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Relationships

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Please help me process what on earth went on with me and DP last night

534 replies

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 09:45

It was my birthday yesterday. DP came over after work and my main present was dinner somewhere nice local to me (this is what I had asked for). I’d arranged to have an empty house at mine for us so we’d have some time to ourselves.

Been together almost 2 years and been arguing a lot over the last few months. My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it. Argued earlier in the week about that but I genuinely felt that we were working through it.

Anyway, I don’t normally dress up but I put on a nice dress and heels. I know I looked nice as my DD said so. Answered the door to DP and he was really angry with how I was dressed as apparently he had turned up ‘looking like a scruff’ and it made him look back.

So no compliment on the effort I made and a couple of times thought the night made angry comments about it.

Other than that all fine at dinner. We got home and Dp went to sit in the garden and have a beer. It was dark and cold and I didn’t fancy being out there so I sat indoors entertaining myself playing music on the Alexa - not loud - and singing along to it. DP hates me singing along to music but I just thought well he’s outside, not listening and it’s my house and my birthday so I’ll entertain myself.

We then watched a TV show for an hour, all good.

Then just the weirdest thing happened - DP started having a go at me for playing Billie Jean and how he’d had to comment that MJ is a paedophile to make me stop playing it.

I was baffled as I don’t like MJ either, hadn’t played Billie Jean and didn’t know what he was talking about.

When I responded to that he got really angry going ‘I know what I heard, stop gaslighting me!!’ And I was literally like maybe it was coming from one of the kid’s Alexa’s upstairs and he went on and on about how I was telling him he was imagining things.

i said I wasn’t saying that just that I hadn’t played it. I said I’d been playing the charlatans as the last song and pulled out my play history on Amazon music and indeed it was the charlatans and a load of other 90s indie which is exactly my taste as he knows.

i thought that would just solve it all but it escalated and escalated about how he heard Billie Jean and I’d stopped as soon as he made the comment.

I said I hadn’t played Billie Jean but also it’s my house and if I wanted to play it I would.

I then decided I’d had enough and thanked him for ruining my birthday and went to bed. I didn’t know what else to do to de escalate things.

i could then see him on the drive waiting for a cab so I went down again to try and de escalate things. I said I felt the conversation was unnecessary and unkind, that I had no idea where he heard Billie Jean - he said it must have been on the TV I said maybe it was but I have no recollection of it or of the comment he made.

I tried to get him to calm down and come in, I just wanted a nice end to the evening but he wouldn’t back down.

It was the most ridiculous argument of my life and I also believe it has ended our relationship because where do we go from this?

Usually when we argue I initiate apologies and we smooth things over but I have no idea how or why I would apologise for playing a song I didn’t play. I feel like last night he was wanting an apology and it’s usually very easy to get one out of me, but not for something like this where I’ve done nothing.

His car is still outside so presumably he’ll come and get it today but I’ve heard nothing from him and don’t expect to.

This MUST be the end of our relationship right? I can’t live like this.

OP posts:
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99bottlesofkombucha · Yesterday 12:48

You enjoy singing along to music, it was your birthday and you were letting yourself sing along to music, it was ok BECAUSE HE WAS OUTSIDE. That is 100% controlling!!

diddl · Yesterday 12:47

'My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it.'

Do they dislike him?

Honestly it's been 2yrs, you have no kids together.

It should still be easy, not at the stage of "trying to get through it"

MNLurker1345 · Yesterday 12:45

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 11:03

He’s replied ok if that’s what you want and suggested a time to collect his stuff.

So he’s not remotely sorry for his behaviour

No he really is not sorry. He wanted to end it but rather than behaving in a mature and adult way, he spoils your birthday and disrespects you in order for you to do it.

@everynowandthenifallapart, you really have done the right thing because if you didn’t you would have enabled him to continue with his despicable behaviour. And he would have.

It is a pity about your relationship with his daughter but she most probably knows what an arse her DF is.

Could he be a bit jealous of you?

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 12:41

I’ve said I’m sorry it hasn’t worked out and he’s said he’s sorry it hasn’t worked out either and he’s sure it could have been fixed.

Fixed by me sucking up his behaviour I guess is what he means as he has not apologised at all for last night and - as others have said - it seems like this was his next step to groom me into accepting more horrible behaviour.

Id come grovelling back this morning and he’d know he could get away with even worse behaviour than before.

OP posts:
Happyjoe · Yesterday 12:39

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 12:10

There’s also other stuff about the way he minimises our relationship and makes a big deal of how he’d never ever marry me (i feel the same about remarrying btw) and it’s like I’m Mrs Right Now.

That was ok in the beginning as I wanted it to be causal too but we did fall in love and I don’t understand why he would simultaneously declare I’m the love of my life and that he wants no future with me.

