All Comments on 'Back to Bristol Ch. 05'

It's still a shame there isn't enough published to really get into this story.

This was much better than the last chapter in terms of plot development imo. You still used your signature (and enjoyable) style of revealing bits of the action in conversation/interaction with coworkers or friends but you still advanced the plot. Im not just talking about the action/surprise either. The conversation with the new husband's boss advanced things by having others recognize peter for the lowlife he is. The conversation with the wife advanced things by providing more clues as to her not being as happy as she would have others believe with her current situation. There were lots of little clues and pointers throughout this chapter that revealed the backstory and the current state of things wrt peter's and molly's marriage. <p><p>

The action/twist/confrontation was an added bonus over an above the movement from the first part of the chapter. I also liked that husband was a bit of a jerk (to the ex, not to peter who deserves whatever happens to him) since it shows him as real person and not some kind of perfect cutout. Whether I agree with everything that happened in this chapter or think it was all good doesnt even matter much in the end though. The biggest thing I liked about this chapter was that lots of stuff happened. Almost everything related to the overall story and the situation the characters currently find themselves in (including his thoughts and attraction towards myra).

Thanks again for writing.

Gary, I’m enjoying your story immensely and this chapter held the big surprise of Chris making it with Molly. I do however have some reservations as Molly’s action seems to demean her in my eyes, is she THAT loose in morals? Somehow, I have a sneaky feeling that all is not how it appears, perhaps Peter was not so surprised when he arrived home!

Looking forward to the next chapter

Best regards

Okay, I rarely comment on an ongoing story, unless the Author takes months to post the next chapter, that is.

But this chapter really has me wondering; there are several reasons that Molly could have had for dragging our hero into bed that have subtlety been spelt out in the previous chapters.

1, Molly could still be in love with him and really wanted to bed him again.

2. (And I suspect more likely.) Peter Davis is firing blanks and he and Molly wanted more children.

3. (And I personally suspect the most likely explanation) He has just been very neatly set-up by Molly and Peter, possibly with the help some others as well. From being the cheated on “good guy” in everyone’s eyes, he’s turned into somewhat of a more questionable character, of loose morals!

The right thing for anyone in his position to do, was walk out the door the moment Molly propositioned him. I have just a little difficulty in understanding why he didn’t do that.

Whatever I have difficulty in understanding why he’d shoot himself in the foot like that. But then again - as I keep saying it my tales – very often folks don’t think of the consequences when the little brain takes over. “Yeah well, it felt like the right thing to do at the time!”

DC

....in an interesting direction.

Peter's world is falling apart. The good relationship he had with his boss no longer exists. Molly fucked her ex-husband and his step-children think he's a putz.

So our hero is getting his revenge - a well thought out, manipulated revenge - and at this point I'm not even sure I like any of the characters. Molly seems weak. Peter seems even weaker. The children are brats, disrespectfully making fun of their step-father. Our hero has manipulated everyone's thoughts and opinions, affecting their lives and the only thing he thinks after he has sex with his ex-wife is "an eye for an eye." Nobody has a moral ground to claim. And as this story crawls by, I have nobody left to root for. Can we get a little bit more of action per chapter instead of so many unnessary details? Can we get a clue to where this story is heading to?

Ex-wife or no, I'd guess our hero is in a world of shit over fraternizing with the spouse of a subordinate. I should think he'd be canned for such a stunt but I suspect that isn't the author's intent.

<P>

It's too bad that Chris starts thinking with his dick. Up until the point he bedded down with another man's wife, he held the moral high ground. Now he's no better than Peter.

oh boy. you've done it. you now have Peter feel the anguish. and Peter now have the ammunition to knock Chris off his perch. what would Carole, Myra, Piers, and Jeanette think of him now? and does this mean that Molly really have low moral?

you'll get alot of comment for this chapter. writing is top notch but the twist in the plot will have people shake their heads.

just great

It certainly looks like Molly has her own agenda, whatever it is, it don't look good. Waiting on the next round.

series so far,but I cannot understand some of the negative comments.I don't really like the character of Molly,she seems only to willing to open her legs to move up on the social and financial ladder.Her present husband seems to be on the way down and she is looking for a new(old?) replacement.Perhaps Peter has been selling confidential research secrets to a competitor.Molly having sex with her husbands boss could also cause complications.I wonder if ITI has a morals clause in their contracts?

I love it, I love it, it was perfect. From the superb character development that made it all so plausible to the irony of the parting quote.

I had so wanted Molly and Chris to get back together. I confess, I'm crying This is all the revenge I need. You took me by surprise. It just blew me away. I can't help but think that subconsciously Molly wanted to get caught.

I don't think anyone is going to complain that the story is not moving fast enough now. Spot on, Gary

Gary's writing has really matured. This series is paced better than TGI. As far as content, Chris should have turned her down. He's no better than Elsie now. Molly may be a good lay but she's a skank.

I gave it a 100 for the superb writing, but the plot twist was almost cliche. The main character has risked it all and for reasons not even clear to himself. What would have been amazing is for a character to stick to his moral convictions and responsibility. The wife of subordinate and the step-father to his children, whatever else the man was he was these things, and now Chris is no better, perhaps worse than he ever was. A long fall....though it does show how easily it can happen. I am looking forward to the rest, but I do hope the author can prove me wrong and not let the whole thing be a cliche.

