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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Woman from America staying at my boyfriends place

649 replies

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 10:01

Me and my boyfriend have been together two years. I am 23 and he is 27. I am currently at uni in Leeds but I go to his at the weekends in Manchester.

He is a bit of an artsy type, he is a graphic designer and a freelance photographer. He writes poetry and has an Instagram account where he uploads all of his poems and short videos of spoken word. It's a bit of a community and he speaks to lots of people on the platform. He has been speaking to this woman now for a while. I didn't really have a problem with it because she lives in America and is married with 5 children. Plus I trust my boyfriend and try to be rational about things.

She told him she was taking a trip to the UK alone and he asked me if I would mind if she stayed with him so that she could save on accommodation and also have someone there who she knows and trusts. I said it was ok. I don't know why I said this.. I honestly felt ok about it at the time.

All the plans were made and he picked her up from the airport on a Sunday evening and I went back to uni. On Monday I was sat in my uni room alone studying and I text him to ask what he was up to. He said he had taken 'Claire' to the park and they were lay around on the grass. I immediately felt a rush of emotion imagining him strolling through the park with this woman. I couldn't control it I got very upset. I think it was because I was just sat there alone and he was with another woman. I trusted that he wouldn't do anything bad or disrespectful but I suddenly just felt very uncomfortable and like I was a bit of a mug. I tried not to tell him how I felt because what's done is done, she's here now. Nothing I can do. I just didn't realise that he would be out doing things with her. I thought he was just providing her a spare room to stay.

I did end up telling him how upset I was and he said "I did worry that this would happen". We ended up having an argument and I know that I am the one being unreasonable here. I said something was ok and then changed my mind once it happened. That's not his fault. I said I'd prefer it if he let her get on with things on her own. He was saying that it's unfair as she is in an unfamiliar country on her own and doesn't want to abandon her, and his mum agrees. Anyway she ended up staying in a hotel the next night.

It came to the weekend and I went to his. At this point she was in a hotel. I said I wanted to spend the weekend doing nice things together after our argument and just try to sort it out. I got to his to find an ovulation stick in his bathroom bin. Is it just me or is that weird? I don't know what is happening in her life. She may be struggling with conceiving and is being very strict with tracking. She already has 5 children though but that's none of my business. I just find it a bit rude to take an ovulation test and put it in the bin that's wide open. I would've wrapped it up and chucked it in the outside bin if I was in someone else's house. The bin doesn't have a lid. It's one of those bins you'd have in your bedroom but in the bathroom (he's a guy so never really had anything to put in it). I was a bit annoyed about it because I felt like she was taking the piss. But I tried to move past it and have a nice weekend. However he was just on his phone constantly replying to her texts while we were out. We had another argument and I have gone home to my mum's and we haven't spoken since.

I don't know where to go from here. I know this is my fault. But I really need some outside perspective on this. How would you feel? Do I even have a right to be upset? Do we just wait for her to go back home and then try and move past it or is it the end of the relationship? I'm trying to think logically and rationally without heightened feelings of jealousy in the way. But it's hard.

OP posts:
Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 10:02

Sorry for the clipped sentences. I was trying to keep my post to the point to keep it as short as possible. Thanks to anyone who reads all the way through!

OP posts:
Moroccanqueen · 17/08/2023 10:07

If she was away from her husband why would she need to track her ovulation? Seems odd and would make me think does she have other intentions with your bf?

did she come to the UK to visit him/spend time with him or is she here to see someone else and is just staying at his but has her own plans? As this also makes a difference

sorry it’s such a stressful time for you. It’s hard to know what to advise in this situation as it could be innocent x

Murrain · 17/08/2023 10:09

Honestly, I don’t think you get a say in who your boyfriend has to stay, unless it’s your house/flat? But either way, you said it was fine, and then got territorial once you figured out the visitor wasn’t just treating his place like a hotel. And I think you’re being weird about the ovulation stick. Hard to tell what you mean by ‘constantly’ replying to texts. I mean, do you think he’s sleeping with her?

I suppose, if this has caused so much upheaval, it suggests the relationship was faltering, anyway — certainly if you’ve not spoken since and you’re staying elsewhere, communication isn’t great.

FrodisCapering · 17/08/2023 10:09

Listen to and trust your gut. It's never let me down, even when I thought I might be crazy!

mindutopia · 17/08/2023 10:11

I think on the surface, he hasn't done anything 'wrong.' He had a friend visit. They did normal friend things - going to the park/beach and sitting out in the sun is normal friend stuff - and then she politely vacated to give you space at the weekend when you visited. If he had been texting a male friend, it might have been rude if you were trying to speak to him or out to dinner, but it probably wouldn't have caused a fight.

