Dear Abby: Over the years, my younger sister, “Hannah,” has been lying about some significant things, such as: She claims she was there alone with our dad when he died; that our older sister tried to talk her into signing herself into a state mental hospital; that my boyfriend was imaginary, etc.
Her most recent fabrication, told to an elderly relative, is that our mother put Hannah unattended on a plane from New York to Virginia when she was 12, with a layover in Philadelphia. She said a man on the plane befriended her and took her to the VIP lounge, where he gave her wine and abandoned her there. The trip was supposedly to go to our older sister’s to assist with a newborn baby.
A quick math check showed the baby wasn’t born until Hannah was 15. When that fact was presented to her, Hanna said, “Well, then the trip was for some other reason.” Our older sister says Hannah NEVER came to Virginia on a plane or otherwise. This most recent lie has bothered me more than the others because I thought Hannah was doing better.
Many people have suggested to her that she might benefit from medication, but she refuses to even consider that. Should I just let it go? I couldn’t say she was a danger to herself or others, so reporting her behavior wouldn’t get her the help she needs. — Far From the Truth