All Comments on 'Best of Both Worlds - FTDS'

that was a bit boring but i didnt read the others. not that ur still around anymore. wish someone else would have picked up ur mantel. so many unfinished stories coming out :(

Another wimp who can't control his emotions or thoughts. A gutless snivelling coward who lacks mental control and self discipline. I suppose he shows his lack of intelligence by the fact that he is superstitious believing in a deity

I like it. It shows that even when you attempt to fix a broken marriage due to cheating, the one who was cheated on has a hard time trusting not just the cheater but anyone you date because you are emotionally and mentally scarred and that trust may never come. The only problem I had was the fact that he put himself through emotional distress and was made to relive everything to try to appease his daughter. That’s the harm that cheating does as well as divorce usually, people outside the two involved get hurt and that’s unfair to all of them. Just sit down like an adult with your significant other and explain how you feel. It will be uncomfortable but less so than being punched in the gut when you see/hear you are being cheated on.

Good ending, but our hero needed therapy, and they probably needed couple's therapy if they were to have a chance.

Since slut had such an egregious affair, reconciliation is not necessary, but they did not try much more than dating, and talking, with each other as a way to fix things. If they wanted to be together, they needed more, different, effort.

Stupid! She cheated for months and somehow can't get it through her head that she's an untrustworthy slut and far beneath this man

Boring…..

.

2 **

It wasn't written for you. It wasn't written for any of the sad-sack cuck losers that get off on cheating sluts humiliating husband's.

It was written for those of us with morals, that believe evil people shouldn't prosper, and innocent people shouldn't have to take the blame for other people's moral shortcomings.

You prefer the original? Good for you, then go stay on your side of the cuck divide, and let us honest, normal people read what was clearly intended for us.

Yeah, this continuation should never have been written. I took a squiz at the original before reading this and you basically butchered the narrative simply for the reason that in your world, cheaters never get forgiveness and relationships never reconcile, even though clearly that's where the story was heading (by your own admission).

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The other huge problem I have is with the reasoning here for the split. It would be one thing if he came to the conclusion that he couldn't get over it and even trust her a little bit again if it was still relatively early in the process, like a year or two even, but this story picks up basically 4 years after he caught her. That's too long for someone with this guys level of insecurity to stay orbiting his ex-wife. It's a level of unbelievability bordering on those protagonists who happen to be ex-green beret/navy seals with uncles in the CIA/NSA and best friends who are crack lawyers.

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Basically you didn't sell the ending you chose.

Regurgitating the same old shit for most of the story. Fucking waste of time reading this

So does Darren know of her past as a cheater?

Once the trust is gone, it's impossible to fully recover. Sad but true. Of course there's a simple and effective method to avoid this hassle: don't cheat or purposefully mislead your SO. :)

Great Story!! I also like Buster2U 's Comment..

I'd have preferred to see FTDS leave this one alone. The problem is that the circumstances are so bad that the several chapters of the husband considering reconciling, then this ending with the parties actually making nice, reconciling and making love in circumstances that make it ridiculous to consider really doesn't leave room for a successful salvage operation without changing the characters into different people. Sometimes impossible plots are beyond saving.

Liked how you did this, nice simple and near truth ending.

There is no coming back from a looooong myltimonth affair except for crazy unusual circumstances and even then depends on the personality of the aggrieved spouse. They tried but there simply was no solution. No way back. It happens. Ultimately Sarah blew it and is forced to settle for a lesser love in Darren. She wanted reconciliation badly and tried a lot of things to make it happen along with her daughter, but just no solution to that errant equation.

"You'll never find anyone better than me." That really sums her up doesn't it? A person who feels entitled, has no real repentance, and is completely delusional. If she had any true consideration for her ex she would stay as far away as possible. Well written! 5 stars.

