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Dear Pru,

I met a man six months ago, and we have been married for two months. We are very young, and the decision was made in haste. Now I am full of regrets and want to end it. After much deliberation, last week I told him I want a divorce/annulment. This man has always been obsessive and controlling, so as we discussed it, he insisted that we are NOT going to get a divorce, that we are the perfect couple, that our marriage is the "example of what other marriages should be like," etc. Truth be told, I really can't stand him, and I want to separate before things get complicated. I am not in physical danger, but I want out and quick! Should I run away? Fake my own death? Please advise.

—Tied Down

Dear Tie,

It is not necessary to fake your death; in fact, it's probably against the law. And because you are not indentured, you need not abide by what he says. Just leave, and once you do, engage a lawyer. Of course an annulment would be preferable, but if that is not possible, begin divorce proceedings. If he digs his heels in, there are ways around that, too. A six-month relationship and a two-month marriage are not great investments of time, so except for the distress, there is no harm, no foul. Prudie suspects you have learned a valuable, though costly lesson about haste.

—Prudie, slowly

Dear Prudence,

My husband and I just returned from a three-week vacation halfway around the world to visit his sister and attend her wedding. I do not particularly like my husband's sister, and I don't know how to tell him. He would be totally devastated. They have an odd relationship that neither I nor anyone in my family understands. Every time they see each other, and one of them departs, they cry like babies. It's as if the departure is the last time that they will ever see each other—as if one of them is going off to death row. Without consulting me, my husband offered to pay for half of the ticket price or meet halfway the next time we are to visit. I would rather not go and also not pay for the ticket. How do I tactfully tell him without hurting his feelings that I do not like her and that I do not want to participate in such an offer? My family tells me I should be grateful that she lives halfway around the world and that I should keep my mouth shut. I don't want to maintain a charade of liking her when I really do not.

—Nah-Nah Sisterhood

Dear Nah,

Some charades are worth maintaining. There is no tactful way to tell your husband you do not like his beloved sister. It wouldn't be worth it just to vent—which it sounds like you're doing quite enough of with your family. It would make a problem in your marriage, and what for? Family is an area where one must tread gently unless a relative is overtly unpleasant to you. As for future trips, go along for the holiday aspects of it and tune out the sister, or tell him you think you'll stay home so he can really have a family visit. As for the financial commitment your husband made, if he didn't take money that properly should have been spent on something else, let it go. If he DID, then make your case about the more important use of the money, not the sister. You can handle this, and you'll be glad you did. And do be grateful for the halfway around the world business.

—Prudie, geographically

Dear Prudie,

I'm (gasp!) just nearing my 18^th birthday, and I read your column weekly. I guess it's like advice from my mother without having to incriminate myself by asking her. I've been talking to a man online. I say "man" because he is six years my senior. This chatting via instant message moved to the phone, and both of us have expressed an interest in each other. Right now we're kept apart by the 250-mile distance between us. The fact of the matter is that the distance won't be an issue in less than a year because I will be starting college 20 miles from where he lives. (I assure you I picked the college before I started talking to him.) Should I "hold on" to whatever is going on until September, or should I cut the strings now because I know my mother's opinion would be that he is way too old for me and that his interest has ulterior motives that I'm too naive to see? (I know my mother well.)