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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Need some objective advice - don’t know if I am overreacting

21 replies

Tattie123 · 19/01/2020 19:56

Hello,
I am need of some advice as I can’t talk to anyone about it and I’m not sure if I am overreacting.
About 2 years ago my OH and I went through quite a rough time. I (very drunkenly) saw a text message from his ex-colleague asking him if they were still meeting up the following week (when I would have been away on holiday). I was very drunk (not an excuse), all hell broke lose and I hurt my partner a lot that night by the things I was saying and throwing some of his personal belongings out the window - it was not a pretty sight and he was very hurt for a long time after. He claimed they never had anything going on and she was talking about a get together of old colleagues. He didn’t want to tell me (and in general always avoided talking about her before) because I got jealous one time and wondering why she was calling him on a Sunday and asking him to help her with something at her home. Needless to say, he didn’t, up until that point I had never even heard of her so I felt a bit insecure about it. After that night he never spoke to her again/saw her again as she was due to move away that summer anyways and he stupidly called her when I had my drunken rage to prove nothing was going on - not a great idea, I took the phone and was shouting abuse at her (I know, that’s horrible and I feel horrible about that.) We went through couples counselling (and I went through personal counselling and stopped drinking). he admitted that some of his actions might have come across shady but he just said he tends to avoid conflict. Fast forward two years we’ve been very happy and really worked on ourselves. We learned to be more respectful when arguing and life has been good.
Last night that ex-colleague of his called him twice in a row way past midnight. He didn’t realise it was her and clicked her away. This morning he checked his phone to see what number that was and her name came up - I was next to him in bed.
I was rather upset and am wondering why the hell she would call him on a Saturday night after not having spoken to him two years ago. He genuinely did seem surprised to see her name come up and I do believe him that they’ve not spoken to each other since.
There is one thing on my mind though. Even if it was a drunken call on her part, would you really call someone on a Saturday night during an ungodly hour if they were just an ex-colleague. It’s made me feel terrible today, my OH is raging that I don’t trust him and put this onto me saying it is an issue I have to figure out. He’s making me feel guilty about my feelings and generally was quite aggressive this morning when I was upset. I just don’t believe you would booty call someone after such a long time if nothing had happened before. So an issue that was seemingly a non-issue has come up again and I don’t know what to think. Help - am I overreacting?

OP posts:
andyjusthangingaround · 19/01/2020 20:11

You have some serious problems! You need help 😳
Hope you stopped drinking
Please see some help

Brefugee · 19/01/2020 20:14

I don't get what your issue is - he didn't answer and he didn't call back. That's what you wanted, isn't it?

PurpleFlower1983 · 19/01/2020 20:16

Wow! You sound crazy from your post OP!

Tombliwho · 19/01/2020 20:17

He sounds scared Sad you say yourself he seemed genuinely surprised. I really think you need to believe and trust him or let him go, for his sake at least.

Hercules12 · 19/01/2020 20:17
Shock
SymphonyofShadows · 19/01/2020 20:19

Drinking aside, I’m not sure about this. She previously texted him to ask him to do something at her house, at this point you didn’t know of her existence. She texted to ask about a meet up that he hadn’t mentioned, when he knew you were away. She calls after midnight, supposedly two years after they last spoke. Are you sure you aren’t being gaslighted, with the drinking a convenient excuse?

heartsonacake · 19/01/2020 20:20

YABU. Of course you are overreacting.

He should have left you back then when you abused him. Hopefully your reaction here will make him see sense and leave you now.

MissRabbitNeedsAHoliday · 19/01/2020 20:20

He didnt answer her & didnt call back, and hasn't spoken to her for years. I dont know what more he can do?

KatsutheClockworkOctopus · 19/01/2020 20:21

Did she leave a message? Otherwise I'd just assume pocket dial and not really think about it tbh.

Ohtherewearethen · 19/01/2020 20:27

Your boyfriend isn't in control of who phones him. He is only in control of how he reacts to it and it appears he did the right thing here? Would you have preferred him to answer it?

