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Relationships

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

Advice about X getting nasty (sorry its long)

231 replies

Festivefly · 21/12/2003 14:58

I need some advice about what to do. Three weeks ago i decided i couldn't have contact with my x anymore. Seeing him was tearing me apart. The final straw was when he rang constantly throughout the night to tell me how much he missed me. At first i'd put the phone down and tell him to ring his girlfriend not me. In the end i fell for it and started to listen. He told me what a legend i was, remembered wonderful things we did together. It opened up a healing wound. He said please babe come and see me, you can stay the night, we'll put our kids to bed, and then have a drink and a chat. I told him that i couldn't handle seeing him as a friend, if i got on with him i wouldn't want to leave, and it woild take all my strength to hold myself back from kissing him. To that he said it doesn't matter just come.He told me that he hardly saw his girlfriend it had only been a month it was nothing serious. I couldn't resist it, my heart lifted, and i thought thank god this nightmare is over. I went on the train with my heart beating for joy. I thought finally the man i love has seen sense and gone back to his old self.
I got to his flat there were candles everywhere a hairdryer plugged in, flowers, a make up bag, her post, her art work.......... I felt like vomiting, i screamed what the hell are you trying to do to me, i didn't want to see this. He said what were you expecting to happen, i asked you to come here so you could see where our boys would be sleeping. I started to shake shouted a bit and left. It was the final straw i got on the train home and had a panic attack. Then i went numb. All i could imagine was them together doing what we used to do. A week later i went on anti-depressants. They didn't agree with me so i stopped. He'd done it finally i was going to have my nervous break down.
My family found out about the state of me and took over. I didn't know what i was doing anymore, i'd stopped feeling. They rang him up and said if you want to see the kids you will have to meet them at our house. They changed my telephone no. The immense relief that i gained really brought me back to life. I haven't spoken to him for three weeks. I haven't been called a victim, a whore,lazy.......He would constantly tell me that i loved that he had gone because i could act like a martr and attention seek. I do nothing with my life except watch the kids and i was pathetic for going nowhere, while he is doing a degree.
Anyway he didn't get in touch with my parents so my gorgeous calm kind father rang up and said are you going to see the kids when do you want to, we need to know when to be in because its christmas. He told my dad to go f**k himself. He will not be dictated to by anyone. He will not be seeing them until i stop being stupid and ring him. He said there no way on this earth you are going to call the shots. Nobody has told him when or for how long he can see them. Thats up to him i would never stop him. I just don't want to see him as i nearly lost my mind. He has said that he will ring back, we've all ruined it, hes getting a solicitor, and things are going to change. Im scared, what can he achieve???????
Thankyou to anyone who has managed to read to the end of this without falling asleep sorry its so long, and sorry for repeating some stuff if you know it already. Thanks

OP posts:
sykes · 13/01/2004 11:48

FF, I've had my draft (re legal separattion/divorce/money/access to be amicable etc) for over a month now and can't face signing it - it's admitting it's over. However, I suppose I have to or I'll be in limbo for ever. Know how you feel. But when your elder dd says to daddy that she wants to be a real family with daddy at home, you just think I'd do ANYTHING (virtually) to give my dds that - signing confirms my most terrible fears and all the things I don't want. Take care.

zebra · 13/01/2004 11:49

Good News, FF.

Festivefly · 13/01/2004 12:08

Sykes my kids want him back as much as i do, but he is in bed with another women. If he comes back, i will either never get over what he has done to me, or i will be insecure and try too hard, or he will leave again.What would happen then, wouldn't the kids be even worse?
I have cried as you have for nights and nights. I have walked around lost and scared, and angry, i miss him every moment every minute. It makes me sick. But every moment of pain i had, he did to me. I want something better. God,i'm crying now

OP posts:
sykes · 13/01/2004 12:12

Sorry, FF. Not very good at cheering you up. You're right, they're not worth it and it would be impossible. And even if I could take such a chance for myself I could NEVER put the girls through it again. WE'll be fine. REALLY.

M2T · 13/01/2004 12:13

Sykes & FF - You are both getting through this as best you can. You will feel at times as though you are just existing and on auto-pilot. Please just keep believing that this WILL get better.... honest.

FF - Soon you won't want him every minute of every day. Its such a gradual process, but one day soon you'll realise you have gone a whole day without that deep sick feeling in your tummy.

You are both doing exactly the right things and going about it the right way. Your wounds will heal, but they are sooooooo fresh and you have the children there as a constant reminder. But you are doing whats best for them..... it would do no good to get back together and live in a trustless, bitter relationship.

Your children will realise this too when they are older and probably commend you both for having the strength to pick yourselves up and move on.

Festivefly · 13/01/2004 12:19

Don't be sorry Sykes i'm just trying to convince the pair of us. Anyway if you did want him back, he would have to make a grand gesture of meaning it, and marry you again. So sign.
Thanks M2T, i believe you I just pray everyday that this is the day, the day when i don't think about him once.

OP posts:
sykes · 13/01/2004 12:25

I'll try to sign. M2T, thanks, too, but when you have your dds (or in FF's case dss) in constant tears missing their daddies it's incredibly hard. And being surrounded by "happy" families on outings rather rubs it in. I know other people have it a lot worse but I ache for my girls.

