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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To have confronted DH's cousin for flirting with him?

543 replies

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 13:56

My husband and I have been together for 18 years, married for 12. We have two children, aged 15 and 13.

Years ago, long before our relationship, when DH and his female 1st cousin were teenagers, they had a brief, secret relationship with each other.

At first, I thought they just slept together, but over the years DH confided in me that he had slept with her once while staying at her house for a week during the summer holidays when they were both 16, but that they also wanted to be together but knew they could never tell anyone.

They lived in different parts of the country and rarely ever saw each other.

My DH has told me he's actually quite angry with his parents for putting them in this position. They were teenagers, who didn't grow up together, rarely saw each other, and yet when the family would meet up once or twice a year, they would always stay over and the kids would be put in the same room, on bunk beds and camp beds, without any thought of the fact that they were developing and going through puberty, just assuming they were innocent kids. He says the curiousity and strong feelings were inevitable and his parents and other adults should have been more responsible.

Anyway, noone at all knows what happened except DH, the cousin, and me.

When they reached young adulthood, the cousin emigrated to a different country and DH and I have only seen her twice in the last 15 years.
However, we are all currently all Holiday together! MIL recently won a large amount of money and took the whole extended family, 17 of us in total, away on a huge Holiday. Cousin is here.

We have been drinking every night and cousin, who is now in her late 30s, and doesn't have a husband or kids of her own, keeps relentlessly saying flirting with DH. Telling him he looks great in shorts, whistling when he takes his top off on the beach, making silly sexual jokes, and hugging him by coming up behind him and resting her head on his shoulder. Noone else seems to notice and DH says not to worry about it as he doesn't feel anything for her and nothing is going to happen and she's just being playful.
But I've noticed she's not like it with any other males here. Just DH.

The final straw for me came last night when she sat on DH's lap while we were all sitting around drinking and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.

DH just laughed and told her to get up then got up himself and went to the bar.

Again, we had all had quite a lot to drink.

A few minutes later, I went off to the toilet and she was coming back towards me. She was quite drunk and came over with her arms out in front of her to give me a hug. I stepped away and looked her right in the face. I said "Stop flirting with my husband. Don't think I don't know your history. If you come anywhere near him again, I will tell everyone about you two." She looked utterly shocked. I walked away. She must have gone straight to bed.
Today, she's been really quiet all day. Everyone's commented on it but they've just assumed she's really hungover.

MIL and I were sitting on the beach and she commented that this trip has been good for her. She's had a hard time lately as a bloke she was going to marry cheated on her with his ex wife and then went back to her. She's really benefitting from being with family to support her as she's so alone out there.

I feel really guilty for saying that to her last night. I just got so jealous seeing her sitting in his lap, looking amazing in her tiny sundress, knowing their history and she was probably his first love, and felt so insecure. The stupid fling they had was so long ago and they were young and I know at least DH deeply regrets it and is embarrassed about it.

I'm worried I've now ruined her holiday. I didn't know she was going through that. I've been chatting to her to be friendly and get to know her but she never mentioned it

Was I unreasonable?

OP posts:
Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 18:46

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:46

Being 16 is not an excuse to fuck your cousin. Jeez. Raise your standards.

👍

OP posts:
ElsieMc · 05/05/2026 18:49

Be careful here op. None of this is your fault but these kind of secrets can really blow families apart. They chose to do this and clearly knew it was wrong hence the secrecy.

I was around 12 years younger than my cousins except for one who lived with my gm. He was killed age 14 in tragic circumstances. It devastated the family.

Around 2 years back another cousins dd told me her mother had been having sex with my late cousin, he age 14, her 24.

Whilst her daughter is an attention seeker estranged from her mother, it had a real ring of truth from the details and when I look back, realisation dawned on me.

I have not been able to discuss with remaining family as it is too explosive. I no longer have contact with the cousin concerned and it remains a sadness for my young cousin and betrayal by the other because I cared for them both.

