked the story and didn't see the twist coming until the last section. It was nice to have a man truly in love with his wife for a change.

I understand Mary's POV with wanting to find someone for her soon to be widowed husband but I also think that I couldn't cheat on my wife even with her permission and her being on the phone telling me it is OK. Marriage is being faithful to your spouse as long as you're married. Even with her permission it's still cheating. Maybe a sappy and puritanical outlook but it somehow just didn't feel right.

my late wife was like Mary .she also new her time with me was getting short. even though this is just a story it hits home . 10 stars

My favorite story so far after reading about a dozen of yours, including the Afflicted. So much love and caring from his 1st wife. Very well done!

Best written story I’ve read on this site! I believe the author is probably well educated, or at the very least has a talent/ gift with English language and is a talented story teller. Best wishes and keep writing!

Is my second read on this one. Its as good as anything ive ever read. Your talent is crazy good. I hope you publish.....10

Truly a "Loving Wife" story. Damn.

There is more love in this little, tiny, short story, than I can possibly imagine.

You've done well, with this story. Very well, indeed.

You got my heartstrings with this one.

I would ask you ignore the call-outs on lack of realism, or for holes in the plot, or for contriving the ending. It's a story! It's the world in your head, and you are the only one who can describe it adequately, and in this case - beautifully.

Do the best tales have foreseeable endings? Try Moby Dick and see if you can't guess. Are they twisted to suit the story? Try Romeo and Juliet and try and get the timing and reasons for their deaths to match up. Do they have contrived endings? Try Of Mice and Men, and see how Lenny gets pushed around by the author.

But so what?

It isn't realism that makes a great story - if that was the case the Lord of the Rings would never have been born. I mean why not just fly an eagle to Mount Doom and drop the Ring into the volcano. Done.

It's the belief in the characters that makes a story great - even when those characters are acting out a role, as in this one. You get the reader onside with the hero, and with the apparent bad girl, who goes sweet on him for what he is. The rest is just window dressing.

It's magnetic, heartfelt, heartwarming and more than worthy of a read and 5*

Thank you.

Story ending grabs me.

And tugged my heart strings. What a great story

This is.unusual in LW. A story of real emotions. Thank you for writing.

Simply beautiful.

That was first rate. One of the best, if not the best, we've read here. More...more!

And I’ll say it again, this was a true loving wives story. Truly inspiring how they can love, honor, and respect each other in such heart warming ways. That even the “other woman” honored and respected the wife speaks volumes.

Thanks again for the offering...

Not many of these stories get me like this.....

Great job!!!

It's not enough you have a loving wife dying and second guessing her husbands' wishes and needs, you've found a way of making connived infidelity acceptable!

Now we'll have to put up with second rate third world spin offs of your concept!

Guess I'll have to be careful and read the comments first!

Five painfully pointy things for the well crafted maudlin ride!

I shouldn’t have read this at work. I can’t roll up in a ball and let loose the feelings inside. Thank you, you masterful conniving monster of a writer! It could not have been written in any better form or fashion.

That about sums it up!

What an absolutely wonderful story. Plot, love, emotions, characters, this story wants for nothing. DreamCloud, I really miss your work. I hope you haven't stopped writing completely. A thousand curses on the SOB who stole your work and put it on Amazon. If only I knew where to find your new work, I would gladly pay to read them. I'm sure many others would also. When you're ready, please steer us in the right direction.

What a brilliant story, so good full of great characters, what an ending what a twist.

The last 2 were imaginary but it's the thought, right?

You have an original brain and you jade me cry you bastard.

As I said magnificent

You made my eyes leak you turd!!! 5 ***** It deserves more!

it will be 9 yrs 3/31./2020 my late wife tried to do something like this for me . when she passed took a part of me with her. I have read this one many times & reminds me of her .

Simply wonderful Thank you.

Powerful and moving story of love.

Beyond 5 stars, sad but uplifting at the same time, excellent ending with understanding love between compatable people.

It's the only thing you can leave behind that can't be taken away or run out of. It costs nothing, changes everything and won't let anything stop it.

I truly believe that Love is God and God is Love, and stories like this happen every day to prove it.

Just Wow !

...story. The kind of story with something in it to appeal across the general appreciation. Great ending. Five well-earned stars.

My response to this story probably isn't like everyone else's. Once Doug said no anything that happened was non consensual.

I do understand Mary's idea but is Cathy just a substitute for Mary?

Well written story. Mary's idea was totally in the wrong.

Mary is completely wrong.

is that Mary wants her husband to not be alone, but knows she's dying, soon. How does she show her love for her man? She finds a replacement for the sex she's not been able to share with Doug, one last time, but with a woman like herself.

Our author left out the search part, for the younger someone like herself, in favor of a swiitch part at the ending. Author gives us the search results, not the process.

