Had been friends with her for years.
By the end we were pretty much got bored of each other. She started a family. I didn't. That was our, 'fork in the road'.
I wanted her to be my bridesmaid. She agreed. Then she came and told me, awkwardly, that she was pregnant and couldn't be my bridesmaid later that year as planned.
I asked, 'were you trying ?' Erm, sort of was the reply. I was hurt and cross and upset by this. No, I didn't congratulate her and I was glad my DH didn't congratulate her either.
(No flaming please. I realise the error of my ways. Took a few years though.)
Our friendship carried on for a few more years after that. Before the 'end of relationship one-upmanship' started. Both guilty I might add.
Although looking back she could be bizarre. She once turned up at the flat I was renting with my then fiancée to ask me how to tune the radio in her new car. Wasn't particularly interested in how I was or how things were going. (Swimmingly FWIW)
The end of our relationship seems odd. Even now. We were talking on the phone but she was very halting in her speech. She told me that she had fallen over and hit her head a few days ago. She said she was much better now. But the conversation was a very stilted question and answer session, no flow, no warmth.
Another time she phoned me and ended the conversation by saying oh I'd better go, the kids have finished watching that cartoon. I only put a short one on. Um, you just let the cat out of the bag there, love. I thought but didn't say.
Then she, 'forgot' my birthday and remarked that my present was still at her house, come and collect it. Like six weeks later. Don't bother love, I thought. I'm not embarrassing either of us with this non-existent present.
So, tit for tat. Her birthday comes up and I do precisely nothing. Well, that didn't suit, did it ?
My mother once remarked, 'I don't like her, she tells lies'. I was gobsmacked at this and a little bit hurt. She hadn't even spoken to my friend.
My husband was sceptical of her too.
What was it that they could see that I couldn't ?
Friend seemed to worship education i.e. cor look at the degree on her/him ! As for having a Ph.D well blimey, let the hero worship commence. She also seemed to want to emulate those who were better off than her once she'd been inside their houses. Not in a snobby way, just, 'nose pressed up against the window' sort of way.
She would also throw into the conversation remarks like, 'I was at a party last week'. Then chuck in some anecdote from a Doctor or professor. What party ? You're a married woman with kids, I thought but didn't say. It's tea and telly and bed time like most people do.
The friendship ended because it ended. At the time it had run it's course and goodbye.
In recent years I've caught myself wondering how she is and how things are going for her. Social media has drawn a blank. I've done some internet sleuthing so she's still in the area but we're both in each other's pasts.
I'm assuming she doesn't want a catch up either. She's probably got her scepticisms of me too.
She once remarked that one day we will go out and she will spend money in front of me. This was out of the blue one day during a suitably girly shopping trip. I was gobsmacked but let the moment pass.
I also dated one of her relatives. I think we were just to close not to find any sort of 'catch up' a real cringe in the here and now. How it ended, what was that all about ? There's to be no mutual catch up. No common ground. No bumping into each other.