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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

On holiday and I don’t know if I’m unreasonable!

642 replies

SunnyBlueSeal · 07/08/2025 15:01

I’m really hoping for some perspective here. We are currently in Spain with my friends for a holiday. It’s us ( myself, DH and DC 14,16 ) and my friends ( Kate, Neil, DC 14,17) obviously names are changed. Kate was my friend for a few years through the activities. They invited us for a holiday with them. We booked two different villas about 5min walk from each other and right on the beach. Since we got here, Kate and my DH are spending more and more time together. This is our full third day here, and so far today, they met running at 7am and booked a spontaneous paddle boarding for themselves at 10am. We were all on the beach later and went for a lunch. I went back to the villa to get some plasters and they both turned up. My DH said he is changing his top as he and Kate will walk to the town to get a few bits. All of the DC are spending their time on the beach learning windsurfing with the local club so I don’t need DH to help with childcare. Kate’s husband Neil has a work project to do so he spends about 5 hours a day working in their villa. I’m starting to feel like a 3rd wheel to my friend and my DH. I’m getting grumpy when I’m around them and I don’t want to push him away but I don’t know how to get out of this mood. And another thing which got me thinking is at the dinner, Kate asked for a sparkling water and my DH said he wants some too. He never drank fucking sparkling water but when I pulled him on it, he said it’s because I only drink a still water so he did too. So for years you were drinking still water because of me? Have a sparkling water if you want! Something is feeling odd and I can’t put my finger on it

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 08/08/2025 07:28

Well, there you go. I was thinking this was the sequel to The Couple Next Door but turns out it’s even more crap than that.Grin

Blogswife · 08/08/2025 07:32

Reply
“ Sounds fun . Hope you enjoy it but as I said, DH & I are spending some much needed time together “
Time to have a serious talk with DH - tell him how his behaviour is making you feel and ask him if he’d rather be with Kate than you . I’d also threaten to speak to Neil if he doesn’t change his behaviour . He’s treating you like crap

PixelNomad · 08/08/2025 07:33

Lbet · 08/08/2025 07:26

Well it got you coming back to read more.

I came back to read the deletion message 😂

lilylulus · 08/08/2025 07:35

I would call them out "innocently" next time all adults are in the same room and check reactions.

"So what are the 2 of you planning to do today?"
"Can we have a day where it's not just the 2 of you spending time together?"
"Husband, do your plans include me today?"
"Kate, can I have my husband back?"

BeavisMcTavish · 08/08/2025 07:36

So I’m just saying… reverse that convo and you’d be on here fuming that your husband is a flirt.

It’s perfectly fine if the 4 of you have that sort of relationship of course but this just stood out - why you felt it was ok regardless of how you assumed Neil would deal with it.

thebraveryofbeingoutofrange · 08/08/2025 07:39

lilylulus · 08/08/2025 07:35

I would call them out "innocently" next time all adults are in the same room and check reactions.

"So what are the 2 of you planning to do today?"
"Can we have a day where it's not just the 2 of you spending time together?"
"Husband, do your plans include me today?"
"Kate, can I have my husband back?"

Sigh. You can lead a horse to water and all that.

Davemyfave · 08/08/2025 07:39

Well this thread has changed 😂……Will OP come back ……

Zempy · 08/08/2025 07:44

Tell her you are spending a family day together tomorrow so she might want to reschedule or cancel her booking.

If DH objects, drowning him will be your only option.

MissHollysDolly · 08/08/2025 07:50

They are either having an affair or they’ll kick one off soon

Blinky21 · 08/08/2025 08:03

Sounds like Kate is incredibly needy because her own husband is working on their holiday and ignoring her, so shes trying to get attention from yours. I think you should speak to your husband and insist on making plans without her.

eish · 08/08/2025 08:07

Kate sounds like a pain in the ass

ThisTaupeZebra · 08/08/2025 08:10

The thing that gets me most out of everything you have said is the idea that her coming INTO YOUR BEDROOM, WHILE YOUR HUSBAND WAS UNDRESSING was somehow innocent. Watch Single White Female (in fact, invite her around for it for movie night) and you will see what I mean.

