I first learned that my sister-in-law (my brother's wife) didn't like me when my brother and I were out to lunch, just the two of us, and I said to him, "I don't know, I just feel like she doesn't like me," and he was silent. Then he just shrugged and said, "Well, it is what it is."

Ouch.

It's fine that she doesn't like me– I'm not everyone's cup of tea, and it doesn't have any bearing on me liking her– I do– but it just makes things harder with my brother because, growing up, he was my best friend. I assumed we'd always be best friends, but because of his wife, we've grown apart. It's still great when we're together, but that's very rare.

It would be nice if someone could write a handbook on the whole in-law relationship thing. Nobody talks about it, with the exception of the evil mother-in-law stereotype. It's a truly complex mine field to navigate.