All Comments on 'Can People Change?'

What a wonderful story!

Boyd

It was very quiet. The waitress came and I gave her a credit card for dinner. Marie looked at Krystn and said, "Having Nick there will ruin the day for Momma and for me. He ought to see that and not be there." <p>

"What would he need to give you to have you stay home?" Krystn asked. <p>

"I wouldn't stay home! You're my daughter! I want to be there when you get married." <p>

"I feel the same way. For twenty-seven years your Mother has disliked me. To my way of thinking she plotted and ended our marriage, not my time in the service or my injuries. It has come down to her deciding either she will be at Krystn's wedding or I will. Now, I put it on you. I'll tell you what I will accept. I will stay away on the day of the wedding if you show me an amended court order stopping the alimony forever and if you spend a weekend in bed with me, having sex with me." <p>

++++++++++++++++ <p>

I suddenly stopped here, no longer able or willing to read on. It's fuckin' idiotic, Scorpio! <p>

For a "man" to be bargaining --- NO, to be BEGGING --- an ex wife to cancel his life time alimony to her, and to spend one week --- that's 7 days! --- closing her eyes so he could put his little dick in her old vagina, to appease, to compensate him, for her BARRING him from his daughter's wedding, because his showing/walking her down the isle would "ruin" it for the gold grandmother, with whom the dickhead had called hundreds of times, on the phone, over the last 10 years,,,, only to be told "NO".... <p>

the story is beyond credibility at that point. i don't really care if the wife, after all these years, said: "Oh, honey, I have been so stupid, so blind,,, I will suck you dick, even in public, if you demand, for the rest of your life,, and wipe your butt every time you go to the bathroom",,,, there's NO FUCKIN' way there's any intelligence, sense, sense of honor, credibility, manliness, or self-worth within such a dickhead as this man. real or not...

I think this is the definition of why people should be married.===="When you want lobster a turkey sandwich just won't satisfy. I wanted the sex with her to do for me what sex with you does for me. It didn't. Please, come inside."

The commentator below stopped reading the story before it got started. Nick knew something this reader didn't. He knew his ex-wife. He knew that if he could get her alone and remind her of why she married him in the first place, that love would win out. And it did. The only bone I have to pick with this story, is the Leopard changing it's spots at the end. I am all for reconciliation with the ex. But with the mother-in-law? God would have to come down and ask nicely before that would happen. Still one of the best reconciliation stories I have read.

Can we say throw mama from the train!! That woman reminded me of my mother almost. My mom just has never taken it that far. However, when she gets started we tell her we're gonna throw mama from the train and she corrects herself. Very good story and I adsolutely adored the Lobster and Turkey sandwich comparison. I love lobster and cannot be paid to eat turkey. Keep up the good work. The Princess

My mother-in-law USED to be like this. I was never any good for my wife either. BUT my wife is a stronger person than Marie, and basically she told her mother where to get off. The first 10 years of our marriage my mother-in-law didn't speak to me at all. But again My wife and her uncle sat her down and told her not to be so stupid. Now we get on okay. In fact sometimes I think she tries too hard. so to answer TOS2's question yes women like this CAN change but only when someone, Marie for instance or MY wfe for the second instance stands up to them. Good story and it brought back memories.

Enjoyed the read, but two things bothered me.

One, what was the motivation for Elaine to hate Nick so much?

I know it was only in her head, but some remark, seeing as her husband was in the military as well, that he reminded her of her husband, or something would have been nice for us to understand her hatred.

I was surprised when you finally wrote a scene with her mother in it, that she wasn't the ogre we were led to believe. It was a bit anticlimactic. Her changing her spots was abrupt as well, again if we had understood why she had her hatred of Nick , we could have accepted the change in attitude, but we don't.

All in all I enjoyed the story and was glad for a happy ending.

They can if they have to, or are put in situations in which they have no choice but to. I liked this piece; the writing was, of course, as good as ever. It was true and realistic, something that could happen in the near future if I ever decide to take the jump. I could relate to it. Thanks for sharing(: <3 L.

