Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

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

Odd message

157 replies

SaintJavelin · 07/03/2022 09:59

Apologies, this turned out way longer than I thought it would.

A few weeks ago DH went round a friends house to watch some football and a rugby match, when those concluded him and the friend went into town. He asked me if he could go and I said yes because he’s had a shit time recently with a close relative passing away, DH hadn’t really been out for the past two years because of Covid-19 and because I gave birth to our daughter just before it all went to shit in 2020.

I should mention that DH’s friend is physically disabled, you’ll see why in a minute.

Whilst they were out DH was in regular contact with me, sending me photos as they basically went on a pub crawl, he was pissed but in a good mood. At about 12 he messaged to say they were making their way home, the cab was dropping the friend off first and then he’d stay in the cab to come home. Sure enough within half hour he was home, I was awake anyway so we were talking whilst he was drinking water.

It became apparent that at some point the friend had placed DH in a difficult position, the friend wanted to go into a strip club, DH said no way and the friend said you haven’t got to have a dance, just help me in and I’ll buy you a beer. So DH grumbled, said okay and helped him into the building, friend brought him a beer and he sat with his back to the stage, facing the bar.

DH is not a prude and neither am I, he was however not comfortable being there and he made it clear to his friend so in the end they both left and got the cab back to their respective homes. I understand his friend put him in an awkward position but DH is not the type of person who would abandon a drunk friend, disabled or not.

However this is where it gets odd, whilst I’m sitting there with DH I get a message from my ex SIL, she walked out on my BIL three years ago and none of us had spoken to her since. I could tell from the messages that she was absolutely hammered but she accused DH of getting a private dance in the strip club, she was in there with a party and saw him. I relayed this to him and he was really confused, he said no he didn’t have a dance, they both sat there having a beer and DH then said to his friend come on let’s go home. He said yes a few of the girls spoke to them both but as soon as it became obvious they didn’t want a dance they’d move on.

DH can’t lie to save his life, even more so when drunk and I believed him however I wanted to be sure. I didn’t respond to ex SIL but in the weeks since I’ve checked his bank account and the joint, his wages get paid into the joint account anyway, there’s no activity on his account and every payment from the joint account is legit, he did take some cash with him, only £100 that he’d got from selling something and he came back with £20 and some loose change, the £80ish is accounted for, £20 to his friend for drinks at his, (proven as his friend sent him a Deliveroo screenshot before he left to go round), £20 on cab to get home and £40 in town, bearing in mind they went in 5-6 different bars/pubs I’m amazed he came back with £20.

His behaviour hasn’t changed, he didn’t mope around the next day, he got on with stuff and playing with our daughter, he felt a bit rough but he didn’t moan.

I don’t understand why ex SIL sent what she did, there’s no proof, no suspicious transactions, his friend would not have paid and he even asked DH for beer money. I wonder if she’s angry that none of us have spoken to her since she left and saw an opportunity.

I don’t know what to do, I’m 99.9% sure now but is that enough?

OP posts:
cabansunset · 07/03/2022 10:06

I think you have to just trust your DH, but ask him to never go to a strip club again or put you in this position of mistrust again.

He needs to be a good friend and look after his mate, but first and formost he needs to look after and cherish his marriage.

Shesmyperson · 07/03/2022 10:07

If yous ex sil was hammered she could be genuinely confused. Or pointed him out to a friend and the friend said she saw him getting a dance (lying or confusing him with someone else).

Or she could be just a shit stirrer.

But, on the back of someone you haven't spoken to for a while, have you gone through all your husbands finances and spending with a fine tooth comb?

That suggests you don't actually trust him and didn't believe his story. I assume uiu have access to these things with his knowledge, but using that access to account for every penny to see if he is telling the truth feels a bit uncomfortable.

Tbh, it may be the way you have written this, but you checking up on him and then the whole 'he asked if he could go out and I said yes because he has had a shit time and not been out for ages' reads very uncomfortably.

I suspect, there's more going on here than you want to admit. Mainly to yourself.

Shesmyperson · 07/03/2022 10:09

@cabansunset

I think you have to just trust your DH, but ask him to never go to a strip club again or put you in this position of mistrust again.

