It was very well written and realistic except for the end. The problem is that I believe that the story is the end.
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Anonymous03/15/06
TRASH ! ! ! !
Reading this story was a waste of my time and your wasted you time in writing it. How could a man get re-acquainted whith his cheating ex-wife? Next, she is going to tell him about Karl Jr. and that will be the end of it again, that is if he is a man.
Nice ending, I was tempted to pen my own ending to the story but you beat me to the punch. Nice one
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Anonymous03/15/06
Hmm
At first, I was very happy to read this. The original did leave too much hanging and it was good to see some more. Of course her new relationship with Karl would have problems - how could it not based on how it started? But I thought the ending here was very forced, poor, and not true to the original. It's not that I find the idea of reconcilliation unbelievable, but for him to invite her back home the first time he sees her borders on the absurd.
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Anonymous03/15/06
Surely You Jest - Just A nightmare Hopefully
It certainly was your choice to make but my God she has been excummunicated for very good reasons by every one but you.
How could you try to make this real after ---- AHHHHH this is such bullshit --- why you are trying to sell it.
Obviously you have done what you want but you have lost my respect for your supposed reality. Your credibility has also taken a big hit. I believe if she had cut your dick off you would find a way to get back with her. Such sad shameful nonsense.
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Anonymous03/15/06
Aw shucks
Repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, why do readers see these as bullshit? Yeah she was stupid & hurt her husband & family, but she paid the price. Another story on this site (can't remember which) dealt with the need for a husband to forgive his cheating but repentant wife before HE could find peace. This has been my experience too.
Loved it. I like your writing & I like (for the most part) your endings
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Anonymous03/15/06
Not the strongest
I liked your version of the ending. I like most all of your stories. This one was not quite as strong as I am accustomed to from your pen. I tried to determine what kept me from the contentment I usuually have at the conclusion of one of your stories, but I could not properly identify it. Your style is good. the plot was straight forward. And, the characters were true to the original chapters. Thank you for presenting this to us. I too felt the story was incomplete.
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Anonymous03/15/06
Who is Justin?
Just read this story, and re-read the original. Am I blind or was there no Justin mentioned at all?
Unrealistic ending but excellent writing...however her first words to him were too long winded. She should have just said, Hi Paul...I fucked up big time...but I never regretted our wonderful marriage and our children. And then later after Jason leaves, say,"I also never regretted my new son just the man who fathered him...I wish my new son was yours,,,you have done wonderfully raising our children, I wish I can do as well". And then depart...seeds planted and who knows...with Evelyn and Todd back in the picture,,,Paul and Kathy can meet again even through Christi...hope is never lost...
But that's me
Andy
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Anonymous03/15/06
Very good
I don't condone adultery and I rarely forgive a cheater. But, your post is beautiful and I do forgive her and I pray that they can make it work. I have never read a remake quite like yours. You nailed it. A happy ending works for me. Thank you for writing the proper ending to an otherwise sad story.
but i personally dont believe in providing second chances for someone to stab me in the back agian. theres too many other people in this world that do the right thin to waste my time on those that fail to.
It is nice to know when enough people write somebody is listening. I hope whiteone will write an ending to his story but till then this makes it so much better. Thank you for this.
Celt, thanks for writing this. When I read the original, I too was struck with the issue of whether the dream would be better than the reality. I didn't think that her expectations of a life with Karl could match the reality. As to the issue of a second chance, I can see it, although any new relationship with Paul would never be like it was before.
Life is an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Your ending shows that learning.
But even your chapter left me wondering if there would be one or if they would be just friendly acquantices.
I am sure that Paul knows ALL about her, Karl and Karl Jr.(Although Jr doesn't apply without the FULL name copy).
With what she said to Paul I think he can recognize that she has come to her senses, followed her fantasy and discarded it, and they have a future together just like their past. 16 happy years and two kids together can make a deep impression on ones emotions. If the marriage was all fight and anger then that wouldn't hold, nor is it the case with Paul and Kathy. I am sure that Kathy has always been Paul's love even as he hated what she did.
Excellent writing.
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Anonymous03/15/06
typical Celt ending
One thing I've learned about thecelt's stories is that in the end there is a reconciliation. Always.
In this case I really don't think that a reconciliation is the best way to end it. Paul has to be suspicious of the motives of a woman who'd cheat on him and expect him to allow her to continue once caught. The only reason she's not still married to Karl is that Karl dumped her for the younger, more exciting model.
But it was well written, in a nice style and flowed well. I just would like to see thecelt branch out and find a way to bring his stories to an ending without the "meet after 2 years and immediately renew a broken relationship" trick he's used all to often.
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Anonymous03/15/06
I don't believe it...
I know of a situation that closely parallels your story, except for the ending. In that situation, my former friend moved on from husband to husband and finally settled for a rich, much older man before her looks washed over the dam.
Your story was excellent up until the end, but it turned out to be more of a fairytale than the original. Why? I don't believe Paul could have accepted her and her love child (Jr.) back into his life. He appeared, in the original story, to be an "all or nothing" kind of guy and would not accept being reminded of her betrayal, bad choices, and her infidelity. So I'm thinking they just went for coffee and nothing else.
Additionally, as smart, successful and well connected as Paul was, I'm certain that he would have remarried before the graduation ceremony. He would have been a wonderful catch for some has-it-altogether lady, and he wouldn't have gone to the ceremony alone.
A well written, well told tale. I only wish that I could accept the ending. Too much had happened to Paul - the betrayal, her proposed solution which demeaned him, her conceiving a child, etc. I liked the story, I only wish a happy ending could have been made more palatable or believable.
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Anonymous03/15/06
another Goddam reconcile w/ the whore story
Jesus H fucking christ !!!!
Is EVERY fucking author here a complete stupid bastard? Renconcilation at all costs train now leaving the station.....
One time affiars -- where the spouse has a 1 time ONE TIME -- incident in an altered state MIGHT be forgiveable
This is Not one of thoses cases.