He has confused the hell out of me and I’m glad he overplayed his hand last night as he’s show me who he really is.

Loads of kudos to you @everynowandthenifallapart You've been so strong, fair and just seen through his crap. It's always lovely to see women value their worth and get rid of the idiots. Am glad you feel relief now you've ended it, that tells you everything you need to know about this relationship.
If the next one you meet has red flags, don't rationalise, tell em to go.

FoldItIn · Yesterday 12:38

I hope you find the strength somewhere to stay away from this person @everynowandthenifallapart personally I don't think you are there yet. I think if he rocked up with an apology you would fall for it but remember, you will be punished for it later.
He has treated you like shit since day dot and you have clung on... you really need to take a step back and work on you.
Break the cycle, especially for your daughter.

Strikeout44 · Yesterday 12:36

'My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it.'

It sounds like your kids didn't like him either. Concentrate on working out what's going on with your 16 year old dd, hopefully now he's gone things will be easier to rebuild between you. She needs your time and headspace now, not that miserable old goat.

liveforsummer · Yesterday 12:35

I expect at some point he will change his tactic and attempt to minimise what happened and make you feel like you’re over reacting - expecting you to fall back in line a peg or 2 lower than before. Be ready for that!

mbonfield · Yesterday 12:29

Op I have been in your situation previously when a birthday is ruined happened to me caused by sons now ex wife. The other issue is you have your teen DD, would be better to focus on her that the waster that ruined your birthday.
If it not birthdays it is holidays that test a relationship.

In all honesty with your photo you will have no issues in finding a better friend that the one who ruined your birthday.

MrFlintstone · Yesterday 12:27

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 09:45

It was my birthday yesterday. DP came over after work and my main present was dinner somewhere nice local to me (this is what I had asked for). I’d arranged to have an empty house at mine for us so we’d have some time to ourselves.

Been together almost 2 years and been arguing a lot over the last few months. My kids caused some trouble between us and we both said some things that hurt the other and are trying to get through it. Argued earlier in the week about that but I genuinely felt that we were working through it.

Anyway, I don’t normally dress up but I put on a nice dress and heels. I know I looked nice as my DD said so. Answered the door to DP and he was really angry with how I was dressed as apparently he had turned up ‘looking like a scruff’ and it made him look back.

So no compliment on the effort I made and a couple of times thought the night made angry comments about it.

Other than that all fine at dinner. We got home and Dp went to sit in the garden and have a beer. It was dark and cold and I didn’t fancy being out there so I sat indoors entertaining myself playing music on the Alexa - not loud - and singing along to it. DP hates me singing along to music but I just thought well he’s outside, not listening and it’s my house and my birthday so I’ll entertain myself.

We then watched a TV show for an hour, all good.

Then just the weirdest thing happened - DP started having a go at me for playing Billie Jean and how he’d had to comment that MJ is a paedophile to make me stop playing it.

I was baffled as I don’t like MJ either, hadn’t played Billie Jean and didn’t know what he was talking about.

When I responded to that he got really angry going ‘I know what I heard, stop gaslighting me!!’ And I was literally like maybe it was coming from one of the kid’s Alexa’s upstairs and he went on and on about how I was telling him he was imagining things.

i said I wasn’t saying that just that I hadn’t played it. I said I’d been playing the charlatans as the last song and pulled out my play history on Amazon music and indeed it was the charlatans and a load of other 90s indie which is exactly my taste as he knows.

i thought that would just solve it all but it escalated and escalated about how he heard Billie Jean and I’d stopped as soon as he made the comment.

I said I hadn’t played Billie Jean but also it’s my house and if I wanted to play it I would.

I then decided I’d had enough and thanked him for ruining my birthday and went to bed. I didn’t know what else to do to de escalate things.

i could then see him on the drive waiting for a cab so I went down again to try and de escalate things. I said I felt the conversation was unnecessary and unkind, that I had no idea where he heard Billie Jean - he said it must have been on the TV I said maybe it was but I have no recollection of it or of the comment he made.

I tried to get him to calm down and come in, I just wanted a nice end to the evening but he wouldn’t back down.

It was the most ridiculous argument of my life and I also believe it has ended our relationship because where do we go from this?

Usually when we argue I initiate apologies and we smooth things over but I have no idea how or why I would apologise for playing a song I didn’t play. I feel like last night he was wanting an apology and it’s usually very easy to get one out of me, but not for something like this where I’ve done nothing.

His car is still outside so presumably he’ll come and get it today but I’ve heard nothing from him and don’t expect to.

This MUST be the end of our relationship right? I can’t live like this.

The man's an idiot. Finish it. Walk away with your head held high. You deserve better. He deserves the sewer.

