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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

i need honest opinions.

34 replies

lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 07:53

Hi
Dh and I have a good marriage generally. He is great with the kids and loves me. He does he share of housework, childcare etc. We both work and he never ever sees anything as my job etc. Might not be relevant but just wanted to get over he is a good guy, I think.
We have had a few wobbles over the last 6 months. He has his own restaurant and always asks for my help when taking on staff. Like looking at CVs, helping interview them. Last November I found out he had taken a female member of staff on, with no mention to me. I went to the restaurant when I was passing in town and there she was. It wasn't open yet, and dh didn't introduce us. So I introduced myself. I asked him later why he hadn't told me and got told he did. I know he didn't, but he was insisting he did. Over the next few weeks, despite talking about the restaurant and asking for opinions she never got mentioned. Again I asked him if she was working out as he never mentioned her. He said (again) that he felt uncomfortable as i was upset about her starting there. i was upset as i felt he had hidden her working there. At some point she left but again no mention.
Fast forward to 2 weeks ago. He is setting more staff on and i have a pile of CVs. On Saturday afternoon he tells me a woman was coming in for a trial shift. He hadn't interviewed her but her cv was through the restaurant door on Friday night so he called her and asked her to come in. No problem. Now his mobile is the business mobile so i use it alot. A text came in from the head waiter, when i opened it all the messages they had sent popped up. There was one from Friday lunch time saying he had interviewed this woman and she was coming in Saturday. I was confused as he told me he hadn't interviewed her and he got the cv Friday night. I asked him and he said 'i did interview her, you must have missed understood' at this point i got quite upset and said i hated that everytime he sets a female on its in secret and always told i am misunderstanding. He kept saying it was me. i told him i felt he was hiding things and it made me feel insecure. He was very reassuring and told me i had nothing to worry about.
She worked there for a week them he came home one night and said that when he got there (he leaves home at 5pm) there was a note through the door saying she didn't want the job. I felt there was something strange, so checked the phone and he had text the head waited at 4 pm saying he had found a note from her. I asked again and was told he said he had found it when he went in during the day, I must have misunderstood. There is a theme here isn't there.
So this weekend. We are still looking for more staff and I have interviewed some. One I didn't. When we were going over it he said the one I didn't see he didn't want. Lets call her Natalie. I asked if any had been offered a job he said no. While I was on the phone taking taking a booking a text came from Natalie. Seeing the text conversation its clear she has been offered a job, she was asking for a rota and if she could go in Saturday morning (yesterday to pick up her wage). Saturday morning came and he doesn't work, but as soon as ds went for his nap dh said he had to go to the butchers and was gone over an hour. I feel like he waited until ds had gone for a nap so we couldn't come. I haven't asked him if he went to the restaurant, but he said he only went to the butchers. This morning his phone was ringing at 6.15am. It wasn't Natalie's number, but I didn't get to it in time. I don't know who it was, we occasionally get prank calls. I did however look at the messages. He text her last night to tell her to come in. Its not clear if its for her wage or to work. She wasn't on the rota I did for him. He then text her giving her 4 nights next week. But not the busiest night, which is strange. Although I have a table booked on this night. I can't help but think that is the reason.
Sorry this is long. So when he gets up I don't know if I should confront him, ask some leading questions or plays dumb to see if he mentions her working at all this week.
Am I being paranoid, or does it not add up. I will admit i am quite insecure. I used to be a fit size 10, but am struggling to lose the weight from ds. Dh says he loves me and there is no way he would risk splitting us and out family up. But something isn't right. But he always manages to convince me that I have misunderstood. But if i am not misunderstanding, why would he leave the evidence on a phone i use? Which is his other argument.
Sorry its so long,but i feel really lost and scared and it feels a bit better to write it.

OP posts:
FermezLaBouche · 03/06/2012 07:57

I'm not sure I grasped all the details here, but repeatedly trying to convince someone they've "mis-understood" is never a good sign and I think an honest talk is in order. IME, gut feelings should be listened to.
Good Luck

lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:02

Sorry its quite rambling. Basically whenever he sets female staff on I don't here about it. Then its I have misunderstood or don't remember. I asked him outright if he had offered anyone a job and he said no. But its clear he has. I don't know if its worth confronting him as I know he will say its me.

OP posts:
lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:04

I done HEAR not here.

OP posts:
tribpot · 03/06/2012 08:05

Yes, it was a bit hard to follow all the ins and outs of the restaurant trade but I get the general gist.

As the saying goes 'it's not the crime, it's the cover-up' and it really does sound as if your DH is more guilty of trying to keep secrets than of having anything to keep secret if you see what I mean.

That said, trying to make out like you've misunderstood every single time is a classic defence technique, and so unlikely to be the case that it makes it a see-through argument.

There may be a very simple explanation as to why she's not working the night when you are going to be in the restaurant. But he needs to stop dismissing your concerns and answer your questions.

cupcake78 · 03/06/2012 08:06

Your in a tricky situation really. If he has been lying then asking him more questions will just mean he lies even more. I think I would be much more present in the restaurant when she is working this week. Just pop in a few times because you miss him. If you can't get some friends to go for a drink etc etc.

If nothing is happening it won't matter but if something is going on it will make it so much harder for him. Make your presence felt not as the wife but as a nice friendly woman you don't mess with Grin

Offred · 03/06/2012 08:08

What are you going to do if you don't confront him?

Mama1980 · 03/06/2012 08:08

I think a good honest talk is in order, there quite probably a completely innocent explanation, it seems to me that he has got jn a muddle maybe trying to cover up something that didn't need to be. Iyswim Hopefully anyway, but I would trust your instincts and talk to him and not be fobbed off with him suing oh your confused etc.