For the wife to To say and write in letter that "I love now Paul more than i did 16 years ago" while is is repteadly LYING deciving and fucking another man is not forgivebale. It is not possible to reconcile.
If Paul hads any guts or integrity at all he should woo her back and then when he tries to kiss her for the 1st time SPIT in this fucking whore's face
Imagine the outrage Paul must be feeling with her goddamn highty and mighty speech about reality versus fantasy...
I sweare to god If it was me I would of taken a chair and beat this bitch to death
Very logical outcome from her infatuation with Karl. Better than the original author's. However, I don't think Paul would ever take her back, but who knows - my father used to say, "never underestimate the power of a woman."
I can understand this completely. Paul's a real man and his love is so deep he can't even consider anyone else. Without her, he is almost relationally dead. Any future relationship will not be the same as the past but he can be assured she will not cheat and she will do just about anything to keep him.
The only quibble: as the husband of a "crier", I would think that Kathy would be crying as she answered Paul after the graduation ceremony. It would only solidify in Paul's mind the fact that she was truly ashamed, repentant and sorry for what she had done.
Great ending! Thanks.
Phil
BTW, I'm usually of a mind to "kill the bitch and her shit-for-brains lover". However, there are times when a romantic ending is reasonable. Kathy didn't cheat with just anybody who meant nothing to her. The only survey I've seen on the subject showed Kathy's actions would be mimicked by over 80% of women. Reunions with old flames appear to be almost a guaran-dam-tee of infidelity. They are already emotionally bonded and the husband is emotionally needy (takes much but gives little). Emotional bonding with one man and dissatisfaction with another is an explosive mix with an almost pre-determined ending.
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Anonymous03/15/06
One More thing
Good Fairy Tale ending Celt.
As other have already commented, the ending was a bit far fetched.
The one I like best is the scenarion where Paul took his kids and moved away, never let Kathy know where they were at from then on. She wanted Karl and By god she could have him.
Whatever had befallen her she damned sure deserved. She chose Karl over her husband, her children, her job, everything for a strange cock. Given her past traits, Paul would have been a god damned fool to ever get involved with her except maybe a one night stand. Who knows what other childhood fantasies she harbored. What I find most ridiculous about the ending was that Paul could even entertain the idea of taking little Jr. to raise knowing the no good son of a bitch that had fathered him.
I thought that the ending of him saying they would have coffee at HOME was way over the top, till I went back and read the original ending and what you wrote would fit perfectly into who he was now. I believe he would take her back as he has turned into a dispirited and broken man. He will at any cost do anything to have her back. She has him where she wants him
The first stories ending:
“I remained the stern and loving father who became totally involved with the children as they grew up. I refuse to go any dates with the numerous females who constantly tried to become involved with me. Kathy was the only woman I would ever love enough to want to be intimate with. In place of sex and female companionship, I focused my attention on the children, my job and I even became involved in local politics.”
She feels her hurt is worse then his as she at that point had a new husband and baby and still wanted it all. Excerpt from this story:
“What he didn't know was that by divorcing me, he had hurt me far more that I had hurt him. He didn't believe me when I told him that I had grown to love him even more than the day I married him but that I couldn't give up Karl. He didn't understand that even though I had chosen Karl over him, my losing him cost me part of my soul. Even Karl didn't understand that, but I knew and I lived with that loss every day of my new life. I expected that it would grow to be tolerable and finally retreat into that place that I had put Karl for so many years, but it didn't.”
She has no real feelings for others only herself. She shows her pain of not having everything she wants her way is still her driving force. At this same time he has lost his self-assurance, and had no comfort and became a shell of a person. She is a self-centered bitch and maybe will at least act like he matters to get her closer to what she thinks she deserves. One sided love is bad and maybe he will stand up to her and they will communicate better. Who knows miracles happen.
You have written a fantasy that could very well be reality as many spouses think they can only be happy with their one true love. Look what she did to start with, will he eventually find his dream also is better then this new reality.
Fantastic writing and a fantasy story that was so entertaining and could be real.
Thank you
Peggytwitty
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Anonymous03/15/06
Thank you
You brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes people dream of "what if" and find that the reality doesn't fit with the dream. I found this story believable. This heroine paid and paid. I loved that the hero could find forgiveness in his heart. True REAL love triumphed. What a man. Paul is my hero. He could have lord it over her, but he still loved her and made the best decision. He could have lived the rest of his life bitter, feeling justified. But bitterness and hate makes a cold bedfellow. You understand the human condition and for that I applaud you. Kudos. My only regret is that you ended the story there. A bit rushed. Wanted more. Wanted to see their feelings and relationship (or not) develop. It was left sort of hanging.
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Anonymous03/15/06
I liked it
as quoted in a Garth Brooks song "some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers". Too bad she had to live her dream before she realized that some dreams are better off just that "dreams".
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Anonymous03/15/06
Sorry
This isn't a story. It's a summary of several years worth of events presented in dry, uninteresting terms. In a real story, the tempo of the action rises and falls. There is a rhythm to it. This is all flatline. Very disappointing.
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Anonymous03/15/06
Happy ending
My apology to some of my somewhat vicious fellow anonymous readers, but I thought it was an entertaining, heartwarming story. It was a little farfetched, but I like happy endings and I'm certainly not going to disagree with the way a fine writer like Celt chooses to end his story. 60 year old George
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Anonymous03/15/06
Fucking waste of my time
Enough said.
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Anonymous03/15/06
reconciliation ???
This story is part of real life. I was in a comparable situation, and at the end said "no! once a cheater..."
i still regret my answer. There is nothing reasonable
about love. Being an engineer, rules of applied science
don't apply. This is a hearthwarming difference to most
stories published here !!
There is an element of realism in the first part of this story aftermath. There is a very high second divorce rate (approx. 80%) among adulterers who marry each other, and, as might be expected, the chief reason is continued adultery on the part of one or both of the cheaters who marry each other. So the part of the story that depicts Kathy's torment with her newly married coward (all cheaters are cowards, by definition) reflects what would have happened in real life.
