All Comments on 'The Fourth Man Ch. 03'

Damn it, Marge, how dare you ask me that, there was no cock!" she angrily replied. "I was NOT out screwing some guy!"

second TO KEN

"Oh Ken, please...I...it had nothing to do with sleeping with another man," she blurted out, "nothing, honey; please believe me, I did not screw anyone."

it is clear from the conversation in the context of the story that at that particular point from the wife's perspective .. when she says "anyone" she is talking about a Man

This is a serious disappointment and I am sure many readers are going to agree. As soon I read this ..."please don't punish her for one weak moment...please."

it became obvious that we're headed for a standard ordinary banal ending.

The problem is that in order to bring the story to a forced reconciliation at all cost ... the author has to change the actual events and change the meaning of the words and actions which happened in chapters 1 and 2.

For example ... After the wife met up with the other woman in Chicago the wife CHOOSE to manipulate the TRUST marriage and her husband's faith in her. So the argument that that some have made .... and that the wife claimed ... this was not planned and that this opportunity just came up suddenly... is 100% bullshit.

** the wife had several days to think about what she wanted to do with the so the woman. So what she did did involve planning and Conscious decision to go ahead with it known the angst it was causing him ***

EXAMPLE the idiot husband actually believes the wife's rationalization/ defense. The fact that she did NOT concoct a lie / cover story about WHERE she was going or WHO she was going to see does not mean that she did NOT use massive deception and betray the marriage.

It is laughable for anybody to think that her argument makes sense.

And the pregnancy thing is just so overdone and so predictable.

Five stars. A worthy ending. Thanks for the brilliant tale.

It was an interesting dissection of lesbian adultery and a very specific and arrogant betrayal of trust until the author put a very heavy thumb on one side of the scales with the pregnancy. As soon as that happened you knew which way the story had to go and the rest was BS. Its the author's story but he blew something interesting into something very trite and pedestrian. Try something hard like dealing with your issues without the pregnancy. 2*

to rather boring and not well thought out. Wrote yourself into a corner, didn't you?

But, I think you took it in the right direction. For me, the critical point in the story was right at the last where he asked himself if 8 years of happiness was worth forgiveness and he decided it was. If she wasn't remorseful, if she was untruthful like you'd mad the point of explaining then no reconciliation.

You'll suffer a lot of disapproval here, but I concur with how you did it. Fact is, it was yours to do.

I gave you 5* because you wrote a thoughtful story that was basically edited well. You are an interesting writer, but you do have a propensity for fucking around with the reader a little and that worries me some. My guess is that you have a mean streak and it will eventually surface in your stories.

For now, good job.

Regards,

-Pultoy

If you cheat and if you get away with it and they never find out, its OK (You win). But if it doesn't work out like you planned and INTENDED and/or your partner finds out, then no matter how rotten you INTENTIONALLY behaved or how much you hurt your partner cause you just weren't quite sneaky enough to keep them from finding out, if you say you real didn't mean to be as rotten or hurt them so much and come up with some convoluted con job or bullshit story to approximate justifying your actions and your claims that you really did mean to make such an asshole out of him, it OK too?? 1*. ANYBODY ELSE WONDERING IF LAURA MIGHT BE A HERMAPHRODITE??

Is 8 years of happiness worth a lifetime of doubt? No, it isn't. Pathetic justification attempt for an author who had no idea where to take his initial idea.

I give 5 stars, yes my last comment was wrong, I hoped for a surrogate story, but this is erotic themes. For me the question is simple, define cheating, Jen clearly cheated, did she manipulate, I would say YES, Ken, was sure it was a man, and she played his ego. Of course she already knew woman on woman would not hurt anything, what could go wrong? pregnancy? no, a continued affair? NO, the idea of another man, and that man hood compare penises and was he better? NO. Jen played everything because her little twist did not violate anything that would damage his ego one bit. I am sadden that this was not introduced more in detail. Dishonesty is just that. like the comment said, Laura did not put a gun to Jen's head, Jen knew what she was doing and any intimate encounters with anyone else beyond Ken and their marital bed was dead wrong and it violated their vows. The introduction of being pregnant, to me forced an issue, either stay in the relationship for the sake of the child or just go on in separate ways. The Ken character clearly was a man of principles and ideals Ken, in my opinion would not walk away, child support was never an option. This may stir some comments, but, in a marriage, we have to define what is acceptable, cheating is just that, outside the marriage on anything, hugging, kissing anything even touching.. to rolling and twisting under the blankets. regardless woman on woman or man on man.. to man and woman... either its your partner .... or you know .. its not... Its about RESPECT AND TAKING RESPONSIBILITY for ones actions and being an ADULT about your actions.

I'm only on page 1 but if you see my comment from ch.2 I guessed right. I can't believe it.

HA

I'll continue...

your going to get hammered by the scorched earth guys but the bottom line is this was a one time thing not an affair I believe you took this to the right conclusion she made a mistake the question is do you love her enough to give her a second chance and the answer was yes, great story.

... BBL got it right and I had it ALL wrong! In thought you were going to play the Arnie card and instead all he got was a brief mention in the epilogue (epilouge?) Good tension in 1 & 2 but the end was a bit of a denouement. On to Laura and Bill pls.

... I hate these phones! " I thought..."

from chapter 1 she says "please believe me, I did not screw anyone" so women arent anyone? lies! what a coniving bitch she says she couldn't lie to him but did. Why would anyone ever trust her.

Pretty good writing, originality so-so. The cell phone remaining connected enabling a partner to find out there was cheating going on, well, that's not new. Nor is the pregnancy thing, which forces a reconciliation, no matter how much Ken or Jen might deny it. The test is, would Jen forgive Ken if he were to sleep with Tara, just to realize his fantasy (i.e., is her game in the sack as good as it is on the golf course)? Of course, his would be better; he could score a hole-in-one! Not to mention letting her try out his putter. Seriously, though, for them to be equal, he should be permitted a cheat for a weekend, no questions asked. Three stars.

Yeah I'm gonna give you my scorched earth opinion.