Thanks for the great story, some days are better than others and today was a good day with some good stories. please keep writing.

I don't see how Nick could ever forgive his ex-wife's mother for what she had done to his family.It's probable that Marie would be naive enough to believe her mother that Nick was bad for her, but with all of the time that pasted she should have questioned her own feelings. This is still a well written story and I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the post....Rich

I covet Nick's patience. I think I would have thrown Momma off the train. As the the total change at the end, who knows, maybe her priest read her the riot act. Winterfrog had a story about another evil mother-in-law (Faith, Hope, Charity, and Cheating) and I think his dragon woman was more credible. Very good story, though.

A person like that might change over time but would not in an instance change. I will agree she might show up at the wedding, not wanting to miss out on the pomp and circumstanse with regard to hers. Yes people can change but ti takes motivation, determination, and much hard work. Of course there are few atheist in foxholes with bullets and shells flying.

Pretty good writing and a nice romance. I think this family needed an "intervention" a long time ago! There is a little joke, "What did Adam like best about Eve?" Answer: "No mother-in-law!" There is a reason the "in-laws" get a bad rap; so often, they deserve it. And it works both ways, and with both genders. I've known some fathers-in-law who were just as bad as the worst-reputed mothers-in-law! I'm surprised, also, by Elaine's sudden about-face at the end. I suspect she is still scheming but trying to be more subtle. She lost the battle but maybe not the war. In addition there is a problem with Marie's siding with her mother early in the story. I realize a lot of women are insecure and feel some dependency on their mothers, but marriage and children should build some self-reliance, one would think. I can't help wondering if Marie would have had more backbone and self-confidence had she been working, at least part-time. Having a career, feeling useful, productive, and generating an income gives one a feeling of self-worth that helps to withstand the withering Medusa's gaze from one's mother (or father) that might otherwise turn a person to stone. Good story and thanks for writing.

I have read some really good stories on here tonight and wish that everyday was like today here on Lit. and I am glad that in the end the Mother saw the light and love won out. Thanks for a great story.! JAG/TSO

Impressed by your imaginative talent and method of expressing it.<P>

You have proven that you can get better with each story so please continue the process.<P>

Your next is anticipated Author.<P>

With High Regard

Scorpio:<p>This was a really enjoyable read. I particularly enjoyed how you portrayed the character of 'Nick.' His calm, deliberate and reasoned approach is what made this story credible.<p>I have to agree with Vulcan and an anonymous commenter: the mother-in-law's turnabout was pretty abrupt. Most likely her 180 degree about-face was motivated by her not wanting to miss her granddaughter's wedding, and by her daughter's newly discovered backbone. She may be going through the motions more than having experienced some kind of epiphany. In respect to this story, one can only hope her true feelings mirror her amended actions.

Another great tale by the master! Yes Scorpio, like a great wine, your writing gets better and better with age! Thanks! Pete.

I have experienced this change perhaps in smaller way with both my own mother and my wife. Both have taken positions, but when challenged, they back off to a much more reasonable attitude. Similar to bullies until they are confronted by someone with the fortitude to stand up to them, or children testing their parents.

You are an inspiration to me. Keep up the good work

starting from the end, the complete 360 of the mother in law was complete crap and seemed as if on a spur of the moment you decided to end it with all smiles. now, from everything you wrote, the husband was a strong, loving man and yet you have act pathetic for ten yrs just so he can one day show how he tried to be involved in his kids life? he let his marriage be broken bc he wasnt man enough to confront the "evil" mother in law and was forcibly turned away from his kids! im sorry, but someone who was portrayed as a deeply family man would never let his kids be taken away. and im pissed that adam treated his father like a leaper.

Man really good. Reading about, watching, and seeing people find the fortitude to stand up for what the really feel, is awesome! No matter how long it takes. Your a good writer!

