Three in the relationship? Sorry, long

[worcssauce]

I've been widowed 4 years. Started internet dating around a year later. Met DP online in September 2010 and dated for around 9 months. DP is a lovely, caring, man who had never married, no children, but had had a longish relationship of 12 years, which had run its course. DP is 4 years younger than me (late forties/early fifties). DP was ready to move on and after a month or two, declared his love for me and wanted to see me more and more. That was scary as I was enjoying dating, and socialising with friends, but not looking for anything too serious, and definitely not ready to have someone moving in and/or introducing them to my late husband's family. I did introduce DP to my children (in their 20s) and they adored him. My mum also met him (liked him too) and I was introduced to his parents and sister. All good so far. However, he wanted to move things on quicker than I did and he started planning holidays and wanting to come straight to my house from work and stay over. Eventually I said I needed space and we split up in June 2011.

We agreed to remain "friends" and for a while, we stayed in touch, but gradually the phone calls/texts got less and less. In December 2011, I sent him a "Happy Christmas" text and he responded by saying how good it was to hear from me. I replied that perhaps we could meet for lunch one day and it was arranged for after Christmas. We had a lovely lunch and I was surprised at how nice it was to see him again, he looked well and I immediately felt an attraction. However, he told me that he had met someone and that he was very happy. So I wished him all the best and said that I was happy for him.

However, a week or so later, he texted to say he would be in my area at the weekend so could he pop in. I agreed and we had a nice afternoon chatting. He told me about his girlfriend, apparently also an internet date and had met her literally days after our split. Three months into the relationship, he moved in with her, like him never married and no kids. He said that once we split, he just tried to put our relationship behind him and move on. Interestingly we had kept in touch for a few months after our split, but he hadn't mentioned the new girlfriend. Anyway, as the afternoon progressed, things got a little amorous and eventually had a snog (nothing more!), for which he apologised. However, after that, we met once a week and began a relationship again. He was still living with his girlfriend at this point, although it was obviously tearing him apart. He told me that she was a lovely lady, didn't deserve this, but that there was "issues" between them which made him think it would eventually split them up. I had to say that he would have to choose as obviously this was no good to either of us. I had never been the OW before and he had never two-timed anyone. He agonised for a couple of weeks and then DP and his girlfriend had a discussion where they both agreed that it wasn't working, that they were friends but didn't love each other. So, he packed his bags and returned to his house. This was a year ago now and our relationship has gone from strength to strength, (I've introduced him to all my family and he's moved into my house), apart from his insistence that the OW remains a friend and someone he cares about. In the early days, the OW was constantly phoning him and they met up from time to time. She apparently told him that "she would be a shoulder to cry when it all goes wrong, as she was convinced he'd made a terrible mistake". I'm not comfortable at all with this, but have had to accept that she's been "needy" and lonely and from time to time, wants support from him. Unfortunately, my DP really doesn't understand that I might not like this friendship and feel uncomfortable with it and I'm made out to be sulky if I complain. The OW also has a good relationship with DPs parents (her own have died), and still is in contact with them regularly. She does contact him slightly less now, but still once a week, which after a year seems a little excessive. I have never met the OW, so I suppose I feel envious that he has a female "friend" (one he was intimate with) that he speaks to regularly and I am not part of it. He reassures me that he has no feelings for OW and hasn't ever regretted leaving her, but she always seems to be in the shadows, either he speaks about her, or she's on the phone (usually they speak at work, since I got upset when she phoned once when I and the children were sitting there). She seems to phone for any reason she can think of and I can't help thinking that, even if he no longer has any feelings for her, she hasn't got over him and it's causing me to feel vulnerable and doubt his feelings towards me. I can't help comparing myself to what I know of her, that is, she's slimmer, 6 years younger, a career lady with a masters degree (though she's been unemployed for the last few months) and highly intelligent and I keep wondering why he chose me? He says he loves me totally (and I love him), but still the doubts remain.

Am I being silly and stupid?

[AnyFucker]

You don't trust him because you have witnessed how quickly he can turn from one woman to another.

This man is no prize. I am pretty sure you will always feel unsettled in this relationship. Which, to be honest, is not really any more than you deserve. That is not meant harshly, although I am sure you will take it as so.

[LessMissAbs]

His track record indicates he gets bored and moves onto other women before finishing with the first, moving into their houses seems to be part of this pattern (does the man not work, so as to enable himself to move around the country into other women's houses?).

I don't think his behaviour is good, and he seems to have a pattern of behaviour that you might find uncomfortable to live with.

[TranceDaemon]

It sounds like he is playing you both, sorry. :(

[MidnightMasquerader]

Your thread title sums things up pretty well, as it goes.

Is it acceptable for an ex to still need contact/support a year after a relationship ends? How long is a piece of string...

The answer to that question depends entirely on the fundamentals of the relationship, and obviously there is a rather interwoven back story here between the three if you that will tint the answer to your question.

You've placed yourself into a situation over which you don't really have an awful lot of control or grasp. You either let him conduct his friendships as he wishes (put up and shut up), ask him to end the friendship (and possibly cause him to resent you), or walk.

[Dottiespots]

Well if it were me I would feel very uncomfortable that he is having contact with his ex lover. I would feel scared of what is going on between them. To be honest I think you moved in too soon and could have done with time just dating and getting to know each other properly. You have every right to feel the way you do.

[Dozer]

Sounds like he wants a live-in relationship and its advantages without commitment, pushy (odd) in seeking this early on in relationships and in moving onto someone else when he wants.

Does he share domestic work etc?

With respect to his ex, if he met her online and their relationship ended because he preferred you (he moved in v quickly with her - again, odd), is strange to keep in touch IMO. Sounds like he is hedging his bets and enjoying keeping you on your toes / in a weak position. You sound eager to justify his strange/selfish behaviour and assert that yours was somehow the "true love" relationship.