But then the story becomes a fantasy and not even a romantic fantasy at that. Adulterous spouses who are divorced by their offended spouses, and who then wed the cheater of their eye, virtually never return to the original partner, who would not accept them back under most circumstances. Especially would that be the case if the adulterous spouse had a child with her conspiring coward.
Following the story line, reconciliation between Kathy and Paul simply could not happen, and it is highly unlikely that they even would become friendly. Too much disrespect had been shown to Paul by Kathy. As a prior commentor noted, Kathy is such a self-absorbed, narcissitic, hedonistic slut that she is incapable of loving anyone but herself. Paul would surely be cognizant of her character by the end of the story and would really want little to do with her.
The Celt usually has a much better constructed ending than this one, even when reconciliation is appropriate. However,he is always entertaining and his stories are well written.
Cheers!
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Anonymous03/15/06
Nice Closure
I really liked what you did wit hthe story to complete it. I was not especially fond of the original way it finished. You are a great writer in your own right I watch for yout stories all the time.
Thanks for the entertainment,
Sam
I Love your work normally, but this wasn't one of those times. I gonna have to coin a new phrase to use in this case. I think I'll start calling it the "Bookend Husband" reflex for stories.
Bookend Husband
n.
I'll only use it in reference to husbands in stories that sit on the sidelines of life waiting and hoping that their cheating wives will one days, years later, come to their senses and willing want them back. So to prepare for this eventual day the husbands will remain pure and chaste, even though the wife is having sex up a storm with her current lover(s), and he will refuse all other women till that day arrives where the wife wants him back, and when it does the husband will take the wife back and both will start pretending like nothing ever happened. The husband will be totally devoid of any self respect and pride. Fully willing to sacrifice themselves, no matter how desperate they look, waiting for that one day when their former wife's attention to return back to them and they will do anything required to make this dream come true in the mean time.
Not only does this husband start looking into taking back the formally cheating wife, now he'll also usually have a daily reminder of that fact that the wife now has a child(who in this story is named partial after him), but primarly after her lover who split the marriage up in the first place. The child, Karl Jr., isn't to blame, but his mother squarely is.
I "know" the original writer started the character off as needy and desperate, and you didn't have much material to work with in developing his character, but you left him looking needy and desperate in your continuation of this story. The husband sat there waiting for the wife to not have anyone so that he could have her again. That make him look like he has no pride, I mean the wife had her lover's child, chose her lover over him when she said that she would never give him up at the expense of her at the time current marriage, and he totally refused even look into the possiblity of other women. He appears desperate, like he couldn't wait till he could take her back and had no life without her. If he refuses to respect himself how can the reader really be expected too?
This falls under what I love to call reconcilation at all cost, not a happy ending. Happy ending usually end up with justice for everyone, not just one person having a slightly hard life, then getting to start over again. While it was a good story on style alone, the wife 'STILL' ended up with everything in the end. This really wasn't any different than what the original writer did. He gave her everything with her lover, you turned around and gave it all back to her with her previous husband. Nothing changed, she was just now a little older and wiser when you did it is all. Sure she had some rough bumps, but she got to live out her fantasy till it was no longer fun. Then she got to go back to a loving, now ex-husband, who was waiting till she worked it out of her system, and presumably is getting ready to take her back.
Think about it. In the four years you had her working the fantasy out of her life she has gotten her kids back, her sister and her sisters husband have welcomed her back, and now the husband is waiting there to take her back. Wow!! I mean so she got to live her dream till it died and was no longer fun, and now she has to pay no real concequences for her actions after the fact, other than living with the fact that she screwed someone over and he was standing there like a puppy waiting for her once she finshed. Paul doesn't seem to care and soon she won't either. Yep, good times. Good times.
My god it just hit me, she got to have a free "Do over". I wish I could get a few of those in life. I wouldn't have to worry about concequences for my actions if I could do like the woman in the story.
Nope, there wasn't any justice in this story for Paul. All you did was crush Kathy's dream. But you never put in any real justice for Paul in the *slightest*. Other than the possiblity of saying I told you so, but you developed his character without that ability or backbone. You just let him stay loving till she got tired of Karl and then you opened up the door for Paul and Kathy to get back together again and to have Paul help raise her lover child. And during all of this Paul got to be the "Celibate Monk" till she was ready to come back to him.
Yep, gotta say I felt that sense of justice. I think most of us call it irony though.
-Risq
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Anonymous03/15/06
Liked everything till the end
The last little bit an the last line really did not work. So after everything that went on, Paul is going to welcome her bak into hsi life... oh wait not just her but her son with the guy she cheated on him with and wanted mroe then him adn their children... please, I was hoping you would have had him there with a woman, a girlfriend at the least. She might have woken up to what she has done and gottena taste of what she did to him, but it was only a taste.
Anyway good story till that last part, but that made it a bit sour to me
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Anonymous03/15/06
Title should have been 'Kathy's Apology'
I'll have to admit that you did a good job of damage control on Kathy's character. But I simply couldn't buy her supposed sorrow over her divorce from Paul. Anger, yes. Sorrow, no. After all, she insisted on having Karl at Paul's expense. But I suppose you wrote what most readers wanted to hear.
Maybe someone will write a story more along the lines of 'Kathy learns a terrible lesson', in which a a selfish, greedy bitch learns the truth of who she is and comes through it a better person.
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Anonymous03/15/06
?????
Two questions.Who is Justin?What happened to the real Paul,because the one in this story is not the same person,you should have left a good story alone!
great to know some things never change. in all you stories, bar none, husband forgives wife. doesn't matter what she did, husband will always forgive.
consistent but very annoying.
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Anonymous03/15/06
An Ending
Do you really think you provided an ending to this story. Your "ending" begs more questions than it answers.
