All Comments on 'The Silver Medalist'

any of you ever go with a girl who was dumped? whywould you when she still more than likely want him, at that point you are 2nd best. but you hope to change her mind, that is where he was at Brad was unavailable at some point most women would give up on that like a teen age crush and would move into reality.

Good story!

To Anon 3 months ago:

"Brad may not even pursue the MC's wife, if his passes away. Yes his wife is obsessed with Brad but the worst she did was visit with a casserole."

I propose that amongst the worst things she did was hide that she had established a 10-year relationship with Brad without her husband's knowledge.

""Then why did you keep your connection with Brad Thornton a secret for the past ten years?"

Chase was smart to cut Anna loose. I give him credit for optimism and confidence in his ability to convince her HE was the one, but in the end reality trumps dreams every single time. No self-respecting man woulld agree to play second fiddle, especially with a ticking time bomb.

Anna may take the gold for most delusional woman ever in LW history. Congrats on writing a cookie-cutter, one-dimensional character. Honestly, I expected better, not sure why.

@ Anon "How could she be so cruel as to start a relationship with him?' Women are innately selfish. She wanted a wedding, and kids, and a house. He was the simp she'd kept on layaway for years as a fallback in case she couldn't get the guy she really wanted.

This is why being "friends" with women, especially "best friends" is trash. Women shame men who talk about the friend zone because women don't want to admit what it really is.

How could she be so cruel as to start a relationship with him?

could have been good if the story had been finished.

Hope is a cruel thing

Brilliant story about a woman who should not have married her second choice, even if he thought he could not only chase but catch, then pass the one she called her first choice. The mistake was hers in saying yes, not his in saying I Can Win This One. Rhett, the brat, leaves us emotionally exhausted. Superb writing.

Chase married a woman he knew loved another. She was honest about that. Then he is surprised ten years later she still felt that way. He was a real dumbass.

Chase is a dumb fuck from school boy days to adulthood for desperately pursuing and marrying Anna. What a waste of time reading this

What a story. Really well told. She was honest with him about her feelings for another man. She apparently was prepared to accept second best but always had a plan that she would go for gold if the opportunity arose. He thought he could become number one and tried his best and then realised he would never be. Neither of them really understood until too late that you can't have a relationship with someone who doesn't put you first. It's broken right at the start. Unrequited love is something the individual needs to realise is unhealthy until that happens they are damaged as a person. Great story. I'd love to see a follow up detailing what happened next in their lives. BardnotBard

It's ironic that Anna is to Mandy as Chase is to Brad. She is willing to be Plan B for her entire life in the hope that Brad will become available. Anna and Chase are so much alike, and that's their downfall. That it never occurs to either of them is psychologically realistic.

He shouldve never married Anna or even be her friend. Hes second to Brad, and delusional Anna is probably not even second for Brad, Brad showed no interest even when they were both single.

I give Anna credit for being upfront before marrying but after their married life together its sad she still saw him as second choice.

He did the right thing divorcing her, its a waste of a life to be married to someone whos in love with someone else. Anna needs to grow up shes not in college anymore and she would divorce MC if Brad showed any interest in her.

Sorry that was a lot of hypothetical histrionics. He knew how she felt about Brad going in. He married her anyways. Now he blows up his marriage because she still loves Brad and what if Brad's wife dies? Please. Then you divorce. Doing it now is dumb and craven.

Being a spouse means you and your spouse come before any other person outside of your nuclear family e.g. children (to one another). In this instance Anna never followed throughh on her wedding vow to forsake all others. In this story Anna had clandestine communication and relations she kept from and attempted to keep from her husband. When a couple marry it’s “for better or for worse”, not until someone better becomes available. The story had a logical and the only fair conclusion. If she can’t love her husband most and won’t ever try to, then he deserves better.

