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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To feel like I was made a fool of by DH again

1000 replies

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 22:55

Almost nine years ago, DH started getting mentionitis and a pretty obvious (to me) crush on a neighbour of ours. We frequently hung out together and DC's played. Got really awkward, she knew how I felt and I always believed it highly entertained her and gave her a sense of power. She was unemployed, cash strapped and with both DC in kid , she was under pressure from her H and family to find a job. She used my DH for a lot of small favours and help and used me and the DC at times too.

Cutting to the chase, moved to a new neighbourhood to upsize to the suburbs 4-5 years ago. Lost touch with them. Last week was our 20th wedding anniv and I decided to invite them too.

H had always maintained it was a good familial friendship that i ruined with suspicion even though there was nothing there. In our new community I have a fab gang of girlfriends while he has struggled to make any, he gets along like on an acquaintance level only with their husbands, and hasn't made any other friends

I genuinely thought we had moved on from all that re 8-9 years ago low key drama. But no. He swears when I tried calling him inside to plate up his food that I was seething that he was talking to her (I swear I did not even notice who he was talking as they were sitting out in the garden in a circle, everyone else had their BBQ, and other food on plates, only he had not started yt). His friend asked me why H was not eating with the rest of us. I wish to God I had plated up food for him and taken it to him rather than call him in (for just a minute to take his food).

Later for the rest of the party, he avoided me - I had planned games in the garden for the 6 couples - like musical chairs, a couples duet singing competition that our teen kids were meant to be judging us on (all in fun) - he bailed on the whole thing , took the husband of this lady (not the other men, though one tagged along behind, and the other 2-3 were at a loose end) for a walk, and left us ladies to it, though I had told them the plan was going to be couples stuff, maybe even a little music and dance.

He sulked for the next couple of hours, though was back to something like normalcy by the time the last couple who stayed back (not the ones from the old neighbourhood) to chat and share silly stories, tea and some laughs before leaving. But for me the afternoon felt spoilt

I am not sure what my question is I think the main one is Am in AIBU to feel I was trying to do something nice for him , to show him I was more secure now or I trusted more and to feel like I was made a fool of again. Or was he somehow in the right.

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:26

3luckystars · 28/06/2026 23:22

Oh right, that is really cringe about the song, you were trying to show that he is madly in love with you and you are so happy. So you invited someone he fancies along to see it.

we have all done that, planned things that turned out differently than expected but you were really playing with fire there.

Does he still like her?

Edited

And it all blew up in my face

He showed me how much he really cared

And she probably was entertained...just like 9 years ago

None of it was my imagination

Spiralling

OP posts:
3luckystars · 28/06/2026 23:27

That is really making my toes curl, it’s like Victoria Beckham at the ski resort with the red lipstick that time, except you had planned a song?

just stay calm. Don’t have anything further to do with this woman. You need to just recover and decide what to do but do not contact her again.

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:27

Wagyue · 28/06/2026 23:24

I'm sorry OP but it seems celebrating a marriage with him was not a great idea.

Your eldest made a very strange remark and suggests as a child they know far too much which is really unfair, that would be my biggest concern.
Your child should not be aware of this.

I cannot fathom you asking this woman to your gathering.

Never invite her again.

Thank you, not that it makes it any better but eldest is a Young adult

They have never ever spoken that way to me before ....

OP posts:
Tcateh · 28/06/2026 23:27

Oh op are you always trying to prove yourself to him or something?
You sound very insecure and perhaps insecure in your marriage so much so that you were trying to prove something of yourself to someone.

It sounds very complicated.

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:28

3luckystars · 28/06/2026 23:27

That is really making my toes curl, it’s like Victoria Beckham at the ski resort with the red lipstick that time, except you had planned a song?

just stay calm. Don’t have anything further to do with this woman. You need to just recover and decide what to do but do not contact her again.

Edited

Song planned indeed was the Beckham's version of Islands in the stream !

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:30

I feel like I want a divorce ......

He danced the evening away with me , when it was and the new group last year anniv

He was never going to sing a duet with me , when she was around though was he

I am spiralling

I disagree for probably the first time ever with eldest DC on something like this, I think his dad is the one who loves the drama with this woman.....

OP posts:
3luckystars · 28/06/2026 23:31

Did you invite her ? Did your husband know they were coming?

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:33

wishfulthinking25 · 28/06/2026 23:11

You made a rod for your own back by inviting her

So he is not over her then ? 9 years and he is still carrying a torch

Why wont he be a man and leave

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 28/06/2026 23:34

Be a man and leave who? You?

Createausername1970 · 28/06/2026 23:34

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:26

And it all blew up in my face

He showed me how much he really cared

And she probably was entertained...just like 9 years ago

None of it was my imagination

Spiralling

But he didn't go off with her!! You said he left the BBQ with the husband.