It seems that Peter's actions with Molly are coming full circle. The more that comes out, the more repulsed his friends are. I'm sure that Jeanette had a talk with Molly, hence the payback for his predatory actions. Molly is looking to Chris for forgiveness, but she will not blame herself for her fall. Chris disappointed, but apparently is reconciled that the only way forward does not include Molly. He should not have fallen to infantile temptation that undermines his position of strength. I look for Peter to be divorced by Molly, Chris moves on and remarries, and Peter loses everything and must move in disgrace.

Rather looks like Peter will have something to hold over him.. And Molly knew what the fallout with Peter and Piers and Jeanette was all about.. Meaning, of course, that Chris won't be the well thought of darling of Piers and Jeanette, anymore.. Sort of equal footing.. I really think it was a complete setup by Molly.

OK anyone that has EVER read a comment from me knows I hate revenge sex. And while I can't EXACTLY put this in the revenge sex box, it STILL left me with a slightly distasteful taste in my mouth.<p>

Why?<p>

Because now Chris is JUST as bad, in many ways, as Peter. He has slept with a married woman.<p>

Ok now to some commentators :<p>

Anonymous in kernow :<p>

I liked your three points...and while 3 is more realistic in many ways, there is ONE real flaw, unless the ex has been playing us this entire time with all her 'it's all my fault, and tears and such, i can;t see her going along to hurt her ex-husband, our hero in this tale.<p>

I actually believe it is 1 AND 2...she loves him AND wants to get knocked up, heck he WAS set up, the stockings are a dead give away there...<p>

But hubby just HAPPENED to come along early the ONE DAY they cheated?<p>

Does leave some doubt if he wasn't set up.<p>

Frustrated:<p>

Yup, as a wise ol' friend of mine is prone to say : They are all now in the same lack or morals cell.<p>

Alvaron53:<p>

You know I was actually going 'Oh god no, he will bite you back in the ass for this DON'T!' Even if he wasn't set up, it will come back, eather offically:<p>

'He harrased my wife and made her have sex with him'<p>

OR unoffically:<p>

'I though you where a good man!' yelled Jeanette, "But you're just scum! Get out!"<p>

Nightowl: You might actually have the best thoughts, this way she can be with the on she loves ONE LAST TIME, maybe get knocked up again AND support her man.<p>

Well great writing, but now I have to get my Listerine.<p>

The author has done well with this chapter at leaving the reader with wanting more. the story can go in several directions at this point.

Could his ex-wife have set this little tryst up to just give her current husband something to hold over her ex's head?

Or is she really missing the first husband?

Or is she just a horny slut that gets tired of each husband after some period of time? Maybe her words about the current husband being average size and the ex being somewhat larger would lead one to think about how she knows so much about what is average size?

And what is going on every Wednesday?

I love it! Good Job GaryAPB!

She dresses especially for him, wears his favorite perfume, has him sneak into her house, seduces him, convinces him to sleep the rest of the afternoon, and then Peter shows up unexpectantly. This guy has been betrayed twice by this woman, once as her husband and now as her ex. Now Peter has the upper hand.

I guess I have to go along with the feeling that several have voiced here. I just can't seem him sacrificing his morals and potential professional fallout for this tryst. It just seemed to me like he fell for it much too easily. I have really enjoyed this story thus far but felt like this chapter wasn't quite as good as the others. I do not think that you can have any of the other characters in the story forgive him once things come out. However, I have been wrong in the past about stories who's plot turned a direction I was initially disappointed in so I will continue to read and look forward to each installment.

btw, I am also curious to see what the whole Wednesday's off ends up being about. You don't suppose Peter is doing Jeanette, do you? ;-)

GaryAPB has painted us and himself in the corner. Molly was obviously more interested in sex than commitment or her vows; not that vows can't be abrogated or even broken, if the situation becomes compelling. Honesty and divorce do happen simultaneously sometimes. Chris, the super clever new age guy, suddenly becomes Joe Penishead. Now we have it that Molly, true colours flying, is no longer able to elicit sympathy as the woman who made one error. Chris is now dishonest to himself (Do unto other as you have them do to you, as a mantra chanted by the wronged party after they do the same, just seems to echo back that it was really ok to steal his wife since he immediaely did the same given any opportunity at all, and joined Molly in her betrayal of her announced loyaly (with the marriage to Davies.)

Well, a story that will now end with these flawed characters getting the meaning of honesty and moral behavior will be preachy and the alternative, that they learn to live with themselves, ho-hum.

I hope there's a third way but, if so, it will be a surprise to me as well as to the rest of the reading audience.

All of this moaning about two ex's ending up in bed together. I guess, from things that I've read, that it isn't uncommon. The writer obviously has someplace to go someplace in the story that needs this element. (I have a guess, but I ain't gonna tell!) People, people, people, this is just a story, it is not going to be used to teach morals or ethics to young people. The author has created characters far more believable than most, characters with whom one can understand their ambigious emotions, the issues tearing them apart, even after years. Why do people seem to want the same story over and over. This yarn has been a great read thus far.

Perfection is rare in marriage or stories!

Molly's meeting with Chris seems to me to be about her telling him all those things Chris told her father at the rugby match she never said and perhaps explaining better why it happened and why she continued to see Peter. She never says these things because he interupts her with his stupid romatic fantasy for their breakup. So far as I've been able to see in these chapters Molly is still in love with Chris and wishes she hadn't cheated, but she accepts that she destroyed their marriage and decided to settle for Peter. So consciously or unconsciously she dresses sexy for their lunch. The thing she is hoping to see in his eyes is that he still loves her.