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 18:49

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:43

But...what did you expect? You started a life with a man who thinks it's acceptable to fuck his cousin on multiple occasions. Now you're here complaining that they're showing their incestuous attraction in front of you -_-

@sunflowersandsunsets

OP's husband has told her that regrets having sex with his cousin and is ashamed.

It might be that he's being dishonest about that, but as far as it has been presented to the OP, it seemed that her husband genuinely was ashamed and no longer thought it was acceptable.

So she married him on that basis. On the understanding that he had changed his perspective.

Again, it might turn out that the husband wasn't as regretful/ashamed as he claimed to be. But I don't think the OP should be blamed for giving him the benefit of the doubt and trusting him.

DidIJustHearWhatIThinkYouSaid · 05/05/2026 18:52

If some of the PP on here had their 16 year old son in this position there’d still be the ick but I think there would be more talk of teenage hormones, what were the parents thinking to put the cousins in the same room etc etc
But you do need to deal with your husband’s behaviour now.

RS1987 · 05/05/2026 18:53

Maybe take her to one side, apologise for your bluntness but explain you felt disrespected by her actions and you hope she’s ok. At least you know she’ll pack it in now.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:54

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 18:49

@sunflowersandsunsets

OP's husband has told her that regrets having sex with his cousin and is ashamed.

It might be that he's being dishonest about that, but as far as it has been presented to the OP, it seemed that her husband genuinely was ashamed and no longer thought it was acceptable.

So she married him on that basis. On the understanding that he had changed his perspective.

Again, it might turn out that the husband wasn't as regretful/ashamed as he claimed to be. But I don't think the OP should be blamed for giving him the benefit of the doubt and trusting him.

If he was ashamed, he wouldn't be letting her sit on his lap, take his clothes off and flirt with him in front of his wife Hmm

I'm only saying OP chose to marry a man who has no issue with incest - it's unfortunately now coming back to bite her on the arse.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:54

DidIJustHearWhatIThinkYouSaid · 05/05/2026 18:52

If some of the PP on here had their 16 year old son in this position there’d still be the ick but I think there would be more talk of teenage hormones, what were the parents thinking to put the cousins in the same room etc etc
But you do need to deal with your husband’s behaviour now.

No, I think the vast, vast majority of us would raise our kids not to engage in incest Hmm

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 18:56

user1471600850 · 05/05/2026 18:34

Really? It can't be incest as incest is illegal and being with your cousin is not! I didn't say it was the most natural thing in the world but equally it is not worthy of all the hand wringing stupid comments that people are posting on here. As per usual a lot of people are missing the point of the post!

Again, just because it's not illegal (it is in most countries) does not mean it 'isn't' incest. It very clearly is if you google. It is legally, scientifically and medically classified as incest.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:56

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 18:56

Again, just because it's not illegal (it is in most countries) does not mean it 'isn't' incest. It very clearly is if you google. It is legally, scientifically and medically classified as incest.

Exactly. The number of people defending this is seriously disturbing.

The whole thread is starting to read like some weird incestuous fantasy anyway.

Gwenna · 05/05/2026 18:57

Temporaryusernamename · 05/05/2026 13:56

My husband and I have been together for 18 years, married for 12. We have two children, aged 15 and 13.

Years ago, long before our relationship, when DH and his female 1st cousin were teenagers, they had a brief, secret relationship with each other.

At first, I thought they just slept together, but over the years DH confided in me that he had slept with her once while staying at her house for a week during the summer holidays when they were both 16, but that they also wanted to be together but knew they could never tell anyone.

They lived in different parts of the country and rarely ever saw each other.

My DH has told me he's actually quite angry with his parents for putting them in this position. They were teenagers, who didn't grow up together, rarely saw each other, and yet when the family would meet up once or twice a year, they would always stay over and the kids would be put in the same room, on bunk beds and camp beds, without any thought of the fact that they were developing and going through puberty, just assuming they were innocent kids. He says the curiousity and strong feelings were inevitable and his parents and other adults should have been more responsible.

Anyway, noone at all knows what happened except DH, the cousin, and me.

