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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

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over reacting?

351 replies

dancingwiththedevilonmyback · 06/09/2012 18:11

so for the last few months my rather antisocial hubby has started going out with a group of mates, im really happy about this as i think friendships outside the marraige are really important and healthy.
his best mate is a girl who is into the stuff he likes, wrestling, computer games ect. he goes out to watch films with her a lot and they socialise with others regualy, i have no issue with this, my best mate is a bloke (although he is gay) she has even kipped on our sofa when they went out so she didnt have to drive home. i have had no suspicions that anything other than friendship has occurred.
she is in a bad relationship, talks about it to him all the time, and seems to say lots of leading things like "my bf doesnt like my breasts, what do you think?" and that suggests to me she may be having thoughts towards him in a romantic way... i have told him that platonic friendships are great but its important not to give the wrong idea...
he assured me she didnt have thoughts like that.
i have become aware that his workmates have been gossiping about them, and that makes me uncomfortable, he assuered me it was one comment from someone really stupid and to take no notice.
well today he left his facebook open and thier messages were there, hundreds of messages, really really flirty.
he calls her sugar tits, says he needs to clear his mind of dirty thoughts of her, many messages of sexual teasing, nothing hardcore, all wink winky, things like, i'll let you dominate me, i'll lie there and take it, he replies i am dripping with antisipation (this is in reference to being beaten in the computer game, but its suggestive and sexual.)
he says, if we carry on going to see films together, people will be even more suspicious, more than normal" which means lots of people at thier work are already suss...
i text him and said, u left your fb open, and i read your msgs, sorry for invading your privacy but i am glad i did,
the level of flirting is unacceptable, and really dismissive of your wife. i feel humiliated after all the bending over backwards i did to accommadate your new mates.
i want this flirting to stop, i am not asking you to end your friendship, or cancel saturday (she is kipping on the sofa again) or to cancel the wrestling (they are going with 2 others to wales to watch the wrestling, him and her are sharing a twin room) i just want you to know the boundries and not overstep them.

he phoned and said nothing was going on, i said it doesnt matter if his penis stayed in his pants, the fact he has been texting her this means he has at least had an emotional or sextual affair. he said nothing had happened, and he was sorry for upsetting me, (sounding irritated now) i said i didnt need him to be sorry for upsetting me, that meant nothing to me, he needs to be sorry for doing it. he doesnt talk to me like that, so he needs to talk like that to someone else.
i said, if you want out of our marraige, tell me, i want to know, dont string me along, and drag it out, if you want out, just go. i wont stop you.
he said he loved being married to me and he loves our children, i said well that wouldnt change would it?
then i said i had to go and get kids ready for bed, and hung up.
was i overreacting?

OP posts:
dancingwiththedevilonmyback · 09/09/2012 13:10

i feel like there is little point in saying anything more, i dont think he is hearing anything.

im not sure what talking tonight will achieve.

most definitely not feeling strong and fabulous now. more like a giant total twat.

in the end, i cant fix this, he has to. and i cant make him.

having lovely cuddles with my girls today though watching spy kids. they are so flaming brilliant, and such a comfort.
they are looking after me as my eldest 5, said i looked poorly Sad

OP posts:
ParsleyTheLioness · 09/09/2012 13:46

Dancing he is the twat, not you. I used to think with my STBXH that he just wasn't getting it, and if only I said it in a different way, he would. It wasn't me, it was him (I'm not saying I was perfect, I wasn't, but his way of behaving was abusive and generally appalling). He never did get it, and eventually I got out. Don't waste 20 yrs like I did.

"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig."

OrangeClub · 09/09/2012 14:32

As my gran used to say "you can't polish a turd".

This man knows exactly what he is doing, to you, your self esteem, your relationship and your family. I have had enough relationships with wankers to know that they all react in exactly the same way when they are bang out of order. They suddenly have the emotional intelligence of a bag of hoover dust, pretending they don't understand why you are so upset, minimising how you feel.

Tell him to fuck off until he can behave like a husband, a father and more importantly, a man.

Knobbers · 09/09/2012 14:42

Only just caught up with this.

Bless you OP, he is a prick!

I totally agree with Xales. He is putting her before you. His 'friendship' with her has gone too far. Even if nothing physical has happened, its about to and emotionally he's already cheating.

Really feel for you OP.

GoldShip · 09/09/2012 14:43

OP no topic has ever affected me like this one. Ever. I'm crying with rage for you.

I wish I could come to where you live and bang their thick fucking heads together, before shoving then up their arses.

Well done you for being strong, now kick this loser to the kerb.

GoldShip · 09/09/2012 14:44

And how she can sit by when this is affecting a family in such a way is shocking!

Knobbers · 09/09/2012 14:50

I still can't believe he thinks its ok to still invite this woman to his house after his wife finds suggestive messages, think its ok to practically ignore her so he can cozy in the corner with sugartits and let his wife feel so uncomfortable, she has to shut herself away in her bedroom!

It's your fucking house OP!

