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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Help - have I behaved terribly or not?

407 replies

dollfin · 29/09/2014 09:45

I am having a horrible time (again) with my partner and I need some sensible advice.

I went to the UK part of a wedding on Friday night (overseas part was in Italy) with my partner, his son and my son. When I arrived there I had no issue whatsoever but my partners family kept asking if I was ok, probably around 20 or 30 times. In the end I asked what they were talking about and it emerged that 2 of my partners exes were going to be at the party. One lady who he has an 18 daughter with and I get on with well and one girl who he was with for 8 years but has no children with. Now if i'm completely honest, I have no problem with the ex who he has kids with, thats his family and she has a special place in his life. I am always friendly with her and we get on fine. The other girl I have a bit of a problem with. The family seem to favour her over everyone in some way, she was invited to the hen do and I wasn't. She is always with my DPs sister as they are still very good friends and I know that she was devastated when she and my DP split up. They split up over 5 years ago now and she hasn't had a boyfriend since. I think she still has feelings for him but I don't know for sure.

Anyway, I tried to put all this aside at the party and have a nice time. It was made very hard because when I wandered up to my partner having a chat with someone, he was also talking about his other ex, DS's Mum. It was all getting a bit much and to be honest, normally I'm so secure and self confident but I was starting to feel unimportant and horrible.

I know that his sister is not very keen on me and when I was having a dance she started asking whether I was ok that my son was with someone he didn't know upstairs (he was with a babysitter i use regularly, he is 3 and she arrived to look after him at 9pm because he was tired and had a full day at school). I told her he wasn't with someone he didn't know, he was with a regular babysitter and he was fine). But this pissed me off a bit. Then she started on with the 'was I ok?' again and at this point I just told her what I thought. I said that I was confused at why Emma hasn't really moved on, I felt a bit sorry for my DP that she was invited to all family gatherings and that our relationship hasn't really had the space to grow and be accepted by his family. She then responded my saying the girl is a family member and I basically should just get over it because shes always going to be around.

She then asked me to go outside with her and used the whole thing as an opportunity to rake up an incident that had happened a long time ago when she had looked after my DS (6months old at the time) and she had taken him out in an unsafe car, past his bedtime and not called me to let me know. At the time I was angry about this and we fell out but I had since thought it was all forgotten about. She brought this up again and made wild accusations about the evening, accusing me of all sorts of things that hand on my heart, I didn't do or say. I got more and more upset outside, kept telling her that I wasn't going to agree with her as those things didn't happen and then my DP came over. He heard the things she was saying and he took her side. We went back to the room and he called me the worst names ever, I'm not even writing them they make me feel so horrible. Everytime I tried to explain to him what had happened he screamed at me and he told me to go home first thing in the morning so I didn't see anyone. I've since had the silent treatment since then and it shows no sign of stopping. I sent him a long email yesterday and he replied saying 'if you contact me again I will be forced to take matters out of your hands'.

I feel completely bewildered and hugely upset. I probably could have dealt with the whole ex thing better but I feel pushed out and like an outcast in his family. The fact i wasn't invited to the hen do and me and my son were not invited to the wedding in Italy was really difficult to deal with. I had had enough of people asking me if I was ok and I didn't have a go at the sister, I just explained how I felt. I feel pretty sure if she was in my situation she would feel the same. She then used that to dredge up something from the past that I have tried so hard to put right, she has made no effort at all.

My DP and I are in the middle of buying a house together, we were meant to be going to Blackpool with my family later this week and I feel dreadful. I haven't eaten anything for 3 days and he will not speak to me. I feel like his sister totally set out to do this and I feel like she is having a really good laugh at me behind my back. She has also posted a picture on facebook captioned 'my favourite photo of the night' and it is her with all of his exes dancing on the dancefloor. I feel in my heart of hearts like she is purposefully trying to be a bitch and make me miserable. I don't know what to do. Help.

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 29/09/2014 10:19

Please do not inflict this bunch of idiots on your son.

wowfudge · 29/09/2014 10:21

You poor thing - what a horrible situation to find yourself in Flowers.

I don't have any advice, unfortunately, but it's never a good idea to have a frank conversation with someone at a family do imo and especially not if anyone has been drinking (I don't know if any of you had been), you really should have bitten your tongue with his sister, but I can understand why you didn't.

