DEAR ABBY: I am a 47-year-old male who is 20 days from being divorced. For the past three months, I have been dating a woman I’ve known for 26 years.

We love each other and plan to be married. We have great times when we are together but struggle on the phone or with texting. I’m not sure why this is, but she says it’s because we need to be together all the time.

We generally see one another on weekends. She says she has a tough time and cries a lot when I’m not around. My question is, is this normal? If I don’t see her for two days, she gushes that she “missed me so much,” whereas I miss her, but it’s not a big deal to me. We aren’t married now so I’m not in that frame of mind until we are. What can we do? — NAVIGATING LOVE IN FLORIDA

DEAR NAVIGATING: What your lady friend is telling you may seem like a protestation of devotion, but it could instead be a red flag. Her discomfort at being apart could eventually become smothering. She’s obviously emotionally needy. Although you have discussed marriage, PLEASE be sure the two of you have premarital counseling before proposing anything more than a warm friendship.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.