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Anonymous03/15/06
a much better snding
I read the first ending and found it without merit.
This story is truly in line with real life and more acceptable to a me and my wife.
Thanks for your great effort. This from a senior citizen,vet and disabled who has viewed a few situations.
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Anonymous03/15/06
Good
Better ending than the original but still not satisfying. My ending would have Paul getting over his divorce and finding a new love and marrying her. The original wife would still marry Karl and have a child with him. They would later divorce and she might or might not seek husband number three. I can't understand why the Karl never tried to contact the wife after they were initially separated over 20 plus years ago. It points to some character flaw in him which you ably exploited.
Just does to show that the grass may not be greener on the other side. Didn't read all of the comments but it looked like 50% liked it and 50% hated it so you must have done good!!! LOL!!!
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Anonymous03/15/06
Forced and trite
Ya wanted a happy ending, no matter how illogical or forced it may be, and you did it. "Hey, let's add the irony that she's the victim! Let's have them reconcile without a single moment between them for years!" Sorry, it doesn't work.
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Anonymous03/15/06
great
as long as he dont marry the bitch again
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Anonymous03/15/06
This ending works
TheCelt,
I like this ending there are a variety of posssible endings, but given the necessary brevity of writing on this site, I thought you handled it very well, AND very realistically. As usual a very good job.
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Anonymous03/16/06
Crapola
Once again, you create a husband who crawls spinelessly like a whipped cur begging its mistress for forgiveness for... what? It doesn't know, but it's begging anyway.
With every good ending with hope and love and foregiveness there is always those who say crap with all this. It is amazing at the narrow minds who find it necessary to always piss and moan when their is a story about foregiveness and love in life that transcends mistakes. They seem to think there is only one answer to being human and making mistakes and that is to get rid of the other person and all of the love that came before. All they do is condemn themselves as flawed human beings.
lancewm, I hope your not trying to lump everyone..
..in that catagory of what you said when you said:
"It is amazing at the narrow minds who find it necessary to always piss and moan when there is a story about foregiveness and love in life that transcends mistakes. They seem to think there is only one answer to being human and making mistakes and that is to get rid of the other person and all of the love that came before. All they do is condemn themselves as flawed human beings."
I personally think its more narrow minded of you to think thats the only problem some of us have with this story. (^_^)
Some of us are also objecting to the fact the husband did nothing but sit on his hands for 4 1/2, nearly 5 years, and do nothing but "Wait" on his wife/ex-wife to finish her affair/marriage and then for her to "realize" her mistake and come crawling back to him looking for him to take her back. Like she expected him to wait for her once her marriage failed. And he was written so that he didn't have anything else to do but wait for her. For "5 YEARS". Thats not romantic, thats just plain sad. For both their sakes. She was out experiencing life and having children with another man, while he hide from it while he was waiting for her. The "Bookend Husband" syndrome. You know, where he sits on the bookshelf of life watching everyone else interact with it, waiting for the day that the wife comes back to him.
He could at least "dated" at some point during those 5 years, he didn't know her marriage was going to tank, while while waiting for the wife in this story. That would have made it more believeable. Instead he was just "sitting" on his hands for almost 5 years, never giving all the other women who may have had something to offer him a chance, waiting for that one woman who threw him way to "one day" come to her senses and come back to him and their marriage. Yep that's more believeable. And he never seemed bitter either. Yep again more believeable. Are you that desperate for a happy ending you missed that?
I'm really suprised you don't see that. Like almost you don't care what the husband's life was like long as they got back together. And you call some of us "narrow minded"
>=)
Not your story Celt, for I always like your stories and a happy ending is apt for me, an old romantic.
No, I refer to fellow commentators. For an instance, I never came to the conclusion, as others, that Paul just sat and waited for his "Slut Wife" to return.
I would pose the question to others that say this ending is unreal. Do they believe that all who stay married do so because there has been no infidelity? I'm sure many do live with the knowledge that a spouse has cheated.
My best regards.
by
Anonymous03/16/06
Why not reconciliation? Whats wrong with that?
One of the most realistic endings I have ever read.
First of all the authors effort was absolutely brilliant. There are a lot of unrealistic cheating spouse stories on this site but this is one of the few which is very realistic. It could very easily happen to anyone in real life. For all those who thought that the husband was wimpy or spineless, I think they need to read this story all over again. As for the development of Kathy's character it was great. You managed to “undo” a lot of unrealistic damage that was done to her character in the previous chapter.
Another reason I post this comment is because there are a lot of people who appear to be so vindictive and absolutely unforgiving when it comes to a cheating spouse. I do not understand it when people say things like “once a cheater always a cheater”. I mean such a statement defies logic. I just felt the urge to bring up some questions which a few seem to even refuse to consider:
• Isn’t CHANGE the only constant in this world. So why do (some) people get all so worked up with the very idea of a reconciliation with a cheating spouse?
• Does this nature translate into how these people deal with everyone else in their lives. Do they go about never forgiving their colleagues, or friends or children or neighbor for any of their mistakes? Or is their opposition to a reconciliation just restricted to a cheating spouse?
• It’s easy to cut your losses, divorce and move on (without even trying to save a marriage) when faced with such a situation in real life. But can you go about life classifying everything into black and white? Right and wrong? Are such people "strong" people? Or do they do so because they don’t have the courage to deal with problems and always want the easiest way out of it?
• In this story Kathy followed her heart and did what she thought and felt was so right. Yes it did not work out for her (in this story) but isn’t life way too short to go about suppressing your feelings because you are afraid of how it might affect someone else?
• Is it healthy to always live life for others around you? Even at the expense of your own happiness? When do YOU (or rather what you want) become more important than those around you?
• Are there one set of rules to marriage and a completely different set of rules to other things in life when it comes to answering some of the questions above?
I love the story. She paid the price of her infidelity, discovering that her "dream" wasn't what it was cracked up to be and the man who truly was her prince found forgiveness for her. Tears are falling down my cheeks after reading this story. Absolutely wonderful!