Now what court would do that and still make you pay child support? Maybe he needed to see a lawyer and force visitations! After ten years he and his ex would have changed. It is unlikely they were still in any way the people they were in love with. And it makes almost no sense they just came back together. And it really makes no sense the ex mom in law gave in so easy and just moved out. What really makes no sense is her coming to the wedding then dancing with her exsoninlaw. It means she almost had a mental breakdown and is now mentally unstable, smiles, as if she ever was.

Ten years he lets go by without having court ordered visits

with his children. I can't believe it... Ten years he lets go by without checking out why his calls are never answered? Ten years and he never finds and married someone who loves him and wants to live with him? No........I don't think so. I realize that this is all written to make the story work...but I prefer stories that are somewhat believable...and I don't think that I am alone. You do write well though I will read others of your stories...

its well written, but the characters sucks. oh, the evil-mother-in-law character was fine, until the end. but there's just so much damage done and time passed that tying the story into a neat little bow in the end just didnt make sense.

I can't see Elaine changing so much so quickly and for so little motivation. Perhaps, just maybe it could happen much slower and with MUCH more motivation. Kinda like orthodontics.

I disagree with the comment that Elaine couldn't change that much for so little reason. You may have been able to spend a 'bit' more time going over the change, but other than being a trifle rushed, completely believable and added quite a bit to the story. I'm becomming a fan of your writing very quickly. Speaking as a man coming to terms with his own masculinity, strong men who stand their ground is an endangered species. Thank you for an excellent story and I'm hoping you do more Romance stories. Yours are very good and they are my favorite type of story. Whatever you do, keep writing. I'll keep reading.

but not very realistic. What possible reason could a man have that would cause him to mend fences with such a bitch of a mother in law? Why would he want to take back a wife who was so weak willed as to let her mother control her life to such an extent? Why take back someone who treated him like shit for so long? To expect that after 10 years of torture he wouldn't have moved on is ludicrus. Plenty of lobster in the sea! Entertaining piece of fiction none the less.

this is one of those 50% of the time that his stories suck shit.

the huge plots holes kill this story. Never mind that the Mother in Law criminal behavior and her sudden turn around.

The BIG question is this: WHY would Mick the super calm rational super smart Guy SUDDENLY believe her ??

would you? of course not

SECOND The clear and easy to prove in court Mother in law interference over 10+ years the lack of visitation rights etc ...while super calm smart Nick does Nothing is pathetic.. makes no sense and is very inconsistent.

THIRD... why would Marie allow for that sort of interference in her marriage from her mom? when they divorce Marie openly admits Nick was/ is a good father prorvder and husband. OK....

this means Marie has a character flaw and re-marrying her is a HUGE mistake.

FOURTH if so... then WHY bring the Mother in law back into the equation?

100% of the time your comments suck. It's a story, without all of the human imperfections there would be NO story. Believe it or not, there are actually people in the world that are exactly like the people in this story.

But I didn't start reading this looking for Pulitzer Prize-winning material. I honestly was looking for something to jerk off to.

Well, I was a tad bit disappointed in that regard.. <laughing>

What I got, instead, was a wonderful account of a family wronged.. who managed to get everything to work out in the end.

It was a pleasant diversion... a happy ending.

I don't care if some find it less than believable - the truth is rarely as entertaining as fiction - and I suspect this is true, at least for someone out there.

Well done - I'm going to bookmark you and see what else you've written.

Jason

and though some find it hard to believe there really are people out there just like the mother in-law. The part about the mother in-law telling her husband what to buy her for Christmas and then bitching about what she got had me rolling in the floor. Can't tell you how many times I saw my own mother do that to my father.

I thank God that my mother in-law was a sweet woman that loved me and treated me better than my own mother did. May God rest her soul.

Thanks for a great read.

Another top notch story I enjoyed immensely -

Thanks as always

I can see the wife falling for the mothers BS, but i didn't read a single reason that the father couldn't have partial custody of the daughter. Then the father hangs around for 10 years hoping to get back with a wife stupid enough to fall for her mothers Shit. I can't see any reason to have any respect for that guy. Seems the only 2 people in this story that had half a brain was the daughter and Matt.

