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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:
BumWad · 31/03/2017 16:45

Shock @ your update

The friendship is over.

WhoremoaneeGrainger · 31/03/2017 16:45

I think she is after your husband, and i hope and pray he just thinks she needs some support.

You need to talk to her too and tell her to back off, and also tell her husband that she is making you uncomfortable.

I agree with other posters, he is trying to be a good friend but he needs to be a good husband and listen to your concerns, then tell her to knock it off.

Goldenhandshake · 31/03/2017 16:45

OP you need to go nuclear on this one, the pair of them have shown no respect for your feelings or your marriage. Tell her in no uncertain terms where she can stick her 'friendship', tell her DH exactly why you have ended the friendship too.

As for you DH, he has massively pole vaulted over the line of decency and needs to acknowledge this and put an end to all communication with her if he wants your marriage to survive.

expatinscotland · 31/03/2017 16:45

I wouldn't wait till tonight. I'd go to his workplace now. Bet she's there.

If so, I'd pack him a bag. 'I'm done with your lies and your fucking slag, you cheating son of a bitch. Get out.' Call her husband, tell him everything. 'My husband and your wife are cheap slappers who are having an affair (because they are, emotional at hte least). You're welcome to them both.'

I'd have gone fucking spare about this long ago.

PoisonousSmurf · 31/03/2017 16:47

Get a nanny cam. You'll soon know for sure. What a biatch that DF is!

DesertSky · 31/03/2017 16:49

Don't think that the fact she didn't sneak off undetected indicates her innocence - you had her kids with you, right? She probably panicked a bit what to do and then turned it into a game. Her boldness suggests she is rubbing it in your face OP. The fact she's being so open about her visits and sending you selfies is almost like she's putting on a show trying to convince everyone how innocent it is - I know from work colleagues this is a classic facade when something is going on under the surface!

P1nkP0ppy · 31/03/2017 16:49

Ye gods!
Your DH clearly has no intention of stopping this outrageous flirtation (or more) and she's beyond the pale, what a cow!
I'd tell her that she's persona non grata and her husband that the friendship's over and why.
Sadly I think there's more going on despite your DH's protestations and he's enjoying having a younger woman chasing after him.

SharkBastard · 31/03/2017 16:50

Holy hell fire!!!!

No no no! I'd be ripping throats out and balls off. Your DH is a fucking twat and your friend is a cunt.

Have it out, lay it bare, end this shit. I'm livid for you!

IloveBanff · 31/03/2017 16:51

expatinscotland that would be playing in to the woman's hands. She'd love the OP's marriage to break up, so she can have the OP's husband.

cafenoirbiscuit · 31/03/2017 16:52

Wow - this sounds worse at each update in terms of how much time this woman is spending with your DH. What does her DH think she is doing with her time?

Jaysis · 31/03/2017 16:53

She is not a friend to you.
If a friend thought that I was spending too much time with their partner and they felt threatened by that I would be mortified and at pains to prove to her she has nothing to worry about by staying away from him.

I was going to suggest a nanny cam. But I think at this point you've got to tell him straight - she's massively disrespected you and your marriage and is therefore no friend of yours. And as a consequence, you want her nowhere near your husband. He doesn't like that? He can pack a fucking bag too if he feels that strongly about her feelings over yours.

Fuck me, she really gets a kick out of getting you to mind her kids while she destroys your marriage, doesn't she? She's nasty.

Go nuclear. She's on the hunt for her next affair and if your husband hasn't already shagged her, its only a matter of time before it happens.

Sativa · 31/03/2017 16:53

They're hiding in plain sight.

expatinscotland · 31/03/2017 16:53

'expatinscotland that would be playing in to the woman's hands. She'd love the OP's marriage to break up, so she can have the OP's husband.'

And as he's a gaslighting, minimising prick who completely disrespects his wife and marriage and is already taking OW's side over his wife's, she'd be welcome to him! OP deserves better than someone who behaves like this over a cheap piece of arse. He already knows she's a cheating ho-bag, he seems to be one, too.

HalfShellHero · 31/03/2017 16:55

I've read this whole thread like Shock you need to confront him and cut her off!

Girlonatubetrain · 31/03/2017 16:55

I will do this face to face with my husband
I won't give anyone the satisfaction of airing my dirty laundry on a group chat - also, we're from the Asian community as gossip spreads like wildfire -
their marriage maybe a mess
I'm not sure mine is
but if it is, its for me and DH to talk through

I don't think anything has happened physically between DF and DH
emotionally- I think it has to have for it to continue like this, despite my raising objections

everytime I have voiced a concern
she tells me she is off men and just needs to look after herself mentally

I think her husband has faults and though it's no excuse, that's her reason for looking elsewhere
I have in the past talked lovingly about my DH (he's a great DH and dad - we've been together over 15 years) and I suspect she has a rose tinted view of him because of it

My husband has a showroom; currently a start up, has no staff as yet, so it's just him and other than when a customer comes in, he is free (but has plenty to get on with!)
so no one there to see what is going on between them

OP posts:
EpoxyResin · 31/03/2017 16:56

If a friend thought that I was spending too much time with their partner and they felt threatened by that I would be mortified and at pains to prove to her she has nothing to worry about by staying away from him.