English
Not Sure about the End
It was very well written and realistic except for the end. The problem is that I believe that the story is the end.
TRASH ! ! ! !
Reading this story was a waste of my time and your wasted you time in writing it. How could a man get re-acquainted whith his cheating ex-wife? Next, she is going to tell him about Karl Jr. and that will be the end of it again, that is if he is a man.
NICE
Nice ending, I was tempted to pen my own ending to the story but you beat me to the punch. Nice one
Hmm
At first, I was very happy to read this. The original did leave too much hanging and it was good to see some more. Of course her new relationship with Karl would have problems - how could it not based on how it started? But I thought the ending here was very forced, poor, and not true to the original. It's not that I find the idea of reconcilliation unbelievable, but for him to invite her back home the first time he sees her borders on the absurd.
Surely You Jest - Just A nightmare Hopefully
It certainly was your choice to make but my God she has been excummunicated for very good reasons by every one but you.
How could you try to make this real after ---- AHHHHH this is such bullshit --- why you are trying to sell it.
Obviously you have done what you want but you have lost my respect for your supposed reality. Your credibility has also taken a big hit. I believe if she had cut your dick off you would find a way to get back with her. Such sad shameful nonsense.
Aw shucks
Repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, why do readers see these as bullshit? Yeah she was stupid & hurt her husband & family, but she paid the price. Another story on this site (can't remember which) dealt with the need for a husband to forgive his cheating but repentant wife before HE could find peace. This has been my experience too.
Loved it. I like your writing & I like (for the most part) your endings
Not the strongest
I liked your version of the ending. I like most all of your stories. This one was not quite as strong as I am accustomed to from your pen. I tried to determine what kept me from the contentment I usuually have at the conclusion of one of your stories, but I could not properly identify it. Your style is good. the plot was straight forward. And, the characters were true to the original chapters. Thank you for presenting this to us. I too felt the story was incomplete.
Who is Justin?
Just read this story, and re-read the original. Am I blind or was there no Justin mentioned at all?
Your ending leaves me mixed.
Unrealistic ending but excellent writing...however her first words to him were too long winded. She should have just said, Hi Paul...I fucked up big time...but I never regretted our wonderful marriage and our children. And then later after Jason leaves, say,"I also never regretted my new son just the man who fathered him...I wish my new son was yours,,,you have done wonderfully raising our children, I wish I can do as well". And then depart...seeds planted and who knows...with Evelyn and Todd back in the picture,,,Paul and Kathy can meet again even through Christi...hope is never lost...
But that's me
Andy
Very good
I don't condone adultery and I rarely forgive a cheater. But, your post is beautiful and I do forgive her and I pray that they can make it work. I have never read a remake quite like yours. You nailed it. A happy ending works for me. Thank you for writing the proper ending to an otherwise sad story.
The childish male's reactions are so predictable.
It is very easy to separate the comment's made by MEN as opposed to those make by those who think that owning an appendege makes them a man.
Those children were hopping that the wife would be whipped and stoned at the end and you didn't do that.
was not a waste
but i personally dont believe in providing second chances for someone to stab me in the back agian. theres too many other people in this world that do the right thin to waste my time on those that fail to.
thank you!!!!!
It is nice to know when enough people write somebody is listening. I hope whiteone will write an ending to his story but till then this makes it so much better. Thank you for this.
Nice take
Celt, thanks for writing this. When I read the original, I too was struck with the issue of whether the dream would be better than the reality. I didn't think that her expectations of a life with Karl could match the reality. As to the issue of a second chance, I can see it, although any new relationship with Paul would never be like it was before.
Life is an opportunity to learn from mistakes. Your ending shows that learning.
I really expected reconciliation
But even your chapter left me wondering if there would be one or if they would be just friendly acquantices.
I am sure that Paul knows ALL about her, Karl and Karl Jr.(Although Jr doesn't apply without the FULL name copy).
With what she said to Paul I think he can recognize that she has come to her senses, followed her fantasy and discarded it, and they have a future together just like their past. 16 happy years and two kids together can make a deep impression on ones emotions. If the marriage was all fight and anger then that wouldn't hold, nor is it the case with Paul and Kathy. I am sure that Kathy has always been Paul's love even as he hated what she did.
Excellent writing.
typical Celt ending
One thing I've learned about thecelt's stories is that in the end there is a reconciliation. Always.
In this case I really don't think that a reconciliation is the best way to end it. Paul has to be suspicious of the motives of a woman who'd cheat on him and expect him to allow her to continue once caught. The only reason she's not still married to Karl is that Karl dumped her for the younger, more exciting model.
But it was well written, in a nice style and flowed well. I just would like to see thecelt branch out and find a way to bring his stories to an ending without the "meet after 2 years and immediately renew a broken relationship" trick he's used all to often.
I don't believe it...
I know of a situation that closely parallels your story, except for the ending. In that situation, my former friend moved on from husband to husband and finally settled for a rich, much older man before her looks washed over the dam.
Your story was excellent up until the end, but it turned out to be more of a fairytale than the original. Why? I don't believe Paul could have accepted her and her love child (Jr.) back into his life. He appeared, in the original story, to be an "all or nothing" kind of guy and would not accept being reminded of her betrayal, bad choices, and her infidelity. So I'm thinking they just went for coffee and nothing else.
Additionally, as smart, successful and well connected as Paul was, I'm certain that he would have remarried before the graduation ceremony. He would have been a wonderful catch for some has-it-altogether lady, and he wouldn't have gone to the ceremony alone.
Interesting
A well written, well told tale. I only wish that I could accept the ending. Too much had happened to Paul - the betrayal, her proposed solution which demeaned him, her conceiving a child, etc. I liked the story, I only wish a happy ending could have been made more palatable or believable.
another Goddam reconcile w/ the whore story
Jesus H fucking christ !!!!
Is EVERY fucking author here a complete stupid bastard? Renconcilation at all costs train now leaving the station.....
