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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

539 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
FaceIt · Today 10:26

@everynowandthenifallapart
It was your birthday, you looked amazing, it should have been amazing, but he couldn’t help himself.

I think his self destruct behaviour is deeply ingrained because he’s his own worst enemy.

I’m sorry this happened to you, I hope you can go onto do something nice and have a lovely birthday weekend 💐

GoodkneeBadKnee · Today 10:27

Didimum · Today 09:40

So he’s snippy with you about what you’re wearing, he pisses off on his own to the garden leaving you to it, complains about you singing, your kids don’t like him, and he starts fights about pop songs.

Two years in. What on earth? Why are you still allowing this to continue?

She isn't.

AlleycatMarie · Today 10:28

OP, I’m glad you have ended things. I‘m sorry that your self esteem is so low that you have put up with this dick for 2 years and thought his behaviour was normal. Everything he has said and done is controlling, not just what happened on your birthday, and I’m sure that looking back now you can see that.

Please, please work on your self esteem before getting into another relationship. You deserve so much better. Thinking of you @everynowandthenifallapart

Victoriawould24 · Today 10:29

Didimum · Today 09:54

I can’t do that on the app. I’m sure a thread this long can cope with a couple of out of sync comments.

I only use the app

The thread has over 500 posts did you honestly not think anyone previously would have told the OP to leave him alone?

PinotandPray · Today 10:34

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 08:54

I absolutely wasn’t antagonising him by enjoying myself on my birthday. Or, I wasn’t trying to.

I’m sure he expected me to trot outside and sit with him as we always do that as it’s what he wants to do (he vapes btw so being outside is easier for him).

But this time I just did what I wanted to do. Not to antagonise him but to please myself for once. The fact that it antagonised him is a him problem.

I think that’s what the poster is saying OP, that’s it’s mental that he didn’t like you singing along to a song and enjoying yourself - it’s big red flag simple things set him off and then he says it’s you antagonising him! Very strange behaviour please don’t meet him next week!

Likeiloveyou · Today 10:39

Tell him you don’t want to talk it over, your decision is made. Tell him when he can collect his stuff and make sure you are out, or just do not open the door. Make sure you look as shit as possible so you aren’t tempted to open it.

Has he returned any keys?

YorksMa · Today 10:43

Morning Op. Sounds like you're well rid of this idiot. I got the shivers as soon as you said he doesn't like to hear you singing. That alone is a giant red flag. I've got a voice like a broken foghorn and my husband still likes to hear me singing as it means I'm happy. Anyway, your 'D'P is gone and I hope he stays gone. I think all the mucking about with your dress and Billy Jean was him trying to create an argument to give him an excuse to break up. I experienced something similar once. All of a sudden I couldn't do anything right - he wanted to break up but just didn't have the nerve to say so. Pathetic. I'm sure you can do much, much better OP.

Calliopespa · Today 10:44

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 08:54

I absolutely wasn’t antagonising him by enjoying myself on my birthday. Or, I wasn’t trying to.

I’m sure he expected me to trot outside and sit with him as we always do that as it’s what he wants to do (he vapes btw so being outside is easier for him).

But this time I just did what I wanted to do. Not to antagonise him but to please myself for once. The fact that it antagonised him is a him problem.

The fact that it antagonised him is a him problem.

Yes, that's another way of looking at it.

But the point really was that the whole dynamic between you was very off-centre.

I think you have done the right thing in ending it.

AMurderofMurderingCrows · Today 10:52

Calliopespa · Today 10:44

The fact that it antagonised him is a him problem.

Yes, that's another way of looking at it.

But the point really was that the whole dynamic between you was very off-centre.

I think you have done the right thing in ending it.

Why are you blaming OP for singing in her own house, on her birthday.

The fact that he doesn't like her singing is his problem and his alone.

HIS dynamic is off.

99bottlesofkombucha · Today 10:58

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 09:44

He’s already pulled the thank you for giving me the best two years of my life stuff.

This is what reeled my stupid self in in the first place - him telling me I was amazing, that the relationship was amazing.

Then just constantly undermining me and pissing on my chips.

The only response here is ‘I don’t feel the same.’
he didn’t want you to dump him, he wanted you to feel shit about yourself and work harder to please him. Ooopsies, big mistake.
welcome to freedom op!

Planesmistakenforstars · Today 10:59

The Bancroft book has good advice to send one definitive "bye, leave me alone" message, and then stop engaging. I know it's tempting to bait the silly little nob into a not-apology, but you're really only buying yourself a few extra cycles of him doing the give me another chance/actually I never liked you anyway/here's another love bomb dance. He's already started with it.

AmandaHoldensLips · Today 11:15

When he said you are amazing, the answer should have bene, “I know”.

selfish dick is probably pissed and the thought of trying to find a new girlfriend which will require some kind of effort on his part.

therewearethen21 · Today 11:18

Didimum · Today 09:54

I can’t do that on the app. I’m sure a thread this long can cope with a couple of out of sync comments.