Your DP's behaviour speaks volumes: if your OP is completely truthful and you haven't missed anything out, then he is an arse. Perhaps he feels awkward over the whole situation and exes and current partner being at the same function, who knows? However, adults who respect each other do not behave as he has done. Is it totally out of the blue or is this the culmination of a series of events when you think things through? Did you tell him how not being invited to the hen do and the wedding in Italy made you feel, or have you expected him to figure it out for himself?

Sending him an email was probably not a good thing to do, especially not as he was angry and you were emotionally overwrought, but again I can understand why you sent it.

Ignore his sister and don't look at Facebook - you are probably reading too much into things, you have already said she is friends with the ex so this isn't about her slighting you and don't read things into the situation that aren't there.

Don't try to force things and see what happens. He owes you the mother of all apologies as far as I can see, but don't try to force it and I think you really have to weigh up whether you want to have a relationship with someone who behaves like this towards you. His loyalty should be to you; it clearly isn't.

EstellaSpitsEmOut · 29/09/2014 10:22

How awful for you OP and no, I don't think you have behaved terribly at all. Weddings and family gatherings always tend to bring out the drama! And you got the brunt of this one.

As hard as it is, the other posters are right. Don't contact your partner. Rise above it and walk away. You don't need that kind of grief in your life.

BlowTheBloodyDoorsOff · 29/09/2014 10:23

Second everyone saying get out now. I think that what Brucie said is true sadly. So sorry OP, you must feel so bewildered right now. LTB you deserve better.

mummytime · 29/09/2014 10:23

Get out now!

Extricate yourself financially and breath a sigh of relief.

I'm sorry it happened like this.

Icimoi · 29/09/2014 10:24

You say you are having a horrible time with your partner again. Why are you contemplating buying a house with him?

RockinHippy · 29/09/2014 10:24

Get yourself some bananas &/or avocados too, if you can't eat for upset, these are easy to eat & digest & will keep you going. You need to put yourself & your DS first & move on from this first class tosser & his toxic family.

You also need to work on your self esteem, either you didn't have much to start with, or this abusive arse has knocked it out of you - either way, you need to find it again. If you had health levels of good self esteem, then you would not be on here asking if You behaved badly, you would just know, he had & you would be kicking his ass to Timbuktu

Good luck, you can bounce back from this & be much happier for it xx

PrimalLass · 29/09/2014 10:25

'if you contact me again I will be forced to take matters out of your hands'.

What on earth does this mean? Please just get away from these horrible people.

inloominotnorti · 29/09/2014 10:25

I think the other posters are right. He's sided with his family over you, knowing that his sister was lying.

That's called gaslighting. If you fall for it and start saying black is white they will have you crazy in no time.

Respect yourself. Please google gaslighting, and try to think if there have been any other incidences. Gaslighting is one of the worst forms of abuse, because they make you doubt yourself and think you are crazy.

Good luck OP

dollfin · 29/09/2014 10:26

Thanks everyone and yes castlemilk, it was a hugely grim evening.

Its easy to say just words but I am nice person, I was brought up nicely and I was polite to everybody, even though inside I felt like an outsider. Yes I felt a tad moody but I didn't make that anyones problem, I was friendly to everyone I spoke to. The only thing I said to him was, cor, every way I look there is an ex and now you're even talking about them. Yes I felt a bit prickly with him but thats how I felt.

My gut instinct tells me that he his sister wanted me to look stupid in front of everybody and when he came over to the table, I saw the look in his eyes, he was afraid of upsetting her and thats why he got so cross with me.

We are just going through the motions with the house, solicitors etc. It was our dream house, we were so happy about it. I can't believe that he won't even talk to me, I'm meant to be paying fees and things today, I just feel so confused and dont know what to do.

I mean even if I had behaved appallingly and made a real idiot of myself, which I don't think I did. Surely he still shouldn't be treating me this way. The reality is that his sister and I had words in a dark corner of a garden. She was trying to wind me up and I'm gutted that I let her.

I am mortified about the whole thing, I am not someone who does that kind of thing. I have never done anything like that before. I feel like a different person at the moment, so bloody insecure.

No my DS is not his son.

OP posts:
MaidOfStars · 29/09/2014 10:27

He has made you a different person, him and his dysfunctional family. Do not let him do this.

DrSethHazlittMD · 29/09/2014 10:29

He's a wanker. Get away now. Think yourself lucky you found out now rather than after you bought the house and started a real life together

Spidergirl77 · 29/09/2014 10:30

Leave, don't buy the house. Tell him is over. Nothing worse than hating your DH family, even worse if he's not being nice to you.

