My New Boyfriend Goes On an Annual Vacation With Another Woman. Oh Boy.

"Jack is still close friends with his ex, "Robin," whom he dated in college. Robin developed multiple chronic conditions in her mid-20s, which have left her severely disabled. She has very little mobility in any part of her body without terrible pain. She uses a walker/wheelchair and often needs help doing basic tasks. Robin pays both of their ways in return for Jack caring for and assisting her throughout."

"I am not jealous or afraid Jack will cheat with Robin. Not just because I trust him, but because Robin is not really able to have sex. If we were also independently wealthy and didn't have to take vacation days from work, I would be OK with this. But their next trip together is coming up, and I'm thinking about how I'm going to feel in the future if Jack continues to use up most or all of his vacation time going on trips with Robin, instead of me."

"Robin is not someone I enjoy interacting with, and I'm sure she feels the same about me. She is very blunt and critical, I'm very sensitive, and we have zero common interests. I don't like cruises or theme parks, and the kind of vacations I would like, and Jack admits he would too-remote island getaways or walking through old European cities-would not be possible for Robin."

A 29-year-old woman writing to a sex advice column describes her six-month relationship with a 36-year-old man named Jack. Jack maintains a close friendship with his college ex-girlfriend Robin, who became severely disabled in her mid-20s and has limited mobility and chronic pain. Jack takes annual vacations with Robin, typically one or two trips yearly to cruises and Disney parks, which Robin finances in exchange for Jack's caregiving assistance. The writer trusts Jack completely and has no concerns about infidelity. However, she worries that Jack's vacation time spent with Robin will prevent them from taking trips together that both would enjoy, such as European city tours or remote island getaways. She hesitates to join their trips due to personality incompatibility with Robin and differing vacation preferences.

Read at Slate Magazine