All Comments on 'Cafe'

Give her another chance.

Women have different emotions than men do, she came to her senses and wised up before going against he marriage vows, she deserves forgiveness, and she did confess to you

Enough said

She should dump his ass. After all, she already has a pussy, why does she need another one?

# 1 You totally fucked up a strong #5 What a waste of time reading half a story

Barely able to think after reading that. It wasn't awful, disgusting or degrading, just needlessly repetitive and dull. The lack of a resolution finally killed it. Mechanically sound, but any decent writer can get a story here. It's the resolution that matters and you didn't give me one.

Short stories should not have to fill in all the blanks, nor even give us the future. However, leaving it like this is being a weak author. A really well written story that is unfinished by its author. What a waste.

unfinished cuck shit.

Started great but only went half way, good story line and it flowed pretty well.

Finish the damn story don't cop out and leave the reader to guess what will happen.

You had a solid 5 going into the last couple of paragraphs...

People are human and have all the frailties... How many of us have though about the "What If?" If he dumps her after all that has been said... he's going to be the only loser in the end...

Too bad... it was a good story...

What bull shit. Write a story and finish it.

explaining his thoughts and the difficulty he would have trusting her again. The ending could have gone either way from the way he was considering the situation. You simply needed one more sentence, but you toyed with the reader by stopping the story, rather than ending the story. There is a big difference between the two. This is not marked chapter one, so it stands alone. You almost had something, but you showed no respect for the reader when you simply stopped. Not good.

I know you are the writer. This is your story. But if you want this and subsequent stories read you need to finish what you started. Follow through with your new scenario. Please FINISH THE STORY!

Many a tear has to fall when Loving Wives readers don't get the desired outcome from story that we've invested time and vicarious emotions into. As for me specifically ? All I know is that it's all in the game. Story was a fair ride till it wasn't . Hope the LW rookie author finds a way next time out to please both himself and readers. Maybe that will happen and maybe not. Time for piping hot cup of coffee.

Everyone should be happy with the outcome of this story.

Why?

Simple. The reader gets to decide what happens next.

You get to choose, if they work it out, or he walks away. You get to choose the outcome.

All you need is a spark of imagination, and anything can happen. Even an alien space ship could land, and take them to some far off world, they need to repopulate.

The outcomes are only limited by the reader's own limits of imagination.

So if you don't like the outcome, it's only because you don't like the way you finished the story.

And if you don't like the end you've written, write a different ending for yourself.

It's easy. Just think of one.

Everyone should be happy with the outcome? What outcome? There is no outcome. That's the problem. I could write, "Bob and Sally met in a bar, the end." Now, everyone should be satisfied with this story, right? You get to supply the outcome. Writing a story means that the writer tells us what happened. I don't want a part 2, It could only be one sentence. That's what the writer didn't supply, and it is just what I wrote without that one sentence. The writing is good, if repetitive, but without that sentence, it isn't a story.

Interesting ending you did, though I don't think this is a device you should use more than once or it would get annoying pretty fast. In fact, some people already seem to find it annoying.

Pay Attention!

His story, he decides the end. One way or another our dear handy man would have to live with his decision. What he considers cheating may not be the same for her. What happens to him is what happen to any guy with a very attractive and gorgeous wife. Remember marriage won't keep other males away. Other males will want her and they will try to seduce her and take her away from you, especially if there is no kids in the marriage. Love should have been a shield, but do they love each other the same way and with the same intensity? If people can hate in different ways, I don't image that love would be any different. The story was interesting regardless of the end. It was a moment in the life of two lovers, the rest is for the writer to decide. I learned long time ago there's rarely happy endings in real life. We all settle and do things in life we don't always like or even want, and that's why people and Hollywood like happy endings so much. Europeans tend to be more realistic, maybe is the wars that have changed so much people lives and relationships. Asiatic people are more bound to duty and traditions, and frequently act accordingly. True Eskimos didn't care about sharing the wife with guests. So, life is full of different endings and different expectations in life. Personally, I think most people would forgive although not forget and move on, but again, it's the prerogative of the author to choose one ending over another. If he chooses no a no happy ending, then I welcome them to this imperfect world full of imperfect human beings...

Good start, interesting characters, realistic plot and passable dialogue (some a bit melodramatic for my taste ). Then came the end of the story and you shot yourself in the foot. When I invest my time in reading a story, I expect to be entertained through the story line developing and FINISHING.

In the future, just list characters, some setting info and ask your new readers (they'll probably be new as those like me aren't going to waste time reading stuff that isn't completed) to make up their own story.

Won't read your crap again .Didn't your mom tell if you start something finish it .

What a fucking waste of time.

If you can't finish it, don't write it.

They're your characters, grow some gonads and finish the damn story.

don't know if it was intentional but to me she doesn't ring true! sounds like she's lying her ass off. obviously doesn't love him enough if it took her 4hrs to decide? the fact there is a decision to be made means she cheated emotionally.

