`Family secret' strains girls' close friendship

Dear Diane: I am 14 and I've been best friends with "Rhonda"for three years. We do everything together except visit her dad.

You see, her parents are divorced, and she lives with her motherand three brothers. She visits her dad two or three times a month.I've talked to him on the phone, and he sounds nice, but whenever Iasked Rhonda when I could see him, she never gave me an answer.

One day she told me that I won't be able to see him and shewould have told me before, except she's not supposed to tell anyone.She said it wasn't because she didn't trust me, but it was hard totalk about.

When she explained, I was speechless: Her father has been injail for …