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AIBU?

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is this unforgivable in a friendship?

260 replies

pam72 · 16/07/2024 05:15

I was in a close friendship with a group of other mums. over lockdown, I became close to the DH of one of my good friends. I'm a single mum - which can often be a tricky card to play...While nothing physical ever happened, we both admitted we had feelings for each other, but also agreed it would be catastrophic for so many people if anything further developed. Nothing ever did, but when he's drunk he sends me very full on messages about how life is cruel and how much he wishes we could be together. I don't fully shut them down - to do this I think I'd have to say I would tell his wife? but I don't encourage them (I'll tell him to go to bed / stop messaging) its incredibly hard to ignore and I think about him constantly. I also feel it's very unfair of him to send these messages. he seems totally able to compartmentalize and act like nothing weird has happened. but to me, it's all consuming, It honestly feels like a drug. Nothing happened, I distanced myself, from him and his wife's friendship, I moved house, I left my job. I questioned everything about myself, unable to believe the feelings I had for him didn't just trump, but floored any feelings of guilt I had for his wife. Never ever ever thought I'd be this person. Totally thought I was both stronger and way more loyal to the sisterhood.

Recently his wife has blocked me on every social platform, removed me from group chats etc and I feel (but don't know) that she is trying to get our mutual friends to distance themselves from me. If she knew the truth I totally get why this would happen, but if she knew the truth, I also don't think she'd stay with her husband, but she's still with him. I understand we can no longer be friends, I don't want to be, but am I being unreasonable to feel angry that the husband, who 1000000% drove every single interaction, is coming out smelling of roses, while I'm the scarlet women who tries to steal my friends' husband? I don't know what he told her, but it's clearly something that isn't true (I won't be in contact with him as I feel this just looks like I'm causing trouble)

NB - appreciate this is a hugely triggering post for lots of people, and I fully expect to get torrents of abuse - but I'm being truthful about a situation and a position that I don't think gets shared too much - but probably is more common that people realize.

OP posts:
OrderOfTheKookaburra · 16/07/2024 05:48

Wow, seriously? Of course she is going to block you and her friends will turn against you. You are now THAT single mum who can't be trusted around their husbands.

You should have blocked him as soon as you realised you had developed feelings.

Actually, you should never have become so close in the first place. He was the husband of one of the friendship group. You should have kept all the husbands at a friendly distance.

Commonsenseisnotsocommon · 16/07/2024 05:46

There are millions of men out there, single and available. Please stop enjoying the attention of your friends dh and block him. Do the right thing and move on. Her rat of a chap will become your rat of a chap if you let him and then you'll be on here whinging you can't trust him! Leave them both in peace and stop behaving like a silly schoolgirl grateful for his (pissed and horny) attention.

newnamethanks · 16/07/2024 05:43

I have a tip for you. You sound extremely native. As a single mother you will find some of your friends are married to grabby sleazebags who will make advances to you and 'share' their feelings with you because you're so 'special' and 'understand' him. You are 'special' to these scummers because you are single, you have a child, you must of course be desperate for a man. It is unforgivable to encourage men who are predatory in this way and it's worse to betray your unfortunate friend who has put her trust in you and in him. You won't be the only one.

xxSideshowAuntSallyxx · 16/07/2024 05:40

I'd be blocking you too. The only thing stopping you from taking it to the next level was your so called friend has got in the way. If she was any friend you wouldn't have even developed these feelings for her husband.

You didn't distance yourself, you let him carry on messaging you. That's not distancing.

CuriousGeorge80 · 16/07/2024 05:35

Well she wants to make her marriage work so she is ending any sort of a relationship with you and protecting herself. Completely inevitable. Is her husband also a dickhead, of course. All totally standard if you form a relationship with a friends husband 🤷‍♀️

RosesAndHellebores · 16/07/2024 05:31

She Knows. He’s a manipulative bastard. Block him.

CeruleanDive · 16/07/2024 05:30

Is this unforgivable in a friendship?

Absolutely yes, it is.

You could have shut up him down without telling her. You could have blocked him. You chose not to.

Shoxfordian · 16/07/2024 05:22

Maybe she's going to leave him

Have you had a long hard look at yourself and asked why you would even entertain this with your friend's husband?

Bakersdozens · 16/07/2024 05:18

I am a single mum, I never found it "a tricky card to play"

Bakersdozens · 16/07/2024 05:18

you did tell him you "had feelings" for him ......?

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