I had a 'friend', a housemate actually, steal a boyfriend and one of the things she would do was insert herself inappropriately (physically and metaphorically!) when I had my boyfriend round. The whole turning up at 11pm when the two of you were in bed together struck a nerve as I once found my 'friend' curled up with my boyfriend 'watching a movie' when they knew I was due to be out at the theatre (both relationships ended after that) and I also once found her sat in the living room underneath my bedroom after I had been having sex with him.

I can imagine that the OP's 'friend' did what she did as both things, turning up to movie night, and turning up to your house when you were in bed with him were both overly intimate/boundary overstepping things to do, which could be plausibly brushed off. She was just engaging with friends right?

Her being all over your place all the time also means you can't have a private confrontation with your husband, resort to snipping and then YOU come across as the unreasonable one. It also means that if you do eventually confront him, it might be with her there, and both of them, plus perhaps her husband can all call you crazy. She is taking away any balance you might now have in your marriage.

This ex-friend of mine also had a habit of Wendying other women/mutual friends of ours. The 'oh dear I seem to have gone to lunch with your whole family without telling you,' thing was classic. So was the passivity of the others who should have had more loyalty to you. People are shit. I am sorry. It is a very nasty type of erasure that doesn't get talked about enough.

The fact you think your husband 'forgetting to tell you' that he had made plans with this woman, that sort of seem to include you though not consider what you actually want, is something you should 'feel stupid about' says a awful lot about the role you are playing in this and why a woman like this has made you her mark.

You have been told the same thing over and over about how to handle this by other posters, I'm not going to add to that chorus. While my situation was different to yours, he was not a serious boyfriend at all and yours is a husband, I think it is worth pointing out my ex and ex-friend are now married. All our mutual friends went to the wedding.

LushLemonTart · 08/08/2025 08:23

GloryDias · 07/08/2025 22:49

Hmmmm I thought you said you told her you were having a family day tomorrow??

Exactly 🤔

LittleBitofBread · 08/08/2025 08:33

Hoardasauruskaren · 07/08/2025 19:19

That’s really awful! She seems to be deliberately freezing you out of your own family! If you message someone in that situation you check for their reply! Raging on your behalf op.

Agree, this is shit behaviour. But your DH should have a handle on it too – why didn't he, instead of going along with her and the DC for lunch, say, ' Hang on, we need to wait for Sunny, has she replied yet?'

PuppyMonkey · 08/08/2025 08:38

Shit behaviour. Snort.

LittleBitofBread · 08/08/2025 08:41

PuppyMonkey · 08/08/2025 08:38

Shit behaviour. Snort.

I know! Just couldn't think of another turn of phrase in the moment.

Evergreen21 · 08/08/2025 08:53

Whilst none of this is down to you I do think you are handling this wrong. I'd text back to Kate that neither yourself or dh can go on the boat trip as you already have plans but her and Neil can go ahead and make the most of it, time for them to spend together and all that. I'd then speak to your own dh about how it is inappropriate for him to spend so much time with another woman on her own and what kind of signals that sends out. I'd also focus on how you are being disrespected and made to feel a spare part. It doesn't matter if he gets defensive, why should you be the one to get upset and feel resentful? Instead of sniping at him because you are annoyed I think it is better to be direct. His response will be telling and if he still goes to spend time with her then your marriage is dead and he needs to be ditched.

Miniatureschnauzers · 08/08/2025 09:17

SunnyBlueSeal · 07/08/2025 22:41

So after changing the sheets, I thought we are going to be ok. We can laugh about the unfortunate events but we are ok. In the mean time while all of this was happening, Kate texted back saying that her and my DH booked the boat for tomorrow ( for all of us ). I felt so stupid that my DH forgot to tell me about that! Anyway, the boat is ‘drive yourself’ as it’s only for four people. Neil is working and DCs are windsurfing. If I end up on that fucking boat with Kate and my DH tomorrow, only one person is coming back🤣

