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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be hurt and angry by DH's ungrounded accusation?

67 replies

RobinCymru8282 · 05/09/2025 18:13

Hello, long time lurker and first time poster here.
I really need some advice and suggestions please as I value the honesty and experience of Mumsnet users.
DH and I have been together for 3.5 years, married for 6 months. We do not live together due to family/work commitments. This would likely change within 5 or so years as children grow up. We always knew our marriage living arrangement would be this way for the short term due to commitments I have mentioned.
This morning, DH arrived to take me to a hospital appointment for a local anaesthetic procedure. Appointment was 12.30pm. He suggested he arrive to collect me at 11.30am but I had saud 11am please as I had worked back a d thought 90 mins more time to get to hospital, find a car park space, locate the correct ward etc. I have high blood pressure so wanted to stay as relaxed as possible before the procedure. He agreed 11am and mentioned he would do some work earlier that morning in a location between his house and mine.
So far so good.
This morning, sent his usual good morning text and I responded in usual manner. Took my dd aged 14 to school then returned home for some breakfast and played Solitaire to help keep me calm.
He messages at 1.56am to say hes out waiting in the car and I reply saying I'd be out in a tick.
When I got in the car, I told him politely I thought he'd have come to the house. He then said that "I was keen to let him know I wanted him there for 11am and no earlier". He then said he'd arrived at 10am and had sat outside and said he was thinking, I could go to him! I was flabbergasted at this as this was furtherest from the truth. I said I'd said 11am as I knew he was working earlier and to give him time to get from A to B esp with traffic being busy. He said then that this is not what I made it sound like. I was very upset that he'd insinuated he wasn't wanted and I got very worked up before my procedure.
Long story short, procedure went smoothly but I am astounded that he said this...and not just because it was when I was on my way to a hospital procedure! He had ample time to tell me he felt this at an earlier date but did not.
I will say, I have noticed that the change of seasons from summer do have a negative affect on his mood.
I have also noticed tgat he can get "funny" if it seems like I'm spending more time than usual with my children or messaging other people on WhatsApp more than him.
I am also far more of a hands on parent with my 2 daughters than him with his dd. Note, his dd has learning needs and stays with him for 2 weekends each month. I do not set this arrangement and I actively encourage him to talk more to his dd and even his ex re his dd's progress but he feels the least contact he has with his ex, the better. I disagree though esp when it comes to his dd's progress etc!
(All the above he would vehemently deny though).
So.....very long story....I need to know, AIBU in feeling utterly hacked off with DH attitude? BTW there was no apology or remorse for what was said nor for making me clearly very upset in run up to my procedure?
Or...AINBU given the Times were organised before hand. He had suggested an even LATER pick up time so I dont get where this is coming from atall if I'm totally honest!
Thank you to all who got this far and thank you for your honesty x

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 05/09/2025 18:23

Sorry I don't really understand what happened
He arrived early but waited in the car and then you got yourself wound up?

Macaroni46 · 05/09/2025 18:29

What time did he actually arrive? Presume 1.56am is a typo
TBH the whole set up sounds weird and there’s a lack of clear communication.

CoheedandCambria · 05/09/2025 18:30

I think it's that he would have come earlier, hung out for a bit and then they would have both left at 11am. But he felt op made it clear she just wanted to be picked up and nothing more.
Is that right?

BloomingNerines · 05/09/2025 18:34

What a way to live ..

arethereanyleftatall · 05/09/2025 18:39

I have absolutely no idea what he did wrong I’m afraid. Did you miss it out of the op? You asked for 11, he arrived early, and just waited as you had said not before 11, so he respected that.

Meadowfinch · 05/09/2025 18:40

You wanted him there for 11. He arrived, I presume at 10.56. I don't see the problem.

You were on time. Your procedure went smoothly.

Why does it matter if he sat in the car? Maybe he felt you would be calmer on your own. Maybe he was listening to the cricket or reading the news. Does it matter?

KrisAkabusi · 05/09/2025 18:42

Sorry. I'm with the others. I can't see what he's done wrong. You asked him to be there at 11 and he was. There may have been some miscommunication about what to do if he was early, but I can't see why you're flabbergasted or got worked up on the way. It was a minor error, if that.

jonthebatiste · 05/09/2025 18:42

Why couldn’t you drive yourself? I don’t expect my DH (with whom I live) to drive me places. If I can’t drive for any reason, I’d take a taxi - he’s not my chauffeur especially on a work day. Mostly he’d offer to drive but it’s such a mundane boring thing to do I mostly decline the offer (and doesn’t happen often because I can look after myself).

steff13 · 05/09/2025 18:44

Did this whole time conversation happen over text? It sounds like he took your text differently than you intended, but that's a risk of text communication. It sounds like your communication is not great on both sides, which will obviously be exasperated by your usual living arrangement.

I'm not sure what the different in parenting styles has to do with this situation.

londongirl12 · 05/09/2025 18:45

Not living together for over 5 years is not “short term”. Surely this is going to make it harder to communicate? How far away does he live?

charlieandjenna · 05/09/2025 18:47

He sat outside for an hour and didn’t come in because you’d told him not before 11?

arethereanyleftatall · 05/09/2025 18:48

The parenting comments are quite strange also op. You say you’re married. He only parents EOW. Has that been a change then? Otherwise you already knew he wasn’t a particularly involved parent from the beginning.

