DEAR ABBY: I was recently married, but we had to postpone our honeymoon for a couple of weeks due to weather and the loss of a sitter for my wife's daughter. The day after our wedding, my bride, "Brenda," informed me that we had a dinner date the following Monday with another married couple who are friends of hers. I gladly accepted, thinking it would be fun to go out and celebrate since our plans had fallen through.
The day before the dinner I was told that the husband (in the couple) had to work -- so Brenda and his wife would go out to dinner and, if it was OK with me, I would stay home and baby-sit my new stepdaughter. I felt I had no say in the matter, and to keep things positive in this brand-new marriage, I agreed.
I have no problem with Brenda going out alone with her friend, but I did feel slighted. Shouldn't the dinner have been postponed until a time when we were all available? Or should I have accepted this "girls' night out" with more grace? -- HONEYMOON-DEPRIVED IN KNOXVILLE
DEAR HONEYMOON-DEPRIVED: It depends upon how "graceless" your reaction was. While I don't blame you for feeling slighted, the dinner could have been rescheduled for when the husband was available, or you could have been included. I hope you told your wife how it made you feel because it may make her more sensitive to your feelings in the future.