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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not want to see or speak to her again?

297 replies

froofroomcgoo · 22/04/2017 20:43

Been wanting to write this for a while but didn't have the guts. This could be loooong.

My BF is one of DH's BF. They met at uni, I met her about 3 months after he did. I was her maid of honor, she mine. DH was an usher at her wedding, we see each other most weeks. Or did.

I got pregnant shortly after getting married. She requires an operation before she can have children (well, it's advised the operation is before pregnancy as pregnancy could make her condition worse) she doesn't want the operation so has put it off until recently when she has had to organise it. She isn't sure she wants kids at all, wants to foster ASD children.

She was the first person we told I was pregnant. She was excited and happy for us, continued to see her regularly. Then baby came. I had mild postnatal depression, I was struggling with the physical changes to my body, I had a birth injury causing on going issues and my sex life was non-existent which along with my mood was causing issues in my relationship. I confided in her. DS was a velcro baby, bottle refuser and terrible, terrible sleeper. I was miserable, sleep deprived and depressed.

I feel that as a good friend she should have suggested nights in round mine, shopping trips or lunch out, nights round her with DS coming with me, walks in the park etc (which I did suggest to her). I feel she should have hugged me, listened to me, told me to buck up. I did ask about her life and the things important to her etc, it wasn't one sided.

Instead, she went out drinking and dancing with DH, invited him to child-unfriendly things, invited him to lunch, the park, shopping, coffee with DS (under the guise of giving me a break).

We used to all do a hobby together, which I can't do due to my birth injury. She'd invite DH to do that, knowing how upset it made me, she'd invite him to gigs, trips away.

DH would always ask me before saying yes or no, and would sometimes say no anyway as he knew I was struggling, but I felt bad asking him not to go (I know now I should have said when I wasn't happy.

She'd also do things such as when we were round hers, put music on and give DH drinks and start dancing, then say "I really want to go out dancing but I bet froo won't let you" within earshot of me.

It all came to a head when DS was about 8 months when DH and her were going away for an event. DH informed me he'd book a twin room (we're pretty broke) or take an airbed in a cheapo hotel. I found out the night before that he's booked a naice hotel with 4 poster bed (though it was cheap!) we had a massive row and they didn't go.

We discussed it afterwards and DH did admit that he and DF had been getting close, he's been confiding in her and enjoyed spending time with her and could see it wouldn't take much for him to start having inappropriate feelings for her. He admitted his behaviour had been out of order and we discussed the issues in our relationship and are working on those.

DH maintains that DF didn't know about the hotel and I shouldn't blame her. I pointed out all the issues above and told him I felt she had been a poor friend to me, and had been undermining our relationship by listening to me about how I felt and things that were going wrong and then using them to get close to DH. DH admitted that he hadn't seen it that way but could see my point and that that meant she wasn't a good friend to him either.

Unfortunately she is part of a wider close friendship group, making it very hard to cut her off completely. I've seen her maybe 6 times since this incident. I'm polite but cool. The rest of group don't know about any of this. DH is still maintaining a friendship with her, though made the decision himself not to see her alone at all, or without me where possible.

He feels over time I should forgive her and move on. I don't want to. There is history of her doing similar things and this is just the final straw. I don't want her in my life. It's been about 9 months now.

DH and I have been working through things and things have been pretty good. I haven't fully decided if I can get over what he did, I do believe it to be an emotional affair and I'm not sure I can forgive him, but I'm trying.

AIBU to never want too see her again? And certainly not consider her a friend?

I think we're doing well and then I find that last night, when out with work and drunk, he text her. He clearly wanted to see her (I don't know what he text, just her response of "I'm not out tonight" when it flashed up on his phone screen.) and know I'm thinking does he still have feelings for her?

I hate this!

OP posts:
ohfourfoxache · 23/04/2017 08:31

Fwiw I think that any form of friendship, close or otherwise, has to be over for them now if he wants your relationship to survive. She is obviously an cow for her part in this situation but he needs to face the consequences of what he's done.

KateDaniels2 · 23/04/2017 08:33

What i dont get is why you never want to see her again but putting up with your husbands behaviour.

Especially when he is saying he wants you to forgive her.

ThatsNotAKnifeThatsASpoon · 23/04/2017 08:37

I'm sure I read the four poster bed thing before. Was it you OP?

WonTooTreeFor · 23/04/2017 08:41

Yes I thought the bed thing has been mentioned before.

Tough one OP. I think you may have nipped it in the bud before anything actually happened but is that any better?

WonderMike · 23/04/2017 08:43

He wants you to forgive her because it's easier for him. If you are back to being best friends with her, it makes it look like whatever went on was 1. Not serious and of course you've forgiven him because how could you be friends otherwise or 2. All in your silly head and of course you've forgiven him because how could you be friends otherwise.

If it's clear to the group - and her DH - that you and DH will not be friends with her, that would lead to some awkward questions like 1. Were they shagging and 2. How shit a friend would she have to be to meddle in your marriage when you had PND which wouldn't have been so bad if you'd had a supportive DH at home

He doesn't want this because he cares about your feelings here, he wants it swept under the carpet and all tickety-boo, carry on there's nothing to see here.

