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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 would you make of this?! It is even a red flag?

160 replies

User13794 · 25/06/2020 10:07

Could do with some outside perspectives as I fear my heart is ruling my head and I’m not seeing clearly!

I was in a relationship for 3 years that ended just over a year ago. I ended it because I was moving temporarily for work and it was too far to sustain it and it was something I felt was right at the time and I am glad I did it. He was devastated when it ended and it was very difficult and sad but ultimately for the best in the circumstances. I was VERY happy with him though so it was hard to do and we stayed in touch now and then. Fast forward to this April and he invites me over for a catch up now I am back from working abroad. We have an amazing afternoon, he tells me he was seeing someone on and off from Ireland but is currently single. I tell him I’m single too, we talk about random things, meet up again a few more times, kiss, have phone calls, text etc. It feels like we are slipping into a relationship again. He’s saying all sorts of lovely things, it’s great seeing him and we are as close as we were before and I felt I was falling back in love with him.

Then he suddenly disappears off the radar. I left it a couple of weeks then felt genuine concern and called/text. He eventually replied like he was a different person...saying lots of cryptic stuff like he wasn’t sure about us, he was still angry about the fact I left him and it hurt him badly, he was confused, I was messing with his head, things had changed for him a lot in the last year etc etc. I was confused by all of this and told him so and he started to get cross saying we could have been amazing and I ruined it, now I want to click my fingers and be back in a relationship... he put his heart on the line and I trampled on it and didn’t care about things by just ending it. Etc etc. So we stop talking.

I have since found out that in May, a month after we started seeing each other again, his ‘on off girlfriend’ from Ireland is having a baby in July. When I found out I asked him why he hadn’t told me. He said he only found out a month ago - but on my calculations there was an overlap and he certainly knew at least half the time we were seeing each other and didn’t tell me. When he disappeared it turned out he had actually gone to Ireland but even since that date he had been messaging me while he was there, I just didn’t know he wasn’t in England as he hadn’t told me.

When I asked why he didn’t tell me immediately when he found out, he says it was none of my business and why should he tell me about his life when I’m not part of it. He seemed to almost blame me for now wanting to be with him when he’s in this situation that he wouldn’t have been in had we stayed together!!!

I guess maybe he has a right to be angry but also he shouldn’t have been meeting me and being intimate etc without telling me this information surely? Or am I being unfair?

When the angry messages stopped, he sort of broke down and just said the last few weeks had been terrible and he was very worried about everything. This has made me feel so protective of him...he always wanted the marriage, family, house, in a very prescriptive way and so I know how much this will be affecting him and causing him panic. It is the worst scenario for him. He met her in September last year so hasn’t even known her a year and I can’t see her moving here after she apparently didn’t tell him about the pregnancy until a few weeks ago.

He’s said he would like to chat soon and that he has found things really hard and that he is sorry he snapped at me and that he would never want to fall out, he still cares. Am I being a pushover for entertaining even this? I still care for him a lot and part of me wonders if I could even move past this and still be with him in the future...we haven’t talked about us at all since he has admitted to what has gone on but it is clear he is not in a relationship with this person so I do know that for sure.

Am I being an idiot for even considering this? I’m known to be very forgiving in relationships and letting things slide that people would see as red flags, but maybe this isn’t a red flag it’s just real life and stuff happens?

OP posts:
SissySpacekAteMyHamster · 25/06/2020 14:51

Is he with the other woman or not?

I actually don't think he has done much wrong, and can see how he might have trust issues. When finding out about the baby, this could have totally thrown him, if he thought things were back on track with you.

Do you want to be back with him? I would say that you need to be very sure, as you've already broken his heart once. If you aren't, then walk away for both your sakes.

SummerDayWinterEvenings · 25/06/2020 14:53

#what a shit.

Block & move on.

SummerDayWinterEvenings · 25/06/2020 14:56

Ps He's panic stricken because

  1. You might tell her or 2) She's suspects. Either way you ARE the OW.
BurtsBeesKnees · 25/06/2020 14:58

Step away from all the drama. Chances are his 'on off gf' was never off and he cheated on her with you. Even if that wasn't the case, he should have told you about the pregnancy. He's a mess and messing with your head. A typical example of wanting his cake, and eating it.

If the relationship was going to work, you'd have made it work the first time. Walk away, head held high and don't look back

User13794 · 25/06/2020 15:13

Agree I was certain it was over when I ended it but it’s just difficult as we were in a good place when we met again.

OP posts:
Dodie66 · 25/06/2020 15:23

I’ll probably be flamed for saying this but I can see it from his point of view. You met up again and were getting on well again then bam a bolt out of the blue telling him he was going to be a dad. He wasn’t with you when he was with her. I can see why he went off the radar and became distant. He was probably worried and didn’t know how you would react and also what he would. Have to do to support the child. Lots of things on his mind. I would be torn too and would probably see him again and talk it though. Take it slowly. Sometimes I think MN is too quick to dismiss relationships.

nosnugglesforyou · 25/06/2020 15:29

I feel like you’ve massively messed him around. You left him without good reason then came back and straight away tried to pick up where you’d left off. He was obviously still in love with you but had met someone else therefore he got into this awful situation and broke down. You should have let him carry on living his life as you can’t have deep feelings for him if you ended it after three years with no problems!