Hate unfinished stories. And what was she doing between 3 o'clock and the time she arrived home? 6-7 hours to agonize over two emails?

Eight paragraphs describing how they met, and can't give us half a sentence telling us his decision? Especially where it is perfectly obvious that he is going to forgive her. Hell, he even blamed himself for being too busy too busy to notice the changes in her!

Since her car was there, why not go up to her office?

“I can't believe I forgot about it!” – Women don’t forget things like that!

Supposedly she was too busy to talk to him (and I don’t believe she didn’t get the message; or if she didn’t, the receptionist knew what was going on!) but she has time to have coffee with a man who felt comfortable kissing her?

“I know I should have called him on it right away, but it made me feel a little special” – Yes, you should have, and fuck you if it makes you feel special! Would you be okay with him not shutting down some chick coming on to him?

“I was afraid if I turned him in, he would just tell the bosses that I had been participating in that kind of activity as well, and I would lose my job.” – Not really. She has PROOF of what he did, he only has his word.

Why is she so flattered? I can sort of understand with the middle-age mothers, but she still a young woman, surely she doesn’t need flattering?

Here we have the reverse of one of the usual excuses; Usually it’s because they never had that wild life before they got married, and now want to experience what they missed; she HAD those experiences, why should it be so hard to shove them back into her memory banks if she’s so devoted to her husband?

“his parents working to instill important family values within him” – And that included breaking up happy marriages? And his standard for a future wife includes one who would cheat on her husband?

“I thought how much fun it was that this nice, good looking guy was spending time with me” – What is your husband, an ogre?

"And yet I knew that at some point I would have to tell you” – Yet you didn’t, until he confronted you! Would you REALLY have confessed if he never knew?

When she saw the time, she STILL didn’t think to call him, so he could at least stop worrying?

“I have to trust that you won't find someone else along the way that you'll have to spend two months deciding if you want to leave me for them." – And maybe the next time he WON’T win! Right now, she’s still a young attractive woman who shouldn’t need flattery. What about 10-15 years from now, when she doesn’t feel that “hot” anymore?

“I think I believe you when you say those things” – The problem is, she said them before, when he proposed and when they got married, yet this incident still happened.

I don't agree with her quitting just yet. She should definitely file charges against him. I don't care that they're on the same level and that she also flirted, he still took it to an unacceptable level, and even deleted Emails can be recovered, so she has documentation of his pursuit of her.

re:

Her husband is so attentive to her that he didn't notice she was upset?

She should dump his ass. After all, she already has a pussy, why does she need another one?

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Maybe because she:

'did everything I could to try and hide that from you'

That and he appears to be an honest trustworthy man, people generally expect others to act as they act and think as they think.

She had worked to make him believe she was an honest trustworthy person.

Lots of problems with this. first off no ending. Automatic 1* from me. Second what was the basis of his getting pissed off in the first place. he can't get a hold of her at work and someone he never met before tells him that she was at lunch with another man, and that man kissed her. Wow talk about a smoking gun. This reminds me of those idiotic wife thinks he is cheating so she cheats stories. Do you know how unreliable eye witness testimony is. This girl didn't know his wife yet she recognizes her from that mourning. How busy is this caffee. Was she the only women to go in there all day. Just kinda stupid.

Automatic 1 to any story without an ending. Any idiot can write half a story.

I was really confused by the relatively low score. When I got to the place where an ending should be I finally got it.

Flash = just a short, dramatic scene or an event... without much character development... which leaves a much better opportunity for other authors to pick up where the author of the flash story leaves off.

This was interesting in the buildup... but unsatisfying in same way a 3 hour movie (e.g., thriller, drama) without an ending would be unsatisfying.

They should be having great make up sex. I thought you made the husband a little to sensitive. This was not something alot of thought was needed based on the step she had already taken. I could see them going to therapy or something. I thought it was funny that Roger talked about family values, and he was trying to take someone's wife. I would suggest: going to therapy and revealing issues that she has. Let them work thru them, and she gets pregnant. The marriage is stronger in the end. No one would divorce over this. You could have Roger reappear in the story to receive his reward from the husband or some of his friends. He knew she was married and continued to pursue her. He needs to get what's coming to him.

nothing the wife did justifies divorce at all. The actions she took at work BEFORE the confrontation scene shows that even thought she was late she did wake up

Great writing! But I'd like to respond to HDK's comment. While I love HDK's writing, I would look on his "respect for the reader" comment in a different way.

You laid out the facts and the emotions and the remaining issues brilliantly, and could easily end the story if you wanted to. But instead, you assumed (obviously falsely from the majority of the comments) that the reader could be given a chance to THINK on the situation you laid out and decide how they might finish it. Somewhat of a cliffhanger, don't you think, and much less boring than if you had finished it. I think it shows respect for the reader. Well done.