One time affiars -- where the spouse has a 1 time ONE TIME -- incident in an altered state MIGHT be forgiveable
This is Not one of thoses cases.
For the wife to To say and write in letter that "I love now Paul more than i did 16 years ago" while is is repteadly LYING deciving and fucking another man is not forgivebale. It is not possible to reconcile.
If Paul hads any guts or integrity at all he should woo her back and then when he tries to kiss her for the 1st time SPIT in this fucking whore's face
Imagine the outrage Paul must be feeling with her goddamn highty and mighty speech about reality versus fantasy...
I sweare to god If it was me I would of taken a chair and beat this bitch to death
Excellent outcome until the end
Very logical outcome from her infatuation with Karl. Better than the original author's. However, I don't think Paul would ever take her back, but who knows - my father used to say, "never underestimate the power of a woman."
The REAL ending - wonderful!
I can understand this completely. Paul's a real man and his love is so deep he can't even consider anyone else. Without her, he is almost relationally dead. Any future relationship will not be the same as the past but he can be assured she will not cheat and she will do just about anything to keep him.
The only quibble: as the husband of a "crier", I would think that Kathy would be crying as she answered Paul after the graduation ceremony. It would only solidify in Paul's mind the fact that she was truly ashamed, repentant and sorry for what she had done.
Great ending! Thanks.
Phil
BTW, I'm usually of a mind to "kill the bitch and her shit-for-brains lover". However, there are times when a romantic ending is reasonable. Kathy didn't cheat with just anybody who meant nothing to her. The only survey I've seen on the subject showed Kathy's actions would be mimicked by over 80% of women. Reunions with old flames appear to be almost a guaran-dam-tee of infidelity. They are already emotionally bonded and the husband is emotionally needy (takes much but gives little). Emotional bonding with one man and dissatisfaction with another is an explosive mix with an almost pre-determined ending.
One More thing
Good Fairy Tale ending Celt.
As other have already commented, the ending was a bit far fetched.
The one I like best is the scenarion where Paul took his kids and moved away, never let Kathy know where they were at from then on. She wanted Karl and By god she could have him.
Whatever had befallen her she damned sure deserved. She chose Karl over her husband, her children, her job, everything for a strange cock. Given her past traits, Paul would have been a god damned fool to ever get involved with her except maybe a one night stand. Who knows what other childhood fantasies she harbored. What I find most ridiculous about the ending was that Paul could even entertain the idea of taking little Jr. to raise knowing the no good son of a bitch that had fathered him.
Nope, just to fucking hard to stomach.
Very well done and followed the original story
I thought that the ending of him saying they would have coffee at HOME was way over the top, till I went back and read the original ending and what you wrote would fit perfectly into who he was now. I believe he would take her back as he has turned into a dispirited and broken man. He will at any cost do anything to have her back. She has him where she wants him
The first stories ending:
“I remained the stern and loving father who became totally involved with the children as they grew up. I refuse to go any dates with the numerous females who constantly tried to become involved with me. Kathy was the only woman I would ever love enough to want to be intimate with. In place of sex and female companionship, I focused my attention on the children, my job and I even became involved in local politics.”
She feels her hurt is worse then his as she at that point had a new husband and baby and still wanted it all. Excerpt from this story:
“What he didn't know was that by divorcing me, he had hurt me far more that I had hurt him. He didn't believe me when I told him that I had grown to love him even more than the day I married him but that I couldn't give up Karl. He didn't understand that even though I had chosen Karl over him, my losing him cost me part of my soul. Even Karl didn't understand that, but I knew and I lived with that loss every day of my new life. I expected that it would grow to be tolerable and finally retreat into that place that I had put Karl for so many years, but it didn't.”
She has no real feelings for others only herself. She shows her pain of not having everything she wants her way is still her driving force. At this same time he has lost his self-assurance, and had no comfort and became a shell of a person. She is a self-centered bitch and maybe will at least act like he matters to get her closer to what she thinks she deserves. One sided love is bad and maybe he will stand up to her and they will communicate better. Who knows miracles happen.
You have written a fantasy that could very well be reality as many spouses think they can only be happy with their one true love. Look what she did to start with, will he eventually find his dream also is better then this new reality.
Fantastic writing and a fantasy story that was so entertaining and could be real.
Thank you
Peggytwitty
Thank you
You brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes people dream of "what if" and find that the reality doesn't fit with the dream. I found this story believable. This heroine paid and paid. I loved that the hero could find forgiveness in his heart. True REAL love triumphed. What a man. Paul is my hero. He could have lord it over her, but he still loved her and made the best decision. He could have lived the rest of his life bitter, feeling justified. But bitterness and hate makes a cold bedfellow. You understand the human condition and for that I applaud you. Kudos. My only regret is that you ended the story there. A bit rushed. Wanted more. Wanted to see their feelings and relationship (or not) develop. It was left sort of hanging.
I liked it
as quoted in a Garth Brooks song "some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers". Too bad she had to live her dream before she realized that some dreams are better off just that "dreams".
Sorry
This isn't a story. It's a summary of several years worth of events presented in dry, uninteresting terms. In a real story, the tempo of the action rises and falls. There is a rhythm to it. This is all flatline. Very disappointing.
Happy ending
My apology to some of my somewhat vicious fellow anonymous readers, but I thought it was an entertaining, heartwarming story. It was a little farfetched, but I like happy endings and I'm certainly not going to disagree with the way a fine writer like Celt chooses to end his story. 60 year old George
Fucking waste of my time
Enough said.
reconciliation ???
This story is part of real life. I was in a comparable situation, and at the end said "no! once a cheater..."
i still regret my answer. There is nothing reasonable
about love. Being an engineer, rules of applied science
don't apply. This is a hearthwarming difference to most
stories published here !!
Part reality...part fantasy!
