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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To end this ten year friendship over this (long sorry)

393 replies

catinboots · 17/02/2011 09:46

Sorry this is very long, but I need to give you some background about our friendship first. I met my friend at University when we were twenty. I was living with my boyfriend and our one year old son in our own flat. Friend was living in halls of residence and was a total party animal. She was totally wild and had a different bloke every night of the week!! I used to party with her when I got the chance but I lived a fairly dull life in comparison. I had to work and look after a baby as well as doing my degree. Despite the difference in our lives, we formed a really strong friendship. We were definitely best friends.

Fast forward about six years and I went through a very messy break-up with the boyfriend. She was very supportive, but had just met a new man herself and moved three hours away to be with him. Finding myself newly single I went a little bit crazy for about a year. I did a lot of silly things which I deeply regret now. I partied too much, I drank too much, I had too many boyfriends and I was a bad mum. I messed up my job and upset my family and friends. During this period my best friend kept her distance. At the same time I noticed she was changing - she was gradually becoming like a Stepford wife. Dinner parties and making chutney - not like the girl I first met ant uni!

Anyway, I subsequently sorted myself out, got back to reality and luckily met my DP. However, whenever I tried contacting her she was very offish with me. In the end I asked her outright what was wrong ? and she said that her DP didn?t approve of her being friends with me! I apologised for how I?d been behaving and told her how much I valued her friendship. Things had been okay since then and after a couple of years we seemed back to normal ? talking almost every day etc.

DP asked me to marry him last August and she was the first person I asked to be a bridesmaid. She?s been really helping with all the wedding planning and organising the hen and it?s been lovely! On Christmas Eve her DP proposed to her and she was over the moon. Naively I just presumed I would be a bridesmaid for her. She hadn?t mentioned it but I didn?t think anything of it until yesterday when she told me she was going to a wedding fayre. I asked who with and she said her mum, her sister and her two other best friends. It suddenly dawned on me that she isn?t going to ask me to be a bridesmaid. I rang her last night just chatting about wedding stuff and just slipped it in to conversation asking what she was doing about bridesmaids. She said I?m having my sister, the two other friends and one of DPs old friends. Then just started chatting about their dresses and didn?t even address the fact she wasn?t asking me.

I am so hurt and so upset. Not because I?m not being a bridesmaid ? but because our friendship obviously isn?t what I thought it was. I feel like an idiot now ? because I truly thought she was my best friend.
I don?t want to say anything to her because it?s up to her what she does at her wedding. But I feel uncomfortable now. It?s changed things and I don?t think I can just carry on planning my wedding with her as though everything is fine between us. I?m thinking the best thing to do is just cut her out altogether. No confrontation, no discussion. To be honest I don?t think she?ll be that bothered.

AIBU??????

OP posts:
redexpat · 18/02/2011 16:24

I chose my best woman on the basis of what the actual job involves and practical things like distances to be travelled. Perhaps the 3 hours distance isn't an issue for you but it might be for her? You could tell her that you feel excluded, and ask if there is another way to be involved.

It's always tough to realise that friendships are going off a bit. And weddings are known for how much tension they cause. People can be really insensitive. Chin up x

Newmumlondon · 18/02/2011 18:14

Cat, I totally understand where you are coming from. I had a very similar situation, closest friend for 10+ years, been through everything together since uni, helped each other through really rough times gets engaged and only has her sister as bridesmaid. Like you, we had talked about getting married and having each other as bridesmaid. Like you, she didn't explain why she didn't have me.

I got engaged shortly afterwards and decided to only have my sister as BM, as she hadn't asked me.

Ended up we got drunk and I blurted out how hurt I was that she hadn't asked me to be BM. She explained that it was because she had three close friends who would all expect to be asked and couldn't have all of us, so thought it was simpler to just have her sister. I understood, and asked her to be bridesmaid for me.

