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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:
Luciferlooloo3 · 19/08/2023 06:46

I think the issue lies with you. You don't trust him.
The ovulation stick is perfectly explainable if she tracks her cycle.
I would suspect your fella is questioning the viability of your relationship. Work on your trust issues now or it will ruin any future relationship. Xx

Sueveneers · 19/08/2023 06:52

Luciferlooloo3 · 19/08/2023 06:46

I think the issue lies with you. You don't trust him.
The ovulation stick is perfectly explainable if she tracks her cycle.
I would suspect your fella is questioning the viability of your relationship. Work on your trust issues now or it will ruin any future relationship. Xx

If she's in an unhappy marriage and not having sex, why would she need to track her cycle, @Luciferlooloo3 ? Women only track their cycle if they are actively planning to get pregnant, OR avoid getting pregnant.

She isn't having sex now.

So why is she doing it? Don't be so naive! There is no way you would be happy with this set up in real life. NO woman would.

HayleyDD73 · 19/08/2023 07:25

I agree. I don't actually believe that anybody in her situation would do this. Also, there is a lot of people on social media who lie about their situation to get empathy, etc She's probably one of them.

Does your bf really know this woman? Does he know her kids' names, husband's name, etc? If not, why not? Any genuine person would give those details after months of talking. Has she abandoned her family in the hope of leading a new life in the UK,with or without your bf? This doesn't sound good.

Focus on your Uni studies and make new friends - you don't need your bf and Miss America in your lives. I think they are both deceitful.

Tpfu · 19/08/2023 07:30

This American woman with a kid collection- what will happen to the kids, poor things-Is she going home with a bun in the oven? She sounds as deranged as him.

You mean a 'man-bun in the oven'.

Sorry couldn't help myself.....

Aprilx · 19/08/2023 07:33

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

Why do you keep saying you have messed up! The only thing you did wrong was tell him it was ok for his emotional affair partner to come over and stay with him in the first place.

I don’t think she was trying to get pregnant by your boyfriend either, I think she wanted to make sire she wasn’t going to get pregnant because she relies on rhythm techniques for contraception. Unless she was planning sex with your boyfriend there really is no other reason that she would need to take an ovulation test. And I think you were supposed to find it too.

Honestly get rid, they are making a mug of you.

Charrington · 19/08/2023 07:33

Are you ok, op? It’s a very hard place to be in when a relationship is breaking down. Particularly when the person you would normally turn to is the one causing the pain. I hope you have some real life support. Try not to let it interfere with your studies (easier said than done) because your results will impact your life long after you’ve forgotten this guy’s name.

Givemethereins · 19/08/2023 07:42

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.

Mmm you seem very triggered by this. You don't by any chance have 5 kids and an accent do you? The op is not acting badly and your inappropriate judgement sounds very off. Half of the responses have confirmed her suspicions. He does appear to be sleeping with her.
The op agreed to this lady staying with her boyfriend out of good faith. She did trust him but then the boundaries kept widening untill now she's dealing with them continuing a relationship started online into a physical thing.
I think you need to checkin your own self.

holamums · 19/08/2023 07:46

This woman sounds like a complete crack pot! Either lying about having 5 kids and hoping to fall pregnant in Manchester or as someone else said actively trying to avoid falling pregnant-because obviously highly fertile!

Please give your bf (excuse the pun) a wide birth after this, there's clearly something going on here. There's no chance he's completely innocent but he is doing a good job at making you believe he is. You're young get back out there!

Whenthepartysover · 19/08/2023 07:47

I didn't expect my post to get so much attention. I am grateful for the support, thank you.

I didn't go to his last night because we aren't in a good place because of this so need to sort it out between us. It doesn't include her, it's none of her business, I don't want to be having this conversation while she is there. I couldn't just walk in and sit with them for tea talking because I wouldn't have felt like I could say what I wanted to say. I know some people will think that's the wrong choice because if I saw her I could see for myself. But how was the evening going to go? What was I going to say? I'd get there, they'd reassure me, I'd say ok and then we'd have a cozy night in together? Or I wouldn't say ok, and it'd turn into an argument. The issue is between me and my boyfriend and doesn't concern her anymore, I just want her to leave and never hear of her again.

