All Comments on 'Twelve Years and a Wake up'

I think I've told you this before but I read all of your stories before I ever wrote a single word. This one as the rest was truly amazing. You got me twice. The first time was when I really actually wanted that baby to be his. The second time, was when she moved back in and again I wanted things to work out between them, but that just couldn't happen, there were too many things between them. an excellent job. I'll have to read this one again just to feel all of the nuances and emotions you went through , but this was really a great read.-StangStar06

"Sue became my only friend..." With friends like Sue who needs enemies. How many have seen this? Guy living the dream with the perfect girl. Next thing is: she knows there's something better; why there's something wrong in her life. If she spends 1% of the effort cooperating with her guy or trying to do the right thing, instead of impulsively ramping things up, everything would probably work out. But no. Sue and friends egg her on (but at home those girls work on their relationships and would never do what they suggest to her). Now what could go wrong? After they take her to a bar, get her drunk and and manage to pull some guy off her too late (what are they doing letting her get MOUNTED in the first place) her "friends" sit back and go cluck, cluck, cluck; so sad, so foolish/stupid, what a bad husband, etc. So RAAC folks, is it still only stupid male pride when the guy resents eating dinner every nite for 18 years across from his wife's little bastard?

A well portrayed real life story.

Lack of communication - and someone not listening.

This story is closer to the situations that develop in married life - sadly.

It's hard to believe how much Slirpuff has improved as a writer. I remember when he first started posting stories here. They had some good ideas, but the grammar was so poor, not to mention the strangely shifting point of view changes, that just getting though the stories was a challenge. This story was so well written that I didn't notice any errors at all. And of course the content was interesting and good. But what really strikes me is how much Slirpuff has improved as a writer. Congratulations!

Now, if only he'd go back and fix some of those early stories to make them readable!

Wow -what a fine story. I too was hoping the kid was his and thought the author would have the two "kiss and make up".

One question someone can answer I may have missed. The wife Heather said after her "backseat" incident she keep going out with Sue -being with other men to prove she was still attractive. Also Heather claims to "stepped" over the line a few time-did she just do the BJ/third base thing? -or have other sex-but protected?

Author also did an outstanding job expressing the husbands torn feelings-he was written as still loving the wife (even after the paternity test)but unable to get over the trust issues. Having the wife sleep with hubby while living in the basement-but still going out on dates was a nice vehcile to push hubby over the edge.

I thought it was great how the author had the new relationship with new wife be a little rocky. Both couples would have had baggage with them. It was realistic-not some "we live happily ever after"

I thought the tale was long enough to be intersting, and wished it had continued on-but I feel that away about all good tales.

Thanks !

That is so life-like it is scarey. Perfect character and situation developments. Well balanced with just enough detail to keep us on board, while not boring us. Excellent, well thought out story line. Plenty of twists and turns, just like real life.

Slirpuff, you have really hit your stride.

a realistic loving wives story can be done, full 5 and thank you for writing it.

This is a great and realistic story. It happens everyday. I like the ending with a closure. Hope Sliruff could go back to finish other open ended stories, particularly "PRICELESS". A perfect 5 from me.

This story seems much closer to "real life" than many other LW stories on the site. No over the top revenge, no psychopathic characters, or sudden fortunes for the victims. Just a lot of pain, bad circumstances and suffering.

Unusual for me, I don't have a lot to rave and rant about. One thing though. I kept being "misled".

First I thought Heather HAD cheated, then, with Steve going off the deep end without letting her explain anything, I thought she had NOT cheated, and Steve was mistaking. Then Steve went out on dates and cheated on Heather (at that point they were still married), and I thought all hell would break loose if it turned out Heather had not cheated.

Then the pregnancy. I really expected the baby to be Steve's, and it wasn't!

Slirpuff, you kept throwing me for a loop, congrats.

The moral of the story seems to be: Life sucks, shit happens, and you gotta make the best of it.

time after time after time after time... The cold angry bitch ex wife screamed at her husband she did NOT fuck around and that the baby was his.

Maybe she really thought at the time the baby was his.

but when she wrote the letter the wife knew.. she knew she had cheated. And now the husband when nhe finally read the letter He KNEW he was right all along. And the wife confess that she did a some other sexual stuff with other men.

so far so... so good.

But out of the kindness of his heart and the remains of SOME compassion he is actually letting the wife move back into their unsold house with the other 2 older kids and her bastard baby.

Then when he tells her that he is NOT dating anyone else... he still isnt over her... and he is still using his right hand...

She burst out laughing at him??

I think I would of broken her jaw ..

Another interesting and original story from Slirpuff.

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This story demonstrates how much Slirpuff's spelling/grammar has improved. Not error free, but no worse than any top author on Lit.

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Please don't take so long for your next one.