Fucking cunt. Fucking selfish cheating cunt. It wasn't so much the actual tryst. It was the downright bold face lie that she gave her loving faithful husband. And would have continued the lie by omission ad infinitum until the story came out. Granted it was a preposterous situation but nonetheless it happened in this tale. Now she turns up pregnant. Considering she was a lying cheating wife I would have at least waited until the birth for a DNA test to determine the paternity of the kid. As far as the other cheater, skip that tale. I don't believe there is a happy ending here.

Just my bitter opinion.

I hate it when women don't have to face any real consequences for their actions and the cunts thrive and get off on the drama they create.

This story was so incredible, you could feel the emotion dripping off the husband every step of the way. And in the end you decided to trivialize everything he went through. Yeah she went through some pain, but it was of her own making. You boiled everything down to trust and gave her an easy way out. If I could rate a story on its merits and whether I liked it or not, this would get 4 stars for writing and 1 for liking it. I truly hope someone re-writes this chapter with her not pregnant so she doesn't have such an easy out. Because without that, how does he know he can trust her?

I thought for sure it was the butler in the boardroom with the candlestick.

A tough call by the author to have Ken decide if 8 years of happiness was worth a lifetime of doubt. It was a difficult concept to accept because the wife was written with Bill Clinton type rationalizations (“I did not have sex with that women”) In the therapy session it seemed like the author had written the wife was truly sorry for the outcome -but she still believed her rationalization was correct, thus giving weight to hobby’s belief the wife could not be trusted.

However the baby tips the scales in the story, maybe a cliché-but it worked in this tale

LTW has a built in Part 4 with Laura the bi wife, as she is written with zero remorse for what happened-only for getting caught and the fallout. Does her hubby Bill get a weekend in Vegas? Or does he get to watch from now on, or participate in wife bi moments?

In the end ..love it or hate it LTW got a LOT of us pulled into the fable-which is the whole point of writing, so tip of the pen to him 5*

Very emotionnal, well writen. 5* and added to favorites.

Thank you !

To me, this us not about the affair itself (and yes it was obvious to me what she had done, that was not hidden well but still cleverly disguised enough that readers skipping around would have missed it). I'm with Ken on this and he should have stuck to his guns (unfortunately, I could also see him taking her back even w/o the pregnancy...that was telegraphed as well) and held her accountable for requesting her trust. I don't buy the "I just couldn't lie" excuse because she dud lie by omission. She knew exactly what she was going to do and by leaving for the weekend with full knowledge of breaking her vows to Ken she lied as big as creating a false reason to be gone. The pregnancy, rationalization, sudden quiet demeanor, not to mention a lame best friend (Jack) all were created for the convenience of a contrite forced ending. Very disappointed in this chapter in both writing, honoring the characters as well as the storyline decision. Not all stories have to BTB, but the initial setup really demanded a stronger response here. Please don't write about Laura and Bill. Just don't.

he has no back bone or any kind of bones. And Marge interfere too much

Satisfying to a certain degree but there is nothing novel about this yarn which sets it apart from other reconciliation stories. 3*

disappointing.

then you lost it... my opinion not a great ending... I just do not understand why "a baby on the way" has to ride in on a horse and save the day... no mention of doing a DNA and believe me most husbands would have demanded or done on the side...cf24

CHEATING IS CHEATING

She is stupid slut

1*

The reason cheating is a problem is that you cannot trust a person who lies to you and fucks other people outside your marriage. If it is in their range of behavior to cheat once, they will do it again, or commit some other kind of betrayal. It is just part of who they are! So, what's wrong with a little betrayal? When your spouse betrays you they threaten your survival. Today cheating, tomorrow embezzling the family funds and departing with a lover? It has happened many times! Bad enough if this happens to a spouse without children, a thousand times worse if kids are involved! Now, the financial damage if much higher, and the emotional pain and threat to survival has spread to the offspring! So, forgive a cheater? Why forgive them for their character? It is just who they are. It is arrogant to think you can "forgive" someone for being themselves! How condescending. Of course, it is a terrible idea to maintain and continue a partnership with a cheater - all that will result if more pain and living with the threat of future betrayal. After all, betrayal is what they do. I wonder why this story was written in this way. I wonder if the author thought the lesbian affair would be less threatening to the husband. I wonder why he staged the "trust" conversation before she went off for the affair. Like many of these LW stories the man is made out to be some kind of genius saint, and yet he can't see what is happening until it is too late or someone tells him. His response to his wife's trust conversation should have been simple, "We are married, there are no secrets, do I trust you? up until this moment I did, now you are acting strangely and it is not appropriate to keep a secret from me. So, the answer is no, you can't go away for the weekend. If you chose to do so anyway, consider our marriage over. (That is the way a normal man responds to such bullshit)

This story generated all the emotions that I would expect in a real life circumstance. The broken trust, the clandestine discovery, and the turmoil of decision all were brought very cleverly right to the surface of my own emotions as I read. Could I have made that same decision?

All I do know is that this writer got my attention right from the start. Made me anticipate very eagerly the next installment and had me live through it with Ken as he pondered through his decision. I don't see how any story teller can do much more for a reader than this. I have put you on my favorits list an look forward to anything you are willing to share wit us.

Thank you for a magnificent effort.

FIVE Stars!

The set up was ridiculous and the ending as trite as anything written here.

You really are a talented writer. OK, you telegraphed your punch with the airplane story about the faulty phone, but I think you worked in to the story well.

You kept the emotions high and the story moving. Could you reply in the comments section here on Lit just who or what is the "Fourth Man"

My husband and I have different thoughts on what you were thinking with the title.

Why some people want the same predetermined story with the same predetermined ending over and over again, I can't fathom. I only know that doing so makes those people incredibly boring, and you should ignore their comments. Several capable authors on the site have found themselves bending to that wind, and all it did was make their stories less and less interesting.

I really liked the prolonged lead in to his discovery. It wasn't about surprising us, but rather about letting us see his recognition slowly dawn. It also let us get a real feel for all of the people involved in a way that made it feel like we were moving on the main storyline rather than starting off with some unnecessary "here's how we met" disconnected side rambling.

For me, the one weakness is that once you got your character to the point where he had discovered the truth, then it became a bum rush to the end. And I get that the second half didn't have as much personality or originality is the first (it's harder to enliven the reconciliation/revenge than it is the discovery), and you probably didn't want to linger at the expense of pacing, but it was kind of odd to have so much time invested in leading up to something that then gets hurried through to the end.

