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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have walked out last night?

233 replies

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:11

I'll try to keep this brief. Yesterday we hosted the my in-laws for the day. I drove them to the races and then stayed home with my 21yr old DD ( we are not racing fans) and MIL who has back issues so wanted to stay with us. I cooked a lasagne and a vegetable curry for the evening, then drove back to collect DH, FIL and my two stepsons and bring them home.
They sat and watched football while drinking, I pottered in the kitchen checking on dinner, bringing drinks etc. At food serving time DH came out as I was dishing up the lasagne. He started to shake his head so I asked what was wrong. He said "that looks fucking shit". I reminded him we had decided not to make a salad as it never gets eaten, he said "you didn't make salad because you couldn't be arsed". I said look it's fine, there's salad on the plate I will put some on the plates, but please don't speak to me like that.
He become very aggressive and told me to put the fucking salad on the plates, then that I was being a massive prick.
I ignored him and finished serving the food and the curry then went upstairs. He followed me up and told me I was a fucking bitch, and entitled prick, that I was selfish and didn't give a shit about anyone else. He was so vile out of no where and I didn't want it to escalate so I packed a bag and slipped out, spending the night in a nearby travel lodge so as not to a) have it become worse and b) spoil the evening for the rest of the family who were enjoying themselves.

He says what I have done is unforgivable in a marriage. He says I shouldn't be concerned about his words and that I should be more concerned about his actions which he said were not wrong.
Was IBU??

OP posts:
ThriveIn2025 · 27/12/2024 11:41

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:38

It does sound daft.

Loving your pets more than your own wellbeing and safety is not admirable.

I agree, the more he gets away with the more it will escalate. I’m talking from experience here. Your safety is more important.

pictoosh · 27/12/2024 11:40

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Unless he's completely thick (and I'm sure he's not) he knows exactly why you removed yourself and what his behaviour was like.

He comes at you as though he is the victim in order to bully the onus away from his wrongdoing and on to your very natural reaction to get away from him.

He knows this. He understands it.

LittleBitAlexisLaLaLaLaLa · 27/12/2024 11:39

He says what I have done is unforgivable in a marriage. He says I shouldn't be concerned about his words and that I should be more concerned about his actions which he said were not wrong.

I would be very firmly turning that around- how he has behaved is unforgivable in a marriage- or indeed any type of relationship. How dare he speak to you like that? How dare he expect you to put up with it? When he’s behaved like this before has alcohol been involved? Not excusing him at all, but if it is, it’s a factor that needs to be addressed.

The fact he refuses to take responsibility at all and admit he’s in the wrong means that your marriage is doomed. He will keep behaving like this over and over because he sees it as his right to.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 27/12/2024 11:38

Actually you don't need to communicate anything to him.

The man is a bullying bellend who clearly thinks he can say what he likes to you.

Just leave in silence.

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:38

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:32

It sounds daft but my dogs are my absolute world, I adore them and could not move somewhere without them. I also need somewhere my daughter can come home to, she finishes uni in the summer and will be home for a year to complete a PGCE...

It does sound daft.

Loving your pets more than your own wellbeing and safety is not admirable.

GabriellaMontez · 27/12/2024 11:38

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

"I will not listen to you speak to me like that."

What else is there to say?

azafata2 · 27/12/2024 11:37

Don't worry about getting muddled...get mad!

Enterthedragonqueen · 27/12/2024 11:37

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Quite simple, send him a divorce letter explaining your reasons via a solicitor.

saraclara · 27/12/2024 11:37

Throw him out. If you can afford to pay the rent on your friend's home, then he's the one who should go. He has family that can put him up.

autumndays13 · 27/12/2024 11:37

Oh op. You deserve so much more than this. If you don't feel you can leave now or boot him out, start to make some serious plans to be able to leave in the next few weeks or months. He isn't going to change and it sounds like your DD and even his mother know what he's like. If you rent the place you're in now on good terms from a friend, can you stay there and manage the rent alone?

RaininSummer · 27/12/2024 11:36

Disgusting man. Please make plans to leave him.

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:36

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

Why do you think this will help? He doesn’t care. If he did he wouldn’t treat you like this.