RockinHippy · 29/09/2014 10:31

Is it YOUR dream house ???

You say YOU are meant to be paying the fees etc today ?? - why you, not him or birth of you ?

If you are the one funding this move, it's your dream house & you can afford to, then do it anyway, sounds like a fresh start would be good for you.

TwinkleDust · 29/09/2014 10:31

Why would a partner behave like that towards you? More to the point, why should you allow it? Walk away with dignity. And for goodness sake, put your wallet away.

MimiSunshine · 29/09/2014 10:32

They kept asking if you were ok for two reasons:
1 either someone primed you that you wouldn’t be ok with the wedding and who was attending, or
2 you looked like you weren’t ok with it, how much of an issue was made out of the lack of an invite to Italy was made.

I’m not sure who’s wedding it was but you don’t get an automatic invite to hen parties, it’s usually friends of the bride, are you friends with the bride? If not let it go.

It does sound like the sister was stirring but the lesson there is to never rise to it in that way. It doesn’t sound like the ex you don’t like actually did anything to you that night but you came across as jealous.

As for your partner. It seems like he’s using this as an excuse to dump you, call the agents and stop the house purchase and tell them to confirm it with him. He’ll either call you to sort things out or he won’t but you’ll have your answer.
Dont contact him, take back some control and see if he crawls back, then decide if the way he spoke to you is forgivable.

EssexMummy123 · 29/09/2014 10:32

don't pay the fees today.

pictish · 29/09/2014 10:32

"he told me to go home first thing in the morning so I didn't see anyone"

The relationship would have been over for me after the total lack of support, shouting and name calling. That instruction I would have gladly complied with without so much as a backwards glance. He certainly wouldn't need to tell me not to contact him again, because there's no way I would have.

I'm so sorry OP but imho you would do well to cut your losses on this one. The tone has been set, it has been presented to you as a done deal, and to hang in there now would be to the detriment of your dignity.

borisgudanov · 29/09/2014 10:33

Don't pay a penny. IANAL, but I think I'd tell the solicitor that I was no longer party to the purchase. That way you're in control and he doesn't get to decide whether to "allow" you to share his house and string you along with that carrot for some weeks or months. Then retire downwind.

That remark about "taking matters into his own hands". He has been stupid enough to put that into writing, right? I think I might be tempted to see what a police officer might make of that. At least be ready to ring the police because this sounds like the kind of bastard who might kick off apeshit at any moment.

And I'd be putting a 100-mile exclusion zone around my DC.

Idontseeanysontarans · 29/09/2014 10:34

1: soup with plenty of veg in it - get something down you that is easy to eat and gives you a boost.
2: pull out of house sale ASAP, don't hand over a penny of your money.
3: run for the hills and don't look back!
Thanks For you, his family sound like a nightmare, he sounds like a wimp and you're actually lucky that you found this out before you for anymore involved.

wowfudge · 29/09/2014 10:34

Okay - well do not pay anything today (or ever, by the sound of things). Ignore any calls from the solicitor for now as you don't need this on top of everything else.

I agree with the other PPs who have said this is a huge wake up call and you have probably had a lucky escape. You need to be strong and not get drawn into any wrangling. If your DP has transferred money to you for the house purchase then send it back to him. Stay above the noise and move into self-preservation mode. Good luck.

hellsbellsmelons · 29/09/2014 10:35

Don't contact him again.
Don't pay the fees.
Call off the house buy.
He's a nasty piece of work and you deserve much better, as does your son!
He's not his bio father so it's going to be easy to walk away.
DO NOT BUY A HOUSE WITH THIS KNOBJOCKEY!!!

Momagain1 · 29/09/2014 10:36

Dear lord, what a messy man.

Ex wife with daughter
Exwife no children
Son of an ex wife not present
Any more?
Two ex's he, and his family remain so close as to be include in family weddings, though his current partner is not? Nobody in his family, including him, understands what an ex is. Neither of them should have been there, the thing sounds almost like you were set up to be accused of behaving badly. You are well away from them.

Get a solicitor and become the ex that leaves completely.

Vycount · 29/09/2014 10:37

And - don't make excuses for him. Read back, you are...
Good luck Op, think yourself lucky you found out what he's really like before you brought a house with him.

pictish · 29/09/2014 10:37

DO NOT BUY A HOUSE WITH THIS KNOBJOCKEY!!!

Succinctly put.