Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

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

DH hid meeting female friend

95 replies

FlyingHotChocolatr · 11/11/2021 17:52

NC for this.

DH and I have been together for 5 years, and have a baby. He has a friend, C, who used to be a colleague for several years, until she left. This was before we met.

They were very close when working together, to the point where I would say it was an emotional affair. She was with someone, then engaged and married to him, DH was single the whole time. They did kiss a couple of times but that’s as far as it went, but I suspect if she ended her relationship to be with DH, he would have gone for it. However, this was all 5 plus years ago. They are still friends today, speaking on the phone every few months, and meeting for lunch or drinks every now and then. Hand on heart, I can honestly say their friendship has never concerned me. So whenever he mentioned he was meeting her, I would always “say hi to C for me” and if he spoke to her on the phone, I’d always ask how she is. I’ve met her a couple of times, when they’re out for drinks after work and DH invites me along.

Last week, when DH was in the office, a message popped up on his iPad from her that said “so good to see you, didn’t realise how much I’ve missed you x”. It was just chance that at that moment, his iPad was on the dining table when I was grabbing something from the table and she messaged at that moment. Found it odd but figured DH would mention he met her when he came home. No mention at all. In fact, that particular day he was in a mad rush to get into the office at lunch time, as he was wfh in the morning, and I just assumed he has a meeting.

On the weekend she sent some toys for DS. I still haven’t mentioned her to DH, but this morning I said I’m surprised C posted them rather than want to meet him, as when she had each of her three children, DH went to visit each time. He said “she would have given them in person but we haven’t met yet” and then he quickly and quietly added “over the summer”.

So that to me confirmed he deliberately hid the fact that he met her, rather than an oversight that he forgot to mention. And by adding in “over the summer”, strictly speaking, he didn’t actually lie.

On one hand, I think I’m being sensitive as DH would never do something like that, but on the other hand, I would also think he would never lie to me, so I feel like there’s a reason he hid it. I don’t want to ask DH about it just yet as I want to keep observing the situation.

What would you think about the situation?

OP posts:
BumBurnerBum · 11/11/2021 17:56

I would not be happy

FreeBritnee · 11/11/2021 17:59

He’s enjoying the attention. Could it drift into an affair? Possibly.

Lightstoobright · 11/11/2021 18:03

Could they have been speaking on zoom?

KirstenBlest · 11/11/2021 18:04

Has she by any chance split up from her DH?

He has lied to you.

Skysblue · 11/11/2021 18:13

Hm that doesn’t sound good does it. I can’t say I like this woman much. Flirting with and kissing your DH when he was single but she wasn’t. Ignoring him when she’s busy and now texting a married man and new father that she’s “missed” him. The whole situation isn’t right.

My read of it, which could be totally wrong, is that when they met, he fancied her but she thought she was too good for him, but she enjoyed the attention and strung him along. Meanwhile, for him, she’s the one who got away. Now she’s checking that he’s still ‘hers if she wants him’ and part of him is wondering what if.

The secrecy, if that’s what it is, really concerns me. I don’t know if there’s any possibility that it was a misunderstanding, but if he saw her and is pretending to you that he didn’t, then it’s because he feels guilty about his feelings for her and/or is hoping she might be up for an affair one day.

I don’t know what to suggest and I’m gutted for you that they both have so little respect for you and your baby. I’d probably try to work on the relationship and eventually try to get him to see that the relationship with her isn’t healthy / is making you uncomfortable. Good luck OP.

nocnoc · 11/11/2021 18:17

This sounds dodgy as hell and the best thing to do is confront him and ask him what his problem is? I’d be offering him the door to be honest. Ship up or ship out. This shit does not fly. Other women involved like this is a firm boundary no for me. Nope. End of.

spotcheck · 11/11/2021 18:18

You're not being oversensitive.

An ex of mine used to stop in at the pub after work. No big deal. I didn't love it, but didn't give him grief for it.