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:33

I need to articulate to him how this situation is not all about me removing myself but about the way he spoke to me which led me to do that. I find it really hard to communicate with him in these situations because he will not listen to me and I get muddled and lose my ability to speak clearly...

OP posts:
SerafinasGoose · 27/12/2024 11:32

To paraphrase the immortal words of Michelle in 'Rita, Sue and Bob Too', he should 'make his own fucking tea'. Especially if he's going to find fault with the cooking of a wife he's decided to treat as his kitchen maid. Who the hell does he think he is?

There is only one entitled prick here, OP, and it's not you. I could not stay in a marriage with someone who treated me with such open contempt. He's abusive, albeit verbally, and abusers escalate.

No one deserves this. Flowers

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:32

It sounds daft but my dogs are my absolute world, I adore them and could not move somewhere without them. I also need somewhere my daughter can come home to, she finishes uni in the summer and will be home for a year to complete a PGCE...

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 27/12/2024 11:31

Yanbu.

The thing I'd have done differently is loudly made sure everyone knew what was going on.

You've done nothing wrong and you have nothing to be ashamed of.

Then next time, as they're getting taxis and cooking their own food, they'll know they have him to thank.

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:31

Lindisfarm · 27/12/2024 11:29

@cherrypumpkin
If you rent from a friend is your husband named on the lease?
If he isn't then he should leave.
If he is then it's a bit more tricky.
No way should you have to put up with his behaviour.
Would you be able to claim housing benefit if you separated?

It's in both names...no I would not be eligible for anything, I have already checked using entitled to.

OP posts:
ThriveIn2025 · 27/12/2024 11:30

When I left my abusive exH I had no money and no one to help me so I rented the box room in a shared house in a shit area. I stayed there a year to save enough to rent by myself.

It was the best decision I ever made. Please don’t feel like you are trapped into staying with him, there are always other options.

Enterthedragonqueen · 27/12/2024 11:29

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:25

We rent our home, I do work yes I earn ok money but it still wouldn't be enough to cover everything on my own in a different property as we rent this through a friend of mine who charges us very reasonably in comparison to the market price...

You can claim housing benefit and universal credit (if applicable) to top up your salary. Don't stay with him any longer, he will escalate this verbal aggression to actual violence soon. He's testing the waters to see what he can get away with first, it's the classic boiling frog situation.

Merryoldgoat · 27/12/2024 11:29

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:25

We rent our home, I do work yes I earn ok money but it still wouldn't be enough to cover everything on my own in a different property as we rent this through a friend of mine who charges us very reasonably in comparison to the market price...

Surely living alone in a studio or small flat would be preferable to living with him?

Lindisfarm · 27/12/2024 11:29

@cherrypumpkin
If you rent from a friend is your husband named on the lease?
If he isn't then he should leave.
If he is then it's a bit more tricky.
No way should you have to put up with his behaviour.
Would you be able to claim housing benefit if you separated?

Yougetmoreofwhatyoufocuson · 27/12/2024 11:29

As it’s your friend can you have a word to see how they feel about taking your husband off the tenancy?

Please don’t feel ashamed, the shame belongs to him. Find your fury at being treated with such disrespect.

RandomMess · 27/12/2024 11:29

Look at entitled to see if you would get financially assistance for rent if on your own.

Your friend could terminate the joint tenancy and then rent it out to just you.

Mrswhatsit40 · 27/12/2024 11:28

cherrypumpkin · 27/12/2024 11:21

My post should have read there was salad in the fridge which I said I would put on the plates...not that the salad is really the main issue here but it was the trigger so feel I should represent that bit properly!!

It’s not about the salad,

He would use any excuse to abuse you when he feels like doing so. Probably he lost money at the races or something.

He knows it isn’t you but he’ll gaslight you into believing it is as he doesn’t want to admit he’s abused and bullied you for absolutely no reason. That would make him an absolute monster, so he has to try and make it about the food and you somehow doing wrong.

You did the right thing to leave but now you need to think of next steps and see a solicitor. If you’re married you’ll be entitled to half the house, his pension etc.

You don’t have to accept this life for yourself.

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