M2T · 13/01/2004 12:29

Sykes - Are they still coping as badly with it all? Is there any sort of counselling that will help them come to terms with it all? you could attend together. Dunno, I might be way off the mark.... but it 'could' help.

Festivefly · 13/01/2004 12:31

I do too, especially when they make wishes to have a daddy in the house.
Anyhow, i am going to do a fantastic job without him, really, really i am, i am. So are you, lets bring the positivity back into the room. Group hug, i am a beatiful strong women worth loving. I am not a victim, i am a survivor.
Don't you just love self help books

OP posts:
fio2 · 13/01/2004 12:59

sykes dont be so hard on yourself you have had ever such alot happen to you in such a short space of time. Things will get better I am sure

FF - you know you are doing the right thing

lilibet · 13/01/2004 13:11

Sykes and Ff, have either of you read thru your first posts that you made when you split up? If you do and remember what you were feeling then you will both see how far you have come. It is horrid being on your own at first and I was the one who left so things will be worse for you two, but it does get better all the time, both for you and for the children. I remember taking the children on holiday on my own and as Sykes said, I felt that I was the only one there not in a 'happy family' set up. I thought that everyone was looking at me as I was on my own with three children. No one of course paid me any notice at all, I just felt so bloody obvious to everyone!

Sykes, take a deep breath and sign it, you must do. Please?

sykes · 13/01/2004 14:32

Hi, Lillibet and thanks. Am just convinced I'm going to be told she's pregnant which will REALLY hurt me and the girls. And yes am thinking of counselling for the girls. My elder dd is really unhappy. She's a very dramatic little thing anyway - grasps my face and says oh mummy you're just so special, gorgeously beautiful, you're marvellous. I do wonder if she's taking the pss sometimes .... Think FF and I should start writing an alternative self-help book - what about it FF? Seriously ... a sort of pss that is OBVIOUSLY hysterically funny and will make us both multi-millionaires. Now that WOULD be sweet revenge .....

lilibet · 13/01/2004 16:32

Why do you think that Sykes?
How old are your girls? I know I probably should know, sorry. One of the best things about me leaving my ex and I did it in a very dramtic fashion, bit of the drama queen in me too, was that none of my children ever asked why. They all knew that it wasn't good us living together. I have had tears because we weren't together once, from my ds1 who is the middle child, but only the once. It must be awful to have to go thru that as it hurts more if your children are hurt and you have nothing to say to make them better. But.... sing it loud and proud "things can only get better"!!!

Festivefly · 13/01/2004 16:38

Alright then Sykes, quite fancy the idea of being a millionare, Feel the Fear and Kill them anyway?

OP posts:
sykes · 13/01/2004 16:38

Don't know why - he just keeps trying to call me at the moment and we normally converse (bitch at each other) by e-mail. They're four and two. The elder is fixated on our family pics and keeps saying - that's when we were a real family .... God it upsets me. She SO wants him to come home. Glad it all worked out for you. Do they see their father much? If I'm being nosey please ignore me.

sykes · 13/01/2004 16:42

Is that our working title? Okay. I'll post a suggested synopsis to you tomorrow and we'll start with our first chapter to send with our brilliant synopsis to an agent who will invite us to discuss the idea further. We'll turn up at the offices where all the male staff will be stunned by our beauty and plague us with invites to dinner/drinks and declare everlasting love. Our book will be a huge success and be made into a fil. We get to cast the film and Johnny Depp and another actor of your choice play the parts and fall hopelessly in love with us. Bugger, no, JD is married. Ah, well sure there's another bod around. Come on, get on with ideas. And, of course my h and your p fall on extremely hard times, realise the error of their ways and we spit in their faces - but not in front on the children. XXXX.

lilibet · 13/01/2004 16:50

They see him one night a week between 6 and 8pm and stay with him every other weekend, but thats only the boys, DD won't go. There are miles of threads on it!
Where are you sykes?
Shame you can't come on Saturday.

Yes it worked out for me, I am still expecting to wake up tho' and find out its not all real and I am still living with ex.

sykes · 13/01/2004 16:53

Funny thing is I'm originally from Stockport ..... Lived there until I went to college. Am hoping to come up for Easter with dds and am intent on meeting up with FF at some point - so if you're free ..... I'm really glad it's working out. Get FF a BIG drink for me on Saturday and I want pictures .....

Festivefly · 13/01/2004 16:56

Sykes, make that happen, i want that to happen

OP posts:
Festivefly · 14/01/2004 18:35

Hey hey, got an email of him this morning and i've not replied to it, i'm getting good at this.

OP posts:
fio2 · 14/01/2004 19:34

well done ff, hope that is still the case

zebra · 14/01/2004 20:04

Cool!!!! FF.

aloha · 14/01/2004 20:30

I like the book idea! A sort of best friend's guide to getting over a breakup with a low-down, cheating scumbag. It has definite possibilities.

Festivefly · 14/01/2004 20:32

I think it would be censored

OP posts:
popsycal · 14/01/2004 20:33

well done ff!!!
glad to hear that you have a nice bedroom!
want to make a start on mine?
seriously though - am very proud of you!