Issues making relationship rocky... What do I do?
My boyfriend (23) and I (24) have been dating for almost a year (it'll be a year on the 1st), and we both love each other very much. I still get excited to come home to see him and enjoy spending as much time with him as possible. The problem is that he seems incredibly unhappy as of late.
I know that he dislikes his job. He works as a cook, and the hours aren't very constant. I'm sure he feels like he can do better. But he's planning on getting his CDL so he can eventually get a more stable and permanent job in the future. I hate my job as well, but I realize it's something I need for now to pay the bills.
Problem two, is that I moved about 2000 miles to be with him and to follow my dreams. But since moving, I haven't been able to really do much of the dreaming as the bills keep coming in. I'm also finding it very difficult to find friends up (who knew it'd be so difficult after college to bond), so most of my free time is spent with my boyfriend. I know this gets stressful for him because he feels he has no free time and it probably seems like I'm smothering him. I totally get that, so I'm trying to give him space and see what happens.
The last problem is that he's got an 8 year old daughter who he barely sees. The baby-mama is a bit vindictive and uses the daughter as a chess piece (at least it seems that way to me). I've never met the daughter and I've only had a minor interaction with the baby-mama. However, about a week ago, the baby-mama told my boyfriend that she went to the doctor and was told she has a year to live due to hepatitis. If she dies, my boyfriend would get sole custody. I don't think he's ready for that as he doesn't feel he and his daughter are as close as they should be. I know he's trying to get his life together if this should happen, but I'm sure he's very stressed and freaked out because of this rather sudden news.
I'm really trying to be patient and understanding. It's a lot to take in. But he's so unhappy and I don't know what to do. He barely talks to me, and when he's upset, he'd rather go drinking (and get faced) with his friends than talk or hang out with me. He's definitely the type to keep his feelings in and not want to talk, but it bugs me that he always seems like he's in a terrible mood and our communication has slowly dissolved. I don't want our relationship to end, but I get a bad feeling it's headed towards just that. Any advice would be helpful!