DEAR ABBY: My sister, "Laurel," is a single mother with one child. She drives my husband, "Rick," berserk when they are around each other for an extended period of time. Unfortunately, Laurel recently split up with her boyfriend. She has few friends and insists on being my best friend -- including herself in my family's dinner plans and vacations.
Before the breakup, we were planning to visit an elderly aunt -- Rick and I with our daughter in one car; Laurel, her boyfriend and her daughter in the other car.
However, now that Laurel's boyfriend has left, she wants to make this an "all-girls trip" and exclude my husband! I informed her that Rick is going, and furthermore there would be separate accommodations and separate cars. Laurel now insists that she will camp out in our hotel room, and she will not take "no" for an answer. -- FED-UP SISTER IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR FED-UP: Your sister is off base. There's no reason why you and Rick should share your hotel room with your sister, or that Rick should be excluded because Laurel doesn't currently have a man in her life. If you can't make her see reason, you and your husband should talk to her together.