What is the reasoning behind keeping him away from the daughter all those years? Unless he is a pervert or some kind of bad influence, the interference with him being a part of her life is evil.

Forgive and forget just like that? Something isn't right - like a big piece of the puzzle is missing - just doesn't make sense.

This reconciliation was just way too easy. If all it took was some phone records and photos, why wasn't it done years ago? Everybody seemed to have their own unassailable point of view and would not hear anything to the contrary. Fate seems to run the other way for a bit and all of a sudden everybody is flipping their position. Not only that, but nobody seems to upset about anything. Wifey kicks him to the curb, helps to poison his son's opinion of him, and Nick is just going to open his arms wide and say, "Welcome back?" We are told Nick has not had sex with anyone for the last three years; what was SHE up to? He's not even curious? Mama has lied to her and manipulated her life for years and Marie doesn't have any anger or resentment? You told us we were going white-water kayaking but it felt more like a lazy afternoon float trip. Having said that, I still found the characters were believable and the dialog sounded true to the ear. Everything about the story worked well enough, it was just the easy reconciliation that felt off. Thanks for sharing with us.

and family love is the strongest of all, TK U MLJ LV NV

His mother in law caused him to get left out of raising his kids, cost him his wife and then they all get back to being a family??? After that much time most people would not have even talked to them. Her momma should have been in the bottom of the river for catfish food!!!! Right next to his loving wife.

Nice story until Elaine turned up at the wedding. Even that is plausible in that she still wanted to maintain relations with her daughter and granddaughter.The last bit about her reconciling with Nick was unbelievable. An uneasy truce with no active hostilities, perhaps. Anything more, a fairy tale.

Cliffhanger hit the nail on the head.

Anyone who has read my commentary would understand that I have never been part of the BTB mob that infests Literotica blogs.

However, just this once....

Until the end of page three, I had believed that the author was going to end the story with the MIL and ex-wife and company sitting in the church, wondering where the bride and groom were, while waiting for the original wedding to commence. And then, the "surprize" delivery of the announcement that the wedding had been moved to Vermont at the request of the bride and groom. Comedy "hersteria" ensues!

And for all those readers who delude themselves that such familial shenanigans are implausible. I had to arrange and attend two {count them 2!} funerals for my wife, because the feuding between my in-laws was so vicious. Good church goers all though!

If you are wondering why I countenance such 'relative' stupidity, it was to retain control of both funeral services. My wife was a militant Atheist and I wanted to fulfill her wishes preventing either faction from imposing superstitious doggerel upon her memory and ensure that both services would celebrate her life, not her death.

a few anachronisms. The story starts in 1965. The daughter is only 22. That puts the wedding in the late 80's or at the latest, the very early 90's. Did Marie really have access to email? May be I missed the timeline of when she was born, but that is really the problem. This is a sweeping arc of a story told over an adult's lifetime, but the time sequence wasn't crystal clear. I don't think that it is a problem to write a "period piece", but it gets confusing when you put details in it that would make the reader think the story transpires in "current time". The anachronisms are distracting, and it tarnishes the credibility of the author. The divorce was only 10 years prior, but other details make it seem that the kids were very, very young when it happened. Yet originally I thought it said the divorce happened after the son left home for college. The son was older right? But the daughter was only twenty-two, so what was the age difference between the kids? I'll give it a second read, because the more I think about it, I'm confused. That said, these are the kind of details that just weren't clear enough from the beginning. If Hubby and Wifey had a decent sex life (to the point that he misses it, and never could find a replacement for it), how could SHE go so long without it? One minute she is a sheltered prude, and yet it doesn't take long for her to open up beyond being frigid in bed, giving him the love he remembers. It seems inconceivable that she would allow her mother to be so controlling, but NOT realize that it was her mother's manipulations that destroyed her marriage, and that it took all of these years and the wedding planning issues to suddenly come to this breakthrough. All the way reading this, I kept waiting for the REAL story to emerge, just blaming it all on the MIL seemed too convenient. I could easily see her adapting to a lesbian lifestyle, led on by the example of her man-hating mother. But there was never a mention of another woman. Even after the conclusion, where Elaine has this completely uncharacteristic change of heart, it left me feeling like there had to have been MUCH MORE to the story that Hubby never knew about, and likely never will know, about the reasons why these two women conspired to ruin his life. I guess the title begs the final question: Can people change? But the way you wrote these characters, it seems that they might change outwardly, if only to cover up some ultimate truth that they would rather keep hidden from all. Thanks, for a pretty good story, and work on those timelines. :)