Like others who commented, I too, was almost convinced the kid was going to be his, but then the most excellent foreshadowing of the LATE DELIVERY. I knew then she had screwed the pooch.

I suspect she did other really stupid things too like hand jobs, blow jobs and perhaps, and just perhaps getting fucked with condoms.

I'm very happy that he did not seriously attempt to reconcile. She destroyed their marriage by her cold shouldered withdrawal. Apparently she actually thought her cunt was gold plated and was worthy of worship.

One very MINOR detail: When Slirpuff wrote,

"Heather was a secretary and clerk in a law firm and I was a middle manager in a manufacturing plant. Though our jobs weren't high profile, along with as much overtime I could muster, they just covered our comfortable life style."

Managers are indirect employees and do not get overtime. Was he a Union Man and a "lead man"? Maybe then.

Good story.

S,

You get better and better for my money. This one especially got to me.

I'm not sure if there is anything worse or more emotionally draining than being unsure about whether or not a man is the "actual biological" father of his children.

Five stars of course--also as usual.

Matt

I'm so glad the husband didn't wimp out and take the lying cheating ass self serving bitch back! He did what he had to do. She had a good man and didn't appreciate him. Now she has a bastard baby and reality to deal with. No man should have to beg his wife for sex. Any woman who thinks she can get away with that bullshit is out of her mind. Sooner or later, he'll end the misery one way or another. In the end, he finished on his feet and found some happiness. YES! This was by far your best story. 5 stars-Thanks

The wife closes her legs and things go downhill. Thats realistic from what I have seen. The arguments are realistic also. She would probably be referred to as the fucking bitch when he talked to friends. Throw a little bastard into the mix and you get what we have here. Yes he cheated, but he no longer gave a fuck or received one. Women should pay attention to this. A girl I used to know told me that her grandmother said that if you keep him fed and his balls drained, you wouldn't have many problems. I think thats true for many men. No pussy and a snippy attitude goes over a little differently.

can't the friend identify the father. If she was drunk IT WAS RAPE.

Very fine work. My only gripe is that I felt that the time line slipped.

The day she came in with just fucked look was at least two months after the shower moment... But that would be easy to repair...

We really appreciate your work.

This story had a very realistic theme to it. Thanks for a good read.

Great story - other than Victoria (and all the kids) none of the main characters were very lovable. (They were however all intensely human - that ain't easy.) There are any number of alternative happy endings - thank you for eschewing them all.

Well done

I liked that you didn't have the husband and wife magicaly become friends. I have seen marigaes explode and reconcile, and I have seen mariges explode and seperate, but when you have that much history you don't generaly get to go back to being friends.

Your main character is a Douche!!! Seriously he neglected her and used her for nothing more than something to get his rocks off. Then was surprised when she got upset with him.

I truly enjoyed the story. They were both neglectful of their marriage. The thing that surprises me, I'm usually a torch the bitch reader who can appreciate happy endings. I was expecting to want Heather torched, but by the end, I was hoping the baby was his.

The characters felt real to me & I find myself wanting Heather to move on & be happy, cuz she has suffered more than him. Great read. Hope to see you in the line-up soon.

Their antagonism was unrelenting. I get it and it's real but boy is it difficult to read page after page. I do have a couple of disconnects with Heather. First, she seems surprised that he is planning a divorce. I thing that's extremely odd considering the level of hostility they have and what each of them has done. The second thing is her attitude about sex. This seems to be a major problem. He wants what is, IMO, a reasonable amount of sex and she, for understandable reasons, is not as into sex. That is a common problem. However, after she is pregnant she decides that anything goes sexually. She is even thrilled that they are back sexually to like when they just got married. WHY did she change her attitude, not only to have more sex but to enthusiastically enjoy it? All the stress and more was still there. She was the one blocking their sex life and is now celebrating it's return; something that was always under her control. What changed her mind and opened her up to enjoying sex? <br><br>

As to the baby not being his, she is far to self assured that it MUST be his. She knew something happened in the guy's car. When all the timing aligned with that night out it should have at least been a concern in her mind that someone else could be the father. Her denial of that possibility is phenomenal. I could understand her not telling her husband because of the damage such an admission would do but she seems to have even convinced herself. <be><be>

I think it was realistic that they not get back together. Having a toxic relationship for such a long time destroys trust and respect. She had another man's child and he slept with other women. His actions were deliberate and calculated to be a slap in her face. It's very hard to rebuild after that level of damage. I think it was rather dumb to let her move back in. If the plan was to rebuld their relationship slowly, maybe. But it didn't sound like they really expected that to happen except perhaps in wishful thinking. <br><br>

A very real and gritty story.

I always enjoy your stories. This one is quite believable in todays world. The hardships portrayed here have caused many a breakup, especilly in relationships where communication is a challenge. Blame technology on that mostly. Keep up the good work.