The ovulation stick thing is weird on her part. I can't really imagine doing one at a friends house and I'd probably wrap it up better. But maybe she is very 'rhythm method' (hence why she has 5 children!) and this is just part of her normal routine every month. I can't see that you would freak out because she was taking her pill while she was visiting. I don't think you are insinuating that she is here trying to get knocked up by some random from Instagram? But I don't think you can be upset with him for what a house guest leaves in his bathroom bin, poor guy.

Only you know if he is a good, genuine, trustworthy person, but on the face of it, none of this sounds wildly inappropriate and I think you probably need to apologise, and maybe give some consideration to if you are ready to be in a relationship, especially a long distance one.

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 10:11

@Moroccanqueen I thought the same thing! It seems very odd to me that she'd need to track if she's not planning on saving sex....

She is just here to see Manchester. She doesn't have anyone to visit, I imagine it's a bit of an excuse to visit my boyfriend as well as they've become good friends over the last 6 months. Chatting every single day. I know a lot of people wouldn't put up with that so I feel like a bit of a mug tbh but I honestly really trust him didn't want to police who he can talk to and be friends with. I don't have the same hobbies as him, so having his Instagram with his photos and poetry on there means he gets to talk to people about the things he is passionate about and that share his passion. I thought it was a good thing for him. But now I don't know what to do because I've already let it get this far

OP posts:
ManateeFair · 17/08/2023 10:23

YABU to say that you were fine with him having her stay at his house, and then throw a wobbly when it actually happened and expect her to find a hotel. If I'd arranged to stay with a friend on a trip overseas and had budgeted accordingly, only to find myself having to pay out for a hotel unexpectedly just because his girlfriend suddenly changed her mind about it, I'd be fucking furious.

The ovulation stick could be for any number of reasons. My guess is that she tracks her cycle because she's got five kids and doesn't want any more of them. She's not with her husband right now, but obviously she's going to want to know where she is in her cycle when she goes home.

Not sure what you mean by 'constantly' replying to texts.

None of us here can say whether there's something going on with your boyfriend and Claire. We can only make wild guesses. Maybe they're sleeping together (although frankly I wouldn't have thought an American woman with a husband five kids was a tremendous catch for a 27-year-old single guy in Manchester). Maybe she has designs on him, but he's not interested. Maybe they have absolutely no interest in shagging each other at all. We don't know and neither do you.

But you clearly don't trust him so I'd say your relationship's over. You can't expect to tell him who he can and can't socialise with and who is or isn't allowed to stay in his house.

Herejusttocomment · 17/08/2023 10:23

I find it odd that she has 5 children and she's taking a trip to a completely different country, flight that lasts at least 8 hours with no actual plans or purpose.

Maybe other people are different but if I were to leave DC for an international trip it would be for a very good reason like family or trip with a friend, accommodation and itinerary all sorted in advance.

She came to the UK and instead of sightseeing (although not sure how much sightseeing there is to do in Manchester) she's spending her time going to parks with him. This tells me she came over to spend time with him and meet him face to face. There could be nothing wrong with that, could be completely platonic, but it doesn't seem that was made clear to you, which is deceitful. That's what my main issue would be.

Tbh, I don't quite know what to make of the ovulation test, are they planning on making a baby or something? 🤷🏼‍♀️

Screamingabdabz · 17/08/2023 10:25

Ahh op. He’s taking the piss. I’d walk away and wish him well. You’re young - don’t waste your life being messed about like this by some man-bun dick.

Passerillage · 17/08/2023 10:25

She has 100% come specifically to see your boyfriend. Someone she "knows and trusts"? He is a randomer off the internet so far as she SHOULD be concerned.

Nobody leaves 5 kids at home in the US just to see (with the greatest of respect to Mancunians here) Manchester.

From here, it really does sound like she is in love with him and has come to the UK with some harebrained scheme of getting pregnant by him. Is he quite successful on Instagram?

Your spidey senses are right to be in overdrive, and if he doesn't see that he is encouraging a potential stalker (or somebody to whom he has inadvertently/intenationally given encouragement), then you should back away from him.

MollyRover · 17/08/2023 10:27

She sounds crazy and attention seeking to me. 5 children, jetting off to leave them behind to stay with a stranger in another country and doing an ovulation test? Maybe she's hoping that whoever found it would think it was a pregnancy test.

I would advise your bf (who's clearly not the brightest) to give her a very wide berth. She's probably not telling the truth at all.

Murrain · 17/08/2023 10:27

Screamingabdabz · 17/08/2023 10:25

Ahh op. He’s taking the piss. I’d walk away and wish him well. You’re young - don’t waste your life being messed about like this by some man-bun dick.

I’m stealing the expression ‘man-bun dick’.

Do we know he has a man-bun, or is this based on your experience of internet poets and/graphic designers?

ZeppelinTits · 17/08/2023 10:30

I thought you might be being a bit heavy handed and then I read that they are friends and have been chatting loads each day for 6 months. Whaaat?! Nah that's different. Emotional affair territory if not physical. I wouldn't be cool with this. He sounds like a prick.