Then he started lying about it.
Yep- there was a barmaid who worked there who had caught his eye. They now have a grandchild ( but have been split up for decades).

KirstenBlest · 11/11/2021 18:19

I'd say she isn't a friend and never was. Sorry.

I don't really subscribe to the men and women can be just good friends.
I've had really good male friends but sooner or later it will step over the boundary.

Universeandeverything · 11/11/2021 18:21

I wouldn’t be happy about that at all.

Raychelle · 11/11/2021 18:26

I wouldn’t let on you’ve seen the message notification yet, id go all secret squirrel and see if you can find out any more lies or info. If you let on you know, he will only hide things better (if indeed there is anything to hide)

Pelagi · 11/11/2021 18:31

Sorry but this is not good. Don’t tell him you know though, he’ll only be more secretive. And then try to make you think you’re being jealous/unreasonable/anxious. See what else you can find out. And take photos on your phone of any messages you see. Sorry.

samesign · 11/11/2021 18:34

It's not he kept it from you, it's never been purely platonic as they have fancied each other in the past and I expect they still enjoy the ego boost now. I would not be happy

storminateacupagain · 11/11/2021 18:39

yout DH lied to you for a reason.
He hasnt hidden any contact previous to this as far as you know. So why is he hiding it now?

OneDayInMyLife · 11/11/2021 18:47

I don't think I'd jump to the affair answer here, but I'd definitely have spidery senses tingling and may even do a bit of snooping.

My ex did this to me. It was another women.. and in a million years I would have never expected it from him. He just wasn't the type.

pastypirate · 11/11/2021 19:06

He's made it weird by not telling you.

WonderfulYou · 11/11/2021 19:08

So if he said he was meeting up with her tomorrow would you mind?
It sounds like you are fine with them meeting up so I don’t know why he would lie.

As a PP said could it have been zoom/FaceTime?
If not I would be upset too.

supercali77 · 11/11/2021 19:24

Secrets and lies are the bedrock of affairs whether they involve something physical or not. By saying 'over the summer' he lied by ommission when you've given him no reason to keep his friendship with her a secret. I would not be happy with that alone.

me4real · 11/11/2021 19:28

It sounds like you are fine with them meeting up so I don’t know why he would lie.

@WonderfulYou Because something has moved from a friendship to something inappropriate and the person is being shifty about it and lying. I know their most sensibly strategy would be to just say they're meeting as friends as usual, but some people are not good liars, or overcompensate by hiding things more etc.

MsDogLady · 11/11/2021 19:37

In fact, that particular day he was in a mad rush to get into the office at lunchtime, as he was wfh in the morning…

Your H lied by omission that day when he rushed out for their secret lunch date and he’s been lying everyday since.

They were Affair Partners, and the sexual frisson/emotional connection/ego validation have continued all these years. Now something has escalated between them and he feels entitled to block transparency and deceive you.

If this were my marriage, I wouldn’t sit on this after my discovery of the first lie. He has already breached your trust and made a mockery of you, so I would confront him asap.

GettingItOutThere · 11/11/2021 19:48

hes lying

i would not be happy about that either. Is she single?

WickedWitchOfTheTrent · 11/11/2021 19:49

He lied to you. Deal breaker for me

spotcheck · 11/11/2021 19:54

I'd be curious about the state of her marriage too

Buildingthefuture · 11/11/2021 21:24

PP makes a good point, she could have “seen” him on zoom? If so, fair enough…..HOWEVER, if he has seen her in person and lied about it? It would be a big fuck off from me! You’ve already said you have no problems with them meeting, so why lie? You need to talk to him OP and also get a look at that iPad….if he’s deleted the message, it’s dodgy….

Monalotmoore · 11/11/2021 21:28

I think I'd be telling him I know they met up but not necessarily divulging how you know, in case he starts hiding the iPad.

evabream · 11/11/2021 22:01

Just say ‘I know’ and watch the eyes bulge.

Swipe left for the next trending thread