DEAR ABBY: I am 20, newly married and very happy with my new husband. I didn't tell my father when I got married; he just found out. When I moved out four months ago to live with my fiance and his parents, I also didn't tell Dad I was engaged.
Dad called me to ask if it was true that I had gotten married. Of course I said yes, and he got very angry. He asked if I was pregnant and I told him no. Then he wished me luck with my husband, said we were on our own now, and he would be out of my life!
Abby, I have always been a daddy's girl. When it came time to get married, I didn't tell him because I knew he'd try to stop me. I love my father and don't want him out of my life. What should I do? -- NEWLYWED IN JACKSON, MICH.
DEAR NEWLYWED: Your father was extremely hurt by what you did. When a father loves his daughter, he looks forward to the day he will proudly walk her down the aisle, knowing the man she is marrying will be a stable partner. When you sneaked off, you took that away from him. He may also be upset that the young man you married isn't financially independent.
You owe your dad an apology. Write him a letter, explain why you did what you did and that you love him. It's a step in the right direction.