We all know that when a wife lies and/or cheats in one of these stories, about half the readers, or more, will be very upset if the husband takes her back. There is no getting around that fact. So when you posted this, you were guaranteed to piss off half the readers. How do the rest of the readers feel about the story?

We often use lie and cheat as the same word, but they are not. When a spouse is caught in a major lie, even if it is not about anything sexual, it causes a rift. When a spouse lies and cheats, the damage is often too much to endure. But not all people think the same way and that is the crux of this category. For many, it's all black and white. For many others, trying to imagine tossing your spouse out is difficult. I just feel that we need to try to see the view of the characters in the stories we read and feel their pain and their logic. Many readers hate wife sharing, but some guys do it. It takes all kinds and writers try to explore all aspects of the LW genre. Readers should try to understand the feelings and motives of the characters.

This was a different take on cheating. The BTB crowd will hate it of course. Marriage is just like a business partnership. Before you dissolve it you weigh the pros and cons, debits and credits. I doubt that most marriages go nuclear upon one incidence of infidelity. A five.

I am sure many who read here are too young to remember the turmoil Nixon and crowd brought the country to with what has come to be called Watergate. Those Lit readers from around the world could care less, I am also sure. Watergate is what came to my mind on the second page of this story when Laura was in Ken's office trying to apologize, to take the lion's share of the blame.

Ken listen's and then asks 'weren't you afraid I would tell your husband?' and Laura basically says you're not the telling type - anyway I told him everything the moment I got home. That was the true Watergate moment for the story, for this type of story.

Nixon, whatever you think about the 'I am not a crook' president, was not at all stupid about the American public. He knew us well as he proved in many elections, many actions. He was not involved at all in the original break-in in any way. That was too petty and low level a detail for any president except Jimmie Carter. Nixon's sin was breaking TRUST with the people in trying to protect his top aides from prosecution.

Notice the word TRUST; it is used in this and so many other Loving Wives stories. It is central to this Fourth Man tale. Nixon, Haldeman and Ehrlichman developed a special language they used to avoid lying to themselves about how much of the truth to tell. When Laura told Ken she had already told her husband all the ugly details of her affair with Jen that is what Nixon called 'The Full Hang-out' meaning tell every last detail with honesty. He told his cronies he American people would be pissed but they would get over it because they want to believe in theri president.

They had special terminologies that I no longer recall for various levels of half truths. Nixon was the one who said let's go the full hang-out and get past this but his top aides convinced him otherwise. Laura's actions vis-a-vis her husband shed light on the value of truth. As far as I am concerned Fourth Man ended on page 2 and all the last two pages added was a paint job like so many other Literotica Loving Wives stories.

Thanks for this thought provoking series author.

I agree with the last point made by sugna regarding how the husband should have initially acted when the wife first approached him. Yes, he should have drawn the line in the sand at that moment. If there is a flaw in this story, it is there.

What she did is wrong. Cheating and manipulation are serious offenses and she is guilty on both fronts. However, some act as if once someone cheats the relationship is over. I don't buy that. It more than likely does destroy it, but people do stupid things for stupid reasons. I thought the author did a good job of having the wife explain her reasoning and she did come across as sincere. Stupid, yes. Intentionally disrespectful, no. He did not take her back because she had been seduced. Heard that one before and it is a lame excuse for reconciliation. Unless drugs or blackmail are involved, culpability is not removed. The author specifically stayed away from that one. He also did not take her back because she was pregnant. Let's work it out because of the kids is a crap reason to endure a broken marriage. The author used the pregnancy as a device to test her truthfulness, not to soften his resolve. This was headed toward reconciliation before that revelation. The fact that the author had the marriage hinging upon her telling the truth at that point was a weakness in the story. There was no real advantage to her lying once he said he wanted kids. IMHO, a better device was needed to regain trust. Having him weigh eight years verses a divorce, was also a weakness. Not sure I feel the weight of eight years as much as I would have twelve or fifteen.

In the end, he took her back because he loved her and had concluded that she had just been really stupid and made a bad mistake. He also was convinced she loved him and knew how much she fucked up. He also believed she wouldn't do it again. I agree with hubby's assessment, but I also think LTW could have done a better job of selling it to hubby. I bought it because I had the vantage point of hearing her thoughts and seeing her full reaction while apart from hubby. He did not have that same perspective, so that is why I feel more was needed to make the case. Still, five stars.

And the fact that she didn't just betray his trust, she did so in the worst way possible. DNA test on the baby would be a must, of course. Jack had it right when he asked "Is the baby Ken's?" Once a cheater, always a cheater. Sure, she was sorry she hurt him... AFTER she got caught and saw that her meal ticket was heading out the door.

After the way Wifey played Hubby, and STILL tried to rationalize what she did even as her marriage was on the precipice of destruction, had me shaking my head in disbelief at the RAAC ending.

Ok, the ending here SORT OF worked, but there are still too many doubts in my mind. I guess you'd have to be betrayed in that way to fully understand. She destroyed his ability to trust her with the way she did it. "Selfish" doesn't begin to describe the way she did what she did.

I agree that the tipping balance was the baby. If it hadn't been for the baby being Ken's, he would've had no reason to stick around. Even with the happy-go-lucky ending, I can't help but feel that he will never truly trust her again.

4 Stars, but it was close to 1 until I actually sat back and thought about it.

P.S. I don't know how I'd react if my wife did what Jen did. A baby does change one's perspective on things. As a new father, I can say that for a fact. LTW, please stop rewarding the cheating wife from here on out, though. Jen REALLY didn't deserve that happy of an ending, imho.

Oh, and I CALLED IT! I KNEW Laura had something to do with the whole mystery weekend! If you're planning a sequel with her, LTW, please don't let her off as easy as you let Jen off in this one! She set out to cheat on her husband and seduce Jen. She's about the lowest form of scum on the face of the Earth, gender notwithstanding. ANYONE who sets out to seduce another man's wife and endanger a happy marriage is lower than whale shit at the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

I'm a bit disappointed that some of the people who commented on the first two chapters of this story, and made predictions about the ending, turned out to be right on the money. I was really rooting for the author to give us a twist that no one saw coming, and steer this story in an entirely unforeseen direction.

