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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:
ColdAsAWitches · 29/06/2026 00:25

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:43

So all of you agree then that the crush was not my imagination, I was playing with fire calling her again, he acted bizarre as he loses his head around her, etc.

But that means he has gaslighted me for 9 years

That's not what I think at all. I think you massively fucked up trying to show off to this woman, testing your husband in public. But he didn't actually do anything with her. There's no hint that he's been gaslighting you. Ffs, he went for a walk with her husband, not her!

Corvidsarethebest · 29/06/2026 00:25

MonicaGeller010203 · 28/06/2026 23:49

He has been insisting for 9 years that there was nothing there though

Who does that, lie consistently for 9 years,

OP, none of us know what happened between this woman and your husband. Neither do you. In a way, it's almost immaterial whether anything happened as you've been upset about it for 9 years, still mention it and have invited her over to play happy couples in front of her. None of this is healthy and none of it is helping your marriage.

You are lashing out at your husband as you are jealous and angry. He may well have spent too much time with her and not been considerate enough of you, but it was all dead in the water til you resurrected it...

Move on, talk to good friends or a counsellor yourself.

murasaki · 29/06/2026 00:25

AltitudeCheck · 29/06/2026 00:24

Perhaps when you called him in to eat he felt embarrassed because it may have felt to him/ looked to her like you were proving a point. I might feel annoyed if my OH expected me to come running like a dog when he calls, especially in company. Perhaps he felt you emasculated him in some way?

The couple themed games are fine for an anniversary, but inviting her to observe them does rather look like you were making a point and marking your territory, quite the opposite of the nonchalant image you wanted to portray.

His reaction is telling though, why did he have such a strong reaction to you calling him in? So strong that he'd rather leave and slightly scupper the party than watch her and her husband/ have her seeing you two doing coupley stuff?

If someone wanted me to sing islands in the stream to prove the strength of my relationship, I'd scarper as well.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:26

AltitudeCheck · 29/06/2026 00:24

Perhaps when you called him in to eat he felt embarrassed because it may have felt to him/ looked to her like you were proving a point. I might feel annoyed if my OH expected me to come running like a dog when he calls, especially in company. Perhaps he felt you emasculated him in some way?

The couple themed games are fine for an anniversary, but inviting her to observe them does rather look like you were making a point and marking your territory, quite the opposite of the nonchalant image you wanted to portray.

His reaction is telling though, why did he have such a strong reaction to you calling him in? So strong that he'd rather leave and slightly scupper the party than watch her and her husband/ have her seeing you two doing coupley stuff?

They were going to sing too and do coupley stuff too, not just us......

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:27

ColdAsAWitches · 29/06/2026 00:25

That's not what I think at all. I think you massively fucked up trying to show off to this woman, testing your husband in public. But he didn't actually do anything with her. There's no hint that he's been gaslighting you. Ffs, he went for a walk with her husband, not her!

Its not like he could go for a walk with her during the party?

OP posts:
Corvidsarethebest · 29/06/2026 00:27

I never heard of these couples' parties, they sound excruciatingly embarrassing, surely some of the marriages must contain people who don't want to play games or sing couple songs. My mind is reeling at this social event; I've never heard of such a thing.

Corvidsarethebest · 29/06/2026 00:28

I'm guessing you have to drink a lot to do these games, OP- sober up, it will all blow over. Nothing has happened.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 29/06/2026 00:28

You invited the trouble back into your life. Not that she’s actually the problem, you both are, he was probably paranoid when you called him in to plate up and assumed you were jealous. Probably based off a past jealousy.
It was a bad idea.

ColdAsAWitches · 29/06/2026 00:31

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:27

Its not like he could go for a walk with her during the party?

No but he could have stayed talking to her, or sung naff karaoke with her, but he didn't do any of that. The most he appears to have done was talk to her before you called him inside for his dinner!

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:32

Corvidsarethebest · 29/06/2026 00:28

I'm guessing you have to drink a lot to do these games, OP- sober up, it will all blow over. Nothing has happened.

In a sense you are right , as H and I getting upset at each other wont be the first or last time this

But DC saying that to me, and then walking away when I got sudden tears in my eyes - that was the first time. I never want to upset DC on this topic again....

I am so angry at myself, but even the little residual anger I have for H, is considerable. Yes will sleep on it, I have cried enough, over my own folly apparently.

OP posts:
HaveCreditWillShop · 29/06/2026 00:33

Let’s break this down.

