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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU for not speaking to my brother anymore?

29 replies

PinkHoodie01028 · 11/10/2021 22:25

Sorry bit too long! Bit of background, I have been suffering from recurrent miscarriages for the past 3 years. I had a stillborn at 22 weeks and 5 subsequent miscarriages. This has taken a massive toll on me mentally, I have anxiety and when pregnant this spikes through the roof.

10 months ago, my brother moved to same country as me to start a job. He arrived during covid lockdown and asked to stay with us for a few weeks. We warned him he would need to quarantine (gov guidelines) for 2 weeks. He tried going into restaurants and shops ignoring the rules. I told him not to and he got a bit upset but stopped breaking them.

Apart from that, we had a really nice time and I was enjoying hosting him. We tried to make him feel as welcome as possible (cooking for him, doing his laundry etc.) and didn't charge him for anything, my mum gave me some money too so that helped.

For his job he needed a proof of address. He told me he wasn't in a rush as he didn't want to start work until the next month. He asked for my bank statements, driver's licence or utility bill - I told him they wouldn't accept it as they were under my name but gave them to him anyway. We also added him to our gas bill but obviously we didn't get the statement until much later.

At the time I was 6 weeks pregnant. My brother had to go to another city to sort his contract , where covid cases were soaring. When he came back he told me he needed to go again the next week as they wouldn't accept proof of address under my name (unsurprisingly). I couldn't sleep thinking I was going to get covid and the pregnancy was going to be affected. The next day I explained that I was pregnant and very anxious. I suggested alternatives like staying longer with us then renting a room in the city, or asking if he could do it virtually. He said "yeah ok" and ignored me, booked a bus to go again, then stopped talking to me.

The next day I overheard him phone his wife complaining that it was a mistake coming here, the food was shit and that just refused to help him. He finished with "turns out she is pregnant and she is a psycho”.

When he finished I confronted him saying it was very rude of him to say all those things and those lies. We did try helping him. He just said "All I know is I've been here for 2 weeks and I still don't have a proof of address, I am not going to chase you for my papers, if you don't want to give them to me it's your problem". He then proceeded to tell me how crazy I was, that I had problems, that I got crazy and made him quarantine. I lost count of how many times he told me I was crazy. He then said he knew how not to get covid and that I was just paranoid. Finally he just said "you think I want to be here?? you really think I enjoy being here?? I want to get the fuck out of here". So I told him to leave.

The next day we went to the hospital and they told us there was no heartbeat. I know my dad told my brother, but didn't hear anything from him for the next 4 moths, apart from his wife texting my dad to ask me to write a letter claiming he was still living with me and to send a copy of my licence as proof of address.

A few weeks later, his wife texted me saying "Didn't want you to find out on FB but you are going to be an aunt!" So, it hit me, when he called her and said I was pregnant & psycho, she was pregnant too.

5 months later I had another miscarriage, this time he texted me saying he is really sorry, that he was very rude to me and we should just forget everything, and start with a clean slate.

Maybe I should've just accepted the apology, but "let's forget about it" was not enough for me so I replied saying he really hurt me and that for me it wasn't a clean slate type of thing. Days later his wife texted me to invite me to her baby gender reveal. I politely declined.

A couple of months later, they came to visit our city and asked to meet. I told him I would only meet him to talk things through and not pretend everything was fine.

His apology (in summary) was: “I’m sorry, I already told you I am! What else do you want me to tell you? What do you want me to do? Go crawling to the cathedral to ask God for forgiveness? Write you letters saying how sorry I am? I am sorry... but you kicked me out of your house, no one has ever done that to me, which tells me you are the one with the problem…”. I almost lost it and left. My husband told him "your sister was very vulnerable, when she needed you the most you prioritised your contract over her well being" to which he replied "yeah, I did".

Their baby was born a couple of months ago, we sent them presents, said congratulations but otherwise haven't spoken to them or seen the baby. I feel guilty but equally don't want to spend time with my brother and am having a rough time being around babies due to our problems.

AIBU?

OP posts:
StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 11/10/2021 22:36

No I think I would be giving him a wide berth for a very long time. Hes clearly not used to respecting other peoples boundaries, but thinks everyone should accomodate him and his needs.

What was your relationship like before all this?

Sorry for your losses x

Cherrysoup · 11/10/2021 22:51

I’m sorry for your losses, OP. I’m afraid I think your brother is an uncaring arsehole.

PinkHoodie01028 · 11/10/2021 22:51

@StrictlyAFemaleFemale

Thank you.

We've never had a good relationship. He was a bit of a bully when growing up and we fought a lot. But then it just became very neutral and rarely spoke to each other other than normal pleasantries. I've been living away from home (and him) for almost 10 years so I really thought we could "reconnect" now that we were supposed to be more mature. I was also really keen on getting to know his wife more since I don't really know her well, most of their relationship has been whilst I've been away. Not sure that's going to happen now...

OP posts:
ShowMeTheSugar · 11/10/2021 22:57

Your brother sounds like an absolute dickhead. I would be in no hurry to reconnect if I were you.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 11/10/2021 23:00

He sounds like an arsehole.