I was still hurt deep down and struggled to come to terms with it even though she had explained, but I saw this as my issue to deal with. I wasn't hurt just because of not being asked to be bridesmaid, I think that I knew that we were not as close as we used to be and it was hard to accept that, I was grieving for the end of the friendship as it used to be. I knew that was my issue, and I either needed to get over it or stop being friends.

She said on many occasions since that she should have had me and regrets not asking me. We are still good friends and I hope we continue to be good friends throughout our lives. I do think that unless I had asked her why she didn't ask me to be BM, our friendship would have really suffered as I would have struggled to get over the resentment and hurt.

She sounds like she does care a lot about you and is making a real effort with your wedding. She may just feel really awkward explaining why she didn't ask you, or she may be completely oblivious to how you feel. Either way, it isn't worth giving up on the friendship.

I hope you can get over it and focus on enjoying your wedding. I can imagine how hard it must be.

catinboots · 18/02/2011 19:32

I feel low. Really low, shit and depressed. Also had some other bad news today regarding my mum's health do have postponed the dress shopping tomorrow. I just haven't got the energy to think about it or deal with it Sad

OP posts:
luckymamacourgette · 18/02/2011 19:37

YANBU, she doesn't sound like much of a friend to me. Friends are people that are there for you and don't do hurtful things like not asking you to be bridesmaid when they are yours - this was clearly going to be upsetting, of course it's made you feel bad, anyone on here who can't get that is totally lacking in sensitivity.

Ignore the bitchy mean replies. She is not being a good or kind friend and sounds like she hasn't been for a while... I'd consider ending the friendship tbh.

luckymamacourgette · 18/02/2011 19:43

ps sorry about your mum xx

BonzoDooDah · 19/02/2011 12:20

Sorry about your Mum.

SugarMousePink · 19/02/2011 13:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

catinboots · 19/02/2011 20:06

Sugarmouse - you seem to understand the situation exactley.

I do feel like she abandoned me during my wild times. She wasn't concerned, she was judgemental. Maybe that plays a major part in the way I feel now.

I've been thinking long and hard and I'm not going to have a knee-jerk reaction. I'm going to leave it for a fortnight to see how I feel before I act. This sounds terrible - but I will use my mum's health problems to delay any dress shopping/wedding preparation.

In all honesty I don't think I will change my mind. I think I need to end the friendship. Not over the bridesmaid issue, but over all the other things that indicate our friendship isn't what I thought it was:

She doesn't want to ask me to be a bridesmaid

She doesn't feel she needs to or has to explain her decision to me

I don't feel comfortable having a mature conversation with her about it

That says it all reallt. I think maybe I was clutching at straws, and we grew apart long before this.

Sad Sad Sad

OP posts:
OliveMalay · 19/02/2011 20:09

I think the bridesmaid thing is a "symptom" rather than the main problem here. There's no way of knowing what's really behind it apart from asking her though...

Katisha · 19/02/2011 21:02

I don't think you can decide without actually asking her. Otherwise it's all based on your reading of events, which may or may not be true, but I think it would be useful to hear the other side of the story rather than just dropping her.

cumfy · 19/02/2011 22:55

Do you deep down want to say to her DP:

Look, she was twice as bad as me for twice as long ... the tales I could tell you ....

Now will you stop judging me ?

It would be understandable. :o

catinboots · 05/03/2011 21:03

Ok guys. Some of you will probably think I'm being a total cunt but here goes...

I haven't spoken to the friend now since this came about. She rang me once, I ignored her call, then I came off facebook (childish I know).

Subsequently, my mum has been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. My friend knows about this (through another source). She then emailed my older sister on facebook to ask if I was ok? She said she was worried that I wasn't coping with my mum's illness. My sister replied saying;

Cat is okay - obvs worried about mum.
To be honest, she is upset about bridesmaid issue.
I know u have been a good friend to her.
I'm sure it's a misunderstanding.
You've been friends for so long
etc etc

She has not replied to sis or attempted to contact me. I know I am a bit fragile at the moment so maybe very over-emotional and not a good judge of what is rational and what is not.