Also, this theme of being second plays itsel out in so many marriages every day. Where The wife cares more for her parents or sibling/s than spouse coming from a toxic enmeshed family. It is never a satisfying nor satisfying marriage to be in

Yeah that could have been handled better. To be fair she was always honest with him. He hoped she would change and he proposed to her. Then finally he cracks when he learns nothing has changed. He comes off as whiny. He made a choice. Would be different if no kids. Now he is insecure. Yikes. Get therapy. But divorce and split family because she loves another guy more, even though she has never cheated? It isn't an emotional affair when she has been honest about her feelings. He should have had his epiphany years ago. Doing it now was cowardly. He is basing much of his fear on a hypothetical that Brad's wife is going to die or they will split. Brad may not even pursue the MC's wife, if his passes away. Yes his wife is obsessed with Brad but the worst she did was visit with a casserole. Get real. I am not saying he should be happy about it, but he signed up for it. With no kids. Fine walk away. But with two kids? Screw that. Maybe steel your heart, but you made your choice. Now you are the coward and your kids (and your wife) and yourself will suffer. Pisses me off, because of all the poor bastards who have to deal with actual adultery that crushes their soul. He seems to think he is suffering as bad. He is totally mistaken. Many marriages don't have that "true love" factor. Some have obligations ties, memories, etc. Doesn't mean they have no value. Grow up!

Reminds me a little of Gone With the Wind. Rhett loved Scarlett to distraction, and did all he could to win her love. In the end he walks away, despite her realization that it was Rhett that she truly loved.

I doubt that Brad could make Anna happy if she had him. The idea image is often far different than the reality.

"As for me, well, I'm open to a new relationship. I just haven't found anyone who stirs me like Anna did." I would think that you finally learned that what stirs you toward Anna is not what you need... that's what got you into the hurt, pain, and rejection you received just before your divorce.

I have read all your stories and enjoyed several of them quite a lot. Those I have struggled with, such as this one, have a male protagonist who is just too needy. It is not possible to admire a character who is willing to accept second best or who, as in some of your other stories, wallows in his misery for years. These guys need to grow a backbone.

One needs to be really mentally impaired not to call off the proposal after being told "you know, it's kinda nice, but I love other person more. But hey, let's do this, maybe they won't come along after all"

Are all the male charachters in your stories pathetic?

Outstandingly creative

He should have just killed the silly bitch.

what a weak stupid self centered delusional little douche bag the husband is. He is such a contemptible character so delusional and pathetic that I am actually cheering for the wife

I'm sorry but this MC is a complete idiot. He thinks Anna is a fool in college for doting on Brad and still loving him after her crush finds someone else, but he does the same thing and worse. I'm mean really, can a guy be that completely stupid? I usually hate the cheating skank sluts in these stories and cheer for the husband, but this pathetic fool brought all of this on himself. Would be better for everyone involved, if he found a tall building and tried to learn to fly.

Loathed. Perfect word for that story. Well written but too miserable to appreciate. Fuck her.

Her devotion to Brad was founded on her own expectations of fulfillment and nothing else. Something like that can only live if you feed it or it is fed from another source. She refused to let go of her obsession so she fed it every day and very well. Realistically she could have set it aside and learned to heal from it but she refused to do so. I don't understand someone like Chase who had to have a healthy amount of self esteem (ego) could set it all aside and put up with her mental illness like that. I think it is a shame that she produced children because some of that type of illness is hereditary. Very well done story and I went to college with a boy who lived that same life with the same type of woman and she broke him eventually.

Well, he finally found the truth. And, he took the right decision. Sad, that Anna will never see his pain.

Well that’s different, instead of the usual delusional wife we get a delusional husband.

You pays your money and you takes your choice.

He got what he asked for. No pity here. He clearly has self respect issues.

Reread - 5 stars

"oh what fools these mortals be."

Both were fools here. He for presuming "I can change her." (Generally how women feel about their chosen man - "2 arms, 2 legs, I can work with that!"

