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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

for giving DW an ultimatum to cut out her male friend or face separation?

189 replies

Froaway2023 · 07/04/2023 20:33

I am 43, DW is 39. We have been dating for six years and married for three and a half. She is white, I am a Egyptian Christian (will be relevant later). She does not know what MN is so, I can be frank with details.

Our issue is her male friend of 5+years. Said friend clearly has designs on my partner. In conversation he has (playfully ) confessed to a relaxed and enlightened attitude towards such adulterous relations, albeit in a more abstract context. He is also just a bit too familiar with my wife for my liking, i.e. massaging her shoulder in my presence to which she acquiesced. In the last few months, they have been spending time together i.e. dinner parties, cinema (they share interest in certain things), and other events I cannot make owing to my commitments at work and cleaning up after my alcoholic sister's mess (she has three kids I practically co-parent, they live a mile away, I am there every three days for about an hour). I began to be really bothered when, one night, whilst I was abroad for business, she locked herself out of the house and informed me that she would spend the evening at his. I objected, offering to book a hotel room instead. When she refused, I went ahead and paid, presenting her with a fait accompli. Guess what? She says oh well! Goes to his. When I remonstrated with her I was told this was not the Middle East. She was not my property. Admittedly she apologised for this and bought me gift.

Things came to ahead when on talking with said friend at a dinner party he made mention of a disease I had in early 2000s. I was astonished and hurt by the revelation that she freely shared what was for me a big burden I carried on from a dark time in my life.

This month, I booked a week off from work to recuperate. When she came home, I sat her down and gave her an ultimatum. My terms? To cut off said friend forever, or it was toast. I was off. I even showed her (admittedly fake) housing arrangements I had made should she refuse. Cue a breakdown. Cue tears. Cue apologies. She said has been her friend for 5 years and has been there for her in desperate times. She says she can have a talk with him but by no means will she cut him off.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
gobbyshafto · 07/04/2023 21:15

gobbyshafto · 07/04/2023 21:13

YANBU.

Typical MN. the first post spares the OP and others follow. You are absolutely not unreasonable, it sounds like a nightmare.

Slates, not spares lol.

Yeah, good to hear you have reasonable people in your life who back you up and don't call you possessive for not wanting to be the third wheel in your own marriage.

gobbyshafto · 07/04/2023 21:13

YANBU.

Typical MN. the first post spares the OP and others follow. You are absolutely not unreasonable, it sounds like a nightmare.

espressophie · 07/04/2023 21:13

Everyone sucks here and I’m sorry to say you are on a path to divorce. Your relationship is doomed and not just because of this friend.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 07/04/2023 21:12

I don't think you are crazy in not liking it no, but I think it's very clear that your OH values this friendship more than her relationship with you

Eventysaurus · 07/04/2023 21:11

You guys are nuts together. Split amicably and go your separate ways. It'll only get worse from here.

OP find someone who's more compatible with you. And hope that she finds hers.

Froaway2023 · 07/04/2023 21:11

Thank you. Amazing how the concept of boundaries become non-existent for Mumsnetters. I get the feeling some of these are constantly weighing up their options so they can bail when the chance arises. What make it even worse is I cut our a female friend after she hinted at being jealous (i.e. putting her down in her absence).

OP posts:
Froaway2023 · 07/04/2023 21:09

Typical racism. The behaviour of my wife would be unacceptable by any standards and I have been backed up in this by almost all my friends (all lily white if that makes you feel better). Back massages? Overnight stays at a friend who confessed to feeling relaxed about f*cking other people's SOs. Am I crazy here?

OP posts:
Coyoacan · 07/04/2023 21:08

None of this sounds good, however I would not give up a close friend to please anyone, frankly.

Ponderingwindow · 07/04/2023 21:06

op’s Description sounds somewhat like the wife is having an emotional affair. If that is the case, op is completely justified in asking for the friendship and all other contact to cease.

if is just a garden variety friendship, that is different and op is unreasonable.

Hankunamatata · 07/04/2023 21:05

I would be deeply unhappy if my husband had a female friend with a relationship like the op describes with her male friend.

