Yes, they can. But be careful you don't let him have too much milk, because there will be no reason to buy the cow.
No offense, b/c that's often decent advice. But here, it's about the last problem she has at this point. In fact any intimacy they can foster would help since the lack of intimacy was a HUGE Piece of why he's gone.
Very few men leave a marriage where there sexual and physical needs are met. That's because most men tie up their emotional feelings in their physical relations, so a lack of physicality in the marriage will eventually erode any feelings of love and desire in them.
And unless a man is okay in a celibate marriage, he'll get his needs met somewhere....at home if possible but if that's not possible and enough time has passed, he'll get those needs met elsewhere.
Sexual intimacy is supposed to be provided inside a marriage and only inside it. If the intimacy needs are denied inside the marriage, a lot of spouses feel justified in getting those needs met elsewhere.
The result can lead to having a mistress (which works for some) or getting a divorce either b/c the spouse not providing intimacy still wants monogamy, or b/c the spouse getting their needs met outside the marriage, develop feelings for the person who meets those needs.
I am not defending these options or attacking them; i'm merely observing them to be true often.
Make sense?
M: 57 H: 60 M: 35 yrs S30,D28,D19 H off to Alaska 2006 Recon 7/07- 8/08 *2016* X = "ALASKA 2.0" GROUND HOG DAY I File D 10/16 OW DIV 2/26/2018 X marries OW 5/2016