OBTW, every so often an anoymous leaves a favorable comment. How come the anons are so negative, as a rule, If you don't like the story when you get into it hit the back button.

Living together when the marital relationship is dead really is agonizing and to me seemed unrealistic though possible in the US today. It was basically a Catch 22, suffer the pain of a demoralizing and failed marital relationship or bite the financial bullet for several years. Both are painful but IMHO the second is more easily endured and overcome in time. The fact that the DNA test proved the child was not his dissolved the marriage, despite the fact that he too had stepped outside of the vows that each shared. She suffered because of the biological difference in their sex. They did try to bridge the gap when she took up residence in the basement but neither seemed to try to seriously rebuild a worthy relationship with one another as their focus. The downfall came when she returned to dating which is odd considering he stayed home to look after the baby and this seems out of character considering their past and possible mutual hopes for the future. I also find it odd that Heather would even consider dating knowing that she would expect him look after the baby and also it could mean the end to the living in basement which was meant to resolve issues with their kids. The fact that he found and formed a decent relationship with someone else in the end seemed to balance out the idea of retribution where Heather is still on her own in the ned.

A fine piece of writing. Thanks for taking the time to create and share it.

Very well written and exquisitely plotted. Thank you.

Super boring. Time I will never get back.

For me this one hit close to home. Except for the "bastard" child and blatant infidelity, it could have been my story. Wives for some reason get resentful about having sex. Though they are being given everything they need or desire they still get "stupid" sometimes.

When my marriage got to the point where a lack of sex was creating a fertile environment for infidelity (on my part), I took other action. I sat my wife down and told here in no uncertain terms that she was headed out the door. When she came to understand that I meant immediately, she actually got attentive.

It also helped that we got married with the understanding that divorce was not an option. She began to realize how dissatisfied I was to even consider separation. After our talk, the control through sex games ended. That was 27 years ago and we haven't had that issue since.

After reading your story I realize that the outcome could have been different if I had not been decisive (I was packing her suitcases as we discussed the issue).

You have a real gift. Please keep using it.

Only a few errors. One was the following: "Hell, I heard all I needed to from my two kids, more than I really wanted to know since they saw their mother and stepsister most days at their grandparent's house after school." The child is not a stepsister -- a stepsister would be a child of one parent (from a previous relationship) who is not related by blood to the other child/children in the family, but who, by marriage, ends up being part of the family unit. Brittney is a half-sister, (not a stepsister), because she and the other two children have the same mother but different fathers.

The story's twists including the unexpected DNA test result kept me on edge throughout. I do feel that counseling might have been helpful earlier in their marriage -- it's a shame many stories don't incorporate counseling (and many times, it's ordered by the courts before a divorce is granted). Steve does not come across as a sympathetic character, even after we find out he was correct about Heather's cheating. He says he has tried to be romantic, but mostly Steve has reacted with anger to Heather's unwillingness to compromise on the sex issue (instead of wooing her). It's almost as if they are behaving like children toward each other. No marriage would easily survive that. Thanks for writing.

No. Really. That was just non-stop depressing.

Too real, emotionally a cliff hanger and vividly realistic. You wrote so well, we could actually see the characters.

My thoughts. Really, a tragedy, he loved her and was frantically frustrated. She was self centered and cold and going out with the girls was a kick in the groin.

Then coming home in a drunken stupor and appearing to have been laid, she killed him. She may not have known that night but Sue sure as hell told her the next day and then to go out again a couple of times. She was a very selfish and vindictive bitch and she damn well knew what she was doing.

The only time she felt remorse was when she finally realized he was going to divorce her - for real, and then...did she really love him (she had treated him like hell for two years) or the reality of losing a husband and family that cared for her was a scary thought.

She knew she had sex, even drunk, and what about the other times she went out in defiance?

Once they were divorced, she obviously dated so why try to get him back, she could date and have sex and no hang-ups and him using his hand was laughable.

I guess, I'm trying to digest the impression that she truly loved him and then went out on him and yet we still get the impression she wanted to keep him. I know he fought with himself, his love was real and he hurt badly but refused to be a wimp to a wife who cheated, a horrible nightmare.

Okay, she is back in the house and dating - No, he still loved her, hated her, didn't trust her and this was now the second chance she had and she just walked all over it. Too bad, I kept wanting to like her, even with the bastard baby, of course - providing it was the result of only one night and she was drunk and didn't realize at first what was happening. Then, she had been dating since the divorce and I think what was important to him was, from the time they first got married, no other man would have her sex - no fucking or loving but she did date.

Now that I've written all this, I realize the tragedy and know that she is just too self centered and not capable of meeting her spouse halfway, it's only how she deems it and feels.