But I have been so upset about the friend that I have composed an email to send her. I will not send it yet while I am still upset. I plan on waiting to see if I hear from her by the end of the month.

If not, I will send the email. MNers - I want you opinion. Am I being a cunt or not?? Would I be a cunt to send it???SEE BELOW:

So, I haven't heard from you - which sums it all up really!

Our friendship clearly means so little to you, that you're not even interested in finding out why I'm so upset.

Well I'm going to tell you - not for your benefit, but because otherwise it will eat away at me. I know you emailed my sister to ask what was wrong with me. I believe she told you that I am upset about the fact you haven't asked me to be a bridesmaid for you. Partially, that is correct. I was shocked, suprised and a bit hurt, but I wasn't going to say anything to you. It's your wedding and you can do what the hell you like and ask whoever you want. It's not my place or right to challenge you over your decision.

However, I just think if the situation was reversed, you would also feel a little put out. You've thrown yourself into full bridesmaid duties for my wedding - for which I have been very grateful. I wanted you involved in the planning and preparation. You on the other hand, have made it very clear that you do not want my imput in your wedding whatsoever. Again, this is up to you and I am not questioning your choice - but it is very indicative of the imbalance in our relationship.

You must have known I was thinking you'd ask me to be your bridesmaid. Yes - maybe very presumptious on my part, but I think you knew that I would be thinking that way. I imagine you would have been thinking the same if the situation was reversed.

What has hurt and upset me so much is that you made no attempt whatsoever to spare my feelings. You didn't even bother addressing it with me. You could have fobbed me off with one of many different excuses!!! But you obviously didn't feel it was necessary to shield me from feeling hurt. Which leads me back to my original conclusion that our friendship is of very little importance to you. Upsetting me clearly doesn't trouble you.

I appreciate we've had our problems in the past, but I thought we had overcome these. I am personally not a grudge-bearer when it comes to friendship, but everyone is different. I've apologised to you numerous times for being a crappy friend for a period of time (18 months or so was it??) Unfortnately in life people do have problems which have negative effects on others. I had numerous issues going on - and I am tired of being punished for old mistakes time and time again.

Maybe I've got it totally wrong. Maybe it's just you feel that you are above me now, which is sometimes the impression you give. Again, not really a sign of a healthy friendship. You have a very short memory xxxxx. You haven't always been perfect and I've always supported you when you've needed me. Remember when you contracted herpes from that lad you slept with behind xxxx's back?? I was the one on the end of the phone to you every day while you tried to get your head round it. Remember when you first moved to xxxxxxx and you were so unhappy and lonely? You were hiding in the kitchen swigging wine from the bottle while xxxxxx and his dad were in the other room. Again, I was the one you were on the phone to every day, often more than once!

The way you have treated me feels like a slap in the face. You've made me feel like a total idiot. I really, truely thought you were one of my best friends. And I feel that you let me believe it. Why on earth have you been bothering when you knew it was all just a farce? How can we possibly remain friends now when you've made it so apparent how unimportant I am to you? Just to clarify - the main issue IS NOT about not being a bridesmaid. I'm 30 years old for gods sake. But I'm irreversibly hurt over the way you have trampled over my feelings without giving it a second thought.

My mum is ill again and I really don't need people in my life who don't care about me. I have neither the time or the interest in maintaining a faux-friendship, My energy needs to be focused on my family. Anything negative needs to be cut out.

Good luck with your wedding and subsequent marriage. I hope it goes well.

I really am deeply saddened that a 10 year friendship has had to end this way. But what saddens me most is the fact I know you won't really be that bothered...........

OP posts:
RevoltingPeasant · 05/03/2011 21:19

Oooh, cat. I don't know. It sounds really cathartic but think about it before you send it. I think your plan of waiting till the end of the month is the best thing.

