Dear Pastor,

I am 23 and in a situation where my boyfriend treats me like dirt and talks to me any way he feels like and anywhere. My biggest problem is that I have a five-month-old baby by him. Before the baby, he was the best man there ever was. His friends keep on telling him that he is going to lose me. Up until the other day I told myself I could not take it anymore. Now that he sees I am about to leave, he is trying to be nice.

Pastor, all my feelings are gone. Now, one of his friends likes me and I think I am starting to like him too. I have told myself that I am wrong to do so. His friend treats me like the blood that runs through his veins. He cares for the baby like he is the father.

Please tell me what to do.

L.S., Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Dear L.S.,

You child's father and his friend may break friendship if you become intimate with the friend. You may say that you are not getting involved with his friend because you are bad. It is happening because the treatment that you have received from your child's father has not been good since your child was born. Could it be that he is under stress? Could it be that financially he is not doing well and cannot deal with all the problems facing him? Remember that before you became pregnant he was a good man and treated you well. Why is he behaving as a beast now?

How do you know that this friend of his who loves you will always treat you well? Will he get tired of you after he gets under your skirt? I am not telling you what to do but I need to ask you to be careful. It would have been better if these two guys were not friends so that there would be no animosity between them.

Pastor.