There is an element of realism in the first part of this story aftermath. There is a very high second divorce rate (approx. 80%) among adulterers who marry each other, and, as might be expected, the chief reason is continued adultery on the part of one or both of the cheaters who marry each other. So the part of the story that depicts Kathy's torment with her newly married coward (all cheaters are cowards, by definition) reflects what would have happened in real life.
But then the story becomes a fantasy and not even a romantic fantasy at that. Adulterous spouses who are divorced by their offended spouses, and who then wed the cheater of their eye, virtually never return to the original partner, who would not accept them back under most circumstances. Especially would that be the case if the adulterous spouse had a child with her conspiring coward.
Following the story line, reconciliation between Kathy and Paul simply could not happen, and it is highly unlikely that they even would become friendly. Too much disrespect had been shown to Paul by Kathy. As a prior commentor noted, Kathy is such a self-absorbed, narcissitic, hedonistic slut that she is incapable of loving anyone but herself. Paul would surely be cognizant of her character by the end of the story and would really want little to do with her.
The Celt usually has a much better constructed ending than this one, even when reconciliation is appropriate. However,he is always entertaining and his stories are well written.
Cheers!
Nice Closure
I really liked what you did wit hthe story to complete it. I was not especially fond of the original way it finished. You are a great writer in your own right I watch for yout stories all the time.
Thanks for the entertainment,
Sam
*Sigh* - the story of a "Bookend Husband" again
Celt,
I Love your work normally, but this wasn't one of those times. I gonna have to coin a new phrase to use in this case. I think I'll start calling it the "Bookend Husband" reflex for stories.
Bookend Husband
n.
I'll only use it in reference to husbands in stories that sit on the sidelines of life waiting and hoping that their cheating wives will one days, years later, come to their senses and willing want them back. So to prepare for this eventual day the husbands will remain pure and chaste, even though the wife is having sex up a storm with her current lover(s), and he will refuse all other women till that day arrives where the wife wants him back, and when it does the husband will take the wife back and both will start pretending like nothing ever happened. The husband will be totally devoid of any self respect and pride. Fully willing to sacrifice themselves, no matter how desperate they look, waiting for that one day when their former wife's attention to return back to them and they will do anything required to make this dream come true in the mean time.
Not only does this husband start looking into taking back the formally cheating wife, now he'll also usually have a daily reminder of that fact that the wife now has a child(who in this story is named partial after him), but primarly after her lover who split the marriage up in the first place. The child, Karl Jr., isn't to blame, but his mother squarely is.
I "know" the original writer started the character off as needy and desperate, and you didn't have much material to work with in developing his character, but you left him looking needy and desperate in your continuation of this story. The husband sat there waiting for the wife to not have anyone so that he could have her again. That make him look like he has no pride, I mean the wife had her lover's child, chose her lover over him when she said that she would never give him up at the expense of her at the time current marriage, and he totally refused even look into the possiblity of other women. He appears desperate, like he couldn't wait till he could take her back and had no life without her. If he refuses to respect himself how can the reader really be expected too?
This falls under what I love to call reconcilation at all cost, not a happy ending. Happy ending usually end up with justice for everyone, not just one person having a slightly hard life, then getting to start over again. While it was a good story on style alone, the wife 'STILL' ended up with everything in the end. This really wasn't any different than what the original writer did. He gave her everything with her lover, you turned around and gave it all back to her with her previous husband. Nothing changed, she was just now a little older and wiser when you did it is all. Sure she had some rough bumps, but she got to live out her fantasy till it was no longer fun. Then she got to go back to a loving, now ex-husband, who was waiting till she worked it out of her system, and presumably is getting ready to take her back.
Think about it. In the four years you had her working the fantasy out of her life she has gotten her kids back, her sister and her sisters husband have welcomed her back, and now the husband is waiting there to take her back. Wow!! I mean so she got to live her dream till it died and was no longer fun, and now she has to pay no real concequences for her actions after the fact, other than living with the fact that she screwed someone over and he was standing there like a puppy waiting for her once she finshed. Paul doesn't seem to care and soon she won't either. Yep, good times. Good times.
My god it just hit me, she got to have a free "Do over". I wish I could get a few of those in life. I wouldn't have to worry about concequences for my actions if I could do like the woman in the story.
Nope, there wasn't any justice in this story for Paul. All you did was crush Kathy's dream. But you never put in any real justice for Paul in the *slightest*. Other than the possiblity of saying I told you so, but you developed his character without that ability or backbone. You just let him stay loving till she got tired of Karl and then you opened up the door for Paul and Kathy to get back together again and to have Paul help raise her lover child. And during all of this Paul got to be the "Celibate Monk" till she was ready to come back to him.
Yep, gotta say I felt that sense of justice. I think most of us call it irony though.
-Risq
Liked everything till the end
The last little bit an the last line really did not work. So after everything that went on, Paul is going to welcome her bak into hsi life... oh wait not just her but her son with the guy she cheated on him with and wanted mroe then him adn their children... please, I was hoping you would have had him there with a woman, a girlfriend at the least. She might have woken up to what she has done and gottena taste of what she did to him, but it was only a taste.
Anyway good story till that last part, but that made it a bit sour to me
Title should have been 'Kathy's Apology'
I'll have to admit that you did a good job of damage control on Kathy's character. But I simply couldn't buy her supposed sorrow over her divorce from Paul. Anger, yes. Sorrow, no. After all, she insisted on having Karl at Paul's expense. But I suppose you wrote what most readers wanted to hear.
Maybe someone will write a story more along the lines of 'Kathy learns a terrible lesson', in which a a selfish, greedy bitch learns the truth of who she is and comes through it a better person.
?????
Two questions.Who is Justin?What happened to the real Paul,because the one in this story is not the same person,you should have left a good story alone!
consistent... sluts' apologist
great to know some things never change. in all you stories, bar none, husband forgives wife. doesn't matter what she did, husband will always forgive.
consistent but very annoying.