And her for loving her own chimera. He wasn't ever interested in her when they were both single and she pursued him then, but still thinks he ever would be after his wife dies?"

well written story of a well-intentioned man that was blinded by love and the stubborn and blind woman he fell in love with. A woman still in love with a man that loves someone else more... a woman who doesn't realize that she too is a silver medalist in another man's heart... at best.

Obvious from early on he was an idiot.

Lovely story. Well written. Chase made a decision that led to a disappointing situation, but he did it out of love. (I don't believe he was a wimpy cuck, just a good guy in love.) He was young and had loved her a long time. People make mistakes. Lots of people who have spouses who love someone else stay in the marriage a long time hoping the spouse will change in their mind. It mostly doesn't happen, and both move on at some point. It takes a lot to kill hope. Unique story.

Read again. They were really in the same position. She was the dumber of the two. A woman who can't give up after rejection and return the favor is too stupid to reproduce. Not being able to keep the secret, well that's just too stupid for words. Good for him for getting out.

A simp and a "modern woman"....in other words a shallow bitch. No one in his right mind would have marchers, which hurts the story.

4 just for the abrupt ending. I like the story, about how the MC married her despite being second best but believing her could win her, realizing later on though she was too hung up on Brad to ever fully get her love. I'd love a second part either with the MC finding new love, someone who completes him, or maybe a story about Anna realizing she was chasing a fantasy and her attempt to win back her ex-husband.

He had hope. He also got a decade of cuddles, sex, dinners together, and comfort.

/

But her stalking Brad was a major turning point and I understand his stance even as I may have made a different choice.

@SomeOneTwoThree: Eh, there are plenty of great stories and books with idiot protagonists. Granted, most are a little funnier than this.

Well ...

This was well written.

But a big part of the plot revolved around an idiot.

And that is not healty for a plot.

3 out of 5 from me.

love the story. hate the cliffhanger

Jesus he's an idiot. Anna is a bitch for lying by ommission for the last 10 years, but at least she was honest when he proposed, he was just too stupidly in love to listen. Heartbreaking story, but I love it.

He was warned. He regretted his decision. All on him. But don’t be too hard on him, we all fool ourselves, don’t we?

THE BITCH!!!

Good story, great characters. Anna was honest. Chase was in love. Brad was a good guy. Not a lot of fault to go around.

My curiosity is over what made Brad her obsession. It doesn’t sound like he ever had interest in Anna. I guess attraction and intimacy is very personalized because I can see it happening, but it seems beyond the norm.

I do wonder what the kids think of it and how it’ll change their lives. Their mom is a good person and their dad is a good person. Their mom, despite clear happiness couldn’t love their father. What does that mean for them? What happens with their first crushes, first relationships? What is it about this guy who happily and devotedly married a woman who is not as objectively good looking as their mother that bewitched their mom and ruined their household? Very thought provoking and hard to answer.

It is thought provoking because I’m sure all of us engage in something knowing deep down it’s futile, but go for it. How many people go through life truly understanding that they’re never going to be the best? All of us. How do we go about it? We settle. But this story does expose us to what it’s like viscerally. You’re never going to marry the hottest guy. You’re never going to marry the hottest girl. You’re going to be overwhelmingly happy with the best job, income, spouse, life that you can. We, in a sense, are usually around average… I think for the average “5,” we’re like a 7 to some and a 3 to others. That’s hard. It’s ok. It’s life.

This story won’t be going to the spank tank or the hall of fame, but I’ll revisit it in the future and ponder what it’ll mean to me as life events change my perspective.

It doesn't matter if they're first in your heart when you're second in theirs.

They should never have gotten together in the first place.

Brilliant story in the level of thought provoking comments generated ... in the loving wives category!

I have been married for decades. She is STILL way out of my league on many levels. I have ALWAYS known this. She has always known I am slavishly devoted. I would do it over again. She absolutely settled when she accepted my marriage proposal - motivated by biological and other pressures. She made me wait three days before saying yes. But I also believe that I have achieved gold medal status in her heart and that even if I had not that a real man honors his commitments.