1Morewineplease · 19/01/2020 20:46

Sounds like ‘trust’ is an issue here.
You’ve also said that you’ve both learned to be more respectful when arguing.
Do you argue often then?
Has your drinking been a problem?

I’d be a bit suspicious about this call but then you stated that this was a ‘booty ‘ call. Is it? How do you know?

Maybe he’s having an affair.

Your post came across as someone who is a bit desperate and regretful.

LolaSmiles · 19/01/2020 20:50

YABU
Nobody is responsible for someone else's actions.

It sounds like you've got jealousy issues and fly off the handle easily, which isn't healthy.

Would I be suspicious of a midnight call? I'd find it odd as an intentional call But equally it could be a pocket dial or hands free issue (I've had to quickly cancel calls to old university friends and colleagues because my car didn't pick up the correct name).

Nearlyalmost50 · 19/01/2020 20:52

It might have been an accident, she might have meant to call someone else, or she might have had a silly 'I really liked that guy' moment. It doesn't sound like there was anything going on and he was upfront in telling you about it today and not hiding anything, it's hard to say but it sounds not suspicious to me.

Someone I'd fallen out with accidentally dialled my number recently, they didn't ring back or redial, I'm pretty sure they didn't mean to.

NearlyGranny · 19/01/2020 20:57

Why is it always the innocent party's 'trust issue' when something looks shady?

You don't have to be perfect to not get cheated on. The fact that OP's DH is 'raging' suggests something is up. If it were just two random calls after two years, what is he so aerated about?

The pair of you could do with some couples counselling to help you both sort the anger out, I think. And he may be cheating in an ongoing relationship with this ex-colleague. Who calls an ex-colleague from work in to help with house stuff? That's family/best friend/lover territory.

I hope you can get this straightened out, OP. Neither of you is perfect but that doesn't mean you don't deserve a loving and respectful partnership.

RedRedWines · 19/01/2020 20:57

YABU and sound like a nightmare.

gobbynorthernbird · 19/01/2020 21:01

When you say you were 'upset' what did you say and/or do?

Shoxfordian · 19/01/2020 21:04

Yabu and jealous again

Fleaminraging · 19/01/2020 21:15

I think people are disregarding the fact that the op is well aware her behaviour was not rational but has clearly been working on that and has stated she has had counselling with her OH. Surely we should recognise that rather than put her down.

Anyway, I don't think you are being unreasonable. I would be suspicious after the things you have said. However, that doesn't mean there isn't a rational explanation such as the woman calling the wrong person or a pocket dial. I would avoid any conflict with your OH just based on a missed call. There is nothing concrete to suggest he has done anything wrong, and hopefully nothing else will arise.

LolaSmiles · 19/01/2020 21:45

Why is it always the innocent party's 'trust issue' when something looks shady?
It's not always their trust issues, but trust issues are common and an issue, especially when someone acknowledges they get jealous.

As a result things that may look shady night be totally innocent in the wider context. For example, one of our friends had an ex who hated the fact me and her DP had a long term friendship. We stopped texting as much out of respect, but in the end the consequences here were that he'd just not tell her if I was at a social event (where I was attending with my DP, now DH). I'm sure in Mumsnet world he should have broken our friendship off and prevented me attending our friendship group socials to appease his girlfriend's irrational jealousy , or decide that clearly we must have slept together at some point, but the reality was it was hard work for him having her throw tantrums over female friends and in the end the relationship ended and his friendship with me and my DH is still ongoing.

If anyone in a relationship (male or female) flies off the handle when they don't like their DP's contact with the opposite sex, then that's not ok. The OP has admitted she's struggling with some jealousy and that's a good thing because it means she can move forward.

slipperywhensparticus · 19/01/2020 21:49

Did you say why did she call and him fly off the Handle or?

SymphonyofShadows · 20/01/2020 14:48

If you remove what you know about the OP’s self confessed behaviour what you are left with looks dodgy. I think most people are being too quick to judge OP

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