DEAR ABBY: "Maria" and I lived together for two years. She had wanted eyelid surgery but couldn't afford to pay $5,000. I offered to give her $2,000.
A few months ago, Maria told me she didn't love me anymore. (She now has a new boyfriend.) She called me yesterday evening asking for the money I said I'd give her for the surgery.
Do I owe her this money? She's the one who ended it. I told her to ask her new boyfriend to pay for it, but she claims I need to keep my word. -- SEEING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
DEAR SEEING THINGS: Excuse me? YOU need to keep your word? No, MARIA needs you to keep your word. When she replaced you, your generous offer to pay for her cosmetic surgery ended. So tell her she'll have to arrange for replacement financing or work out a time payment plan with her surgeon.