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.

Friend’s husband keeping me away

5 replies

2lsinllama · 17/10/2025 13:32

Posting here for traffic.
My best friend and I have been friends for 8 years and became friends as soon as we met. I’ve always had close female friends, she is very shy and hasn’t had close friends since school. Her husband and my husband get on ok and we have had evenings out as a foursome. But he has always been a bit odd if I spend too much time just with her. She has mentioned that she feels she has to do something with him each week if we have been out that week. He will find reasons for us not to do things alone and seems to try to discourage her from spending too much time with her. He has made comments such as ‘No one understands her like I do’
Recently she lost a parent and we have been talking every day. She’s the eldest so has had to do most of the organising. She has really been struggling and I’ve made it clear she can call me anytime. This week we had lunch, which lasted nearly 3 hours. She did most of the talking which is unusual. She mentioned that she would not tell her husband how long we had been out for an also expressed concern that she would not stay close to her younger sister now both parents had died, as their husbands don’t get on. She also said that her husband doesn’t know how often we talk or text.
I mentioned this to my husband and he feels that my friend’s husband wants to keep her all to himself. He believes that the husband has always been jealous of our friendship and that this is why she has not had close female friends previously.
Do people agree? I have ADHD so don’t always read situations well. I want to help my friend but I don’t want to cause problems for her. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
Pashazade · 17/10/2025 13:35

He sounds like he’s making her life unpleasant, sit tight and be present for her. Keep the lines of communication open and don’t take it personally if she backs off, she may need you in the future.

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 17/10/2025 13:44

He's abusive. Or is about to become so. He's isolating her first to make her more dependant on him, making it harder to get away. Does she recognise this?

If I were you I'd be telling her the code to your key safe so when she does realise how awful he is and needs to get away she's got a safe place she can get to..

Placetobreathe · 17/10/2025 15:08

Yes this is quite worrying.
He is trying to isolate her. And if she has lost a parent and feels she may lose touch with her sister she sounds very vulnerable.
You need to make it clear to her that you are there for her is she needs you.

2lsinllama · 17/10/2025 15:25

Thanks for the replies. I have been known to over react to situations but it was when my husband started to talk about it, it really concerned me. He is the personification of down to earth.
We are all in our late 50s/ early 60s. We have kids, they don’t. They have been married for 30 + years so I don’t think this is a new behaviour.
I guess I will just carry on being there for her.

OP posts:
MrsMoastyToasty · 17/10/2025 15:27

He sounds controlling. Just be there when she needs you.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page