Call me whatever names you want ... but color me happy as the finish line of my life draws nearer. We both at varying times of temptation had opportunities to cheat ... but did not. When we depart this vail of tears we will leave a legacy of successful adult children, marriages and grandchildren. I wish all men could say the same.

In the story the main character proves shallow and selfish ... a true 21st century man. The author has masterfully provoked much thoughtful self examination. Kudos.

All's well that ends well. Very nice 👌 indeed.

A decent story about a mentally and emotionally wimpy cuckold. I quit reading But was hoping it would also become physical wimpy cuckold

He got tired of being a pseudo cuckold. About .

He was painfully stupid.

She was evil for marrying him as a placeholder until the guy she loved would become available.

Being up front about it doesn't change that. It was "stupid" marrying "evil".

Story of my own life.

5* A lovely ad effective story. It was evident from the start that he would always be her second choice but that knowledge didn't stop this from being good, well-written and well-structured. If he finds love again - will his new partner be his "second best"? Thank you for posting it.

This story needs closure. Not for Anna; I don't care about her. After building a life with Chase and having kids with him, she's STILL obsessing over another man. But...she did admit she never loved him, but for some reason married him anyway. That was cold. She could've just turned him down flat

To be honest, HE was the biggest fool of all to keep chasing after her. He wasted TEN YEARS on her; he's lucky the girls are his, because if she'd been in contact with Brad and met up with him in that time, chances are Anna would want HIM to father her children. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that she wished he had, and resents the fact that they're Chase's kids. She was honest to a fault and would've probably outright told Chase that she wanted Brad's kids, not his. In her case, honesty doesn't help; she's still horrible. The only reason she's still with Chase was simple - Brad was unattainable. At the drop of a hat she could go from "fighting" for her marriage to running off with Brad, so let's be honest, she's only with him for the sake of not being alone. That in itself makes her evil

Chase needs closure. He needs to understand why he was dumb enough to marry her in the first place, and he needs to move on. The silver medalist needs a gold for ONCE in his life. I'm awaiting a sequel to rate this story. If there is none, it'll be a 3* because of the devastating cliffhanger with no resolution. A win would make it a 5

A story that makes one think. How rare! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could easily quibble about what he should have asked, what he should have done, but the key is this is the author's universe and the actions of the characters are what they should be. Good story. 5*

Interesting, thought provoking story. Something is missing though. At proposal time, when she say yes she'll marry him if he accepts her carrying a torch for old Brad, they don't explore the obvious question: OK, if we've been married x years with y kids and he is suddenly free, will you stay with us, or leave and break your vow? What will you do to the kids? If she says she will stay loyal, then fine, if he can live with that he has nothing to complain about. If she says she'll run, then no wedding. Where is FTDS when we need him?

No. The author left out the most crucial question. When she accused him of leaving the family, any sane guy would respond: and what exactly will YOU do once the other woman dies and you go console him? Can YOU promise that you'll stay loyal to us? If she stays despite an available bf, then it's the same deal with the devil he made up front. But he never challenged her on that.

Gave this 4 stars. It would've been 5, but no self-respecting college man would own a cat. Just couldn't give it 5 because of that...

its funny when they do it to themselves, but he brought kids into it that aint funny. idk someone that dumb should have just played along. hmm guess he wouldnt be that dumb if he had lol set myself up for that

You just wrote a story about my fifty year marriage. We were in our mid-twenties when we married. I was madly in love with her but knew after the ceremony something was wrong. It took me a year to pry it out of her. She was getting older and wanted children. I was available. By that time we had lost a baby and she was pregnant. We had four children. We were Catholic so no divorce. There was no other single guy. Every guy she went out with as a single girl was better than me according to her.

At least your hero was able to get a divorce.

Really well done. Mc made a bad if understandable mistake. Wife was honest. Still sucks for them both.

