Gift

She really didn't learn anything

Suicide is the ultimate selfish act.

****

Some kinds of pain never heal.

Loving Wives?

You know if this was in a different category I would give a totally different comment. However, being where it is, I believe the end result is a definite possibility for all cheaters. All are selfish and stupid.

no rating
I don't condone suicide or murder. Just pain.

Suicide is...

only selfish is you believe in some sort of afterlife.

"Wife understands why women cheat"

No,
she doesn't
and now, never will.

Her actions 2 years ago caused pain for all concerned.
Her actions today do not solve anything. They do not improve anything.
They just cause more pain for those left behind.
and all the psychobabble in the world cannot justify this ending.

This is just wonderful

5 star, easily.

It's such a shame though that in real life, people are far too selfish to think about others and the impact they have on them with their actions, more so when it comes to unfaithful spouses.

Love it though how you managed to point out that there was no happiness for her anymore once she turned so despicable.

FOR HER TO COMMIT THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE

2 wrongs don't make a left and the world still turns, TK U MLJ LV NV

Huh?

Up until the last paragraph this thing read like a woman's magazine article on cheating. Suicide, as solution is always foolish, and not at all satisfying in this story. In this case, it reinforces my belief that people who cheat are stupid, crazy, or both. Sure, you can talk about "reasons" you want to, but life is short and there is no time for losers and their shitty behavior! The best thing anyone can take from these stories is to use their BRAINS, and shun people who seem: stupid, immature, nuts, impulsive, and are in every way foolish. These are the people that make bad decisions. If it is not cheating, then it will be something else. They make terrible partners and worse spouses.

**

Useful and thoughtful up until the last paragraph. You should have just stuck with Marina's story.

I THINK PAYBACK IS MEANT TO BE

something you can Live With. TK U MLJ LV NV

I think the summary is incorrect. Once again she took the quick/easy way out.

If she was happy, why kill herself?

As any therapist will say, no one can MAKE you do anything. She is not responsible for her husbands trust issues or lack thereof, that's on him. She is not responsible for his happiness or his despair, she can't MAKE him feel anything. If he wants to wallow in misery that's his issue.

As for suicide, it's not an act of contrition, it's about escaping consequences. What consequences did she have to avoid? The divorce was finished, she got her alimony and assets from the dissolution, it had been a year since the divorce so why now?

I suspect that the author is playing to the BTB crowd who aren't happy unless blood is spilled and if that's the case, mores the pity, I generally like CPetes stories. Death does not equal the scales, it does not balance the bad things you've done, it doesn't ennoble you...it's just death. So why did she kill herself? Guilt? It's been two years, she would have moved on. Punishment? So she cheated, big deal? In this day and age, who cares? Besides Muslims or misigynists?.

Refusal ...

Agree with Jasonnh ...

She didn't really learn anything, and she certainly refused the gift he gave that of the opportunity to find happiness.

To take her life strikes me as an individual clearly not happy, depressed, and an assortment of other maladies.

Thanks to you both for posting!

Interesting

It raises so many questions and with the sudden flip over at the end distracts us completely from thinking about her various "discoveries". Well written piece.

I think I really liked what you attempted to do with this.....

And I was certainly very happy to see a new contribution from you! Thanks very much! Cpete, one of your best qualities is trying to put forth a thoughtful spin-like approach towards the generalized cliches existant in this genre. Yes, even in this brief flash, you provide the reader with some "food for thought"....

Yet, something seemed missing. And it isn't length, or even more depth of character development. Substitution of the S.I.L confrontation for the MAIN one between the spouses? May be that was it, because ex-hubby was awarded no voice in this, and since he was credited for being the catalyst for HER enlightenment, this abscence seemed, ugh, jarring(?)...well, at least a little bit.

The ending, while not telegraphed, did seem a little at cross purposes to the overall tone achieved in the narration. The final act of defeat (yes, I thought it selfish, as well IMHO), clearly shows she didn't learn any thing afterall. Sure, we want cheaters to pay a price, but what we REALLY want is for them to learn from their mistakes. So it seemed like the finale is tacked on in an attempt to passify a "certain" part of the audience, but robs the rest of the audience from the satisfying ending that would be the outcome from witnessing any real revelations gleaned. Why cater to the part of your readership that WASN'T actually interested in "thinking" too deeply whilst in contemplation of your work?

