Dear Prudence,
I’ve been with my partner for eight years, and in that time, he’s become the best friend I’ve ever had. Since becoming estranged from my parents a few years ago, I think of him as my “forever family.” But I love him like family, not like a soulmate. I have always hoped I would start feeling erotic/romantic energy, but I never have, although we have an active sex life—a fine one, even. I can’t describe it other than a persistent feeling of bad faith on my end, of some kind of secret insincerity I keep hidden from him. I’m terrified that I’ll still be with him in 10 years. But I don’t think I could exist without our jokes, our long conversations, our time together, our mutual support. We are a part of each other. What can I do?
—Chosen Family