5 stars for Great Writing! Obvious wife cheated with Darren when she broke dates with Hubby. She is a Slut, Whore, Liar and a Cheater. She Loves the "thrill" of doing something she shouldn't. Hubby can't EVER trust her again and it is all her fault. When I finally figured out that wife#4 was cheating, I went to a Hypnotherapist to try to change myself so that it wouldn't bother me. LOL, I freaked out and left. It didn't work out so well. Cheating destroys the Spouse in so many ways. When your spouse cheats on you it makes you doubt your value to the marriage to your spouse. LOL, turns out it didn't have anything to do with me. She was just sick mentally, and constantly craved "men on the side" eventually leaving me for my best friend. LOL, BTW that really destroys you. Just wanted to point out how realistic this FTDS version is. Very accurate. As much as I wanted to "make up" when your spouse "cheats" Severe damage is done to the spouse and the relationship. As many have said, "It is almost impossible" to restore trust. Thanks Buster2U

No matter what, once trust is wounded - or destroyed - it is almost impossible to completely silence the niggling doubts.

Even though they both tried, it just couldn't be fixed in this case.

At leat they each found another love in their lives...

Nice try at a save. The original, however, was way too much a fems rule, cucks are loyal and stupid to be saved though.

My only complaint is when she ask him to trust her and then he explains. Not with the author but happens in a lot of LW stories and to which makes this more realistic and believable than most stories on here.

"You'll never find anyone better than me. Don't mess this up." "All you have to do is get your head out of your ass and realize I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."

"The only reason you're here, Sarah, is because I met you in the second grade and we had a great history, hada great story. EVERYONE knows that almost ANYONE would be better than you."

He needed to realize that for the new relationship with Sarah to work, the trust he needed to give her was something that she didn't deserve and could NEVER deserve. He was waiting for her to earn it, when in reality, is was something that he could only gift. He became frustrated that her slate could never be cleaned to his satisfaction.

Too bad the bitch daughter didn't get get just Karmic desserts :(

Agree with the commenter 2 months ago, starting with "Pretty realistic." They indeed got close but he couldn't trust after such a massive betrayal. She did what she could afterwards but nit enough to heal his pain. Possibly he needed some counseling, but honestly her betrayal was too big. Her part about she tried saying "no" and the asshole took her anyways, woukd mean one thing by if it were a couple times, but they fucked repeatedly over a year. She could have gotten help, gone to her husband, many options in that time. She liked the naughtiness and nit being in control. She came to crave it. Unfortunately she also denied her husband in terms of time, intimacy, sex, and new sexual activities, giving that all to thr glassblower. Trust is only rebuilt with time and with both sides working for it. Even then they would have a shadow of their marriage. Betrayal was too extreme.

The SLUT gene may go inactive, but only temporarily. It forces the carrier ……eventually…….to seek out strange. Guaranteed she was fucking Darren during the attempted reconciliation with the MC. Once a cheater, always a cheater / a SLUT will SLUT / both are as true as a bear will shit in the woods. Now I have nothing against sluts…..they make GREAT fucks……just don’t marry one or try being in an exclusive relationship with them. They don’t understand the word exclusive…..doubt they could even spell it. R. H.

This is your idea of reconcilation?

Pretty realistic. Surprising they even got that close to getting back together. Not surprising that trust could not be repaired. Both tried. Didn't work. Her betrayal was massive but she was repentant and he gamely tried, but couldn't get past the breach of trust.

Didn't like the ending but it doesn't matter your no around.

Just wish you’d come back. Hate or love for others but I just love seeing great alternatives

WHY THE FUCK SHOULD YOU GIVE IN TO THE DAUGHTER WHO IS PUSHING FOR A RECONCILIATION!! SHE WASN'T MARRIED TO THE SKANK, HER FUTURE WITH BOTH WERE LIMITED TILL SHE MOVED ON!!

The cuck should not have given in

Dude I seriously wish you ended all the stories in literotica. As long as there's no raac haha

Not sure why the premise here isn't talked about more on this site or even elaborated on more, "trust"... Honestly, I don't believe it's because of his fragile ego as some may put it that he couldn't get over it even after all that time but this goes to show u that once the trust is gone, there's a very slim chance the cheated on spouse fully trust the cheater

We’ll you managed to make the cheating slut look virtuous while the cuckold husband tries to kiss her ass. What was that big pile of bullshit you wrote about not doing willing cuckold stories?

