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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

How would you feel about this? A bit on the long side....

218 replies

Yorkiegirl · 03/09/2004 19:22

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tigermoth · 04/09/2004 08:01

It might be too late to do this now, but anyway, here's what I'd do. As millipede suggests, I'd call my husband's bluff. Is it too late to back off a little? I think you need more velvet glove than iron fist.

If possible, what I'd do is be very complementary to my husband about this woman, saying as this as this woman seems so supportive to you and so friendly, lets all meet up to say thank you to her. After all you know her from university, so you can say you'd really like to renew the friendship.

Your husband is portraying himself as Mr Nice guy, totally on the level, so how can he refuse? He might even be a bit relieved if he feels this woman's attentions are getting too much.

If he ducks out of making this arrangement, ask why exactly? Say you can't see a reason for permanently excluding you from their meetings. If you're not allowed to see make friends with the woman, and she objects to ever meeting you, then she's actually being very hostile towards you. What have you ever done to upset her? you don't like the idea of dh making friends with someone who actively dislikes his you, his wife. She is overstepping the mark and you want dh to stop this now. Don't even mention you are worried about them having an affair - not necessary and why flatter you husband's ego even more?

Your dh may well be very flattered by this woman's attention but there's nothing huge to indicate there's any more to it. But I think you must take this seriously now and do something.

tigermoth · 04/09/2004 08:04

ah - just read your new message. My advice is not appropriate now.

Yorkiegirl · 04/09/2004 08:47

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edam · 04/09/2004 09:11

This woman is clearly trying to make trouble and, as everyone says, your dh needs to put his food down.

But just to redress the balance more generally about single people being friends with married people.. my best mate is still very good friends with most of her exes; just seems to have a talent for ending things on a friendly basis. One of her exes was a very good friend before they had a sexual relationship and, as usual for her, they stayed mates after deciding it wasn't working. In this case, he actually realised he is gay. But his new boyfriend (several years down the line, after a couple of other relationships) is very uncomfortable with this. New boyfriend insists on accompanying her ex whenever they go out. Which makes it impossible as they are such good friends they normally have a giggle about whatever is going on in her love life, and you can't really have that conversation in front of someone who is, to her, a relative stranger. The whole thing is just really tense, new boyfriend obviously doesn't want to be friends with her at all. Sadly it now means that she's had to stop seeing her ex, even though they were very good friends and had been through an awful lot together, including my friend having life-threatening illness and brain surgery. Very sad.

It is possible for someone in a relationship to still be friends with an ex and want to spend time with that person, alone.
That's not what is happening here, though, but just thought I'd point out that not all exes should be treated as a threat - the guy's gay, for heaven's sake, he's realised that and isn't likely to turn back!

Beetroot · 04/09/2004 09:25

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tigermoth · 04/09/2004 09:47

beetroot - that's brilliant!

Moomin · 04/09/2004 10:13

but I really don't think she IS a friend of YG's dh - like YG says, she's just a hanger-on and her motives are completely transparent (at least they are to savvy women - blokes are so thick when it comes to things like this grrrrr!)

YG - you really must try to make your dh face up to his role in the situation. Sjow him your vulnerable side if needs be and tell him how hurtful you are finding it. Tell him that you and he need to present a united front against her and that even if he cannot see what she is up to, you certainly can. He has absolutely nothing to gain from being in the least but accommodating to her. Is he scared of appearing the Bad Guy? Remind him who is more important - you, your family and your feelings. He's got to be much more cold and final with her.

oooo I'm feeling all wound up on your behalf!

Yorkiegirl · 04/09/2004 10:33

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Avalon · 04/09/2004 10:43

I'm a bit worried about his admission 'that it's a fault of his that he's often nice to the wrong people, and then hard on people who don't deserve it'. This rang a bell for me as it reminded me of an ex-bf of mine. It's almost like a ready-built excuse for anything he does wrong.
I would be angry with her but extremely angry with dh - he is the one who is committed to you. She, after all, is a single woman. At the very least I would want a firm dismissal of the girl, an apology and a bunch of flowers.

harrassedmum · 04/09/2004 21:58

Absolutley right dont go chasing after her, dont give her the satisfaction! Think moomin may be right about showing you're vulnerable side, if it is that he is too soft to say get lost to her. You've got every right to be unhappy and he should just ignore her from now on in my opinion. If she phones or texts just dont answer or reply. My bloke was in a slightly similar situation at the beginning of our relationship. A friend within his group of friends (which also includes his brother) has a thing for him, and if we had a row he would talk to his bro, who would tell his friend we werent getting on and she would txt him telling him to go round and she'd cheer him up. He told me and just ignored her. If he has to see her socially he always takes me with him.