Also, ask yourself this question answer it honestly, are you secretly hoping she'll reply to that email and grovel? Because if you are hoping that, then don't send it. But if you really in your heart of hearts know she won't be bothered then maybe.

catinboots · 05/03/2011 21:28

RP - yes i would love her to reply and grovel. But I'm 99.9999% sure she won't. Whic is ehy I want to send it. So I get my closure without her being aboe to tell herself that I'm just being a bitter-because-I'm-not-a-bridemaid-bitch...

OP posts:
boomummy · 05/03/2011 21:32

Friendship is a heart-breaking as well as heart-warming thing.
The good friends are the ones who are there when you need them. They are not the ones you see every day, or even who you speak to that often.
Friends can be the other side of the world, but when you do get in touch, you talk like you've never been apart within five minutes.
If this is what your friend is to you, don't blow it over something which you will regret in years to come.

RevoltingPeasant · 05/03/2011 21:45

I dunno cat, the reason I said that is because I think sometimes we deceive ourselves about how angry we are, burn our bridges, and then regret it.

If you are hoping she'll grovel you may be more hurt than you expect when she sends you back a cool, 'Sorry you feel that way'.

Just saying...

:(

cumfy · 05/03/2011 21:46

She rang me once, I ignored her call, then I came off facebook (childish I know)

She then emailed my older sister on facebook to ask if I was ok?

Unfortunately it comes across that you are determined to create a drama, rather than just talk with her.

catinboots · 05/03/2011 21:52

cumfy - we normally speak at least every other day. If she genuinely was worried about me (and my mum) and not just suspicious that I'm being funny, she would have tried harder to contact me.

She didn't text me, she didn't try my work email.

OP posts:
TaudrieTattoo · 05/03/2011 22:03

contracted herpes???

Don't send it. Really.

I've done the cathartic email thing before, kidding myself I was letting it all out.

Benefit of hindsight, I was getting off on the drama. Not saying that's what you'd be doing if you sent this, but...

In the words of Don Lockwood..."Dignity...always dignity."

shmoz · 05/03/2011 22:13

Oh dear, don't do it cat, think on it for a bit.

You may feel differently about the whole thing if you actually have a conversation with her, get her take on things?

If you talk about it you may find that you can get things back on track, I somehow doubt you'll have that option if you go ahead with that email..that is of course if you want the friendship to continue.

I certainly don't think there's anything to be gained by including in the email incidences from her past that she would probably rather forget about, it just comes across as bitter and bitchy.

Good luck with it all anyway.

PS Hope your mum will be ok

TaudrieTattoo · 05/03/2011 22:14

Yes, meant to say, sorry about your mum.

FairhairedandFrustrated · 05/03/2011 22:20

No, no no.... don't upcast her downfalls! It's about you - not her and her shortcomings in relationships!!

I would just leave it tbh. She knows through your sister you're upset about the bridesmaid issue - leave the ball in her court & if you hear nothing then just assume you're only having three bridesmaids.

FWIW, I have four sisters, the oldest sister had all of us on her wedding, the second sister had 2 of us, the third had two of us, I had my younger sister & dh's sister - but when the youngest of us got married, she had none of us!
It cut to the core, especially as I had been dress shopping with her, picked her dress & the bridesmaid dress (thinking I'd be wearing it!!!) but she had our niece & her dh's sister...

her reasons:

Dsis 1 & 2 (twins) were 'too old' (they were 38)
Dsis 3 was 'too tall'
and then there was me... I was 'too fat' but that wasn't said to my face... just behind my back.

SoupDragon · 05/03/2011 22:22

How old are you? 14? Grow up FFS.

OTOH, I am sorry to hear about your mum..

PepsiPopcorn · 05/03/2011 22:28

Don't send it. It comes across as too pompous and self-righteous TBH. If you do want to send something, tone it down and make it shorter so that you don't seem bitter.

megapixels · 05/03/2011 22:34

Don't send it. Frankly, the email sounds pathetic. Especially the bits about her sleeping behind someone's back etc. I thought friends didn't bring up things like that from the past?

I agree with the poster who said you seem to be determined to create a big drama.

Sorry to hear about your mother.