When does love trump duty?
…when it is for love for your self. Living in any type of abusive relationship clouds your judgement. “Dealing” means becoming a master of deception to yourself and your feelings. Your thoughts are often replaced by someone else’s and you find a way to believe the words, blame yourself, and make excuses. Duty and loyalty are excuses. Where were they when you “reconnected”? Is love for an old boyfriend an excuse too? Could be or could be real. But like Jack was saying, you are the only key to your happiness. No one can give it to you. Inky said it too, you are better off separating him from this decision. Your kids already know what the deal is. What kind of example/advice do you want to pass on to them? Get very honest with yourself, think for yourself, decide what kind of life you want for *you*, and move on.