All Comments on 'The Letter'

Lonely days are gone

She's coming home

My baby wrote me a letter.

[Joe Cocker's definitive version]

Great loving wife story

@sbrooks103x1 day ago

"I knew I would always give her access to her grandchildren" - I would make sure she knew NOTHING about Gisele's disappearance. If I even THOUGHT that she knew ANYTHING, I'd bar her from seeing the kids. - That is exactly what a control freak would do.

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"I will not betray it, so I beg you not to press me" - Is that vow more important than seeing her grandchildren? - You already covered that. Her daughter did the unforgivable, she's owed no consideration, besides, she's gone, how would she know her mother broke her vow? - Gisele might not know, but Anne would know. I guess a vow means more to her than you.

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"Had I any real alternative?" - With millions at his disposal, he has plenty of alternatives. - None that he wanted to take.

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I wonder if her leaving has anything to do with the death of her father that was "never a subject for discussion." - Wonder all you want, it wasn't part of this story

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"for her it was me questioning her integrity" - If her integrity is pure, a pre-nup will be a non-factor. - That is why he didn't pursue her any longer.

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Nobody talks in these long monologs. - Oh you caught that.

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What happened to James? - Second paragraph in the Epilogue.

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Would have been better if he could have worked things out with Claire, let Gisele be like an aunt.- Remember...Claire didn't want the pre-nup.

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@KRD, writing a 5? It's a generous 3. Walls of dialog without proper punctuation. - BFD

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"the story has several parts?" - Seems to be complete, or were you referring to the various headings as parts? - Obviously

"Of the most important people... only Ruth remains..." Why? What happened to her brother? Did the author forget about him?

Gisele left suddenly, no answer what she's going through or why. Her mother Anna knew & was sworn not to divulge that info. Shouldn't have been up to her but his wife. If she loved him that much, there should've been some serious discussions. Not doing it left Brian destroyed, moreso it took any chance of him playing any part at all.

While the intentions were good, the act's not. Sympathy for her plight's called for, but also some direct words about the why's of the abrupt departure & taking his ability of her husband out of his hands.

Gisele's return was as sudden as her departure. For me, while wanting to know the reasons why, I would've waited some days before meeting with her. No rush. However, after the meeting, within days he's accepting her back. Should've been a somewhat slow (tho perhaps faster than normal) meeting of Brian & Gisele before re-introducing her to the children.

Brian, letting Claire know early on about his ex-wife is one thing; how early is a question. It shouldn't have come before the 3rd or 4th date. His wealth, much later- when they're serious & before engagement. That he told her early left a big possibility she's marrying him for his wealth- rightly or wrong. That she balked at the prenup's another indication. After some time & the relationship's heat cooling, that's a big vote for what she's after & he should've pulled the plug on things.

The mother in law Anna: she wasn't going to let ANYthing come between her strong relationship with the grandkids & Brian. Admirable. But why did any relationship with Gisele have to interfere with the above relationships? Gisele would have to agree that her mother would be with them most of the day & she wouldn't be part of it... until Brian's OK.

However, I've a huge concern about her agreeing to keep the reasons for her daughter's sudden fleeing a secret. Shouldn't have happened, & while it wouldn't have torpedoed my relationship with Anna (or I don't think it would've), it definitely would've soured it. If nothing else, after the meeting with Gisele, I'd have some words with Anna.

A commenter indicated that he early knew the reason for her leaving- disease. He/she's better than me. After I finished reading the letter, I believed it was for another man, perhaps a lover before she met Brian. Oh well!

A truly novel story worthy of 5 stars, to me. However, because of the above, 3 stars come to mind. However (#2!), with the writing & story telling, even if it could've been better with a proof reader, I'm happy with 4 stars. Still, as sbrooks103 pointed out, the author indicated this's a story with multiple parts, but all I noticed was titled breaks. Bob

I'm afraid I would of kept Claire and married her after he finally got the Prenup signed. As for his ex that badly hurt him, with No breasts and looking all wore out, with the Possibility of Cancer coming back for his ex, plus her not able to give him anymore kids, no way let her come back as the mother. But he offered the Position as house maid and Nanny, so she could be with the kid full time again. I also Doubt his ex could even Survive having sex Either..

If she would have just stated in the dear john letter, what she was Terminally ill and would Probably die soon, he could of understood why she left them!!

Sorry not a five , too many unanswered questions about missing parts of the story

Love includes sharing pain. The wife selfishly decided not to share the pain. IMHO this was wrong and something that was robbed from a loving family. Regardless of her humble intenttions, she was wrong.

Very good story! 5 stars from here!

Probably, most questionable action is her family abandoning... Too cruel to decide that for her husband...

Very good story, 5 stars. I think she was wrong on one level, and right on another. Anything else is back-seat quarterbacking. I honestly don't understand how simply saying "I have terminal cancer, 2 months left to live" was not chosen as the thing to tell him. I think that would have been a far better and kinder approach.

Wow that was an emotional two pages but two pages that I will never forget. There are some parts that I didn't care for (the cancer returning, Brian's lack of emotion on Gisele's return) but those are my own personal hangups. But the illness was hard for me to read about. I am still crying. Cancer, to me is definitive proof that there is no loving god in heaven or anywhere else.

Thanks for your writing.

Nope.