DEAR ABBY: I am 15 and in tears as I write this. My parents met in college and married when Mom got pregnant with my older brother. They recently celebrated their 17th anniversary. Lately, it seems all Mom and Dad do is argue. My father's job requires him to work long hours and travel a lot, so things have been especially stressful.
Last weekend, my brother and I went to visit our aunt and uncle who live a couple of hours away. While I was sitting at their computer e-mailing some friends, I couldn't resist the temptation, so I pulled up an e-mail Mother had sent to my aunt. In it, Mom wrote that she "can't take it any longer" and finally talked to a divorce lawyer. She plans to file for divorce as soon as my brother graduates from high school. She doesn't want us kids to know because my brother needs to keep his grades up so he can get into a good college, and she knows the news would upset us.
But that wasn't the worst part. Mom went on to say she had confessed to our priest that she's been having an affair with a co-worker! Mom reads your column every day, so please give us some good advice. If she reads this letter and your reply, maybe it would help her reconsider what she's doing. -- HOPING TO SAVE MY PARENTS' MARRIAGE IN GEORGIA
DEAR HOPING'S MOTHER: If this scenario seems strangely familiar to you, please know that your plans are no longer a secret and are causing great stress to your daughter.
Before you make any life-altering decisions, end the affair and start marriage counseling with your husband. It wouldn't hurt to begin family counseling as well.