{"id":6215,"date":"2026-07-02T10:36:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6215"},"modified":"2026-07-02T10:36:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:36:12","slug":"asking-eric-i-want-my-sister-in-law-to-know-i-got-her-insulting-accidental-voicemail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=6215","title":{"rendered":"Asking Eric: I want my sister-in-law to know I got her insulting accidental voicemail"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dear Eric<\/strong>: On Mother\u2019s Day I received a voicemail, on my cellphone, from my sister-in-law. It evidently was a butt call that recorded her, my brother and two of their friends having a good time drinking and bad-mouthing me.<\/p>\n

Read more Florida\u2019s reading, math scores look promising. Experts say wait and see<\/a><\/p>\n

In the voicemail my sister-in-law told their friends that her husband\u2019s sister \u201cis a piece of work,\u201d to which my brother responded, \u201cShe\u2019s nuts.\u201d<\/p>\n

They both said that they need an interpreter to translate my text messages because, once in a while, I misspell a word or two. They were rolling in laughter during the entire voicemail, at my expense. They said several not-so-nice things about me.<\/p>\n

All of a sudden, during the voicemail, my sister-in-law said \u201cWait.\u201d She must have noticed her phone had called mine and the conversation ended.<\/p>\n

This did not sound like things my sister-in-law would say. She goes to Bible study and professes to be a religious person. But of course, they were drinking, and their friend said, \u201cI think I\u2019m drunk.\u201d<\/p>\n

This voicemail hurt me very much.<\/p>\n

My husband and I will be at a family gathering in a couple of weeks, and my brother and sister-in-law will also be there. Should I just say hi and move on, or should I drop a hint about the voicemail? She may not have realized that her phone was leaving me this message, and I want her to know that I received it.<\/p>\n

How do you suggest that I handle this?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2013 Hurting<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Hurting:<\/strong> What an awful thing to hear. I\u2019m so sorry.<\/p>\n

If you want her to know what you heard, dropping a hint probably won\u2019t be enough to fix what needs fixing. Instead, consider calling her up and telling her what you heard and how it impacted you. It need not be accusatory. You can simply tell her the facts \u2013 this is what was recorded, and this is what I feel about it.<\/p>\n

Hopefully she does the right thing, apologizes, and makes amends, so that you can try to establish a relationship that\u2019s more rooted in trust and respect.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t all happen in one phone call. But by addressing this in advance of the gathering, you\u2019ll know where you stand and be better prepared to see her.<\/p>\n

You may decide that you two need not speak at the gathering. That\u2019s fine. This will take time to heal. But if you hold it in, you risk losing out on any enjoyment you might have with the rest of the family.<\/p>\n

Dear Eric:<\/strong> My friend drives me crazy. All of her life she has made bad decisions. She is 73 years old and cannot retire because she has no financial stability.<\/p>\n

Read more Editorial: On reflection, everyone out of the pool<\/a><\/p>\n

She has lived with James for 12 years. She told him early on that she was looking for marriage. Marriage has not happened.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been good to her in many ways \u2014 he\u2019s taken her on vacations all over the world \u2014 but he guards his finances. She has no rights of survivorship to his estate. She can remain in his house for three months after he dies and then it has to be sold and his daughters get everything. She\u2019s on her own.<\/p>\n

The rest of her life decisions are equally convoluted and not in her best interests. She loves to whine but doesn\u2019t make any changes to protect herself.<\/p>\n

It all came to a head when James\u2019 daughter\u2019s husband had severe mental illness and died by suicide. His death was tragic on many levels.<\/p>\n

My friend told me some private information about him that appalled me. There was a horrific crime involved. She did this after he died.<\/p>\n

To me, she crossed the line when she did that. I didn\u2019t need to know any of it. She did this because I felt very bad for him and she wanted me to know that he was no angel.<\/p>\n

I resented her for doing that, so I told her it was time for me to bow out, and I have ended my relationship with her. I miss her but I also feel she can\u2019t be trusted if she needs to do that posthumously to make her point.<\/p>\n

What do you think about this turn of events?<\/p>\n

\u2013 Lost Friend<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Friend<\/strong>: This relationship was breaking apart long before she shared the private information with you. So, while trust is a major issue, it\u2019s clear from your letter that you just don\u2019t agree with the way she lives her life or the choices she makes. As a result, this friendship is misaligned.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s natural to miss a friend, but you should ask yourself what would be different if you tried to reconcile. If nothing changes \u2013 your opinion or her actions \u2013 you\u2019re likely to end up with the same result.<\/p>\n

Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram @oureric and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more In first look, new Winter Park Playhouse wows<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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