Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be suspicious after finding a sealed card in his luggage?

199 replies

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 15:35

So... My husband works away a lot. I mean really a lot. No particular reason to distrust him but at the end of the day I'm a realist and think complacency is unwise. Marriage not great but honestly it's probably more me that thinks that...
Anyway. Husband packing to go away. Stuff on bed. I picked up a music magazine that was lying in amongst the stuff and flicked through it. Inside, there was a red sealed greetings card. This has got my spidey sensing tingling because this man doesn't send anyone - other than me - cards EVER. I do all that stuff.
I don't know what to do: ask him about it? But I run the risk of him being defensive and if he really doesn't want me to see the contents of the envelope then I suspect he will accuse me of snooping and I'd have to escalate massively to see the contents. If that happened then yes you could say that would be all I'd need to know but I feel I'd want something concrete to base turning our lives upside down upon.

What I have actually done is remove it to give myself time. I figure if it's current and important he'll worry where it's gone but he'll have to ask ME about it.

I COULD find an envelope same size and colour and open and reseal. Probably don't have time to do that today and he's leaving tomorrow.

I'm mainly a lurker but I've seen other people get good advice on here so... What do we think?
To be clear I am very chill about him being away all the time and never give a second thought to where he is or what he's up to. But this has kind of freaked me out and I have a weird feeling about it.

OP posts:
InterestedDad37 · 29/08/2026 16:42

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 16:28

I opened it!!! Oh my God I feel like such an idiot!!! It was an old valentine's card from me!!!

Now you should tell him all about the doubts and suspicions you had 😉😀

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 16:43

WindsorGreatPark · 29/08/2026 16:37

Erm, so the magazine has been sitting around since February?

It's more like a one of memorabilia type thing that you would keep rather than a monthly magazine.

OP posts:
canuckup · 29/08/2026 16:44

This is a good one

Like that Victorian safe in the cellar thread of wayback

JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff · 29/08/2026 16:44

Comeondoreen · 29/08/2026 16:39

Oh give over. If you really think a suspicious wife opening what she believes is evidence of an affair in a one off event is abusive then I don’t know what to tell you. It just totally trivialises the word and is not remotely comparable to the pattern of behaviour you describe, with flipped genders.

Up to you, and yes maybe my perspective is coloured by seeing what has happened to DSis.

But I stand by it, if my husband stole and threw away my innocent post, like a card to a colleague or friend, yes I would go nuclear.

You didn't say, open it to see
You said open, destroy, and lie about it, no matter what it said/ was. That is abuse

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 16:45

InterestedDad37 · 29/08/2026 16:42

Now you should tell him all about the doubts and suspicions you had 😉😀

I think he'd find it funny to be honest. And secretly be a bit flattered that I cared.

So maybe I will!

OP posts:
Lassofnorth · 29/08/2026 16:46

No marriage is perfect OP. It’s really sweet that it was an old valentines day card, maybe he uses it as a book mark

Bananacrepewithnuts · 29/08/2026 16:46

chirrupybird · 29/08/2026 15:46

How do you know it was a greetings card it might just be some random thing that came with the magazine, they have all sorts of junk inside. Keep it until he leaves and then open it, if he asks where it is in the meantime just say you picked it up off the floor and put it to one side.

I agree. It could be anything. Junk marketing.

You either have to open it or say casually oh John I found this on the floor shall I open it ?
He's reaction will tell you the answer.

X

Comeondoreen · 29/08/2026 16:47

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff bonkers world view. Crikey I wish my abusive ex had just opened and binned one singular card instead of, you know, actually abusing me.

Whynotecinusername · 29/08/2026 16:48

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Whynotecinusername · 29/08/2026 16:50

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 16:50

cestlavielife · 29/08/2026 16:37

You should still learn to DIY yourself

I agree that DIY is an equal opportunities activity but seriously when he's away so much - military - I do plenty which means I also like to make the most of him being at home in that regard otherwise I'd literally be doing everything!

OP posts:
Comeondoreen · 29/08/2026 16:53

@Whynotecinusername oh well?

heathspeedwell · 29/08/2026 16:54

I love a story with a happy ending. Glad everything worked out well, and that your DH is more soppy than you realised!

Whynotecinusername · 29/08/2026 16:54

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Bananacrepewithnuts · 29/08/2026 16:59

heathspeedwell · 29/08/2026 16:54

I love a story with a happy ending. Glad everything worked out well, and that your DH is more soppy than you realised!

Yes we don't always get a happy ending on MN but this is actually 2 in 2 days. The OP from yesterday arriving 4 hours early for the flight despite all the delays.
So that's good then!
😊

stopbeingnasty · 29/08/2026 17:03

The result is killing me😂Thank God!

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 17:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Actually I've offered to help! Feel a bit guilty for casting aspersions ha ha.

OP posts:
AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 29/08/2026 17:10

greatbigproblem · 29/08/2026 16:28

I opened it!!! Oh my God I feel like such an idiot!!! It was an old valentine's card from me!!!

I am very glad for you.

Now you can tell him, and both laugh about it.

3luckystars · 29/08/2026 17:21

he didn’t even open it?

3luckystars · 29/08/2026 17:23

Can I just say though ti trust your instincts here. You might be on to something.

5buns · 29/08/2026 17:25

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Bogstandardname · 29/08/2026 17:27

Why hadn't he opened it?

Random321 · 29/08/2026 17:28

InterestedDad37 · 29/08/2026 16:29

Intrigued, I just did an AI-assisted search, as to whether any current UK music mags have either a freebie/giveaway or a marketing insert in a red envelope.
The answer was 'no' on both counts. Plus various reasons why it wouldn't be either of those two options.
And it referenced this thread!
I really want to know the answer now...

Another one who thinks AI has all the answers!

Betterbeingdead · 29/08/2026 17:32

It's so nice to read a happy ending ( nobody has a perfect life )

FreyaW · 29/08/2026 17:36

Mumsnet has gone on overdrive removing responses on this one.
I had a post removed yesterday..after years on this site. The post wasn't abusive..fairly innocuous I would stress.
Is someone on mumsnet just removing responses they don't like?

Also...I'd just disappear the envelope.