DEAR ABBY: I am a woman in my late 30s. "Tim" and I have been best friends for more than 10 years. Over the last few years, he has struggled with depression and addiction, and I have done my best to help him.

A few weeks back, Tim called me crying and said he was planning to end his life. It wasn't the first time he has spoken this way, but it was the first time he described a plan of action. Because I was alarmed, I called the police to do a welfare check. They went to Tim's home, which is across the country from mine, and took him to a psychiatric facility for several days. Now that he's out, he's furious with me for notifying the police and says I betrayed him. He said he doesn't know if we can continue to be friends.

I feel terrible, like I perhaps made a mistake by calling reinforcements, but I was more worried about the consequences of not calling. My family is telling me I should step away from the friendship altogether, but I can't imagine doing that. Please help. -- TAKES FRIENDSHIP SERIOUSLY

DEAR TAKES: Your family's advice to step away seems sensible. You did NOT make a mistake by calling to see that Tim got help after he told you he had a plan in place to take his own life. You were trying to help him and prevent a tragedy, and that's a good thing.

Tim is clearly very ill and, unfortunately, there is little you can do to fix what's wrong with him (which is plenty). If you know his family, inform them about what has been going on. And because he doesn't know if he can continue being friends with you, leave it up to him to decide.

DEAR ABBY: My brother's wife is pregnant, and there is talk about their moving to the state where her family lives. There are only three people in my sister-in-law's family (one is elderly and two others work full time) who may provide her with support during her transition into motherhood. On the other hand, there are 10 of us who could help them emotionally and physically if they stay here.

My sister-in-law plans on being a stay-at-home mom, which I wholeheartedly support. My brother would move to the state where her family resides only in order to appease her. Our family is closer than her family. I feel we can provide them with more love and support than her family. What can I say or do to show them that living near our family is the best decision? -- NEAR IS BETTER

DEAR NEAR: I'm sure you mean well, but do not make the mistake of trying to "sell" your sister-in-law on staying. It appears her mind is made up. If she feels she would be more comfortable with her own family as she approaches this milestone, not much you can say will dissuade her. Of course, nothing prevents you from telling your brother how you feel, if you haven't already.

You might also suggest they consider renting for a year rather than buying a home right away, to see how they like it. That way, once the baby arrives and reality hits, she may realize she won't have the support she may need, and they may decide to return.

DEAR ABBY: I am 40. During the quarantine, I got pregnant by someone I was just starting to know. I didn't think I was able to have any more kids. My daughter is now 12, and suddenly here I am -- pregnant. I don't love the father. In fact, I'm pretty sure he loves someone else. Nonetheless, we ended up getting married for insurance purposes.

A few months ago, I found out he fathered a child with his uncle's wife. It eats me up inside, and I can't move past that. What kind of person does that? He was never acknowledged as the father, and the aunt/mom didn't want him around because she is still married to his uncle.

Well, I am now close to my due date. I don't know how I can make this work or if I even should. I raised my daughter alone because her dad was abusive, so being a single parent is nothing new for me. Him getting involved with his aunt -- to me that is morally wrong, and I will never think that is acceptable. Help me decide what to do. -- PREGNANT AND CONFUSED

DEAR PREGNANT: You married the father of this child because of the insurance, not because this was a love match. You think he is in love with someone else. Did your husband tell you he had fathered his uncle's wife's child? Did the wife? Are you sure this information is even true?

Not once in your letter did you mention that you have feelings for this man; in fact, you feel he is morally repugnant. Is this the kind of life you want to live? The answer to that question will tell you what you need to do after the birth of the baby.

DEAR ABBY: A friend and I played bridge together for about eight years. I thought we had a close friendship. I introduced her to online bridge because I knew she missed playing in person. She immediately became hypercritical and started telling me and the other two ladies what we were doing wrong and what we should be doing. She was especially hard on me.

In private emails, I tried, to no avail, telling her that this game was not worth losing our friendship over. Her barbs continued for the next two weeks, all aimed specifically at me. After three tries to explain how her attitude was eroding our bond, I stopped responding. She had been extremely cruel the last time we played.

She called me a dictator and resigned from playing with us. I have no problem filling her spot, but the last email she sent me was titled "death of a friendship." We haven't spoken since, and I don't know what to do. Should I just leave it or make some further attempt to repair the friendship? I had never seen this behavior in her to this extent before, and I cannot understand what provoked it. -- JUST A GAME IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR JUST A GAME: Whatever provoked your former partner to turn on you and attempt to embarrass you in front of the other players, I cannot guess either. However, in light of what has happened, you would be better off blocking her emails if she sends any more. She may be right -- the friendship is dead. But the person who killed it was her.

DEAR ABBY: I have meddling in-laws. Anytime my husband of 20 years and I have a disagreement, he calls his parents to complain about me. On six different occasions, I found messages and Facebook chats between my husband and my in-laws in which they called me a bad mother, a terrible person, crazy, evil, the devil and disparaged my family.

Because of this, I have cut off contact with his relatives, and they cannot come to our house. My husband insists on being around them, and we argue because I want our 9-year-old son to have only limited contact with them. I don't want them tearing me down in front of him. I also expect my spouse to spend time with me and our son at holidays, but my husband says I'm being unreasonable and I should just "move on and let it go." His parents refuse to apologize. They say they have done nothing wrong. I need some objective advice. -- MISERABLE IN MISSOURI

DEAR MISERABLE: The person who has done something wrong is your husband. He should not have gone running to Mommy and Daddy when you had a disagreement. What they did was accept his side of the story and support their wounded child.

I don't blame you for not wanting your son subjected to any smack talk from his grandparents. Wanting to shield him from that doesn't make you crazy, evil, etc. Bury the hatchet with them if it's possible, and drag your husband to a licensed marriage and family therapist so he -- and you -- can learn to disagree like adults.

DEAR ABBY: My mother keeps buying me (and my now-teenage daughters) clothes from a catalog for elderly women. Think lots of bird prints, florals and elastic-waist pants.

She's an amazing mother and grandmother and an inspiration in my life. I appreciate her generosity and that she thinks of us. However, none of us wear the clothes, and I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her we are "pretty particular" when it comes to style. We are very frugal and even shop second-hand stores for some clothing.

Should I speak up, or quietly continue donating the clothes? The last thing I want is to hurt her. -- WINCING IN LANSING, MICH.

DEAR WINCING: Do NOT tell your mother you and your daughters have been donating the clothes she orders for you. DO tell her that teenage girls these days dress much differently than women her age and yours, and that it would be "prudent" to ask them what they might like or gift them money to buy something of their own choosing. It's the truth, and she should hear it.

As to what she is ordering for you, thank her for her generosity and point out that since the pandemic began most women have been wearing jeans, sweats, leggings, etc. and that while you are grateful for her, you think she should be aware of it. Fashions change, and there is nothing so constant as change.