I haven't slept much the past couple of nights I'm very tired and just sad and hurt. I know that the majority of people are saying the relationship needs to end but it's easy for you to say when for you this is just words on a screen, a story. It's my life and my real relationship with feelings and attachments involved. I don't want the relationship to end, but I feel like its been changed now. I'm going today so hopefully this will be easier to talk through in person

OP posts:
Aprilx · 19/08/2023 07:56

The thing is it does involve her and she isn’t going to disappear, they are going to stay in contact. They are hiding their affair in plain sight.

Of course you have feelings, you are not too young for feelings, but you are young and not too entangled (no shared home, finance, no kids etc) and you do really need to throw this cheating rat back. You might as well do it sooner rather than later because there is no future here.

user1492757084 · 19/08/2023 07:56

Be pleasant to Claire. Your boyfriend should not find it weird that you give Claire a look at the city. Go out with your girlfriends, or with your Aunt etc. Do a girly thing or two with her. Give your boyfriend a break.
Encourage your boyfriend to catch up with a friend or two.

Ask Claire when she will be heading elsewhere. Can you offer her accommodation somewhere in a new scenic location for a few days? Help her have a relax, make a connection and wish her well when she goes home to her children.
Also tell her that you like her and that, if you end up getting married, she might receive an invite!!

misskatamari · 19/08/2023 08:01

Good luck today @Whenthepartysover You sound such a lovely, mature person. Please remember that you’ve done NOTHING wrong in feeling this way, and please don’t let your bf make you doubt yourself or turn it around into being your fault. I guess that’s the test of it all really. It could be innocent. But it’s how he responds to you expressing your feelings that is the important thing here. You’ve already tried to raise things and discuss them openly and maturely and that hasn’t gone well. He needs to work at salvaging this now, with genuine honesty and openness. If he switches to this being no big deal, your problem, only an issue because you are making it one, and defensiveness- he’s not a keeper. He’s not actually willing to see you as your own autonomous person who has her own thoughts and feelings which can be the opposite of how he sees things. He “can’t understand” why you feel how you feel? Signs he’s emotionally immature and selfish. I hope it goes well today and that whatever happens you find happiness. You have your whole life ahead of you! You deserve to feel safe, loved, respected and in an equal partnership.

MrsElsa · 19/08/2023 08:04

At 23 you have your whole life ahead of you. You should not be spending all your free time travelling to meet a 27yo who couldn't care less about your feelings. You have posted a lot about feeling guilt, shame, fear. You have done nothing wrong here, he is the one who is pushing boundaries, lying and acting irrationally. You deserve better.

sodthesodoff · 19/08/2023 08:05

I know it may seem harsh we're all saying to dump him. And of course we don't know him. And I'm sure he has his good points

All I'd say is if a friend said to you they were crying in the shower because of their partner. And he invited a woman to stay and prioritised her feelings over yours - what would you say?

No one really wants to split up with anyone. It's never nice. But you're young. Don't tie yourself to someone who blanks you and has you as his last priority. You deserve more.

indyocean · 19/08/2023 08:09

Of course her husband cares. I don't buy that for a second

They have 5 kids together. Surely you need 2 adults to take care of them all

I wonder if she's run away?

indyocean · 19/08/2023 08:11

She doesn't sound like the sort of person you marry

More the kind you have a fun romance with in your early 20s

Although the fun seems to have gone out of the relationship

CrunchyCarrot · 19/08/2023 08:13

I know that the majority of people are saying the relationship needs to end but it's easy for you to say when for you this is just words on a screen, a story. It's my life and my real relationship with feelings and attachments involved.

Many of us have done the hard yards with relationships and we know how difficult and heartbreaking it can be when things go wrong. However experience tells us that the heartbreak is short lived and ending things isn't always as devastating as one might imagine. Can't tell you how many times I've had a broken heart and been utterly miserable. I ignored good advice at the time and had to learn the hard way! Now I have a fantastic guy and although those hurts were hard at the time, I learned what real relationships should look like.

Honestly OP you will be OK, don't doubt it. The hurt fades and in time a far better relationship will come along.