I would be inclined to kick his arse out, with his fucking games right behind him!

hungoverandembarrassed · 09/09/2012 14:53

I love that quote parsley! Smile

Xales · 09/09/2012 14:54

I actually would not accept being treated like OP was by her H's 'friends'.

I expect a decent response when I come in and say hello. Not just one hi and be left to feel uncomfortable in my own home where they were happily being hosted and eating food from my family income. Fucking rude all around.

chirpchirp · 09/09/2012 14:59

I'm sorry.... he still brought her into your house?!? After everything you said he still welcomed her into your home? What an utter shit. Is he really that stupid or just incredible disrespectful?

I think you're awesome and dealing with all this incredibly well and with huge amounts of dignity.

Knobbers · 09/09/2012 15:07

Xales, he was probably bad mouthing OP to them or that they know exactly what is going on with the pair of them. They may have felt uncomfortable.

Whatever it is, OP doesn't need these type of people around her

HansieMom · 09/09/2012 15:11

He showers once or twice per year? Unbelievable one could do that and work with other people, never mind actually being part of a family. Just yuck!

AnyFucker · 09/09/2012 15:18

I am so sorry this is going from bad to worse. This is down to him. All of it.

you find yourself having to invent reasons to stay out of your own house and then go to your bedroom like a naughty teenager

Or like someone who feels like they are playing gooseberry. Which is exactly your status right now. An inconvenient nuisance standing in the way.

I am very angry for you. In your position I would tell him to go to her.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 09/09/2012 15:28

OP. Can you ask him to take this quiz?

www.shirleyglass.com/quizfriendship.php

If he definitely wants to work things out, her book 'Just good friends' comes highly recomended.

Inertia · 09/09/2012 16:20

Oh Dancing. How could the pair of them have the absolute front to do this in your own house? I think you're right - he wants out, but he doesn't even have the bollocks to do it himself. He knows that him continuing a relationship with her is a deal breaker for you, but he carries on even though he knows this is destroying your marriage.

I admire your dignity- think I'd have marched in an asked what the fuck sugartits and her filthy texts were doing in my house.

It's not innocent, and you are not breaking anything. He is making the choice to be slutty with sugartits , and to put this ahead of your marriage and family. He wants to paint you as the bad guy. He'll ask you whether you want him to leave - I think you need to make him take responsibility for his actions, but make it crystal clear in words of one syllable that if he has any face to face or phone /text/ online contact with her again, then you will consider your marriage to be over as he clearly has no respect for you.

I'm so sorry. He doesn't want to make this better.

dancingwiththedevilonmyback · 09/09/2012 16:59

the thing is, i havent asked him to quit the friendship.
i cant. and wont.
there are two reasons for this.
1, i shouldnt have to. he should be able to think of me highly enough to make me a priority, and start making decisions based on common decency.
2, i think its what he wants me to do, if i ban this friendship, it will be held over me, i know him, it would give him chance to be the poor hard done by sod.

but as he has proven to be so bloody dense, is it suprising he hasnt quit this friendship? so therefore its my fault for not spelling it out.

he text asking if i wanted him to stay out and give him some space, he wouldnt need to go out and see her (they were going to watch a few films this evening)
he could just stay out the house with a book.

i said no come home to talk, so he is coming home at 5.30, cooking me a nice tea, with wine, putting the kids to bed, and we will have a nice evening together.
then, if its ok with me, sugartits will drive by at 8.45 and pick him up to go and watch dread...
but he can cancel at anytime, as long as he lets her know before 8, but its not important, i just have to tell him to cancel it, if i want him to cancel it.
i am prob going to be in bed at 9 anyway after last night, and im up at 6am tomorrow for work, so it doesnt really make any difference and may give me some peace and quiet... but if i do want him to stay i can tell him and he will tell her...
sigh.
why oh why do i have to spell this shit out? why?
why do i have to be responsible for his actions? and why do all his actions include her?

OP posts:
dancingwiththedevilonmyback · 09/09/2012 17:01

i am very tired.
but am clinging as hard as i can to every shred of dignity i have. i think its all i have and its suddenly so important to me. because i can hold my head up by the end of all this and know i behaved with dignity.

OP posts:
Xales · 09/09/2012 17:11

He can't do it can he? He said before he would cancel going to see the films with her tonight.

Now your marriage is so important to him that he is giving you a 3 hour 15 minute slot including dinner (say an hour?) and dealing with the bed time routine (say another hour) before he can slope off with her again for a film which is nearly 2 hours, plus getting there, plus getting out and home again.

So he basically thinks your marriage and discussions are worth less than seeing a film with her.

How could any man with a hint of love for their wife sit and enjoy a movie with another woman knowing their wife was devastated and breaking their heart over his 'relationship' with that woman?

How could any other woman knowing that her 'friends' wife was really upset over their inappropriate conversations arrange to meet him for a cosy tete a tete in a cinema?

Nasty selfish wankers the pair of them.

