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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to feel uncomfortable with what's going on?

525 replies

Girlonatubetrain · 31/03/2017 13:31

Ok, so will try and keep it brief,

So the background
A woman and her family moved into our street a couple of years back and have since then, become very good family friends. Our DHs get on well, kids in same school, help each other with childcare etc.

End of last year, DF had an affair, her DH knows since the new year and they have been trying to save their marriage. She is unsure she wants to stay in her marriage but her DH loves her and they are trying to fix things (she has told me this week she is still unhappy to I’m guessing the marriage will end). The OM is out of the picture now, from what she says.

DF claims that the stress of her unhappy marriage and the resulting affair have caused her to have a nervous breakdown. She is on anti-depressants. I have spent many an hour listening to her being upset with her life in general and do regard her as a good friend, who needs people to lean on.

And my problem –
My DH has his own business very close to our homes. I work from home quite a bit. Over the last couple of weeks, whenever I’ve popped in to see DH when on a lunch break etc, she has been there. I have even offered to drop her home when I leave and she has said, she’ll hang back for a bit. It sounds ridiculous, but my DH even has her preferred brand of beverage there for when she visits, but not mine!

I spoke to DH about it last week as I feel its crossing a line and am very uncomfortable about it. DH reassures me there is nothing to worry about. He then started to tell me about how she’s just going through a mental rough patch and how she’d msgd him the other morning that she was struggling to get out of bed!

Everytime I pop in to visit, which is max twice a week and only for 10mins at a time, he makes out he is really busy and doesn’t really speak to me but just gets on with his work. So how can she always be there if he is ignoring her in the same way? So can only assume, when she’s there, he has time for her?

I get that she is having a hard time at the moment. I also understand she needs support and friends. It may be that she is just using him as an emotional crutch like shes used me the last few months. But . . . . I still feel that they are crossing a line and I am unhappy about it. To know they are spending so much time together (& that’s just the ones I know about) and now to know that they are PMing each other rather than the group chat with the 2 wives and 2 husbands on it, doesn’t sit well with me . . .

I love my DH and do trust him, but still feel very uncomfortable about the whole situation. DH and I have since fallen out since the start of this week because of this and are barely on speaking terms.

Im sure his reason would be I haven’t done anything wrong, I’m just supporting DF and DW is blowing it into something bigger.
But AIBU to feel this way? What do I do?

OP posts:
foxyloxy78 · 31/03/2017 18:50

I would cut off all contact with your friend and tell your husband he needs to do the same. Otherwise he puts your marriage in jeopardy. See what he says. Then i would out a secret camera in his office to see if he keeps his word. I don't trust either of them tbh.

Imaginingdragonsagain · 31/03/2017 18:50

Good Luck, Hope you get your answers.

weddingopinionsplease · 31/03/2017 18:52

Good luck with speaking to your DH OP

AnyFucker · 31/03/2017 18:54

I wonder if your H was planning to take advantage of you being out this evening and they planned for her to "drop in"

Branleuse · 31/03/2017 18:54

good luck with speaking to him. Please dont be gaslighted any further x

LucieLucie · 31/03/2017 18:56

Listen to your gut instincts Op. Something isn't right.

This woman is not your friend right now, distance yourself from her and protect your marriage. She has the morals of an alley cat and is bored and unhappy in her marriage. She's obviously looking for a distraction from her unhappy life again and has your dh in her sights.

To me, the separate messaging away from the group is inappropriate, women generally message each other, men message each other or do a couples group chat but her and him doing it privately is a HUGE red flag.

It sounds like your husband is enjoying her company and ego boost of thinking he is being admired by another woman who is considerably younger than him.

He's discouraging your visits but purposely welcoming hers. He's facilitating her behaviour and if they aren't already physically having an affair they are certainly on that path.

I'll get flamed for this but I'd cut the bullshit and put a spycam in his work to really be a fly on the wall. BlushGrin

DancingDora · 31/03/2017 19:01

Good luck OP. Hopefully he'll realise that he's upsetting you and do everything in his power to put it right. So sorry you're in this position Flowers

Northernlurker · 31/03/2017 19:07

I hope your talk goes ok op. I wouldn't have this at all. Both are behaving very badly.

OliviaBenson · 31/03/2017 19:08

Sorry op. I think this is already a full blown affair. I hope you can see the messages between them tonight. If he has deleted them, you'll have your answer.

I also wonder if she'll pop around tonight thinking you are out.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 31/03/2017 19:19

My Ex is now married to 'our' friend. If I didn't know better I'd swear you had written about our situation. It's scarily identical. Right down to you being strong, but a crier.

MN wasn't around in those days, sadly.