Yorkiegirl · 04/09/2004 22:01

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harrassedmum · 04/09/2004 22:27

I hope so too. I also hope your dh has learnt a lesson about getting himself in situations as well!

jasper · 04/09/2004 23:54

sometimes I think I don't live in the same world as everyone else but I cannot believe what I am reading here and all the assumptions that are being made

I honestly can't understand this thread at all. Why are you interfering in your husband's friendships?

Why are you monitoring his texts and calls? That to me is an outrageous intrusion of his privacy.

So what if this woman is trying to get intouch for whatever reason? Presumaebly he is a grown up and can sort it out himself in whatever way he sees fit.
I have met exes and those who wish they were exes (ie never went out with them in the first place) for lunch and sometimes not told dh till later if at all. What is the big deal? If dh started to monitor my texts/ calls it would be a nail in the coffin of our relationship.
BACK OFF!!

tigermoth · 05/09/2004 07:54

Getting in touch occasionally with an old friend is one thing, persistantly texting, inititating secret meetings and tagging along uninvited is another, in my book.

I'm happy for my dh to have friendships with other women - those he knew before we met and those he has since worked or studied with. If they meet up sometimes, that's fine as well. I don't expect to come along every time and realise that sometimes what is being discussed is something of no relevance to me and that the two of them are need privacy.

However, I do expect that out of common courtesy my dh tells me of the meetings, and, of I happenend to want to come, that both dh and his friend would welcome me along. I have male friends too and sometimes I see them alone but for me the litmus test is - whatever I've arranged with whoever, I'd be happy to see dh, and so would my male friend, if he turned up unexpectedly.

I've been in a similar situation to Yorkiegirl - my dh began to get lots of texts and calls from a girl who was on the edge of our circle of friends. She made a big habit of bumping into him. She was new to the area so wanted company, and my dh saw her for lunch sometimes while I was at work - they were both about during the day. No probs with me - my dh was upfront about it. Initially the girl was quite friendly to me as well, but I began to get P***d off when I she started to phone dh daily for long chats, and often asked him out for a drink without wanting to even speak to me, let alone invite me along. If I picked up the phone she didn't say hello - simply asked to be put through to dh!

Beetroot · 05/09/2004 08:05

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Chinchilla · 05/09/2004 19:27

Jasper - I know from experience that dh would be incredibly cross if I met an ex without telling him. I would also be cross of he did the same. Each relationship is different, and YorkieGirl DID ask for advice...

Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 19:37

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roisin · 05/09/2004 19:56

Have you had a call/text-free day today YG? I hope so.

(I've been following this thread, but didn't feel I had anything constructive to offer: but I do think it's a potentially serious situation, and you are both dealing with it wisely. Hope you both come through it unscathed.)

Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 20:45

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jasper · 05/09/2004 22:45

Sorry Yorkiegirl, I have indeed misjudged. I jumped to conclusions(thought you were monitoring his texts) and was upset by some of the suggestions about how you should treat your dh in the light of this incident.(like destroying his phone) I don't see that he has done anything wrong, either in replying to her texts or in not telling you .

He hid it from you because he thought it would upset you - and he was right .

I feel sorry for him as I have been in a similar position of people tring to engineer inappropriate social arrangements. It is very hard to tell people that no, you don't want to meet them, not today, not tomorrow, not ever!

I hope she gets the message and stops bugging your husband but I don't think you should waste any time worrying about it. It will do him good to learn to stand up for himself

dottee · 05/09/2004 23:10

Oh Yorkie .. just caught up with this.

Hope you both can sort this out and make your relationship stronger .. and she gets the message and leaves you alone.

When I started reading it, I was almost in tears. (My ex. went off with a singleton from work when the kids were babes and alarm bells started ringing in my head). But the later posts look like she's got the idea. As he's come clean with you, that's a clear indication he's no intention of straying.

I hope things work out. p.s. when do you go to Portugal?

Yorkiegirl · 05/09/2004 23:49

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dottee · 06/09/2004 15:42

No probs YG - it's not arrived yet.

whitefeather · 06/09/2004 16:14

similar thing happened to me this weekend dp come home drunk, phone ringing in his pocket i answered as it was his best freinds name! but they hung up, so i called 'him' back only to hear 'hi babe' totally furious' i hit him over head with mobile phone , he cant rememer but woke up this morning on settee with fat lip and doesnt know why! at work at the min but i can see fireworks tonight! it hurts

jasper · 06/09/2004 23:09

Yorkiegirl been thinking about this a lot.
I don't have that many exes but they are in two distinct camps.

Those I look back on fondly and would not mind seeing.

Those in the "what on earth was I thinking of" category. SOunds like this is how your dh views this girl. It is doubly embarrassing when this type comes back to haunt you. Not only have you no desire to see them but you are reminded what a twit you were for ever going out with them in the first place . And if you did go out with them for however short a time it is very hard to be in any way unkind to them!

Hope she is out of his hair for good. Even very thick skinned people usually get the message in the end.

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