Ok so now I have to say that I don't normally have a problem with revenge sex. If someone destroys your life its fine with me to do the same to them, they deserve it. But in this case it bothers me, mostly this is because I had a higher expectation of morals from Chris. Yes I know that Peter did the same thing to him but what I really wanted was for Molly to go on living a life that was okay but filled with longing for Chris and for Chris to move on to a new love. As I read the part where they began kissing I hoped that Chris would gently push her away and leave, bothered by how easily she broke her wedding vows once again.

This turn of events is, however, a bit more realistic. Chris is a man who has no real hatred of his ex-wife, he puts the lion's share of the blame on Peter. A chance to enjoy closeness with the only woman he has loved, a woman who should still be his wife if life was fair, and that would, as far as he can see at the moment, only hurt a man he thinks is scum is really to much to ask him to resist as a normal human being. And since reality generally sucks, so does this plot turn. Now Chris has lost all the moral high ground he was standing so tall upon and has sunk almost to the level of Peter.

Now that this has happened I can never get behind a reconciliation. If the story had continued with Molly staying faithful to Peter but letting Chris know that she had never stopped loving him, then if we discovered that Peter was up to or had never stopped his slimy ways Molly could divorce him, and that would be the only reconciliation path I would except. Only if Molly had proven that she learned her lesson well the first time, so well that she would keep her vow to a man that was her second choice, would I be able to accept reconcilliation.

This is a great story, well told!

So many things left hanging - so many possibilities! I'm leaning toward Molly finding something out about Peter and/or is acting out her guilt w. Chris. Time will tell (probably). Looking forward to all the future installments. THANKS. drmike

Gary that was so great to see Chris put the screws on Peter I hope there is more chapters coming I would like to read more to see what happeneds now with Chris and Peter and Molly do they work there problems out or does he say to Peter"Well I guess we`re even now you took my wife from me and now I took her back"ha ha

A real fly in the ointment, huh!

Boyd

The WyldDoc and Harry both make some good points. I feel that the reader doesn't have to like the characters to enjoy the story. Chris is not all that likable. What are his intentions? To ruin lives and be the "immoral shit" he feels Peter is? The plot is interesting, but Chris, Peter, and Molly leave a lot to be desired. It's an interesting, but mixed bag.

Chris didn't like what happened to his marriage, But the reason he had such a problem with Peter wasn't him falling in love with his wife and stealing her away. He knew that Peter only wanted to seduce her. Peter only fell in love with her after her had seduced her. Not caring what happened to her and her family. Chris on the other hand didn't go looking for sex with Molly. He was seduced by a woman he was (and still is?) deeply in love with.

great character developement but no one left to root for.

Everyone seems to have abandoned the moral high ground. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

The author's making Molly into a slut who's basically running around on both of her husbands. <p>

I don't think there ought to be any comfort in either man's thoughts where this woman is concerned: she is insecure, needy, slutty, whorish, and she's willing and able to transfer her "emotions" however or whenever she wants, onto any man she fancies or fancies her. <p>

Chris was giddy over the fact that Pete's shooting blanks?! Hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa! <p>

Why is he happy about that? The fact is, if Pete weren't shooting blanks, Molly would be like a female dogs, with half a dozen babies by both Pete and Chris by now, some 10 years into her two marriages to two guys, both of whom she screwed over! <p>

It's now become nothing more than a Plain Bob or other slutty wife story, with all of the endearements, emotions, sympathies, etc. we have for both Molly and Chris gone. <p>

Hell, even Jeannette and Piers would now likely shun Chris, too, just when Jeannette was starting to transfer her likes from Peter to Chris, having recently found out HOW Peter destroyed Molly's and Chris's marriage.... <p>

Oh, well, let Molly slut around, calling both her beloved's, moving from one man/wimp to another, back and forth, and possibly onto a third or fourth man soon enough. Negative characterization....

Harry mentioned something I didn't catch about "British men" which are reflected rather well in this story, in that movie of pretty well known British actors Tom Wilkens and Emily Watson: <p>

It's a bout a woman who fucks both husband (Wilkens) and her lover. She goes back and forth, and all her husband could do is just look utterly helpless and beaten. One time, she goes to Paris with her lover for an extended holiday, to accompany her lover on his racing activity, and her husband HAD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, when he (as some MIGHTY LAWYER FOR THE GOVERNMENT), to see her, when his job took him to Paris some days after his wife and the other man. <p>

The wimpiness of Tom Wilkens' character is SO INTENSE, you actually want to shoot him, when you watch his face, how utterly defeated and yet puppy-faced he exhibited when he is allowed to talk to his wife, at her lover's place. <p>

The last scene being the most pathetic: with the wife having gone to her lover, to attend to him, as he was dying from some kind of a sickness, for weeks, Tom Wilken made an appointment to drop by to talk to her: she agreed to come outside, during a rainy night... But for only a FEW MINUTES, she said. Tom Wilkens' character holds the umbrella for both and he gently, with a shaking voice, implore her to listen to him, giving him a few more moments, to hear his telling her how happy they used to be, and doesn't she care about him and all those things, blah, blah, blah... <p>

Truly, truly one of the most pathetic, man-humiliation movies I've ever seen, with two rather well known/good actors, too. Both British, of course.... <p>

Harry pointed out something about "British men" so I thought I brought it to your attention as well.... It goes wel with Gary's story here... about wimpish English men and the women who screw them over, over and over again, with the guys, taking turns, crying, pleading, and imploring....

