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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

What's going on? DP's female friend

108 replies

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 22:17

I regularly post under a different username. Some of my posts would out me. Sorry it is a bit long.

DP has a female friend I have never met. After a string of events that looked a bit iffy he called me by her name when drunk, which caused the first row. Not only have I not met her but I have not met the mutual friends they have. He socialises with this group of friends (weekends away etc) and I know nothing about them, other than some of the men's first names.

He has admitted to taking her out for a meal, he has met her children at least once, and he said he had been to her house a few times.
She is a Facebook friend of his. I'm not and none of his fb info is visible. She is also on his contact list. I have not said I looked at her facebook.

Because he never mentioned her before he called me by her name, and because we had a big argument.I asked him to have nothing to do with her and he said Ok. When I saw a fb notification on his page a few weeks later when he showed me something on facebook I asked him to unfriend her caused a massive fight. He rang her and handed the phone to me. I didn't say anything.

He is a fb friend of hers and has liked something on her page since the big argument. There is a limit to what I can see on her facebook. I have not mentioned that I have looked at her facebook. I don't think he is the children's father.

We don't live together and it's a LDR. The other day, after he had been abroad for over a week and only been back 2 nights, I asked him what he did the previous evening as he hadn't texted or phoned. He said he'd ' had a few drinks and was with Br ' . Br being the first two letters of her name, Brenda (not really but it might be outing). I asked him who he was with and he said no-one, and described what he'd done that evening. He sounded quite angry that I asked and I made a jokey comment and we were ok for a few days. Was he with her or just trying to make me think he was?

After dwelling on this for a few days, I sent him a text saying ' you were with her on Sunday weren't you. ' I got a text back saying ' F off you psychopath '. I rang and he was drunk and raging at me on the phone.

It's strange that I have not met her or any of their mutual friends. I haven't seen photos or anything. Whenever I mention her he or I get very shouty. He has said that he has never been out with her, never shagged her or even kissed her. He never mentions her other than during the arguments.

One time, before he had to go abroad with work, I was at his place the few days before his trip, and he disappeared for about 3 hours the day before departure.

Other than during the arguments he's fine. He is aggressive during the arguments. Obviously, I have no right to stop him from being friends with her, and I was wrong to ask but I have no idea what is going on. I know that he can eat out with other people, but when he went with her for a meal on her birthday, he told me before that a few from this group of people were going, Afterwards, he admitted it was just the two of them and that he's arranged it because he felt sorry for her. He hasn't taken me out on my birthday for years.

What is going on and what can I do about it? I usually go NC and it works, but once either of us brings up her name there is a fight, so nothing is resolved. I don't want to confront her, and the only way I would meet her is to turn up unannounced. I know what she looks like from her fb profile.

I have no access to his phone.He phones me several times a day normally and tells me he loves me. He says he wants us to get past this. He's not answering my calls today.
The only thing wrong is caused by the secrecy around this woman and the group of friends. We don't argue about anything other than her.

What do I do? It can't be resolved without me being sure that there is nothing going on. There probably nothing going on but it looks like there is. Who is she and why is she so important to him?

He and I have been together for years. DCs are grown up.

OP posts:
Paddingtonthebear · 31/07/2019 22:58

This all sounds very weird, on both sides. I don’t know why you are pursuing this relationship, it sounds like a massive waste of time Confused

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 31/07/2019 22:59

With respect quit thinking about being “Facebook fweinds” and whether he’s knobbing this woman or not.

Your relationship sounds like a world of shit hassle for fuck all return.
Cut your losses, work on your self esteem and only date guys you can have half a hope of a “normal” relationship with.

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 22:59

I am really nice. I am usually a bit of a pushover but the Brenda business makes me see red. I am normally so laid back you'd wonder if I had a pulse but this is making me anxious. I'm scared it's affecting my work.
I post on here regularly and often am one defending people when the pp obviously haven't read the OP.

OP posts:
KellyHall · 31/07/2019 23:02

I think you need to ask yourself whether this is really the best relationship you think is possible for you.

Out of all the other human beings on the planet, why are you consistently wasting your time/energy/emotions/mental health on this one??

Find your self-esteem and self-respect and you will find someone who is actually worth it.

category12 · 31/07/2019 23:03

What are you actually getting out of all this?

He's obviously got a double life. You can't trust him. He treats you poorly. You don't live with him.

You could cut the ties quite easily. Do that.