This ending of a cheating story is a fine example of how difficult real reconciliation is. Real change is HARD and is a tremendous example of delayed gratification. So much work goes into lasting change and the rewards are not immediate. Rebuilding trust is hard work on the part of the cheater and guess what there's no guarantee of a reward. Repairing a relationship after infidelity is a long haul with dubious prospects but the cheater wants to you to “get over it” already because hey, they said they were sorry. Real remorse puts its money where its mouth is with a post-nup with an infidelity clause. A completely useless document if the cheater never cheats again, which of course, only the cheater has control over.

"You'll never find anyone better than me. Don't mess this up." "All you have to do is get your head out of your ass and realize I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."

Even to the bitter end Sarah was still rather delusional about herself.

His inability to forgive will haunt him on his deathbed. He settled for less then he could have known if only he could have made the leap of faith to believe in her once more. Of course, he forced Sarah to begin again as well, so at least he achieved that last measure of revenge, Perhaps that thought brought some cold comfort at the instant he saw the Reaper's scythe swing true.

Have you ever eaten chicken?? Guess you’re a monster with no conscience, A MURDERER! Fucking pathetic argument. She lied on the altar before friends, family and God, she deceived her best friend for a year. If you like being able to lie for your own benefit, then don’t get married, not as hard as you all try to make it.

When trust is lost, can you really have a marriage? Rebuilding trust is not something that can be done overnight, over a year, or maybe ever. Even with therapy and technology, it's not easy to restore, particularly when it was an affair over months, not a one-time event. In this case, moving on was probably the best route.

That's a great Sequel.

Trust is like a ceramic vase.

There was an attempt at reconciliation but trust once lost can't be regained.

Sad but realistic take.

Better that he sought a life elsewhere

this one sucked!

Let me address this topic of lying.

Did any of you commenters ever lie to your parents or your friends?

If so, what does that make you? YOU ARE A LIAR. No one should ever trust you with money, a job, their hand in marriage, .... (If you claim never to have lied, good on you, but I don't believe you.)

Great story. No matter how hard he tried, how could he ever forget or get over her year of lies, deceit and blatant disrespect?! She whored herself out to another man, giving him what she had consistently denied her husband. How could he not be bitter about her deliberate betrayal?! I'm surprised he even tried!! Sad but how can he trust a liar and a cheater?! She's damaged goods and the story ends well. Good luck to her next husband,Darren. 5 stars.

You should have had the whore cheat on the new husband .

She will or is .

The truth is once a cheater , always a cheater .

Like a rare ceramic vase, difficult to find that perfect one, and once you smash it into tiny fragments, it's impossible to fully restore it. You might pick up the pieces and force them together with glue, but those ugly cracks, and the gaps from the tiny bits you couldn't find, are always there, catching your eye. You can try, with all your might to ignore them, but you know that they are still there. You are terrified of pouring water into it, for fear of breaking it again, so you keep it on a shelf, afraid to test it's remaining strength.

No amount of therapy would restore his trust in her. Therapy can help him accept, recover, move on, but therapy cannot create something that has been destroyed, especially something as ephemeral and fragile as trust. Therapy can only help him cope with it's loss.

Sad story ending. I thought Sarah and Bill would get back together. He should of gone for counselling... lots of it. Thanks.

Why no therapy for Bill the guy is in obvious need of speaking to a psychologist to help him get over his suspicions he needs a level of interventions but I guess that would have taken the story in a different direction and probably shortened it.

Sad ending as Bill and Sarah belonged together.

Meh.

you should have left this unfinished lol

Why try to reconcile and I read your afterwords

She cheated for a year

No

Too long even if you don't consider any period too long

I enjoyed your finishing this story. I do appreciate that Bill couldn't handle the trust issues no matter how hard he tried. Amazingly Bill and Sarah found other loves. Five stars.