With males dominant in Mormonism, the Bishop and hubby should have been a stronger team. The mother in law should never have been able to have the influence she supposedly had if hubby had a brain and backbone working. Pretty emotionless.

let's start with:

"A knock came at the door. I opened it a crack and saw Adam standing there.

"Dad, I came to apologize to Krystn but since you're here may I apologize to both of you?"

I opened the door and they were each other's arms. Scott apologized for being an ass and for not believing what Marie and Krystn knew. Marie came back and she was included in the hugs, tears and apology."

and so on, and so on, and so on

PLUS, if what you describe as a patriarchial society, supposedly, is to be dominated by women, you have it backwards. . . . .Oh Well,

what it really comes down to is:

do they love each other?

do they respect each other?

Do they each want the best for their partner?

are they equal partners in the relationship?

And the "old witch's" conversion. But it seems that with the amount of hurt that the husband went through, there should've been more payback to her. But he did have a good strategy for getting back into Marie's thong. Very well done.

He had thrown her to the curb.

How much disrespect did he put up with?

No way in hell, after all those years of hatred the old bat suddenly changes course. I like a happy ending as much as the next person, but this was just way too much. Elaine was a bitch. She is a bitch. And she will die a bitch. I had a manipulative mother-in-law like her. It cost me my marriage. May she rest in hell.

the husband of the evil mother in law.

He lived a long, cold, shallow, loveless life.

I like happy endings. I like that he kept his eye on the prize and didn't get distracted by getting revenge on a thoroughly hideous mother-in-law. He wanted his wife back before anything else and succeeded.

I don't know about this story. This guy had a wife that was led around by an evil, non-loving mother and she believed everything the evil mother said to the point of divorcing a husband that loved her. Also, I find it hard to believe that she didn't know that the mother was poisoning the children against the father, and she accepted it! Then the ex waited 10 years to even wonder about it and question the husband. I think this guy would be better off trying to let his children know what was going on and then forgetting about the ex and the mother. If they didn't want to go to the wedding then so-be-it. He should never take the ex back and the mother changed way to quickly for it to be real.

Just too many turnabouts to make this believable esp after a 10 year divorce.

Two severely mentally retarded people find their way back together. Movie of the week material.

Why Elaine hated Marie's husband was never disclosed. She didn't show that level of animosity toward her son or his wife or her other daughter or her husband. So why did she hate Marie's husband so much? A mother who wants her daughter to marry into great wealth is in fact her daughter's pimp or madam.

There is no possible way that your ending can occur the way you have constructed your characters. An incredibly abrupt, stupid, and ridiculous ending. Basically a disgrace.

Yep seen this type of thing happen before,

most if not nearly all dont end this way,

why mom hated nick was because he was first to broke up her eden so when the others left not as shocked,

i have seen couples get back together but that normally happens after something has happened to mom (i.e. died or worse)

Nice story a bit soft

How things work out after a divorce that results in a couple getting back together can take manny paths and have manny twists and turns. The way this one went to some may seem to be unrealistic, but then who knows what is possible.

You kind of got one of your character names mixed up...

This story might not win Pulitzer, but I enjoyed every word. Perhaps a typo or two here or there, but I missed them as I was drawn into the warmth of a fire rekindled by patience, forgiveness, and desire if not need to love and be loved.

An author has given his time, soul, and wisdom free of charge to all readers such as myself. No request or demand has been made for compensation. I have in my life spent $30.00(+-)for novels not nearly so delightful a read as was this work

but why did it take him 10 years to fuck some sense into her?