Thanks Slirpuff, one hell of a good story!

Thanks!!!

"I ripped her a new asshole and told her she didn't know shit about me and that being a cheater was the last thing in the world I was."

Pretty sure he slept with Nancy whilst still married to his wife so yes yes he was so a cheater

He had no proof of her infidelity but he became such a gigantic asshat that I couldn't stand him. He was just as guilty. He was blatently cheating with Nancy. Just a big fail for me.

The people in your postings are stupid, immature, thoughtless, and immoral. Maybe you should work on your own life, and give up this hobby.

Gawd, shoe-no-IQ/clueless Wonder_one/Poesproppie or "anon" if you prefer - do us all a favor and jump in front of a fast moving train so we do not have endure your whining & irrational justification for your bane existence.

I thought that they might get back together, too, which wouldn't have bothered me, if they could have worked on their marriage and the kid had actually been his. But I wasn't rooting for it, either, because the wife had been such a bitch and had not been truthful with her husband, even at the end of the pregnancy when things were getting better. I'm of the same opinion as one of the anonymous posters that when we women aren't sexually responsive to our men, they should read us the riot act and threaten us with our walking papers instead of silently suffer. But then, I have never been on a "Girls Night Out", and my best friend has been my husband since I met him at the age of nineteen (I am now 61). (And no, I am not under his thumb: I have more education than he does and a higher-status job, but he is the man in this house, and don't I love it!)

The writing was good as usual, but I did not like either character which made this a tough read. He was an asshole and she was a bitch. That is about the best thing I can say about them.

I agree that this may have been your best effort yet. He treated her cheating ass far better than she deserved. I'm glad you introduced Victoria in the end. He was able to finally have the family life he needed with someone he could care about. Thanks for the story.

I felt sorry for both the husband and wife, and their inability to communicate with each other.

She did fuck up and have sex with someone other than her husband, but that was just bad luck all around for that total situation. She made a mistake and had to pay for it, but it was a really big price to pay.

At least he did find someone to love and hopefully can talk things through with her instead of stirring up bad feelings all of the time.

Thanks for the good read, the characters were well formed and believable as was the whole story.

well written, but sad and painful. The decline of their marriage started in fact well before the later events when they started to move "in different directions". If there's no longer a binding factor, you're on the way to separation.

Pity for both and for the children, but the hard reality of life.

You are fast becoming my favorite writer, I can see my self acting in the same way as your male characters if I were in their situation. I am now going to read every story you have ever posted on this site and look forward to future contributions

Otherwise she'd have put her up for adoption as soon as she found out it wasn't her husbands.

That fact alone proves Heather was full of shit all along.

And a nice ending. got it just about right. Quite true to life. Thanks for the read.

There is a really, really, really serious typo in the section about Heather's letter to Steve, in which she addresses the issue of paternity. Other than that, this is a very good story.

Your story is good to very good. The age of the the 1960's and free love is over. Heather is at fault as I see it. First and foremost, she knew of her drinking problem and what it could lead to - but she just went on drinking until she had lost it. And her lady friends sure didn't watch over her as well as they should have been doing. They knew of her alcohol problem.

Your story shows a mature approach to a rather common problem involving respect and honor (in this case for Heather's husband). I would probably have reacted very much as he did.

your work has been improving dramatically since you started posting stories, and this is a good example of that improvement. It's complex and dramatic, and we cannot anticipate where you will take it. We have to hang on for the ride.

Both Steve and Heather get "F"s from me in the communication department. In fact, they both acted more like children squabbling than like two married adults with commitments to one another and to their children. Nonetheless, I suspect that the story is not all that unrealistic--there really are people who act this brain-dead, though it's pretty grim to read about them.

Thanks, ohio

So... Heather stopped taking the pill because they were not having sex, and she did not tell Steve. She clearly had no interest in a third child with him, yet she had pent up sexual desires and went out to troll for male interest.

I'm so glad this is only fiction. If real life were like this there would be no hope for humanity. He never loved her. He just lusted. They never really talked and both were recalcitrant. She had an alcoholic blackout which classifies her as an alcoholic. They never sought professional help. His ego was just to big. That was anaother proof that he really didndt ever love her. Sure he missed her but that is not the definition of love. He nver even thought about what she needed or wanted. That is proof he didnt love her. I read the whole story, all the while hoping for the best but, true to his egocentric personality, he never worked on the real relationship. All he wanted was sex from her. What a sad commentary on a man's life.

It's not a get out of jail card, because heather willingly was not longer trying to keep the husband the centerpiece in her life. I felt that this was a fairly realistic story, and it filled with difficult problems. Thank You, and please keep on writing.