I get it, I do. I appreciate it, really. I think that your ideas here could have been expressed more effectively. I think it is in you to make this a 5 star effort, but yet, this stopped just short of there. Sorry, but even so, it won't stop me from craving your next attempt to get me thinking. And I can't wait to see what cliche you tackle on your follow-up effort.

Thanks, again!

Very well done, till the ending. You ruined a good story.

I think the self examination and explanations were intelligent, logical, and indicated a sadder but wiser person. We can all relate to such growth, though hopefully less painful than her and her husband's ordeal. What is saddest is that she may now have the wisdom and experience to actually become a responsible adult and a good wife, for someone. But not for the poor man who bore the brunt of her infidelity and stupidity. At least not immediately. He probably wants a good wife. She may, now, be smart and wise enough to be a good wife. Over time they might have rediscovered their attraction for each other. Unlikely, but it could have been possible.

But to then end with her taking her own life, belies all she claimed to have learned. In the end we are left with the tragic behavior of a mentally ill woman, and it is no fun to read about that. Your ending and hers are the same: a cop out. Just can't give that high marks.

I get that you were going for the surprise ending...

But in doing so you made the story not make sense. She found happiness from within but is committing suicide? She wouldn't change any of it? It all worked out for the best? These are the exact opposite of the thoughts of someone who is standing on a ledge. Life didn't work out. They have choices that they regret. They are not happy. That is why they are ending their life.

If you replaced "happiness" with "inner peace" or "resolution" then it would have made more sense and been a better story. I have to give this a 2. The writing was good but the ending directly contradicted the entire story.

For more of Marina Pearson's writings

please go to 'Huffington Post' or 'Your Tango', as this is her musings (my tiny portion only the ending)
Thanks for reading

Huh

Well, suicide aside you (or the other writer) did capture one element of a cheater mindset that gets completely ignored on this site: the act is done selfishly, needlessly, and sometimes impulsively...but it is always contextualized later as either having been for the best or being someone else's fault (usually the victim).

WRONG

This story should have been posted as non erotic. Why did you not have the writer post her own story with your suggested ending? As for the postings about this as a sop to the BTB group it isn't there is nothing here but the darkness of the writers life being held out to the world and as a BTB fan I would have liked to have the background and husbands thoughts to her affair, all in all I do not care for the story but I predict it will max out the voting as all the pseudo intellectuals on this site gush over it.

If she found "her happiness within herself"

Why is she trying to commit suicide? And I say trying because it's not a given that she will die. Perhaps she will live out the remainder of her life in a hospital or a facility that cares for vegetables. Perhaps she will survive and go on to lead a happy life. Perhaps she will die. Who knows? Living in the San Francisco area, I know people jump from the Golden Gate Bridge and survive. So her death isn't a given. While I have enjoyed some of your previous work, this story was a miss. Just didn't like it one bit.

Lousy ending

She didn't regret her decision so why would she kill herself? I must be missing something

Chilley

With this end...

With this end she showed how selfish she was! 1st - Selfish to look for her pleasure, not thinking about her marriage and about her husband; 2nd - Jumpimg from the bridge, selfish to not want to face the consequences of her acts! 2*

No

No. You are better than this.

Why suicide?

Learn from your mistakes and move on. Makes no sence she took her own life , that killed this short story!

she didn't learn a thing

Not if she jumped off a bridge.

Sounds more like an immature ex's fantasy. Confess the guilt and then sentenced to death.

Left out the biggy

Without God, anything is permissible.

Very confused by her words:
Ultimately, I don't regret what I did, though I do deeply regret the hurt I caused.
She didn't regret the affair just the consequences? After all her rhetoric spouted just before she kills herself, all the words in what she should have did, knowing that, she still would've ultimately done the same again. WTF?
Makes no sense at all. This writer picks things out of help books and tries to create stories around them. He hasn't got it right yet.
I would do a sequel where she survives, and gets psychiatric help. Without knowing any marital background would even consider reclaiming their marriage. Sometimes total teardown is needed to rebuild. Her ex has a few sex romps, and comes back to her. They find peace. Or he provides closure with a ringed finger signifying he moved on and away then she finishes the job and does ultimately regret doing what she did, and if allowed a do over she would not cheat.