Me too!! I think that would be the normal response.

supersop60 · 31/03/2017 16:56

YANBU. This thread is a major trigger for me. My OH had an emotional affair about 3 yrs ago, and it started in a very similar way. Trust your instincts - they have crossed a line. Baby steps and poor decisions.
If this thread were in Relationships somebody would have mentioned the book 'Not 'Just Friends'' by now.
BTW- your main problem is your H. Stick to your guns.

Graphista · 31/03/2017 16:56

1 she has form - as om was an old friend it's possible he was also friends with her husband and if om married she was friends with his wife?

2 she is unhappy in marriage which you think will end meaning on that score she has nothing to lose

3 she's told you she's attracted to dh

4 dh is being dismissive of your concerns

5 secret communication (in real life or electronic) is NEVER a good sign, if your dh really wanted to reassure you he could have shown you those messages AND agreed they should stop without you having to ask!

6 prioritising giving her attention over you

7 buying in her preferred drunk! Wtf!

No no no! They both need told this is completely unacceptable behaviour, disrespectful to you and your relationship and stops now!!

"can't understand why your DH isn't seeing it that way too." Because he doesn't want to! He's flattered by the attentions of a much younger attractive, making herself seem available woman he knows has a crush on him!

"his inevitable rejection of her will make her worse not better." I don't think that's inevitable at all.

She's seeing him daily? And manipulating you into watching her kids while she shags talks to your dh. I'd be having her up against a fucking wall and packing his bags telling her to fuck off at this point!!

Cancel tonight's plans, don't tell him, leave as if plans not cancelled, come home 'early' (after kids been asleep a while but earlier than they would expect).

I'd bet money they're already having an affair and she's getting a kick outta fooling you and he's thinking he's gods fucking gift!!

Fwiw this was me 15 years ago, I supported her through money worries, family shit, provided clothes, toys, childcare (inc full weeks when she went on work courses she was a single mum) only to have both her and my now ex completely gaslight me to the point that even when I had proof and kicked him out I doubted it until he finally confessed some time after we split.

Get this bitch gone and seriously consider your marriage too

supersop60 · 31/03/2017 16:59

I confronted my OH about how his contact with friend made me uncomfortable. He said he'd back off, cut the emails etc. Instead, he started calling and texting MORE.
If he is minimising and lying, it means he KNOWS there is something to hide.

DesertSky · 31/03/2017 17:02

And is her DH a complete wet blanket who is so scared of her he stands back and allows his DW to throw herself at other people's husbands?

Monkeyinshoes · 31/03/2017 17:02

She says she's off men, she says she's trying to fix her marriage. Her actions tell a completely different story to her words.

Trust what you see, not what she tells you.

She's shown she's been lying to you, telling you she was somewhere else when she was actually with your husband. If her visits were innocent there would be no need to lie.

228agreenend · 31/03/2017 17:04

Maybe your husband is naive, and innocently thinks that he is just being a good friend to her. However, she has definantly latched on to him.

I second others who say that you should kill this friendship at once between your two families.

Good luck with chatting with dh. Not easy.

FeralBeryl · 31/03/2017 17:05

Oh Lord!
You need to have this out ASAP with him. Could you bullet point all you've told us here and have it to hand?
I think if DH is genuinely dozy here - once he hears it all as it is, he will be gobsmacked at how insidiously this has escalated.

On the other hand - it's a classic (as discussed by lovely Pinkunicorns upthread) that a guilty party will often brush off claims of over involvement with scoffs of 'oh that nutter' 'you must be joking' 'as if' 'she's crazy'

This is not you.
Find a local male friend and ask DH is he ok with you sneaking off to visit every day/whatsapping/ having cozy specially purchased drinks etc. When he says obviously not - ask him why it's ok for him.

This woman is poisonous and DH is being a massive ego stroked dickhead.
This is not you being paranoid Flowers

VanillaSugar · 31/03/2017 17:08

What sort of work do YOU do OP? I'd be moving my stuff into DH's business and saying "You're obviously lonely, I'm going to keep you company" .

Have the kids broken up for Easter holidays yet? She can hardly sit there all day with kids in tow, can she? Do not make any play date plans unless your kids go to hers.

Graphista · 31/03/2017 17:09

Oh op all close communities gossip but they both need told! Gossip will not go in her favour!