A few months ago Curtis emailed me with questions about dating while being married. His dilemma went much deeper than these initial questions. Here is his story.
Curtis and Meg have been married for several years. The relationship began on a high note: two people very much in love and looking forward to a long, committed future. What Curtis was unaware of was his wife's profound attachment to her father. This connection far surpassed most father/daughter relationships. When Meg's father fell upon poor health she started to reach out to another for comfort. That person was Meg's boss who had also lost his father. As Meg's father passed away, she spent more and more time with this man. This led Meg and Curtis to the decision to have an open marriage. Meg was already behaving as though the marriage was open; this decision was made so that Curtis might find a connection elsewhere as well.
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.