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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

Thought he was proposing. He wasn’t.

129 replies

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 17:27

Listen & learn young ladies. I’m a really private person, but am shell shocked atm. My partner of 5 yrs told me 3 mths ago (when pressed) that no, he didn’t want to marry as he’d been there before & failed. Him 59, me 49, never married. This after him leading me to believe he wanted to. Okay, fine.

Not happy, but spent the next 8 weeks in my remote job location getting my head around it & making plans for myself. EG: Switched from casual to permanent fifo, planning on packing my stuff for storage & selling my car. As being out there requires very little & will spend my 9 wks annual leave a year & flight allowances on travelling, visiting mates, whatever.

I came home 3 weeks ago & he proceeds to tell me how he thinks he’s been selfish, as clearly being married means more to me than him not marrying, & given he loves me & wants to spend the rest of his life with me anyway, he will do it. Awww I hear you say, how sweet. Yep, me too ladies, I swallowed it hook, line & sinker. Sooo, was waiting for a proposal. Today he says, well let’s go down to this jewellery store to get you an Xmas present. I said, no I’m fine I don’t need a trinket for Xmas. (As last year I nearly threw the cheap locket at him) as I’d been hoping for a ring. (When I say cheap, think something you would give to a 10 yr old). “Well, I’m going to go anyway, wouldn’t you rather it something you choose rather than being disappointed? & we’ll go for lunch first”.

Well I’m ashamed to say after all I’ve been through in my life, I was like an excited puppy thinking this is it. We get to the store & he says “would you like a watch?”. I said no thanks & walked out before anyone could see the tears welling. This man, who knows the hell myself & my children have been through at the hands of my alcoholic ex (who drank himself to death). Who knows I stayed single for 12 yrs because I didn’t even trust my own judgement as far as men were concerned, so refused to have anyone around my children. Who knows this is a hill I will die on due to my insecurities ( If I’m not good enough to marry I’ll walk). Has just figuratively kicked me in the guts. I am astonished that he is in fact a cruel bastard.

I’m lucky, my children are grown, I have a good job to go to, but young ladies, listen to your gut & don’t let them waste years of your life. My gut told me 4 yrs ago something wasn’t quite right, but every time I wanted to break it off, this tosser reeled me back in. I thought the world of him because he wasn’t abusive. Keep your standards high girls 💕

OP posts:
2018SoFarSoGreat · 12/12/2019 18:27

oh OP, that was horrible and cruel. I'm glad you just walked out. Sending you Flowers and a hug.

FruitcakeOfHate · 12/12/2019 18:30

TEll him to leave then. But he'll reel you back in.

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:39

@Bluntness100 (I’m a huge fan of yours btw) Na, why give him the honesty I deserved, but me taping together the boxes & packing all my stuff would be a clue I think. I fly back out to work for a 3 mth stint on Sunday, so he knew exactly what he was doing.

OP posts:
Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:48

You guys are awesome, You really have raised me from feeling like a complete idiot/piece of shit.

OP posts:
afterme · 12/12/2019 18:54

So how did he react when you walked out? Does he know what he’s done?

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 18:57

@rvby I am in Australia so there is no financial gain/deficit to being married or not, well not after 5 yrs living together. I could totally understand if he had more than I or vice versa, but we’re on a pretty level playing field, so it was purely a matter of me feeling emotionally secure. And well, got my answer😞

OP posts:
OrangeZog · 12/12/2019 19:00

Good for you OP. Flowers

Kayleigh12 · 12/12/2019 19:02

@Takethebullbth thank you for your post it’s giving me some major girl power! This whole site has really helped to be honest. You gotta do what u gotta do to make you happy and if you feel under appreciated move on!

Cynara · 12/12/2019 19:03

You've just described a woman who's strong, clever, self-aware and self-sufficient, in a scenario with a man who's weak; cowardly; emotionally lazy and either spectacularly insensitive or breathtakingly cruel.

You're fabulous. Don't doubt yourself for a moment. Very best of luck with the future you choose for yourself, just make sure you do it for you and you alone, you deserve it.