This was a story for a strong 4*, until the writer decided to leave how it ended to the readers. As I always say, the character are his, he had molded them in his mind, so only he knows how will they react. I hope you come back from your decision and finish this story as you have imaged it. If the readers will like or hate your ending is their problem. 2* for letting all us suspended...

This was going fine, but the last line killed it. You were not being coy or clever, you were just shitting on your readers.

but why would I read a story if I wanted to do that? My belief is that a short story is a glimpse into a life or lives for a short period of time. I am not saying the writer needs to tell us what happened after he divorced the wife, or after he took her back. That could be a different scene. But the snapshot this writer gave us has part of the photograph cut off. The writer needs to deliver the scene he is trying to capture with words. This purpose of this entire story was to lead up to a single moment of decision. That decision was sliced from the story, rendering the story very ineffective and disappointing.

and I agree thinking of cheating, acting intimate, is cheating

You apparently don't have what it takes to write a good 'Loving Wife' story. Stick to 'Incest' or at least learn to finish a story. 1*

I really do appreciate all of the comments, and I certainly understand the frustration with not having a completed story. I left it open because I've read enough of these kind of stories in the past to know that no matter how I ended it, half of the people would have loved it, and half would have hated it. By leaving the story open, I've given each reader a chance to end it in the way they would like. I knew it was a risk to do so, and many of you have clearly expressed your feelings that it was a crappy thing to do.

I think I've developed both the characters AND the situation enough that I could actually write two endings to this story and they would be realistic - one that would please the BTB crowd, and one that satisfies the RAAC group. As I mentioned in the end notes, I do have an ending in mind that would be my preference, but some would be upset.

I have actually been thinking of writing and publishing BOTH ways this story could end, because again, I think I could make a point that Shawn would be justified in either choice. I would submit both endings on the same day and clearly label the titles so the reader could choose the ending that satisfied them the most.

But then that really wouldn't be much different than what I've already done. So I doubt that scenario will be attempted.

If I publish an ending, it will be in the form of an epilogue, and will require some further study into the characters in the new life setting. I wanted to delve into the angst that can be present even when one spouse strays but doesn't "cheat" in the sexual sense. That will be taken into account as the epilogue is carried out.

Again, thanks for the comments. If I finish it, I will take each into consideration.

And that is a shame, because you have some excellent writing skills.

I also have enough imagination and skill to take this and finish it

either way, but I wouldn't do that, even with your permission. Neither do you have to. many stories are left to the imagination of the reader and everyone then fills in the ending that they relish based on their lives and desires. The BTB or the RAAC. This really requires neither. I often pull for reconciliation in stories like this but just hate RAAC... this does not fit the RAAC category and could actually enhance the character of both your characters working on this issue together.

The sharpest knives are made from tempered steel and that requires it going through the fire. This marriage has just done that without a disastrous catastrophic incident,and has an opportunity to become a very good lasting relationship if they both agree to work on it, the husband already has on his own and so has the wife.

However remember this if you decide to go BTB (and she is not near the level that requires that or revenge yet) as it involves trust. Trust is as strong as steel and yet it is as fragile as the finest crystal; once fractured or broken, it will never be the same so how do you handle that? That is the question that brings out the real authors and you could be one of those.

I hope this offsets some of the heat coming you're way.... Just take it as a grain of salt. If you please everyone on this site, you ought to be a professional writer with a huge salary.

I only comment like this when I see there is potential for the author and in your case there is, otherwise I watch the rants and raves of folks who need an alter-ego.

Thanks for the submission.

Even without reading other comments, I know I'll echo the motif that likely is in them of 'if you're writing the story, and have a sense of your characters' direction, you should follow it and finish the story. '

Separately, I do have to say the protagonist is rather overly codependent and needy. Keeping track of so many dates in their history and making too much of them passes romantic and instead speaks to insecurity, which indeed is what constantly is portrayed here.

Panicking because you don't get a reply to messages and texts in one afternoon when you knew of no problems before speaks to insecurity again and an unattractive emotional controlling/codependent dynamic. This story did not evoke a mentally healthy individual or relationship. People do lose track of phones now and then. Spouses aren't domesticated animals on leashes trained to respond to every comment and command.

Anyway, thanks again for the submission. The dialog was solid and not too stilted, even if it spoke to being uan nhealthy dynamic. Technically the writing was solid.

Finish the story please!!

I'm sure Roger just didn't go away easily. He wanted a decision from her. This story has much potential to continue either negatively or positively. Their marriage is on shaky ground, no doubt. Finish the story.....

Kept me on the edge of my seat. I feel it could go either way. Probably ending badly. I'd like to know if she did anything more than the emotional bond with Roger, but she's doing all the right things to try.

Hurry with the sequel.