I found it hard to root for any of the characters in this story. Jen turned out to a liar, and betrayed the trust that she demanded from Ken. Ken was a jealous, fragile and insecure human being throughout the entire story, although his mistrust in his wife proved to be legitimate. Their relationship was doomed from the very beginning, and the idea that counseling or a new baby could resolve their issues is hard to swallow.

That said, this story was certainly captivating, and it held my interest from beginning to end. At the very end, the author teased about the fate of Laura and Bill. I would love to see him take their story in the opposite direction. What if Bill were confident enough in himself and his relationship with his wife to accept the fact that she has some fantasies that don't involve him? What if he allowed her the freedom to pursue her fantasies, and his faith and trust strengthened their relationship? And what if Bill was rewarded for his acceptance of Laura's sexual desires with a few hot threesomes with Laura and her new lover? Now THAT would be a hot story.

They all make valid points, I still find it funny that in about 90% of the stories the woman is forgiven no matter what. But the man is dumped, left homeless in the middle of nowhere. He's taken to the cleans and eat his remaining meals from a tuna can. This wife cheats, his best friend takes her in and then the make up after 2 or 3 counseling sessions. I guess it's a 3 to me.

DrBeemer here including his rating...

" I bought it because I had the vantage point of hearing her thoughts and seeing her full reaction while apart from hubby. He did not have that same perspective, so that is why I feel more was needed to make the case. Still, five stars."

Good read. It was a well thought out story that explained all the feelings of the characters and why they thought the way they did. In my opinion the ending came a bit fast, and I'm sure there could have been another chapter in there to tell how they fixed their relationship to be as strong as you say it was. Mind you that's just my opinion.

The whole cheating wife is pregnant with husband's baby angle is just so fucking cliche and chapter's 1 and 2 of this story deserved so much better.

Ken not asking for a DNA test is just complete bullshit considering his actions in this story and again cheapens how good the previous chapter's were. There is no way any man who has just discovered his wife has lied and cheated on him, would just accept her word that the baby was his. No fucking way would it happen.

Laura's crap about how hard she had to work to seduced Jen was also never called into question. It took her all of one afternoon, not weeks or months, but ONE AFTERNOON over lunch, for Jen to decide to cheat on her husband.

If Jen had of cheated there and then with Laura I could see a reconciliation working out for an ending, over a one time slip in judgement. But Jen planned to cheat in advance, not only lied but did it in a way to make a fool of him with her "do you trust me request", went along with her plan to fuck Laura even tho she knew it was causing her husband pain and heartache before she went. Like Irondragon said,how the hell could Ken ever trust her again after that.

Its not nixon.. Its clinton you moron. After the wife comes home and sees the damage she has caused KEN and her marriage she does 2 EXTREMELY DAMAGING things. First she does not come clean or confess what she did. She decided that no one would ever know.

And of course this point NEVER EVER gets brought up. Not by ken the idiot or the inept cliche therapist. Her SECRET was far more imortant then ken`s suffering. Thats a serious character flaw.

SECOND... When she tells ken that its NOT another MAN/ COCK... She knows in the conversation what ken' concern is. CHEATING. Even worse she says this while trying to SAVE the marriage....right? So she CHOOSES to tell ANOTHER lie (by omission and deception) because... She is trying to save her marriage?....

REALLY???? and of course this also never comes up in the therapy. How EXACTLY do you save a marriage damaged by lies and deceit with MORE lying.?

While there is a portion of reades in the LW crowd who will always be of the BTB mentality...there is a equal section that favors RAAC at all? There is a THIRD group of readers that have no bias or tendency one way or the other.

In this case the author has so fucked up a good start that this 3rd group has swung over to the BTB or sorched earth. WHY.?

the author raised BIG issues that are CRITICAL to all human relations and especially marriage.... Then NEVER comes close to resolving them and THAT is why folks are upset and have turned on the story.

Now you say the first chapter was good? Here's a quote from your comment on chapter one, " It is so badly done it's laughable."

I thought the whole thing was preposterous. Like I'm going to let my wife go on some trip that she can't even tell me about?! I would never have let it happen in the first place. We would have fought like cats and dogs and she wouldn't have gone OR she would have gone with the knowledge that she was walking out of my life.

And then there was the notion that the sister of the fill-in golf fourth just happened to be the lesbian lover...and that the husband found out via overheard phone call? Um, very-very, very-very unlikely. So, while I read the story, I found the initial premise hard to accept. And, with that lack of suspension of reality, I was just only partially connected.

Finally, while I really enjoy a cheating wife and husband reaction, drama-filled reconciliation story, I'd like there to at least be a modicum of eroticism in it. I think that lately, we've been seeing a lot of drama in these stories OR a lot of sex. Can we have authors take the extra time to weave a little of both in stories?

However, I would have enjoyed it more if you wouldn't have flagged with cheating. Kind of gave things way, still a 5 though.

She used emotional extortion to get to go on a premeditated cheating weekend.

Do you trust me ?

Not anymore.

Great start but lousy ending. This story had great potential that failed to be delivered. Too bad.

First your one of the best writers on here that said. I believe that everyone deserves to be forgiven ,But I never saw one time that her husband came first in her life .It was all her wants and needs before to get what she wanted ,then to keep what she threw away . OK they were back things still wasn't working out so she did the one thing she knew would get to him a child .Then acted like it just happened she knew her friend would help convince her hubby all's well . There sits a soul here who's concern is hers and hers along. I ask this in wonder have you ever been betrayed by the love of your life and then made the decision to take them back if you did .I bet you had to have in your mind they were really remorseful she was not she was a trickster who use any means to get what she had to have. Cant wait till your next story. I also want to say this site has turn lw section into a full cuckold site were hubbys get shit for breakfast lunch and supper and loves it .Readers just need a some of our better writers to put some balls on the damn hubbys .Some stay some go but give them some damn balls plz.dagoatmandavid my name and I say what I think be good to all

Now I can read the whole thing.