Imo he is likely to leave, probably to another relayionship, if/when things get tough for any reason.

[kalidanger]

although it was obviously tearing him apart. He told me that she was a lovely lady, didn't deserve this, but that there was "issues" between them

It all really falls apart here. He told you it was 'tearing him apart' (boo effing hoo) and his lies started kicking in. He's not a good guy. He's hedging his bets, has more of a relationship with her than you're aware of and you're on a hiding to nothing if he won't stop communicating with her.

Is he amazing? Is he really a great catch or just Mr. He Will Do? Does he (be honest) absolutely share in your home life together or do you pay all the bills and have free access to the remote control?

[kalidanger]

*not have free access

[worcssauce]

badinage - I get on with his DPs and friends very well. They have all accepted me and I have been told by one couple that they have never seen DP happier than he is now.

Anyfucker - how many women/men have met their husbands/partners when one or both were in a previous good/bad relationship. It's what happens, not many of us are completely single when we meet another person. It's when a relationship is going on for a long time in secret and the truth only comes out when the other person discovers it, that it is abhorrent. We met, we rekindled our relationship and he ended his relationship with his girlfriend within 3 weeks, which is surely the best thing to do in this situation rather than carry on being deceitful for months/years as some people do.

LessMissAbbs - yes his track record may suggest he moves on, although a 12 year relationship would suggest he can commit. Ultimately it didn't work but there are plenty of relationships that fail before 12 years. Since then he's had two girlfriends, me and the ex. Surely that's not a "pattern"? He works full time.

MidnightMasquerader - thank you, you have summed it up pretty well. I have accepted that my DP and his ex girlfriend have remained friends. I have found it difficult to handle at times but have mostly held my tongue to him. My friends however, think it strange that one year after they broke up, they still phone each other and I guess I had hoped that by now, it would have dwindled away.

awsangel - he moved in with me in October 2012 - 9 months after we rekindled our relationship. I thought the time was right and my children were very accepting of him. Maybe it is too soon in your opinion but I have not regretted this decision.

Dozer - he did move in with his ex very quickly, partly because she lived 50 miles away, and seeing her for dates had meant a fairly long drive for him (his ex doesn't drive), though I'm not making excuses for that - I was pretty shocked too when he told me about it and it has been the source of many discussions since. Oh and yes, he does share domestic chores.

[Helltotheno]

OP the answer to this lies with you. Just decide what your boundaries are and what is a dealbreaker for you. It doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks of what's going on, if you don't like it, just give him an ultimatum. If you won't do that, just accept that this woman is still in his life and leave things as they are.

As an aside, I'd also say protect your assets and don't marry him. Why is he so keen to shack up with people so quickly?

[badinage]

It's what happens, not many of us are completely single when we meet another person.

Please speak only for yourself. It's not what happens in my world and apart from chaste romances at 13-14, have always been completely single when I've started a relationship, with men who are equally unattached.

You started this thread because you were uncomfortable with his attachment to another woman. Although you appear to put most of the responsibility for that attachment on to a fiercely intelligent, independent woman rather than a man who has form for neediness and duplicity - since then all you've done is defend him.

What did you want people to say?

Did you want us to join with you in criticising a woman who's been treated very badly by your partner?

Or for us to agree with you that cheating is not such a big deal?

Or that your partner sounds like he's a great catch?

You're worried for a reason. I'd be worried too.

[bestsonever]

Have they met up since I wonder? If so, then with 50 miles between, and her not driving, has he traveled to see her? If not, it's less of a worry as phonecalls may be as far as it gets.
It also strikes me as odd that the first time around you seem to say you went from a good relationship to nothing and splitting up because you did not want him to move in. No middle ground? Was he not willing to wait and why was that? What would of happened if this time you had not let him move in also, and why is he so keen to move in each time? If a real commitment is happening, surely it's best to move somewhere new together. Seems he just plays at commitment as he keeps his own place on each time like it's just a part of dating so is no big deal. I think you see living together as a bigger commitment than he does, which may be why it was harder for you but so easy for him the first time.

[GreatUncleEddie]

Gosh you've had a pasting here. I think you need to meet her. If she is a friend then you should be included in the friendship to some extent. Opinions vary as to whether men and women can be platonic friends. Most people think if one side of the friendship won't let their partner meet the other side, that is worrying.

[bestsonever]

I would not be lulled into an expectation that living with him gives you more status than girlfriend. He has not moved the relationship on much as he can, and already has left whenever he likes. As long as you realise that you are a girlfriend rather than partner as such and are happy to stay that way for the foreseeable, then that is fine. Did he have his own place during his 12 year relationship? The answer to that could be revealing.

[worcssauce]

Hellototheno - thank you, I can see that I will probably leave things as they are and accept their friendship. Re the assets, don't worry I have sought legal advice.

Bestsonever - he hasn't been to see her at all, though she occasionally travels into the city where he works and they have met for coffee maybe three times in the last year. We split up the first time because I wanted space and I initiated the split. It was nothing to do with moving in - he had not even suggested it, but he started making plans for the evenings/weekends, even holidays. I was also enjoying socialising with my friends and family alone. I had lost my DH 2 years earlier and I was beginning to enjoy my independence and didn't feel ready to commit fully to the relationship. When I started to feel he was suffocating me, I felt I had to end the relationship.

GreatUncleEddie - yes, I agree, I do need to meet her and my DP had asked me to several times so I don't think he feels I have anything to worry about.

Bestsonever - DP has moved the relationship. He sold his house in October, hence moving in with me. He would now be effectively homeless if I were to throw him out. We are in the process of buying a house together. His previous house was owned by him and his XP of 12 years. When they split up, he bought her out.