It sounds as though they are really “coupling up”; hanging out and making decisions together. I think that she is likely feeling neglected/rejected/bored by her DH and seeking validation and admiration elsewhere. The fact that your kids noticed she arrived all dressed up (as though for a date!) at 11pm is very telling.
This has happened to me - with a bf who one day totally ignored me and put his attention elsewhere. It felt really yucky so I empathise.
If I were you, I think I would be very boundaried with my DH. Say we need a serious discussion (just the two of us if possible) over dinner. Tell him he needs to cancel the plans with the other woman. Then I would let him know how I feel; how inappropriate it is for him to be doing this to me and in front of the kids. Probably how I am not prepared to be in a relationship with someone who treats me like this. And see how he responds. Has he previous form for this? Sounds unlikely this would be the first time. Good luck

Miniatureschnauzers · 08/08/2025 09:22

ThisTaupeZebra · 08/08/2025 08:10

The thing that gets me most out of everything you have said is the idea that her coming INTO YOUR BEDROOM, WHILE YOUR HUSBAND WAS UNDRESSING was somehow innocent. Watch Single White Female (in fact, invite her around for it for movie night) and you will see what I mean.

I had a 'friend', a housemate actually, steal a boyfriend and one of the things she would do was insert herself inappropriately (physically and metaphorically!) when I had my boyfriend round. The whole turning up at 11pm when the two of you were in bed together struck a nerve as I once found my 'friend' curled up with my boyfriend 'watching a movie' when they knew I was due to be out at the theatre (both relationships ended after that) and I also once found her sat in the living room underneath my bedroom after I had been having sex with him.

I can imagine that the OP's 'friend' did what she did as both things, turning up to movie night, and turning up to your house when you were in bed with him were both overly intimate/boundary overstepping things to do, which could be plausibly brushed off. She was just engaging with friends right?

Her being all over your place all the time also means you can't have a private confrontation with your husband, resort to snipping and then YOU come across as the unreasonable one. It also means that if you do eventually confront him, it might be with her there, and both of them, plus perhaps her husband can all call you crazy. She is taking away any balance you might now have in your marriage.

This ex-friend of mine also had a habit of Wendying other women/mutual friends of ours. The 'oh dear I seem to have gone to lunch with your whole family without telling you,' thing was classic. So was the passivity of the others who should have had more loyalty to you. People are shit. I am sorry. It is a very nasty type of erasure that doesn't get talked about enough.

The fact you think your husband 'forgetting to tell you' that he had made plans with this woman, that sort of seem to include you though not consider what you actually want, is something you should 'feel stupid about' says a awful lot about the role you are playing in this and why a woman like this has made you her mark.

You have been told the same thing over and over about how to handle this by other posters, I'm not going to add to that chorus. While my situation was different to yours, he was not a serious boyfriend at all and yours is a husband, I think it is worth pointing out my ex and ex-friend are now married. All our mutual friends went to the wedding.

so sorry this happened to you, but really insightful post - I’ve never heard of Wendy-ing before. I hope you’re in a good place now

Madremia6 · 08/08/2025 09:27

But you’ve told her you and your husband won’t be on that boat right??
I am also hoping you’ve asked him why he ‘forgot’ to tell you about a boat trip..???
As for your ‘friend’ turning up to your villa at 11pm dressed to the nines, what was her husbands reaction??
I absolutely would not be leaving the holiday early however I would be doing everything possible to avoid spending time with them!

sugarapplelane · 08/08/2025 09:35

This reply has been deleted

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MyLimeGuide · 08/08/2025 09:45

Can we have an update please OP? even if its fabricated we need this!!!

namechangeaaargh · 08/08/2025 09:48

Christ I nearly fell for this nonsense. The shit the bed part confirmed it though. Also, I've stayed in lots of holiday villas and not one has ever had spare sheets. And who craps themselves and then feels well enough to post on mumsnet almost immediately afterwards?

YellowBlueStar · 08/08/2025 09:54

This reply has been deleted

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I'm tending to agree with you.

ButteredRadish · 08/08/2025 10:02

Well the troll hunters have ruined this thread as usual!