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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:
Pollyputthekettleonha · 17/08/2023 11:20

I think you're right to be suspicious OP. The fact she is in an unhappy marriage, has left five children specifically to come and see your BF. It might be that he doesn't feel the same way as her. The only way is to have it out with him as you are planning to.
The ovulation stick I don't know about, she may be using that to track her cycle so she doesn't get pregnant again. Although I wonder whether she is sleeping with her husband if the marriage is unhappy. Odd.

Janieforever · 17/08/2023 11:20

I’m also really shocked at these answers. This is a very young woman and people are egging her on and trying to make it suspicious. I mean she tracks her ovulation so she can shag him, good god.

they are friends, the woman lives state side and has 5 kids. The op hasn’t mentioned a partner. She’s not crazy because she had a solo holiday, or some man hungry vixen.

they are friends. He asked the op, she vacated to give them space. The op is acting very young and jealous indeed, but I think much older folks who should know better to look at all possibilities are trying to make it much worse for her.

Serendipitoushedgehog · 17/08/2023 11:22

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 was thinking similar! We could tell you not to waste your 20s on these kind of men but you’ve got to live your life.

applesandmares · 17/08/2023 11:22

@MollyRover where has she lied and how do we know she's crazy?

Honestly she might be a raving loony but I don't think we've seen anything that says that, and I don't want to make things worse for OP by jumping to conclusions.

The advice if your tracking cycles is to do it consistently for months in order to get a reliable set of data. If I left an ovulation stick in someone's bin and found out it'd set a hare off like this I'd be howling!

OooohAhhhh · 17/08/2023 11:22

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?!

Oh come on!!
You can't really be this naïve?!!

And people have still been known to do this even when married!

FictionalCharacter · 17/08/2023 11:25

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

Manchester isn't on anyone's bucket list.
She came over to see your boyfriend.
Your boyfriend who won't even call you unless you call him first.
You're 23 and at university. There are thousands of people there that you can meet, socialise with and potentially fall in love with. You can do so much better than this man who's messing around with another woman.

Azela · 17/08/2023 11:25

I really want to know if he has a man-bun now!
I wouldn't be happy either OP.

Noshowlomo · 17/08/2023 11:25

I mean this in the least condescending way OP, but as someone who is 20 years older and been messed around by similar types in the past, it’s time to walk away from this relationship. I know nothing about this woman but this whole situation is so very very odd. Who leaves 5 kids to come to Manchester.. she’s already told your boyf she’s not happy with her husband !? And the ovulation stick, what?!
As someone said, ditch the man bun dick and live your life being respected. Anyone who makes you stressed during lectures isn’t the one for you.

Clefable · 17/08/2023 11:26

Honestly I'm quite laid back but yes this is weird. Presumably she's a fair bit older than him? So an older woman with 5(!) kids has been talking to a younger man online for months, has come over solo for a 'holiday' which ostensibly is just staying with this man, and is tracking her ovulation while there. Come on, people, this has weird written all over it!

MollyRover · 17/08/2023 11:27

@applesandmares she's lied about coming on holiday to Manchester. She's on a trip to see the OP's boyfriend. She's lied about saving the cost of the hotel, she wanted to stay with OP's boyfriend. She's crazy because she's flown from another country to stay with a complete stranger. She's crazy because she left an ovulation test out to be found.

Amongst other things. If the ovulation test is totally innocent why would she have confided to OP's boyfriend that she's having marital issues? Who's she tracking her ovulation for? I think it's safe to say she's fertile if she has 5 children.

applesandmares · 17/08/2023 11:29

@OooohAhhhh well I just think if she's trying to avoid pregnancy she'd use a condom, not rely on a stick which tells you you're ovulating the next day, but doesn't tell you when your fertile period starts.