Saxon Hart

Wow, the author should be pleased to have so many people reacting to your story

I think that once trust is compromised, love will never be the same. The ending of this story is too sunny: everyone lived happily ever after. Jen even got to experience her fantasy. In reality, the early issue of the story is most realistic: how can Ken ever love her as much? There is a wonderful fullness to love with fidelity. Once a partner hides things, or "can't remember" things, or just asks for trust based on the relationship, love is threatened. Such things are never, ever, completely resolved. If someone creates a hiding spot, there is probably something to hide. Perhaps since Jen completely answered Ken's questions, there was a chance for the marriage. The marriage may survive, even the love may, but it will never be the same.

Worth a top score for me. Really liked how the couple's thinking was not understood by the other.

Also enjoy the comments. For me it is a lot less serious if it is carpet munching.

Also, I can understand having an obsessin and an opportunity to act on same. She really did not grasp how bad it could be after.

Complaints of same old , same old is shit of course. There really are a limited number of themes.

Thanks for a good read over the past several days.

... but I have a few problems with the ending. I would have preferred a "flawed" ending, the kind that makes people crazy. I would have liked a DQS ending, in which Ken takes her back, loves his kids and tries to love his wife, but can never completely forget. They are both aware, acknowledge it, but it never completely heals. Each know this is as good as it'll ever get for them.

I fully agree.

<P>

I’m not sure which is worse, that she was lying or that she is really stupid enough to believe playing on his trust and then violating it was better than coming up with a cover story. What sane, rational, logical person could think their spouse would just be a little miffed at being told “trust me” and nothing else? She gave a bullshit explanation, and he fell for it.

<P>

You’re another who spends page after page laying out reasons why they should divorce, only to negate it with minimal effort and logic. Even worse, you use pregnancy as the main catalyst for the reconciliation. Her statements that she was not going to use it does nothing to change the fact that that is what happened.

<P.>

Ya wanted a reconciliation and you crammed in one no matter what. A very shitty ending.

one must always be aware of sunstroke. TK U MLJ LV NV

I've missed your vituperation and your chest thumping absolute ignorance. Even I however could not ascribe such abysmal remembrance of history to an asshole such as yourself. Bill Clinton was a youngster in 1974 when President Richard Nixon resigned as President of these United States of America because of lies told during the investigation of what is now commonly known as The Watergate Scandal. Clinton wasn't elected president until 1992, eighteen years later.

I am grateful there is a river between where you live and where I live because we frankly have enough idiots here in Washington DC already and don't need another incompetent butthead driving across the fourteenth street bridge.

Welcome back Harry, I actually missed you while you were off restocking turds for more brain flushing.

as humans we should all learn to forgive. after 8 yrs. of a happy marriage she should get another chance. divorce is too easy today, we all make mistakes, it is better to forgive than to destroy. those in the burn the bitch crowd can never forgive or forget and probably think women have to be perfect or destroyed if they cross the white line even once.. the story was done well , while not the best pretty darn good.

Trust is the main issue in this story. Jen has no concept of what trust is, and the twisted version of trust that came out in therapy just doesn't cut it. For the marriage to survive, it would take continued therapy for quite a while. She used the word 'trust' to manipulate Ken, and continued to misuse it. In Laura's profession, one of the main job skills is 'damage control' Her talk with Ken was calculated damage control, and the appropriate spin to try to minimize Jen's problems. Sure, Laura told her own husband, but that was also damage control. And only because she had to, and it probably had the spin on it to minimize her problems. She knew that if she told Ken that she had already told her husband, Ken probably wouldn't waste his time by talking to him. So, she could control the spin to her husband. It's all P.R. damage control tactics. The tryst was covered with half truths and omission. The scenario could have been tweaked a little to an adolescent fantasy of spending the entire weekend of having the whole football team gang bang her. Merely a hypothetical stretch, but with Jen's version of trust, she could say "I wasn't with 'A' man" or she could say "I didn't have 'ONE" penis" or "Not a 'SINGLE' 'ONE' and her version of truth and trust would have covered it. Spinning, twisting the truth and omission is still a lie. Trust was destroyed, and it would take a long time to re-establish trust. It may never be totally recovered. And, with a pregnancy, some very intense therapy is in order to try to establish a healthy, functional meaning of trust and honesty in order to have a healthy family.

You wrapped it up well. An interesting way to do it too. Doesn't matter if I agree or not, it is a well done ending. Thanks for a good read.

bullshit reasoning on last page . and only 8 years. so what kind of ideas she had in kindergarden she has in her mind that have to be done ?' plot stinks, writing is good . the worst is though, do you really think this is erotic ?

The signposts were there I just hoped there was a twist. Chapter three became ho hum. Unlike many others though I take a different tack. The main reason the hero should have been pissed off is he didn't get to watch! 3*

You missed the boat, my friend. You started off great with a real mystery--what could Jen possibly be up to--and then you fell back on some tired plot devices and shaky thinking.

It was interesting and intriguing right up to the moment Tara complained about her phone and Laura saw Jen's picture. Then, as much as I hoped for something better, all the air went out of your story.

One star.

"The fact is I asked for his trust...no, I demanded his trust...and then I broke it."

GUILTY! She wasn't satisfied with simply cheating on her husband, she had to make him complicit in it by twisting his trust in her. She KNEW she was cheating. Pages of denials and crap over a blatant betrayal of her husband.

She says "I'm sorry, Ken. I'm sorry for the pain I caused you. I never meant to hurt you." Is she an utter moron? The minute she decided to betray him she hurt him. He didn't know it but he was walking around with a knife in his heart. She amplified the damage with the "trust" manipulation. I'd hate to see what she would have done if she DID mean to hurt him. Her apologies are selfish and worthless.

And how about darling Laura. The seducer. If a guy had pulled the moves that Laura did we would all hate the bastard, right? But because she's a weepy woman it's OK? Bull. She is slime and Ken should have told her so. But beyond all Laura's manipulations, there is still the "trust" game that Jen played that wasn't Laura's doing and pushed this onto a completely new level of betrayal

Then this little psychobabble "I did it that way because I couldn't lie to you." She DID lie to Ken. She asked for his trust, essentially implying that she could be trusted not to do anything wrong. But she WAS going to do something that was wrong. She KNEW Ken would think it was wrong. Being a smart woman, SHE knew it was wrong. She lied just as if she had asked for his trust and then ran off and robbed a bank.

