Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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:
Olika · 17/08/2023 10:47

Sounds to me like she flew over to meet him. Is there big age difference between her and your bf?

MollyRover · 17/08/2023 10:48

They could be anyone's children. She's a nutjob. It's possible that your boyfriend doesn't intend anything inappropriate, but she certainly does. Tell him that and see what his reaction is. Maybe you were a bit naive to think that she was honestly coming to Manchester to go sightseeing and just needed a place to stay, but you now know that this isn't the case. You haven't changed your mind, if she was off doing her own thing I'm pretty sure this wouldn't bother you. But she's not there for sightseeing, she's there to be entertained by your boyfriend. He also might be a bit naive but now that it's clear that she didn't state her actual intentions he needs to decide whether it's worth upsetting you over.

Frogger8395 · 17/08/2023 10:49

How old is this woman?

applesandmares · 17/08/2023 10:50

I wouldn't be happy with my partner starting up a friendship like that in the first place! Call it controlling or whatever, but within the boundaries of our relationship, it would be very odd for either of us to meet someone on Instagram and message each other every day.

I don't think taking an ovulation test and putting it in the bin is rude though and I'm surprised that you are so upset by this. If she tracks her cycles why would she stop just because she's away from home? I've recently had a baby but will be tracking my cycles once I get back into the swing of things so that I have data and can better predict my fertile periods either to help, or stop us conceiving again!

HellonHeels · 17/08/2023 10:50

Whole thing sounds dodgy to me. Nothing wrong with a friend coming to stay as part of a big trip abroad. Plenty wrong with the whole trip purpose then turning out to be the two of them hanging out together, and constantly texting when they're not together.

Aren't there some nice blokes on your university course that you could have a fun relationship with instead of this pathetic performance poet character who is bringing no joy to your life? Your early twenties could be so much better than this.

ballsdeep · 17/08/2023 10:53

I would think she tracked her ovulation because she shagged your boyfriend without protection and was worrying about pregnancy!

MrsCarson · 17/08/2023 10:56

She's come over with no plan on where she wants to visit as a tourist because she's only there to see if things will move on with your BF. I bet she told immigration she was coming to see her boyfriend, otherwise she'd be traveling about, visiting the tourist traps.
How long is her visit?

SleeplessInShoeburyness · 17/08/2023 10:58

YA definitely NBU OP.

This stinks to high heaven. You’d have to be totally gullible to believe a mother of 5 would leave her DC and fly from the US to stay at the home of a random man that she’d built up an internet relationship with just to visit Manchester! No reason to use an ovulation stick other then to check you are/aren’t ovulating before having sex.

She’s probably been looking for an escape from her 5 DC and they been having an online relationship. That he hasn’t contacted you to sort this speaks volume OP.

I would be absolutely boiling that he thought I was dumb enough to believe this bullshit story.

Ejismyf · 17/08/2023 11:00

I only used to use ovulation sticks when not on contraception or trying to conceive to ensure it was safe to have sex without getting pregnant without using a condom. Why would a married woman of five be travelling to the UK alone. Are you positive that back story is true.

Whattodo112222 · 17/08/2023 11:01

I think you made a rod for your own back by agreeing to it then suddenly changing your mind. Your bloke did the decent thing by asking you if it was OK if she stayed in his flat.. he could've just agreed to it. You say you trust him but you don't like him hanging out with this woman. Just seems a bit like you don't know what you want or what you agree to. As for the ovulation stick, yes she could've wrapped it up and been more discreet, but you know nothing about her and her life so I wouldn't start making assumptions or let your imagination take over.

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:03

Thanks to everyone for your opinions, it really is good to read both sides because I was really going insane inside my own head.

I will call him this afternoon to have a talk. He is very stubborn, he will absolutely not text or call me if I don't do it first so it has to be me

OP posts:
Crikeyalmighty · 17/08/2023 11:06

Sorry this stinks- trust your gut. A married woman with 5 kids (and do you know that's true) doesn't just pop over to Manchester and appear to do nothing off her own back. They've been having some kind of online 'frisson'

HellonHeels · 17/08/2023 11:07

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:03

Thanks to everyone for your opinions, it really is good to read both sides because I was really going insane inside my own head.

I will call him this afternoon to have a talk. He is very stubborn, he will absolutely not text or call me if I don't do it first so it has to be me

Wow he is sounding better and better!

Really OP you can do so much better for yourself than this champion sulker.

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:07

A few people ages as well, she is 33. My boyfriend is almost 28. I've just turned 23

OP posts:
FloofCloud · 17/08/2023 11:07

That's so bizarre! The cynical me thinks she's obsessed and come to stay at a complete strangers house ... ovulation stick gives worries that she's collecting another child from a stranger she has perhaps an obsession with

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:08

That was meant to say a few people have asked about ages 🙄 wish there was a way to edit your comments on here!

OP posts:
OooohAhhhh · 17/08/2023 11:09

So much stuff to think about here.
Is she secretly potentially after a visa to become a permanent resident in the UK?
Who stays at strangers houses they meet on the internet?
Who stays at strangers houses when they are married?
You're not BU at all. No one on this thread would be happy if some randomer stayed at their partners house.
You said yes to begin with, but things have changed, you didn't know she would be tracking her ovulation ffs!
This is very strange & I would be worried too.

Coffeedrinker34 · 17/08/2023 11:12

I think you've been pretty laid back about his friendship with her. Of course it is not ideal to say yes to her staying and then change your mind, but I think he needs to cut you some slack. I hope that you can have a chat with him and sort something out that works for the both of you, it sounds like it was a good and trusting relationship so far. If he's genuine and she is really just a friend, he will listen to your concerns.

Gnomegnomegnome · 17/08/2023 11:13

It all sounds a bit bonkers. I wouldn’t be happy either.

applesandmares · 17/08/2023 11:14

I'm surprised so many people think she's using the ovulation stick to have sex with OP's boyfriend. Why would a married woman want to be having sex with someone else without a condom?!

determinedtomakethiswork · 17/08/2023 11:15

Hmmm. She's 33 and married and has five kids and goes on holiday on her own and stays with a man she's met online so that she can visit that famous tourist attraction, Manchester, and while there checks whether she's ovulating?

One or other of you is being told a load of lies.

MollyRover · 17/08/2023 11:16

applesandmares · 17/08/2023 11:14

I'm surprised so many people think she's using the ovulation stick to have sex with OP's boyfriend. Why would a married woman want to be having sex with someone else without a condom?!

Because she's
a) lying
b) crazy
c) all of the above

friskybivalves · 17/08/2023 11:16

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:03

Thanks to everyone for your opinions, it really is good to read both sides because I was really going insane inside my own head.

I will call him this afternoon to have a talk. He is very stubborn, he will absolutely not text or call me if I don't do it first so it has to be me

He won't text or call if you don't do it first? Do you mean he's always like this, or just at the moment because there has been this friction over the Manchester-loving-mother-of-five? If it's the former, he sounds tiresomely up himself and a game player. He's yanking your chain. Do you want to keep him letting him do that? Or find a partner who respects and sees/treats you as an equal?

Meadowsalways · 17/08/2023 11:16

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at poster's request

YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch · 17/08/2023 11:17

The first thing that popped into my head with the ovulation strips is she's tracking to know if it's safe to have sex. They could also use protection but be extra cautious if she's had experience of condoms breaking in the past.

Did you ask your boyfriend about the strip?
Is he protective with the phone when he's texting her or relaxed? Have you met her? I saw she's in a hotel now, was that always the plan?

Swipe left for the next trending thread