A letter writer’s mother-in-law is suspiciously unconcerned when her husband doesn’t come home.

What’s really going on here, asks our elder.

Dear EWC

I am being accused by my mother-in-law of “flipping out” since my husband has not come home in two nights and refuses to answer the phone or any questions on whereabouts. Am I being upset for no reason? Thanks for your time!

Elder BES replies

Unless this is something he always does or it is an ‘agreement’ that you both have, you certainly have every right to ‘flip out!’ I wonder why your mother in law sees no reason for alarm in this? Have you asked her?

If you have never experienced this before in your marriage and you have tried to locate him through normal means like via his cell phone and by calling his friends, perhaps calling the police would be in order! I would be exceedingly frightened if my husband or partner simply did not show up and there was no answer on his phone or any way to reach him and this was the first time this happened. I would file a missing persons report.

If your husband has been known to do this before or if you have had a difficult relationship, then that could be a slightly different story and perhaps he is off somewhere trying to ‘cool down.’

Please do what YOU feel is best in this situation but ask your mother-in-law if she knows something she is not telling you.

Good luck and please let me know how it turns out.

Reference 411867

Marriage