She might have been raped, he never loved her, LOL you guys are so full of shit. This was a great stroy, he did what needed to be done. She was a bitch to start with and a liar to boot. The comment about humanity, please if this was how women are who would what one. He was going to give it a go but once again she lied. Drunk or not you know when you have sex, hummm cum running out you slit is a big clue.

Your actual writing continues to improve dramatically, and for that you'll score reasonably high out of 5. Personally, I gave you a 4.

However, your characters have left me very unsatisfied as a reader. It's one thing to make a silly mistake, but something else entirely when these mistakes are continuously made. (I'm talking about the characters in the plot) It becomes tiring and exhausting to the reader.

I know that characters make mistakes. But yours tend to do so excessively and repeatedly. Can't have a good story with so many idiots in it!

Still, your efforts are appreciated, and I for one will continue to read anything you post. There are few things I like better that to see a writer such as yourself who really does improve so very much with every single story you write! It's truly wonderful to see. So thank you for all that effort.

Just simply didn't hold my interest.

Given their failure to communicate effectively and their willingness to make up stories about what was going on and then live like the stories were the truth it was a miracle they were married a year.

I cannot say I enjoyed the story. It was too sad for my tastes.

Real life is like this. According to our resident divorce lawyer, growing apart is the number one cause for divorce, not cheating. Stupidity is rampant all over the world. You should never watch the news, you might discover mans inhumanity to man. Hope?

It was to much like real life! People get married on lust and very learn to talk to each other. The first marriage had enough guilt in it to chock a hound horses. Both behaved like babes. Many people are in similar problems but due slowly learn to talk. I think that it takes a fair amount of pride swallowing and realizing that in an heated argument nobody win they all loss. (I will now step down from the soap box, and apologize for preaching)

Great story, please keep it up.

This does bring up a good question; If the wife was to blitzed to know up from down, is it cheating. She did put her self in a bad position/situation before drinking, true. But according to the fact presented here did not look for any man. If this was a husband bombed out of his mind and slept with another woman, OK drunk guys rarely can get it up, would we chastise him?

Good Story! Thanks for sharing it.

It is disheartening to read about a marriage that started so happily wind up in total collapse

It is obvious to me that he and Heather still loved each other. It was depressing to see that he could not forgive her even though she did not cheat on him intentionally. However, he DID intentionally cheat on her. Who is the worst in this situation? The way I see it, is that he is a hypocrite. It is sad that a couple that still love each other and have two children together, can not makeup from a rocky time in thier marriage. Look at the name of the story, "Twelve Years and a Wake up". They went twelve years together, then have a rough patch and then they just 'hang it up'. Like I said really sad.

real people act. I wish that I could feel sorry for Heather but she left the marriage first. First she has sex with her husband only when she is drunk. Then she goes out with the girls and cheats on him (at least once). Then when threaten with divorce she drops her pregnancy on him. She knew that she was found being fucked in the backseat of some guy's car by her girlfriends but she swears to Steve that she did not have sex with anyone else. There were two other Fridays when she came home "satisfied." Now she wanted Steve to raise some other guy's baby. At best, she was huping that the test results would be in her favor. She was more concerned about what the neighbors thought than how her husband felt about her actions. Even after they cleared the air and started having sex she went out on dates. Now she is hurt because Steve finally moves on with his life? This is exactly how some people act. Thanks for a powerful story about two people growing up.

SleeplessinMD

You remain one of the very few active authors who consistently writes very good tales in this genre. This story in certain ways is among your very best but so seemingly real and sad.

More than anything else, men marry for sex. Companionship and perhaps children are factors. Women marry more for security, children, companionship, and maybe sex.

Normally, money and related factors are the primary reasons for divorce and that may lead to little sex.

Regardless of the reason, when the man is under age 40, if the sex is not there, the marrage is likely to be history.

The father of the child is not the important thing. He needed to divorce his wife because she seldom was willing to have sex. To stay married she was willing to have frequent sex; at least for a while. However, once she because confortable and secure, she would start reducing the amount of sex until they were seldom having sex.

Maybe the husband was not a good lover and/or didn't do the things to make her want sex. Regardless of the reason, they were not compatable regarding sex and so they needed to get a divorce.

Why is it that all the guys described in your stories are so pathetic, complete idiots, lacking what is considered the basic nature of a human being "basic intelligence".

This nth Steve Moore sounds like a dog whose bone was taken away on a night of full moon. Very primitive form of low life. If you replace all his words/text with grunts or howls, the story won't loose any of its readability. A big moaner, always complaining, unable to engage in an intelligent conversation with his wife, and worst of all slanders the mother of his children.

The way you describe her, my heart goes to her and I feel like kicking his ass to kingdom come.

The way you ended the story is amusing, the idiot is happy, "unbelievably so", just after a few weeks with a new girl. Wait till she becomes fed up with him after a few years.

