Dear Prudence,
I’ve been unhappy in my marriage for a few years now. My husband is not abusive or anything like that, but long story short, I’m just not fulfilled. However, I’m not in a financial position to get divorced, and I’m also afraid of scarring my children. I know my husband doesn’t want to get divorced (although I don’t think he’d fight me if I went forward).
Last year, I proposed opening up our marriage to my husband, letting him know that it would help me immensely to be a better person in our home if I could seek some fulfillment elsewhere. After a long discussion, he agreed, saying that if it keeps me coming home, he’d be OK with it, but he also didn’t want to know the details. I began a sexual relationship with a man I met through a co-worker, and while I know it’s not a magical cure-all, I’ve been in a better headspace.
The problem is my best friend, “Maya.” When I first told her about it, she was clearly taken aback, but basically said, it was my life and my business. I was a bit hurt that she wasn’t more supportive, but I figured she just needed some time to think about it. Except, it’s been almost a year, and whenever I try to talk about it, Maya seems to be only half-listening and offers no input. To be clear, I’m not trying to talk about details of my sex life; I just want to be able to talk about what’s going on in my life with my best friend!