Then "I was trying to minimize your hurt as much as possible ". Nope. She didn't want Ken to deny her playtime so she twisted things to the point where she thought she could get away with it. It's all amazingly blatant rationalization to allow her behavior.

Then --- MAGIC --- Ken decides, just because she admitted she was pregnant, things would all be fine. Crap. He even buys onto her dingy logic about "not" lying just like he bought into her lie about trust. This was a fairly egregious cheating, not meeting Laura in a bar, getting drunk, and ending up in bed with her. Nope. Carefully planned and executed and even pulled her husband in along for the ride. And then an trivially easy and uncomplicated forgiveness.

Three chapters of an evasive secret that boils down to just another cheater who did it because she wanted to and could. Yuck.

DIVORCE and child payments can make one look at their life in a differnt way. Thanks for the store You are one of my favorite writers!

Yeah it has cliches but face it most stories do,there aren't all that many plot points out there,only combinations.I agree IRL it would take a lot more time to heal,the trust would be a big deal.I think Ken realizes Jen had no intention to hurt him with.the trust question,but he also would need to come to feel Jen understands why what she did was so hurtful,why it looked like she didn't care and was doing it to demean him.I think he also realizes that being a taboo fantasy,it is doubly hard to admit,which makes.it even easier to cheat;it doesn't excuse it,but it makes him realize she didn't set out to hurt him,either.Irl most men would have an easier time with.another woman,since it isn't a direct comparison.

Yeah,the btb women are sluts crowd is right that she was selfish,but she also.showed she realized what she had done and how much it hurt him,and I think that ead the big step for Ken,in that she didn't try to defend it or make him feel like it was his fault and showed she did love him.My only suggestion to the author would be in the epilog to mention that there were rough spots,something would trigger kens ire and this would come up,or Jen constantly showing ken she learned her lesson..it was a bit too easy I think,but it was a short piece..it is ironic,the 'you chest and you are gone' crowd is just as selfish as Jen was,as it basically says that I am so perfect that I never make mistakes or lie or do the wrong thing,so if you slip,well,I don't have to dea with it.There is a lot of evidence in things like divorce stats that those with this,black and white view,where they know wrong from right,etc,are a lot more lijely to get divorced,and often it is because the partner finds them so focused on the "I" and on finding fault with their so they are as difficult to live with as a cheater,cause both only recognize "I"

Your characters became more hollow as the story progressed to its resolution by piling contrivance upon contrivance. I liked Chapter 1, as it seemed to be setting up a story with potential substance, but the two later chapters fell very flat, despite your skill with language.

He parrots this over and over but doesnt seem to believe it at all, he outright blows off and completely forgives the woman who openly admitted to seducing and coldly manipulating his wife where hed have beaten a man for doing the samr thing. His wifes ongoing lying and deceipt is treated as inconsequential even though she knew she was wrong to do it all because she ONLY fucked a woman. Infidelity and betrayal are no less if the woman takes it from a strapon or vagina rather than a dick. She no doubt k mmHg ew that her husband is like normal men and would love a threesome where both get to share but he r fantasy didnt allow for him to get anything out of it. She deliberately cut him out just like any other cucking bitch.

Slap on as many happily ever afters after as you like shes a cheating cunt and hes a cuck for blindly accepting it. The leadup was great but you broke the ending by letting all the cheats completely off the hook.

Ill give the story a few stars but its kind of sad how many of your readers would apparently like to be sidelined by selfish carpet munching wives and be relegated to masturbation and cuckoldry just because lesbianism is hot. Damaged idiots.

Sweetie and Laura run into each other (probably) Wednesday, then have lunch and THE offer! THEN we run into trouble... Sweetie puts her 'Trust Me?' dilemma to Hubby that evening. Nice 'wake-up' call the next morning. Hubby caves, Laura calls and it is a GO. Next day, Hubby goes to work and Sweetie then leaves for some carpet-munching!

Now, lets fast-forward to the aftermath ... Laura tells Hubby that she had to push Sweetie into considering Sweetie's own fantasy. (That is Wed., remember!) Then next afternoon (Thursday!) Laura said she called Sweetie and had to work HARD to get a commitment, partly on the argument that 'it ain't sex unless a dick slips into a pussy!' But Wed. PM and Thurs. AM, Sweetie had ALREADY put the VERY compromising dilemma in Hubby's lap, with sugar (and sprinkles) on top! One or the other Sweetie actions are plausible. BUT they are mutually exclusive! Even if we push the initial meeting back to Tuesday and the Hubby talk then happens after the Laura hard-sell (Thurs.), if Sweetie had been that conflicted, she woulda reconsidered after hearing Hubby's VERY serious reservations!

First off ... In my way of seeing the world, if an author arouses the readership to the number of comments generated ON THE FIRST DAY, it almost has to be at LEAST a 4*. This puppy was EAGERLY awaited. It ain't about liking a reconciliation or BTB ending, IMO. We all have our preferences there ... it iIS 'How Well Was It Done? Did It Draw Me In?'

5*

A cuck is a cuck is a cuck! I think I've made my point...

The "trust" issue was gold for mystery. But for it to become a bicurious episode was a big letdown. I know its a LW story, but seriously, all that for a munch session. The pregnancy then just made it too common to have a happy ending. Good writing, good story, great mystery, then wap in the face. Hated it, sorry!

Great beginning, very disappointing resolution.

Good story and for a change wife did not go off with some big dick stud of a lover !

I thought the Tara character may have played a more leading role in chapter 3 in either getting the couple back together or claiming the husband for her self !

I had a hard time in chapter 1 when the wife asked for permission to go away for a weekend with no questions asked or answered ever. She gave no reason nor did she promise that their marriage would benefit from it. She pulled the trust card on her husband at the time that she knew that she was going to abuse that trust. No sale.