Helpmemoveon76844 · 25/06/2020 15:43

Maybe he is an alright guy, I could be massively projecting right now.

Can I ask a question though? If he is the sort of person I think he is ( not great( then he would have described his Irish girlfriend in less than favourable terms. He would have said things like

I don't even know why the relationship started really, she wasn't my type.

I only really fell into it because I was still upset about us splitting up

I mean , it was never serious , she is 6 years older than me

It's on/off because I keep trying to break up with her , she just won't let it go.

Did he say this sort of stuff?

User13794 · 25/06/2020 15:56

No he hadn’t mentioned her at all except to say he has no idea what he is going to do in terms of where to live now.

I do think it came as a shock to him and that’s why I am conflicted. But if he had told me as soon as he knew then it would have been infinitely better all round for everyone really. I should walk away. I do still love him though so it’s hard.

OP posts:
Helpmemoveon76844 · 25/06/2020 16:01

Okay , well I think I was projecting.

It's still a rotten situation for you both to be in and I still think you should look at the reasons you split up originally. He is going to be a father now , and he may even move to Ireland , it sounds like he is considering it.

I'm sorry , it sounds very difficult .

MiddlesexGirl · 25/06/2020 16:02

Would you be devastated if your relationship with him ended now? If not, then you have your answer.

This guy has been grieving the end of the relationship. Has made a fair few mistakes along the way. The last thing he needs is some half hearted commitment from you. Let him go unless you love him and can put up with his neediness and all the fall out from his situation.

backseatcookers · 25/06/2020 16:25

Are you going to stop speaking to him then OP? Best for everyone.

bibliomania · 25/06/2020 16:35

Ugh. Why would you want to be with someone who wants to punish you? No, no, no.

User13794 · 25/06/2020 16:35

We haven’t spoken for a bit now. I think I just needed to process it all. That might sound dramatic to some but I am always quick to blame myself and can then spiral into bad decisions.

OP posts:
User13794 · 25/06/2020 16:38

MN can be brutal from what I’ve seen but thought it was better to talk it through here than sit thinking it all over alone

OP posts:
Helpmemoveon76844 · 25/06/2020 17:11

Okay , well . If we are processing...(I am very good at this, I can over analyse like the best of them... )

So in April you reconnected, BUT he didn't fully trust you because of past hurts and he held back because of this ....

And you know he lied to you for a period of time in May

Which led to him ignoring you for two weeks and going to Ireland and lying to you about this through omission....

And then when you reconnect he's aggressive and blames you for stuff , well blames you for everything

And now you find out about the pregnancy and the woman and everything

What are you getting out if this relationship?

dooratheexplorer · 25/06/2020 17:46

Based on what you've said, I actually feel a bit sorry for him. He obviously held a candle for you. If baby wasn't on the way, you would clearly be his first choice.

Discuss it with him and be kind but step away to let him sort himself out. Firstly, he needs to decide if wants to be with this woman and raise a child with her.

dooratheexplorer · 25/06/2020 17:51

You also need to decide what you want if he does come back on the market.

Don't fanny about. My XP did this to me and it's heartbreaking to be on the receiving end. I would far rather he had made a decision and moved on. I wasted a lot of time when I should have been on the lookout for someone who actually wanted to be with me.

Helpmemoveon76844 · 25/06/2020 18:06

I could be reading this wrong here but I'm getting the impression that from April onwards it's the boyfriend who's been indecisive about the relationship.

madcatladyforever · 25/06/2020 18:10

He has way too much baggage going on to be bothered with. Leave him alone and give him space to see if he wants to be with the mother of your baby. He doesn't need extra complications and yet another relationship in his life right now. He doesn't know what to do.

madcatladyforever · 25/06/2020 18:10

Sorry mother of his baby.

backseatcookers · 25/06/2020 18:20

What are you getting out if this relationship?

I think OP is mistaking unhealthy dynamics for passion and intensity.

You do rather sound like you're into the drama of all this OP. You might not say (or think) that you're enjoying it / relishing it buy if you weren't then you'd have walked away.

You can do so as you have no financial, legal or parenting ties to him. The mother of his child doesn't have that luxury.

Do the right thing and remove yourself from this situation.

Blibbyblobby · 25/06/2020 18:22

I guess the reasons were he was quite intense about the relationship and I knew given the time zones etc that I wouldn’t be able to be there for him in the way he was used to and expected. That quickly became apparent after the first week of being there.

"The way he was used to and expected"

This plus him being so intense about you breaking his heart are massive red flags. It's all about his expectations and needs and he's punishing you for not meeting them.

happinessischocolate · 25/06/2020 18:32

You left him, and then thought that you could pick up where you left off a year later, and people think he's the one behaving badly and there's "red flags"

Leave him alone, you didn't love him enough a year ago and you don't now. Let him concentrate on being there for his baby's mother.

Helpmemoveon76844 · 25/06/2020 18:37

He contacted her in April so I don't think it's fair for people to misread the situation and say stuff like "you dumped him and now you want to pick him back up". Relationships end for all sorts of reasons and hers was a viable one . She was living in a different timezone and she felt a lot of pressure from him to be there whenever he needed her .