A reader turns to Dear Abby for guidance on whether to leave an abusive relationship for a chance to reunite with an ex. Communication with the ex has been limited to talking and texting, yet uncertainty clouds the path forward.

A decades-long bond unravels in the most unexpected way when a best friend of 50 years reveals she stayed in the relationship only as a favor to her friend’s mother. Dear Abby weighs in on the grief, questions, and loss that follow this heartbreaking twist in a lifelong connection.