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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Was this such a terrible thing to do? AIBU?

120 replies

Kymmi · 09/05/2023 12:01

This concerns my friend since childhood. We got together a few years ago but I ended the relationship late last year for a few reasons but also because my feelings were platonic rather than romantic. I initially pushed for us to have a break from each other, mainly for his benefit as he obviously still had feelings for me but he forcefully insisted we remain friends - according to him now because I’d said I wasn’t interested in dating which was and is true but he never mentioned this at the time.

A few weeks ago, after I’d done him a favour, he started interrogating me about my love life. I was honest and admitted that I’d hooked up with an ex which resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. As fate would have it, the abortion was booked on the day of a mutual friend’s funeral.

We had already planned to travel together so I messaged and explained I’d need to leave after the service as I had a hospital appointment and would therefore travel to the funeral by myself. He insisted that he could still take us and that he’d take me to my hospital appointment as well and that he hoped we’d spend the day together after (which we did even though I really wanted to be on my own to process). He asked what the appointment was for so I lied about the reason and explained he couldn’t come with me (which was true) but took him up on his offer of a lift, partly because I knew from experience that he wouldn’t drop it.

He’s furious with me for not telling him the reason for my appointment and said if he’d known I was pregnant, he wouldn’t have taken me or done a couple of other favours for me at the time. I’m really hurt that our friendship appears to be conditional on me not sleeping with or dating other people and I’m equally angry that he expected me to consider his feelings first at a very traumatic and upsetting time for me.

For context, shortly before we got together, I had another termination (same ex) and my friend was fully aware and insisted on taking me to my appointments so I assumed he’d be ok about it as he was before. However, he sneered at me that he’d now taken me to two abortions which really stung as I could hear the judgement in his voice, even after I’d told him I’d found the whole thing traumatic and was still processing it all. For further context, he’d been on a date and not told me about it but apparently that’s not the same as I don’t have feelings for him?! It’s true I’m fine with him dating but the double standards bother me.

Was IBU to have let him give me a lift to the hospital? I feel like he’s massively overreacting- it’s not like I was secretly having a baby and he was taking me to my maternity appointments, it was just a lift for a medical procedure but he’s acting like he’d done me a huge favour that I brought about by deception.

OP posts:
IBlinkThereforeIAm · 09/05/2023 12:04

This sounds weird and controlling. What you do, who you see or what medical issues you have are absolutely none of his business if you don't wish to share them. Nobody forced him to give you a lift. Clearly he's not over you not being together so not capable of being a friend to you. You need to distance yourself from him. You don't owe him anything and he sounds weirdly obsessed with you.

febrezeme · 09/05/2023 12:12

You need to set boundaries with this person
It's all very messy and take a huge step back from your friendship. That being said I wouldn't have assumed that he'd be ok with taking you to your appointment to be honest - most people are pretty accepting and non judgmental of one termination you can't always assume they'll be accepting of another given the circumstances of it being with the same ex and especially given his obvious feelings towards you

Ladiesunited · 09/05/2023 12:21

You need to set boundaries with this person, it’s horrendous to agree to an ex taking you to an appt to abort another man’s baby! Sad but it’s a fact that once he’s your ex he can never really be your friend again.

I think you’ve behaved appalling tbh.

nopenotplaying · 09/05/2023 12:41

Abortions aren't contraception. I'm not surprised he was taken aback having been involved/supported you in having one previously with the SAME ex. I expect your friendship is over now.

CoozudBoyuPuak · 09/05/2023 12:44

He's not your friend, and you aren't his. I am sorry you are clearly going through a lot and abortions are never easy, so you shouldn't have to be dealing with this, but for both your sakes simply have nothing to do with him again, this is too messy and you can't salvage anything from this friendship now.

Stompythedinosaur · 09/05/2023 12:45

He doesn't get to forcefully insist you remain friends. Not does he get any say in your sex life or healthcare arrangements. Just stop hanging around with him or telling him personal things. He doesn't own you and he can't control you. Be free!

AtrociousCircumstance · 09/05/2023 12:46

He sounds awful. Drop this connection, it’s negative for both of you. You owe him nothing and certainly don’t need to apologise for anything.

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 09/05/2023 12:47

Do you enjoy having him still pining for you OP? I'm sorry but if you knew he still had feelings for you then you should have ended the friendship. How can someone forcefully make you stay friends with them? You've done him favours, he's reciprocated. It's pretty crappy behaviour if you know he's in love with you when you don't have the same feelings back. You need to end this friendship now

AllOfThemWitches · 09/05/2023 12:48

This thread is gonna be a fucking shitshow FYI. No matter what people say they will judge you for having two abortions because they also only care about women conditionally.

I advise that you sack your 'friend' off. Your body is nothing to do with him and he sounds like a prick.

ExpatInSlavikLand · 09/05/2023 12:49

nopenotplaying · 09/05/2023 12:41

Abortions aren't contraception. I'm not surprised he was taken aback having been involved/supported you in having one previously with the SAME ex. I expect your friendship is over now.

Agreed, though honestly, no-one comes across well in this story.

MsWhitworth · 09/05/2023 12:51

This ‘friendship’ is not going to work for either of you. I’d take a big step back and allow him to do the same.

Leftoverssandwich · 09/05/2023 12:52

This is messy as hell. You're not friends. He is hoping you'll change your mind, and is emotionally controlling you.

For both your sakes you need to end the friendship at this point.

orangegato · 09/05/2023 12:55

He’s a weird chap. Your subconscious knew best not falling for him.