First, this was well written and thought provoking. Five stars. Now, the MC’s decision to marry her was terrible, I think everyone agrees with that. Even IF her position at the marriage proposal was, I love him more now, but I’m sure I’ll grow to love you more, not being #1 right then was reason to not marry.

Chase should not have been surprised, she had been pining for Brad before, during, and after Chase and Anna’s entire intimate relationship, he had ALWAYS been 2nd place.

You really wrote in a stupid MC and a cold bitch of a wife. After 2 kids and living together as long as they had, she never gave up her pipe dream and always put him #2. I don't buy it and frankly didn't like it.

so true to its core . the story and how its told are wonderful. I loved it yet.... i am terribly sad moved my heart and not washed the outcome even a bit. i would love to see more of them

Curious story. I couldn't feel any empathy with this guy and couldn't even evoke much sympathy. He certainly took a long time to develop some self-respect and, sadly, there are too many people like that.

If you play russian roulette, and die, you deserved to die.

What a stupid MC.

1*

I wonder if anyone could stay with a spouse who felt as she did. They certainly shouldn't even if they could. She cheated on her family every minute she kept up with a man who didn't choose her. If you think this scenario is unrealistic, it happened to me, only worse. I lived with my fiance for 5 years finally agreeing to marry. Late one night I woke to find her looking out.the window, crying. After gentle prodding she told me she dreamed and lusted and dreamed about women. The same night I freed her to go experiment as long as she left me. I knew I could never win against a fantasy, she needed to experience all the REAL crap of being together for real. She did what I expected and never returned. I found, loved, married and have four daughters, all who love me.

@sbrooks103x Re: "He should insist on a favorable prenup if she leaves him for Brad." - I need to correct this. It should have said, "He should insist on a favorable prenup [in case] she leaves him for Brad."

And my final wish is for Brad & Mandy. I hope they have an exceedingly long and happy life together.

Unique premise, well written, five all the way

Solid, emotionally deep story. Real reflections on love and marriage. I like many of the comments below as well. Deeply contemplative. Thanks all.

Chase happily settled with 2nd in the Olympic race and settled for 2nd place in his marriage... and now he feels slighted that his wife still has not put him in 1st place even after she told him in the beginning that Brad would always hold 1st place in her heart... Chase should have just sucked it up and carried on with the marriage especially for the kids sake... just be vigilant and prepared for when the time comes that his wife will come to him one day and tell him it is over and she will be going to Brad.

Sorry, but what kind of idiot marries a woman who tells him clearly when applying that her great love is someone else. If she hadn't said anything and he'd found out later, he'd still have the excuse he didn't know. But as it is, he remains the sole culprit that two children have to grow up in a destroyed marriage!

Well-written with an innovative plot. I've read many of the other comments, but don't agree with the consensus, that Ann remains in an adolescent stage. She was honest to a fault, and thus the story evolves the way it did.

Of course, if she was not honest there would be no story. Thus the story played out the way the author saw it. It's not right or wrong and no one is to blame. In life, shit happens and those involved deal with it the best they can. This story is sad but it's a great story and we seldom read a story of such quality.

Truly a unique storyline but one that is based on a classic LW trope i.e. "you can't help what your heart wants".

That justification misses the other half of the saying i.e. "but you can control it".

The whole saying speaks to both the emotional and the rational component of Love.

If we as a species acted on only what our emotions wanted we probably would have eliminated ourselves millennia ago. Indeed the whole concept of civilization is based on controlling our emotions which are destructive as often as construction.

I learned a long time ago that Love is a decision as well as an emotion. People who truly love each other make both conscious and unconscious decisions every day to love their spouse by word and deed even when the going gets tough. Mature adults get it. Adults who never emotionally progressed past the adolescent stage cling to the idea that only emotional love matters. And their behavior shows it.

Anna is the classic immature female in love with love to the exclusion of all reality. As an adult when she agreed to marry Chase she should have concurrently committed to stop loving Brad. That's a conscious decision that includes ceases all contact and verbally committing to Chase that she would actively make him her one and only priority.