JackieQueen · 11/10/2021 23:08

I'm so sorry you've had such a bad time. I'm not sure I would be able to forgive. Hope things get better for you Flowers

Kisskiss · 11/10/2021 23:15

He’s a brat

TopCatsTopHat · 11/10/2021 23:20

Wow. You are well rid of him. I know he's your brother but if even half of that is true you would owe him nothing. Basic respect is entirely missing and no genuine remorse.
Pity his wife, unless he's met his match, and leave them to it.

PaperhouseLegs · 11/10/2021 23:23

He sounds like a total knob. I'd go NC to be honest. You didn't have a good relationship growing up, it hasn't worked as grown ups either. I don't see there is anywhere else to go with it that won't upset you. I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriages and stillbirth Flowers

EKGEMS · 11/10/2021 23:42

He's one mean and nasty mother fucker

Justilou1 · 12/10/2021 00:41

No.. you’re not unreasonable. He’s a fuckwit.

ThePearSquare · 12/10/2021 00:46

You’re well rid, horrible self-centred cunt of a man. I hope you’re doing O.K OP, you sound like you’ve had the absolute worst time. Flowers

RAOK · 12/10/2021 00:59

People generally don’t change in my experience. I would stop all further contact and focus on your mental health and well-being.

DogsandCatsB4u · 12/10/2021 01:06

He’s in the wrong

NeverChange · 12/10/2021 01:20

Your husband sounds lovely and very supportive and definitely is in your corner.

You don't have to cut your brother out completely but he doesn't sound like a great guy. Keep contact to a minimum for now but you may want to see his kids some day and have a relationship with them.

I'm very sorry for your losses. Prioritise your needs right now. Your brother can wait.

3rdTimeIsTheCharm1 · 12/10/2021 01:20

It sounds like your relationship is on the mend actually. After him being such a toddler. He definitely sounds very immature. Hopefully fatherhood will make him less selfish as a person.

I'd say just continue to send best wishes and gifts for the important occasions and I'm sure you'll get to have a real conversation some time in the future.

Don't give into the blame game. You don't owe him anything and you have nothing to feel guilty about.

I'm sorry you've gone through all those losses! It sounds very hard. Take care of yourself!

CanIPleaseHaveOne · 12/10/2021 01:29

I am very sorry for your fertility issues OP and I hope something somehow works out.
Your brother sounds extremely selfish. Having a new born should have given him great insight to your pain. He chose not to see.
Choose you and your lovely dh. Your db has agency and choice - let him choose.
You have enough to deal with.

JourneyToThePlacentaOfTheEarth · 12/10/2021 01:36

He sounds like my brother, nothing is ever their fault and only their needs matter. To me it sounds like he's up to something, apologising because he needs something from you. I'm so sorry for what you've been through. You're right to protect yourself from situations that make you feel worse, don't feel guilty. Yanbu

PinkHoodie01028 · 12/10/2021 09:09

Thank you for your replies, they definitely made me feel better, we've had a horrendous time and this hasn't helped at all.

When he was "apologising" to me he said "If you want to be angry your entire life for something I did, that is your problem" and I can't get that out my head.

His wife had a miscarriage last year, so I thought he would be more understanding.

I guess that is another thing that hurt me, when his wife had a miscarriage I immediately reached out to her, asked her how she was, checked on her for the following days, etc. Whenever I have one she never reaches out and only says something if I do.

For example, when she invited me to the gender reveal I explained that those events are very hard for me and that I had another miscarriage recently (she knew) so it was still very raw, and on top of that with my brother it would be awkward since we hadn't spoken. She replied something along the lines "Oh I know how hard it is and of course don't worry about attending, I don't want to touch this topic with you cause I don't know if you don't want to" (but surely if I reached out to her it means I do? dunno); to the the issue with my brother she just replied "You stop talking to your friends and neighbours but never ever to your family, specially over something so silly"... It really wasn't silly to me.

OP posts:
3rdTimeIsTheCharm1 · 12/10/2021 09:51

It sounds like you have been texting. I recommend actual conversation- face to face or at least over the phone. A lot gets lost in translation while texting. Good luck! Try and not worry too much what they think at least. Meditate, pray, exercise - do something good for your mind. Xx

Brefugee · 12/10/2021 10:29

meh. I wouldn't give him any more of my time, Christmas cards only and maybe card/present for his DC(s).

Do what makes you happy

Carboncheque · 12/10/2021 10:35

I’m sorry for your losses. You have been through so much and all you were asking for was for him to treat you with basic courtesy. Instead he kicked you when you were down. Flowers

billy1966 · 12/10/2021 10:48

So sorry for all your terrible losses, that has been so hard for you.

Kindly OP, your brother sounds like a very ugly character and I think you are fligging a dead horse.

He is a nasty, selfish man, leave him to it.

He has added nothing to your life.

Focus on yourself and your husband.

Flowers
Justilou1 · 12/10/2021 13:56

She’s not exactly a pillar of empathy either is she? DB has met his match.

Member984815 · 12/10/2021 14:53

Dismissing you by calling this silly won't help , I'd probably just keep a civil relationship with them but they don't seem to understand how you are feeling at all. I'm sorry for your losses

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