He isn’t a friend either. He’s a judgey creep, demanding to know details that have fuck all to do with him then being snide about it?

I don’t get why he’s in your life?

Pinkdelight3 · 09/05/2023 13:03

I initially pushed for us to have a break from each other

Push harder. This friendship is impossible and he doesn't get to forcefully insist on anything. Equally I wouldn't be getting lifts off my ex's for abortions from other ex's. It's messy as hell and bound to cause hurt. Draw a line between all these exes who are exes for good reasons, give your heart and your body a rest, and focus on yourself and true friends.

Kymmi · 09/05/2023 13:04

I have issues with boundaries and people pleasing after an abusive childhood and relationships which he’s always been aware of since we’ve discussed it at length. I’m aware of this and trying to be better but it’s not easy. When I suggested we should take a break from our friendship, he got really upset/angry which is out of character for him. I knew that at some point he’d realise it was for the best, so I’ve gone along with his wishes until he came to the conclusion on his own as I didn’t want to damage his already low self esteem (related to his own issues, nothing to do with me).

We've been lifelong friends but he’s always secretly held a candle for me so these dynamics were not new and I think he thought we could carry on like before. Our friendship is already over. He said I have broken the trust by my actions. I hoped we could restart our friendship after he’s moved on. What I’m upset about it that he only wants to discard our friendship because I had sex with someone else which makes me realise we’ve never really been friends in the true sense. And also guilt tripping me like this. I didn’t want him to take me to the hospital, I just didn’t want an argument or to share painful personal details when I was sick as a dog, feeling traumatised and grieving for our friend.

I think this hurts so much because he’s not the amazing guy I thought he was. He’s just another manipulator, in it for what he can get and discarding me as soon as I act in a way he doesn’t want me to.

OP posts:
Weedoormatnomore · 09/05/2023 13:04

Sounds like you need time on your own. Guessing relationship of just being friends after years changed after you split from ex you had 1st abortion then got togeather with him as he was there ! Then you ended it telling him you didn't want to date anyone got back with ex at some point and within a few months your pregnant again by ex. Don't see how you couldn't have said no to friend for not having lift and not doing or asking him for favour. Hopefully you will get the clean break you asked for a few months ago now.

Pinkdelight3 · 09/05/2023 13:09

he only wants to discard our friendship because I had sex with someone else which makes me realise we’ve never really been friends in the true sense.

That feels like an extreme conclusion if you've been lifelong friends as you say. You knew he held a candle for you so of course he'll be upset when you don't feel the same and are seeing other people. You understood that which is why you wanted to pull back anyway. The issue is more in you first framing him as an amazing guy and now going to the other extreme. Honestly it seems like there's a lot going on in your life, now and in the past, and you need to take more time to deal with that and not get enmeshed in the ups and downs of this. You know you have boundary issues so you need to get help and techniques to use when you know the boundaries are getting messy like this. Hope you get the help you need.

CalistoNoSolo · 09/05/2023 13:09

You both sound pretty awful tbh. I'm pro-choice but ffs, you need to start doubling up on contraception. And it's blindingly obvious your 'friend' thinks he's got first dibs on you (though I too would be pretty judgy about a friend having two abortions by the same ex).

IamnotSethRogan · 09/05/2023 13:15

Oh wow people are quite judgey on this thread.

As for your "friend" he isn't your friend. He manipulated you into doing things his way when you were emotionally vulnerable, you went along with what seemed like the path of least resistance, and he found out everything wasn't the way he wanted it to be so he was awful to you.

Please don't waste more time on him, for both of your sakes it's better if you move on cleanly.

AllOfThemWitches · 09/05/2023 13:16

CalistoNoSolo · 09/05/2023 13:09

You both sound pretty awful tbh. I'm pro-choice but ffs, you need to start doubling up on contraception. And it's blindingly obvious your 'friend' thinks he's got first dibs on you (though I too would be pretty judgy about a friend having two abortions by the same ex).

You are not pro-choice.

DisquietintheRanks · 09/05/2023 13:18

If you know he carries a candle for you then perhaps it is rubbing his nose in it slightly to keep using him as your clean up man for failed relationships. I agree that this friendship isn't working out if he wants more, so maybe bin it off.

Kymmi · 09/05/2023 13:29

Just to clear up a couple of points - I’ve had two unwanted pregnancies in 5 years, both caused by contraception failure.

I didn’t know my friend had feelings for me until around the time of the first abortion. Even so, he never actually told me, he just hinted heavier and heavier until I got the picture. In hindsight, I feel like he manipulated me into a relationship but I know the decision ultimately lay with me so I take responsibility for my part in it.

The hookup was a one off and nobody was supposed to know about it, it’s only after he got upset with me and started asking all the questions that I was honest with him after he said he had a ‘gut feeling’ that something had happened. I thought we were good friends, he secretly had a condition that we’d only be friends if I didn’t sleep with other people but failed to tell me that part.

OP posts:
Kymmi · 09/05/2023 13:32

Also, I don’t feel like he’s ‘cleaned up’ anything. He literally gave me a lift, nothing else. I went through everything else completely on my own, including the really horrible bits.

OP posts:
Riapia · 09/05/2023 13:32

Did you not feel the slightest discomfort when he held the gun to your head whilst forcefully insisting you remain friends.
No alarm bells at all?

whynotwhatknot · 09/05/2023 13:34

Ffs what is this the american anti abortion thread

its got fuck all to do with him hgow many abortions youve had and why-its notbodies business and noone should judge you