I’ve been dating a woman for two years and I really like her. We’re in our mid-20s, enjoying the beginning of our adult lives. I’ve just started a great job that I love and worked years to get, and she’s just started in her career after finishing a postgrad course.

We’re both living at home but in the process of looking for a place together. I don’t know if she’s the person I’m going to marry, but I’m very happy right now. And I believe she feels the same way.

Last week, we were invited to go to this big party at a friend’s cottage, and we were both very excited for the anticipated fun. Unfortunately, she came down with a terrible summer cold and had to take a pass. I went with some of our other friends. The party was fantastic, with lots of alcohol flowing, hours upon hours of dancing, and conversations that lasted almost until sunrise.

The only issue? My girlfriend’s sister got very drunk and came on to me. I pushed her away, but she came back twice. After the second time, I asked the host to help me, which she did, and after the third time, the host’s boyfriend intervened.

When I woke up in the morning, she had already left. How do I handle this?

Drunk Sister

I pray that the first thing you did was to call your girlfriend and tell her exactly what happened. Tell her that you don’t want to throw her sister under the bus, but you wanted her to hear it from you first. Tell her that the host and the host’s boyfriend saw everything and can corroborate your story if she has any doubts, which she may since the other person involved is her sister.

Tell your girlfriend that you will do whatever she wants regarding her sister, as in, if her sister apologizes, you should just laugh it off and accept. Or, if her sister avoids the issue, you should too. Whatever makes your girlfriend most comfortable. She’ll have enough to deal with when she confronts her sister.

My brother and sister-in-law are in some weird competition with my husband and I and we don’t get it. They’ll make dinner plans with my parents, not include us, but then throw it in our faces that mom and dad took them out for high-end Chinese food. If I then call my mom to ask why we weren’t included, she’ll say that she thought we were busy. Probably because that’s what my brother is telling her.

My husband is the kindest, most easygoing human so he doesn’t understand the game. Neither do I, since my brother and I were always close and spent loads of time together with our parents. This behaviour is new and strange.

We decided to beat them at their game, and we invited everyone over for a BBQ, but they never showed up! When I called to ask them what happened, they said they mixed up the date. I know that’s a lie. What’s going on and what do I do?

Sibling Silliness

Do NOT try to beat them at their own game. Why? Because you don’t know the rules, so they’ll always win. Just be yourselves and act normally. Spend as much time with your parents as you wish. If they take your brother and his wife out for dinner without you, so be it.

Invite the couple out for dinner just the four of you, and see how that goes. Try to have a mature conversation with them. If that fails, try to talk to your brother alone on a separate occasion.

If that fails, just let it go. They’ll get tired of playing without an opponent.

FEEDBACK Regarding put your dogs away (June 10):

Reader – “Why is everyone apparently so obsessed with people’s feet?  If you do not like, do not look.”

Reader #2 – “I do hope that those who are disgusted by anything other than beautiful, pedicured feet are able to maintain their beautiful feet into old age. Pedicures cost money.  Not all people can afford them or want to spend the time to do them for themselves.

“Not all people avoid arthritis, or nail fungus or general old age. Birks, or similar open shoes, may be the only footwear that feet that have worked hard for 80 or 90 years can be comfortable in.  I think that when I go to a restaurant I have lots to look at - menus, food, decor, friends - without checking out the other guests' feet.”

Too interested in living to worry about other people's feet