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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Is my friend manipulating m

13 replies

Middleagedmeangirls · 24/07/2023 16:02

Sorry - this is LONG.

I have two very good friends. They are old school mates so have known each other 40+ years. We met when I worked with one of them about 35 years ago and she introduced me to her mate. We all got on very well and eventually ended up with our kids at the same schools so we shared things like school runs/soccer runs etc. we know each others parents and siblings, have supported one another through birth, bereavements, cancer, divorce etc. Our kids are grown up and married now but we are still close.

The two of them are like sisters so like a lot of sisters they quite often argue. They blow up, yell and shout and then are best mates again a few days later. I'm not confrontational so tend not to be involved in these arguments.

About 3 months ago something changed. They had a really major disagreement (the reason was something ridiculously silly but obviously triggered deep rooted resentments for them) and they still aren't speaking. It's very sad and is obviously threatening the joint family trip planned for August BH weekend.

Both of them have separately spoken to me about all this. How sad they are, how much they miss the other one, what a big hole it's left in their lives etc but it's all so serious and difficult they can't see a way past it.

One thing that one of them said last week whilst crying on my shoulder is niggling at me. She (I'll call her Susie) said something like "I'm so glad you have never heard all the terrible things X has said about you'. I brushed it aside at the time , I said I didn't want to know, that we all bitch about our mates sometimes and if they don't know what's said then there is no harm done.

But it has planted seeds of doubt in my mind. I can imagine some of the negative things X might say about me. They would probably be stronger versions of various things she has said to my face over the years ( I'm vain and extravagant, not sufficiently interested in politics and sit on the fence too much) I know I am equally guilty of ranting about behind her back her on occasion and I know once it's off my chest it's over.

But what if it's worse than that? What if she genuinely has said worse things about me? Or did Susie just say this to manipulate me into getting off the fence and siding with her?

This is all so ridiculous and high school, but it's bothering me. We were such good friends and such a team and now I'm not sure where I stand.

I think I've posted this just to get it off my chest as I don't want to talk to other friends about this and draw them into the whole sorry mess but I'm going to leave the voting open as I am conflicted and would like the hive opinion.

IABU - Susie was sincere in saying what she did. She was trying to warn me about X

YANBU - Susie was deliberately trying to stir things up and get me on her side.

OP posts:
DaisyDuckShoes · 24/07/2023 16:07

She is manipulating

HoneyIShrunkThePizza · 24/07/2023 16:09

Even if it was true and X has said things, the kind thing would not be to share that. It's clearly manipulation.

You're all grown women and frankly behaving embarrassingly.

Tidsleytiddy · 24/07/2023 16:12

You all sound as bad as each other. You’re not really “friends” are you.

Daphnis156 · 24/07/2023 16:23

This sounds like something out of "Grease"....But wait you are all in your 60s?
So no point in saying "Grow up".

Lacucuracha · 24/07/2023 16:26

Misery loves company. She wants to cause a rift.

And then when they inevitably make up, you will be ostracised.

Don’t fall for it and treat Susie as a frenemy, she will turn on you, never trust her.

Middleagedmeangirls · 24/07/2023 16:27

Lol. I'm not sure why I'm embarrassing by quietly supporting both my friends and trying not to get involved in their shenanigans.

And IMO none of ever really grow up. We just get better at controlling our behaviour. Underlying feelings remain pretty much constant.

OP posts:
Lacucuracha · 24/07/2023 16:28

Daphnis156 · 24/07/2023 16:23

This sounds like something out of "Grease"....But wait you are all in your 60s?
So no point in saying "Grow up".

Unfortunately adults can be manipulative.

You are very naive to think adults don’t behave like this.

Uremindmeofthebabe · 24/07/2023 16:30

Susie's a shit stirrer and she's trying to get you to take her side.

xsquared · 24/07/2023 16:33

This sort of thing should have been left in the playground long ago.

Be supportive and don't take sides. It is very probable that Susie is manipulating you even if it's true.

Mummy08m · 24/07/2023 16:34

I said I didn't want to know, that we all bitch about our mates sometimes and if they don't know what's said then there is no harm done.

Wise words!

Susie is being out of order, you did well to cut her off before she elaborated. Try and forget about it if you can - hopefully they'll make up soon and all will be well.

ricen · 24/07/2023 16:39

Uremindmeofthebabe · 24/07/2023 16:30

Susie's a shit stirrer and she's trying to get you to take her side.

Agree

ManateeFair · 24/07/2023 16:49

Yeah, it sounds like Susie doesn't want you to have a good relationship with X any more, so Susie's trying to imply that X doesn't really like you.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure everyone's had a good old moan about a friend now and again, even friends they adore, so I wouldn't worry about what X might have said and I would also tell Susie quite sharply that you don't want to know and will not be taking sides in their argument.

crazeekat · 24/07/2023 23:33

it's a manipulation to get u to side with her.

can i just say tho, i have two friend exactly like u, but i was not in the middle. instead it was me and my best friend that fell out. and we were like sisters. so so close. however we fell out for many years and eventually are now good friends again thankfully.
but. the friend in the middle made no effort whatsoever to get me and friend back together again. we both had told her separately that we miss the other, that it was each one's fault, went over everything and in all that time she never said anything to the other one, apart from tell us what the other was doing, like all the good stuff. so now all i think is that the friend in the middle wasn't e really a friend in that she knew each of us wanted to make up and she kept quiet that whole time for what reason? she didn't want to get involved. please don't be that friend. get your friends together even if u have to lie, tell them to come to urs for a coffee, have the other there too, and bang their heads together. if that doesn't work then maybe your friends are not the people u think they are.

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