Are you afraid of a proper relationship?

chipsandgin · 31/07/2019 23:03

Doesn’t sound like you are in a relationship to be honest. He leads a completely separate life and you aren’t really part of it. His friend is the least of your problems by the sound of it?

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 23:04

I don't really wonder what is going on behind my back. I trust him, but it just seems so suspicious. I think that this woman is just a friend of old, and I probably wouldn't have much in common with this group of friends.

When I mention having not met the friends, there is usually an excuse. Usually the same excuse. When I mention Brenda, he starts going on about me needing to be sectioned.

I think he gets a kick from being stubborn. I wonder if the going on about my MH when I mention Brenda is gaslighting.

OP posts:
category12 · 31/07/2019 23:05
Biscuit
NewMe2019 · 31/07/2019 23:05

Blimey OP, this is hardly even a relationship!

Bin him off and find someone far more worthy.

HollowTalk · 31/07/2019 23:07

When he goes on the weekends away, it's usually to somewhere with poor mobile signal

Yeah. Stop believing that.

It's so obvious that you need to dump him. God knows what he's up to, but you can bet your life it's not good.

SmellbowSpaceBowl · 31/07/2019 23:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jupiter13 · 31/07/2019 23:10

You sound too nice a lady...find another fellow to chat too...and ditch him.. good luck

Mary1935 · 31/07/2019 23:11

He’s playing you. You need to dump him really.

MarshmallowHeat · 31/07/2019 23:14

I’m not sure it matters if something is going on. What matters is he is not loyal enough to you. If she’s not miss affair, she’s plan B, or emotional dependent. None of these possibilities are good if you are trying to keep up a long distance relationship.

So I’d stop guessing, and deal with the reality. You either commit to each other more, or end it. Actions now, not words. He’s probably looking for a way out but doesn’t know how tbh.

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 23:15

I wonder if the clutter and the enjoying a lot of freedom is part of the appeal for me. He is neat and tidy.

That occasion when he rang Brenda, he handed the phone to her and said something like ' Hello Brenda, my girlfriend wants a word '
Surely, if she was a close friend he would have said ' Hello Brenda, Bruised wants a word ' ?

OP posts:
ainsisoisje · 31/07/2019 23:17

Let Brenda have him - get rid! He sounds like a total waste of space and clearly doesn’t value you or your time that much :(

Gatepost1820 · 31/07/2019 23:19

freedomprogramme.co.uk/

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 23:23

He has an ex-girlfriend called Brenda. He says they're two different people. The ex-girlfriend had an ED. Coincidentally, Brenda has had the same ED. I have not met the ex-gf but she does look like she might have had an ED. The first name is a common one. Not Sarah but something just as common for the age group, and with different ways of spelling. They both spell it the same way.
My name is more unusual and doesn't start with the same letters.

Would it be a coincidence if two women in his acquaintance had the same first name and had had AN? Has he passed Brenda Wilkinson off as Brenda Thompson (not the real surnames).

OP posts:
Bookworm4 · 31/07/2019 23:26

Jesus wept woman, stop wittering nonsense, he’s an arsehole - dump him

BrokenHeartedAndBruised · 31/07/2019 23:31

I only know about Brenda W's ED from facebook. He had already told me that ex-gf Brenda had had it.

I am tempted to message Brenda W and say she's welcome to him, at least she'll look skinny next to him, and to not come running to me when she too is broken hearted annd bruised (literally).
But I'm not that mean a person. AFAIK she has done nothing to hurt me. I don't think that she knew he and I were still together at the time of the meal they went out on.

The dates both Brendas joined fb tie in with BrenW being an old friend and BrenT being the ex-gf.

If a shitty journalist is thinking of lifting this they can sod right off.

OP posts:
AquaPris · 31/07/2019 23:31

It's weird that you're not his FB friend tbh.

I think you're his side chick when he's near you. I think they're married. He's also gaslighting you whenever you question it.

SmellbowSpaceBowl · 31/07/2019 23:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Moonflower12 · 31/07/2019 23:40

What is 'ED' and 'AN'?

Bookworm4 · 31/07/2019 23:40

Keep reading my last comment and repeat it to yourself 🙄^^*

funnylittlefloozie · 31/07/2019 23:43

Firstly, this is not a healthy relationship. Bin him off and concentrate on getting yourself mentally and physically healthy. When you are in a better place, you will find a better partner.

Frankly, he sounds horrible. I cant quite work out whether he is messing with your head, or you are messing with your own head, because i got confused with all the Brendas. Its not meant to be this hard. Bin him. Move on.

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