I have no idea where you're going with this story, which is a good thing. Leaves me in suspense.<br><br>

What I like about this story is that the characters are ambiguous. There are no clear cut "good guys" here. Chris is not a bad guy, but he's far from perfect. He's considering an office romance, and as we just saw, he has no problem sleeping with another man's wife. Of course, that is mitigated by the fact that this is his ex-wife, and he clearly has strong feelings for her. Yet, when Peter showed up, Chris seemed to forget about anything his ex might be feeling, as his focus shifted solely to enjoying a moment of revenge on Peter. <br><br>

It sounds like Peter was a philanderer until he fell in love. "Fooled around and fell in love," a line from an old song, but sometimes that happens. Now he seems quite in love with his wife, yet she not only cheats on him with her ex --- she does it in their marital bed. Sounds like she purposely wanted to hurt Peter. For ruining her marriage? <br><br>

It sounds like they all have some issues to deal with, and some growing up to do. Instead of his ex looking longingly at him like he's supposed to read her mind, she might want to try actually telling him what she is thinking.<br><br>

Hopefully now Chris will see he's not much better than Peter, when push comes to shove, although I have an idea that he'll excuse his behavior by saying that he didn't initiate it, his ex did, so thus it's once again her fault. Whatever Chris, you did exactly what you wanted to do, just like Peter did, without thought for the sanctity of marriage. <br><br>

I think the one I really like in the story is Carole, the secretary. She seems to have her head on straight!

By the way, I do like the story. It's just that I think all the main characters are flawed, with no one particularly that I'm rooting for. Will Chris end up having a messy inter-office romance with Myra, thus once again choosing to do what he wants, rather than "follow the rules"? It's the ever-shifting morals of the characters that makes this story interesting to me. The excusing of behavior for yourself, while holding others to a different standard.

And I always thought that the first lesson taught in

Managing Director School was that you never play with

your subordinates or their SO's.

I liked the underwear citation. Especially when Jack was

thinking about how rarely she used stockings for him!

I reiterate that the author is the one who knows what he

wants. But just on the off chance I'll vote for she wants

to have another baby related by blood to the two she all

ready has. But with only one shot it will be tough Caroline!

This chapter made Chris flawed and human but it didnt make him a bad guy in the same league as the ex or peter. I, for one, am very happy that this author made the lead character a real person instead of some superhuman, emotionless, droid type who was willing and able to act without the influence of negative emotions at all times. <p><p>

Some people seem to think that unless a guy is perfect, that he is evil. Its no wonder the commentators in this genre get so much flack for not having any sense of perspective, and for being to ridged. Here we have a bunch of people who seem to think that Chris is just as bad as Peter because he screwed his ex after she threw herself at him. He is the same as an amoral little shit who giggles about pursuing married women and fucking up marriages because he was still angry over what was done to him. He is the same as an office Lothario, or worse yet, a boss who uses his position to coerce female subordinates into sex, just because he is attracted to a coworker. None of these things are even remotely true and bitching at the author to make the ex into an automaton is only going to hurt his stories if he takes your advice.

The whole premise has been Peter's seduction of Molly and how his selfishness broke the family up. Now, numbnuts here, Mr. Managing Director has done the exact same thing. He no better than Peter and any sympathy I've had for him went out the fucking window. Peter should sue his boss for sucking HIS wife and for alienation of affection...and include the drycleaning bills for good measure and toss the cheating bitch out on the street.

It's beginning to sound like time for both men to cut their losses and move on. I believe if I were Chris, I would see if Myra was interested.

Looking at it objectively, Chris has good reason to be unhappy with Peter but in the end, attractive women are hit on all the time. Attractive women konw how to send "UNAVILABLE" signals and they also know how to discourage pussy hounds like Peter. The converse is also true in that they know how to signal availability. In the final analysis, it was her decision to screw Peter and it was her decision to throw that bit of information up to her husband.

On the other hand, Peter, while he only wanted to screw her in the beginning, fell in love with her. It's hard to imagine why since he had pretty convincing proof she was willing to spread them for someone else given the right incentive.

How do supposedly intelligent readers see so much of life in black and white?<BR>

To claim Chris has lowered himself to Peter's level is laughable.<BR>

Let's get real here - Peter started the ball rolling. Chris didn't at any time set out to seduce Molly, it was precisely the other way around. Why should Chris care one iota for Peter's feelings, given Peter's treatment of Chris and his marriage? I think the episode <I>maybe</I> tells us more about Molly than any of them - she has now screwed around on both her husbands, <I>seemingly</I> without good cause.<BR>

There are multiple possible reasons for everything that has happened so far in this story, but too many of you are so sure you already know it all.<BR>

Maybe Molly knows a lot more than we do ahout how she came to be with Peter. Does she love him? Did she ever love him? If she loves Peter so much, why does she spend the anniversary of her wedding to Chris away from Peter?<BR>

I guess we are about half way thru this story, and there is a lot more information we will get before it ends.<BR>

I'm prepared to wait for the last chapter before I crucify any of the characters.