HMQueenElizabeth · 03/06/2012 08:10

It sounds odd, but at the same time I am not sure what you're implying. What do you actually think he's up to? If I follow correctly we are talking about 3 different women who worked there for a very short time.

Could he be being secretive about employing women because our are insecure or appear to be to him?

lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:11

Here lies the problem. In 4 weeks I leave my job to work there full time. I am scared in case he is up to something and I leave my well paid job. But also why would he do this if he knew I will be there alot of the time soon. It will be my job to ensure she is doing her job correctly and all the legal stuff regarding employment, all the health and saftey paperwork. Basically I will be running the restaurant area while he runs the kitchen.
I honestly can never come up with a counter argument when all he says is 'you forgot/ you have misunderstood.'

OP posts:
lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:15

I am hoping he is doing it as he knows I am insecure. But there are some red flags. I can't see him having an affair with 3 people in such a short space of time but. Its the 'white lies' that make me insecure. We have had and still have other female staff and there has never been an issue when he has been upfront. I keep telling him its not the women working there its me being in the dark that bothers me.

OP posts:
cupcake78 · 03/06/2012 08:17

Brilliant excuse to get more involved now! If your running hr and staffing you need to have all paperwork, including the letter the woman wrote to resign and you must insist on being involved in picking staff, exit interviews for those who leave etc etc.

When dh says he told you and you know he didn't, look him straight in the eye and tell him you know he didn't and ask him why he's lying to you!

ledkr · 03/06/2012 08:17

Yes you can, you can assertively say that you havent misunderstood,the problem is that he hasnt answered the question you asked him. Keep repeating said question untill he answers it.

MadAboutHotChoc · 03/06/2012 08:20

Yes there are red flags.

The gaslighting (convincing you that you didn't see/hear what you saw/heard) is a huge one.

The secretive behaviour.

The lies.

There is a reason why he is doing these things and your instincts are telling you what this is.

Listen to your instincts.

I wouldn't confront him again as he will just deny deny deny.

But I would do some snooping around. Check laptop/mobile, deleted emails etc. Is there any way you could find the girls' contact details?

ToothbrushThief · 03/06/2012 08:21

If he had secrets he wouldn't want you there. The fact you are starting there, is very positive.

I work v quickly and tbh don't wish to give colleagues or partners a full detailed resume of my day/actions/thoughts. I've moved on to another issue by then. Rather than end up in some complicated explanation I often 'gloss over' detail and cut to the main fact. If they didn't trust me and were to question the detail I'd be 'caught out' if you like.

lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:23

Ledkr would you just keep saying it? I tried that before and I get the same argument over and over. He just says 'i won't admit to lying because I didn't, you misunderstood' I back down because he won't. I end up in tears he ends up comforting me. I am not sure how i can continue like this. He is in bed i am up with ds (15 months) dd (7) is at the caravan with my mum. I feel really monkey. My best friend, who i would talk to in rl is away. She knows him well and doesn't think he would cheat but doesn't like the effect this has on me.

OP posts:
BelleDameSansMerci · 03/06/2012 08:28

Can I ask if you are generally mistrustful of him around women and, if so, why? It seems that he is trying to cover something up but it doesn't necessarily mean he's having an affair or contemplating one.

Offred · 03/06/2012 08:32

I would not keep saying it. I would say very calmly and assertively in a low voice "I KNOW, that you did not and I am upset and confused by your constant secrecy and attempts to mess with me about it. IT NEEDS TO STOP. I will not discuss it anymore" and then don't discuss it anymore.

AllRiseForHerVaj · 03/06/2012 08:32

What MadAboutChoc said

Teaandcakeplease · 03/06/2012 08:32

I agree with everything MadAboutHotChoc said.

Does he lie about other things too?

It definitely sounds like gaslighting he is doing. My ExH used to do it a lot.

I wouldn't confront him again, he'll deny it and you'll get upset but do some snopping like hotchoc said.

ErikNorseman · 03/06/2012 08:33

I didn't read the whole thing but is it possible that he doesn't mention female staff because you overreact? I wouldn't expect to hear about every new hire in your position, is he supposed to come and give you a report every time he hires a new waiter? I may be completely wrong but I can't see why he should tell you every time he hires a woman unless he has previous for cheating with his staff.

Chandon · 03/06/2012 08:35

To me it sounds he is deliberately vague about women working for him as you are very insecure and interrogate him whenever he comes near a female.

I could be completely wrong of course!

bakingaddict · 03/06/2012 08:35

It seems weird he wants to cover up hiring female staff,

I dont know you and your DH and apologies if this isn't the case, but do you react differently to the young female staff he hires. Maybe it's something in your behaviour he's trying to avoid, do you get insanely jealous, ask him lots of questions why he hired that particular women. There must be some reason for him to react in this way

lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:36

Not in general no. In his last job he moved sites and took his assistant chef (female) with him. He work with mainly women and I never had an issue. He works with women now and i don't have an issue. I start worrying when he clearly lying.
I have just been through his sent items. He emailed the girl that left by letter, asking her to come in and meet him to discuss. She emailed back and arranged a time. Never been mentioned.

OP posts:
lackofsleepor · 03/06/2012 08:38

The reason I expect him to tell me is because I do all the hiring in general
I spend weekends/ evenings interviewing and going over CVs and arranging rotas. So I would expect to be told there is a new starter.

OP posts:
cupcake78 · 03/06/2012 08:39

Is he actually hiding hiring women staff or do you just feel like he is?

Does he do this with male staff as well? If so you need to ask yourself why do the women bother you do much? Your instinct is telling you something. Pay attention to it!

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