When they reached young adulthood, the cousin emigrated to a different country and DH and I have only seen her twice in the last 15 years.
However, we are all currently all Holiday together! MIL recently won a large amount of money and took the whole extended family, 17 of us in total, away on a huge Holiday. Cousin is here.

We have been drinking every night and cousin, who is now in her late 30s, and doesn't have a husband or kids of her own, keeps relentlessly saying flirting with DH. Telling him he looks great in shorts, whistling when he takes his top off on the beach, making silly sexual jokes, and hugging him by coming up behind him and resting her head on his shoulder. Noone else seems to notice and DH says not to worry about it as he doesn't feel anything for her and nothing is going to happen and she's just being playful.
But I've noticed she's not like it with any other males here. Just DH.

The final straw for me came last night when she sat on DH's lap while we were all sitting around drinking and put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek.

DH just laughed and told her to get up then got up himself and went to the bar.

Again, we had all had quite a lot to drink.

A few minutes later, I went off to the toilet and she was coming back towards me. She was quite drunk and came over with her arms out in front of her to give me a hug. I stepped away and looked her right in the face. I said "Stop flirting with my husband. Don't think I don't know your history. If you come anywhere near him again, I will tell everyone about you two." She looked utterly shocked. I walked away. She must have gone straight to bed.
Today, she's been really quiet all day. Everyone's commented on it but they've just assumed she's really hungover.

MIL and I were sitting on the beach and she commented that this trip has been good for her. She's had a hard time lately as a bloke she was going to marry cheated on her with his ex wife and then went back to her. She's really benefitting from being with family to support her as she's so alone out there.

I feel really guilty for saying that to her last night. I just got so jealous seeing her sitting in his lap, looking amazing in her tiny sundress, knowing their history and she was probably his first love, and felt so insecure. The stupid fling they had was so long ago and they were young and I know at least DH deeply regrets it and is embarrassed about it.

I'm worried I've now ruined her holiday. I didn't know she was going through that. I've been chatting to her to be friendly and get to know her but she never mentioned it

Was I unreasonable?

I think you got the right result there, OP! She was told in no uncertain terms, and he is clearly not interested. I think everything will be fine 🤗

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 18:58

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 18:56

Again, just because it's not illegal (it is in most countries) does not mean it 'isn't' incest. It very clearly is if you google. It is legally, scientifically and medically classified as incest.

Except it isnt, but dont let facts stand in the way of your indignation.

Lampzade · 05/05/2026 19:00

As others have said . Your dh should have shut it down particularly as he knew that you were aware of the relationship and would feel uncomfortable

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 19:01

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 18:58

Except it isnt, but dont let facts stand in the way of your indignation.

Except it is if you actually use google.... But don't let facts stand in the way of your making excuses for it.

ByLemonLeader · 05/05/2026 19:01

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 18:49

@sunflowersandsunsets

OP's husband has told her that regrets having sex with his cousin and is ashamed.

It might be that he's being dishonest about that, but as far as it has been presented to the OP, it seemed that her husband genuinely was ashamed and no longer thought it was acceptable.

So she married him on that basis. On the understanding that he had changed his perspective.

Again, it might turn out that the husband wasn't as regretful/ashamed as he claimed to be. But I don't think the OP should be blamed for giving him the benefit of the doubt and trusting him.

Prior to now, the husband hasn't really done anything wrong though, has he?
He didn't cheat on OP. The cousin thing happened 5 years before they were together.
They were kids, who did something stupid, experimental and regretful, but not illegal and fully consentual, with both being over the age of consent.
It's "icky", sure, but I find it weird that people are saying they don't understand why anyone would marry him. It's all a bit OTT.

Anyway, back to the OP. I think DH probably didn't want to cause a scene and wasn't really taking the cousin's action very seriously. It sounds like everyone has been drinking a lot and cousin is probably drinking loads of she's single without kids and just been through a breakup. She probably just came across as acting like an annoying idiot that wasnt worth bothering about.