Foggymist · 23/04/2017 08:43

I thought I read about the bed/friend/away for a hobby etc before too, did you post about this when you found this out yes?

KateDaniels2 · 23/04/2017 08:44

I have a feeling i have read the four poster bed story before.

Right down to the H booking it, friend (apparantly) not knowing, finding the email booking while up with the baby.

I dont recall so much info about the friends behaviour though.

froofroomcgoo · 23/04/2017 08:44

thatsnotaknife i posted when it happened. Had a few name changes since then though.

I took the advice then and followed through with it (talk to him, get baby out of our bed, seek help for pnd) but since then I've realised what a shit friend she was and how she was undermining me.

It also takes time to see if the changes we said we'd make and the things we agreed to work on are happening. Hence me posting again.

I've also had cause to see her recently which has opened old wounds and then the text gave me cause to not trust him again.

OP posts:
KateDaniels2 · 23/04/2017 08:48

I am pretty sure the advice was that your husband was also a sleaze bag and you would be better without him.

CMamaof4 · 23/04/2017 08:53

Ditch them both,
You can't trust either of them.

JigglyTuff · 23/04/2017 08:55

But the changes you agreed aren't happening are they? He's still texting her and urging you to include her in your life. I can't imagine those are things you said you were happy about.

Really, not much has changed since you had your big confrontation has it?

DonaldStott · 23/04/2017 08:59

but since then I've realised what a shit friend she was and how she was undermining me.

Yes, it's all her fault.

LadyRoseate · 23/04/2017 09:05

I am pretty sure the advice was that your husband was also a sleaze bag and you would be better without him.

I'm sure people did say that, but that doesn't mean OP has failed by not kicking him out yet. She's tried to work on her marriage and sort this out. He's apparently not on board, but it takes time for that to become clear. And LTB when you have a shared home and DC and will have to tell everyone and face all those changes, is often a long journey, not a snap decision like when you're young with no ties.

It took me years and years to face up to what I really needed to do and leave. Even then that doesn't mean that is necessarily the right decision for OP, or the right decision at this point. What MN can do is be supportive through these tough times.

NightWanderer · 23/04/2017 09:09

Of course you're not being unreasonable to not want to see or speak to her ever again. Have you considered counselling on your own? You've been through a lot with the PND and this affair.

UrbanYokel · 23/04/2017 09:11

I'm so sorry, how awful for you.
Both your husband and friend have behaved inappropriately.
They are both snakes in the grass.
Good luck with what you choose to do going forward.

KateDaniels2 · 23/04/2017 09:16

lady not sure what you are talking about?

I am saying that the advice the Op has quoted she was given, has been cherry picked (for want of a better phrase). The overwhelming advice was that he was a scumbag. Not that the baby co sleeoing or her pnd were the issue.

I never said she should LTB or feel bad that she didnt. Just her summary of the advice isnt quite accurate.

londonrach · 23/04/2017 09:17

Agree with others its your dh who the problem here. Hope you ok x

Foggymist · 23/04/2017 09:18

She is a shit friend but she's not the one you're married to so she is not what's causing your problem here.

Wedrine4me · 23/04/2017 09:21

You gave him another chance. Fair enough, but he's abused that chance by texting her again. How many chances are you prepared to give him? That's the question now.

befuddledgardener · 23/04/2017 09:33

Blame your DH. Not her

Only1scoop · 23/04/2017 09:47

He's the dodgy one I couldn't forgive this.
She's no friend, I'd cut her off completely

Msqueen33 · 23/04/2017 09:55

It obviously hurts as she's a "friend" and hadn't broken your trust. But fucking hell your dh is a bastard. He should do whatever you need to sort out your friendship but sounds like he's glossing over what he's done like it's acceptable. It's not.

AnniesShop · 23/04/2017 09:57

Would your DH be ok with you having such a close male friend
that you went out overnight with and shared a double bed - I'd bet
a weeks groceries he wouldn't put up with it for a nanosecond.
But you're expected to... he's got you well trained hasn't he.

winkywinkola · 23/04/2017 10:01

They're both utter shits. I would sack them both. Oh and tell her husband your h had booked a double bed for them. Drop that little bomb too.

AnnieAnoniMouse · 23/04/2017 10:03

I like the quote 'If I can't be an example, then let me be a lesson'

Life experiences, hindsight etc they come too late in our lives Sad

At the time, I gave chance after chance, I needed to know where he was all the time, issued ultimatums, did the 'pick me' dance. If only I'd had MN. Years of 'life' & MN and I'd never put up with this sort of shit now.

You gave him a second chance. He blew it. He's still chasing her & I expect she's still obliging. He learnt nothing from his brush with being divorced, more fool him.

You will make yourself so, so unhappy trying to keep your family together when he has one foot out the door. Don't do it to yourself. I know you love him and it's bloody difficult to LTB, but you and your DS deserve so much more than this and you're just not going to get it from him. He's not long been married, he has a lovely wife and a gorgeous son, you two should be his everything...if you're not now (and you're most definitely not, sorry x) you never will be. It doesn't get any easier as life goes on.

It takes a lot of strength & courage to get a divorce, especially when you love them & just want it to be 'different', but when the other resin isn't fully in it, it's the best option. You can move forward.

Be strong.