Annie Lane

Dear Annie: I’ve been married to my ex-husband for three years after 20 years of separation. Previously, I’d been seeing a man for almost a year who told me he was not looking for anything serious. At the time, I was fine with that because I wasn’t, or didn’t think I was, either.

My ex-husband came to town; we share a son who, by then, was grown. I thought it would be good for him to reconnect with his dad and for my ex to meet his grandchildren. As we visited and got reacquainted, we rekindled our relationship. He said all the right things, how he had loved me all this time and even though he had girlfriends over the years, he never loved them like me. We got married again after about a year.

My marriage is mediocre at best. My husband is a constant complainer; if it’s not about our son, who he didn’t help raise, or the constant bother of the grandkids, it’s the guys at work or the state of the nation. I find it easy to tune him out and would rather do things without than with him.

Through this time, I’ve kept in contact with my friend. I find him humorous, and I’ve always enjoyed our camaraderie. He was surprised when I told him I was getting married. He asked why I didn’t come and talk to him before I made that choice. I feel I’ve made a terrible mistake. I want to leave my husband, but I know it would crush him. He could possibly become violent, or at least he did before when we broke up. What should I do? — Unhappy Wife, Unhappy Life

Dear Unhappy Wife: Before making a final decision, see if your husband would be willing to attend couples counseling. Be honest about how you’re feeling: You can’t carry the whole relationship on your back, and if things don’t improve — and soon — you aren’t willing to continue being part of it. For him to complain as much as you say he does tells me he’s deeply unhappy, too, most likely in your marriage but more so with himself. Whether he’s receptive to therapy or not, you should be proud of honoring yourself and speaking up.

These situations are never easy; lean on your friends, family and other loved ones for support as you take these next steps. If you do feel physically threatened or unsafe, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7, at 800-799-7233.

Dear Annie: When attending the theater without assigned seats, is it appropriate to find new seats at intermission? Especially ones that don’t have any personal belongings in/near them signifying someone is planning to return to those seats? Thank you. — Musical Chairs

Dear Musical Chairs: You should never take seats that aren’t yours before the start of an event. Seemingly unclaimed seats may actually belong to attendees who are running late, stepped out to the restroom or accidentally took the wrong seats to begin with. If, after an intermission, the seats you’re eyeing are still empty with no sign of being taken, I can’t see the harm in switching. Out of courtesy, you should clear it with the people behind you or to the sides to make sure they’re all right with it as well. If you’re really in doubt, find an usher to give you the ultimate yea or nay. Of course, as you mentioned, this only applies to events with open seating.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.