DEAR ABBY: A close male friend, “Will,” ended our friendship without warning. I didn’t know he had such strong feelings about my current arrangement. I have been dating a married man, “Bart,” whose wife suggested he get himself a girlfriend if he wanted sex/intimacy/companionship. She also told him she would “never want to sleep with him again.” It has been 10 years since they were last intimate or even shared a bed. They don’t live together; Bart lives in his guest house. They share a son, which is why he doesn’t want to leave.
As a parent, I understand. It’s why I stayed in my own marriage for so long. The circumstances are less than ideal and something I never thought I’d be a part of, but I haven’t felt this wonderful in years. My ex-husband and I were never this compatible. When I’m with Bart, it’s magical, and I believe it’s mutual.
For this choice of mine, Will has severed our friendship. He did it via text. I’d told him about it two weeks earlier, and he advised me to be careful. He called Bart and me “cheaters,” but it’s not exactly like that. I’m deeply hurt over this loss. I want to know if Will is in the wrong or if I am. — NO CHEATER IN ARIZONA
DEAR NO CHEATER: Does who is “right or wrong” matter at this point? Your friend Will does not approve of your affair with Bart because of his marital status and has chosen to distance himself. That’s his privilege. You made an adult decision to engage in this relationship, and it has cost you a friend. Live your life, but don’t be shocked if others also feel the way Will does.
DEAR ABBY: I’ve been dating a wonderful guy for the last six months. Our relationship is great, but he has an ex who is much younger than us (a 16-year age gap). He started seeing her while she was pregnant by someone else. He stayed with her until the baby was 3, but, given the circumstances, he continues to get the baby for weekends, etc. He is not on the birth certificate, but the baby knows only him as her dad.
My problem is the ex. She constantly calls or texts him for money or to say she bought things for the little girl. She has called him to come over to hang out, and, most recently, asked him to co-sign for a new car for her.
I’m not OK with the lack of boundaries, and I have said so. He hears me and has told her several times to back off, but she doesn’t listen. It’s causing arguments between us. The child isn’t his actual child, but that fact obviously isn’t changing anything. Should I walk away? — THIRD WHEEL IN THE EAST
DEAR THIRD WHEEL: Your boyfriend is clearly attached to the little girl. You can’t change that, nor should you try. That said, he is still with you in spite of the fact that his ex may be trying to get him (and his financial support) back. Whether you should grit your teeth and tolerate it isn’t something I can answer. Your boyfriend can, however, and whether you should walk away is a question you should be asking him.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.