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.

She probably wouldn’t answer

My money is on C feeling caught out and saying whatever lies without compunction

Oh really? Why would he do that

Wowzer.... this is some nasty bullshitting lying ass craziness OP, C is a dangerous poisonous snake.What a bare faced liar she is, all because she has been caught out, she's now making up hideous vile lies.

Oh OP you poor thing . I wouldn't speak to her, approach her or acknowledge her in any way shape or form ever again. I'm glad K is equally as bemused, hopefully those 3 friends will distance themselves from the other two asap. More hugs xx

Well that took a massive nose dive into crazy street

Just read this and I'm sorry you've been put in such a shitty situation! It sounds like C is crazy af and either has her story mixed up or is genuinely just lying.
Don't know why L has followed her!

Oh I see it’s an option

I think c) is it

For the record, I don’t think C’s husband would be lying to cause trouble, and I don’t think C has somehow mistaken me for someone else which leaves her being a troublemaking wee cow.
I have no idea why the fuck she has chosen me to pull this stunt with, but I’ll certainly not be trying to smooth things over. Fuck her.

If she thought you had been then she wouldn’t be talking about your laugh it would be out and out drama

@TheAlternativeTentacle that is brilliant 🏆🎖

I would go batshit mental at this. But that’s just me
HOW FUCKING DARE THEY

That escalated quickly

She’s trying to push you under the bus!

Rather than face the music for bitching she has created a shitstorm in which you are villain...using outright lies!
Omg I am mortified for her. What an utter fanny.

They think you’re some single mother
Trying to fuck their husband with a loud laugh (bad apparently)
They’re small minded cunts behaving like they’re at school
This literally boils my shit

Utterly bonkers. I wouldn't get down on her level, but if rumors start, I would consider harassment charges.

Hopefully she'll lose the wind from her sails pretty quickly though

Hang on a minute. This makes sense. She has been off with you for a while. Way before the text incident. Maybe she was off with you because she DOES genuinely believe you have been messaging her DH. I think she genuinely believes that.

Wow what an awful thing to say about you OP. There's one thing being a hitch behind someone's back and gossiping about them. Let's face it, most of us have been guilty of this at some point in our lives. But to spread blatant lies about you and her dh is lower than low. I'm he fucking furious in your shoes OP. Make damn well sure your other friends are left understanding the truth I'm in uncertain terms. I'd call the cow out about her lies and ask her for proof in front of people if that's the way she wants to play it.

And PS the whole ‘work person’ stunt has now clearly been thrown to one side. She has now ‘admitted’ that that text was meant for you by what she has said to M

Hang on a minute. This makes sense. She has been off with you for a while. Way before the text incident. Maybe she was off with you because she DOES genuinely believe you have been messaging her DH. I think she genuinely believes that.
Or she picked out op weeks ago and was waiting for something tangible to crop up.

How fucking weird!!!

This is just ridiculous now, why are they against you?!

Sorry you're involved with drama that has nothing to do with you

How awful!

At this point I would be posting on the groupchat that you've discovered that C has been telling people that you've been messaging her husband. Say you're horrified and disgusted. That it is absolute tosh and you're upset that a friend would think you were even capable of that.

But it makes total sense that she has been off with you because she believes you have been FB messaging her DH. Which begs the question WHO has been messaging her DH. There is something bigger going on here

At this point I would be posting on the group chat that you've discovered that C has been telling people that you've been messaging her husband. Say you're horrified and disgusted. That it is absolute tosh and you're upset that a friend would think you were even capable of that.

THIS

Jesus op! Sorry you’ve been dragged into this chicks shite. Bored little girl, I bet your DD’s are more mature than her.

Say you're horrified and disgusted. That it is absolute tosh and you're upset that a friend would think you were even capable of that.

I always think all that can come across as "the lady doth protest too much" or as insincere, even when it's not .. I think more people would be convinced by a very straight, sharp, angry response like "dunno whose been messaging your husband dear but it ain't me; post the messages and put your money where your mouth is, let's get to the bottom of this. Otherwise it's just bullshit".