(What follows will be what I am calling short "Reaction" stories. In the real world I am a stoic and probably some people would call me old fashioned. My ideas about marriage are probably not up to date. But one of the ideas I believe is that a couple should not stay together just for the sake of it. If trust or respect are lost by either person then its time to go their separate ways.
In my view going outside the marriage never solves the problem it just covers over the cracks in the marriage. However, I am an old Romantic and if a wife or husband has a one and done lapse in the marriage and if the wife or husband can prove they are trustworthy, then maybe just maybe the marriage can be saved.
These "Stories" that follow will be stand alone short stories. If short stories or Romantic endings are not your thing stop reading here. Yes this is a Romantic story and No it isn't BTB story. If that is what you want move on to the loving wives category.)
(Reaction #1- The Wedding.)
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My name is Gary Smith and I have been married for 25 years, I am currently sitting at my sons wedding main table. I am ill at ease in my hired suit and tuxedo. My job as a warehouse manager means I can wear anything I like, I choose not to wear a suit it makes me feel uncomfortable.
My son, David, is currently dancing with his bride, a beautiful young woman called Anna. They are both 22, my wife and I got married at the same age.
I have no idea where my wife Carrie is at the moment, I last saw her over an hour ago talking frantically to a colleague from her work place, it seems he invited himself. And she didn't look happy he was there.
Everyone in the hall looked surprised when the man in question, Steve Walker, a Director of Sales where he and my wife work. He was trying to drag my wife onto the dance floor and wanted to dance with her. I got the impression he was under the influence of something. I'm not sure how he got in but I will talk to the organisers very soon.
It was evident my wife didn't want him there and didn't want anyone to know who he was. She frantically looked at me for help. Even in my pissed off mood I couldn't let him ruin her in public.
He was very surprised when I stood up walked over to him and punched him in the face then in his stomach and then raised my knee and caught him in the balls.
Then I dragged him moaning and groaning outside and threw him in the pond just outside the hall. He looked very embarrassed and crawled out of the pond and still in pain got into his car and drove off. Carrie, my wife ran off outside to apparently get some fresh air.
My wife is the same age as me 44. I am 6ft tall stocky with close cropped grey hair. My son looks like me in looks and he has my temperament. Once everyone had applauded my actions everyone got back to celebrating the wedding there were questions but I deflected them saying he was just an unwanted guest.
My daughter, Mary, looks like her mother, short with curves and long black hair. I looked over at her and her friends in a corner of the room laughing and joking about something, possibly my actions.
She must have sensed me looking her way and excused herself and lifting up her bridesmaid dress walked over to the table. She bent down and kissed me on the cheek.
"Dad, what are you doing here by yourself?" She said looking around obviously for her mother.
I picked up my half empty beer glass that had been half empty for an hour.
"Your mother is somewhere else, she went outside to get some air, after seeing her boyfriend get beaten up and drive away. As soon as this is over we are going to have a talk, if I don't like the answers then sadly these papers in this envelope will be given to your mother."
I saw her face drop, "Dad, seriously? Today of all days?"
"Mary, I'm sorry but I have tried to get some straight answers from your Mother but she has not been honest with me as yet, by contrast I have been very honest with her."
"Dad, she loves you, she wouldn't throw away your marriage for a bit of fun with another man."
"Mary, I'm glad you are so optimistic. For two weeks your mother has supposedly been going out with some of her female friends from work. In actuality she has been having dinner and dancing dates with the man I threw outside."
Mary looked shocked, "Dad, how do you know about this?"
"Well one night last week she came home much later than expected, she was drunk. She just took off her clothes and fell asleep on the bed, no apology or recognition of me, she smelt of aftershave, not mine."
I paused briefly and took a sip of my beer.
"Then one night this week she did the same thing, your Aunt and a friend brought her home, she was very upset and very drunk. Your Aunt just said she and a friend saved your mother. When I asked your mother about it she just said she had a good time dancing with a few people and drank a bit too much and then came home. But I have it on good authority it was not just dancing."
Mary looked at me then looked around for her Mother, "Dad, I'm going to look for her and when I do I'm going to find out what's going on. Dad, you aren't cheating on Mum are you? No late nights at the warehouse? No late nights at the pub you and Uncle John go to occasionally?"
I took my daughter's hands in mine, "No Mary, I would never cheat or disrespect your Mother. I would only ever go out with another woman if I was no longer married. It's not me who is looking outside their marriage, I love your Mother and I thought she loved me, but maybe I'm wrong."
"Okay Dad, I believe you, but I can't believe Mum would cheat on you. Anyway I'm going to get a search party and find Mother."
With that she got up and hugged me and then walked back to her friends. She spoke with them and they all got up and circulated around the hall. I finally finished my beer and then joined the search.
It took me fifteen minutes to find my wife. She was outside on the decking at the back of the Castle, she was staring out over the rose garden of the Castle where the wedding breakfast was being held.
She looked beautiful in a classic business suit, the skirt was just above her knees and the jacket hugged her upper body. The blouse she wore was low cut showing off her breasts. It was a daring blouse and I didn't really approve but on the other hand the other women were wearing more daring outfits so I shouldn't worry about it too much.
The door creaked as I opened it and she turned around and saw me. I could see she had been crying, her make-up was running down her face it made it look like army camouflage paint. I saw she had an empty champagne flute in one hand.
