All Comments on 'Is The Past Prologue?'

probably end up leaving that woman because after they agreed to be honest (and HE was) she refused to come clean. I couldn't live with that or her.

Though the story is complete as is, it begs for a continuation. Tonyjoe,if you do continue the story, try to have some interesting plot twists, and don't rehash anguish too much with boring dialogue, and have everyone go off to divorce court,and the usual weeping and gnashing of teeth. All those events can happen but give the story some flair that sets it apart. As it is now the story is somewhat unique. It is interesting,true to life, and leaves a few butterflies in the stomach. Did she or didn't? Maybe it is better not knowing but the question may gnaw in the back of the husband's mind. Tonyjoe,if you write this story out further, be careful, avoid the cliches. There will be readers with bazookas ready to blow the wife off the face of the earth regardless of her character. If you make Jayne an evil manipulating, conniving bitch, you may satisfy "justice"---whatever that is---by torturing her with suffering---and if she is really rotten I'll concur---but if she becomes a full-rounded character, tread lightly, get into the subtleties, ignore the bozo reader,and make the story something special. I think you have a really good start if you are planning more. I think you have a very good story now if you are finished---though the story cries out for more---at least to me. But be careful in executing the plot. You don't want the finished story(if continued) dead on arrival.

I'm saying all this---if I was so smart, I'd write a good story myself. I guess I'm not so smart. That's why I'm just a reader---but authors need readers.

playingcardcompany

I liked this story. Don't do any more. End it right where it is and we will always wonder and always think about it. Thats better than knowing. Anyhow, thanks for a good read.

Nice twist at the end. My advice is to leave it as is; a little mystery is always nice.

give the author a two thumbs up. excellent writing, story line, and insite to human nature. this story is not only plausable, but i think it may be about me. the author dealt realistically, and i do mean realistically with the duel natures of men and women. the wife could understand and forgive his brief affair. even tho it hurt, she was able to put in it's proper perspective, relative to their problems. she gave him the answer to his question. just like before, when they were going thru their difficult period, he wasn't paying attention. he couldn't read the signs then and he can't read them now. damn good job tonyjoe. she is not smarter than him, but she is a woman and understands his male weakness. she is smart enough to know that she can't win by answering his question. if she says yes, i did have an affair, then he is going to be mentally crushed. may or may not be albe to forgive, but definitely will not forget. if she says no, i did not have an affair, he is not going to totally accept it. the doubts will continue, just as they are now. why wouldn't they, he had the answer to his question then, and he has it now, and he is not accepting it. she for sure is a wife worth keeping. written to be smart, sweet, understanding, forgiving and very, very loving to her husband. reminds me of my wife. reminds me of an incident in my life very similar over 30 years ago. i could have written this story. and yes i still wonder, but the happiness we've shared for the last 30 years, wouldn't be worth knowing. in actuality, i already know. she gave me the answers then and still gives me the answers now. i finally learned to listen and understand. if this coulple were real, they would stand a better chance at 30 years of happiness than most couples. one more time, damn good job tonyjoe.

I appreciate the comments you all have made. It's interesting that some expect (or maybe fear?) there will be a second chapter: that wasn't my intention. My muse said the story should end where it did, and refused to contribute any more details.

Thanks,

tonyjoe

Given the information supplied, she has set off the chain of events that will end their marriage. When they had the problems before, they learned that absolute honesty is part of the package that keeps their relationship strong. That is why he took the chance of telling her of his long past affair. They have agreed that they must have absolute honesty. He was not exactly dishonest in not bringing it up before, she didn't ask. Now he has asked and she has refused to answer. That is worse than any answer she could have given. He will always suspect now and will not have the tools to deal with it because his equal partner refuses to honor her end of the agreement and, therefore, they can't discuss it. Eventually that will weigh on him and he will wonder not only that, but what else is she keeping from him? On what other topics he has asked about has she mislead him or kept him in the dark? She has breached an essential element of their relationship, perhaps more important to its survival than fidelity. Unless she answers quickly, he will never believe her and he will start to doubt everything she says.

but I liked it a lot. Nicely written, good flow. Whether she did or not have an affair is an unsolved conundrum for him. The cat's out of the bag now and none of the three alternatives are good: say yes, say no, say nothing. If she had not had an affair she would have needed to instantly deny it, otherwise he will wonder, wonder...

I do agree that the story is self-contained and that it's okay for readers to have to figure things out. I'm just curious if that's the way YOU saw it... the marriage fading away. After all, he can just say "Yeah babe, you read me like a book! Good thing I've learned to be more careful." Maybe he did something... maybe he didn't.

Anyway, a great story. I just don't see any trust or open commication left at the end.

My wife and I had a problem where she found out about an affair. I knew she had one also, with my lovers husband. after i confessed and apoligized, I went thru the normal cool period between us. She never confessed her affair and I never mentioned it. My lovers husband never confessed and I kept that info to myself. Finally, my lover found out about the affair beteen my wife and her husband. All hell broke loose after a 12 year stoppage.

None of us are close anymore. Very sad.

Good writing. Why? Because when husband gets finished screwing her and lets his hormones settle. He's going to wonder again. He will think about it some more. Days will pass. He will watch her. HE will wonder some more. He will think back to that time. He will wonder some more. Doubt will creep in. More days will pass. He will not quite trust her. He will call home more often to check. He will want to know where she is all the time. More doubt. Trust begins to erode. Can he believe her? He wants to believe but now he is not so sure. She gave the wrong answer. It was a yes or no answer. Her answer opened the door of doubt and now she cannot close it. When the hormones are gone, the brain begins to work.

Basic problem: She knows for sure he cheated. He admitts to her what he did. He is honest. She on the other is not honest because she has no way of proving whether she did or did not cheat. And worse, she is now making a fool of him by holding his mistake over his head. Make-up sex. Not really, this was power sex and she took it from him. They are not equal any more because she is sure of what he did and this gave her control of the situation. She can drag it out every time they have a serious argument. He on the other hand can NEVER be sure if she did or did not and again this puts the relationship in her hands and not in their sharing hands. He is to blame for cheating, but there is the hint at the end that she did in fact cheat but - nah, nuh, nah, nah! - she is never going to admit this because that would make they equal again and she cannot have that. The long road of marital erosion began when he cheated, but now she is cheating in spirit on them both.

The tale basically went nowhere. It ended. Nowhere.

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