I don't recall reading so many comments where the responders try to predict the story development and evaluate the main character's actions based on what they perceive the next installment to be. Before I realized that this chapter was at an end, I expected that the wife was using her ex-husband to get back at her husband for his seduction of her and the breakup of her marriage. To blame her ex-husband for the new adultery seems unfair since every step of the day seems to have been orchestrated by her. Does she expect some sort of action from one of the two men? Does she expect her ex to try to get her back? Does she expect her present husband to divorce her in anger, so that she can go back to the ex? I'm not sure what is coming (I wish I could write well enough to construct an interesting plot), but even though this story has had too many chapters with very little taking place, I am anxious to see where all of this is heading.

If someone has already said something like this, I apologize, I have not read any feed back for the last two chapters.

I think that Susan is behind the break-up of Chris and Molly's marriage. A couple of things bring that to mind.

When she realized that Chris was going places, she started in on Molly, somehow getting her start doubting Chris and to believe that she needed to stay around her and Ralph. Maybe she paid Peter to seduce Molly.

Susan's reaction and words to Chris picking up his sons seemed a little over the top. I think that she started bad mouthing Chris after the divorce saying that he was a bad husband and father, and that comes from the conversation Ralph had with Chris at the football match.

When Chris mentioned private school to Molly, she said that Susan may not like that...? WTF? How is Susan's business what Chris wants to do?

I also think that Helene is going to play some part coming up. She is mentioned too many times. Also, I think that Carole and Helene know each other. Carole has just too much information. I also believe that Carole knows either Stephen Parkinson or his PA, Pamela. Carole just knows too much.

I am thinking that Chris and Molly will get back together. I am also thinking that Chris should leave Myra alone. What he is doing is bordering on sexual harassment. She is too raw from her break-up, Chris should at least ask her if she wants to start dating again before he makes a huge mistake.

I think Molly set up the seduction knowing that they would be caught by Peter. I am thinking that Jeannette may have said something to her as to why she does not want to be around Peter anymore. Molly had to get some kind of information to seduce Chris as she did.

Anyway, this is just an theory..

Gary, you are doing a superb job...I look forward to more chapters. You make the whole story so far, tantalizing.

carol was right shit happens get over it thanks

But you need to go back and reread the story. Dont just look for quotes to support you preconceived notions, read what the author wrote. Its almost the exact opposite of what you are calling everyone stupid for not getting.

<p>Everything except with the joke. And Yep I did get the joke Harry, but that kinda of joke usually is seen as a dual edge sword if and/or when the Author is English too. =P But I got that you were trying to insult the character "Chris" and not GaryAPB.</P>

<p>But Harry does have a few points. And I agree with him, I thought the same thing. The only thing I was waiting for was the other shoe to drop, like they were both setting him up to make everyone now see him as a worse human being than they already did. I mean everyone assumes in the story the marriage broke up because it was all his fault regardless of what he says. He lets everyone walk all over him left and right and say what ever they want to him about it, and he takes it in stride. So I was waiting for Molly and Peter to say "gotcha" and them use that to make Chris seem like an even worse guy to everyone else.</p>

<p>But even if Molly doesn't, and she wants him back, doesn't it seem like Molly is getting the best of both worlds? She had a loving husband (who might have been working too hard to support the family), but then she takes a lover. Then she marries the lover and lives with him for four years. Then when everything doesn't work out with the lover, she decides to call in her <i>hedged</i> bet on the ex-husband and try to get him back with seduction and making him feel like he's missing something from the good old days (a total recreation of their living room, from their married days together?? And Peter never knew this??). No, Molly apperars to be getting the best of both worlds <b>if</b> she somehow gets Chris back, as for some reason, right now, to me it appears this story is going to put them back together. That the story appears as a love lost and love regained theme or something. I could be wrong, but it feels that way to me for some reason.</p>

<p>But minus the joke (sorry Harry, I swear this is the last jabe at you on it (^_^)) I have to go with Harry's points. While it's an entertaining story, it seems really kinda hard to root for anyone at this point. Whether it's the guy who stole the wife, the wife who married her lover but appears to be having regrets and is angling to get her ex-husband back, or the ex-husband who can't seem to leave his ex-wife alone and keeps going back for seconds in humliation.</p>

-Risq

Sometimes I wonder if half the fun on this site isn't generated by us knuckleheads trying to tell the author which way his/her story is going (or should go). One reason I like Gary's stuff is that he plays fair - the clues are there, if you can spot 'em. By the way mullah, I THINK the remark about Susan not liking the idea of private school is based on her being unable to see them due to her travel phobias. I also think your idea of Susan being responsible for the break-up just might be right on target. Gary tends to go about 10 chapters, so there will probably be a few more curves coming up.

I like the story pace, and the day by day updates. It allows the time for the speculation and comments we see here. Everyone sees things a bit differently, makes good points, and picks up on different things. Truly enjoyable - the story and the comments.

I think this chapter shows that Chris is human. From what we know, Chris truly loved his ex-wife, and still does. Given this fact, his actions are believable. While it may not have been the smartest thing to do, he still has a deep passion for her. When emotions are involved, many of us do not do the smart thing. I know this from personal experience. As far as his reaction when Peter caught them, I can empathize with Chris’s reaction – you ruined my life, now I just screwed yours. Once again, not the smartest thing, but a very human response.

Molly is still a mystery at this point. We have clues to her emotional state through things she has said and things other have related, but we do not know anything about her motivations. Where is her mind? This remains to be seen.