The man goes through all the healing in the previous chapters and then he becomes a whiney b!tch at the end? Just to fulfill a formula of the author?

NO.

This story was ruined, not because "wah wah, you were late..." he couldn't trust her. No, it was ruined because the guy with courage, the guy who "felt" the cheating the first time, the husband, was left out of this 'sequel' and replaced with some Casper Milquetoast afraid of the ghosts of the past.

Best comment I've ever read on this site, bar none.

He made the stay or go decision much like a neurotic teenage girl might make the decision?

She destroys the trust and their lives by her year long cheating and she wants him to get his head out of his ass? And trust her? Once a cheater always a cheater. She'll soon find a smile or a touch - and she'll be seduced again! Bill is well out of it. He doesn't need a second go round! Much better than where it seemed to be headed!

I don't think trust can ever really return in a situation like this. Story was real life.

doesn't begin to describe the drama that a few extra undamaged brain cells in charge of thinking could have saved the protagonist.

To even trying with the unrepentant cunt.

But when she blanes the failure of reconciliation on him by saying get your head out of your ass??!!

Never hit a woman. But I would have hocked a wad of mucous drawn from the depths of my bowels right into her smug little face.

I like most of your stuff. In this one I think you hit on the essence of how it would really work out. Not one of her apologies meant anything because she refused to confront herself on why she did it. A woman knows why she does something, even if it's "just because I can". So her inability to reconcile his doubts and the fact that sometimes the façade that she has erected crumbles a little when her true attitude about everyone but herself comes out, makes sense. She gets mad, impatient and put upon because they just can't get over it or maybe get over themselves. Still feels a little entitled to me throughout all nine of the first chapters and part of this conclusion. Mainly what we all needed, those of us who read all nine, was closure of some kind. If nothing else, sing the last chapter 8 more bars and then just quit.

I would be interested to know how you knew the original story was going to end as a RACC. From everything I read he still had trust issues. True, the author kept going back to the kid and her wish that they would reconcile, but the story went through 9 chapters without him trusting her any more at the end than he did at the beginning. One thing though, he was as big of a pussy as I've read about in any of these stories. When he catches them together in his bed he, in effect, invites the asshole to leave his house. He doesn't even seem to get mad at his wife. No yelling, no fights or name calling. And it takes him near a year to do anything about the asshole. And then, he does nothing but make him move on where he is free to start everything all over again. Big deal. He let's the asshole continue fucking other married women and ruining several other marriages. If anything this story seemed to just wander off from lack if interested. For nothing better to do, they both end up getting married again and the story just Peter's out. Ho-hum.

Well-written as usual but FTDS coped out of the reconciliation that was implicit in the original, turning Bill from a strong, emotionally secure man whose head ruled his feelings and who put his daughter's happiness before his own into a insecure rather emasculated shadow of his former self who couldn't get over the past.

I don't know whether the writer was following his own 'anti-cuck' agenda or whether he was bowing to the army of 'anti-cuck' lunatics who troll this site - but it was a very disappointing end and one that didn't follow the logical character progression of the original.

LA

It was a worthwhile ending. Doesn't always have to be a BTB.

Do consider ending more stories. Really enjoy your take on them.

I would be happy to write You a real ending, or better yet a real story.

I only wish you would keep writing. You finish a lot of these stories that authors have thrown away and usually make them so much better. Please keep it up!

Leave the authors with their stories well alone you dont make them better!

Once again FTDS presents us with an ending in his usual quality writing skills. Clear, concise, and descriptive. Additionally, his story line includes Bill's transition over about 4 years from hate/bitterness to indifference to tolerance to cautious attempts at full reconciliation as well as Sarah's belated recognition and acceptance of her total responsibly for the destruction of her marriage. This leads the reader to think that there may be reasonably happy ending to this tale.

But it is when FTDS introduces one of the more insidious, latent victims of infidelity i.e. trust, that the reader comprehends the depths of the damage to Bill's psyche that his wife's affair has caused.