It might have been nice if baby Mary was born on either the day wife Mary: died; her funeral; or, was buried. Or, maybe not! Almost a 6-star. Anon_rdew

It is a well-written story which I enjoyed reading. But the entire concept of a spouse trying to find a substitute by hiring a prostitute or an escort (which is what Cathy presumably was because who else could be hired to fuck an guy they did not even know) just leaves me cold. And committing to another person after two day is another issue.

A lot of people's suspension of disbelief doesn't work for this story, but imagine being in love with someone your whole adult life, then realizing your libido is in the trash and they're perfectly happy to suffer in silence, because they love you. But, since you love them too much to just cut their pleasure off like that, you go to the doctor for some sexy pills and YOU HAVE TERMINAL CANCER.

You're dying.

Okay, fine. You've had a good life, and you know you'll die with the people you love, and you can accept that. But what you can't accept, what you absolutely REFUSE to do is to leave the person you love alone! Can you imagine? They won't even consider sex with somebody else, you know if you leave them alone they'll stay that way. Lonely and miserable, for decades, just wasting away... No. Not if you have anything to say about it.

So you go all-out. Dating sites, escort services, social media, scouring everything you can, trying to find somebody. Then, lightning strikes! She looks like you but younger and cuter, she's into a lot of the same things he's into-AND she's an escort, so you don't have to convince her to go out with him, just pay her enough to stay close to him for long enough for legitimate sparks to fly!

She's a champion among women, she really is. You guys are reading this all wrong.

Not me, after a year without my wife of 40 years I'm lost and a big piece of me is gone. This story was great and brought back memories of high girl friends and almost sex. The writer has a gift, this was a fairy tale but a lot of it is real. Thank you to ones who really understand it and I hope some of the others will learn to understand it.

Fantasy is one thing and reality is another. We all have are fantasies but rarely have the opportunity or the will to pursue them because we are faithful to ones we really love and are dedicated to.

For some reason this is the first of your stories I have read, can't for the life of me figure out how I missed you but you popped up in the 'Similar Stories" section when I finished Randi's 'Eye In The Sky'. After reading this marvelous tale I was sorely and totally pissed off that someone dickless SOB would steal and post your work for profit. If you can point the individual (s) out I'm sure arrangements can be made for justice. An absolute shame you can't share anymore. Ever have that feeling when the phone rings out of the blue you know who is calling? When you got to the point of Mary telling him his present was a secret it all tied together with meeting Cathy. I knew right then without a doubt why Mary was doing what she was doing and Cathy's part in it. The ending was exactly what I expected. This takes nothing away from the story for me and I understand you not being able to facing reading it again to make any corrections. I went through some of the same pain only with a daughter, I hope your story was not autobiographical in any way. For those who just don't get it this was a perfect example of a truly Loving Wife story, a Romance for the ages. There wasn't a cheater in sight, the last two sentences proved that. Signed: BTW

This was a well written story with a believable plot. You have a great imagination and a great ability to convey your thoughts.

You and this story give Me hope of tomorrow in a way. My Wife and I 25 year ago some how lost the right feelings for each other I do not know why I am still trying to answer that question That was the last time we had any sex and I do not even know why This story showed true Love of Mary and of Cathy both had for the same guy just a Guy like me I am trying right now to get back to where we were then but i just Hope I can find the love I have missed all these years I thank you for this story It Might sound strange This story give me hope .

Faithful, loving husband and a loving, giving wife. Would like to have known how long she lived but it’s really not important. Tragic but great story. This is the 1st one of yours I have read as will read many more.

DreamCloud: you are an amazing writer! This is at least 3rd time I have visited this story and it is a work of art. Thanks for a great love story inside another love story!

Baton Rouge Cajun Guy

deserve 6 stars

So far it seems that all your stories fall into the superior category. I hope you keep writing winners. I can't imagine anything less. 5 STARS given - more deserved! CC

What a wonderful and sweet love story.

What a lovely story, how can you be so sad and so happy at the same time. My first by this author, but definitely not my last, this is the best author on the net.

A really good story with an actual loving wife. Great work.

Well, you've got this old man crying again for the second time today. I'm afraid one line in this story is very true when your love of 40 years dies part of you dies with her.

Congratulations!! Best story here so far!! Hats off! It was wonderful. Thank you.

I have no clue how you do it. Every story is different and compelling. I admire you and your ability to make people feel they are there when reading your stories. Author, thank you.

So beautiful! So full of love. At first, I thought Mary was doing thisz because he herself cheated. But the ending was simply wow!

This would make an amazing movie!

Better the second time around.

Halfway through the story, I had a nagging feeling I have read this before so i consulted my notes. I remembered how messed up I felt the first time... Thank goodness time made me more open to the truth of the situation as this happened to hit close to home remembering one of my best friends. I told her the stupidity of her plan but went with it. I hated doing it to our childhood trio but I saw the good in it. I was glad but lost my other best friend in the process as he declared that I shouldn't have went through with it. All I know is I too preferred my brother-from-another-mother's happiness no matter the cost.

I really, really liked this story.

