Dear Annie: My best friend is 58 years old and recently divorced. She spent the last four years grieving terribly over her lost family life in an affluent neighborhood and is finally onto the next chapter of her life.

Suddenly, she's dressing to the nines to come to a simple picnic at our home, and she's become the brunt of bad jokes because she is openly flirting with my son's best friend, who is 35 and not interested. I hate that everyone is laughing at her, and I don't know what to do about it. I love her and don't want to hurt her. Should I say something to her, or should I just hope this passes? — Bewildered Friend

Dear Bewildered: All in all, it's a good thing that her lust for love has been renewed. At least she is no longer in her grieving period. Healing is a journey; she won't stay here forever.

In the meantime, to save her from herself, perhaps you can set her up with a man who is more age-appropriate.

Dear Annie: My daughter, age 40, has had mental health issues for the past 20 years. I have become her scapegoat for everything bad in her life.

She has six children. The oldest three were awarded to her ex and lived with him in the same town I live in (they are now 19, 18 and 15). She is extremely jealous of the close relationship I have with them and believes I try to undermine her. She has recently taken to Facebook to publicly embarrass me with her accusations.

To make things even more difficult, my husband refuses to back me and confront her, his reasoning being he doesn't want to be responsible for her committing suicide. I feel like I'm all alone in this and ready to divorce my husband. I need some advice! — Just Want Peace in the Family

Dear Just Want Peace: First things first, your daughter needs professional psychiatric help. Offer your services in scheduling a doctor's appointment, finding a therapist, etc. You can't force her into anything, but you can tell her that you care about her happiness and that you believe these are necessary steps to take in order for her to get there.

Once that piece is addressed, everything else should be easier. Stay close to your grandchildren; they need a stable maternal figure in their lives. And be sure to communicate clearly and compassionately with your husband. It might be in your best interest to seek couples counseling, too.

"How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?" is out now! Annie Lane's second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

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