You need to cut them both (friend & husband) out of both of your lives, in no uncertain terms. If DH complains, tell him that is the deal. He either cuts them both out, 100%, or you will file for a divorce. Take NO shit over this. None.

SanitysSake · 31/03/2017 19:21

If it were me, I'd walk in immediately raise my voice and say

'RIGHT, ENOUGH OF THIS! I WANT YOU OUT OF MY LIFE. I WANT YOU TO STOP CONTACTING MY HUSBAND. THIS IS MY FAMILY AND YOU'RE BEHAVING LIKE A CUCKOO TRYING TO STEAL MY NEST. THIS SHIT IS OVER. GET YOUR THINGS AND YOUR KIDS AND LEAVE - AND DON'T BOTHER COMING BACK. AND IF THERE IS ANY HINT THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MY HUSBAND AGAIN, I WILL TEAR YOU APART'

You'll soon know if your husband has been up to something by the way he reacts to it.

Either way, she deserves to be told to fuck off in no uncertain terms.

My thoughts are with you, OP.

ProfessorPickles · 31/03/2017 19:26

Another one here who thinks you should put a secret camera in his office, I worry they'll be full of lies and try convince the OP it's all in her head. Definitive proof would ensure they don't have a leg to stand on!

Pigface1 · 31/03/2017 19:36

OP Flowers for you.

I feel as thought this is the kind of situation AIBU was set up for. And YADDDDDNBU.

This is wholly inappropriate. Personally, the way I read it, she is miserable in her marriage, and your DH is not but is very flattered by the attention.

There is a certain kind of woman who is validated by the attentions of an OM outside her marriage - but particularly if those attentions come from another woman's man. Your 'friend' sounds to me like that type.

When men begin to age they become very susceptible to flattery. I think your OH may fall into that category.

I think everything will be fine, but you MUST act. Do NOT allow yourself to be convinced that YABU. You are not. This is not in your head. You are not a 'psycho' or a 'bunny boiler' or 'controlling' or 'possesive' or any of the words used to belittle suspicious women.

CookieLady · 31/03/2017 19:45

Do not let him convince you that it's all in your head! She's making a play for him and he's loving it. Angry Good luck.

StayAChild · 31/03/2017 19:46

I've just read the whole thread and I'm trying to imagine a scenario where any of our mutual female friends would think it was ok to spend time alone with my DH. He would be so uncomfortable with any such situation and would avoid them like the plague as he would know it was inappropriate.

This actually made me have goose bumps:
last saturday she asked me to have her kids for a bit as needed to run some errands.
I popped in to see DH with the kids, only to find her there! she said she was just on her way to the errands! I was gobsmacked
I think you've been patient long enough OP. Good luck with getting to the bottom of it.

MissMogwi · 31/03/2017 19:47

YANBU I wouldn't be happy with this at all.

In my experience, every time I have had an inkling, I have been right. Your hackles are up for a reason.

Your DH should back off and realise how inappropriate it is.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 31/03/2017 19:47

Another one wondering if this woman will "just happen to drop in" tonight, expecting that OP would be out ... it's a pity that we didn't think to suggest she removed any sign of being there (car, etc)

NoFuckingRoomOnMyBroom · 31/03/2017 20:00

I hope you get answers OP, I'd simply tell him how this situation is making you feel & that you don't find it acceptable.
You need to ditch this 'friend', put plenty of distance between her & your family.

Girlonatubetrain · 31/03/2017 20:04

will put the kids to bed shortly and then we'll talk

just remembered another example
a few weeks ago, I msgd her at 1pm to say I was off to the showroom (was still changing day by day then) if she wanted to join to see how it was coming along
didn't get a response
got to the showroom . . . . and she was there!

I left after 20 mins. She was home at 3.30 when just walked past for school pick up so I mentioned it to her aupair in the playground, who seemed surprised- she'd just come from home.
I asked DH that night, turns out she stayed a further 2hrsvp after I'd left. Neither DF not DH would have told me this, it was only because I asked Angry

OP posts:
ElBandito · 31/03/2017 20:06

He can't be far away from spending more time with her than you!

Donthate · 31/03/2017 20:09

You need to ask your DH if he would be happy for you to spend so much time with one of his male friends

StayAChild · 31/03/2017 20:10

Is she after a job at the showroom OP? (amongst other things)

Girlonatubetrain · 31/03/2017 20:11

he definitely spends more adult one on one time with DF than he does with me on a daily basis

OP posts:
MrsJaniceBattersby · 31/03/2017 20:13

Hope tonight goes well for you OP
stay strong

Ohb0llocks · 31/03/2017 20:14

Sounds dodgy to me OP.

Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it