Ive added a screenshot, if you press the bit circled in red it allows you to just read the OPs messages first

Please help me process what on earth went on with me and DP last night
NovaForesta · Today 11:34

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 09:44

He’s already pulled the thank you for giving me the best two years of my life stuff.

This is what reeled my stupid self in in the first place - him telling me I was amazing, that the relationship was amazing.

Then just constantly undermining me and pissing on my chips.

I would have been playing Billie Jean loudly on repeat when he was due to collect the tools 😂

Sounds like you’ve had a lucky escape, but break ups are hard, even if it’s the right thing to do. Go easy on yourself.

Didimum · Today 11:39

liveforsummer · Today 10:00

You absolutely can. The thing that looks like a funnel in the top right hand corner of the app shows op’s name at the top which you click on to view their posts only

Yes, I know it’s an app feature, but it doesn’t work on my app. Only way is to scroll. C’est la vie.

Didimum · Today 11:41

Victoriawould24 · Today 10:29

I only use the app

The thread has over 500 posts did you honestly not think anyone previously would have told the OP to leave him alone?

Edited

App isn’t as functional on my phone. can’t do anything about it.

Nowhere did I say I think my response would have been unique.

dapsnotplimsolls · Today 11:50

Go around your house and garage and collect everything that's his and put it in a bin bag. Deposit the bin bag outside his front door. Block.

LolaGold · Today 11:56

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 09:44

He’s already pulled the thank you for giving me the best two years of my life stuff.

This is what reeled my stupid self in in the first place - him telling me I was amazing, that the relationship was amazing.

Then just constantly undermining me and pissing on my chips.

This is called the ‘nice / nasty’ cycle in DA.

He’s trying to reel you back in to punching distance.

I understand that you need to process the shock, disappointment, anger etc to get closure - but that NEVER happens in a dialogue with the abuser. It happens in a dialogue with yourself. Don’t ask why he did x,y,z - that just gets you stuck ruminating and focused on him - ask why didn’t I use my agency sooner and what am I going to do to keep busy and uplifted over the understandably difficult months when doubt creeps in.

Tell him not to contact you or any of your family or friends again. Delete his number and block it. Know that when you have asked him once to not contact you if he makes contact twice more he is committing the crime of stalking. Police take this very seriously and it is the pattern in controlling men. Women are most at risk in the two years after a relationship ends from their ex. Except a variety of tactics to reel you in - MH issues, sxxxide threats, health issues, some sort of invented crisis or emergency, the flowers, the romantic gestures and the anger. Be careful. Have a plan for all this shit and your own poor boundaries.

Sereine · Today 12:16

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 09:11

I’m not going to meet him or let me talk him round. I did send him the Chappel Roan song and say I think this may have been the cause of the misunderstanding.

He replied ‘Well I’m gonna go after this Chappell Roan character as she’s fucked my life up!!’

What the actual, actual fuckedy fucking fuck. Still not his fault then.

And yes I’ll sort out the utility room stuff and stop engaging and block him.

Fascinating that that was his reaction rather than an abject apology for not believing you.

Congratulations on getting him out of your life. You must feel so free now.

Netcurtainnelly · Today 12:29

Awful what kind of misery wouldn't say you look nice,and also not want you to sing along to songs.
Jeez are people really weird like this?

Curleywoo · Today 12:33

99bottlesofkombucha · Today 10:58

The only response here is ‘I don’t feel the same.’
he didn’t want you to dump him, he wanted you to feel shit about yourself and work harder to please him. Ooopsies, big mistake.
welcome to freedom op!

I so agree with this.
He likes you upset, confused and humouring him.

He will definitely try to win you bavk.
He is an ugly abuser.

You will never feel happy contentment with an abusive man.

Holdinguphalfthesky · Today 12:57

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 09:44

He’s already pulled the thank you for giving me the best two years of my life stuff.

This is what reeled my stupid self in in the first place - him telling me I was amazing, that the relationship was amazing.

Then just constantly undermining me and pissing on my chips.

He won’t change, this is who he is. If you stayed with him, your life would be spent walking on eggshells and questioning yourself about everything. Every time you had a success or a joyful moment, he would find a way to ruin your pleasure in it. He’d use your kids and his kids, too.

Life alone is so much nicer than that!

Franklinlove · Today 13:07

everynowandthenifallapart · Today 08:52

He’s asked to meet to talk it over next week. I haven’t blocked him yet as there was stuff in the utility room I’d forgotten about so I will still need to arrange to get it back to him.

Uh oh

durdledoris · Today 13:09

everynowandthenifallapart · Yesterday 21:57

Hahaha!

Totally the wrong post, sorry op, hope you are OK xx

Didimum · Today 13:10

therewearethen21 · Today 11:18

Ive added a screenshot, if you press the bit circled in red it allows you to just read the OPs messages first

Thanks, but the app doesn’t work well on my phone as I’ve said above. The buttons just do nothing.

It’s very unnecessary to be hounded over one comment (not that you’re hounding).