All Comments on 'Fault Lines'

Beautiful. Sweet and real. Thank you for sharing. - gb

A slice of life for sure. Well done.

Communication, communication, communication great story. 5 stars

What a picture of self-righteous indignation. Phil’s right - they aren’t ready to be married, but not because of what happened’. They apparently didn’t possess the tools to be married in the first place. That’s why it ‘happened’. Lessons hard learned, but nevertheless, learned. A thoroughly compelling story told in a short conversation. Superb. Thank you.

But too much water under the bridge. D

Sweet, there's nothing like hope.

That was different, very good and realistic.

They went through so much to learn how to try when things were no longer easy.

Good short story

His story is really good and it's really quite realistic. There' is bitterness and recriminations but also you have two adults who are trying to find a way to communicate. In fact it may be so realistic that a lot of people are missing what actually happened in the marriage. This seems to be a problem with a lot of women in particular. They seem to think that after they finish screaming or renting a raving about why they married such a loser or when she's so angry at you all the time that the next day or the weekend there's going to be intimacy and sex. Once you get past the honeymoon stage of the marriage that's not going to happen if a wife is waging emotional and psychological war and rejection upon her husband. In the story the wife says that she was so angry all the time and then she doesn't understand why the husband had pulled away from her sexually and physically. Not only is that kind of perspective very common with a lot of women but it's also very self-absorbed.

It is still cheating

I like this. Nice to see some hope. Communication is what destroys most relationships and a short but well written piece which nicely empathises this

Now this is class.

Why is he apologizing to the who're who made his life hell?! Just tell the stupid bitch to EFF off and be done with it

Why is he going on a date with a whore?! Stupid asshole hasn't learnt his lesson?

An amazing story. It's surprisingly refreshing to see both flawed spouses in LW as quite often one is portrayed as a saint and the other as a devil.

It's not mentioned how long the cold war was happening before Allison and Eric were involved but whether it was weeks or months, the result is still the same. I don't like reconciliation's open ending and I wouldn't bet on their future together but within the world or your story, the idea of going back together isn't outlandish. Just two people who failed to communicate how they should when it mattered.

All around great work!

Why the hell would he even consider getting back together with her?

She's got a lot of baggage around sex, and loses interest when the novelty wears off.

She's got a hair trigger temper, and was quick to assume he was unfaithful.

She cheated on him instead of confronting him about the supposed infidelity.

She spent months screwing another guy.

She cut her hair short. Short hair always looks shit on women. No exceptions.

They got divorced for very good reasons. You couldn't pay me to reconcile with an aggressive, argumentative, deluded woman like her.

A perfectly good, boring little story.

cucks are bad enough, being a cuck to a starfish is worse

Wow, I really liked that.

No Saints. No Sinners.

Just two people who didn’t communicate, until they did.

First class

Keep yer hands off yer exes!!!

It is so hard to communicate openly once hurt enters a relationship.

I think they have made a good start towards rebuilding their relationship.

Not RAAC, but maybe R. And it's good, might happen or not, but both your characters are credible, and for them it might make sense. Nice short story, thanks.

I loved this realistic portrait of two people after fact. In reality there are usually mitigating factors from both perspectives in a divorce and you showed that perfectly. 5 stars

As a man in counseling with his wife, I can feel this. Great conversation and emotional play! Thank you!

People going through an acrimonious divorce, following tit-for-tat affairs, following a toxic marriage that atrophied because of a dead bedroom and no communication, don't start dating each other again just because a year passes and they manage to have an actual conversation. Such an absurd premise.

Things happens like that

Sure, the hurt is real, the wounds are deep, and the chasm is wide--yet they still care for each other. NOW they are willing to invest themselves in at least a friendship.

<>

Just makes you wonder what could have been if fighting hadn't been their default response to each other; if incompetent PIs and cheap divorce lawyers weren't so easy to find and so willing to hand them the gun to kill their dying marriage; if someone, anyone, hadn't shown some concern for two weak people who put their best efforts into being disagreeable.

<>

Good luck with that. I hope these imaginary people eventually learn to work at finding happiness.

I always enjoy stories by Jekyll. He causes the reader to feel the emotions and understand the thoughts of his characters. This story seemed very real and certainly very possible. Well done.

Nice!! Enjoyed reading this, even though depravity is more in my wheelhouse!!

really enjoyed the story. a tale of many mistakes from no communication

Whoever invented human communications truly fucked up royally. thanks

REALly well done. Much of their marital dynamics I can directly relate to. I’m still married and without the dual cheating, but I can check most of the other points. Definitely “get” the doggie style joke. 4.5*

Dope story, Mr. Jekyll. Thank you. Write another, please. Randi.