  1. you’ve had a long and troubling day - I think you need to sleep it off
  2. none of us know if something happened 9 years ago
  3. inviting a woman you’ve been arguing over for 9 years is a recipe for disaster
  4. he was a bit of a knob to throw such a big paddy over being called in, but depending on how you did it, I can see why he might be pissed off even if you didn’t mean anything by it.
  5. going for a long walk in the middle of a party is a dick move, but you’ve created a crucible for drama so you’ve lost the right to be suprised about this.
  6. couples games at parties is cringe even for an anniversary.
  7. I think take a little break from hosting parties.
  8. can’t imagine having had this held over me for 9 years. Sounds exhausting.
MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:34

ColdAsAWitches · 29/06/2026 00:31

No but he could have stayed talking to her, or sung naff karaoke with her, but he didn't do any of that. The most he appears to have done was talk to her before you called him inside for his dinner!

He didnt have an option to karaoke with her, only with this own spouse at my party

I'm Monica Geller remember, my parties are cringe and not edgy

OP posts:
EmeraldShamrock000 · 29/06/2026 00:34

It’s really cringe that you invited her to
prove your marriage was successful on your 20th wedding anniversary. That is a bit pathetic. Well you proved that your marriage isn’t strong, you’re still playing games. I would be pissed off too if I was DH.
Play stupid games , win stupid prizes.

NoCommentingFromNowOn · 29/06/2026 00:36

Lost touch with them.

Losing touch with people is usually for a reason, even if that reason is ‘neither of us made the effort to stay in touch’.

Last week was our 20th wedding anniv and I decided to invite them too.

It’s completely normal to celebrate with an event, especially in the summer, I don’t know why some are querying this.

…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 and When they were leaving, she and her husband, I actually said pls do include him in your cycling group like you used to, as he still misses the old group

No no, if he wants friends he should be a big boy and sort it out himself.

Have some counselling, forget her, don’t message her, disengage from him and just concentrate on you and your children for a while.

Teenagerantruns · 29/06/2026 00:38

Honestly, just sober up, l actually dont think any of this happened, but if it did you are really messing up your kids in so many ways.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:42

Teenagerantruns · 29/06/2026 00:38

Honestly, just sober up, l actually dont think any of this happened, but if it did you are really messing up your kids in so many ways.

This is definitely not a run of the mill couples tiff then? More scar the kids territory?

OP posts:
Doggodoggo · 29/06/2026 00:44

Why would your DC think that you wanted the drama? That is telling. It suggests that you look for drama in other ways.

PetrolFrogs · 29/06/2026 00:44

Honestly so many things about this are just odd. If you were so paranoid about it 9 years ago that your children are aware of it then why invite her? And if you haven’t stayed in contact for years again just an odd choice. No wonder he thought it was a test or you trying to cause drama. I’d have gone for a long walk during that party too.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:44

Doggodoggo · 29/06/2026 00:44

Why would your DC think that you wanted the drama? That is telling. It suggests that you look for drama in other ways.

He has literally never ever said anything like that before. My DS is usually my staunchest supporter. I care about having his respect so much

OP posts:
HaveCreditWillShop · 29/06/2026 00:45

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:42

This is definitely not a run of the mill couples tiff then? More scar the kids territory?

Time to go and sleep it off OP. This is not going in a helpful direction.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 29/06/2026 00:46

I think that you imagined the crush from the off, you’ve carried it through your marriage, you’ve made her feel awkward about your marriage 9 years ago and again at this party.
Involve someone else in your paranoia.
I don’t blame DH not playing along with the setup, after 20 years, it’s crazy. You created all of this.

REDB99 · 29/06/2026 00:47

lots of this sounds very over planned and I think you had a pre conceived idea of what it would be like and it clearly hasn’t turned out that way. I’m not sure what else to say other than you’ll all get over it and you definitely know not to invite that couple to anything again.

Corvidsarethebest · 29/06/2026 00:47

HaveCreditWillShop · 29/06/2026 00:45

Time to go and sleep it off OP. This is not going in a helpful direction.

No need to overthink it. Your children sound like adults or young adults; they are sometimes aware of what is going on in parent dynamics. Go to bed, OP and it will all look slightly different in the morning, and in a month's time you will have all moved on.

MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:47

PetrolFrogs · 29/06/2026 00:44

Honestly so many things about this are just odd. If you were so paranoid about it 9 years ago that your children are aware of it then why invite her? And if you haven’t stayed in contact for years again just an odd choice. No wonder he thought it was a test or you trying to cause drama. I’d have gone for a long walk during that party too.

I did have them over once in 2024 , just us to families and it went fine, the boys all played at the sport that he ran the club for (could I be any more outing)

In 2021 they called us over once and in 2022 they did come to our housewarming
it was the crush that was way back , circa 2017 till 2018

OP posts:
MonicaGeller010203 · 29/06/2026 00:48

Thank you all, Love you wise women of MN, GN....

OP posts:
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