I would have had enough by now. Screw dignity I would be forwarding all those messages on to her boyfriend so she can get 1/10 of the shit you are feeling.

clam · 09/09/2012 17:13

I have read this thread with my mouth hanging open. But that last major post has taken the biscuit.
He is GOING OUT WITH HER TONIGHT???!!!! AFTER a supposed cosy meal with you, he still intends to GO OUT WITH HER?????????

OK, so don't spell it out in words of one syllable. But look him straight in the eye and ask him to work out for himself, if he has the brain cells to do it, what the fucking hell he thinks would be the right course of action, and that he'd better think bloody carefully before he chooses.

Maybe not dignified, no, but I don't think 'dignified' is going to save your marriage, quite frankly. To be honest, I think you're flogging a dead horse. Sorry. Sad

clam · 09/09/2012 17:15

But you might want to remind him of that vow he took to you: "forsaking all others." This is what it meant.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 09/09/2012 17:16

Oh dancing Sad

What a cock he is.

He is treating you with zero respect. Really, make him take that quiz. I bet it will tell him that he is having an affair

clam · 09/09/2012 17:17

Is he on the spectrum, do you think? I mean, you said in your OP that he's always been antisocial and that this friendship group is a new development. Maybe he just doesn't have the social nous to be able to manage this 'friendship' appropriately. He doesn't understand the rules. But then, it appears he doesn't understand the basic rules of marriage either.

Tamisara · 09/09/2012 17:20

Oh dancing (((hugs)))

Sugar tits is a bit like my sister I think.

When I was pregnant with DS (when I was young), she asked my then partner if he thought she looked sexy in her underwear. I felt awful, I was huge, had gained a large amount of weight, and thought it totally inappropriate of her (whether pregnant or not). My sister needs to do this though. She'd often come out in her undies, in front of my parent's friends, and their wives. I think my parents should have humiliated & made her feel like shit, rather than condone her behaviour & have the poor wives watching their hubbies salivate over her. If I went to someone's house, and their late teen/early 20s DD came out in undies, in front of my DH, then I would leave immediately, making loud protests at the lack of morals instilled by my friends

I have a problem with different sex friendships. Don't get me wrong, I do have male friends myself, but they are all pre-DH. I don't think that aquiring a new opposite sex friend, after marriage, is healthy. Even long-standing ones should not take time away from the primary relationship... in fact any friendship - male or female - that takes time, energy & emotional investment, from the primary relationship is bad.

This 'friendship' is not innocent. Unless you say that she is obese, over 60, and not someone any guy would look twice at, then of course it's not innocent. Men do not invest^ in friendships with sexually attractive females unless they are interested on some level - even subconsciously. Very rarely do men make new 'female' friends who are ugly - even though they're quite happy to be friends with men who aren't attractive... there is a reason for that.

He is dating this woman. It is never OK for a married man, to go to the cinema, or out for dinner/to the pub etc, alone with another female... not unless she predates the primary relationship - going to the cinema etc is dating.

The reason I single out new as opposed to pre-existing friendships is, the new ones will go through bonding - between opposite sexes, and in a situation which is the same as dating, is incredibly dangerous.

I also would have a problem (personally) with a new, intense friendship, that is founded at work. He spends more waking time at work than at home, so why the need, or want, to socialise out of work? Instead of spending it with you & the kids?

The combination of an intense friendship with a woman (and it is prefectly OK to say that you don't want your DH to socialise out of work with any woman - he doesn't need to befriend any woman from work at all), that he works with (therefore can't avoid), who he prefers to spend time with, who he goes on dates with, instead of 'dating' you, and then confides in... he is fully in the grips of an emotional affair.

Your DH should never, never never discuss your intimate life with another woman... not unless she is his sister or mother.

I'm really sorry, but it's not good. He needs to cut all contact with her, completely. But tbh, it sounds like she has already replaced you as number one female... :(

TigerStripe · 09/09/2012 17:21

Jesus Christ? He is still saying today, after all of the last few days and your discussion last night, he will be going out with her tonight...but all you have to do is say don't and he won't? What a prize A cunt.

He's exasperating isn't he? Like an emotionally stunted young teenager who just doesn't get how his actions (as opposed to his words) can impact on others around him. You already have enough children to deal with really, don't you, without having a smelly, stroppy man child as well. In your situation I would suggest that he not bother to come home this evening and that he have a good hard think about his priorities.

In the meantime (I think he will be a long time coming in making any decision at all - he wants you to do all of that, to abdicate himself of all responsibility), I would make plans to exit this marriage. He is smelly - hygiene (or lack of it) is a deal breaker for me. You currently are not sexually attracted to him. He calls you crazy because you're on ADs and he tries diminish his awful behaviour by belittling you. He doesn't sound like a bundle of fun tbh. However good a father he is doesn't matter that much really does it? He can still be a good, active father if you were to split.

You are doing amazingly. However much you think you're not, you are. You are being very clear and concise in your thinking and how you are laying it out to him.

Big hug, please keep coming here for support.

ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmmm · 09/09/2012 17:26

Your DH should never, never never discuss your intimate life with another woman... not unless she is his sister or mother.

x1000

Do you have any male friends who would come to the house and put him in the same position as you are .. that might open his eyes a bit!