Finish it. Roger the snake must be dealt with, hopefully with extreme measures. 5

re:

Next thing on her to do list should have been divorcing her neurotic husband. Boy did you make him into a first class jerk. This whole story was just too contrived and strained. Hubby makes a mountain out of a mole hill and then rides the avalanche of his misplaced feelings into the ground.

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We have only her word that she didn't have sex with Roger.

This after being out of sight for about six hours.

We also have her own word that she deceived her husband for about two months before deciding that she would stay with him.

It is not outside possibility that she did have sex with Roger and knew that if she told her husband he would be making an appointment with a divorce attorney in the morning to end the marriage she decided to stay in.

All stories that are not BTB are not RAAC.

All stories that are not RAAC are not BTB.

It is possible to simply say that the marriage is broken beyond repair and divorce is the only option without taking any revenge on the one that broke it.

Fuck me, boring, to wordy, and its not even finished, poor etiquette to not put chapter 1 in the TITLE before we even open it. I was expecting a finished story. 1*

it was a 4, maybe a 5 depending on how it ended but as there was no ending it's really a zero but they don't have that in the ratings so you get a 1. If your going to write a story finish the dammed thing.

to win a game you ever entered, TK U MLJ LV NV

As usual HDK shows the most insight. I know I would have mentioned the date to my wife before hand and avoided discovering the wifey's flirtation....?! But given all the information that she gave her husband my conclusion would be that she had cheated emotionally and I would leave everyone chewing on me to take her back.

What time were the e-mails sent? Why didn't she call her husband as soon as she saw the clock? The seven hours makes it sounds as if she had a hard decision...

The writer is playing games with the readers, same as the wife in the story is with the husband. Grow some balls, decide if the husband is going to wind up a cuck or a man, and end the story. As far as thinking what the wife did is no big deal; she could bring home an STD, or another man's child to raise.

Shawn doesn't really carry a legitimate Man Card does he? Pussyman.

The story needs to me finished. As evidenced by the other comments, it leaves the reader unfulfilled. It's one thing to leave it was to be continued vs a cliff ending.

Also look at the time she was supposed to meet her husband and get home. Really that is plenty of time to try the grass on the other side and decide she wanted to stay with him or lie her ass off. There is too much unknown.

You just stopped.

Although the ending was so so. He gave back the number but focused on her having o decide.

She did emotionally cheat. And its a very valid concern why it took her so long to decide.

Many guys would leave her.

Please. Finish the darn thing.

I can understand holding the Ending. Until later on but aren't you inviting oters to make your ending for you?

Its your story so its fucked up that you didnt finish it. I doubt I will invest the time to read you again knowing that you play games. It was a 4 star story until the end. That made it 1 star

was very weak. He realizes that this is a tough category, and often half the readers wind up unhappy with a story's ending, so he decided to forgo the pain an ending creates for the reader. Most of us readers enjoy well written stories, regardless whether a spouse is burned, forgiven, or a combination of each.

He has no balls and no brains. The Cunt is playing with him and laughs at how stupid he is. Once a cheater always a cheater. And not finishing the dam story shows that your gutless.

or I would have really been pissed. If you're going to be an author one of the first things you have to learn is that a story has 3 parts; a beginning, a middle, and an end. Without an end it is not even a story.

A real pet-peeve of mine are stories that don't end. Since I didn't read this one I didn't score it...probably lucky for the author.

There's no real decision to be made if he really does love her despite what the BTB crowd is raving about. Very few people would still remain married because virtually everyone flirts. Maybe wifey went a little too far, but this is not true infidelity. What does hubby think she is, a manaquin? She stopped well short. About the story. It went on and on about essentially nothing.

So she thought about straying. Every man and woman alive has had that thougt at one time or another. She did the right thing and came home.

He is an idiot if he doesn't take her when they get back home. As a matter of fact he is an idiot for even having to think about it over night and didn't take her in there bed last night.

PapaRomantic has created an interesting delicate carpenter/handyman. Instead of chugging his Bud he thoughtfully savors the aroma of his brew. When I was pounding helpless nails I did not cry on the inside, I belched my emotions for all to hear. Humor aside our carpenter says he loves his beautiful wife. There are men in this world that can sell snow to Cheese Heads ( Wisconsinites). We have all seen or heard about the guys that go in to a bar or a bar mitzvah and score almost every time. Some guys are incapable of working with women without challenging themselves to seduce the prime rib.

If our nail beater dumps the woman that loves him after she does not succumb then he deserves to be alone. There is NO perfection in modern life. Shaun should be treasuring his wife, while working to learn from her and their mistakes. Love and marriage are long term projects that REQUIRE a lot of WORK from both parties. So quit whining and nail her.

That much angsty dialogue makes my head ache. This would be more appropriate in Teen Beat magazine.

