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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:
BigButtons · 08/08/2023 08:58

SamW98 · 08/08/2023 08:46

Yes however the beaches are on the East coast and the sun sets in the West.

There are lovely sunrises to be seen from the beaches on Santorini but for sunsets, people travel to the cliff side villages on the West coast.

Interesting to know. Sadly never been there. It looks amazing. Maybe the op meant they went out to be beach at sunset time? ( I am trying to be generous)

SamW98 · 08/08/2023 09:00

BigButtons · 08/08/2023 08:58

Interesting to know. Sadly never been there. It looks amazing. Maybe the op meant they went out to be beach at sunset time? ( I am trying to be generous)

It’s a lovely island though the picturesque west coast villages get very busy in summer from cruise ships stopping over.

Im going again next month - staying on east coast next to a beach 😊

Onesipmore · 08/08/2023 09:02

@OfMyDog how does your friend explain her behaviour. Literally everyone on this thread has repeatedly asked you. How does she explain sleeping/flirting/ with your husband.When you tell her as a close friend your concerns about DH what doe she say?

BigButtons · 08/08/2023 09:02

SamW98 · 08/08/2023 09:00

It’s a lovely island though the picturesque west coast villages get very busy in summer from cruise ships stopping over.

Im going again next month - staying on east coast next to a beach 😊

Wow- lucky you. Maybe one day for me….
will you be watching any sunsets?😙😁

PrinceHaz · 08/08/2023 09:44

I think you should blindside him by leaving at a time of your choice when you’re mentally and financially prepared without giving him much advance warning.
I say this because he doesn’t deserve much from you. He’s had such a casual disregard for you in all the time he’s taken advantage of your kindness to your friend. Discussion will get you nowhere, he’ll gaslight you. You deserve much, much better either alone or with someone who wants just you.

CathyFitzs · 08/08/2023 09:46

They are having an affair . Even if it isn’t physical ( yet) they will spend enjoyable ‘anguished’ hours discussing how they long to be together but aren’t ready to take the final step! You are enabling them
to have an extremely exciting but safe extra marital relationship. Start going along when they are having a cosy twosome and see what sort of reception you get!! Good luck

GnomeDePlume · 08/08/2023 10:00

Unfortunately if there isn't a physical affair happening then both friend and husband can pretend to themselves that nothing untoward is going on.

Even if it is 'just good friends', excluding @OfMyDog and using her like a hired help is wrong.

GabriellaMontez · 08/08/2023 10:06

Leaving aside your husband (while you decide your next move).

This woman isn't your friend.

I'd be redefining your relationship with her.

Consider telling her exactly why.

"I don't like the way the dynamic has evolved. I've told dh the same. There are going to be some changes".

You don't appreciate being left holding the children while she goes out with your husband for the evening. Or has a chat with your husband!

I would not be doing any childcare for her. This is something that can happen immediately. You cant stop their relationship but you don't have to facilitate it.

Find new friends for yourself and your son. Because with friends like her...

Let dh know about this conversation. Maybe have your own 'pre nuclear' conversation. Not really a discussion about if his behaviour is acceptable (as he gaslights you). More "I'm not happy, there will be some changes".

Sueveneers · 08/08/2023 10:17

This is not appropriate and if it makes you, his wife, unhappy then he needs to choose. You really need to arrange for a talk with him and sit him down and make him listen and enforce changes/boundaries. Or leave him (and 5 years salary says he would move in with her straight away). You can't keep going on like this. Keep us up to date.

SingingLamp · 08/08/2023 10:30

Girl, your husband is cheating on you and this woman is not your friend.

WestwardHo1 · 08/08/2023 10:30

JenniferBooth · 07/08/2023 23:19

Oh fucking brilliant What a waste of time

You're joking 😡😡😡

lunaalice · 08/08/2023 10:41

I'm surprised the Op has been back.
Lots of you are awful blaming her, calling her thick and naive, assuming it's not real.

If it is then she needs advice not comments like "he's fucking her" not very helpful.

This is someone's life.

RoyalGala · 08/08/2023 10:57

In the nicest way possible, you are being a mug, being gaslit and there is a potential affair happening right in front of your eyes, if not already, no way would I or anyone else I know be ok with this.

PopsicleHustler · 08/08/2023 11:01

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VivaDixie · 08/08/2023 11:07

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Spot on!

PopsicleHustler · 08/08/2023 11:14

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TakenRoot · 08/08/2023 11:36

OP, having allowed yourself to admit how uncomfortable you feel, and been honest about your fears, I think you need to think about your bottom line.

You have 3 options really, which have to start with your DH. If he is not prepared to save your marriage, it doesn’t matter how far your ‘friend’ backs off.

Press nuclear option now: I cannot come back from the way you have treated me, our marriage is over.

Press for change: The balance of friendship is impacting our marriage, I feel as if there are 3 of us in this marriage, I want to refocus on our relationship. Possibly involving Couples Counselling. Obviously this can go one way or the other. But if he blames you, you know which way…

Learn to live with it. But be realistic about the long term effect on your self respect, self esteem, energy, everything.

Counselling by yourself might help you to get to the bottom of what you fear most, get your position well articulated, and also give you the self grounding to survive if your marriage does not.

MotherofGorgons · 08/08/2023 11:40

Baffling thread. Am bemused by the OP's passivity.

PopsicleHustler · 08/08/2023 11:43

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RoyalGala · 08/08/2023 11:48

Some good advice above - I’d not be able to carry on the marriage if I was you.

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