This story by itself is ultimately pathetic and the scores show it.

But why?

I agree with lots of the commentators questioning the jump. Why in the world, after gaining deep understanding of herself, would she jump? That indicates a loss of all hope and clearly, with the understanding she found, she should have hope for "the next one." She is now a more serious person and would treat her relationships more seriously. So why jump? Cpete, is it possible that you just couldn't figure out how to end this one? Please do respond to explain the jump.

like your writing....

too much to rate this. Look forward to another story from u.

Excellent!

So many people refuse to acknowledge the consequence of cheating and get mad at you if you write a story where you describe a very common consequence: depression and its result. Bravo! Written in the very good tradition of The Celt himself.

Confused end

The end (last paragraph) seemed like it had nothing to do with the rest of the story... Like someone cut and paste by mistake.

3*s

Not much of a story. No characters worth identifying with. Felt a little sadness about the divorce and then suicide . That doesn't make a story.
The more I think about it, the greater my realization I was generous with my rating.


AMerryMan

5* read with too much reality for some readers.

That's too bad. Their loss.

Excellent!

I was torn between a 3 and 4, but her suicide pushed it up to a 5!

Too many of the stories here have wives who don't think to just TALK to their husbands when they are dissatisfied/unhappy in their marriages, giving their husbands the opportunity to improve things, or failing that, have a fair divorce leaving them both free to seek happiness elsewhere.

the ending

added by cpete, was gratuitous and cheap. Why put a suicide into someone's voice, after identifying the original author of the majority of the piece?

Rude of you. You'd like someone to write a story that ends with you shooting yourself?

Green-something

Cheating>Divorce>Deep Depression>without shrink and modern antidepessants

FrancisMacomber has an excellent story, where the cheating wife gets the divorce document and she is happy for it. She doeas not know her lover is a predator and the predator left her alone soon...........suicid after quick traumatic depression. Sometime the consequence of cheating is deep depression and the deep depression=suicid danger!

Damn!

That is fine writing. What a great warning. *****

@Left out the Biggy?

Perhaps Cinderella or Snow White would be more to your reading satisfaction as it is obvious fairy tales are high on your reading list...

You Cheated Here

The end doesn't match the rest. No regrets means there was value in the affair and certainly no reason for this end. Can't give more than three.

The term 'moralising claptrap' comes to mind.

Life is, fortunately, a lot more complex than Marina Pearson's little homilies would have you believe.

And it can be a lot more fun than cpete seems to think (assuming that his thoughts go beyond adding sad little bits to Pearson's homily).

THE ENDING!

The ending was perfect for this wife.

Not much of a story

No explanation as to why she felt suicide was the only option. not my kind of story

Here's an additional end paragraph:

Fortunately, my parachute opened almost immediately and as I floated down I thought to myself "They were right. BASE jumping is indeed the most fun you can have with your pants on."

Thought provoking...

... and that ending... Everything I look for in a flash story.

Erotica

This certainly WAS a story about a cheating wife.
What it was NOT is ...
Erotic!
Quite the opposite!

2*

Good Short Story.

It is not the fall that will kill you, it is the sudden stop.....
Lesson not learned----Keep your legs closed.

great idea, bad format

I get that a flash story is a wham, bam, thankyou ma'am sort of thing, but this story idea doesn't lend itself to that. It absolutely cries out for a longer treatment.

? ?

Well written as usual.

However, there is absolutely no indication that she would kill herself. Normally, I don't have a problem with a story taking a vacation from reality, but this is Suicide!

in one way the suicide DID make sense

while i agree her suicide was a totally selfish act... It does make sense in one way. The reasoning or explanations the wife used show a mentally ill person. Its a shame no one else caught this.

For example the states early in the story she no longer finds her husband sexually/physically attractive? that she has NO interest in him. and odds are the husband see the changes in her...the yawns.. The fake excuses,..

Yet a few paragraphs down she says she longs for the day when herhusand wooed her.,?! how EXACTLY does that work.?..

WHY would a husband make an effort to be with his wife when its clearshe doesnt want him ?.