The premise is that she had a teenage crush on a girl who didn't even know her. Laura at the time was a confused girl who thought she was bi. According to this story she is a committed hetero in love with her husband and has 3 kids. Even if wife confessed her schoolgirl crush, they would just laugh it off. Theses are 2 hetero women. Nothing would have happened between them. Laura really isn't gay and neither is the wife. The story gives 2 versions but wife doesn't get off under either version. Phone calls between the women only show that the wife had lots of time to plan her adulterous affair.

Even if she would go away after seeing how upset she got Ken, you would think that she would come clean without having it get forced out of her. The truth was not as bad as his imagination. Jenn realized that the trip was a terrible mistake and she wasn't going to repeat it. Jenn didn't give her husband the benefit of the doubt even though he was completely open and honest about his trip and had Jack as a chaperone. If I were Ken and found out about my wife's lesbian affair and found her at home with Jack's wife I'd figure they must have something going too.

You are a good writer. The story provoked lots of good comments I'll give it a 4. Thanks for writing and I look forward to more from you.

This chapter was very good. I thought this was a very respectable treatment of counseling in a LW story; I dare say you did Ohio proud. This story, to me, shows how messy this sort of thing can be. Right and wrong/black and white is a popular tone in LW stories, but I oftentimes prefer when the characters see, and act, in more subtle shades of gray. Would I go down the same road as the protag? Not sure, but I think the author does a good job of showing how the couple got there.

It's all very well to comment 'they would to this' or 'they ought to do that', but that was not the story the author wrote. There are over 60 million married couples in the US, this is about one of them. Nobody knows how all would react if this situation happened to them.

she is a calculate liar, methodical schemer, and unfaithful cheater. No thoughts given to medical issues. And the pregnancy to contrived. No where did the need for a confirmation of the father of the child even tho it could have been done even that early in the pregnancy. This ending was to predictable with her insisting she did not have sex with a man, again lying and planned evasion of her cheating. He would be much better off with Tara and let the slut go.

laptopwriter,

"I did not screw anyone." "I did not have sexual relations with anyone." Oops, I better tell my husband the first denial because I certainly cannot claim the second statement. What does it mean to screw someone? If a penis must be involved in any screwing, then Jen can truthfully answer her husband when he accuses her of cheating on him. But that is a linguistic distinction without a moral difference!

Did Jen screw someone? Her hidden weekend activities certainly screwed up her marriage, screwed up her husband's trust in her, and screwed up his feelings of unconditional love for her. She knew that she had been unfaithful to her wedding vows when she turned her lesbian fantasy into a reality. That's why she was so adamant to take that secret to her grave.

After the excellent suspense of your first two chapters, this resolution was disappointing. After Chapter 1, the smart money comments were already predicting that Jen had a lesbian tryst, but that was such a typical plot device, that many of us were hoping and expecting a more original outcome. Given all the clues you had provided, perhaps no other explanation for Jen's actions and silence could be found. A more creative solution could have elevated your story into the Hall of Fame.

The issues of whether marital trust can ever be unconditional and whether one spouse can keep important secrets from the other could also be creatively explored with Ken and Jen if you wrote an alternative story that began:

"Honey, do you trust me; I mean really trust me? I want to go away this weekend to experience a fantasy I've had since I was teenager, and I want you to understand why it's so important to me. If you cannot let me go after I've told you what I want to do, I'll be extremely disappointed in your lack of trust in me."

Then you can share what Jen tells Ken about Laura and what Ken thinks and does when he learns of his wife's desire to experience lesbian sexual relations. Have at it!

One last comment, if you decide to write another story about Laura and Bill, please include an erotic description of Laura and Jen's "non-screwing" two-night-stand. You owe us that.

That "do you trust me?" line made for a very compelling setup to the story. Very manipulative, cunning and conniving on the part of the wife.

It didn't at all fit with this little chestnut in counseling. "He's going to marry the most wonderful woman in the world, just like his old man did" How could he wish such a thing on his own son? The intrigue to the story was deflated when the ending was telegraphed with the revelation of her pregnancy, but that corny line and response from the wife killed what was left.

I also think he'd be foolish to believe Laura when she claimed to have confessed to her husband. She was out there for pure damage control, and may have just been hoping to pre-empt a call by bullshitting him that she'd already told her husband - just as she'd been bullshitting him about how hard she'd had to work to convince his wife.

My only other criticism would be the scene in the second chapter where Tara explains about her phone. It was a bit too much of a giveaway that her phone trouble would lead to the revelation. Maybe having her sister call her and then overhear Tara talking about her to Ken and Jack after she'd thought that they'd hung up could have been used as a bit of humor so the phone situation could have been explained in a less obvious way before the dramatic confession later.

Overall I did enjoy the story until the ending, and in spite of my personal distaste for the way things wrapped up so easily, I thought it was very well written. 4* and I look forward to Laura and Bill's tale...hoping she faces consequences for her actions.

Cog

Looking forward to your next one.

She plays him like a fiddle. She gave in to Laura's salesmanship? Maybe, if it happened on the spur of the moment, but this was too well planned. Even the way she played him making sure she didn't have to tell a lie that could trip her up in the future was coldly logical and well thought out. He considered these things and then ignored them showing him to be a wimp at his core. What about this bullshit about her never doing it again or the marriage is over? Wasn't that the original deal when they got married? Didn't stop her then. Beware her next fantasy, she'll be smarter about it next time.

There are not a lot of people who really like Harryin VA but when he latches onto a point it's usually a a very strong one.  I hate to say it but he's absolutely correct here  and harry simply destroyed the the defense that Jen uses.

 It is very odd that the husband never raises back to the beginning of the story  what if something happen ?

It is shocking  and  simply unbelievable   that neither the  therapist  or Ken    grasped  the fact that the wife did in fact plan  this entire event over the course of several days and is not just a sudden thing that she had to do.

I think the most telling point  is when Jen knowing her marriage is in trouble ...knowing how much pain she caused  Ken...  knowing that he  was overwhelmed by the fear   that  went away that  weekend to   fuck some other guy..  to then intentionally say ANOTHER lie at that point the marriage...   it is just a deal breaker.   And yes it should of  come up in  the therapy.