4 people that have so much love in them ,

Wonderful

Been a long time since a story bought a tear to my eye.

Thank you so very much.

Paul

You wretched bastard. This story killed me, I didn't see that twist until right at the end. This story...just, damn.

This is a very beautiful story. Thank you

Such a Warm and loving story and yet so sad. It was a great ending, what a gift a dying wife could give to her husband, Well done 5++stars

Great story.

Wonderful story. I had a feeling Mary was dying and she chose Cathy to give her husband anew life and daughter. he also gave Cathy a new life; a loving wife and mother. Cathy received the gift money can't buy.

No happy endings deserved for the cheaters. Ever.

One of my all time favorite stories here. So loving, tender and also very hot.

You did an amazing job conveying the feelings and the emotion.

THANK YOU!!!

DreamCloud, You have tapped through my hindbrain right into my CNS. ChloeTzang hooked me into Literotica with 'Tales from Old Shanghai' and then I read everything she had on her Literotica site. Really loved her work and, now, I'm going to read everything you have here. Chloe is wonderful but I'm starting to think that I admire you even more.

I solidly dislike anything, even fiction, that takes control or autonomy from women. Giving and sharing are SO much more rewarding. Thank you for sharing your splendid intelligent imagination with all of us, your loyal readers. (I found Warner Bros. WS1689 San Francisco's Grateful Dead and WS1749 Anthem of the Sun - in 1968 at Sam's in Toronto. Both are still mint -not a fingerprint. Shortly after, when cassette tapes became available, I copied all of my vinyl. A bit later I bought CDs. Over fifty years later, all of my vinyl is still blemish-free although the cassette tapes have all disintegrated. Thank you DiscWasher. "In the land of the Dark, the ship of the sun is driven by the Grateful Dead." 9 August 1995 was a bad day for me.) Again, thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with the rest of us. Gratefully, Steve Scott. (I have a very common name; you may print this.)

Unlike you, I'm not at all sorry how this tale turned out. I thought it was exceptionally real, but I've been a Yogi for over fifty years. Death is just a part of life... I expect death and life happens to everyone eventually. I'm also into math and physics - energy can be neither created nor destroyed - that's just a fact. When your body goes to "worms and germs", as we all must, that essential spark of eternal energy at our core will move on and find another birth, endlessly. And as we go, we evolve. And part of evolving is to lose our old 'life awareness' within two years of birth (usually faster). No one needs this life cluttered by our past lives. Breathe and relax. We have eternity and a new adventure awaits. As James Taylor sings, "Isn't it a lovely ride; try not to try too hard, it's just a lovely ride."

Steve Scott.

Damn, you’re pretty good at this stuff.

You've done it again, blabbing like a baby. Wonderful stuff.

WOW! Definitely a twist of a story on Literotica but still Loved it. Should’ve been longer. Really enjoyed just a tad toooooooo

short!

Just a truly phenomenal writer! You have a gift. Please publish this. 😭

Lovely. Just lovely. Thank you for a lovely reading experience.

“...I was a stud. I may not look like one but the proof was dancing with me.”

— It’s happened to me, so I know this is true.

“Mary sounded so reassuring. "It doesn't mean it has to be that way. Sex is just sex."

— Hmmm... isn’t that what the wife says when SHE is having extramarital sex?”

“I was surprised my head wasn't hurting. Blowjobs cure hangovers, who knew.”

— Hmmm... next time I’ll ask my wife to fix my hangover “Honey, I read on the interweb, so it must me true.” Then she goes into the kitchen and returns with a serrated breadknife.

"I won so I get to fuck you now."

"What if I had won?"

"Same thing, I just wouldn't have enjoyed it as much."

— Just funny.

Math problem with story. They’d been married 25 years, and Doug was not yet 42. So he got married when he was 16 ? If he was approaching 40 and they’d been married 20 years is more believable. It works better with the age difference between Doug and Cathy too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reading the story as soon as I read Mary had looked for 4 months to find Cathy I had my suspicions. And when it turned out she collected comic books also, suspicions confirmed.

I liked the creative plot, but shouldn’t this story have been classified as a romance? Also, there were some minor continuity problems around dates and ages as pointed out by other reviewers. 4 stars.

Fuck you for writing such a great, boner killing story. 5 stars but I guess I'm done for the time being.

Fuck the errors, fuck picking holes in it. Some stories are just to good to let little things spoil them, this is one. A definite 5 stars

What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I sitting at this damn computer reading a Loving Wives story and crying like I feel a deep personal loss? Maybe this story should have been in the Romance section but I/m glad it wasn't.

Probably one of the truest tales of a loving wife in a long, long time. To hell with the wanna be grammar editors or nit pickers this was a fantastic story that holds the reader's attention to the last sentence.

Wow. This story about love and what love really is lifelong Love. Characters are amazing well developed and real. I hope you write more stories and I look forward to reading them.

i'll disregard the numerous typos, malapropisms, misplaced commas and apostrophes, and give it a five.

an excellent story!