ASCCM · 17/08/2023 10:33

YANBU. He is. I bet her background is all lies. There is no way i would trust this in a million years. No one with 5 kids takes a trip to london alone and stays with a stranger at their home. Nope nope all the nope.

Thoughtful2355 · 17/08/2023 10:35

Sorry but who leaves theyre 5 kids to randomly go visit and see Manchester? and then stays with some random guy theyve never actually met AND tracks theyre ovulation whilst away. Its just screaming Red Flags and the fact he had to respond to tons of texts is odd too, why is she not just getting on with her holiday.

RoadSignFool · 17/08/2023 10:35

She left her 5 kids and flew to the UK “Just to see Manchester”.

What a load of shite (unless she is America’s Biggest Corrie Fan?).

Sorry OP, it’s possible that your BF is naive or gullible and didn’t realise her intentions but it’s clear as day that she wants to get into his pants.

Thoughtful2355 · 17/08/2023 10:36

Id be interested in how long shes staying

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 10:36

To the people saying I am BU, I know. I do understand that I told him this was ok, and then felt different once it happened. I didn't mean for it to happen, I honestly was fine with it when he told me. I just thought that she was planning the trip anyway and he just offered her a place to stay. I didn't realise he would be going with her on day trips. I thought she would be off doing her own thing since she would've been doing anyway if my boyfriend didn't offer his spare room. Her initial plan was to stay in hotels. But then my boyfriend offered.

In terms of the ovulation, I don't think she wanted to be pregnant by him, I just thought it was rude and annoyed me. Although it's not my house so again, I may just be being unreasonable here and I can accept that. I think I have been more than accommodating to this whole situation. He met a woman on Instagram, sparked up a friendship with him, they speak every day and night while I'm at uni. And now she's leaving ovulation sticks in his bin and continuing to text him all day when she knows we are together after not seeing each other all week and trying to sort things out. What is so important that she can't just leave him alone for a day? I just feel like she's taking the piss out of me.

But again, I am very willing to accept that I am in the wrong here and I will apologise and try to patch it up. He is the one who wanted to stay at him mum's but I said if he doesn't want to spend the night with me I will go to my mum's instead because he shouldn't have to leave his own house. I am back at uni now and can't concentrate on my lectures because I'm getting stressed about it all and dont know if I've just completely messed everything up or whether I was within my rights to feel that way

OP posts:
Thoughtful2355 · 17/08/2023 10:37

Also does she have a partner? because i dont think any partner would be happy taking on the 5 kids so his partner could go to another country to stay with a random man... No way

GreenIsTheMagicColour · 17/08/2023 10:37

Don't women use ovulation sticks as a method of contraception? I.e. we're fine to shag unprotected because I'm not ovulating.

I doubt she was tracking her cycle for when she gets back to her husband. What would be the point in that?

And, come on, what mother-of-5 would ditch her kids to fly across the world to visit Manchester and meet a "friend" from the internet?!

I'm not buying any of it and think you are right to be suspicious.

RoadSignFool · 17/08/2023 10:38

they speak every day and night while I'm at uni.

OP, you’re young so perhaps you don’t realise- no woman with 5 kids has the time, energy or headspace to speak every day and night with a random man in Manchester. It’s all bullshit. They actually over egged it by inventing 5 kids and not just 2.

KimberleyClark · 17/08/2023 10:39

It sounds like she is infatuated with him at the very least.

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 10:42

Also, yes this woman is a bit "kooky" tbh. I know she does have 5 kids because I've seen them on her Instagram. She often tells my boyfriend through long deep conversations in the night that she is in an unhappy marriage and wishes she could fly free and travel. Clearly Manchester was top of her bucket list

OP posts:
Dolores87 · 17/08/2023 10:44

You are being completely unreasonable and letting yourself act badly because of your own insecurity.

Your boyfriend is allowed friends that share his interest. He is allowed female friends that share his interests.

You said she could stay there. You could have at that point said that you didnt feel comfortable with that and she should get a hotel but you let her come and stay and then when she got here freaked out and now she has to stay in a hotel and your boyfriend is being pressured to not spend time with her.

You have no idea why she took an ovulation test. If she is tracking her cycles for some reason then it makes sense she would take one if that is the bin available that is the bin.

It is ok to get insecure about things and its ok to say to your boyfriend "hey i feel insecure i need some reassurance" thats more then reasonable but you cant dictate who he spends time with because you feel insecure and creating this whole awkward situation where you said she could stay and then have made him make her stay in a hotel is ott. If i was your boyfriend I would be really mad with you.

ymemanresu · 17/08/2023 10:45

I smell a rat reading this, sorry to be negative. Ovulation stick is weird, like she was doing it 'just incase' she sex with your boyfriend and would potentially know who the father was .