by GaryAPB
Gary, this is a good story, tightly written, and you have made me care about the characters. But I wonder why you've posted this to Literotica, since the entire story to date is certainly PG-rated. ("PG" is one of the steps in the American movie rating scale. "PG" stands for "Parental Guidance Suggested," and indicates that children may watch the movie without supervision.) So far in seven chapters, there have been NO sexual encounters and only one view, from a distance, of an unclothed adult woman. Any indescretions are related at third-hand.
And I'm puzzled with Tim's insistence that the marriage is over. If he still has feelings for her, he can keep her but with considerable more control over her life. And I understand Tim's disgust for Beth's betrayals - but she deserves a second chance. Tim is, at best, being callous in teasing her with the possibility of a continued marriage, when Tim has already mentally gone on.
To the author: Where is this going??? If Tim has made up his mind to get a divorce, why hasn't he done so already. I can't understand if he is punishing his cheating wife or himself. The talk with Rose left me with a really big question. Why does she seem determined to lay the blame back on Tim. What does she have to gain, absolutely nothing. I don't know of a spouse that would forgive theirs spouse for cheating if they would not tell him/her why.
Tim, either divorce her or let her move back home and suffer for the rest of your life in the fact that your wife will not tell you when she has an affair or why.
To the author: Please don't write Tim out to be a whimp. This would ruin a good story.
Something odd was proddng Beth.
Maybe Tim is asking her the wrong question.
Why did she feel she SHOULD break her wedding vows?
And why not get her to a psychoanalyst to find out what Tim needs to know?
Then the two of them to a marriage counselor. Somehow Tim will discover he isn't totally innocent for the affair, I betcha.
May not help but it sounds logical to me!!
Gary:
I don't know where the story is headed or how it'll end, But I'm beginning to sense that there's a twist somewhere down the road because the gent doth protest too much. Regardless, it's a great story, well developed, and well written. Congratulations and Thank You. Ronnie W.
the story did not progress much in this chapter. But I think things may change when Tim talks to Jean. Something like blackmail caused beth to have an affair with Ken? Anyway good story well done
I am enjoying this story very much. Two points hit me:
1) The frequent tie in of Maddy who is seeing both Rose's son and Dave.
2) Jean's return for lunch.
Somehow these two items are going to play into the plot. I have some ideas, but will be interested to see if they are correct.
Keep up the good work.
The counselor dialogue at the end is a bit perplexing. Is she trying to convince him that he is partially at fault for his wife's behavior? Was going great until the last part. Five stars.
And she speaks out of both sides of her mouth:
"I realised years ago that adultery by either of us would be the end. You, of all people, must know that there are some things that just can't be got over." I was a bit surprised that she should question me on this.
Now she looked innocently surprised. "Oh, Yes. I'm not one of those people who think marriages should be patched up at any cost. For some, divorce is a very sensible answer."
But, she then turns it back on the question as if to make him doubt his own convictions.
No resolution from her, just more psychobable double speak.
“But give me a chance, maybe I can convince you that I'll never, ever do such a thing again.”
If she’s telling the truth, that she doesn’t know why she did it, how can she be so sure she won’t do it again? Maybe whatever made her do it with Ken will make her do it again.
Congrats. Another good chapter. Four out of five. I like Ruth the counselor and it is interesting the way she is steering the conversation. Tim's meeting with Beth was very well written. I like the tension between her wanting to forget and move forward and him demanding to analyze the past. Both are perfectly reasonable. I also like the way the situation with Beth's parents was resolved. Constructive criticism? A little more sex would be good; maybe a flashback? Cheers. Steve
Now you need a retired marriage counselor to underpin your pervert cuckold/wimp fantasy!!! Whats so exciting for you to know that your spouse fucks another one for three month??!! Are the englishman that idiots??
Marriage counciling is not about showing options or compromising. It is about manipulating the husband into accepting the wife back and accepting the lion's share of the blame for the terminal condition of the marriage.
This story has some interesting aspects to it that are undermined by the pace and the never ending rehashing of the problem. I believe the first seven chapters could have been condensed into one long chapter.
Ok, I’ll read on to see whether I’m ever allowed off the bloody roundabout.
this is horseshit. Rose's position, while plausible, is not insightful in the least, and she is manipulative in her responses to Tim for her own ends, dress it up as professional all you want. Clearly she uses guilt to manoeuvre him as to how she sees things. inappropriate and unethical at the least regardless of the outcome.
So the famed marriage counselor's first advice is to compromise on his view on fidelity???
WTF! Way to hit into the proverbial cliche there.
"It's just that you are such a thoughtful and analytical person."
And because he's a thoughtful and analytical person, he's able to see clearly that Beth can't be trusted anymore.
She's failed at the one thing a partner cannot fail at.
Even IF he trapped or pressured her with his confrontation so she had "no choice" but to lie, she had plenty of opportunity not to lie before. Besides apart from open marriages, cheating ALWAYS implies lying or deceit.
I wonder if there is any reliable data on extra marital affairs for the USA/Canada and the UK. The numbers out of France are very interesting. It would appear that if that can happen in a high catholic nation, what would it be elsewhere. mmmmm much ado about promises and broken promises just like the ten commandments....what's that one about killing...and something about forgiveness...just saying! Although for myself forgiveness was impossible but to get all heated up about a story err get real fellows.
Someone was asking about figures on adultery in the USA and other countries. In the US more women than men cheat, it's not a great difference but significant. The mores of France and Germany are a bit different and I can only give my observations from being there in 65 thru 66. Most men are not real pushy on early dates for sex and from the few I talked with the German girls broke of the relationship after 2 or three dates because they were insulted that the American man and not 'tried' anything. In France one guy that had been there a couple years and been 'bedding' a young French girl for a year before he found out she could speak English. It seems the French will only speak English with you if they know you really well. True story. There also seems be a consensus the French and Italian men normally have a mistress on the side but I can't testify to that. Good story so far, it seems the 'councilor' is trying to put some blame on our MC because he didn't share his one and done attitude with his wife about cheating. Oh well.
Sister seems to be doing some victim blaming here or just pointing out that he kinda backed her into a corner.
FFS, end it already! I really need to learn how to quit being so stubborn about having to finish a story once I've started.
Dragging on... But ditto zippitydodaday's comment.
Would love to see dgfergies source for more women cheating in the US than men. Every study I find has it the other way around, but getting closer over the last decades. 2023 number ie the most is 20% men and 13% women.