Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

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:
Thread gallery
5
XYZroundabouts · Yesterday 17:46

Happy birthday !

You have given yourself the best present ever

No more DP

Randallscandal · Yesterday 17:42

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 17:40

That’s my evening plans sorted!!

How about celebrating with your kids? Takeaway. They will all be breathing a massive sigh of relief they aren’t subjected to him anymore in their home,

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 17:40

That’s my evening plans sorted!!

Please help me process what on earth went on with me and DP last night
OP posts:
WillieBanjo · Yesterday 17:36

His behavior is very "Bad"

Randallscandal · Yesterday 17:35

My kids caused some trouble between us

It would have been over for me shortly thereafter. No second thoughts. No regrets. Over.

Your 16 year old will likely become a whole lot more pleasant now that she’s no longer regularly sharing her family home with him

pastadish · Yesterday 17:28

I think he was determined to ruin your birthday. Does he have form for doing things like this on special occasions?

Teanbiscuits33 · Yesterday 17:21

It’s not uncommon for abusers to ruin special occasions. He was looking for an excuse to argue and ruin your happiness because he wants the power of making you feel miserable on your special day.

It wasn’t about your music or the way you dressed. Did he turn up to your birthday celebration looking like a scruff? Why would he do that unless trying to undermine your efforts?

I’ll bet this isn’t the first time he’s behaved like a twat and you need to end things ASAP.

theonlygirl · Yesterday 17:21

My initial reaction was he wants to break up with you, by being an arse so you do it instead, but reading your updates I think you are right, he was just pushing boundaries to see how awful you'd let him be. One poster nailed it, asked the ex why he was so mean to her, his answer, because you let me. I think a lot of men just do what we let them away with. Then when we put a stop to it, we're a bitch. Christ why do we bother ?

Justchillinhere · Yesterday 17:21

I just want to say well done OP, he tried to make you a victim by controlling and gaslighting you. You're well out of his clutches, he's gone, you'll only answer to yourself now 💐

trythisforsize · Yesterday 17:18

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 15:49

Probably just get drunk tbh. Told my 18 year old and she said she didn’t mind him but I could do better and she’s right.

Honestly just do something nice with your kids - go for a meal or something.

If you drink you may text him and reverse all your good work. And feel crap tmrw.

WingingItSince1973 · Yesterday 16:57

AMurderofMurderingCrows · Yesterday 10:54

Send him a message to arrange for him to collect his tools, which will be outside the garage, and when he arrives play MJs Beat It at top volume and sing your heart out ❤️

This 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

booksnbaking · Yesterday 16:57

He thought it “could have been fixed “, but clearly not by him - that would have been your job, for the nth time, rinse and repeat.

Bloody well done you! It’s been exhilarating reading your lightbulb moment in real time! And you absolutely do look fab in the photo. Here’s to your new life!

Happyhettie · Yesterday 16:54

Happy belated birthday!

You’ve given yourself the best birthday present of getting rid of such a horrible man. Onwards and upwards and a new (birthday) year and a new start.

CloudyWithAChanceOfCustard · Yesterday 16:45

This was a deliberate and calculated sabotage on his behalf…a cunty (and cowardly) way to force a
’relationship ending’ argument.

He wanted you to argue so that the relationship would end. What an arsehole!

unsync · Yesterday 16:40

Apologies @everynowandthenifallapart I didn't make it all the way through the thread. Well done for ending it, I hope you're doing OK. It will get better. Still do the Freedom Program, it will help you weed out the dross from the start.

Bumcake · Yesterday 16:37

You’re behind the times @unsync.

unsync · Yesterday 16:34

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 10:22

He has teens as well and I get on very well with his daughter. I’ll be really sad to lose her actually. I don’t think he wants us to break up but he wants me in my place I think.

So read the last line of your comment @everynowandthenifallapart and tell us again that he's not controlling.

He is abusing you, you just don't see it. Tell him he needs to collect his belongings, give him a deadline to do it in or you will dispose of them. It's over, you are better off without him.

Do the Freedom Program, learn how to have boundaries and not tolerate shitty behaviour from sub par men.

NoodleHorses · Yesterday 16:31

Happy belated birthday. He sounds like he was a right twat and you are way better off without him. Could I suggest that you make this a birthday weekend, and do lovely things for yourself. Also, block the chump and delete his number. You have seen who he is, a pathetic little man-baby who can’t deal with a real woman. There is no need at second guess anything, you have dodged a bullet with that one. Can’t sing in your own home! I’d have slung him out when he told me that, but I am mainly horrible.

Bumcake · Yesterday 16:28

Good on you girl. You seem nice and you look great, I’m sorry that tool spoiled your birthday but it’s great that you acted so decisively in telling him to beat it (beat it).

AnnoyedAsAllHeck · Yesterday 16:24

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 14:43

He’s here and clearing it out. He hasn’t rung the bell.

I’ve massively damaged his ego by calling out traits that he denies he has. I doubt he’ll ever want anything to do with me again.

What you NEED to think to yourself, rather than what you said above is this; "After he was a twat waffle for the millionth time last night, I KNOW I'll never want anything to do with him again".

Please stop giving him so much power over you! The more you engage him, the more he knows he is still driving the car and running over your feelings as he sees fit.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · Yesterday 16:18

Well rid, great present to your future self

JemimaPergolaTrout · Yesterday 16:15

He was testing the water before full-on abusing you. This would have got much, much worse if you hadn’t put your foot down. Look at all the things he did: gaslighting, negging, DARVO. It’s all there. You are well rid.

He will message you again being friendly, I guarantee it. Might be a week, a month, a year but he will try and hook you again. Block and delete his number and make sure it stays blocked.

RigsbysCat · Yesterday 16:03

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 15:40

So true 🤣🤣

Plus side is the baduns are a lot easier to get rid of surely?

OP couldn't have jettisoned an actual husband so quickly or easily 😉

Kokonimater · Yesterday 16:02

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 09:54

The thing is I am having an awful time with my 16 year old who didn’t get me a card or present or say happy birthday and I knew she would try to ruin my birthday.

So he knows I was feeling sensitive and wanted to keep things low key and calm

He’s not kind. It was your birthday.
it’s so important to be in a relationship with a kind man. Please let this end.

JJMama · Yesterday 15:49

It’s interesting you say your kids caused trouble between you - maybe they saw something a while ago…

Get rid