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Relationships

I think I’m seeing red (flags)....

102 replies

ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 17/06/2020 21:46

Hi everyone,
NC for this post. I need a (gentle please) sanity check in those weird lockdown times.
Sorry it’s a novel.

I have been talking to a guy for about 2 months. Getting along great, genuinely and surprisingly a lot in common. He is separated from his long term partner for over a year, in (very....) good terms.
Probably due to the lockdown we spent more time chatting, texting, speaking etc before meeting than we would have in normal circumstances. We agreed to meet after lockdown was lifted initially when back at work/office for lunch.

We eventually went for a walk in the park the week we became allowed to have social distance walk with friends and have done so 2/3 times a week since. It was actually nice because taking away the dating/restaurant/physical contact aspect we got to know each other quite well.

A few things niggle me and I can’t work out if it’s the current context or if his ex is actually an ex before taking it further with him:

  • he has his kids every weekend (explanation is the ex home schools them all week at the moment so he has them every weekend to give her a break)
  • He works long hours (type of work that carried on during lockdown) and goes home late so I realised we haven’t actually spoken on the phone after he gets home. Again, he does finish late so could be or not?
  • he goes very quiet at the weekend (he has the kids, it’s hectic - fine). But realised a pattern these past couple of weeks... he picks up DCs early Saturday and doesn’t mention when drops them off on Sundays. Didn’t pay too much attention to it at first but then I wonder why not call me for a chat on Sunday night
  • lots of selfies from his room at bed time (alone in bed and lots of mess - boys room) - definitely not a partnered up man with a woman around
  • we started to talk about spending time alone and I explained that no one comes to my house and meet DCs until relationship is solid and he is here to stay which he didn’t seem phased by. I suggested twice coming to visit him on a Friday evening at some point he changed the subject faster than you can say ‘how many sugar in your tea...’. He eventually said he has his kids from Friday night mostly (since i started speaking to him he said Saturday morning)
  • had a bit of a domestic situation a few weeks ago and he was very supportive. It was quite late but I was rushed and he was home so asked to call him to be handsfree instead of texting. Suddenly he had a migraine and went to bed.
  • he was driving back from work really late one night this week and was very tired so we were sending each other voice messages to make sure he wasn’t falling asleep at the wheel. All of a sudden, he started to be very pushy about videocalling to keep him company. I was in bed with no make up and said no. At that point, I had a red flag flashing in my head and insisted that I would videocall him for 5 minutes when he gets home to make sure he was ok. He must have been aback as I’m usually laidback and all of a sudden was so tired that ‘his speech was slurred’! He texted me when he got home and carried on texting lovely things for over half an hour when I ignored his messages was he not about to suddenly pass out?
  • He commented his ex made his life a misery because she was jealous, constantly accusing him of cheating. He confessed to a one month after years ago nothing else since (that’s was started my suspicions then again, he didn’t have to tell me. His body language when he told me was remorseful, sad and ashamed. He said he wanted answer all my questions honestly.
  • Finally he tries really hard to shift me off whatsapp towards normal texts especially when he is home.


If you made it this far, what do you think?
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Elieza · 17/06/2020 23:44

Did 192.com not have any info on him at that address then? If you don’t want to pay to see the expensive stuff o that site if there is no free info, once the libraries are open, you can go to his local one to look up that hard copy folders full of this years electoral roll info for free.

As long as you know the address you can look up and see who is registered at that address whether they have ticked the box to keep info private or not as far as I recall.

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 17/06/2020 23:46

Thank you @Lifeisconfusing x

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Lifeisconfusing · 17/06/2020 23:48

You sound like such a nice person very considerate of others and I love the fact that you wouldn’t introduce your children until it was a solid relationship.

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 17/06/2020 23:54

@Elieza

That’s a good suggestion. I didn’t find electoral roll public info online.

You know, I’m not even sure if it’s worth going in person the library, he doesn’t live far about 30 minutes from me but after a couple of months it’s not a good basis for a long term relationship. Also, he might not have updated the address, he is renting after a stint at his parents, 10 minutes away from the family home. He would have received the update request form last December when we voted? I dont know :(

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 18/06/2020 00:01

@Lifeisconfusing
Awww thank you. We have our little bubble of happiness, they are lovely kids so I am always worried to upset our family dynamic. To be honest, dating seems such a minefield nowadays, I am really starting to wonder if it’s worth it!

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 18/06/2020 00:05

You're reticence I'd guess is because you were in bed and if he knew that he was quite possibly hinting at wanting to see more than your face so makeup would not have mattered.

That made me giggle 🤣.
I actually told him: all you will see is my face telling you look at the road 😁.

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LemonFanta123 · 18/06/2020 00:09

You seem so lovely OP, you deserve better than this man!