You said it yourself; whichever way you ended it, more or less half the people would hate it. So instead of deciding how YOU wanted to end it, and take the heat either way you wimped out.

Many of us hated the way RichardGerald ended "Another Love", but at least he had the balls to do it his way, and take the heat.

If you continue this. do NOT post both endings. Pick the one that speaks to you, and run with it!

Either way there is a lot of story left to tell. As others have said, even if they reconcile there is still the sexual harassment to deal with and Roger's reaction. If Shawn DOES dump her, does she try to get her job back, what happens with Shawn? If he's like most LW pussy hounds, once he gets her he doesn't really want her!

In the words of another Author "FINISH THE DAMN STORY"!

suprised he's even considering divorcing her. There were no makeout sessions, no groping, no texting after work and only one brief kiss we dont know how deep. On top of that she emailed the guy letting him know he needed to move on and quit her job before being asked.... in my opinion if he divorces her he's a fool who needs to realize no ones' perfect

that needs to "burn the bitch"? My advice: get a girlfriend for once in your lives.

People aren't perfect and especially the good looking. If the husband is so insecure about this situation perhaps he's not man enough for his woman. So tired of the BTB crowd and their constant need to make someone else as lonely and miserable as they are.

The story seems overwrought. two people overwrought, one with guilt and the other with a juvenile rigidity. Mistakes were made. But, really, not irrevocable ones. Get a pair and accept her apology and move on. For such a strong, sexy guy, he seems very whiney.

Actual cheating is the emotional commitment that I think is ecplained very well in this story. I think he could have more easily forgiven a drunken bed romp than the slow build up into the mess it became that day. Frankly, I think she likely sugar coated the story a bit to keep herself out of real trouble.

I also think it's a cop out not to finish the story you started. Your characters. Their personalities were created by you. I hate when authors do this.

You should have put the statement above at the start, saved a lot of our time reading a story you won't finish. I get we can read for free here, but it's a cop out to make us read an unfinished story because you won't finish it yourself.

This husband has expectations that are too unreasonable. People are not perfect and in reality nothing happened other than a kiss which she cut short. Frankly, I think the husband is a fool if he leaves her, but then again his loss will be some other mans gain and they will thank him for it. Beautiful women get hit on all the time and she will have no trouble finding someone else to fall in love with.

Erin, I've decided to put a bullet in my brain and spare everyone any more of my insufferable sermonizing. Probably too much to hope for.

I think if you have a scenario in mind, write the epilogue. The story was good and had enough emotion in it, or just needs the whole ending. Personally I think he should forgive her, but trust will be hard to reearn. He should really spell out that part at the end for her, that just the fact that she debated for hours, before making a decision, casts quite a shadow on things.

...she'd just cried and said she was sorry. The undressing theatrics might have given him a chance for a close inspection of her pussy....to see if there remained any evidence of infidelity. It was all too plastic-sounding...contrived, if you will.

Oh, and she never explained what was so heinous at work that she had to work so late and all this without so much as a "by your leave" note, text, call, email...to her husband. Not at all a wifely behavior.

In the end, that wouldn't matter as much as her betrayal of the heart in allowing any flirtation at the office at all.

Maybe that sort of thing is tolerated some places, but every place I've worked it was the polar opposite. Anything that could be interpreted or construed as a come-on was grounds for immediate dismissal, if reported....by anybody.

Men had to be so PC and so distant to protect themselves against the eventualities, that at one point at one employer we experienced a high turnover of the female employees.

Several agreed to a survey, as management was stunned and fearful of a class action suit. The "survey" turned out to be an unsworn deposition lasting over two hours.

The conclusions drawn? Most females felt isolated, unappreciated and discouraged at their lack of prospects for "friendship" within the staff.

They slightly relaxed the prior policy and had several staff "mixers" to promote "healthy" intra-gender relations in the workplace.

What a head job that was. I am glad to this day, that I moved on just as this was all ending, as I'm sure I would have found it all too contrived to tolerate.

In the end, I can't rate it because it is unfinished. You have a good set up, but YOU have to finish it, not me.

As you said, PapaRomantic. you won't be able to satisfy at least half of your readers by providing your idea of how it would finish.

It would have been fairer to your readership if you had put your statement about the open-ended nature of the story at the beginning, so that the open end would have been expected and explained. And it would have been preferable if the open end had been spelled out more as a dilemma faced by Shawn (and possibly a dilemma faced by Erin as well) rather than the way it seemed; as a cop-out by the author.

But I liked the body of the story. An insecure man. A tempted wife. The interaction between them was nicely explored (even though her apparent need to remove her clothes was a bit unrealistic).

I wrote a story in which I told the reader at the beginning that my intention was to pose a dilemma and not closure to the story. I was besieged with requests to provide my preferred continuation to an ending. Stupidly, I tried. I can only recommend, PapaRomantic. that you don't repeat my error.