Probably more realistic than many stories here, but IMO there is no hope for reconciliation. Both too hardheaded and angry

A comedy of errors, like a Mozart opera. Each believing the wrong thing of the other, but never directly communicating about their concerns, worries and angsts. Well thought out and written! 5*

Entertaining and well written. Five stars

Maybe Randi’s edits improved the story, but you created a poignantly real heartwarming story. Excellent dialogue. Sex not missed; closing kiss nice finish — some hope.

Good story. Agree with most prior comments. The two obviously could not communicate, and that is unfortunately one of the most common causes of divorce. The one open question left in the story is why they could not open themselves to the other to express their feeling and thoughts? Were these personality quirks or did it indicate a lack of the togetherness that makes for a loving marriage?

Huh, I like the idea that the each of their “starter marriages” was their own marriage, and learning to do it right actually leads them back to each other. Kinda sweet.

Interesting point of view and dialogue. With such a contentious relationship and history I was surprised that each of them could admit to share the blame. You wrote this in a way that made it believable.

5* for a more realistic look at post divorce.

Nice dialogue. I’ve known a surprising # of couples who divorced and remarried. Every one of them divorced again.

Sadly, very realistic. Well written. The residue of the marriage comes through clearly. The adultery did not cause the dissolution, the dissolution caused the adultery. So true too often.

This was a 5*.

Really like real life with compassion and empathy.

Very nice.

I love this

Great story

Communication is key

I really like this. It is all too often, all about the lack of communication, and finally they had some real communication. There is hope; neither one really wanted a divorce but did not seem to know how to avoid it.

The best thing those 2 could do is stay as far away from each as possible and to grow up.

This conversation felt so real. Thank you for sharing!

I'll be honest, I didn't expect to like it, but that was great dialogue, and probably a lot of couples would recognize themselves in your story. Will it be continued, works either way? RT

I’ve never understood hooking back up, little alone remarrying an ex. You divorced for a reason, and those reasons are still there. Sorry, but 1*

I agree with johntcooksey and demander. The bed was shat, and it cannot be unshat.

pretty good. conversation didn't read smoothly at times (tried to write in too much hesitation?) but the miscommunication, confusion and intent were all there. Thanks

Very good! You really should continue, for there is a lot of space these two could cover before either getting back together or parting forever. Heck, they could even wind up married to another but still friends. Give it a shot--the sky is the limit. 5 *****

Real

Doubtful. But. I do know a few couples that did remarry. One have been married over 55 years (total) and the other probably 30. Another couple crashed and burned really ugly. Wasn't going to happen for me!

The trust went. Hey! Maybe they can get it back? 5*.

A story of a troubled couple who couldn't figure out how to talk to each other...

...I wonder how many relationships die for just thatvreason ?

I gave this 5 stars, because they finally DID talk, and just maybe found that they might be able to let their love re-ignite... and because the story was so well told.

Fascinating story. A tragedy of errors, based on poor communications and escalating from an initial misunderstanding. A great example of why “shoot first, ask questions later” is such an unfortunate default response. I’m not optimistic of their chances to unlearn their knee jerk reactions to each other, but wish them well. You really sold the mutual regret of this couple. Good work. 5*

I'm giving this 5* because it's real (if rather rough), though that ending was rather unrealistic and a disappointment. Going straight to a dinner date after one conversation was really rushing it, though I can feel what you were trying to do. Thanks for sharing it!

That was new. I felt some of the hurt they both felt as I read. Nicely done.

A small realistic slice of life. Nicely done.

Hooked

I loved this story! Now I’m curious how this plays out over the next tear or two.

It sounds like they never really communicated very well/easily, which became the mortal wound that eventually killed their marriage. It does sound like there is still love on both sides, maybe enough to succeed if they can learn to communicate effectively.

Very good story!

5

Well that was a slice of reality. Non existent communication . Suspicion and assumptions lead to a breakup. Both were wrong . She cheated then he cheated and both broke there vows. Sad,sad real life story.

Gave this a 1* star for the writer's delusional psychobabble about dogs. That's a insanely idiotic and lazy way of writing. Dogs are the most loyal animal when treated right.

Different, creative, fluent prose, and with some depth. 5

No. Just. No.

truly realistic and original-well done.

I liked this quite a bit. 5.

Well done. Thanks for sharing.

Two idiots. More on her. She's a dead fish in bed and complaining he doesn't want to have sex? I told spouse early in our relationship that I didn't want to always be the initiator. Want to give the best impression of "I'm only putting up with it for YOU"??? That will do jt.