And of course, he thinks that this time he can "work out his problems"!! What a moron!!!

the bitch lied, got pregnant from fucking around and you call him an asshole. you must live life as a cuckold. If my wife done half the shit this bitch did, "bitch being a female dog" i would have put her and her bastard child out before you could flip a coin.

Thanks for the story it was a great read

Boys marry for sex, a man aims for a little more than that. You'll understand more when you grow up.

not eggs roses or school years, but life,liberty and pursuit of happiness. TK U MLJ LV NV

It was a good read. Thanks^for the story! ^__^

The woman can be a liar...and a cheater (though if her story is to be believed, she was only the later) and the man can still act like an asshole.

I've been angry at my SO. I've been close to divorce a couple of times. But I've never said the things he said to her, nor would I.

Yes, she fucked around but I can't help but be sad for her and I don't really like the guy very much.

None of this has a thing to do with your writing, by the way. It seemed realistic, was well written, engaged me emotionally, and worked on all levels.

The pain I felt from reading it wasn't from grammar, but from the story.

At first I can under stand Heathers friends husbands taking her side against Steve, since their wives lied to them about Heathers three affairs while with them. Remember they picked her up and brought her back home, they never noticed Heather gone for awhile, like hell. When they found out that Heather had someone else baby I would start thinking what the hell my wife was doing when Heather was getting hers when they were all together. They knew, helped and covered up Heathers cheating and then lied to their husbands and made Steve the bad guy only to find out Steve was right the whole time. Steve was plain dumb to try to get back together with Heather again. A little to little, a little to late. She played him like a fool and hoped he would raise her bastard child from another man. That is to low to forgive, it would have been better to have a abortion to hide it then to make Steve care for it. Heather didn't love Steve, she didn't have respect for him as with the other wives for their husband. The only thing they didn't do was stop taking the pill so they didn't have to explain themselves to their stupid husbands.

Speaking as a reader, I feel like a weary puppet after a show. Slirpuff left no string unpulled & this was realistic ( as many others' comments have noted) no blinking from the flaws that were inherent & exacerbated by the trying marriage.

No one came away unmarked , not the fictional husband & wife, kids; the readers who felt the pain vicariously and most especially Slirpuff. The only way , you can recount pain this vividly is to have known it yourself.

I would love a followup to see how 2nd marriage is taking once the bloom is off the rose. I'm guardedly optimistic- Steve is not lazy , he seems to have moderated his worst tendencies after learning the hard way.

The 2nd wife twisting his arm to adopt her daughter nearly immediately post nuptuals raises a red flag, however. This is not a inappropriate gesture but should have initiated with HIM. Now if 2nd marriage doesn't take ; he's on the hook financially for child , he didn't father. A plight he narrowly avoided in initial marriage.

P. S. I hope Heather finds someone who makes her happy as Steve seems to have done. I think she has learned from marriage demise as did Steve. She is not inherently a bitch - although in her arrogance - she did a first rate imitation to disastrous effect.

Hubby is dumb as a box of hammers, neglect leads to failed marriage. Never change the oil in your car? Breaks down. Never take care of your health? Get sick. You get the point.

Story was a bit too long considering most of the tension left on the first page - the rest was like a long epilogue. When people give up on a marriage it is over: had they got counseling at the very start maybe it survives but the majority of this read like a afterword.

You drew Steve's character very effectively -- in fact so well I had difficulty reading the story he is so contemptible. He is certainly no gentleman, and his verbal tirades at and about his wife certainly - in my opinion - rise (or sink) to the level of spousal abuse. Heather is not so clearly drawn for me; I'm unable to tell if you wished to depict her as ignorant or just clueless. On the one hand, she must have something between her ears if she is holding down a good job and doing it well enough to receive occasional praise for a job well done; on the other hand, she doesn't 'read' Steve very well or her marriage wouldn't have fallen apart because she was unable to see how much he supposedly loved him. By the point in the story when it was clear to the reader that she was an abused wife, she rationalized that whatever had happened was partly her own fault, sucked up to her abuser, and began giving herself to Steve regularly and often. You very clearly described an abuser husband, an abused wife, and the typical relationship in which the abused wife stays because she has been persuaded that she is to blame for the abuse she endures. At that point the story strays from the facts you put into it, and reaches a conclusion that is neither a logical nor a literary continuation.

I have given most of your stories the highest rating, but I cannot give this one as much because - and this is only my opinion, as I'm certain other readers will differ - you obviously wanted Steve to be some kind of 'good guy,' but there are too many things in the story than are at variance with the notion that he's a decent man who was wronged but came out ok in the end. I just don't see it that conclusion.