He was a bit of a wimp, knowing how mamma felt about him, then allowing her to destroy his marriage. The way he re-seduced his wife was kind of cool, but her turn-around was also a little fairy tale like! Then, momma, after being a controlling, unaffectionate bitch her entire life, suddenly she's repentant????? NOT LIKELY!

Nice tale but a little unrealistic!

If it were me during that first conversation with momma, when she told him she didn't like him and he wasn't good enough for her daughter, that would have set off a huge reaction for me. I'd have told her flat out, " You interfere in my marriage or try to influence your daughter, my wife, in any way against me, and you will pay with your life!"

Of course, that's just me!

lets hope its not genetics TK U MLJ LV NV

I love the story! If it were that simple/easy in real life? As I said before my wife's mother is a lying two faced, conniving, racist, bitch from hell even lucifer got away from her! Thanks for sharing this Fantastic story with us! ★★★★★ WOOF

OH OH! I heard on the radio today; A Nun claims she has or seen the original letter from Satan/The red dude with a pitch fork! What I want to know is WHERE DO THEY GET THIS BULLSHIT FROM ? Bye

I know it's been awhile since this story was published, but it's an amazing story none-the-less! It is certainly one of the best--if not THE best--story I've ever read here. Thank you for sharing and thank you for reminding us that true love has no expiration date!

Well done and believable. Tight writing and well tied together 5* plus!

No way she goes to wedding. Spent her whole life mentally damaged. Could not change the view of her warped world in a couple days. Her religion and her parents had a lot to do with it most likely.

Im sorry...just...no. Why did this fucking pussy LET his Mother in Law ruin his Marriage and his relationship with his Children? Why didn't he bring the courts into what was obviously bad faithfulness on the part of his Ex-wife to deny him his time with his children? Ive seen fathers actually win when they actually had the balls to stand up and fight. Took time and a lot of evidence but they did it. Why didn't he spread the word around town and in Church? Why didn't he FIGHT!!!? He allowed this to happen. And thus he is a wimp unworthy of respect.

People can change, but they don't change overnight and without something happenning in the middle, both the wife and especially the mother-in-law changes are something taken out from a fairytale. Not real and not believable. Enjoyable if you shut down your brain for a while, like most of fairytales.

Redemption, reconciliation and all around good feelings, if you ignore "Momma."

But like jharp suggests, why didn't Nick go to the police and report that his ex wife was interfering with his visits with the kids? He certainly had a legal right to see them! And Adam? Wouldn't he have at least asked his dad if any of this was true? Maybe mentioned the money and asked if his dad could help?

But jharp, it's pretty harsh to call Nick a pussy and a wimp just because he doesn't do what you and I wanted, isn't it?

I was not going to comment but after reading the comment from the one who said that for Marie to change in a weekend is not real. If he was really reading the story of the weekend, he should have read where and what Marie had been and was feeling about her relationship with her husband. Now the change of the mother is a different story though. BUT THEN weirder things have happened in life!!!

This is a wonderful tale, I've seen people start to change in one day, it's called an epiffanie. A reason to change before catastrophic change is forced on you can be a powerful force, 4 stars because I believe in payback. One of my many faults, 5 stars otherwise.

Nothing about this story is remotely believable......even for this site.

These were the wise words of JFK. The Crux of the matter in this story is simple. The meddling mother-in-law it's likely never been confronted even once in her whole life in regards to her misdeeds. It was only toward the end of the story where she was finally able to put two and two together and realize what a miserable feckless old b**** she has been all these years. Take it from someone who's had a meddling mother-in-law, likely she will never change completely but at least in this case she finally woke up and smelled the coffee burning. The bad habits of a lifetime coupled with a huge dosage of narcissistic arrogancee are not easily overcome. So the question is, is she finally on the right path? Who knows? do I foresee a possibility that she could completely turn her life around what few years she has left? Sadly no. But then again that's just my opinion.

Boring. Long and yet simple.

I understand the story exactly. Had the same issue with my mother and mother-in-law disliking each other from day one. Virtually ever holiday, event and visit had to be separate households.

