Love & Disrespect: Early Release

Temerious wife gets the smarts too soon in this otherwise top echelon story ?

The author really did great job in defining his characters and giving them meaty , tangible issues to deal with in the story from start to finish. The emotionally toxic SIL wasn't evil , but was toxic to herself and the narrator's marriage. Great job was done as evasion of truths were presented to Greek chorus of the sisters' parents.

Was the narrator a bit too saintly and stay too level headed as he sifted thru the inflammatory accusations leveled at him? I think so . No way does an outsider get to present their case in such a straightforward fashion to family's initially biased against him without a counselor, judge or firearm to mediate thru the antagonism ( superb, sarky depictions of verbal sniping by Maggie riveting up the tension)..

I think Shelly 's turnaround came too quickly as well. That night her antics were a straight and vicious power play to assume control of her marriage. To throw herself so soon at disaffected husband's feet beggared belief. Shelly needed a year of counseling at least to realize her folly

Those virulent objections aside - I saw evidence of much savvy, hard work by author. The arc of the story was too compelling and too well constructed to be awarded less then five stars. My qualms lie in the compressed time frames from beginning to end- that disqualifies it for Hall of Fame in my eyes, but not a high score.

Full marks * * * * *

The wife is a whiny little crybaby.

Who the fucks wants a woman like that? Every paragraph with her in it has her bawling/crying/sobbing/screaming/yelling/weeping blah blah blah. FFS, you screwed up, now either fix it or move the fuck on, but stop with the goddamn crying.

Even though he warned us in the beginning...

I wasn't too crazy about the end. That didn't deter me, however, from giving this 5 stars. I thought the writing was excellent and the story content was believable.

Hmmm...

Tough tale to read. Makes you think too hard. He worked to save the marriage at first then she fought just as hard to reclaim the love which she almost destroyed. Another chapter would tell us if it was a success. As for the sister, I just felt bad. Yes she gave bad advice but she was going through hell herself. With counseling she'll be fine. Please consider a sequel.

Good story about marriage, and people learning to be married. Great points: possibilities v. probabilities, hurting each other is part of marriage to a minor degree, color from a woman and form from a man makes a marriage. She made a great case, her words were right on the money but they don't balance out her actions and previous words. Back to probabilities: she has a proven track record of contempt for her marriage and her husband. She may not have cheated, but she walked along the edge and had the mindset that would allow her to cheat. While I would not say with certainty that she would cheat in the future, I would give her 50/50 odds of relapsing into her disrespectful behavior. 50/50 odds means that a marriage to her is not an investment, it is a gamble. Only a fool would gamble with his life.

Very Old Testament

Stories with stern righteous men and weeping piteous women don't do it for me.

Thoughts

@LordSlamdawgg - I might normally agree with you regarding the speed of her turnaround, but this IS a flash story, there's not a lot of time!

As far as possibilities go, ANYBODY he meets may betray his trust, there are no guarantees in life. If anything, she seen the results of her actions, she'll probably be more thinking about how her actions affect him.

I know this is just a flash story, but some back story on just what he was saying/doing that was so CONTROLLING would go a long way to seeing how reasonable or unreasonable her feelings were.

A good story well written and easy to read...

A good story well written and easy to read...Even if they still had a lot to work and clear, the ending was clear. 4*

Nice, really nice

5*

LIFE AND LOVE IS FINE

except for those weakening moments, TK U MLJ LV NV

Well-written and (mostly) credible story

This story is thought-provoking and well written. I think starting over in a new place does give this couple a chance - her family was indeed toxic. I am not sure that the wife's penitence is realistic - makes for a good story, but IRL it would still be hubby's fault. Hence the "mostly" modifier of credible. Five stars for sure.

5* story it was realistic, too

Some people might not like that but, oh, well. Can't please everyone!