With the personality you gave him, at age fifty-five or sixty, I visualize Steve as behind in his child support payment, terminally constipated with a blistering case of hemorroids, 3 or 4 ex-wives, an old car he parks on a hill so he doesn't need a push to get it started, and lying at AA meetings about how successful he used to be before all the sluts dragged him down.

when you went out again without saying anything I knew I was in trouble."

"Everything between us went to hell after that.

she sort of forgot she fucked a faceless dick and got knocked up before all that took place - but that is how a woman thinks. he has women down.

It's a shame that he wasn't the father of the baby. I guess that happy endings are pretty unrealistic. Good read anyway.

I'm a fan of Slirpuff. This story was interesting.

I don't agree with a previous poster that hubby was an abuser. But, he certainly didn't come off as a good guy. I kept thinking that he was a dick. He and his wife had the typical stresses that couples have-jobs, kids, living at (or just above) their means. Sex and intimacy can take a back seat. Resentments build. The visions they had for their lives are not coming true, and they realize they are not in a fairy tale. These 2 suffered from lack of communication. The unstated message is that she used sex as a weapon. Or, at least, as she admits, she came to see it as a "wifely duty" and then rejected performing that role. Hubby's bitterness and frustration and immaturity led to some pretty lousy interactions with the wife.

She then started "acting out" herself. The fuck in the back of the car was a drunken mistake, but she consistently lied to her hubby. She finally admits in the letter that, while the incident was fuzzy for her, she DID know she fucked the guy. Her friend pulled him off her, and talked to her about it, after she had sobered up. She got knocked up. She had to know that it was a risk. Yet, she denied the cheating to her husband (OK, maybe a little lie was appropriate-if she was determined not to do it again). Why she wouldn't get an abortion (or take the morning after pill) wasn't really explored. I assume a moral problem with abortion.

I felt the hubby's "dating" was pretty vile. He was convinced of her infidelity with almost no proof. Many times, there seemed to be opportunities to come clean and save the marriage, but the characters never could bridge the gap.

I was left with the impression that the marriage was doomed. The baby not being his was, to me, a merciful excuse to end the marriage. The "reunion" while she was pregnant seemed a farce. The two were fundamentally mismatched, and too much damage had been done to the relationship. If the child was his, they might have made it for a while, but eventually the old problems would have reared up.

Well told, sad, tale.

Very good story. Only problem the Author did not write any common child with Victoria.

That is exactly what this story is about. A guy who is so deep in the mush he can not get anything done. Thats exactly why his wife got bored. He has no masculinity so her femininity has no pole to vibrate with. His next wife will get bored in time also. She is just with him, because for now he is the save alternative but after her insecurities vanish she will be bored out of her mind.

life throws you a lot of roadblocks. he was no saint and they both could have used consuling to bad they never worked things out. she made a mistake and he buried her .he was nasty and virle. he he communicated better this never would have happened

The ex-wife was guilty of spousal neglect(emotional) but sadly since she is a woman most people will think her shit don't stink. I mean I'm sure each and everyone of you condemning the guys anger/hatred and outbursts know what it's like to continually be rejected by a long term mate/partner, I'm sure you've all experienced the doubt, fear, depression, paranoia, resentment and sorrow of repeatedly being brushed off or only being allowed intimacy when you begged like a dog. Im absolutely positive you all know the psychological impact this could have on a person... (In case you didn't notice this was me being a sarcastic asshole since obviously all of the people bashing the guy never tried to think of this, thank you for your time) Anyway nice story Slirpuff

I think you cheated with the paragraph that starts "Voices were raised..." I really wanted to hear that conversation, it had to be a difficult one for both of them. I felt a bit cheated when you took it "off stage."

That said, I really enjoyed the story and I think you did an excellent job of telling it. It was sadly too much like real life. Sometimes there can be no happy ending.

Steve is the biggest asshole you've come up with yet.

He drove her into going out with the girls and the consequences are all on his shoulders.

for God's sake, how obvious can it be? Steve was into Steve's needs and not Heather's. I'm a man but even I could see that Steve had shit for brains. I-I-I-, me-me-me, wah, wah, wah. Heather crawled back and pleaded with him to forget what happened and move past it.. but no, his needs were more important than forgiveness or love. sex is damn important but it isn't everythiing that counts. what a selfish attitude. the author needs to grow up, too. he's also a baby with a baby attitude. . fuck him and the horse he rode in on.

Ken

decescions must be made and hurt ensues, TK U MLJ LV NV

A pity two people who have made a family could believe that each winning every little point is more important than the health and development of the family. At least one person has to be an adult, much better when it is two. The year or so in which things were going downhill should NOT have happened!

Main objection? The entire ending (Victoria) was a tack-on! I am happy he is now settled and happy, but I didn't think this was a biography! Given how partially each had learned how to behave, I think that Heather acceding to ex-Hubby's wish and leaving the apartment was realistic, and THIS story ended there!