GideonSmideon · 05/09/2025 18:49

He misunderstood what you meant regarding the time. I would have laughed it off and moved on (I also would have driven myself or got a taxi) are you living apart for benefit purposes?

fishtank12345 · 05/09/2025 18:49

KrisAkabusi · 05/09/2025 18:42

Sorry. I'm with the others. I can't see what he's done wrong. You asked him to be there at 11 and he was. There may have been some miscommunication about what to do if he was early, but I can't see why you're flabbergasted or got worked up on the way. It was a minor error, if that.

He was there at 10am and did not go in to see his wife. ... that is a problem.

arethereanyleftatall · 05/09/2025 18:50

fishtank12345 · 05/09/2025 18:49

He was there at 10am and did not go in to see his wife. ... that is a problem.

Not necessarily. She had a procedure, has asked specifically for 11, so he may have felt she wanted her peace till then. Fairly normal, many people need downtime away from others, even spouses.

Heronwatcher · 05/09/2025 18:54

Are you married? I know you say DH but wanted to check.

Was he upset because he waited in the car? I think I might just have said “Oh well just for future reference if you arrive early of course you’re welcome to come in but secretly been quite glad he didn’t”. I think you’re getting worked up over nothing on this one incident- but maybe there’s more to it.

Praying4Peace · 05/09/2025 18:54

I'm confused.
Not sure why you are married

WiddlinDiddlin · 05/09/2025 18:56

jonthebatiste · 05/09/2025 18:42

Why couldn’t you drive yourself? I don’t expect my DH (with whom I live) to drive me places. If I can’t drive for any reason, I’d take a taxi - he’s not my chauffeur especially on a work day. Mostly he’d offer to drive but it’s such a mundane boring thing to do I mostly decline the offer (and doesn’t happen often because I can look after myself).

She's probably been told not to drive after the procedure, and some hospitals/departments (happens at ours) will not go through with it if they think you're going to drive home yourself. Even if thats not the case, if you drive yourself, leaving your car at the hospital til the following day is a pain in the arse and expensive. Not all hospitals are easily accessed via public transport (mine isn't! I'd have to bus into city, the bus from city to hospital.)

@RobinCymru8282 Your post is not the clearest ... he arrived at 10am, and sat in the car for an hour rather than come in?

YOu wanted him there at 11, but at no point said not to come any earlier... and he's gaslighting you to suggest you did say 'no earlier' because what.. he's pissed at being told to come earlier than his original suggestion?

What is the ungrounded accusation? That you said no earlier than 11? Or something else?

PamIsAVolleyballChamp · 05/09/2025 19:05

How much time do you actually spend together? Do you have keys for each others houses?

EuclidianGeometryFan · 05/09/2025 19:06

He then said that "I was keen to let him know I wanted him there for 11am and no earlier".

This is what you call an "ungrounded accusation".
And you were "hurt and angry".
Seems like a massive, massive over-reaction on your part to a simple miscommunication.
Is there more to this that you are not telling us?

I have also noticed tgat he can get "funny" if it seems like I'm spending more time than usual with my children or messaging other people on WhatsApp more than him.

You are right to be concerned if he is jealous of the children and possessive of your time. As an adult of course he should accept that children come first.

He has no business comparing how much time you message other people to messaging him - jealousy like this is a big red flag waving.

I am also far more of a hands on parent with my 2 daughters than him with his dd.
You will have a tough time making this marriage work if you are judgemental of his parenting approach and level of parenting commitment.

Being jealous, judgemental, critical, or resentful are toxic for relationships.

steff13 · 05/09/2025 19:07

steff13 · 05/09/2025 18:44

Did this whole time conversation happen over text? It sounds like he took your text differently than you intended, but that's a risk of text communication. It sounds like your communication is not great on both sides, which will obviously be exasperated by your usual living arrangement.

I'm not sure what the different in parenting styles has to do with this situation.

I meant exacerbated. 😒

WaitWhatWhatWait · 05/09/2025 19:19

Why did you bother getting married?
I thought at first you were very young and waiting until you were both settled into your careers before moving in together, but you have a 14yr old so obviously not. Why didn't you just wait until you could actually live together if married?

I also don't really understand what he did wrong.

TeenToTwenties · 05/09/2025 19:19

OP said 'for 11'
She meant 'no later than 11, to leave at 11'
The DH took it to mean 'Arrive at 11, no earlier'.

Miscommunication. Needs sorting for future.

RobinCymru8282 · 05/09/2025 19:32

Thank you to all who replied so rapidly, I really appreciate this.
I will respond to each reply if I can work out how to do this lol x

OP posts:
TeenToTwenties · 05/09/2025 19:41

RobinCymru8282 · 05/09/2025 19:32

Thank you to all who replied so rapidly, I really appreciate this.
I will respond to each reply if I can work out how to do this lol x

If you want to respond specifically, use the 'quote' link to repeat the post and then answer so the person and everyone else can see.

Or just do a general response that hits the key points that have been made.

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