But Chase also bears blame for this fiasco by accepting a secondary role in the marriage therefore giving Anna no incentive to give up her fantasy. His idea of proving by his actions that he deserves to be first in her heart misses the mark because she never agreed to allow Brad to be displaced.

A sad story but one that is expected when dealing with two very emotionally flawed MCs.

It's good that Chase finally awakened to his untenable position. It's sad to wonder how Anna will handle another potential mate. Will honestly prevail? How many fools like Chase can she expect to accept her delusion? Me thinks she is destined to be the target of callous suitors who will pretend to accept her reality as long as the sex is good.

A well written and interesting story.

Excellent, 5 stars. She had her Ashley Wilkes and her Rhett Butler. We need the rest of this tale told. Well written, nicely woven.

This was a sensitively-told tale of a man who thought the woman he loved above all else would finally come to love him the same way...but didn't.

The line in the story, "you have your Plan A children in your Plan A home, but you have it with your Plan B husband" was the absolute summary of the situation in one sentence.

Very creative, and not like other stories I've read here if there are any here, and easily gets 5 stars.

Great story about a sad situation. This story is definitely not your boiler plate LW story, very original. Thank you for your time, effort, and thinking outside of the box. KS

Happens , someone loves the other more . She definitely would’ve went to the guy if his wife passed or they divorced. They were better off as great friends and fuck buddies

Well that was a complete non story.

Re Anonny Re RW43: I agree that the analogy is flawed. This relationship is so flawed (in spite of both parties being highly respectable characters!) that either one could have taken steps to improve it. But I don’t think Anna had enough of a real relationship with Mr Perfect to actually love him. He was and always had been a fantasy to her. That’s what made her endless hope both acceptable and repulsive at the same time: acceptable because she was never going to act on it, and repulsive because she was unwilling to commit to a future in which she couldn’t act on it.

<>

Meanwhile, how as a wife do you bring another man’s kids into the world but reserve the right to abandon him—and we presume to take his kids—in the event that you win Brad’s unlikely silver medal lottery? I totally get that Anna is a bitch, but for Chase to give up his darling children to a silver-medal daddy and lose his right to gold-medal pussy and financial stability is a bronze-medal life or worse.

Not a choice I would have made. If she had given me the freedom to begin treating her like she was treating me, I would have taken it.

What a sad tale of unrequited love. Hats off to the author who spun a tale of dignified lovers who never quite had the perfect fit. Thanks for writing.

Tough scenario, but I believe very realistic. It may have gone even better in this story than reality. Good job.

Honest and realistic but I absolutely loath it.

I'll be glad when the boomer sentiment about unrequited love is finally a thing of the past. It's gross to treat the friend zone as some kind of bittersweet love story. I guess I'm glad he finally woke up, but this man wasted his entire life on this woman.

2 star

buyers remorse

ain't hind sight gRREAT

So sad but so well written. Chase, naturally, was an idiot for marrying her but if he hadn't, we would have a boring story 😏

Excuse me, but that gal has a screw loose. She needs to hit the couch and talk to a Shrink.

Anna and Chase will always be in each other lives because of their kids.

What if Anna looks back at her life decisions and reconsider her feelings towards her ex husband.

What if Anna starts to miss Chase in her life . We realise the actual value of anything only after we lose it. So Anna thought she had Chase in her life until she could be with Brad ( took him for granted). But then once she has lost Chase , she realises his true value in her life , her true feelings for him. She starts to chase after him . Fights for the love and life she had until she destroyed with her selfishness.

Really would love to have a sequel in this direction .

Please @rhetthebrat write a sequel to this .

Dave Mason did a song a long time ago-We Just Disagree- that perfectly explains this really well written story. This is a short and powerful tale by an excellent writer.

I agree with him. He should never have married her. Bitch don't change.

jopstorm1945

'Wouldn't be surprised if it was mentioned before, but, if Chase had that exact conversion with Todd ten years earlier, right after his disastrous marriage, he could have saved him a lot of heartaches.