I just don't get why you are placing all the blame on her. It doesn't seem like she contributed to this at all?

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:34

3luckystars · 28/06/2026 23:31

Did you invite her ? Did your husband know they were coming?

Yes I did and Yes he knew

He also knew I had the activities planned post lunch, he bailed and later claimed I had made a scene by stopping him talking to her. I swear to the MNsphere, I did no such thing.

OP posts:
WinterSunglasses · 28/06/2026 23:36

OP it doesn't sound like a great plan but hindsight is 20/20. I'm sorry you feel so stung by his behaviour, which wasn't good though could be shrugged off - that's the approach I'd take with your new friends, be the cat that gets back on the wall and acts like it didn't fall off a moment ago cos that never happened.

I wouldn't make more moves towards your old friends. Your husband is a grown adult. If he's not made friends, that's on him. And that's what I'd say next time he starts the 'you spoiled it with your suspicions' whine.

The position of strength here IMO, if you want to stay in your marriage, is one where you can say to him, or yourself, that if at any time he thinks he's being short changed, that he can do better, or that he doesn't want to be there, then he can go straight out of the door any time he likes. You will watch him go because whatever happens you'll do better than he will. Think about what it will take you to get to that point.

AnneLovesGilbert · 28/06/2026 23:36

What was her reaction to him going for a walk with her husband?

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:36

Createausername1970 · 28/06/2026 23:34

But he didn't go off with her!! You said he left the BBQ with the husband.

I just don't get why you are placing all the blame on her. It doesn't seem like she contributed to this at all?

No I agree there, she did not contribute at all

I am only feeling let down by DH again

Even if I thought he was trying to get me to come and eat to get me away from a conversation with a man he thought I had fancied in the past, I still would not bail on the activities I knew he had planned for the evening and leave me feeling abandoned at a party we were hosting, by taking off on a walk with just one of the 15-20 people who were there

OP posts:
Cuntydumpty · 28/06/2026 23:36

I can’t get over you calling him in like a little kid to ‘plate’ his dinner.

Is this all even real?

Duckiewasthefirstniceguy · 28/06/2026 23:37

I am so confused.

Pansykavalier · 28/06/2026 23:37

Take some Benadryl or a sleeping tablet and go to bed. Nothing is going to get resolved tonight. Tomorrow is another day.

However, looking at your posts as an outsider, it seems to me that your marriage has been on life support for a very long time. It’s unlikely to get better, so at some point you may want to consider your options. 💐

Createausername1970 · 28/06/2026 23:38

Duckiewasthefirstniceguy · 28/06/2026 23:37

I am so confused.

You and me too!!

I am off to bed.

whippersnapper55 · 28/06/2026 23:38

I do think it's weird to invite a woman who you think your husband had a crush on/flirted with/had an emotional affair with to your party after losing touch with them for years. I think in your heart of hearts, you know you want to show her that your marriage has lasted and is strong, hence the planning of cringy singing and couples games!

It was 9 years ago and you lost touch with them so it seems very counter productive to drag it all up again!

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:38

AnneLovesGilbert · 28/06/2026 23:36

What was her reaction to him going for a walk with her husband?

As soon as her husband came back she left , like her husband always comes for the food and she for the entertainment - nothing has changed.

Shes not a girls girl, she didnt really like the girl chat with the other ladies who were there, but she has form for gossiping about me to other women in the old group.

I messed up.

OP posts:
Cuntydumpty · 28/06/2026 23:38

Also my older DC who almost always sees eye to eye with me said ' was it just wanting drama that made you invite her mum'

if real, this is super disturbing. You’ve got your fucking kids involved in your extra marital attractions and affairs. Gross.

Imseriouslyyouguys · 28/06/2026 23:38

Really odd to invite people who you never see anymore, and who had caused issues in your relationship. More fool you I’m afraid.

Passingthrough123 · 28/06/2026 23:39

The activities you had planned sound really cringey - did you ask your DH or any of your guests if they wanted to do them?

He was rude, but I think he could see the whole afternoon for what it was - a sneaky way for you to test him. That’s why he bolted. The person who failed was you though.

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:40

Cuntydumpty · 28/06/2026 23:36

I can’t get over you calling him in like a little kid to ‘plate’ his dinner.

Is this all even real?

It wasn't like that honestly - I wanted to put the lids back on as everyone but him had plated up and the food was going to dry up in the wind

I swear he misread me calling him for just a minute to take his plate

OP posts:
WeAreNotOk · 28/06/2026 23:41

I just don't understand after several years, why on earth would you invite that couple? You were supposed to be celebrating your anniversary, not rubbing both your noses in what sounds like an unsettling period. Even your DS was surprised, so it must have made an impact on him at the time. I think there's quite a lot of details missing.

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