When he was going through the boys area, he found a stack of magazines with a five year old penthouse. It seemed out of place unless foreshadowing was the intent. Five year old penthouse – a clue or am I stretching?

nvjoe

I think Chris said all along that he didnt like Peter and would get revenge if he could. Its also been clear from the start that Molly was still in love with Chris and that there were some extenuating circumstances wrt the Peter incident. <p><p>

Saying that Chris is going against his previous words/actions and that Molly is just a slut who will screw anyone when she gets bored isnt supported by the text the author wrote. I dont know what is going to happen any more than the next guy, but I dont think some of conclusions being reached are supported in the text to this point.

For me, one of the marks of a good story is the extent to which it makes me think about the characters in the hours after I read it. I read this chapter last night and have thought about it a lot since then.

One of the things that I like best about this story is the level of nuance that Gary has created in his characters. Gary has made his characters very complex with enough flaws to make them very real and believable. They are perfect for the type of modern tragedy that he is writing.

In my opinion, Gary is telling the tale of three people who are miserable. Perhaps, what is most tragic is that the situation they are caught in is one of their own making caused by their own character flaws. There is enough in the story to make you feel both disgust and pity for Molly, Chris and yes, even Peter.

Gary seems to be implying that the seduction of Molly was a life changing event for Peter. He began his seduction of her in a callous fashion with no regard for the damage that he would cause to her or her marriage. But the unexpected happened and he fell in love with her. That was the beginning of his nightmare as he started to reap what his prior actions had sowed.

As for Molly, I suspect that we will find out that the affair started for some trivial reason, probably selfish, unrelated to her feelings for Chris. Yes, she admitted that she had "deep feelings" for Peter, but I truly doubt that it ever reached the level of love. It certainly never reached the depth of emotiobn she felt for Chris.

Yet, she is stuck with the realization that it was her actions that drove the love of her life away. It wasn't until her guilt made her confess that she realized how much she had hurt Chris. This also started her nightmare as I strongly suspect that she continues to love Chris, albeit in a hopeless fashion.

The combination of Peter and Molly seems doomed to unhappiness. Gary has dropped enough hints to make me think that Molly has been subtly punishing Peter for the last four years (either conciously or sub consciously) for her actions in destroying her marriage to Chris. The decor in the house; Peter's comment about Chris being a hard act to follow; her constant praise of Chris to both her kids and other; even the behavior of the kids lead me to suspect that in myriad ways she is holding Peter up to the mirror of Chris and finding him wanting.

This is almost enough to make me feel sorry for Peter. I can't imagine the subtle torture it must be to love someone only to realize that you will never meet their expectation or match up to the prior husband that they have placed on a pedestal. For a "player" like Peter, this must be hell on Earth. Although, I must admit that it is a very apt punishment for his prior behavior.

Finally, there is Chris. Gary has written him as a stereotypical emotionally repressed upper class Englishman. While it is obvious that he loved Molly deeply and was devastated by her actions, his desire to "keep a stiff upper lip" are playing havoc with his ability to be happy. When he learned of the affair, he immediately jumped at assumptions (for example his assumption that Molly was in love with Peter based on his interpretation of the statement that she cared deeply about him) and shut himself off from any hope of resolving the issues.

Enough of my efforts at predicting Gary's reasoning. This is one hell of a story and I can't wait to see where he takes it.

CCM

The story getws more confusing all the time. Mollie requests critical lunch meeting with Chris. and then does not appear to have any critical issues to discuss other than to tell him that Peter and his boss are at odds. She then appears to try to seduce Chris in rather cofusing scene in which she seems to want to get to a serious emotional point, but never gets there. She then almost drags him to bed in her home and even when Peter catches them in bed she" looks pleadingly at Chris" and says nothing while Peter is shocked. Sorry, the story is too confusing for me, but I can't stop reading.

60 year old George

I wasn't going to comment until I finished your story but I had to let you know how much I am enjoying it. For the life of me I don't know how you can maintain this intensity for another 17 chapters.

Where you going from here? Seventeen more chapters, this is going to be good. I started reading this because of when we were married. So far it is not even close, you are good.

Chapter 05 wasn't quite as good as as the first four chapters. Molly's unwillingness to speak her mind is, at the very least, frustrating and inexplicable. Chris' actions concerning this unwillingness clash with the character revealed in the preceding chapters.

Do you actually copy all your stupid identical comments to everything you read ?? Do you actually KNOW what have you written?

"elsie" got what he deserved-and so did molly. it's a great scene. it's also a fabulous, well-written story. it deserves ratings in the 4.8+ range.

He was set up. Molly is as always a selfish Cunt. No man can be hat stupid. He walked right into their trap. This story is now beyond pathetic

What a wonderful novel you've written here.

If I were Chris, I would now be thinking of Molly as a serial cheater. I might not wonder what I had done wrong in the marriage, anymore, but rather how many other wrongs she had done about which I had never had any clues? I'm not liking Molly very much at all, right now, cheating on two husbands, even though I don't like one of them very much at all.

She's a slutty cunt. He should not have slept with her, she is a everything a wife shouldn't be. Just plain nasty..

He SHOULD tell her why Peter and Piers had a falling out. If it makes her uncomfortable, TOUGH, she SHOULD be uncomfortable. If she decided she loved Peter more than Chris, she should have asked for a divorce before becoming involved with Peter. She CERTAINLY shouldn’t have fucked Peter while presumably happily married to Chris!

