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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Husband and our (f) best friend on holiday

1000 replies

OfMyDog · 06/08/2023 14:10

Sanity check please. Just back from 10 days in Santorini where it was me, DH our DS and also my best friend and her DS of same age. She is on a lower income so we offered for her and her son to join us and we paid for everything. She’s married too but she and her husband aren’t close so he stayed home, so just took her and her son.

She’s mainly my best friend and we’re super close and I trust her implicitly, but my husband also counts her as his best friend. They used to work together years ago. At home they go out alone together all the time, play sport together, meet for coffee and if one is WFH, they meet up at our house or hers for lunch without me. Our sons are in same class at school and it’s all one merged family. Her husband doesn’t seem to care what she does.

In the first week of the holiday they were spending loads of time together and I felt a bit like a spare part sometimes, he chats to her more than me, they joke together, they went to watch the sunset together on the beach alone etc. If we go somewhere, he sits in the middle of us with one of us either side but then he talks to her and ignores me, and if I bring this up he just makes out that it’s his right and that I’m boring him by even mentioning it.

I love her to bits and believe she is fully on my side, but I hate seeing him laughing and joking with her. I trust her and I’ve no physical evidence to doubt that he is doing anything, though he’s alwsys on his phone late at night :/ My family says that I’m being too trusting and that it’s not right. When I’ve tried speaking to him about it and how I feel, he shuts it down and says I’m being ridiculous and turns it into an argument about how it’s my fault and I’m being silly.

One thing that really stood out was a night on holiday where both our DS had fallen asleep in ‘our’ hotel room, so I stayed with them, and DH who’d been texting her all eve went to her hotel room and was gone for ages. When I went over and knocked, they were just sat on sofa and she was in her PJs, I have no reason to think anything happened then or any other time, but maybe I’m also being naiive!?!?

I don’t know what I’m asking other than AINBU to think that they’re just friends and it’s fine? I trust her, and I’ve never seen any evidence of him cheating. It’s just a bit uncomfortable with it sometimes and any of my other friends who hear about it think im a mug. I also hate how he just shuts me down and says I’m being too clingy for even mentioning it. Now we’re back in the UK they’re literally finding every opportunity to go for walks together and again I feel like the spare part, argh!

Please tell me I’m not being ridiculous!

xx

OP posts:
TomatoSandwiches · 06/08/2023 14:15

She is not your friend, if she was she would know his behaviour is out of line and she would take a step back.
Her husband doesn't find her interesting but yours certainly does, she cares more about getting attention from him than how his behaviour makes you feel.

She is not your friend and your husband is a gaslighting bastard.

I don't know how you fix this because he obviously enjoys this, if they are not having a physical affair they certainly are having an emotional one and I bet if you left him it wouldn't be long until it turns physical.

Sorry.

Doggymummar · 06/08/2023 14:16

Sounds disrespectful to me

whitebreadjamsandwich · 06/08/2023 14:18

He's having an affair with her in plain sight. He's gaslighting you when you bring it up. Sorry OP, but he's checked out of your marriage, and your friend is no friend

AceofPentacles · 06/08/2023 14:19

Whose idea was it to invite her on the holiday?

They sound like a pair of cheeky fuckers

Mamai90 · 06/08/2023 14:19

I agree that a friend wouldn't behave like this. There are boundaries and they are both crossing them. Watching the bloody sunset together, piss takers both of them!

Have you told your friend how you feel?

HaIIie · 06/08/2023 14:20

No friend or decent husband would disrespect you like this. Sunsets alone, in the room together for what? They sound like something is going on right in front of your face!

MoonLion · 06/08/2023 14:21

God OP, I completely trust my DH but I would NOT be happy with this. Whether or not anything has actually happened, they're ruining your holiday Sad

ProudThrilledHappy · 06/08/2023 14:22

There are three people in your marriage

Hoppinggreen · 06/08/2023 14:22

Wake up woman
Stop trying to be a cool wife and realise that at the very minimum the pair of them are treating you with a total lack of respect

InBedBy10 · 06/08/2023 14:23

Even if they're not having an affair, your husband has shown he doesn't care about your feelings and he isn't interested in spending time with you. You feel like a 3rd wheel in your own marriage. That should tell you everything you need to know about the state of it.

I think you need couples counselling to sort these issues and if he is willing to go then you need to seriously consider if this is a relationship you want to stay in.

Curseofthenation · 06/08/2023 14:23

This is insane. I have plenty of male friends but just no, to all of this bullshit. She is not your friend. Why did you take her on holiday with you? It sounds like you and DH could have doen with some quality time without her. Was it DH's suggestion?

thatsnotmylifeitstoocrazy · 06/08/2023 14:23

Open your eyes, they are having an affaor or going to.

InBedBy10 · 06/08/2023 14:24

InBedBy10 · 06/08/2023 14:23

Even if they're not having an affair, your husband has shown he doesn't care about your feelings and he isn't interested in spending time with you. You feel like a 3rd wheel in your own marriage. That should tell you everything you need to know about the state of it.

I think you need couples counselling to sort these issues and if he is willing to go then you need to seriously consider if this is a relationship you want to stay in.

*isn't willing

W0tnow · 06/08/2023 14:24

No matter how close I was to a bloke, I would never, ever allow a situation that could be misconstrued on this way by his wife. Ever.

LivingitLarge · 06/08/2023 14:24

That wouldn’t be for me. Sounds like he feels more for her than for you sorry.

No more holidays as a three.

Everyone you know says you are a mug so it must be obvious.

It might be too late.

leopard22 · 06/08/2023 14:25

Even if they're not having an affair, there are definitely red flags all over the place. Who's idea was it for them to come on your holiday?

IWishIWasABaller · 06/08/2023 14:25

She is not your friend. Sounds like everyone else has copped on to what's happening under your nose and trying to warn you

BellaJuno · 06/08/2023 14:25

The phrase “there were 3 of us in the marriage” sounds apt here OP. You are not wrong to feel uncomfortable with the level of contact and intimacy between them.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 06/08/2023 14:28

Inappropriate and unkind on your DH’s part. I would have been unhappy and upset in your place.

BranchGold · 06/08/2023 14:28

This is ridiculous.

she’s not your friend.

can’t believe you paid to take his mistress and child away on your holiday!

OrwellianTimes · 06/08/2023 14:29

You’ve heard of the phrase “hiding in plain sight” right? That’s what’s happening here. It’s an emotional affair if nothing else. Listen to your family - they are right.

Grimbelina · 06/08/2023 14:30

You are basically living in an open marriage, is that what you want? If there isn't a sexual affair going on (hugely likely), then there is at least an emotional one...

Steben2 · 06/08/2023 14:30

I’m questioning if this is real as no one I know would put up with an ounce of this behaviour from their best friend and their DH.

Rainraingoaway21 · 06/08/2023 14:30

There's no way any of that is normal. Completely crossing boundaries.

randomusernam · 06/08/2023 14:31

This is very strange. Even if he is not having an affair choosing to spend more time with her than with you tells you everything you need to know! Why wouldn't he want to spend some time with you? You have clearly told him it upsets you and rather than giving you some time and focus he spends the holiday with her?

She is no friend because if she was, she would know this isn't right.

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