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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:
MadeForThis · 01/04/2017 13:33

We'll done.

I would also be vaguely concerned about the "if we split up" comment a few weeks ago.

Why was he thinking like that?

Fishface77 · 01/04/2017 13:36

Well done op.
Each as responsible as the other.
I suggest that you spend more time with DH especially at work place to ensure no pop in visits.
Set up his phone so you can check it whenever you want.
It takes time to rebuild trust and he needs to be transparent in his dealings.
Nasty pair of cunts in my opinion.

InvisibleKittenAttack · 01/04/2017 13:40

She's not trustworthy at all - but an emotional affair is fixable if your DH is determined.

Obviously your exfriend is not going to be faithful to her DH for more than the 5 minutes (Don't call her DFriend anymore, she's not a friend to you, your DH, or your DCs - this is an enemy of your family unit and should be treated as such), but hopefully she's realised this man comes with too much risk - you wo'nt just cry - you'll blow her life apart. (From what you've said, how much is it that her DH loves her too much to lose her, or is more determined to 'save face' in the community by hushing up his wife's cheating? Faced with you making her behaviour very, very public, he might feel forced to throw her out)

Expect her to be making a new male best friend shortly. Or rather, a new female best friend, with a lovely DH. Hmm

LouKout · 01/04/2017 13:40

A very swift resolution!

SingingSilver · 01/04/2017 13:44

So you're ok with your children being punished then?

Don't be a twat. You're well aware the OP has done nothing wrong.

Mummyoflittledragon · 01/04/2017 13:54

I've just read the thread. You are an amazing woman and I'm glad your husband has realised. Flowers

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/04/2017 14:13

Superbly handled, Girl Flowers I especially admire the way you got everyone together to talk rather than risk tittle tattling behind your back, though frankly I'm surprised DF agreed to come

On the face of things it's good that your DH seems remorseful, but I really do hope he tells you when DF almost inevitably visits the office "just to straighten things out". The deleted texts mean there's still a lot you don't know and it would be all too easy for him to hide further visits "because he didn't want to upset you" or claim they were "about her confidential medical issues"

You honestly couldn't have done any more, though - it's up to him now

Kevinbaconsrealwife · 01/04/2017 14:20

Another internet stranger here saying bloody well done you!!! Excellent, mature and classy handling of a shitty situation......wishing you all the best for a happier more settled future....( you've certainly got more balls than her DH 😀😀😀) xxx

blankmind · 01/04/2017 14:42

Girlon I too am in awe about the way you handled this problem, so calmly and absolutely well thought out by getting everyone around the table.You're a Star

This concerns me more than a little.
DFs DH is an IT whizz
he's going to set up on my phone so I can see DHs whatsapp

I'm bothered about him not only doing the job you want, but about him installing something on both your phones to monitor you and your DH's communications with each other or any other tech gadgetry for his own purposes which may not be in your best interests.

I'd ask you to consider asking someone you don't know to do that so you have access to your DH's phone.

JaneEyre70 · 01/04/2017 14:50

Well done for being so strong and powerful in such a horrid and upsetting situation. You've done so well to voice your concerns, and if your DH has one modicum of common sense, he will know the game is well and truly up. He has to work hard to regain your trust, and I hope for your sake that he is capable of that.
I think you sound a pretty amazing person tbh and you should be super proud of yourself today, no matter how tired and shitty you feel Flowers.

GardenGeek · 01/04/2017 15:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PoppyFleur · 01/04/2017 15:25

I am another in awe of how you have handled the whole situation. By bringing it out in the open you have exposed their selfish and utterly thoughtless behaviour.

I wish you the best of luck OP, spend no more time on your so called friend and enjoy the additional free time you will have instead of looking after her children. She will regret the day she lost your friendship and your respect.

aaaaargghhhhelpme · 01/04/2017 15:31

Well done op. I know I'm just a stranger but I'm so in awe of you and how you've handled this.

Hope you can get some rest today. Flowers

brickinitIam · 01/04/2017 16:09

he called her - my Indian barbie
she told him she was on her way to see him, he'd say he can't wait
he told her he looked fwd to seeing her and she was the highlight of his morning

Call me cynical, but judging by the above, I feel this relationship was physical.
I hope I'm wrong Hmm

I don't think they're telling you the whole story.

brickinitIam · 01/04/2017 16:12

The only way you would ever find out the truth is if you were to get her on her own and say that your husband has confessed it got physical.
Call her bluff.
She will either flatly deny or admit it did get physical.

Unless she's so sly that she would know you're trying to trick her.

Either way, you've handled things brilliantly.
Lets hope they're telling the truth.

thatdearoctopus · 01/04/2017 16:17

I wouldn't lose your guard on this one At. All.
I too have a lurking doubt that there is more to this than you've found out but time will tell. Keep your antennae waving.

foxyloxy78 · 01/04/2017 16:36

OP congratulations. You handled this absolutely beautifully. You really couldn't have done a better job. But like many others have said, do not let your guard down.

TitaniasCloset · 01/04/2017 16:39

Well done op!!! I'm really proud of you.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 01/04/2017 16:47

blankmind I believe you've made a very valid point about the "friend's" DH being the one to install anything on phones. He has after all been horribly betrayed himself, and when he comes up for air he might (very understandably) be mostly concerned with his own interests rather than helping someone else

It could even be the sort of thing which might push the DF and OP's DH back together, as in "we're standing together against this awful mistrust being aimed at us" Hmm

lavenirestanous · 01/04/2017 16:53

I'm not convinced by the tale and the tears. Tread very carefully OP.

Marmalade85 · 01/04/2017 16:53

Good job OP

CookieLady · 01/04/2017 17:27

I'm sorry but I don't believe your husband. Calling her his Indian Barbie is beyond the pale. Let alone her visiting him being the highlight of his morning. I agree with a previous poster that it sounds as though they have been having a physical affair too.

RortyCrankle · 01/04/2017 17:34

I've just read the whole thread. How awful for you OP but my goodness, you have shown amazing strength. I hope that's the end of it Very well done for sorting them out Flowers

Also agree with Wellysocksbox - it's the OP's life not a soap on tv Hmm

Softkitty2 · 01/04/2017 18:41

Wow well done you OP. that's how it should be done, nipped in the bud straight away, home truths being said and no beating around the bush.

Well done and good luck. Maybe a reminder of what he has got to lose and if she is worth it has knocked some sense into him

GutInstinct · 01/04/2017 18:49

I'm sorry OP, but he's lying.

It makes no sense that he would delete messages which referred to her mental health issues because of keeping them confidential while keeping messages which incriminated him in an emotional affair.

Either he was afraid that you would see the messages, or he wasn't. If he wanted to keep anything from you he would have deleted all the messages. It's far more likely that he has deleted the more incriminating ones, the naked pictures, the ones where they have talked explicitly about what they wanted to do to each other etc.

He likely realised that at some point he would get caught out, not least because you are all so close as a group, so if he kept the ones which are still over the line but not proof of their physical affair there was far more likelihood that he would be able to convince you that it was just an emotional affair and you would forgive him. If he deleted everything you would draw your own conclusions and rightly guess that he'd been having a sexual affair.