It is this facet of the work that marks it as exceptional. It destroys the trite nature of make up sex as a remedy for infidelity and focuses on the long term difficulties of true reconciliation.

There was a time when Bill's trust of Sarah was infinite. But after her protracted affair and his discovery of her having anal sex in his marital bed that trust was shattered.

As Bill and Sarah attempt to rebuild a relationship and engage in sexual activities including anal sex which she always denied him, they grow closer together. But that very closeness triggers suspicions on Bill's part as to what Sarah is doing when they are not together. The closer they become the greater the suspicion. And so the death spiral begins.

In the end reconciliation can't work without a significant level of trust which Bill is now incapable of providing.

In the end both Bill and Sarah find happiness with other mates. A nice touch, but frankly I would have preferred he ended when they reluctantly recognize that reconciliation is not possible so that the reader is left to ponder the true foundations of marital relationship beyond erotic love i.e. trust, honesty, selflessness, etc. that are also victims of unfaithfulness and without which relationship is unlikely to survive.

Loved it.

Very realistic which actually happens. Appreciate your nice effort

this is really well written .

the emotions are there and realistic .

i feel if the original author wrote this it would have been a forced raac. it sure looked that way. you on the other hand when for no raac which will would of been more realistic. after 5 years of penance the slut was finally done and my moved on. the male lead looked weak having a pity party every time. 5 years of putting their daughter in emotional distress. another maybe 2 years of meeting future candidates for the step mummy and daddy positions and so on. the kid is royally fucked. should have just killed the bitch and made it look like an accident 5 years ago before the divorce. the girl would have moved on thinking her mother was a saint. the guy would have no trust issues anymore because the betrayer was no more. and he would have gotten on with his life and murder if he was smart.

is just an old fat ugly fag who meeds to find a retirement home for assholes

'Revenge puts us in prison. And the very best revenge is living well without the whore.' I'll take exception to this statement.

Revenge will put you in prison, but 'well thought out revenge' will not only leave you in the clear but will point the blame in the direction of the ex.

This was a year of lying, cheating, and total disrespect for her family. Counting this time wasted plus divorce time and the time to get her out of his system, a big portion of his life was lost because of these 2 cheaters.

And letting her 'talk' and explain why she did it is only good for clearing her conscious. He gets no benefit from it.

Too many here think being cheated on is then skulking about, hiring PI's, catching the cunt and then the revenge, oh, the sweet revenge.

Nope.

Revenge puts us in prison. And the very best revenge is living well without the whore.

You never can trust them again. Never, not ever. I married my HS sweetheart even after she cheated on me, we broke up, got back together and then she cheated on me again. With the same guy. Apparently for some women, cock size really is important.

Yet in the end, I forgave her, we found ourselves reunited and soon married. Not long out of high school and perhaps that was part of the problem. I found it was simply impossible to trust her 100%. Hell, even 50%. If She was late coming home from the store, had to stay after work, whatever the reason was, each time I feared she was off cheating with Tom again.

In the end, she came to me and said it wasn't' going to work. She was sorry, but it was impossible for her to go back in time and un-cheat. She was kind and understanding, realizing I couldn't trust her for something she did. We divorced after 26 months of marriage, to our parents sadness.

Truthfully, I figured Teresa would be in another man's bad and either dating steadily or remarried. Neither was true. After three years, a mutual friend admitted to me she wished we could get back together, since Teresa had never dated after we divorced. That was odd, I hadn't either but then it was impossible to really believe such a fairytale.

For five years neither of us dated, I simply couldn't bring myself to. Finally, after seeing Teresa too often and with her more friendly than ever, I transferred within my company and out of the state. From Ohio to Florida, I was happy yet sad, in the warm tropical weather.

I saw Teresa for the first time in 4 years just a few weeks ago. As usual she was alone but I wasn't. Our mutual friend contacted me immediately and needed me to understand my ex was devastated by seeing me with my wife and our baby.

My life is good now and I have no trust issues with Jennie, the love of my life.

U have to be kidding.

but still an ending. better than the original long boring crap.

