Apologies in advance, this could be long in order for you to understand.
I met a female friend on a hen night nearly four years ago. She was single at the time, I was single with a 6 year old DD.
We were both internet dating so that is what we had in common, and sharing a bottle of wine
The reason I say that she is high maintenance is that after every date, she would be why hasn't he texted me or called me. Why doesn't he want to see me again, but she would be in floods of tears. She would expect my DD and I to go round to hers every single weekend, she hated being single.
It didn't bother me as I quite like my own company and obviously having a child takes up alot of time along with working full-time.
When my DD went up to my mums in the school holidays she would expect me to go round every night. She never liked coming round to mine, I presume because my house is quite small and cluttered.
Sometimes my DD would stay over at my friends place which then meant that I could stay later at hers(we lived a couple of streets apart). In return I would dogsit for her, when she worked away.
She got offered work about two hours away and asked me if I would mind looking after her dog three nights a week. At first it wasn't a problem but it got to be every week for three nights, tue, wed, thur. Basically, my DD and I were living in two houses during the week.
She came to a family function, she got horrendously drunk, insulted my stepfather(who she had never met before)and did a couple of other things.
I decided to leave having a word with her until the following weekend, she got really defensive when I said that her behaviour had upset me a little at the family do, crying, screaming etc.
As a result she decided to take the job full-time and moved away, without saying a word. my DD was distraught.
I never heard anything until last year via an email. We sort of got talking again then in this year she moved back with a partner in tow.
She totally expected things to go back to the way they had before. I realised that that was never going to happen, my DD never really got over her abandoning her and we both now have partners.
I also realised that we have nothing in common anymore, she doesn't work and has been signed off with bi-polar(which explains alot of the ups and downs)
I haven't been ignoring her, I always speak to her but don't always have the to speak at length, especially in the middle of the street. I have invited her round to mine but she never accepts.
Anyway I didn't get chance to text her back last night so when she sees me earlier she comes running down the street, shouting my name and asking why I have been ignoring her !! hey one unanswered text.
I would not want to ignore her but don't see the friendship developing any further than what it is at the moment. I don't want to hurt her feelings but am I really going to have to spell it out ? What would any of you do in this situation ?
My DD doesnt want to spend any time with her, she is now alot older and I have a full-time job as well as working towards a degree.