The Conundrum
Ficlets and Ficly survivor, FicMom, and Mistress of Well-Intentioned Indecision and Goddess of Unrequited Love. @ElshaHawk @HawkandYoung
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"I know this sounds weird, but I really do love my husband."
"You love your best friend," the bartender argued. "There's some serious chemistry."
"Do you have children?" I asked her.
"Yeah. Two girls."
"Congrats. Do you love them both?"
"Yes, but kids are different."
"While love for children is different than love between adults, how can it not be possible to love two men in the same way it is possible to love two children?"
"Because that is wrong."
"Why?"
"Because you can't give all of yourself to two people. There isn't enough of you."
"You understand the conundrum, the battle, I face. Yet my heart keeps saying it can. My brain agrees with you, so I don't try it. What would happen to my family? What would happen to traditional bonds of marriage?"
"So get a divorce."
"I don't want to hurt someone I love."
"Then ask for..."
"What? Permission to cheat? An open relationship? Like that would ever happen."
"This one's on me." She poured me a drink.
Prequels
Sequels
No sequels yet. Why not write one?
Comments (4 so far!)
Average reader rating 5.00/5
Robert Quick
Again, the forwardness of the bartender takes me back. Why is she so invested? Does her love life (or past mistakes) push her into these kinds of conversations? Not super important but it sticks out to me.
The line "While love for children is different than love between adults, how can it not be possible to love two men in the same way it is possible to love two children?" seems to on the nose. It's sort of the whole dilemma spelled out. I don't have a better suggestion at the moment but the start of the line is something like "It's not different," I insisted. "I bet you love most of the important people in your life."
- #3162 Posted 5 years ago
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In Nights Arms
I agreed with the bartender thing until I read all the previous parts. I kinda get it now, bartenders sometimes turn into people who will totally talk to you that way when you see them often enough.
- #3171 Posted 5 years ago
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ElshaHawk LoA
The bartender fills a roles I need in this series, but you're right, I could totally flesh her out more. Ficlatte is not the best place to do that unless I insert a sidebar story.
- #3179 Posted 5 years ago
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Inspired by (sequel to):
The next time we'd scheduled a meet-up, my best friend's girl suddenly had a work emergency. She pos…
Why Are You Married?- Published 5 years ago and featured 5 years ago.
- Story viewed 26 times and rated 1 times.
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HSAR
I'd somehow missed this chain. I'm not totally sure whether or not they're all from the same viewpoints (it wasn't helped by me reading them from newest to oldest, either!), but I really like it. There'll always be plenty of drama in human relationships, and this setup is especially rich in tension. It feels honest, too - our protagonist doesn't indulge in any of the self-justification and -delusion that many others of our time do, which I approve of.