DEAR ABBY: For 50 years, I had a close career and personal friend I’ll call “Ellen.” She has been married a long time, but I know she and her husband have had some rocky patches. Ellen was with me through the tragic loss of my son and, six weeks later, my very ill husband. I […]
Dear Abby
Childhood friendship begins breaking down for teenagers
DEAR ABBY: My 15-year-old daughter, “Nadia,” has been friends with another girl, “Kelly,” since they were 8. Over the years, I have had my concerns about Kelly because she lies. She can also be very manipulative, and she hasn’t always treated Nadia well. Nadia and I have had numerous conversations about this friend over the […]
Rumors and lies envelop divorcee living abroad
DEAR ABBY: I retired to Malaga, Spain, after my marriage of 38 years ended in divorce. I have gone to dinner with a few men since moving here. This is a lovely community with many retired residents from all over Europe and the U.K. My problem is, after a few dates, they assume that because […]
Woman can’t stop thinking about her husband’s friend
DEAR ABBY: I have a huge crush on my husband’s friend, “Shane.” I think about him daily and fantasize about him every night. He used to come into the place where I work once a month. I wanted to tell him back then how I felt, but I chickened out. I recently changed jobs, and […]
Husband irate at wife’s treatment in workplace
DEAR ABBY: My wife has been working as a teacher’s assistant for nearly 10 years. Several years ago, she became an assistant in a new school and has been in this particular classroom since it opened. She was assigned a teacher, “Mrs. Smith,” a couple years in and has been with her ever since. My […]
Caregiver wears brave face despite growing despair
DEAR ABBY: I’m a 56-year-old, married, 24/7 caregiver. My husband is terminally ill. When he was diagnosed, all I could think about was what can I do to make this as pleasant and comfortable as possible for my husband and best friend. I have devoted my energy to giving him the best home care I […]
Husband and wife disrespect his parents without remorse
DEAR ABBY: I have two sons I’m very proud of. My husband and I have raised them to be respectful and to make responsible decisions. However, I go to bed in tears each night feeling we have failed. Our elder son is married and has a son, our grandson, “Charlie,” who is dear to our […]
Family struggles to grow roots amid frequent moves
DEAR ABBY: My husband, my child and I have moved six times over an eight-year period. Some of the moves were within months of each other. All of them were for financial or emotional reasons. The last one took us an hour and a half away from where we had been living for many years. […]
Husbands dishonesty about finances imperils marriage
DEAR ABBY: I am married to a man from a different country, culture and religion. We have an amazing relationship, and he is my best friend. We do everything together — grocery shop, date nights, travel, etc. He is a wonderful husband. The only problem is he doesn’t contribute financially. I have told him time […]
Boyfriend’s frequent ‘breaks’ define couple’s relationship
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend, “Ashton,” is bisexual. After we have fights, he takes “breaks” and uses them to be with other men. He has several friends who are bisexual or transgender. He is presently in the closet about his status because he comes from a Christian family and lives in a highly conservative area. He […]