DEAR ABBY: Over the last couple of years, I have become close with someone I was intimately involved with 20 years ago. We had a relatively short but very passionate relationship back then, which she ended for reasons that I'm still not clear about. For me, she was the "one who got away." We never really fought and remained friendly over the years.
She now has a child she has sole custody of, so we're never really alone. The three of us hang out a lot and take trips together. The problem is, we are not intimate and haven't expressed feelings for each other. I am, and to some extent have always been, in love with her. I don't want to ruin what we have, but I don't want to be stuck in limbo forever either. What should I do? -- OLD FLAME IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR OLD FLAME: It may not be an accident that this woman hasn't found a babysitter so you can spend some adult time together. After "a couple of years," it's time for an honest discussion about why she ended your relationship the first time around. Express how you feel about her (if she doesn't already know) and ask whether your feelings are reciprocated. If they aren't, you need to adjust to the fact that you are in the "friend zone."