Two incredibly immature people who are not suited for each other. Wonder how this will work out

You ended it well.

These two need to be fixed. So they can't reproduce.

That was very good. Well crafted. You are one of this site’s top writers.

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Based on what we learned of these 2 from the presented conversation, it is difficult to figure out WHY Mary went to see her ex after almost a year. Note that when she showed up, she STILL thought Phil had cheated on her first! And she wanted to know why.

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What comes thru loud and clear is that these 2 lost their marriage because they just didn’t communicate. And what they talked about here was losing the sex as being the problem….rather than the fact that apparently other than the sex early on, they had nothing else much that attracted them to each other.

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If they start dating again, they better focus on a whole lot of things other than sex if they want to have any hope of trying again. Based on this brief encounter, it doesn’t look like there was much else in the first place.

.

5 *****

Thank you. A sweet, very simple but realistic tale. Things often happen this way to couples. Then all it takes, as other comments have stated, is a little misunderstanding and a few "Keystone Cops" situations... and it's all over. Cheers.

That gave me a headache. Wow1

JR

4*

You'll probably get a lot of FTDS comments, and this story COULD be expanded but it doesn't NEED to be. Both characters recognize they share fault for the collapse of the marriage and how lack of communication was a major factor. That's a good start.

"What do you want?" - I think that's a perfectly appropriate "greeting" to an ex-spouse who shows up uninvited.

~~~

"Are you telling the truth?" - Why should he lie now?

~~~

"But why didn't you tell me?" - Why? She already believed that he cheated, and got revenge without talking to him.

~~~

"Well, don't use it around me. It's not becoming." - Since when is a woman saying, "fuck" such a big deal? I've seen that in many stories, what's the big deal?

Second marriages, even if a remarriage to the same person, are a triumpth of hope over experience. Whether that triumpth is genius or foolhardy……..

Short to the point, we'll written and realistic, but more a lesson than an exotic story on an erotic site

He was wrong for having a female friend. He was dating someone else, and giving her attention that should have been given to his wife. It doesn’t matter if there wasn’t going to be any sexual contact.

/

The wife was wrong for giving up on sex. The most exciting thing for a man is a woman who enthusiastically WANTS him. Everything women need to know about men regarding sex and relationships is in the song “I Want You to Want Me”, by Cheap Trick.

/

ZK

I’ve had several relationships that I’ve tried to “rekindle”, one after 35 years; but it never works out (at least for me). I read a paper recently that concluded that men never get over a breakup, they just move on from it; whereas women do actually heal. It left me wondering why THE Matriarchy would do that to their sons - raise them and condition them to be emotionally crippled.

Loved it! Very, very real. Communication is the key to happy marriages. Unless you're married to a psychopath. There seems to be some of them in these LW stories.

As always, one of the best.

Wonderful insight, honest and full of self reflection. Great story

This was a dialog-based story that was very well done, which is tough.

I enjoyed the nuances, and the structure is excellent.

Thank you, H. Jekyll!

5*

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Be well!

Very real.

I liked it and hated it.

Good job.

Huh.

They could have communicated long before someone cheated. Now they have and I think they want to try again -- after the divorce was final...?

Uhm.

Yeah maybe they truly deserve each other.

Very good story. Gives one hope that maybe the world isn't as fucked up and as negative as it appears

I could see this type of interaction happening in life after a divorce. I also believe that a lack of real honest communication is always there in separation. Finally this tale was very well written and certainly entertaining if you read it without blood in your ryes….Thanks, for sharing.

I would like to read one time, "l realize you are determined to do this and I can't stop you. So I'll call my attorney and play extra to get the divorce paperwork done in hurry. Maybe I can have served in two or three days. Have a good time!

Then I walk out the door.

A tender tale. We are often fucked up and don't understand ourselves, let alone those we are with.

Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory.

Felt a bit short considering your usual length Henry, but complete nonetheless. Thank you for the story I enjoyed it but I'm sure the BtB crowd will give you a hard time over the reconciliation .

A short, fun read. Different from the usual fare in this category….in a good way. Thanks!

Sometimes you need to be Vulcans and just talk without letting emotions derail the real topic of the conversation. Most problems experienced by couples boil down to hurt feelings over totally unintentional differences. This couple sounds like they may be growing wiser and have learned more about communicating in their last nine months than they did in their years prior to divorcing. 5 stars for the story of hope and courage to tell it!

...and the no sex made the story telling even better! — TANSTAAFL