We did have an eventual divorce for no good reason, and both mom’s went out of their way to bad mouth both of us and spread poses and dirt. It finally took very harsh words to stop their BS.

So sad to have lived through it.

Great story and sad it took so many years to rekindle the tender love.

SW

Why would you return to a shrew after 10 years? No Court in the land would have assigned alimony for that long considering how long they had been married. And I would have kept it a secret and showed up to walk the daughter down the isle with the police as witnesses.

Yeah no way.

Fuck no! Why the hell would he want to be with her?

ANOTHER ARMY MC WHO IS A STUPID DUMB CUCK WHO LET HIS MOTHER IN LAW DETERMINE HIS LIFE AND IF HE GOT TO SEE HIS DAUGHTER!!

THEN HE RETURNS TO THE BITCH. HE IS A REAL LOSER

Well done story, I enjoyed it very much. A tribute to the writer is how much he forced me to invest in the characters. Even though I did not totally back the story line.

Great feel good story! 5 Stars.

The character Elaine is autistic. Very sad.

Excellent story thank you.

I have hidden disabilities including autistic ones but its a type of autism call Pathological Demand Disorder (PDA). That and heavy dyslexia has dogged my life. However, I readily say what my issues are especially dealing with my mother and her mother. In fact a lot of the family have it. Mother never understood herself, but I learned from her issues, and she had many, that I had them. Some not the same some polar opposites. She was on the stage and was a reasonably well know athlete and had to have adoration. I in a room, as I say see all, say little. Thus in this story, her mother, refused to understand herself. She may have had real difficulties in dealing with issues, but others would have understood and compensated with her saying she was being unreasonable and she would have listened to them and not liking it, would have adjusted. PDA is all about feeling 'in control', but not being a control freak. If we feel we are going out of control, we can explode, walk out, just leave things and as in the storey, if persons are not in our 'bubble' we are not touchy feely. My mother was, her mother was not and I am mostly not. Do not blame us, but understand us and help us. As to her mother not liking her son in law, that is just being arrogant. We can choose our friends but not our relatives, as they say.

Great One !

THANKS !

WTF? What's with that bullshit reconciliation at the end? One dance and 10 missed years of his children's lives are instantly forgiven? Fuck that! Kill the witch with fire!

On another note, Marie is the definition of pushover. Good to make her do things, I guess, but she needs to be tightly controlled. Hopefully he learned that lesson.

dumb

A good story, well done

Very good story liked it a lot thanks

They’re serious about Church, but the MC never once tells his wife to ask the Bishop whether she should be obeying her mother or her husband?!?

Unless this was the current year, and one of the sissy churches, that would solve the problem immediately!

Same question about the mother. Her husband never took her to the Bishop and had her behavior corrected?!? The MC never asked the Bishop to tell the mother in law to stop sabotaging the marriage?!?

One of the purposes of the Church is to teach the correct roles of parents, children, and spouses. A good church protects and reinforces marriage, and the importance of sex in it.

Some shrews will rebel anyway, but most women who are concerned about being right with God will reconsider their attitude when the Bishop corrects them.

ZK

I liked the plot, I liked the descriptions of the people but it fell down with the ending, Elaine wouldn’t do that, nasty people just don’t change over night. I think you spoiled the story for a happy ending.

Well played. Not the usual formulaic stuff, but I liked it. Clever and redeeming. As I said, well played 🤙🏿👋🏾💪🏾

LO AND BEHOLD, sometimes, it would seem, the church actually engages it’s power to to the right thing, but that being said, where was this same church during all the years of turmoil that his utter bitch of a mother-in-law put his family through for three generations? Elaine’s abrupt about face in the last few paragraphs seemed unlikely and contrived to provide a happy ending. Kind of ruined the story for me as I find it hard to believe she had some Damascus road epiphany, she was just too well created in the role of a troll by that point. (Another Chapter - I forgot to sign in!)

I’d a punched her.

You wrote a beautiful tale to go with the Title.

An excellent read!