OP is understandably uncomfortable and every right to tell cousin to back off but she now needs to talk to her husband, which she realises.

Not sure there's much more to say.

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 19:02

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 18:54

If he was ashamed, he wouldn't be letting her sit on his lap, take his clothes off and flirt with him in front of his wife Hmm

I'm only saying OP chose to marry a man who has no issue with incest - it's unfortunately now coming back to bite her on the arse.

@sunflowersandsunsets

Indeed, which is why I said that perhaps he was lying when he claimed to regret the relationship with his cousin.

In any case, when OP married him, she had been led to believe that her husband no longer had no issue with incest. She was going by what he told her at the time. Maybe he was lying? But she married him based on the available information she had, which was that he had once had sex with his cousin but now no longer considered such relationships to be acceptable.

OP took him at his word and it just seems a bit harsh to judge her for that. She might do well to reconsider what he told her now but it doesn't seem fair to practically tell her that she should have expected this.

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:05

SorcererGaheris · 05/05/2026 19:02

@sunflowersandsunsets

Indeed, which is why I said that perhaps he was lying when he claimed to regret the relationship with his cousin.

In any case, when OP married him, she had been led to believe that her husband no longer had no issue with incest. She was going by what he told her at the time. Maybe he was lying? But she married him based on the available information she had, which was that he had once had sex with his cousin but now no longer considered such relationships to be acceptable.

OP took him at his word and it just seems a bit harsh to judge her for that. She might do well to reconsider what he told her now but it doesn't seem fair to practically tell her that she should have expected this.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Someone who thinks it's okay to fuck their cousin isn't going to suddenly turn around and change their minds. He said what he knew his wife would want to hear.

ByLemonLeader · 05/05/2026 19:06

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:05

We'll have to agree to disagree. Someone who thinks it's okay to fuck their cousin isn't going to suddenly turn around and change their minds. He said what he knew his wife would want to hear.

He said it to a new girlfriend, not his wife

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:06

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 19:01

Except it is if you actually use google.... But don't let facts stand in the way of your making excuses for it.

Ah yes google, that famous source of all that is correct and true and not at all flawed in any way! Sorry cant type more, laughing too hard!

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:07

It's "icky", sure, but I find it weird that people are saying they don't understand why anyone would marry him. It's all a bit OTT.

It's not remotely OTT to say you don't want to marry someone who willingly engaged in incest. He was 16 - more than old enough to know better.

DirtyGertiefromno30 · 05/05/2026 19:07

It's not incest FGS 🙄

Pricelessadvice · 05/05/2026 19:07

The thought of shagging any of my cousins knocks me sick.

She needed telling OP. I’m guessing she didn’t know that you knew about their history?

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:08

DirtyGertiefromno30 · 05/05/2026 19:07

It's not incest FGS 🙄

Oh but it is! Google said so!!

😂

ThatBlackCat · 05/05/2026 19:10

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/05/2026 19:06

Ah yes google, that famous source of all that is correct and true and not at all flawed in any way! Sorry cant type more, laughing too hard!

You know google links to government websites, medical websites and legal websites, right?

Or are you going to have a conspiracy theory as to why government, medical bodies and legal definitions are not correct?

ByLemonLeader · 05/05/2026 19:11

sunflowersandsunsets · 05/05/2026 19:05

We'll have to agree to disagree. Someone who thinks it's okay to fuck their cousin isn't going to suddenly turn around and change their minds. He said what he knew his wife would want to hear.

Do you still want to shag all of your past encounters or exes?

Shitshowpolitics · 05/05/2026 19:12

user1471600850 · 05/05/2026 18:34

Really? It can't be incest as incest is illegal and being with your cousin is not! I didn't say it was the most natural thing in the world but equally it is not worthy of all the hand wringing stupid comments that people are posting on here. As per usual a lot of people are missing the point of the post!

In some countries they have made it illegal marrying first cousins because of the issues with gentic disorders. I think the op should not feel bad for putting boundaries in place because it looks like they have none.