How should I reply to this text?

[JaysusWept]

Namechanged as I've told my work colleague already about this and I know she lurks on here. (She was absolutely no help - she's probably still laughing about it...)

Background is that I've been single for a couple of years after discovering he was cheating. I have an 8 year old DD.
I am friends with a small group who I have known for a few years - met through kids at nursery/starting school, etc. We do playdates, dinners, drinks out, whatsapp group which is used constantly, helping each other out, etc. We are close and I value all of their friendships.
For the past few weeks I have felt that one of the group, who I shall refer to as C, has been a bit 'off' with me. Nothing I can really put my finger on - I don't always do the drop off and pick ups at school for my DD, but when I have and I've seen C she hasn't chatted with me like she usually would, and 2 weeks ago 4 of us went out for drinks and I felt that there was a bit of an atmosphere when I was talking to her, although she was polite enough. There are people that I am closer to in the group but C and I have always been very friendly and have done many things with just the 2 of us.

Yesterday, I picked up my DD from school and C's husband was there to pick up their DD. The 4 of us walked back together and we stopped outside C's house to finish our chat briefly, before I carried on up the street. C came to the door but didn't come over although she did wave.

At 4pm I received a text from C which read "Doing her usual, all over XXXXX (her husband's name) and doing that stupid fucking laugh of hers" with a couple of angry emoticons.
I replied back "?" and she immediately sent back "Ooops, sorry! That was meant for L (mutual friend in group, but who is very close to C), talking about someone at work! Sorry, just delete!"
I didn't reply to that and almost straight after I received a text from L asking if I was up for a night out next weekend.

C was talking about me, wasn't she? L also wouldn't usually text me about a night out as it would be sent through the whatsapp chat.
I didn't do the drop off this morning, but C has text me (not in whatsapp group) to ask if I fancy going over to hers tomorrow after school with DD.
I'm not sure how best to respond.
Am I being paranoid in thinking that text was about me?

For the record, I don't know C's husband particularly well. I've chatted with him at group things we've attended and a few times we've walked home together if we've done school pick ups as I've got to pass their house on my way home. I am not attracted to him, and nothing untoward has ever happened or would happen, although I may very well have a stupid fucking laugh!

Any advice? I actually feel really fucking weirded out by this.

I'd go for a reply to the group with something along the lines of "I think it might be my fault, she sent me a text by mistake which I thought was about me rather than for me, I was upset about it as my mind went into overdrive so rang her to discuss it and whilst I really didnt mean to cause offence I must have done

Don't be daft op has done nothing to be sorry about.
The txt was about her not some imaginary work mate.
Op didn't cause offense C was just angry she had been found out being a bitch behind ops back.
Now she is acting the mysterious victim and looking for everyone else to contact her asking what's wrong. Pathetic.

Let’s call C’s husband...Steven. Message K and say...

Hi...I walked home from school with Steven yesterday. We chatted briefly outside their house before I went home, C waved to me from the door.
Half an hour later I got this text (send C’s text).
I replied with ‘?’ to which she responded, saying it was about a woman from work, was meant for L and to delete it.
I think it was about me.

Long story short, I rang her to ask about it. She maintained it wasn’t about me then wrapped up the conversation as quickly as she could. Now she and L have left the group chat.
I don’t know anything more than that.

Just wanted to let you know. I’m not sure how to proceed but that’s what occurred.

I'd be tempted to set the record straight with the remainder of the WhatsApp group, either by speaking to K direct or leaving a group message.

I'd keep it short and simple, outlining what happened and that you're as bewildered as they are by the events.

Then hopefully it's all put to bed, although with drama queens such as C and L I wouldn't be surprised if they try and re-hash events, drag it out and play victim.

Thanks for all the replies and advice - which I may or may not take 😁
Work has been manic and I’m just getting sorted to leave now as I’m doing school pick up. Not sure if it will be C or her husband collecting today!

K text me and was saybig ‘wtf is going on with C and L?’
I said I was busy at work just now but would give her a call this evening.

" Not sure if it will be C or her husband collecting today!"

Both of them!

