omg that was sooo sad but it was amazing!!!!

Author's Response: Thank you.  So sorry it's taken me this long to respond.  I really appreciate you taking the time to read this one.  It holds a special place in my heart since it's my first OF.

Bloody Brilliant Big Sis!

Author's Response: Awww...it's about time you finally read this one.  I stopped nagging you about it ages ago ;o).  I'm glad you liked it Baby Sister!  Love ya!  :o)

Wow.... powerfully written. So much to comment on- and I have no clue where to begin.

Even though I had hints, clues and knowledge of what was going to happen, I was still jaw dropped in shock when I got to the office scene.

I feel for Megan, I really do. It's not that she was 'clueless' it was that he never left any over whelming clues for her to see.

It was all a matter of trust for her. In him. He did the truly unexpected (SCUM - Josh is low.HEAR ME -- LOWER THAN POND SCUM!!) He could have been the man and opened up to her. Would she still have been hurt? Dayum yes- but she could have still held some respect for him.

While the children will be effected, and questions will be brought up - it's Megan that loses in this all. She loses the 10 years she thought someone loved her in, she loses the respect she felt Josh and she loses the 'comfort' of having someone in the years to come.

What does Josh lose? Respect.... the love and caring of a woman, and for those that know - respect from others.

Okay - I'm still in awe of your story.

Huggle ~~juls

Author's Response: I won't try to defend Josh, although I wouldn't say that he's lower than pond scum, lol.  I'm glad that even with the hints and warnings that you were still shocked.  That is what I was going for, so thank you for that.  *huggles to you, too, Dear.*  :o)

I actually read this a day or to ago, when I first got your pm, but had to rush out because my friend had just arrived to pick me up. And then I had to explain away the tears. Great. I know I still haven't reviewed 'Obligated', but there was something about this that made need to review as quickly as I could. I think it's because it's a first for you: a first OF, a first angst. In both cases you have done wonderfully. I am so proud of you.


I'm not really sure where to begin with this review. I suppose I must be a total lit geek or something (lol), because I was expecting an affair, and the second Kyle was there I knew it would be with him. Your characterisation kept me hooked the whole way nonetheless. I really, really, really wanted to hate your Josh, to give him a swift kick you know where, but I couldn't. Even him, you managed to paint sympathetically with the description of him 'sobbing'. He came across as man who adored his children and his wife so much that he couldn't bear to hurt them with the truth. Also with the particular word 'sobbing', there was always the fear people are going to associate that particular feeling with his being gay and not because of his feelings of guilt and hopelessness. You know what those ignorant people are like: 'gay men are soft' etc. etc. etc., but your Josh felt. He was strong. A wonderful characterisation.


The contrast between Megan's family and Steph's family made it all the more heartbreaking. They were both families full of love, and love for each other, but all the way through there was something sinister lurking behind the first family. Don't get me wrong, the love was still clear and strong - but the jokes about the affair and her joking flirtations with Jack made me all the more sad.


There is a very simple, no nonsense beauty about the way you write in this story. You can tell you really know what you're talking about - just look at how brilliant Megan and Steph are with their kids. Like I said, I'm so proud of you. 10/10. xxx

Author's Response: I'm glad that you "got" that Josh is a sympathetic character.  His sobbing was indeed his guilt and pain for having hurt Megan.  It doesn't mean that it hurts any less, but he thought he was protecting her by keeping this hidden.  Steph's family is fun and carefree, and Megan can be too when she's with them.  Thank you for reading, love.  It means the world to me!  :o)

LYKZOMFG TARYN! *gapes* :O *blinks* *is in awe* This is the first time I'm reviewing you for awhile, right? *ashamed* I'm sorry, honey, but this is kinda fitting. I don't read OF online, like EVER. But it was you, so I did (started last night) and now that I'm finished... LYKZOMFG.

*trying to be coherent* Firstly - you know this already - but I love Steph. In fact, I love all the characterizations here. It's a one-shot but introducing all these people we don't know, you've done a great job making me feel like I've known them for a long time. So *squee* about that. Megan is a great protagonist; she's such a sweetheart and I love her for that. Everything you've written here is very realistic, and I love that. *hearts*

And then JOSH. I basically suspected he would be having an affair, but the way you did it was LYKZOMFG. *is SO eloquent* I wanted so badly to like him and love him like Megan does, but I was suspicious of him from the beginning (Jack, on the other hand... *hearts*). So I was shocked, but the basic idea wasn't one that I hadn't thought of before. Still - obviously I was LYKZOMFG. :o

So. Um. Yeah. Awesome, awesome job. Great suspense, great premise, great twist... great! *adds to favorites* *rates 10*

Author's Response: I can die happy, I have shocked Gubby...twice!  And brought about a slew of webspeak ;o).  I love Steph, too, we all need a friend like her.  And I'm glad you thought I did a good job of introducing all the characters without it being too tedious.  Josh is a good guy, really, he is.  He's just living a lie, and thinks he's protecting her.  It would have been better for him to be honest with her though.  I tried to paint a picture of what all was going to be lost when her life was shattered.  I hope that came across.  Thank you for reading my story, Gub...that you don't normally read OF makes me doubly honored! *huggles*

Wow! From the title and summary I knew this would have a surprising ending, but this was more than i expected. And I really liked the writing and the story, despite the somewhat bad ending for Megan. But let me start from the beginning...at first I didn't even realize this was in present tense, but it was a nice change, but I think I spotted one switch into past tense. Couldn't copy the sentence. Anyway, it started off very believable and your characters were those of real life that I know and recognize. Steph was the funny friend, always willing to help and Megan the loving mother, sacrificing all her time to her children, missing the husband. The prospect of a happy life and improvement was perfectly placed there, and somehow I reallyreally wanted this to end on a happy note, but life is not always like that, is it?

Let me just say how I loved the children and Megan's view of them. His, mine and ours...that really got me. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face, even when she was tucking them into beds, having that mother-child connection. And you portrayed it with more than perfection, one can see you know exactly what you are talking about and the reality about it was striking. I loved the Y and X train/princess chromosomes.

And like I said, the writing was very smoothly done and the descriptions were nice. And then when we were getting to the end, I was litterally shaking to find out what it is that shatters all of this. i thought Josh will die or cheat on Megan with another woman, but...well, I see the ending as something that can really happen and we know it did. And Megan's reaction was absolutely understandable and I cannot imagine what it must be like to experience this. It was painful to see Josh running after her, sobbing behind the window, but I really felt for Megan, who lived in the illusion and now only remains to be shattered. A very good piece of writing that moved me.

Author's Response:

Thank you so much, Liz!  You know, I really tried to write this story in 3rd person, past tense, because that's what I'm usually most comfortable with but it wouldn't let me.  I had to go back and change the first paragraph (I'm really surprised I didn't miss anything there), but I think I know where you're talking about switching into past tense.  I found it after I posted it, I'm really surprised that that's the only place I slipped back into past tense.  I'll fix it soon.  I have 2 girls of my own, so EVERYTHING in my house is princess, and I taught a class of 2 year old boys last year...5 of them, no girls.  We had to go out and buy more trains for the classroom, lol.

I'm so glad you mentioned waiting to find out what shatters this "real" life.  That's why I spent so much time painting the picture of the family, and how you really want it to all work out, because it's a good life, not perfect, but good.  I'm glad you were able to see Josh's pain, too, I don't think I put too much of him in, sadly.  Thank you so much for reading!