Wasn't too impressed with anyone

in this story. Hubby had a bit of "too laid back" in his actions and even when he put his foot down he evidently wasn't very convincing. If he had been, wifey wouldn't have shown up on his doorstep. And even her explanation was a bit "in your face". She was sorry she had disappointed him and hurt him and she was sorry she wasn't the wife he wanted but by God, he wasn't the perfect husband for her either. Really? She's trying to reconcile here and she goes part way back to the disrespectful tone he left her over. I don't think she learned anything, I think she and her sister had been such conniving bitches during High School and College that no one would have anything to do with them except the guys on the bar parking lot. No, he would be making a mistake to capitulate that quickly. He hadn't found anyone yet, so what. Takes time. He needs to push his balls back out of his stomach and get on with his life. Without that evil family dragging him down to Hell again.

Sorry Beast, didn't like it much. No attack on you or your writing ability, top notch as always. Subject matter and disposition thereof, not so much. But it's only an opinion. Please continue to write. You and Randi are getting to be the only ones with fresh takes on what of necessity is the same old subject matter.

another good one

What can I say. Five stars.

This series are so good.They make you belive like it is normal,real life.

Keep it up.

Another scene from the therapist's couch

Whenever I read a story like this, it reaffirms to me how lucky I am that I can't relate in any way. I supppse that if my wife ever cheated on me, a story like this would be my ultimate fantasy. I would want her to be completely ashamed and sorry for what she did. I would want to humiliate her and anyone else who wronged me. I would want our marital difficulties to be completely her fault. I would think of her as a foolish, selfish bitch. These are the common elements in all "divorce porn" stories.

Another common element I've noticed is that the relationship between husband and wife is more like a relationship between father and teenaged daughter. Juxtapose the two and it's difficult to tell the difference:

"Young lady, you were out late past your curfew, and I don't like the friends you hang out with. Either you stop disobeying me or you will be punished." (Said in a calm, stern, and firm manner.)

"Screw you, Dad! You don't own me! I can hang out with whoever I want!"

"That's it. Go to your room without supper. You're grounded for a month."

"But the prom is next week!"

"I said a month, young lady. You mess with the bull, you get the horns."

"Oh, Daddy, I'm so, so sorry! Please, I'm begging you! I'll never misbehave again."

SMH.

Should Be

Required reading for every single guy contemplating marriage...good job...

Extremely verbose. And almost life a man's equation, some of the monologs

I liked it

5*

Well...

Remarkably good. Five easy stars.

I loved the reasoned response by the husband, the crux of the problem (siding with someone other then your husband/wife and then attacking your spouse) and his choice to leave.

I loved even more, her response. That she chose him over her family. This is the correct emotional response in an adults life. We move from the home of our youth to creating our own home. That becomes our center. It is an emotional immaturity that causes us to hold on to those old ties at the expense of you new world (our new spouse).

Her reasoning for fighting for the marriage was equally compelling. We all screw up, sometimes horribly. It is our willingness to keep fighting for our marriage, to grow and correct those flaws that have so hurt our partners, that makes a long term marriage work.

You expressed these things with crisp dialog that flowed, was never clunky and was always believable. Your characters were sympathetic (even the toxic sister) and I as a reader really wanted them to get better. Flawed characters (and they all were flawed in some way or another, that's being human) are often hard to root for, but you made it easy. That's a testament to your writing skill.

Thank you for sharing your work with us!

Her effort made it for me

I like many types of LW stories, sometimes RAAC and other times BTB. To me it depends on the characters whether one type of outcome is deserved over another. I didn't expect it, but in this story the potential reconciliation matched the characters development throughout the short story. But in the end her impassioned plea and potential solution made the story plausible and enjoyable, with an appropriate (potential) reconciliation. Well done!

There's a missing part of the narrative.

I don't accept that all her parents had to say to her was what the author shared.
This is the missing part of the narrative here.