Although I missed the BTB ending it was still a reasonable ending. Somewhere between fiction and reality is where this story lies. Many have said she's a cheating bitch and should have gotten the axe. Maybe. The length of their relationship and the baby tip the scales and your choice of an ending was more than exceptable. You could always write an alternative ending where he does throw her out, she miscarries again and he marries Tara. Then he goes to Laura's husband and makes sure she gets burned. Any who - good story - thanks.

The first two chapters where a great build up. This last chapter though long was very wishy washy and lame.

It seems you did not know the ending because chapters 1 and 2 were excellent setups for a lame chapter 3. I'm totally with Harry on this one. Her reasoning is so full of holes it is porous. And Ken "decides" to trust again? Trust is a reaction to experience, it's not a decision. I had a complete sense of unreality throughout chapter 3.

I can't believe that wimp took the cheating whore back. Fucking stupid story. Well written but Ken needed to have some balls. Pay child support, but don't keep the whore around. Next she'll find a guy she's always fantasized about and Kenny boy will be eating cream pies. 2 stars across the board. Glad I waited til it was over to score it.

I loved the mystery of the weekend. The title is a little disappointing. The fourth man was less important than I thought. No one in their right mind would agree not to ask questions. Still I enjoyed this story immensely.

This was a good story, captured emotions well. Had enough detail and speed to keep it interesting. Unfortunately the ending didn't match the rest with the sudden and unrealistic decision to reconcile in the counselor's office. I could see reconciliation, but the manner in which portrayed just seemed like the author ran out of steam and wanted to wrap up the story quickly. It just didn't make sense after all the rest of the emotion in the story. Next time try to finish with an ending that matches the rest of the story.

And interesting comments. If my wife did this I would be very hurt and I don't know if I would take her back or not. Right or wrong, I would probably spend a weekend in Nevada to equalize the scales. As many commentors have noted, trust (and lack thereof) is indeed the issue. Great story.

@Know the ending before you start writing

Agreed. The way chapter 3 just doesn't gel with the previous ones, along with the various plot holes and the overdose of cliche's that have been called out, really gives the impression the author had a change of heart at the last minute on how to end the story.

This story started off extremely well with interesting characters and a nice refreshing plot. But it appears the author ran out gas after chapter 2. The hurried ending with a comic book feel closing left me cold. I would suggest this author retry a new chapter 3 and hopefully do better. At least write a chapter that is of the quality of the preceding chapters.

As you know, I'm a BTB author myself. I don't expect that in others works, but I do expect an ending that makes sense. This one did not.

Based on the first two chapters, I would probably hurry to read another story by this author, in hopes it holds together to the end!

For all of those who think this outcome is not fantasy in the real world. I give you your sexist moment of the day. All of the sophistry can't hide the fact that if you change the gender of the person she cheated with, the acceptability of the action goes away. The facts are simple, she cheated, lied by omission, and manipulated her husband into allowing her to do it. In the end the child could have been another man's as easily as it was his after all what other fantasies does she have that she just has to experience. This story rates a *** and I think I am being generous in giving it that. The male character makes all the wrong conclusions in the end and that truly is sad.

I am married to a woman that I feel cheated on me. I have no prof besides a love letter I found. My wife denies anything but writing the love letter as a thank you. (Don't work for me). There is always questions in the back of my mind, 25 years later.

This would be a hard one because Ken has proof. All I can say to someone that happened to is good luck. It never goes away. You learn to accept it. I will never love as much though.

The fourth man did not grab me. I enjoyed all your other stories on Lit. but

this one failed to grab me.

I know it's the worst result. I did not hate it. I did not like it. I just did not care !

I finished reading because it is the right thing to do . I am from the area and like

what you did to streetnames and places, that was funny. I am going back to re-read

a couple of your older stories. Maybe my taste in writing is changing.

But probably not ,it is just this didn't resonate with me.

Looking forward to the next one

AMerryMan

Looking at all the comments ,I feel I must have read the Bizzarro world LTW story.

Holy Cow as Harry used to say. Bobnbobbie, Harry in Va, Sugna, and 90+ .

Don't get me wrong, she cheated,and Ken is awfully forgiving. But you LTW know that.

My question is Don't you think the Laura character is very harshly painted??

If she lied to Ken her husband is in the dark. If she confessed, fully he has to divorce

her. I mean ,even with 3 kids, he has to deal with the fact Laura was the aggressor,

instigator!!

Maybe that's a story that starts at the divorce and thatway you can be creatively challenged and avoid repetition.

Just a thought LTW.

AMerryMan

Always look forward to and enjoy your stories. I'm not sure I would have taken her back though. I would always have the nagging question on whether she is going to be faithful in the back of my mind. The thing I enjoy most about cheating wife stories is how well the author draws you emotionally into the story. You are a master at that. Looking forward to your next one.

What will happen when she gets the uncontrollable desire to try a different man with a big cock? She got away with it once, what's to stop her next time?

I thought you rushed the end. Regardless of the route you took(that he forgave her) it seemed like there was something missing. Maybe explore the sessions a little more. Or the aftermath and recovery of the marriage?

Suck ass story making husband fucking wimps again. Of course the slut is sorry,,sorry she got caught carpet munching, Of course she wants to stay married, who else is going to be her meal ticket and provide a home ofr the bitch. He should never, ever have forgiven the cheating whore until: she spent a whole weekend watching him fuck a younger sexier woman, as he ejaculated in all of her holes and, on his last fuck with the other woman, as he was fucking her in the ass his wife would kneel beside them and when he ejaculated she would have to take his cock in her mouth, swallow his cum load, and clean the other woman's shit off of his cock. Then he could think about forgiving the cheating bitch

Laura was a predator, and Jen was the prey. Jen said no several times and Laura turned up the heat. Jen couldn't lie to Ken, and quickly used trust as a means to have her fantasy. It wasn't planned. Laura convinced Jen it wasn't cheating. Jen's gave in and had to think fast. It was this weekend or nothing.

After that weekend Jen on several occasions said the fantasy wasnt worth it. It does not excuse her actions.

Jen was seduced by a skillful salesperson and it almost cost her everything. I feel the pregnancy was a ploy for reconcile,but it worked okay.

A well done story, and I can't believe all the bashers out here. A one time mistake, and considering the circumstances I can see Ken taking her back.

Good one!!