Just send them the text C sent you. Saying "I received this from C. It was clearly about me not for me and I guess C is embarrassed"

They're asking to know, you have done absolutely nothing wrong. The text was clearly about you and the friends in the group may well have an idea of Cs view anyway.

You've got nothing to lose by responding because if you don't you're losing the friendship anyway.

@jaysuswept good answer to K. Call her tonight and let her know! And let us know whether C’s H was allowed to do pickup

So how does K know something is up?

@mummy2017 I'd imagine because two people have just left a WhatsApp group of 6 in quick succession and OP is the only one left who hasn't queried WTF is going on!

Sometimes I'm ashamed to be female. Honestly, the way grown women treat each other sometimes

It's definitely worth keeping it factual, otherwise it becomes he said, she said.

C sent you a text meant for someone else.
You spoke to her about it in case it was about you.
She and K have flounced off.

I think something should be said to the remaining three too. Not too verbose, maybe just a screenshot of her message with a brief explanation. "I received this message from C minutes after doing the school run with her husband. It had been meant for L. When I asked C about it she got very defensive and then left the group chat. A little awkward now, I guess... “ and leave it at that

This is what I’d do. I don’t see the problem with screen shots being taken. You’re not lying, you’re not dramatising. You are saying what happened.

@JaysusWept

Great, so call K later and fill her in on your 'bemused' status.

She will work it out of her own volition.

Type nothing.

I sometimes think people don’t read threads before commenting

@mummy2017 because they quit the WA group and are not responding to individual messages. Keep up!

Ugh, I’m actually feeling tense reading this. Why are some women so fucking nasty to others? I’ve been the victim of this many times. Worst one was when we’d planned an outing together, then they told me it was cancelled. I rang one of their mums (it was the days before mobile phones) and the mum said ‘she’s out - gone to xxxxx - I thought you were going with them’.
Turns out one of them detested me and told the others she wouldn’t go if I did. The most hurtful thing was one of them had been a really close friend. Fucking horrible.

Elspeths advice was great, but to my cost I’ve done exactly what you did so many times. They of course deny being off, bitching etc etc then blank you even more because ‘you’re weird, paranoid etc etc’.

You’ll make new friends. I have some fab friends now. But NONE of them know each other! I just meet with each of them individually.

when you talk to K later, i'd probably just outline the story so far.

explain about the initial text message from C, the immediate texts from L, your conversation with C and her explanation.

say you've left it there, and are not sure if it's related to them leaving the WA group, and that you're as bemused as she is.

that way it doesn't look like you've kicked off and caused a rift - focus is back on L and C

@Whatdayisit2 yes couldn't agree more.

Quite disturbing how some girls/women never leave that 'mean girl' mentality behind them in the playground and just growup!

As you have mentioned it is school girl behaviour.

Some women have no backbone and follow the majority. I cannot believe a poster was told an event was cancelled and the group secretly went without her. Competitive and bitchy.

The older you get the more you realise most women only have a handful of friends, if that. The others are merely acquaintances. It is in hard times that you truly know who your friends are.

Have only read OP's posts, so someone may have already suggested this. And the scenario has moved on considerably since this occurred to me!

"C has never seemed jealous of his interactions with other females. In fact, she's always telling us how happy they are, things he's done for her etc. They've very much seemed like a perfect, happy couple!"
'Always telling us'? Methinks the lady doth protest too much. And if she's been off with you for weeks, I'd be wondering what it was that C did a couple of weeks ago that's made her look about for someone to project it all onto. 'Whose husband has C been all over' was the thought that ran through my (admittedly cynical) mind.

I've had this recently , I am by nature very friendly and chatty and it appears I have unsettled some very very insecure friends with their husbands .. honestly some women have sooo many bloody issues that they take out on other women it's shocking 🙄🙄.
I would imagine they feel very in secure because you are probably cool and funny and on top of that single ..

If you sent K a copy of the text is she likely to be able to agree or disagree that it was about you based on the comment about your laugh?
Meaning it's perhaps distinctive rather than fucking stupid .

As long as if you talk a bout the text you do it in a way that won't imply that there is anything between you & K's husband!

I've come to the conclusion that some women are just odd.

How's the school run?