I’ve liked this girl for three years but never had the courage to tell her or ask her out. I’ve also never gone out with any other girl, though some girls have liked me.     
      I finally told her my feelings, but only because I was moving away and thought I’d probably never see her again. However, I ended up staying here and now see her constantly.    
      Whenever we're alone, she holds my hand and says she loves me. But when others are around, she drops my hand, and moves away or pretends we were just talking.
      I love her and am ready for a relationship; I’ve twice asked her out but we were unable to meet. Can you tell me if she's the one for me and if you can see me with her anywhere in the near future? I’m planning to ask her out (again) tomorrow. What will her answer be?
      - Confused

My crystal ball is broken so I’ll have to wing this one on my own: She’s not ready for a relationship.     
      It seems that, like you, she’s inexperienced and is only comfortable being private about sharing initial romantic feelings. So far, you’re both just “practicing” the art of dating … but you have difficulty even asking for a date, and she prefers avoiding the possibility.    
      Go slow. Wherever it is that you meet and hold hands, talk as friends and learn more about each other. Instead of being shy and nervous about the whole “date” matter, throw away that label and just build easy communication between you, e.g. about your likes and dislikes, any common interests, etc. If there’s a mutual attraction over time, the rest will come naturally.

I’ve been living with a man for six years and always known him to have spells of depression. But it now involves anger outbursts, destructive behaviour, hurtful words and even hurting his beloved old dog.       
      After he pushed me onto the concrete floor, things worsened; since then, he’s destroyed musical instruments worth $10,000 by banging them on the driveway. When I told him to stop he said that if I knew what was best for me, I’d get out of there.    
      He threw his dog down the driveway because he wouldn't pee on command. He’s had physical fights with my son and said he was no longer welcome at our house, which I own. He jumped up and down and in circles throwing things, saying he wanted to kill someone, while looking at me.    
      I left three months ago, while he was at a doctor’s appointment. He says he’s been taking Prozac for five weeks and is much better. Can he really be better?  He’s 62, and I’ve now learned he’s always had anger issues.
      - Undecided

Five weeks of medication are a bare beginning to this man’s need for treatment.     
      He should be checked for any medical cause that could be a factor; he also requires a full course of behaviour management therapy from a specialist and monitoring over time. If alcohol or other substance use is involved, these also need to be addressed.     
      Meanwhile, he’s increasingly dangerous to you and your son. Do NOT accept his self-diagnosis of improvement. If you care for him enough to risk more of these troubling encounters, speak first to his doctor, and wait until the professionals treating him tell you that he’s better.     
      Meanwhile, see a lawyer, especially if he’s the one still living in the house you own.

My daughter, 21, recently left her abusive boyfriend who also has a criminal record for drunk driving. She’s moved overseas, seeing no other way of him leaving her alone - he’d been controlling her 24/7. She tried to take her belongings from his house, but couldn’t get everything.     
      She can’t return for her stuff herself and he refuses to give it to her friend. We’re afraid he'll damage her stuff, as he’s threatened. How can we get her belongings back safely.
      - Concerned

Have a lawyer or legal aid clinic send notice to him that he’s to give up your daughter’s property, intact. Include an address where it’s to be delivered, and a specific date with time deadline, and state that otherwise the police will be called and he’ll be charged with holding onto property illegally.    
      The guy’s a bully and most bullies best understand being pushed back, especially by authorities.