And I find the idea that she's flown over looking to get impregnated by a random bloke from Instagram even more far fetched 😂

AncientBallerina · 17/08/2023 11:29

This is so weird - what married woman with FIVE kids in her right mind hops on a transatlantic flight to ‘see Manchester’ At first I assumed she was attending a conference or something and was on a low budget so was crashing at your boyfriends and was otherwise occupied during the days and nights. She has come to see him.
Freud would have a field day with the ovulation stick 🧐
Your boyfriend is either dim or a total chancer.
Do not call him. Let him sulk. If he doesn’t call you then that tells you all you need to know.
I know, it’s really hard and you will be very sad but honestly you deserve someone who doesn’t treat you like this. You’re only 23 - plenty of time to find someone decent.

Clefable · 17/08/2023 11:29

And no way does someone from America with 5 kids use a precious holiday to spend the whole time in Manchester going to parks with a random man from the internet unless there's some other motive. I'd wager they've been having at least an emotional affair, from her perspective at least, and she came over specifically to meet him. Maybe he's complicit, maybe not, but the very minimum of what it is is weird.

WorkSmarter · 17/08/2023 11:30

At the very least she is looking for an escape via your boyfriend! That's my gut about the situation.
I would bin him and make the most of your time at uni afresh. It may be the best thing you have ever done xxxx

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:31

@YoureAMeanOneMrGrinch I did ask my boyfriend about the ovulation stick. He was just confused and saying he didn't even know what it was.

Just to be clear with everyone, I don't think she used it to check whether it was safe to have sex. I think she tracks her cycles because she doesn't use contraception and does not want any more kids (as she has 5!). The reason why I mentioned it in the first place was just to give the full picture of all of the things ive found odd over the week. I find her an odd person for doing this. Not for tracking her cycles but for going to someone else's house who she has only just met in person, peeing on a stick, and leaving it out in the open on top of the bin. The bin does not have a lid. You can see the test as soon as you walk in. I didn't have to look for it. I would never go to a friend's house and do that. I would wrap it up. Why do other people want to see my pee stick laying there?? It just made me think she's an odd person. I didn't kick up a fuss about it though. I just said to him "why's there an ovulation stick in the bin?" And he was totally confused. And then I left it at that. It's not a big deal. I just included it in the post because I think it's weird thing to do. I

Someone asked how long she is staying but can't remember who tag tag you, sorry. She's only staying for a week. Will be going home at the weekend.

OP posts:
StartupRepair · 17/08/2023 11:31

To a person we have all taken against man bun dick. You can do so much better OP.

JudgeAnderson · 17/08/2023 11:33

Ha ha ha who comes all the way over from the US to visit... Manchester?
She came to see him OP.

People saying he's entitled to have friends, would they honestly be cool if their DP/DH had his new, female bestie to stay that he'd been talking to online, while they weren't even there? Would they hell be cool with that.

Lentilweaver · 17/08/2023 11:33

This is so weird. Kooky woman and man bun dick do not make a good pair.

Also, which nutter allows a stranger they met on the internet to stay in their house?

WhatInTheNameOfGodIsThis · 17/08/2023 11:33

The ovulation test is weird. I've never taken one unless I'm TTC or avoiding it.

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:34

Also it's really funny because he does have long hair that he sometimes puts in a bun 😂

OP posts:
Clefable · 17/08/2023 11:35

Whenthepartysover · 17/08/2023 11:34

Also it's really funny because he does have long hair that he sometimes puts in a bun 😂

LTB. This is the really unforgivable bit.

Gladtoblasto · 17/08/2023 11:35

I think she's trouble. Who leaves their 5 kids and husband to hang out with some guy, that in all honesty, she doesn't really know. I think she has plans to try something on. I suspect your boyfriend is probably a good guy that can't see through this. I'd ask that they cut contact. I would not be comfortable about this and you are allowed to become uncomfortable and change your mind about situations.

Lentilweaver · 17/08/2023 11:36

Clefable · 17/08/2023 11:35

LTB. This is the really unforgivable bit.

😂

Olika · 17/08/2023 11:37

I feel uncomfortable about this all. You need to have a chat with your bf and then decide if you want to continue your relationship.

Azela · 17/08/2023 11:37

Did she just come to Manchester? Did she go anywhere else?
I'd also be inclined to think she just came to see him OP, sorry. Not sure if your partner is naive or flattered or complicit or what...

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