DEAR ABBY: Is it OK for two brothers (in the range of 40 years old) to sleep in the same bed? My husband says he is very close to his family. I sleep alone in our bed almost every night because my husband falls asleep on the couch a lot watching TV.
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He and his brother were watching a ball game together the other night in his brother's room. (Unfortunately, he lives with us almost year-round.) They were on the bed and fell asleep there.
I should mention that their mother is very "touchy-feely" with them and often sits next to them, caressing her sons' inner thighs.
Where I grew up, this is considered inappropriate behavior. What is wrong with this picture? If I mention anything about this, my husband gets very angry, as he is the "controlling" type. -- FEELING ILL IN ILLINOIS
DEAR FEELING ILL: If your intuition is telling you that "something" is wrong, then you should listen and act upon it. What's clear from your letter is that you're unhappy and unsatisfied in your marriage, with good reason.
For a 40-year-old man to spend almost every night sleeping on the couch instead of with his wife is highly unusual, and the reason usually isn't that what's on television is so compelling he can't drag himself into the bedroom. You should consult a licensed family therapist pronto. And if your husband won't go with you, go without him.