No way should he have sex with her, then he’s no better than Peter, even if he has no intent of stealing her back, or that it is her invitation and that it is supposedly just going to be the once, it is still WRONG!

He should tell her, that if she wants him, she has to leave Peter.

And let’s not forget, he is fucking a subordinate’s wife! He who was so worried about proper procedures!

I agree with Karen ...again. Chris was an OK guy UNTIL he slept with a married woman (his ex was married to another guy.) He lost some credibility for that. Have to move on to the next chapter.

Most interesting. It does annoy me that Chris keeps on saying 'oh well, they fell in love', as if accepting the inevitable. So what, she betrayed him and he destroyed their marriage. Falling in love is no excuse for doing that.

Not bothered that Chris slept with his ex or she with him as they were both manipulated by asshole Peter and as a result the second marriage was a sham not to be respected.

22 chapters of this bullshit, I'm outta here, how the fuck did this get written without the author passing out forever.

I think it's obvious that she planned on having Peter discover them together. I'm sure we'll find out why soon enough. My guess is that Peter has someone on the side and she's tired of it - also, I think he pulled some crap out of his hat way back when he first seduced her and she's finally having second thoughts - we haven't heard the whole story about what happened there.

I shall be kind, just 1* !!

Perhaps now that the short-brains have departed the rest of us can get on with enjoying this fine story.

I had forgotten this part. Really loses the moral high ground for our hero, dunnit?

Thou art a slut my exwife?

and the beat goes on and down, TK U MLJ LV NV

An awesome bit of payback! I forgot just how good this story is!

Best chapter yet. Comments maybe better -- I laughed my way through them.

It's ridiculous to say Chris was knocked down to Peter's low level. Chris is not going to seduce any married woman UNLESS it's his own ex-wife (even her he did not seduce, but she seduced him. Even then, he succumbed only reluctantly).

It's also ridiculous to assume that Molly would cheat with whoever. Molly is not going to cheat with anybody UNLESS it's her own ex-husband. To me, cheating on Peter was not as bad as when she originally cheated on Chris.

Frankly, I had a sense of glee that Chris did to Peter what Peter did to Chris. This does not make Chris (or me) right -- it just is.

Matthew 7:12 is misused. It says, "In everything treat people the same way you WANT them to treat you" (NASB). Chris is acting like it says, "Treat people the way they treat you. " But, heck, I suppose that's close enough for Literotica.

Exodus 21:24 (partly alluded to in comments) "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot" (the law of retribution), would seem appropriate. However, in context this is a ruling for judges to carry out (ie. court inflicted penalties), not personal justice (as shown by Matthew 5:38-39). In other word, you had to take the guy to court to get this ruling. The judge would have to say, "He fucked your wife, so now you fuck his wife.". Except not going to happen because the Old Testament penalty for adultery was death (Deuteronomy 22:22).

Paul in Oklahoma

Is a dish served cold!!!! Love it.

...so much for the moral high ground. Congratulations, Chris. Peter blows up your marriage creating instability and uncertainty in your son's minds. And now Chris puts a bullet in Peter's marriage. Bedding the wife of a subordinate, no less. Whatever respect I may have had for his character has been thoroughly shredded. Truly, what a lying, hypocritical ass!

I hope Carole with an e slaps his face so hard he'll be feeling it into the middle of next week.

SoMike

That was a surprise!

Of course It was wrong

to fuck his ex!

Morally and physically wrong!

But Peter coming unexpectedly

early home, turned this into

the perfect revenge!

Give Chris a few Hail Marie's

at church, for repentance

and he can finally start to heal.

Give him a break!

He doesn't have to be perfect

for us to like him.

What a rush this chapter was!

Top ratings from me.

I'm torn, I was really hoping he'd take the high road, I guess? Then again, shit, I'd never been in a situation like that so can't say for certain just what the hell i would do if confronted with it. As a guy i do know one thing though, and that is without a doubt "A hard cock has no conscience" and "hind sight is 20/20"

Yeh, not nice but so what! Peter the POS deserved it ha ha.

Its rather funny, she a slut, can't stop it. I would keep away from her, at all costs. She is dangerous, not much of a mother, grandparents get most of it, or housekeeper. She should have warning signs attached.

This has so many things wrong with it that I don't even know where to start. The formerly likeable hero is now on a level with the despicable wife stealer, his former wife, who might previously had some redeeming qualities, is now a proven slut. Even in a backward country like England, screwing the wife of a subordinate is certain to end your career permanently. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???

lost me turning him into the asshole. and is this a LW story or a story about very bad business. the business dialog is so bad, u could have at least segregated the dull stupid business crap from the LW part. so i could have skipped that crap

So, she was a willful slut?

No respect for Molly now... no self-discipline, no honor.

And Chris, not sure there. A good man would have said NO, but he is obviously still in love with Molly.

Worst is that I now feel sorry for Peter. He had started poorly, but changed and loved his wife. Payback maybe for his past deeds, but did not deserve to be treated this way by his wife.

Big upsets in Bristol.

Will require some delicate handling by author

Absolutely fucking beautiful.

She planned the whole thing!!!!!

This is such a great chapter, but Chris really missed an opportunity here.

