A woman's 45-year marriage is reportedly under threat after her husband's sons issued an ultimatum: he must leave his current wife and move back in with their mother.
The woman, writing to Dear Abby, explained that she married her husband eight years after his divorce from his first wife. The couple had two sons together who are now in their late 50s. The husband reportedly never loved his first wife.
For years, the couple believed they had a good relationship with both sons and their four grandchildren. However, after the couple retired and moved to Florida, the sons allegedly became hostile. They informed their father that they had always disliked his current wife and wanted the couple to move next door to their mother and live as "one big, happy family."
The stepchildren have since cut off contact with the couple and are preventing them from seeing their grandchildren. The woman stated that they had reached out twice to mend the relationship, which had previously been strong with three of the grandchildren.
The sons' ultimatum was explicit: "Dad, if you move back here, live close to mom and leave your current wife, we will forgive you."
In her response, Abigail Van Buren, also known as Dear Abby, questioned how the husband feels about his sons' "emotional blackmail." She described the proposed situation as "outside the realm of reality."
The advice column also addressed a separate query from a woman who questioned whether to stop sending monetary gifts to her European nieces and nephews. The woman has sent approximately $25 per child for holidays and birthdays for years, along with larger sums for significant achievements. She expressed a desire to phase out the gifts, especially as the elder children are now adults and attending university, but worried it might appear "mean and petty."
Dear Abby advised the aunt not to punish the children for potential shortcomings of their parents in teaching them proper etiquette. She suggested that if the aunt decides to stop the gifts, she should explain her disappointment at not receiving thank-you notes for her past thoughtfulness.