“I'll be faithful, I swear” – As he said, she made that promise before, and look what it led to!

“I was seduced, and too weak to fight it off.” – That’s an excuse for the affair itself, NOT for denying her husband, NOT for doing it in their house, in their BED, NOT for giving him things that she got pissed at her husband for just mentioning!

But the style was so far removed from the original story that it rendered it a pointless exercise entirely.

And that has nothing to do with the ending as I do enjoy a good btb story.

No rating for this one.

Congrats. A heartbreakingly good ending. Five out of five. After all those chapters by AndrewPeters I almost wished the two of them got back together. You captured their characters perfectly. The emotions were raw and honest. If I could change anything I would have had you use the format the original author did of changing the POV back and forth between the two characters a couple of times. Cheers.

People cannot decide how they feel -

However you can decide that you will trust someone and then live that decision - it takes some time to find out if you have been a fool for the second time or not but it can happen oif you have faith. Ooops faith ain't so easy either.

It was a *very* realistic ending. I could only give a three, because it was such a sad thing. I've read of such things, where the betrayed husband just couldn't get past what was done, despite still having strong good feelings for the former wife - FTDS got it right, sometime love just is not enough without the trust.

It's a good story, just a very sad one.

i damn sure wouldnt have apologized to that bitch i would have strung her ass along then dumped her

He told us he had, without planning it, moved past the rage and anger and whatnot...

And he's a very introspective man... though it doesn't, in and of itself, reduce any pain her affair inflicted, he has to know that whether she knows why she did it or not the thing she DOES know is the fallout from her first and only affair.

The pain she was responsible for inflicting on the man she loved, any and all evidence to the contrary.

That being said, there's no way he didn't know she would never CONSCIOUSLY inflict that pain on him and there would additionally never be anyway she would be able to delude herself into thinking that it would not be a given if she were to have another affair.

Not to mention, though I am, how much worse would it be for her daughter to have her mom INTENTIONALLY throw away their family a second time - and there would be no way anyone would ever believe it wasn't intentionally a second time.

You also had them jump into the sack too quickly for who and how he was. And even though she desperately wanted them to be able to get back together, I can't help but think after all of her therapy that she would have tried harder to go slower. It's like my wife - she cooks on a lower temperature which to me takes longer but there's less chance of burning and not near as much of a mess. I really see her more like that at this stage of her life.

Swinging dick didn't like this story. That is reason enough to give it 5 stars.

... HE HAS NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR!!!!

- He's not the one that cheated on her for months!

- He's not the one that lied to person he loved!

- He's not the one that broke the wedding vows ... "forsaking all others" apparently meant nothing to Sarah the Tramp!

- He's not the one that destroyed their family!

- He's not the one that watched as Sarah gave her Piece of Shit lover her WHORE ASS (one of the many things she denied the man she supposedly "loved")!

... and we could go on and on and on but what's the point?!?

Sarah's betrayal was NOT A ONE time mistake ... it went on for months and months ... that Folks is Betrayal in the worst way! She is a selfish, self serving, adulterous CUNT who shoulders All the blame and should never be allowed to inflict her treachery on another man! Allowing her to remarry was wrong!

FTDS you "may" have written a better ending than the WHORE wife apologist & CUCK author Andrew Peters BUT it does not mean you wrote a good ending!

The apology was not only unnecessary and it was a mistake!!!

Remember Dear Readers .... Once a cheating WHORE ... always a cheating WHORE!! The only question remaining is how long it will be before Darren is fitted with a set of Horns as well!

"Cheating wives are the lowest form of life!!!"

To the other poster it had been 4years and no one can say she didn't try? So Bill's comment to her new beau at the end I think taking some blame was right.

Having said that I see myself in Bill's place and not being able to forget.

Nice one FTDS, still a romantic and wanted them together :-)

I like the outcome, but him going up to the ex and her date and putting the blame on himself ruined it.

I'm not sure about the story's timeline. I can't quite get a fix on the daughter's age when the divorce happened, how many years went by and why a teenager who could be a babysitter needed a sitter.

to home-grown coffee. TK U MLJ LV NV

.."Darren, she's a great woman. Seriously. The problems we had at the end were mine, not hers..."

