In the first episode of 2026, a listener writes in after her boyfriend (while blacked out at the bar) called her a name she can’t unhear. Now she’s stuck between the relationship she knows and the truth she’s afraid to look at. We talk about the role alcohol plays in conflict, what it means when someone insists they “didn’t mean it,” and the difference between not lying and not having the language yet. We explore the shame of telling friends the worst thing someone did, the fear of what their reactions might force you to confront, and how to decide whether a rupture is a one‑time mistake or a sign of something deeper. If you’ve ever tried to hold on to the best version of someone while wrestling with the worst thing they’ve said, this episode will meet you right where you are.

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