Then again, he also wouldn't become the father of two child's he loves unconditionally, so... you take the wins where you can get them.

'Should go without saying, though, that marrying someone who friendzoned you for most of your relationship is the mother of all red flags. Yet another conversation he should have had with a male friend or family member.

A very realistic sad tale, all and all. LW at his best. Thanks for the share author.

I had a strong reaction to the following:

"Chase, if you feel so strongly about being first in my heart, how can you be so proud of finishing second in the world championships?"

You're not the world.

You are the woman I know that I wanted the most and loved the most up until just a short while ago.

I put years into skiing.

I put years into you.

I did as well as I could in skiing, which was great. Insult "2nd in the world" and I will only smile. You do not understand what that means.

I did as well as I could with you, and second in your heart after all of my effort, after all of our effort, after our family and love and life together, is not enough.

You're taking your place on the wall, along with my medal, part of my history.

FIN

Really good story, to provoke such thought, I loved it. Heartbreaking, and I like to think I would not fall into the trap he did, but I was never in his situation. Looking forward to more of your work!

Damn good story about super chump marrying stupid chump. Good lesson in this story. Pick from among the girls who are crazy about you.

Of course he could solve his problem with a hit. 😁

Nice story.. but I had ZERO sympathy for the MC🤷🏾‍♀️.. he NEVER should've dated, let alone marry her.. she told him he will ALWAYS be second in her heart. She didn't love him like she loved Brad. He STILL agreed to play second under some weird ass delusions that he can win her heart. he started off second, not sure why he thought he would eventually come in first. She told him her feelings would never change.. what part of any of what she said was fucking him up?😂😂😂.. Most sane individuals with an ounce of self respect, self esteem, pride and dignity.. would've thanked her for her honesty and take a HARD pass on her.. I don't know of anyone....man or woman, that would agree to such low vibrational bullshit. I found myself laughing at the idiot🤭😂😂.. I think he needs to see someone as to why he was ok with settling for someone who is in love with someone else?. That's not normal.. it reeks of low self esteem and self worth. she was honest from the get go. I can't be mad.. I was flabbergasted when he still wanted to marry her.. I literally screamed WTF?!😂😂😂🤭.. he wasted his love, time on someone who wasn't worth it nor deserved it or him. I'm sure she wished their 2 kids were Brad's.. her obsession with him runs deep. She also should be laying down on Psychiatrist couch (preferably one that can write up a prescription, she's nuttier than fruitcake)... she's also playing second. Brad doesn't want her. He doesn't love her. I'm glad Brad's wife lived and I hope she lives for another 50yrs..

The fundamental problem here, is quite simply that Anna never evolved. That is, her actually lived marriage should have resulting in some re-shuffling or re-prioritizing of her “love stack.” The reality is that her actual marriage to her husband was the “optimized” life experience that her “Brad dream” espitrd to. In other words, it’s tough to envision a better life with Brad than that which she already had with her Olympian husband.

Really, really great. It took me a while to learn that you can’t make someone love you, and only then I realized that the reverse is also true when I’d gone through several women, more than one of which tried to make me love them unsuccessfully. Obviously, I’m a slow learner.

Sad story, very well written. Anna never matured with her emotional intelligence. She did not appreciate what she had. Her actions caused the scales to fall from Chases wyes, and their life as a couple was over.

This has the makings of another George Anderson story or at least a sequel. What would Happen if She got together with Brad Thornton and he told Anna he was still in love with Mandy or was in love with someone else.

Brad turning out to be a total asshole would definitely slap at Anna's core and really shake her. I wish I was eloquent enough to write a sequel like that.

Great comments BullRider

A very well written tale of a non perfect person as we all are. He really tried to go from second to first and show someone that they should put him first. I really felt sad and happy for him at the same time and that is what gives this tale its true meaning.