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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:
otherwayup · 06/08/2023 15:31

I am aware my friends dh finds me attractive, he is also my friend but I have absolute respect for my friend (his wife) and whenever he is tipsy, I avoid being alone with him and certainly wouldn't sit in between them, watch sunsets with him etc

Your 'friend' is as hideous as your dh.
They are both literally laughing in your face!

cadburyegg · 06/08/2023 15:31

I'm a single mum, one of my closest friends is married and over time I've also become friends with her husband. I'd hesitate to spend much time alone with him and certainly wouldn't go and watch sunsets together whilst my friend was babysitting my child, completely inappropriate. I deliberately do not message him separately unless there is a specific reason ie he fixed my son's bike for me recently. My friendship with her is so important to me and so I'm very very careful because I don't want anything to be taken the wrong way.

Your friend is not your friend.

Moonsun88 · 06/08/2023 15:31

This is one of the weirdest things I've read. I'm not the jealous type but this doesn't sit right with me at all. They really taking the piss. Watching the sunset together 🙄

Watch her lile a hawk.

Heronwatcher · 06/08/2023 15:31

This can’t be real? They watch the sunset together? I’m not sure how she feels but he most definitely has a crush on her, or worse. I think you need to re-draw the boundaries or better still just get rid of him, his reactions when you’ve brought it up are also both suspicious and insulting.

ihadamarveloustime · 06/08/2023 15:32

You're not being ridiculous, and the minute you expressed discomfort over any of it with your DH, he should have immediately changed his behaviour. The fact that he doubled down, tried to make you feel ridiculous, and carried on is telling.

He's emotionally invested in your friend at the very least. And your 'friend' is okay with this. More than okay, especially when she has a disinterested husband of her own. She's now eyeing up yours. And he's eyeing her right back.

Avatartar · 06/08/2023 15:33

I think you wait until the 3 of you are together then sit between them and say you like them both but it’s not right that your DH spends more time with her than he does with you and it needs to stop or your marriage will have to break up as there is no point being married to someone who wants to be with someone else more than with you. Spell it out calmly as it is and see how they react. If they’ve been clueless they will understand and back off - otherwise DH is cheating and you need to back off and divorce - sorry OP

Aprilx · 06/08/2023 15:34

OfMyDog · 06/08/2023 14:35

Thanks all. The comments match what my family and colleagues say.

Who‘s idea to take her - it came out of a conversation, it was joint, maybe more his but it seemed a great idea. The good bits of the holiday were fab and our boys get on etc.

Have I spoken to her about how I feel - yes. She is always respectful to me but I don’t think she gets how much he hurts me. It’s more his behaviour. He’s the prick. I still believe that there isn’t anything physical between them, but i take all the points on the emotional side and agree.

Considering you consider her your best friend, I would hold both of them in equal contempt. They are absolutely taking the piss out of you.

DaisyThistle · 06/08/2023 15:35

Whether something is happening or not, this is way too much. They're making you feel like the gooseberry. A true friend would never cross these boundaries. Nor would a respectful, loving spouse.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 06/08/2023 15:35

Why is your friend not spending lots of time with you instead of with your husband, OP? She's your best friend, your husband is pretty much ignoring you, why is she not by your side in support?

It's not her in her pyjamas that's wrong, or sitting watching a sunset but why aren't you there?

Your husband is texting her all evening? Why? You're all on holiday together. Why is he not spending any time with you and why is your friend not spending time with her son?

I don't know how you fix this other than to end your marriage but only you know whether your husband is worth it.

VinoVeritas1 · 06/08/2023 15:35

they went to watch the sunset together on the beach alone

he talks to her and ignores me,

he’s always on his phone late at night

and DH who’d been texting her all eve

…….went to her hotel room and was gone for ages.

Read these isolated sentences back to yourself. They’re having an affair - sorry

AntiSocial6DaysAWeek · 06/08/2023 15:35

StillPerplexed · 06/08/2023 15:06

This is about the only reasonable comment here. If it turns out there isn't an affair (quite possible!) then even still there's a need here to have an honest conversation about boundaries and what each other value in the relationship.

I've got a few friends of the opposite sex who I enjoy the company of and will go see on my own etc., ditto my partner. That in itself isn't cause for suspicion and resentment. It's when a friend is favoured over and above the partner in inappropriate circumstances that it becomes a problem.

Och, give over.

She's spoken to both of them about it and neither one cares. She's being treated appallingly and needs to understand she's worth more.

Nazzywish · 06/08/2023 15:35

Your being silly and if you can't see what's going on right in front of you then more fool you and yes your being a total mug. I would understand them being friends etc but what your describing is clearly beyond that. Her own husband must know what the deal is which is why he's unavailable to her and she's OK with it as she has yours and you don't seem to see what's right in front of you . Stop being a walkover and deal with this. Has any man that's ever cheated told his wife oh yes your right I'm cheating with ur best mate? Or admitted it until caught? Honestly wake up

AbyssiniaArms · 06/08/2023 15:35

MotherofGorgons · 06/08/2023 14:59

Oh fgs stop being a cool girl.

Oh give over with the cool girl and cool wives comments fellow m'netters.

It isn't helpful.. In fact, it's offensive.

BreadInCaptivity · 06/08/2023 15:35

How can you believe that either of these people have any feelings for you other than utter contempt?

readbooksdrinktea · 06/08/2023 15:36

Sorry, but you need too wake up. They're having a relationship right in front of you. Read your OP as though a friend was telling you about her situation. They are way too close for comfort.

I feel for you, but you need to cop on.

swayingpalmtree · 06/08/2023 15:36

This is one of the weirdest things I’ve ever read on here! Don’t be so naive OP, they’re having an affair and it’s continuing- texting each other and going for “walks” my arse, walks in a hotel room I suspect 😳

ThePoshUns · 06/08/2023 15:38

Is this real? I can’t believe anyone would tolerate this in RL.

MiniCooperLover · 06/08/2023 15:38

Oh come on OP, how are you this naive? This woman is not your friend and he is not your 'DH'. You're being taken for a mug and you're just gently letting them do it ...

Twazique · 06/08/2023 15:39

I don't think it matters if its a physical or an emotional affair, its hugely disrespectful and its not a one off.

They treated you like the nanny. :(

Hibiscrubbed · 06/08/2023 15:39

Well, I’m with your family. This set up is fucked.

Hibiscrubbed · 06/08/2023 15:39

It’s like you’re in a throuple, and he massively prefers her over you. 😬

Motomum23 · 06/08/2023 15:40

Forget that it's a friend of the opposite sex for a second... if he had bought his brother and nephew on holiday would you have accepted for one minute sitting in the room babysitting both children whilst him and his brother sat in another room chatting or went to watch the sunset? No because he wouldn't be able to tell you you are being ridiculous in this... unless you speak equal amounts of time leaving hubby with the kids whilst you went off with friend, and she kept the kids whilst you went off with hubby??

GabriellaMontez · 06/08/2023 15:40

Do you and dh have a frequent and amazing sex life??

If so, maybe there is nothing going on.

But basically, even if they're not doing it, they are extremely disrespectful of you.

Abouttimemum · 06/08/2023 15:40

My best friend is male and not a chance I’d ditch my husband to go on sunset walks with him or leave DH in charge of two sleeping kids in our hotel room to go over to his!

Absolutely bonkers this!

VinoVeritas1 · 06/08/2023 15:40

And, if they’re not shagging now they soon will be 😒

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