Hiddenvoice · 07/04/2023 21:04

This is a really tough one. If my husband was hanging around with a female friend, going on what I would call dates and having an ‘accidental’ sleep over then I’d be pretty upset and would assume he is having an affair. Like you, I would ask him to cut all contact for the sake of the marriage. You have every right to question what’s going on and ask her to put you first. My only issue is the lying and deception of making up you have somewhere else to stay. She isn’t your property, she can make her own mind up but it feels a little forced to make her stay with you. You don’t want your wife to stay with you because she risks losing everything, you want her to stay with you because she loves you.

/

WunWun · 07/04/2023 21:02

lapstyr · 07/04/2023 21:00

How do you know she doesn't know about Mumsnet?

Personally I would say that SHE does know about it.

lapstyr · 07/04/2023 21:00

How do you know she doesn't know about Mumsnet?

Soontobe60 · 07/04/2023 21:00

In all honesty, if she was having an affair with this man and didn't want you to find out she would have told you that she would gladly take the hotel room to put you off the scent.

either way, youre clearly not compatible. Stop trying to control her and call the relationship a day.

Cosmos123 · 07/04/2023 21:00

I agree she is not your property but she is also being disrespectful.

Allowing her friend to massage her is just so bizarre.

Her sharing your personal health issues is disgusting.

I think you will be happier going separate ways.

Frustratedwithbadlegaladviceontheinternet · 07/04/2023 20:59

I wouldn’t be happy with my spouse behaving this way but the ultimatums and controlling responses (eg booking a hotel after she said no) isn’t the answer. I think you need to be open with how you feel and if you can’t agree then walk away.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 07/04/2023 20:59

psychDr · 07/04/2023 20:50

You are clearly jealous and possessive - but that's your problem. Not your wife's.

If a woman had posted saying her husband was doing this - staying overnight at a female friend's and allowing said friend to physically massage him in her presence - I'll bet no one would call the OP jealous and possessive for giving him an ultimatum.

This with bells on

MadMadMadamMim · 07/04/2023 20:58

Where does it say they spent the night together?

OP simply said his wife was going there for the evening. Neither is there any mention of the wife flirting. The OP is suspicious that this man fancies his wife - but there is no evidence of this, or that the wife is interested in her friend in any way other than friendship. And he didn't give her a 'massage'. He rubbed her bad shoulder, for goodness sake.

The OP admits they share interests and that this friend has been there for wife in 'desperate times' It sounds like they were friends before the OP actually met his wife.

Vegalam · 07/04/2023 20:56

psychDr · 07/04/2023 20:50

You are clearly jealous and possessive - but that's your problem. Not your wife's.

If a woman had posted saying her husband was doing this - staying overnight at a female friend's and allowing said friend to physically massage him in her presence - I'll bet no one would call the OP jealous and possessive for giving him an ultimatum.

100%. Also blaming the cultural difference? Bizarre.

drpet49 · 07/04/2023 20:56

psychDr · 07/04/2023 20:45

It sounds really dodgy to me. I wouldn't be thrilled either if my husband decided to stay overnight at a female friend's house rather than stay at a hotel - especially a female friend who he spent a lot of time with and who was giving him massages in my presence Hmm

This!

FloydPepper · 07/04/2023 20:56

Post this as a woman whose husband behaved like your wife did. You’ll get much more support

psychDr · 07/04/2023 20:55

Puppalicious · 07/04/2023 20:52

I can’t believe how different the responses to you are compared to what they would be if this was a woman posting about her DH having her shoulder massaged, staying over in his female friends house, telling her very personal info etc…

Same.

Tellmethespoiler · 07/04/2023 20:55

YABU

Whattt44 · 07/04/2023 20:55

I wouldn't be happy with all the flirting tbh but it's a bit odd showing her fake housing options , why did you do that?

Mummynew08 · 07/04/2023 20:55

I must admit I'm usually one of those mumsnettrrs who is prejudiced against the husband but I really think yanbu OP.

If a woman was massaging my husband in front of me I'd raise eyebrows for sure. If he was locked out he wouldn't stay with a woman who he knew fancied him - he wouldn't want to lead her on.

And if he told anyone about my medical history (I have some distressing past medical experiences, I would describe as medical trauma) - if he told anyone about these behind my back in a gossipy way, let alone a flirty woman, I wouldnt be able to forgive it.

Never mind ultimatums, I can't see how your marriage is salvageable after that particular detail.

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