He should've screwed Molly senseless, spending the entire afternoon in a debauched fuckfest to remind her what she was missing. Chris should have been balls-deep in his ex-wife and making her cum her brains out just as Peter walked through the door.

To really make sure it had the right impact, Chris just needed to spice things up with some dirty talk. A few comments about how tight Molly was and that she must've been missing his big cock would've set the tone nicely. Utter humiliation was definitely the order of the day.

After ripping the douchebag's heart out, simply tell the ex-wife exactly what she wants to hear... that he forgives her and wants to try again. Then move into Peter's home while the divorce drags on, playing happy families while the heartbroken asshole is stuck paying the mortgage and living in some dingy motel.

Anyone feeling sympathy for Peter is crazy. He was a predatory slime ball that slowly seduced Molly, then fucked her while she was drunk. Peter didn't give a shit that she was married, or that she had two kids... he just wanted some pussy. He absolutely deserves this payback.

The problem with firing Peter because he didn't do anything illegal, don't they have morals clauses in England? Of course it could be used against Chris but if they had fired Peter for morals and ethics issues he'd could have said no to Molly at least until she was divorced, again. It's called Karma, Peter, and in your own bed. Seems to me that all of the signals Molly has been showing to everyone pretty much from the beginning is she knew she was making a mistake leaving Chris and marrying dickwadd but she didn't see a way back. The boys had him figured to a 'T' too. Things are going to be a little tense for dickwadd at work, but he's always got his Wednesdays.

"On it was written: Little Cock, this was written three times. The L and the C were underlined." Or as we used to call it, LDS (Little Dick Syndrome). Signed: BTW

I wasn't going to comment until the last Chapter but I saw it coming like a freight train when she took him upstairs. I new there was a setup coming it was just so perfect. Chris just has to figure if Molly was doing it to get back at Peter for destroying her first marriage, or cheating on her with someone else. The question that must be answered is WHY?

Cute, an eight year old coming up with Elsie as a name but it was really L. C., as in L-ittle C-ock. And when did eight year olds start reading Penthouse?

I loved the Matthew 7:12 line.

Brilliant, but Molly still hasn’t said her piece. Until Peter appeared, I expected Molly to get pregnant… and Peter would know it couldn’t be his.

Well this was an amusing chapter. First I thought IF the wife still loves her ex, she is truely cought between a rock and a hard place:

1. She cheats on her current husband with her ex, hence prooves to be an untrustworthy slut and therefore putting any reconciliation in the rubbish.

2. If she doesn't cheat on her husband with her ex and simply goes for a divorce, then she will need to explain why she only cheated with Peter and why she immediately married him, which would significantly hinder a reconciliation.

It appears to me that only with option 2 the wife has any real chance of reconciling with her ex. But then the author surprised me by frankly by simply making them jump into bed with eachother without any elaboration why he choose to compromise on his moral values so suddenly... Seems Mathew 7:12 is now also applicable to the ex and hence he cannot claim the moral high ground anymore no matter how little that yielded him in the first place.

Sad really. Within 5 chapters this is the first time the author seems to simply have done a rush job to progress the story line.

Damn its a great chapter then he had go and become no better than Peter

What class acts the both of them are.

Yeah pound to a penny she knew what time her hubby got home, what her plan is, well that’s anyone’s guess.

Well... Chris deserved every devilment that happened and happens to him... he is no better, even worse than Peter... I hope the story ends up him rotting in hell.

Now he is borked.

She did this on purpose. Payback’s a bitch.

At last, sex but,

That, of course, is not the clear and obvious meaning of Matthew 7:12. The situation is both a stupid and a clumsy inversion of the meaning as quoted. Unfortunate placement for such an ill advised throw away line.

I believe she set Chris up, so he'd knock her up, since Peter is shooting blanks and has been for 4 years. After all, she really wanted more children than the 2 they had together.

I thought this was a good chapter though, as it's setting up for some things to happen soon. It also explained why Susan didn't really like Chris, as she was worried he'd take Molly and the boys with him since Susan doesn't fly. Ralph let Chris onto that little item (filling in a gap) and why she was kind of hostile to Chris after he came back.

Women are so controlling and men are so dumb. Sorry, it was a little telegraphed though. Never, ever trust a woman; they will lie, cheat, manipulate, all for selfish reasons. Sleeping with her was quite possibly the most stupid thing to do, not only because it has just made your life so much more complicated but also because you have just lost the moral high ground. Now, you are just another slimy, philandering, marriage wrecking creep.

WTF? At first, I thought she just wanted to be bred. Now? That bedroom scene should’ve been highly erotic, if nothing else to throw us off, but it isn’t.

Still here! :-) And that was bloody genius! Sadly the comments are just the same ol' same ol'

A note to author, I haven't looked at the text itself, but assuming you are using quotes at the start of every speaker, and new paragraph, sometimes it is very difficult to tell who is speaking what. An occasional reference to who is speaking, maybe indirectly, what they're sipping or behind them, besides their name, would help us know who the saying.

I'm listening to this with a higher quality voice on iPhone's text to speech and it's working pretty good.

My theory is that she's not happy, something is missing, and either consciously or subconsciously, she wanted Peter to find her in Chris's arms.

Duuuude our boy Chris is so gangsta in this chapter. the Bible verse made it such an epic take down.

Funny how moralistic nobshites forget all about such things when it comes to revenge.

Just makes the Inteligent among us realise how self serving morality is for most people.