Dear Annie: My husband and I recently went on an eight-day cruise to Iceland with two close friends. We have been friends for more than 40 years and have traveled together many times.
Two days before we were to leave, I tested positive for Covid. I went to urgent care, and the doctor told me I could still go on the trip. I began Paxlovid and wore a mask for the first five days of the cruise.
Unfortunately, by the end of the trip, my husband, one of my roommates and I all tested positive for Covid after we returned home. Since then, my friends have stopped speaking to me. I feel heartbroken that a trip that should have been full of memories has now fractured a decades-long friendship.
I never intended to put anyone at risk, and I followed the medical advice I was given. Now I do not know how to repair this damage or if my friends will ever forgive me. What can I do to try to mend this rift? — Hurt and Regretful
Dear Hurt and Regretful: It is understandable that your friends are upset. From their perspective, you boarded a cruise with Covid, and they may feel you put them at risk.
Friendships of 40 years, however, deserve more than silence. Write a heartfelt note acknowledging their feelings and apologizing for the distress. Then give them space. If the bond is strong, time and sincerity can help heal the rift.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.
Dear Annie: Doctor said it was OK for me to take cruise with friends, but they got COVID, and cut all contact