4*

Woe on the man who dares to think that his needs are important. He will be called names and verbally abused by the "women's-needs-are-all-and-everything" crowd. She left the marriage long before he left it, and he only acknowledged that fact.

i liked it. Steve was man enough to dump the whore. All anonymous cucks posting out here saying that steve needs to forgive her and grow up. Shame on them. First of all when you post anonymous it proves what a wimp you are. Why cant people post using usernames? The bitch deserved what she got. 5 star rating.

Great story... five stars !

As to your last line..."Good things come to those who wait" ... I'm in my seventies and I'm still waiting.

'Nuff said.

when she came home that night he knew she had gotten fucked and all bets were off. she did it to herself and then kept doing it. she told him no affection and to quit touching her and he did. she dropped someone else's kid and he did not have to stay with her and he didn't. i knew it was not his when they said 3 weeks late and so did the slut wife.

great story i think the world is to full of that whinny christian bullshit forgiveness,dont let hate consume you but dont wimp out, and draw a line that bitch crosses it its over because she may love you but relationships demand respect and if she shows nun then break your foot off in her ass and see ya bitch.

For whatever reason she went cold and unromantic with him for two years. Something she should have tried to figure out - she didn't so - subconsciously?

She went out and got quickly drunk. Had to be dancing and flirting to have ended up in the guys car? Sunconsciously?

She had a good marriage and husband but wouldn't deal with whatever was in the back of her mind.

Three months leading up to the birth - sure, she had a shot to keep the man she loved but we'll never know if she would get cold and nasty again after the birth of the baby - we'll never know!

Moving into the basement and then slowly getting back to sleeping together was a real shot at maybe getting things back together and if that is what she really wanted...why(?) all of a sudden the dating - I would think that she would have hung in there - that is, if she really wanted her marriage to rekindle.

I don't think she was a wanton whore, I do think, deep down, she had no morals or misgivings about what she wanted, when and how.

Is she having remorse - probably. Who is the big loser - hubby, he cared more than anything for her and their marriage. Glad he found love and happiness with another but - we all know, he'll often remember Heather and think...wish, damnit!

Thanks, you always please - good story!

that says so much....One person cant make up or cause a break-up....it still takes two and a lot of straws for causation, TK U MLJ LV NV

When you find out you're not the father of the baby you leave. That's what he did, and he found another love. The cheating whore is alone. With her bastard child.

HA

and I almost stopped reading it. They both lost big time and I would put the onus on the husband.

he was right the first night she got fucked and knocked up. the rest does not matter.

In any relationship there will be ups and downs. But when it's all downs it's time to bail.

i swear to god tazz317 and betrayedbylove are in love/married or something.

coming to the point, good story.

Happened to me. Found out my first wife was NOT suited to be a military wife. AFTER the divorce (which, oh by the way, was sent to me while I was knee deep in a freezing swamp in Florida, not that I'm complaining about the timing or anything) I was approached by 17 individuals of my former company who had sexual relations with this person to whom I was married at the time. She, and I very loosely apply the moniker, subsequently had three other children NOT of her current husband. Now she's all "born again" and so religious it would hurt your fucking hair. Of course, since I spent the next ten years making a concerted effort to get killed in the line of duty, I accidentally managed to acquire a truly impressive chest salad--Croix de Guerre, Miltary Medal, Bronze Star (twice), Hero of the Soviet Union (same day as the Croix de Guerre and Military Medal; ask me about it sometime). Here's the thing: if you're married, it's a CONTRACT. We won't make obvious commentary about women who can't keep their legs closed or anything, but they would be appalled to even consider breaking a cell phone contract yet marriage is...not so serious?

I hear so much crap, and it IS crap, about men's egos being all delicate and such. Bull. Real men expect you to play by the rules. If you can't hang, DON'T GET MARRIED. Is this such a difficult concept to master?

Well written but sad. A case in point is the obvious deceit on the part of the female. The women always know when they are doing wrong but rarely own up to it. This story reflects that real life observation. My ex to this day continues to lie and run from the truth; even while she lives with her pimp.

The What Ifs?

If she had sat down and told him of her thoughts about him and sex in the first place?

If he had pushed her to tell him about her reasoning and attitude about sex in the beginning?

If he wasn't so bull headed and self inflicted and had opened up with worry or concern?

If, getting together for the final three months they had made some sort of commitment?

If he had read the letter sooner?

If she hadn't gone on that first date?

If she had asked him to be in love with her again before the date?

Well, Good story but sad because, you wrote it but, between the lines he'll always love her and she him.

Personally, after living in the basement and cohabitating, I think they would have resolved their issue to a point where they could be man and wife again. Again, if she had talked to him before the date...well - 'What If'???

Thanks.