Dear Abby

Abigail Van Buren’s daily relationship advice column.

Of the people who promised to attend a birthday party, 20% didn’t make it, and not always for good reason.
After friends and family accept invitation to ceremony that promises to be lavish, they’re told plans have changed and they’re no longer welcome.
Parents have been extremely supportive through her many challenges and don’t understand why she lies and withholds the truth when it comes to her love life.
The woman, an alcoholic, had falsely accused her father of abusing her during childhood.
Grieving daughter now is seeing someone else and wants her former boyfriend out of her life but still thinks he was selfish not to pay his respects.
His emotional affair with a co-worker seemed to be over, but now that he’s trying to resume contact with her, his wife is having trouble trusting him.
Now the older man is reaching out to his son’s wife and teenage daughter.
Lonely woman wants to contribute her time, but charities show no interest in her considerable skill set.
Blaming an old injury, she constantly calls upon daughter to handle her tasks.
Mom feels he could learn from the challenges she faced but hesitates about the notebooks’ intimate details.
The meetup never happened, but just the idea is enough to make him lose trust in his wife, and he’s not accepting an apology.
Parent considers the concept morally wrong, but fears being unsupportive will drive away daughter and her child.
Man encourages his wife to show more skin in public, but revealing outfits aren’t her style.
The daily conversations cause him pain that is affecting life for his wife, and even his dog.
Checkout lane at grocery store came to a halt as everyone waited for one customer to cover another’s shortfall.
With no explanation, the two men abruptly refuse to take their parents’ calls.
The relationship has suffered since the ornate cake stand shattered.
As the two generations feud, man makes cruel ultimatum: The marriage is over unless wife stops visiting and communicating with the couple’s son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
After being told to get hair extensions, hire a makeup artist and pay for an unaffordable wedding gown, distraught mother is thinking of skipping the ceremony.
The chatter about the kids’ doings is limited to blood relatives only — no spouses allowed