Oh my fucking god. You have to be fucking kidding me....

I don't know, call me a hopeless romantic. I was really hoping for resolution and reconciliation, but it wasn't the one I was hoping for. There could be only two endings to this story. You chose this one. I would have chose for them to stay together. I know a thing about mistrust issues in a marriage - won't say which way. But as much as she was screwed up with the glassblower, hubby was screwed up with his big mistrust issue. Yes the wedding vows say "forsaking all others," but that's not all of the vows. There's the "for better or for worse" part. Certainly, the ending would be considered the "for worse part." He had a truly repentant woman, a good woman, a woman that would be the best mother for his daughter. But he showed he couldn't forgive. The Bible tells us if we can't forgive others, God will not forgive us. My thoughts as I see it.

a fitting ending, in keeping with the original. As always, a fine job.

I thought you did a fine job of staying true to the original. Both in plot and in style. Well done.

I did have a little discomfort with the arguement they had as the broke up. Her blaiming him made it seem like she really never understood or accepted the real damage she did to him and the relationship.

And I thought that is they were really serious about making a go of it, they might have tried seeing a counciler. I mean what they were trying to do is repair the marriage. An outside voice might have helped them see the trust issue more clearly and MAYBE found a way to get it back. Doubtful, but I think it should have occured to them to try.

Still, a nice end to the story

I gave this story a 5. Very realistic while being true to the original story. @Zed0 are you kidding. andrewpeter took the story to the edge of racc. FTDS took it back from that edge not with a 180 degree change in everything as some have accused him in the past but rather by detailing the efforts to restore trust. An effort that failed. Hubby was civil to her and even somewhat friendly because of their shared child. Their devotion to their child saved them but could not save their marriage.

Thanks for the ending. 3*s for this chapter.

Something was missing or got lost. The conflict maybe wasn't here.

Thank you for trying.

AMerryMan

....as any you've submitted.

The best of these finishes is that you don't usually alter the characters, just bring the story to a different, often saner conclusion.

In this case, it seemed about 6 months after they got together that the troubles surfaced. She had had 5 years to work out her issues, but once back in a nascent re-relationship with him, couldn't stick it out for a year?

While her behavior is in keeping with her personality and my general experience of women trying to fix the damage they've done, I can't help but be disappointed that she couldn't give his struggling mistrust the year she took from him.

This stuff you write, is one reason I keep coming back to Literotica.

Some stuff you've submitted pissed me off pretty good (and I chided you accordingly), your stories are generally top notch. 5*

AndrewPeter has not been seen or heard from on this site for a number of years, and to this I send a hail & hardy "Good Riddance!"

The fact that reconciliation was even considered, let alone attempted, speaks volumes about FTDS current trend, and decent, into the anals of pathetic non-man wimpdom.

It is a sad fact of life that as men age their testosterone levels drop, causing the nads and the brain to atrophy, becoming soft and mushy. Both JPB & MM have, at my behest, tried testosterone replacement therapy to great advantage, with marked improvement in their writings, as well as in their personal lives, I'm sure.

Just saying......

I can only hope that FTDS future writings will return to the former quality that I, and the other men of Literotica have come to expect, and respect, from this formerly great writer.

This story shows perfectly how once trust is gone, it's almost impossible to regain.

you took what you were given, stayed true to the characters as they had been crafted, and wrapped it all up nicely. It was not a slash and burn or a cop out reconciliation. Rather an honest probability based on the consequences of her betrayal and his insecurities. Is it pretty? No. Is it satisfying? much more so than the lack of closure provided in the original. It is a depiction of real life as viewed after the fact with all the foibles and faults with which humans are plagued.

Well Done FTDS!

Ditto Iron Dragon and FD45. Excellent character development and realistic dialogue. FTDS is maturing as a good writer. As far as fathers getting custody, I got custody of my daughters in 1982 - even then it could be done. Judges usually look at what is best for kids - unfortunately not always. My brother-in-law's wife had joint custody with her kids and it was an unmitigated disaster and her kids are still messed up from it.