Lue

We all can make convincing arguments for the decision to go either way. The reasons were spelled out crystal clear by the author. Perhaps some personal view point from the reader's own life will sway some point more salient towards the final decision. Terrific writing. An end isn't necessary, but some readers will want a finish to the story. I will look forward to more stories from this author.

please do finish

This is a good examination of cheating. With sex off the table, it allows us to look at the heart of the betrayal. For over TWO MONTHS:

1. She engage with sexual flirting with another man.

2. She engaged in intimate conversation with the man.

3. She strongly considered making it a physical relationship.

In the end, on their anniversary, a day that will NEVER have the same meaning, she decided that she DID want to stay married after all. Without telling her husband she quits her high paying job. Probably at least 50% of their income is gone. All to get away from a situation that she created. There was no talk of her quitting to have kids. She wasn't pregnant. So is she running away from her feelings for this other man? This other man who has such "great" family values that he would convince a married woman to cheat? Who suggests that they fuck once to see how it is? Neither of these two have any connection with values, ethics, morals or moral laws.

Her behavior is extremely unstable. With no children yet, her husband has a very serious decision to make. Leave her confused, cheating ass or override his feelings of betrayal and try to make a go of it. Risk having children with her and possibly live a life of regret if the marriage blows up and the kids suffer. Even if she doesn't cheat again, he will have to live with her insult for the rest of his life.

To finish stories and our job as readers to read them. This non finish story style has been buried by readers in this section since time immemorial. better luck next time. Btw good writing

I liked the story and usually like it to have an ending. I am no expert on writing and still learning how to write a good story. Someone sent me an e-mail to one of my stories that basically said. Don't let people get you down on or dictate how your story should be. It is your story, tell it how you want.

You made a bold move to leave the story unfinished and for those that just have to have an ending, write your own ending. Just don't publish it without the Author's blessing.

I did like the story and gave it a 4. The reason for not a five is, I believe any man that was having the concerns about her cheating, knowing her car was in the parking lot, would have at least waited until she came for her car to see if she was alone or not. As the author stated, the building was locked up, so going to her office was out of the question. I agree with the husband that if she took 5 hours to dwell on what to do, then there are serious problems with the relationship. I myself am a zero tolerance person and would have used the same logic as the husband. Futher trust is the issue here, will he be able to not have doubts anytime she is late, or he can't get a hold of her.

In this case, I would verify every detail in her story. I would probably make her take a polygraph test. If what she said was accurate, then perhaps with some counseling, they could move forward. If she was telling the truth, I don't believe she committed a deal breaker. She may have had doubts but she came back to her husband before anything happened that she couldn't undo. She gets big points for her two e-mails both ending the flirtatious relationship and her job. The stripping thing kind of bothered me. I think she did it more to show she had not had sex than to seduce him to bed. Just seems to be a more plausible explaination.

Breaking up with his wife over this brief situation (ok some of you will call it an affair even though it was not a sexual relationship) would be stupid. Marriage has it's up's and down's over the years and if this is enough for Shawn to leave his wife, he will probably go to his grave as a bitter old lonely man.

It's NOT "just one kiss"!

It's a long-term, escalating flirtation, including unrefuted put-downs of the husband.

It's another man pursuing her that her husband isn't told about.

It's NOT telling her husband until confronted, and we only have her word that she was going to.

I'm not anonymous or lonely or miserable, married 42 years.

But cheating DOES require consequences, not necessarily BTB, certainly not this story. Today's story, "Never is Forever" maybe goes a little over the top, but SOME BTB is surely called for.

Yes the building is locked up NOW, but it was open during the afternoon when he first drove by. He should have gone in right then!

This story is stacked heavily in favour of the husband.

Basically, there isn't a partnership here. It is the husband setting all the terms. He's intransigent: "Do it my way, on my inflexible terms, or nothing." No, while I fully understand the implications of stepping out of a relationship and doing something for oneself, as the wife did, the implications ought to be explored.

The way this story is written, I can imagine she would want to explore something on her own because the husband's attitude would be psychologically stifling in the real world.

Of course, the story isn't written that way. It is full to the brim with the cliches of the tearful wife, remorseful, begging forgiveness, blabla .. the husband completely and totally guiltless in possibly creating a situation that contributed to the wife's behavior. Heaven forbid that the man could have done anything wrong. And yet, the husband's own self-righteous speech is there for all to read ..

It it's own way, I think this story gives good psychological insights into the workings of a mind, but may not be the mind that the author intends in the story.

No, a followup isn't needed. The reader can (i) fill in his/her own preference or (ii) extrapolate from the information given in the story.

Erin may have missed the bomb this time... But never and I mean never trust her again... too close to home... She begged off the first time and i fell for it... I never caught on to her for years later

First of all I would have appreciated the author to finish his work in his own way. That would not have hindered discussions.