Holyjinglebells · 19/08/2023 08:18

This is all kinds of crazy...yanbu..who leaves 5 children and a partner to fly to another continent to see Manchester??? It just doesn't add up? Yanbu

Ricochetsandwhich · 19/08/2023 08:19

misskatamari · 19/08/2023 08:01

Good luck today @Whenthepartysover You sound such a lovely, mature person. Please remember that you’ve done NOTHING wrong in feeling this way, and please don’t let your bf make you doubt yourself or turn it around into being your fault. I guess that’s the test of it all really. It could be innocent. But it’s how he responds to you expressing your feelings that is the important thing here. You’ve already tried to raise things and discuss them openly and maturely and that hasn’t gone well. He needs to work at salvaging this now, with genuine honesty and openness. If he switches to this being no big deal, your problem, only an issue because you are making it one, and defensiveness- he’s not a keeper. He’s not actually willing to see you as your own autonomous person who has her own thoughts and feelings which can be the opposite of how he sees things. He “can’t understand” why you feel how you feel? Signs he’s emotionally immature and selfish. I hope it goes well today and that whatever happens you find happiness. You have your whole life ahead of you! You deserve to feel safe, loved, respected and in an equal partnership.

This!

Thinking of you. A lot of well meaning assumptions have been made by posters who do not know your partner - but many of us have been there and have our own sorry tales that we have learnt from. Only you can work out what’s going on. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this.

Sueveneers · 19/08/2023 08:21

You could have just dropped over for a quick cuppa, you didn't need to actually have tea/dinner with them.

indyocean · 19/08/2023 08:23

indyocean · 19/08/2023 08:11

She doesn't sound like the sort of person you marry

More the kind you have a fun romance with in your early 20s

Although the fun seems to have gone out of the relationship

He! I mean your BF

indyocean · 19/08/2023 08:26

DaNcInGtEqUiLaCaT · 19/08/2023 01:11

I wonder if her husband can't have children and this is how she has obtained the other five. They fancied another child with artistic tendencies.

I'm really old so I feel I need to tell you that at 23 a two year relationship isn't very long. Please don't wake up at almost 40 wishing you had listened to the old woman on MN.
Go an enjoy your uni days whilst you can without all this crap.

I thought this

Trixiefirecracker · 19/08/2023 08:27

Good luck for today. Hope you get some clarification.

MachineBee · 19/08/2023 08:28

I was married to a man who constantly told me he loved me but he was used this to control me. He was an abusive, egocentric arsehole and I’m sad I wasted so much of my life with him. I married him at 19 to ffs!

I’m now married to a man who rarely says he loves me but SHOWS me he does all the time.

OP - your BF is not a good man, this isn’t a good relationship and he isn’t really into you. If he was, then you would return home after your dates with a big smile on your face and not spend hours afterwards in the shower crying. Please chalk this up to experience and go have some fun. There really are plenty of good men out there. He isn’t one of them.

Tandora · 19/08/2023 08:30

Whenthepartysover · 19/08/2023 07:47

I didn't expect my post to get so much attention. I am grateful for the support, thank you.

I didn't go to his last night because we aren't in a good place because of this so need to sort it out between us. It doesn't include her, it's none of her business, I don't want to be having this conversation while she is there. I couldn't just walk in and sit with them for tea talking because I wouldn't have felt like I could say what I wanted to say. I know some people will think that's the wrong choice because if I saw her I could see for myself. But how was the evening going to go? What was I going to say? I'd get there, they'd reassure me, I'd say ok and then we'd have a cozy night in together? Or I wouldn't say ok, and it'd turn into an argument. The issue is between me and my boyfriend and doesn't concern her anymore, I just want her to leave and never hear of her again.

I haven't slept much the past couple of nights I'm very tired and just sad and hurt. I know that the majority of people are saying the relationship needs to end but it's easy for you to say when for you this is just words on a screen, a story. It's my life and my real relationship with feelings and attachments involved. I don't want the relationship to end, but I feel like its been changed now. I'm going today so hopefully this will be easier to talk through in person

Your boyfriend has done nothing wrong!!!! What is this drama about???!!!

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