Me too! But then I have liked them ALL, if not liking them all equally. I think ONCE I voted you a three, but generally you get 4s, and OFTEN (like today), you earn a well deserved 5! But then again, I AM a true fan!

Thanks for what you do! It is always appreciated and eagerly anticipated!

Thanks also to Javmor, for his spot on comment/retort. And thanks to Iron Dragon, for realizing that some people read the comment spinner FIRST, before deciding whether or not to read a story. And thanks to FD45, because while (in my mind) he usually stays stubborn in his beliefs- refusing to put up with stupidity and silly crap (actually I don't blame him for that at all), he CAN admit when an author needs a second chance, and the benefit of the doubt.

I think Laptopwriter said it once (something like: ) ALL commenters should be gracious and grateful to those authors who donate their time, and sacrifice for our mutual entertainment.....but fellow authors should understand the need for that desired courtesy even more, since it is the only paycheck they are likely to receive for their efforts.

My best comment for you FTDS, is that I think this story proves that you CAN and WILL and DO stay as true to the original characters and story outline as possible, whenever possible. I read ALL of the original author's chapters in a row, just before finally switching back over to you for the conclusion. It REALLY seemed just about as seamless a continuation as anybody could expect or demand. My 5 stars was for assuming this to be a well achieved goal set for yourself. SUCCESS!

For me this was a good tale to mine for the understated object lesson. The "once a cheater, always a cheater" reasoning CAN be true, or SOMETIMES is true. But I don't believe it ALWAYS has to be true. People can redeem themselves. People can do penance and be forgiven. People can learn things about themselves, and even though they have made mistakes in the past, take steps to insure that those mistakes aren't repeated. This story stands out because, usually, the "stupid bitch" never learns a lesson without SERIOUS payback and revenge involved (or so lots of LW contributors would have the readers believe....) Here, this lady DOES learn. She does penance (losing both lover and hubby, losing custody, her house, AND goes without sex for 4YEARS after being caught!!!!). Meanwhile, she goes to therapy, and she rededicates her self-worth to the brief time she can actually spend with her daughter. But the theme here is that for these characters, NONE OF THAT IS ENOUGH! The loss of trust, was just too much. I liked how FTDS got ex-hubby to agree that in the end it became HIS problem and less hers. YES, she was the cause, but his inability to get past the trust issues, rang the ultimate death of any possible long-term reconciliation. Accepting it as something he couldn't change, despite trying his best, never changed his sincere hope for her eventual happiness. He would never fully trust her again, and she needed to find someone who could. Yep, real life type stuff, right there. I think that this was another reason why people liked this story better than some. It was a very realistic portrayal, even in the original. May be the original DID have some suspensions of disbelief (like the custody thing- may be?) but even he had a strong grasp of the realism needed to accurately portray the emotions of BOTH spouses going through a divorce. I think that "realism" IS why it was so easy for FTDS to pick up their shoes, and walk a mile or so in them.

Again, Thank you, and WELL DONE!

Sometimes I like your endings, sometimes… well... not so much. However, my liking them (or not) is kind of irrelevant. I’m impressed with your ability to reasonably put yourself in the author’s mind and plausibly finish the tale (while holding onto your basic principles/philosophy).

I agree with some other commenters that this is one of your best jobs… but I have to ask if that’s the case because:

a) You started with a better ‘unfinished’ tale to begin with – and so your… extension built upon a better foundation;

b) It was simply one of your better efforts;

c) The plot/ending rang true to me – suited my worldview a bit more closely than many that you finish (something similar to the comment by TheUnoriginalist).

Whatever the case may be (most likely a bit of all three), thank you for your effort. It was well worth reading.

Big fan of your work but some stories are not worth trying to fix, ie.. they simply come from a broken mind and should not have been written in the first place. Keep trying your usually a breath of fresh air on here with all the gay married cum eating husbands writing these days.