Second I think the thoughts of the Shawn has been presentend brilliant and they are deep going. But someone must not think all peolpe are that perfect. Everybody must admit that there is probably not only one person in the world that you could spend the life with. And if it happens to meet such a person, it can cause you thoughts.

What I think is really important is to explain why the wife could get in this situation over 2 month, what were the reasons for her to let the other man into her mind.

I think I would not have separated because in most of the cases a person deserves a 2nd chance, but not a 3rd.

By the way, can somebody explain what means "BTB story"? I am from Germany and never heard this or could find an explanation.

Thanks

In Loving Wives vernacular , BTB stands for Burn The Bitch , but in some stories , Bitch is dropped and Bastard is inserted.

It usually means getting revenge against a cheating spouse.

Their is a story posted today by Magicdan , it is a BTB story , even though its about a fiancée .

I think this situation calls for some time apart. Shawn has suffered for two months being unknowingly emotionally seperated from his wife. I think another two months apart will give the wife some perspective on what he is going through. If the marriage is rocky and can't survive it, then it will be best to end. If she is sincere and her love and trust in him is solid then she will get some much needed insight into the pain she caused with her selfishness. Shawn can use the time to see if his trust issues can be worked out. In the end it is about parity. Too ma ny times I have read stories like this when the cheater. Is soooo sorry and the abused spouse relents and takes them back without any repercussions or emotional growth. The abuser needs to understand what they have done and taste the pain that they have caused. In this manner they have the ability to grow and change. A reconciliation without this is hollow and just reinforces the idea that the abuser can do whatever they like and get away with it.

But the author should have finished the story, a very unsatisfactory ending.

It's not the "husband setting all the rules," or if it is, the rules ALSO apply to him!

Now if HE felt entitled to a "final fling" and was angry at her for the same, you would have a point.

you heard Slir Puff, HDK and others cry out about your ending. You pulled everyone, me included, into your tale so its logical everyone, me included, wants closure.

But of all people Harry provides it for us. There's no reason to see this as a divorce or even temporary separation issue.

Come on, the guy's a real hero. She loves the hell out of him. His picture, her rings were all triggers of the most warm and affectionate things. They need a trip someplace, some special place, a place that, like that table at the cafe will be 'their' place. They don't need a time apart or counseling, they need to build more memories.

Hey, she quit her job! She's got confidence in him as a bread winner. Maybe she's ready to start making babies? That place they go to get closer could be 'the place' where they make that first munchkin, the place that will cement everything.

Hey, I don't know anything... except I liked what I read. Do it some more only finish it it up.

Jedd Clampett (carvohi)

I forgot Roger. Our hero's best vengeance is for Roger to see them happily together.

In my opinion, an open ending still leaves an indication of what is going to happen. No ending leaves the reader hanging in mid air. This is a story where literally one more sentence would have made the difference.

I know LW readers are more extreme than other categories. I see authors warning people against posting here in the forums all the time. Others poke fun at the unhinged trolls and laugh about it. Those who seriously want to post a story here and get legitimate feedback are more often than not disappointed. So I understand the thought pattern of trying to ride the middle. But, at the end of the day, you have to be happy with it. You have to write for yourself first. Forget what everyone expects you to do. Those of us who enjoy stories that don't always fit in the 4.5 star script of success have to live with lesser scores. But you can rest assured that if you write it well enough, there will be more people who "get it" than those who don't.

But don't ever cop out. Whether you choose to give the readers what they want, or you stand fast against the hate mail that comes when you don't, make a choice.

I hope to read more from you. This was really good until the end.

After the build-up, anybody with a bit of imagination can see that this is at least not "BTB" (that would mean love turned to hate) and not "RAAC" (that would mean taking her back without any hardship, which he obviously did not do).

But what bothered me were

A. the inconsistencies of her behaviour: She came home with no intention to tell him the truth (perhaps later and not fully), but she had already quit her beloved job - how and when did she intend to explain this? She did not want to report Roger's behaviour as harassment because she feared loosing her job because of playing along, but in the end she quit the job nevertheless? She described Roger to her husband as a nice person despite the outcome of the whole affair? In her story she did not mention why and when she turned off her phone - obviously before leaving for the late lunch. And she could not really give a reason why she did not turn it on again when she decided to stay late (any loving wife would notify the husband) or at least after she had her epiphany and quit first the job and than the affair. Aren't the e-mails she suddenly had to show her husband something like a "deus-ex-machina" that the author inserted to turn the story around in the end?

B. the stilted dialogues: both wife and husband delivered their speeches (remember: in an emotionally overloaded situation) as if having rehearsed everything several times. Add to that the Erin's theatrical disrobing stunt (if I had been in the husbands role I would have left the room).

But despite these little faults of the story, I rated it 4* and cannot understand those haters who rated it 1 (= total trash) just because the (clearly visible) ending was not written down.