Scarlettpixie · Yesterday 12:25

I am sorry OP he sounds like a twat. He turned up in a bad mood and then carried on all evening. My ex H was like that. If he is in a mood, he can't snap out of it. I put up with it for years. It still occasionally affects me now, we might be on the phone chatting about DS and I can tell he is in a mood. He is grumpy and snippy and can't make a decision! I am just glad in those moments that he is my ex but it used to wind me up when we were together. He also used to be worse on special occasions i.e. birthdays and holidays.

I think you would be well rid. Being on your own is actually pretty good, you will be ok!

LetGoLetThem1234 · Yesterday 12:24

What @Heronwatcher said, especially:

I do think you still have a few issues with boundaries and people pleasing

You don't need to let things run on to this extent before you take corrective action.

liveforsummer · Yesterday 12:23

Eek - so many red flags in one shirt evening. Run!

Temporal · Yesterday 12:22

Get rid of this f#cking imbecile.

PussyGaylore · Yesterday 12:21

I suspect he had more than "a beer' out your garden . His behaviour is totally irrational and I wonder if he smoked some weed too which has made him paranoid and also given him some auditory hallucination that involves Michael Jackson. Or maybe he was just pissed .. .
Whatever has gone on, my advice would be to throw this one back and move on.

YouMightLikeIt · Yesterday 12:21

Absolutely what @JustAnotherWhinger said.

This is a slippery slope, OP. His mask is slipping after two years.

The Billie Jean thing IMO is him gaslighting you and it worked a treat.

Please just end this before it gets worse.

Are you able to move his tools yourself? If so have them ready by his car.

FlightSocked · Yesterday 12:21

OP are you a people pleaser in real life. If so it’s time to assert yourself. Even with your daughter.

Btc76 · Yesterday 12:17

You sound like a pair of 10 year olds. Dump him and grow up

Gardenisablooming · Yesterday 12:15

My dh ruined my 40th birthday.
He was an exh before I was 41..
Bloody man child.
You are well rid op.

tara66 · Yesterday 12:15

I wasn't going to comment but now have to say - he sounds really awful - and beyond even normal awfulness!! He has a huge and very dangerous to women chip on his shoulder!

trythisforsize · Yesterday 12:15

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 11:54

It’s so weird. I’m sure it will come but I don’t feel upset at all. The only emotion I can feel is relief.

That's exactly how I felt when I finished with the guy that acted this way.

The pressure has been removed.

You can suddenly relax and not have to try and decipher his behaviour ever again.

Owly11 · Yesterday 12:14

He wants a way out of the relationship and is too cowardly to do it himself so he's behaving like an arse to make you end it. Either that or he is a narcissist who struggles with you being the centre of attention (narcissists really hate it when it's their partner's birthday). Either way you are well shot of him and I wouldn't spend any time trying to work out what went wrong or why he behaved as he did. At the end of the day it makes no difference and it will save you a lot of heartache to just move on.

Heronwatcher · Yesterday 12:13

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 11:23

Oh I’ve just remembered the only other comment I got from him about how I was dressed.

I gave him a hug while he was sitting down and he said ‘stop putting your big boobs in my face are you wearing a real bra for a change’. He is very much a boob man so I thought he’d appreciate the outfit but maybe he thought it was too revealing. I neither know nor care but just another example where he could have said something nice and instead tried to make me feel like I was in the wrong.

Yeah, he doesn’t even like you let alone anything else. That’s a horrible personal comment and I’d have kicked him out at that point.

OP you sound great and the dress looked great too. If he doesn’t appreciate you then that’s his look out. I do think you still have a few issues with boundaries and people pleasing you might want to think about though, as others have said no way would I have de-escalated at the point when he had called a cab, I’d have happily slammed the door and probably put his tools in the car for the next day.

Viperregency · Yesterday 12:12

God you’re well rid, what a miserable loser he is.

i mean seriously, who gives a shit if you play billie Jean. I thoroughly believe Jackson was a paedo, but the song is on my playlist, it’s not like I’d be sending some message not playing it, the man is dead any royalties go to his kids and mum.

he’s horrible to you. Absolutely horrible in the base case. I’d also want to know what time he’s coming, I’d leave the stuff outside in a secure spot if ones available, or I’d arrange a friend to be there, and not me.

and by the way, you looked lovely.

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 12:10

There’s also other stuff about the way he minimises our relationship and makes a big deal of how he’d never ever marry me (i feel the same about remarrying btw) and it’s like I’m Mrs Right Now.

That was ok in the beginning as I wanted it to be causal too but we did fall in love and I don’t understand why he would simultaneously declare I’m the love of my life and that he wants no future with me.

He has confused the hell out of me and I’m glad he overplayed his hand last night as he’s show me who he really is.

OP posts: