RichardGerald has published a fascinating yet frustrating short story here called "The Bridge". I've read it over and over already and can't stop thinking about it. Several other readers have commented it should be continued and some things made clearer. I am one of those folks. Only Richard knows what "the truth" is with his own characters. But to merely try and make sense of the actions of these two highly intelligent individuals doing apparently not so bright things - I have constructed a little bit of "continuation fantasy" based on the facts, thoughts, words, and actions previously disclosed in the original tale. I have included some things (plausible I hope) merely "arguing from silence" - not specifically included/spelled out in the original story. I still hope Richard takes his own story and characters just a little further, himself. I will be the first to read it. Almost NONE of the below will make much sense to anyone who hasn't read the original "The Bridge" first. And thanks to Richard for authorizing (if not approving, exactly ;-) publishing this little more...here is Richard's comments on my take:
Dear Robert: By all means publish. The issue with Gloria is that I saw her as a minor character. I guess when it comes to women, we all have different experiences. The women, you normally see in these stories approach sex physically the way men do. But I have never known a woman like that. I partly based Gloria on someone, I know very well. She is a good wife and mother. When she was in her late twenties she attended a gala reception. It was the kind of affair you see on TV. She and her husband were attending in their best dress. Now this is a woman who would never even consider infidelity, but into the room came a man, at least, twenty years her senior. He was a prominent politician. He was amazingly handsome, and someone she greatly admired.
Now this good wife and mother has admitted on several occasions that all the politician had to do was ask and she would have gone to bed with him. This is a woman that, as far as I am aware, has never been unfaithful to her husband. But, under those circumstances, she would have been. I also know that she would have expected her husband to forgive her, and I believe he would have. I guess, I was thinking of this story when I wrote mine.
I guess, what I am saying is that I don't see Gloria's behavior as all that odd. It is certainly not common behavior but not unreasonable either. The strange behavior comes from Lyle. I am actually fascinated by the man here. he is a good self-sacrificing individual. We expect such men to behave, and when they don't society is shocked. But I think that, just like Gloria, Lyle's actions are a case of the right circumstances. The thing is I believe Gloria has a way back. We will accept her behavior. We may admire Lyle but we condemn his actions.
Good luck with your story.
Rick
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Gloria:
"Damn, damn, damn" I half vocalized to myself as I drove to a now crucial meeting with Lyle. I never thought in a 1000 years he would walk out on me like that. It was now 2 months since I last met and talked with him in person on Christmas Eve. I had prepared carefully and thought it was going to be a slam dunk, playing especially that "family and kids" card. But it wasn't. He sent me away again!
Before that meeting I had set my alarm clock to wake me every 2 hours over 3 nights. I had also dieted even more strictly than normal (for me) to look like I "had lost weight." The results were pretty good. Basically I looked a mess and it helped me even more ACT like I was a mess. I wanted Lyle back because I had really LIKED my life with Lyle as my faithful companion and "loving husband". He did more than his share taking care of the kids and economically and freed my time (and some money) for myself - and my new hobbies. He was also good enough for regular "boring married" sex quite reliably 3 or 4 times a week. And he would eat me or do whatever I instructed him to do to me whenever I felt like it. Nice weekly "maintenance" orgasms. A woman doesn't realize how important that is - until it's gone, all of a sudden. As a psychologist and very smart woman I knew that. I just never expected it - and Lyle - would ever BE gone. Running and becoming ever more beautiful was one of my hobbies - but not the only one. Did my husband REALLY think I was doing all this just for him? Well, I guess he's figured that part out by now. Damn it.
And now my own daily life just wasn't much fun anymore at all. Being a single parent was incredibly hard and time consuming. Even dating and casual sex with other Alpha males wasn't nearly as exciting as I thought it was going to be. It definitely wasn't worth the time and effort during the week, barely on a Saturday night when I had the kids - even though my Mom was almost always available and eager to babysit. And even on my "free" weekends it was becoming a hassle. All that time spent staying beautiful and sexy - running and exercising, dieting anyway as well, the careful grooming and makeup, the expense and time spent shopping for "perfect" clothes - including underwear - and then if not an actual (and rare) date already set with a real "Prince" (and how rare they really are now - rich, tall, handsome, big enough dick, humorous and properly appreciative of me, and rich and powerful, of course!) then I was out at a "meat market" and competing with lots of other beautiful and sexy women though generally younger to MUCH younger, while trying to spot and attract the real "Princes" vs. the fakers. Lot's of fakers nowadays. I occasionally DID take a "faker" into my bed by mistake. Mostly I was more right than wrong and did have some very pleasurable sexy nights with a real Prince. But it was amazing how seldom one of those real Princes ever called me again for a second date, while the fakers inevitably did.
Gabriel - Lyle's boss - was one of my new hobbies back then. I had hooked up with Gabe just about once a week since that wonderful company Christmas Party where I first got to really "strut my stuff" (OK - really "my ass") and Gabriel paid me so much attention and that wonderful afterglow kiss goodnight. I think my husband saw the kiss - but as expected from the wimp he never said a word about that. He might even have seen Gabe finger my pussy - though I doubt it as we rendezvoused discreetly near the restrooms and snuck into that little alcove unnoticed. Gabe got me so wet so quickly and I even had a mini-orgasm after just a minute of his tongue down my throat and his long and sexy middle finger right up my cunt.
After that we would meet for long lunches. As the boss it was no problem for Gabe at all. He didn't have to account for his time to anyone, ever. Such a typical and wonderful rich powerful Alpha male characteristic. But as a woman and "devoted wife and mother", as well as a Dr. of Psychology with a certain reputation to maintain, I had to be more careful and discrete and could usually manage only one "long" lunch a week. Not that we ate anything during those long lunches - except each other in EVERY way one could "eat" - tongues in every orifice, every nook and cranny, and me swallowing huge loads of his cum. It was really exciting. "Cheating sex is the crack cocaine of sex", indeed.
But sneaking around wasn't what Gabe was MOST interested in. What Gabe really liked was not fucking other men's wives - but REALLY fucking the other men BY fucking their wives so that the other men knew this without a doubt and preferably right in front of them. As a psychologist of course I recognized this behavior - Gabe had some insecurity issues and overcompensated by extreme "Alpha male" actions. This is also why he really liked me (and his other women) to be so vocal and loud when he fucked them. But it also insured Gabe put a lot of thought and effort into actually pleasing "his women", as well. Certainly not a bad thing for me. He ALWAYS made me cum multiple times whenever we were together - and made it a challenge to get MYSELF emotionally and physically back together before going back to work or straight back home. One time Lyle surprised me by getting home early himself - and ended up fucking my still very wet pussy from Gabe earlier that day. Like the clueless wimp he was though, Lyle never even noticed or commented on it - but I noticed he DID cum himself much quicker than usual that night. Quite possibly his "Beta male" subconscious noticed and reacted to another man's semen/smell in his woman...
So Gabe was pushing me to bring Lyle with me on that fateful Memorial Day weekend. I had resisted, I was sure I could have just as easily convinced Lyle to give me a "weekend with my girlfriends from back home" excuse like those other Bimbos there, Robin and Sharon. But then Gabe convinced me Lyle himself would probably enjoy it immensely - as a masochistic cuckold wantabee (too timid to ever admit it to me or even himself). And there did seem to be a lot of evidence that WAS his basic personality. Basic wimpy Beta male submissive.
It wasn't that I just "settled" for Lyle 16 years ago. I actually did choose Lyle over several other prospects I was evaluating at that time. None of these prospects were the actual "Princes" I was really attracted to and wanted for myself. But I WAS a little plain and a little overweight and even my very high IQ was a strike against me back then. All the BMOCS and richer Alpha male Princes weren't looking my way - so I adjusted to reality. I then just wanted a reasonably smart boy, over 6 feet tall, with reasonable economic potential and above all else a man who would never leave me after I "helped" him in so many ways. First, sexually, of course - then along with that giving him children, and finally by "improving him" in all ways. Managing and molding him to be ever more successful and more dependent on me in almost every way. I was dedicated and committed and even brilliant, in all that I did accomplish. And Lyle was just about perfect in every way and even kept getting better. Of course, NONE of this meant Lyle ever just switched over to being a "Prince" or Alpha Male himself. He just remained too - nice. Too weak. Too unassuming and even humble.
So, how the hell did he walk out on me - and especially after I DID get fantastically beautiful and more sexy than ever??? It just does not make any sense.
Maybe tonight I could finally get his head back straight. The big dunce.
We were meeting at what was once "our" favorite restaurant. A good Italian place with nice quiet ambience and tables not close together at all. A good place for lovers - or at least couples. I was wearing some of my new clothes - not quite as risque (OK - slutty) as the dress I wore at the Christmas Party - but I still looked very "classily" sexy - and with even sexier thong underwear and no bra. I was sure that if I could just get Lyle to have sex with me one more time - I could reel him right back in. Gabe actually taught me a lot, and I would carefully incorporate some of my new found "graduate slut school" knowledge without being blatant or obvious in a "look what Gabe taught me!" way.
Evidently Lyle has a bit more of an ego than I ever thought, ever imagined. Imagine my surprise. Imagine Gabe's surprise as everything went down!