Her parents would have had to sit down - first together, and then with her and discuss the topic of marriage, fidelity, commitment, and what is trustworthiness, and what it was not. That discussion should have included a nearly blow-by-blow review of the dispute in their marriage, ad holding the actions, words, and attitudes up against the standard they laid out.

That discussion would have laid bare the points from where her attitude and words (as influenced by her wounded sister, no doubt) had led her to break her husband's trust in her faithfulness (even prior to the "alleged affair night"). His trust was broken far sooner than that (it takes that to happen to even hire the P.I. in the first place).

Aside from this lacking, but very important, touchpoint in the story, I easily gave this a 5* score as the rest of the dialog and narrative were nearly perfect in all particulars.

Huge BTB fanatic .... But...

Every once in a while I appreciate a nice reconciliation story.. She didn't cheat... So not bad..

BTB or Reconcile?

BTB (bitch or bastard) or reconciliation (not RAAC) is based on a number of things.

The behavior could be so severe that burning is the only choice. RAAC in my view is never a choice. But when there is true remorse and an offer to change behavior, then trying to reconcile is possible, if both parties want it.

I know after 28 years of marriage both my wife and I have hurt each other. Just like the author said, it goes with the territory. Both of us has hurt the other terribly that has had lasting ramifications. But we've worked through it.

This story warranted an attempted reconciliation. It wasn't RAAC and rightfully so.

Top marks for this story. Very real showing real consequences for poor choices and behavior.

Enjoyed it

Five stars.

five stars and deservedly so

This story certainly deserves five stars, well written and honest, and as a divorcee myself, something that made me reconsider my own past and pain.

Great (series of) Storys

Comments above were totally on the mark. It was wonderful for a flash. I do hope that you treat us with a wronged female lead, instead of only wronged male leads.

You are simply one of the best

DFW you simply are one of the best at BTB and reconciliation stories. Thank you for these. I hope everybody who reads them truly understands what your saying. It does take two to make a marriage and it only takes one to destroy one. Excellent as usual.

very thoughtful and

more realistic than comfortable. But that's what life requires of us. As they both said, making a marriage work isn't easy.
Thanks for the well written treatise. I will be thinking about this one for a while.

While a bit speech filled, the beats and points worked for me.

What a self centred ego ridden Arsehole

She should have fucked the dipshit off pronto!!!!!!!

Questions and answers

Do you love me? Yes. Do you believe I love you? Yes. Do you think I'll cheat? No. All of that was true before and it made absolutely no difference. You have probably heard the line about the definition of insanity being doing the same thing over again but expecting different results. The question they ought to be asking is whether they have the same definition of love. Evidence indicates otherwise.

Brilliant!

The level of thought behind this story is incredible. For a non cheating story,this tale brings readable non boring detail to a marriage without the need for cuckolding for interest. There is enough point and counterpoint to warrant a first class story. This is not porn, but true discourse in human relationships. five stars

Not what I was expecting but...

An insightful story. It was not what I was expecting but was so well written it held my interest. Trust is a fragile thing and once broken can probably never be regained. I'm sure some rated this story "lower" because of lack of erotica but I'm going to give it five stars to raise the average. Well done !

He was right the first night

After they have a couple of kids and he's trapped she'll get pissed at him again and actually cheat on him to "teach him a lesson." Then he'll realize how stupid he was to think that the vindictive bitch part of her fundamental nature was gone.

Re-Reading

"you need to know that you bring structure and focus to mine" - Yes, and it was that "structure" that she and Maggie derided as "controlling"!

Most Women Will Like This; I Don't

It is written well enough. But content wise it leaves a lot to be desired. Will she cheat on him again? Absolutely. Is it worth it to try to save the marriage? No. Tears do not make up for betrayal, selfishness, and lack of trust. Promises based on a foundation of lies are of no value. Three stars. Oh, and for the record, marriage counselors are today's equivalent of ambulance chasers.