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TheStuffedPenguin · 18/06/2020 00:33

You cannot see the full version of the electoral register and if someone has opted out of the open register then you can't see the details either .

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Littlebyerockerboo · 18/06/2020 03:15

Haven't read the whole thread, but just wanted to add:

Finally he tries really hard to shift me off whatsapp towards normal texts especially when he is home.

If you made it this far, what do you think?


This, huge red flag - my ex bf stil contacts me occasionally (ex from almost 20 years ago)
He got into a relationship and suddenly our messages went from whats app to "can you text me" after a certain time.
Being naive it took me a couple of days to figure out what was going on!
Clearly he was telling gf that he was going to bed/or with gf, and couldnt be seen to be "online"

Couldn't belive it once I had clicked on to what he was doing.

So yep, along with the others lots of red flags.
Either confront (face to face, the shock will out him) or run now (I would opt for the latter tbh)

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Nobodysdiary · 18/06/2020 04:58

It’s definitely fishy that he can only video call from the car, not his home.

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 18/06/2020 05:30

suddenly our messages went from whats app to "can you text me" after a certain time.

Just done it again. Got home and I was asleep, his good night message was a normal text.
I agree, he can justify being on whatsapp for work/friends during the day but if the ‘ex’ is jealous, she will ask why he is online on whatsapp after midnight.

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flowergirl5 · 18/06/2020 07:59

Trust your instincts, if you feel something is wrong it usually is. The trying to get you to text rather than WhatsApp is a def red flag. The amount of red flags I saw with my ex that I didn't do anything about as I thought he was a "nice guy". Get out now before you get more involved xx

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eatsleepread · 18/06/2020 08:02

Am I missing something? Why is it a red flag that he currently has his kids every weekend? Hmm Wish my ex was as considerate.
This all sounds a bit much only 2 months in.

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LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 18/06/2020 08:23

Am I missing something? Why is it a red flag that he currently has his kids every weekend

Yes. you seem to be missing an awful lot of information. Did you miss how he said he had then saturday to sunday, and when op suggested seeing him on a friday evening he said actually he had them friday evening to sunday evening?

Whats more likely? He forgot for a few weeks that he has his children on a friday? Or he is lying?

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IveGotFrills · 18/06/2020 08:25

He may have a rental but have been taken back op. Or could it be a friend's place? All sounds very dodgy.

Nothing to lose by pushing it. Forcing him to WhatsApp (because your signal is down & you need to use WiFi?) and talking to you Sunday night etc. If he won't/can't then there's your answer.

Perhaps you'll have an "emergency" tonight and need him to help... 😉

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LorenzoVonMatterhorn · 18/06/2020 08:27

Perhaps you'll have an "emergency" tonight and need him to help... 😉

Thursday is a work night so could be explained away.

Wait for Sunday and video call him. After the children have gone home.

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 18/06/2020 08:30

@LorenzoVonMatterhorn
Thank you, that’s exactly it

In addition, yes it is a bit of a red flag in the sense that as a mum I wouldn’t want to be without my kids dvery single weekend Confused

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ThoseBootsAreMadeForWalking · 18/06/2020 08:36

Yes actually I will try Sunday after 8pm/9pm. He can’t drop the kids any later than that surely?
Why am I having the feeling he might have a migraine :(....

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Buggedandconfused · 18/06/2020 08:38

This would all be a no for me. The bumping you over to text alone would make me end it. My ex did this when he was cheating.

He’s keeping you hanging on because he probably wants to sleep with you, hasn’t got there yet because of Corona. How will you feel if he dunks too after that?!

He’s invited you to his home, made confusing statements about when kids arrive etc. He’s love bombing you when you get suspicious...

It’s all very unhealthy and so many red flags it’s ridiculous.

Bin him off, he’s a wrong un.

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TorkTorkBam · 18/06/2020 08:38

I doubt he works so late every night. I bet he is doing usual evening activities with the family and when he can go off to bed/hide in the loo he messages you.

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Buggedandconfused · 18/06/2020 08:39

*dumps you

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hellsbellsmelons · 18/06/2020 08:40

Wow - just dump OP.
That is a lot of red flags.
With DC of your own it's really not worth the hassle.

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nolovelost · 18/06/2020 08:43

When I have slurred speech during a migraine, this is the point where I feel the roughest and I can't text because nothing makes sense as I'm confused. Along with the sudden anouncement of one, I definitely think he's lying.

Not sure why he told you about the affair.

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Chocolate123 · 18/06/2020 08:53

If it was an ex it shouldn't matter if he's online at a certain time or not. Too many things going on here get out now before you get too invested. He's definitely hiding something

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OnTheRollercoasterCalledLife · 18/06/2020 08:55

Hi OP

I agree with other posters that he needs to be dumped. It's probably better that you jusy cut ties now and move on. That bring said, i dont know whether I could control the need to do some detective work 😂

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