I saw that this story has over 100 comments, so I figured it would be worth reading. Although there isn't really much of a plot here, and the "story" is almost 100% dialog, there are some thought-provoking concepts here. I'm not surprised that it has generated so much discussion.

I've always wondered where the line is drawn for most readers here when it comes to adultery. Does actual penetration have to occur? Do blowjobs count? Handies? A kiss? I've always maintained that adultery has more to do with a state of mind than any physical action, and the protagonist in this story seems to share that view.

That said, he goes a little overboard in my opinion. If someone flirts with your wife and she doesn't immediately report it, is that adultery and ground for divorce? I think most reasonable people would say of course not. That is basically what happened to the wife in this story. She was hit on, repeatedly. She did not reciprocate. Her greatest crime (in hubby's mind) is that she enjoyed the attention, and actually considered sleeping with this guy.

So, in other words, it's a thoughtcrime. We're talking Orwell. 1984. Controlling what people think and feel. That seems to be the mindset of this husband who simply can't stand the notion that his wife could actually be flattered by the attention of another man. Perhaps he would prefer it if she wore a burka or locked herself in a room all day so as not to be ever looked upon by another man.

Although this isn't a BTB by any stretch, this has the feel of the typical BTB fantasy, where the wife is so guilty and repentant she is willing to kneel on broken glass if only hubby would consider forgiving her for her sins. And as with all BTB stories, hubby is a flawless hero of unquestionable morality and character. He's a hard-working blue-collar guy who puts his wife ahead of everything else in life. He even has difficulty with the concept that she ever thinks or acts for any reason outside of their relationship.

At one point, he says, "To me, that is the picture of true love – when you devote your entire being to loving someone so much that you place them in a higher position than yourself." This is his concept of "true love": complete and total commitment. You must devote your "entire being" to the other person and place their interests ahead of yours. Always. No room allowed to be yourself, to pursue your own self-interests, to experience any joy in life that does not include your significant other.

That doesn't sound like true love to me. It sounds like oppression. With such unrealistic expectations of true love, I doubt this character could ever find it. The ending, then, is predictable.

1* shit

The concept of true love being this super natural connection that makes people abandon themselves and completely dedicate their whole existence to their spouse's happiness seems a bit overinflated. Anyone looking for that will be sorely disappointed.

For the record, I blame romantic comedies for this perception. Lol.

I didn't like the open ending either,I understand why,but fear of the reader is no way to write IMO.The story is brilliant in that Shawn has every right to feel as he does and it isn't cut and dried. Her quitting was important,she did it knowing her work caused the problem,but Shawn could also read into the way she did it that she didn't want to hurt roger.His emails went over the line,he persisted after she said no,yet she didn't tell the employer why she was quitting,so she protected roger....if she was truly smart,she woukd know he was over the line,and Shawn could read this as her leaving the door open.She also doesn't quite get the pain she caused,and keeps talking about her hurt.

If there is closure in this story she needs to prove she hates roger,a stupod email means nothing,she needs to tell the employer why she quit, if for anything to tell Roger she is serious. She blames herself alone,which is a troubling sign, it means she doesn't realize what a sleaze he was...I mean,you have a guy tell you about his 'family values' when he is attempting to seduce her from her husband,and she can't see it? The guy writes emails denigrating hubby and she deletes them?I think Shawn sees this and realizes she hasn't put Roger out of her mind,a woman with her brains who understood the pain he caused her would be out for Roger's blood,not protecting him.

I think that if they are to reconcile they woukd need to separate until she finally realized what she did to him and how much Roger cost her.I think she is sincere in her feelings,I think she loves him,but not enough to truly vanquish the demom,she ran away from it by quitting.She likely would have an opening,if a valued employee quit like that,obviously in fear,they wouldn't let it go that easily...not to mention people in the office likely would tell the bosses about Roger the dick. And how come the wife is so blase about the receptionist not sending the message? Shawn is right to doubt her,when she does nothing against the two people who likely are responsible for the pain she caused him...that and the fact she actually had to spend hours thinking what to do tells an unflattering picture of her,that Roger was not just a fling but someone she seriously thought of...

As far as husband getting upset at her not responding, have any of you really been in a loving relationship? If you have a special event planned,try to get the other person,and they don't call,you wouldn't be worried and/or upset they blew you off? You get told she isn't avaluable leave a message,and nothing?

I would hope the author will write an ending,if I did it I would have Shawn walk away to see what his wife does,and if she doesn't walk through fire for him,burn Roger and the bitch receptionist with the bosses,then he will know she was not totally sincere,conscious or unconscious.If she told the bosses it was her fault it should be arrivadierci to her,that would speak volumes about her true feelings

@SKHP - Yes, I didn't catch that about the job! Why quit if the risk of losing the job is her reason for not reporting the harassment?

By not reporting Roger she is exposing other women to his advances.