Wake Up Call

That would be a good title for this story. Did she need one, obviously, "forsaking all others" is not just all other male or female companions, father, mother, sister, brother, all others become second class resident aliens compared to the spousal relation. Children are a class of their own. So she lied during the marriage contract ceremony. My 2 cents worth is a solution to their trust issues that's been presented here in lit. elsewhere; divorce, prenuptial, remarry. It answers a lot of questions. Do you love me, well how much? Do you trust me, well how little and how much?
Can someone have a learning experience? Epiphany to coin a word should be in Shelly's lexicon.
I'm sure we all know that people are not black or white, we are all various shades of grey, and that in constantly shifting patterns. I am certainly not in a position to throw stones. Are you? Be honest, now.
By the way, DFW, a job well done is its own reward. You are rich, my friend.

Super Story

To nancychapman17, if she does cheat, then divorce her. Don't attempt to "preordaine" the outcome. By the way, nice tits. Been to a wet T-shirt contest?😠😠

I usually lean towards the burn the bitch stories

But this one with its happy (ish) ending made me smile - great writing

What a great idea for a story.

Well that was a really enjoyable story, great story line well written, and most enjoyable of all a happy ending.

MAYBE A BIT MORE REALISTIC THAN MOST

Yeah, I could see a woman trying something like this, not realizing that she was playing with a live 500lb bomb. The crap that most of these other writers put out about women hungrily looking to fuck every dick in town just doesn't ring true for the true nature of women. Women are about emotional attachment rather than simply sex. Those other writers make it very obvious that the story is man generated because guys just want to fuck with no real attachment.

Good story, nicely written, wrong ending...

Once again I find myself agreeing with nancyharpman17; Shelly will indeed cheat on him, given enough time. I would argue she already has; maybe she didn't have a penis inserted inside her, but she behaved as a single woman in a club full of men. She disparaged and disrespected her husband over and over without guilt. She allowed other men to place their hands wherever they wanted on her body while dancing and enjoyed it - she wasn't trying to teach Todd a lesson in the beginning, she was just out having "fun". Her discussion with Todd at the end was sophistry, there wasn't much logic to it.

To use the analogy from the story: "Can a man be considered a thief when he's never actually stolen anything before, but only appeared to have, once?" The answer in the story was given as a No, but I respectfully disagree. If that same man has spent months learning to pick locks, defeat electronic keypads, and hack his way past corporate firewalls, then the answer cannot be No. I think the answer lies with his intentions; if not a thief, why learn how to be one? And now that he knows how to be a thief, what's his next move? Todd's answer as to whether or not he thought she would cheat should have been, "Unknown... but probable".

Shelly went out and partied like a single girl because she enjoyed it. Maybe she never would have done it on her own, but now that she's taken a bite of the forbidden fruit - can she leave it alone? I doubt it. Because of her sister's actions, she's now quite aware that other men are happy to take whatever she'll offer. She remembers it to be fun, even empowering, and I'm sure her sister enlightened her on how good it could be if she would take it all the way. That's what Shelly has in her head now, and those memories will remain there, teasing her, tempting her. Good luck to Todd, he's going to need it.

Technically well written story - god awful ending.

This was like a scene from a real life train wreck. You just can't believe your eyes and ears as it is happening. My problem with the ending was that I don't think it was realistic. You chose the "Disney" ending. And that's fine. It played well. I just didn't like it because the character you gave Shelly wasn't capable of either, these actions, or these words. She's the classic spoiled princess and even the threat of ending her marriage wouldn't have changed her and caused her to leave her family. That was just too big a leap for her. So, well written, well done and all that kinda stuff. But to have him do anything but file the divorce papers and move on with his life - alone - was both improbable and unbelievable. Just my opinion. Thanks for the read.

ONCE AGAIN THE TRUE LOVE BETWEEN THEM

was just to strong to be denied and killed \ TK U MLJ LV NV

Only 2 stories

Not much of a series if it only contains two stories. I enjoyed the two and was looking for more