HermioneWeasley · 12/12/2019 19:03

Good for you OP. His loss - fuck him.

Exitstrategist · 12/12/2019 19:05

Wow- you are amazing!! He is such a loser to mess you around! I hope you have the most fabulous life without this oxygen thief!

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 19:14

@Cynara oh that’s so kind, & you know what? So true😀. You have described him to a tee. I won’t lie, at 49 I am scared to go it alone. But not so scared I can take another minute of that crap. Was a single Mother for 20 yrs, raised 2 fab kids, yeah I need to get my head around doing things for me alone.

OP posts:
ChristinaMarlowe · 12/12/2019 19:22

Thing is, whether he says he knew how cruel his actions were or not, it's immature to claim ignorance when you are supposed to love this lady so much and have had the previous "I will propose to you now as I know how much it matters" convo. At best he is saying your emotions are insignificant enough that he didn't think. He'd have thought on a first date, wouldn't he? Good for you for sticking to your guns mate, you deserve better and have all opportunity to receive it with this guy out of the picture. Absolutely yay you. Good luck!

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 19:23

@Kayleigh12 💕

OP posts:
SevenStones · 12/12/2019 19:25

What an absolute arsehole.

IdiotInDisguise · 12/12/2019 19:38

Better to leave now that never, and you have not wasted as much time as you would have if you had stayed.

It is ok to want to get married, it is ok not to. But if it is important to you, it is important to you and the world could roll.

I wasted 4 years with a tightwad more concerned in protecting his money than settling down. He was also 12 years older than me. He didn’t want to “protect” me but Someway I knew I was going to retire at 65 to become his one and only carer. It didn’t seem fair to me so we split.

2 years later he has found another young idiot who, unlike me, loves horses as much as he does. I have found some one who loves books as much as I do and values me far more. And who has already asked me to marry him. I’m your age, so believe me, not all was wasted! Flowers

Windmillwhirl · 12/12/2019 19:45

I agree it's cruel beyond words. A watch? Is he actually for real?

Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 19:53

@IdiotinDisguise am so happy for you. I fully know by walking away that I may well never find anyone I want to be with, but tough, after yesterday I’ll take my chances & if it means I’m alone for the rest of my life, well so be it. I love books too btw & he has never read one in his life. 😬

OP posts:
Takethebullbth · 12/12/2019 19:56

@Windmillwhirl I know, that was my thought too, then the tears started welling. I kept them at bay tho 👍

OP posts:
IdiotInDisguise · 12/12/2019 20:04

Same with the ex, had not read a book in his life (I am a library mouse!), so trust the universe, things happen for a reason and ending things up may bring a better future than what you would have endured by staying with him.

EKGEMS · 12/12/2019 20:08

I'd have accepted the watch then ground it under my shoe as we exited the store then tell him to go fuck himself but take a little blue pill beforehand to do so

runoutofnamechanges · 12/12/2019 20:18

Hang on, hold your horses... Not everyone wants to get married, it doesn't mean they don't want to spend their life with one person they love. He said 3 weeks ago he wants to spend the rest of his life with you and if it makes you happier, he'll marry you. Maybe he just wanted to get you a present you like for Christmas this year? It doesn't mean he isn't going to propose. I get why you are disappointed but he could already have the ring or want to propose at different time, why does it have to be Christmas Day? If it had been 3 months, you might have a point.

choli · 12/12/2019 20:24

he proceeds to tell me how he thinks he’s been selfish, as clearly being married means more to me than him not marrying, & given he loves me & wants to spend the rest of his life with me anyway, he will do it.
That was the proposal. That is when you should have said let's set the date. Or are you confusing a proposal with the purchase of a ring?

FruitcakeOfHate · 12/12/2019 20:29

You're only 49! Hardly 'going alone' for life. This is why so many people wind up in such shit relationships. If you can't be happy on your own, you won't ever be in a healthy relationship. You should have dumped for being tight. Take some time out and get some boundaries.

He's just looking for an unpaid carer. Fuck that.

jamdhanihash · 12/12/2019 20:30

Fuck him! He's an absolute roaster. Good for you OP. You are strong and you don't need this.