An Ending
Do you really think you provided an ending to this story. Your "ending" begs more questions than it answers.
a much better snding
I read the first ending and found it without merit.
This story is truly in line with real life and more acceptable to a me and my wife.
Thanks for your great effort. This from a senior citizen,vet and disabled who has viewed a few situations.
Good
Better ending than the original but still not satisfying. My ending would have Paul getting over his divorce and finding a new love and marrying her. The original wife would still marry Karl and have a child with him. They would later divorce and she might or might not seek husband number three. I can't understand why the Karl never tried to contact the wife after they were initially separated over 20 plus years ago. It points to some character flaw in him which you ably exploited.
Boyd
Liked It
Just does to show that the grass may not be greener on the other side. Didn't read all of the comments but it looked like 50% liked it and 50% hated it so you must have done good!!! LOL!!!
Forced and trite
Ya wanted a happy ending, no matter how illogical or forced it may be, and you did it. "Hey, let's add the irony that she's the victim! Let's have them reconcile without a single moment between them for years!" Sorry, it doesn't work.
great
as long as he dont marry the bitch again
This ending works
TheCelt,
I like this ending there are a variety of posssible endings, but given the necessary brevity of writing on this site, I thought you handled it very well, AND very realistically. As usual a very good job.
Crapola
Once again, you create a husband who crawls spinelessly like a whipped cur begging its mistress for forgiveness for... what? It doesn't know, but it's begging anyway.
This ending was great
With every good ending with hope and love and foregiveness there is always those who say crap with all this. It is amazing at the narrow minds who find it necessary to always piss and moan when their is a story about foregiveness and love in life that transcends mistakes. They seem to think there is only one answer to being human and making mistakes and that is to get rid of the other person and all of the love that came before. All they do is condemn themselves as flawed human beings.
lancewm, I hope your not trying to lump everyone..
..in that catagory of what you said when you said:
"It is amazing at the narrow minds who find it necessary to always piss and moan when there is a story about foregiveness and love in life that transcends mistakes. They seem to think there is only one answer to being human and making mistakes and that is to get rid of the other person and all of the love that came before. All they do is condemn themselves as flawed human beings."
I personally think its more narrow minded of you to think thats the only problem some of us have with this story. (^_^)
Some of us are also objecting to the fact the husband did nothing but sit on his hands for 4 1/2, nearly 5 years, and do nothing but "Wait" on his wife/ex-wife to finish her affair/marriage and then for her to "realize" her mistake and come crawling back to him looking for him to take her back. Like she expected him to wait for her once her marriage failed. And he was written so that he didn't have anything else to do but wait for her. For "5 YEARS". Thats not romantic, thats just plain sad. For both their sakes. She was out experiencing life and having children with another man, while he hide from it while he was waiting for her. The "Bookend Husband" syndrome. You know, where he sits on the bookshelf of life watching everyone else interact with it, waiting for the day that the wife comes back to him.
He could at least "dated" at some point during those 5 years, he didn't know her marriage was going to tank, while while waiting for the wife in this story. That would have made it more believeable. Instead he was just "sitting" on his hands for almost 5 years, never giving all the other women who may have had something to offer him a chance, waiting for that one woman who threw him way to "one day" come to her senses and come back to him and their marriage. Yep that's more believeable. And he never seemed bitter either. Yep again more believeable. Are you that desperate for a happy ending you missed that?
I'm really suprised you don't see that. Like almost you don't care what the husband's life was like long as they got back together. And you call some of us "narrow minded"
>=)
nice
a very good ending to the story
Wrong conclusions...
Not your story Celt, for I always like your stories and a happy ending is apt for me, an old romantic.
No, I refer to fellow commentators. For an instance, I never came to the conclusion, as others, that Paul just sat and waited for his "Slut Wife" to return.
I would pose the question to others that say this ending is unreal. Do they believe that all who stay married do so because there has been no infidelity? I'm sure many do live with the knowledge that a spouse has cheated.
My best regards.
Why not reconciliation? Whats wrong with that?
One of the most realistic endings I have ever read.
First of all the authors effort was absolutely brilliant. There are a lot of unrealistic cheating spouse stories on this site but this is one of the few which is very realistic. It could very easily happen to anyone in real life. For all those who thought that the husband was wimpy or spineless, I think they need to read this story all over again. As for the development of Kathy's character it was great. You managed to “undo” a lot of unrealistic damage that was done to her character in the previous chapter.
Another reason I post this comment is because there are a lot of people who appear to be so vindictive and absolutely unforgiving when it comes to a cheating spouse. I do not understand it when people say things like “once a cheater always a cheater”. I mean such a statement defies logic. I just felt the urge to bring up some questions which a few seem to even refuse to consider:
• Isn’t CHANGE the only constant in this world. So why do (some) people get all so worked up with the very idea of a reconciliation with a cheating spouse?
• Does this nature translate into how these people deal with everyone else in their lives. Do they go about never forgiving their colleagues, or friends or children or neighbor for any of their mistakes? Or is their opposition to a reconciliation just restricted to a cheating spouse?
• It’s easy to cut your losses, divorce and move on (without even trying to save a marriage) when faced with such a situation in real life. But can you go about life classifying everything into black and white? Right and wrong? Are such people "strong" people? Or do they do so because they don’t have the courage to deal with problems and always want the easiest way out of it?
• In this story Kathy followed her heart and did what she thought and felt was so right. Yes it did not work out for her (in this story) but isn’t life way too short to go about suppressing your feelings because you are afraid of how it might affect someone else?
• Is it healthy to always live life for others around you? Even at the expense of your own happiness? When do YOU (or rather what you want) become more important than those around you?
• Are there one set of rules to marriage and a completely different set of rules to other things in life when it comes to answering some of the questions above?
Wonderful ending
I love the story. She paid the price of her infidelity, discovering that her "dream" wasn't what it was cracked up to be and the man who truly was her prince found forgiveness for her. Tears are falling down my cheeks after reading this story. Absolutely wonderful!
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