He needs to be a good friend and look after his mate, but first and formost he needs to look after and cherish his marriage.

Tbf the ex sil could have seen him in a pub and told op he was kissing someone when he wasn't.

The position he is in, is down to the message the ex sil sent.

Aquamarine1029 · 07/03/2022 10:12

Whilst they were out DH was in regular contact with me, sending me photos as they basically went on a pub crawl, he was pissed but in a good mood.

This is weird. It's something you might have your teen do. Why does your husband have to wear an electronic leash when he goes out with a friend? He has to prove where he is every second of the night?

CornishGem1975 · 07/03/2022 10:15

If you've checked everything out and it all seems legit, then trust your DH. You no longer have a relationship with ex-SIL so why would you trust her word above his?

girlmom21 · 07/03/2022 10:21

Your husband asks you for permission to go into town, proves all of his transactions to you and is in constant communication with you when he's out? Is that standard for your relationship? That feels really full on.

It depends whether you trust your husband I guess. If my DP went to a strip club I wouldn't trust a single thing he said but that's because that's a dealbreaker for me and I've made that very clear for him.

Why don't you call her if you don't believe him 100%?

SaintJavelin · 07/03/2022 10:51

I don’t keep him on a leash, he asked to go out because I was expecting him home after the rugby finished, I wasn’t aware that by asking me it means I’m controlling

DH is aware that I checked the accounts, it didn’t take much digging as if he did use the card the transaction would have appeared within a few days so hardly a fine tooth comb.

Like I said, I 99.9% believe him, I just don’t understand why ex SIL would lie with potentially disastrous consequences.

OP posts:
DrDetriment · 07/03/2022 10:57

I'm afraid you do sound very controlling OP. He asked permission, checked in with you all night, you reviewed his spending, he explained exactly what happened - he took a disabled friend to a club - and you still don't trust him poor bloke. You would rather believe an ex SIL who you haven't seen for 3 years who saw him and jumped to conclusions. I see you aren't wondering what she was doing in the club?

TristesseDurera · 07/03/2022 10:59

How do you know his friend didn't pay for it?

girlmom21 · 07/03/2022 11:01

He had to show you his friends deliveroo screenshot...

I'd call your SIL. She might have just been being a dick because she was drunk or saw one of the girls talking to him and then DH going to the toilet or something stupid.

StopStartStop · 07/03/2022 11:06

Normally I'd say 'He's lying! LTB!' But yours sounds ok, even to me.

You sound perfectly normal, by the way, not at all controlling. And your SIL is a bitter woman who wants other people to suffer. How old is she? Recently, I've become very uppity about other people's minor traffic violations. I'm sure it's my age.

Shesmyperson · 07/03/2022 11:06

@SaintJavelin

I don’t keep him on a leash, he asked to go out because I was expecting him home after the rugby finished, I wasn’t aware that by asking me it means I’m controlling

DH is aware that I checked the accounts, it didn’t take much digging as if he did use the card the transaction would have appeared within a few days so hardly a fine tooth comb.

Like I said, I 99.9% believe him, I just don’t understand why ex SIL would lie with potentially disastrous consequences.

I think its because asking is different to letting you know plans changed.

And you followed it up with a few reasons as to why you said yes. Surely there didn't need to be a Bereavement or a few years since he went out for you to be ok with it.

There's a difference between "me and x is going into town, just wanted to let you know. You don't need me home for amything do you" and "can I go out?"

I can't imagine many reasons why you wouldn't have been OK or said you weren't happy with that.

And as I said before having access to something and then using that access to track exactly what they are doing are 2 different things. The 2nd suggests there isn't much trust there.

Dp has access to my phone. If I found him going through all my messages and calls because his ex sil said she saw me with someone I wouldn't be happy at all.

You only trust him 99% because you have spent time tracking his spending and getting evidence he is telling the truth. That's not really trust. What if he had spent more than you felt he should? What if he had lost some cash and drew extra out? What if you couldn't account for all his money? You wouldn't believe him

You wouldn't have believed him. Sil is either shit stirrer or that drunk she has no clue. But it's clear, you dont actuly trust him

Thats what you should focus on.

GodspeedJune · 07/03/2022 11:07

I don’t think your relationship dynamic is great. When DP goes out I don’t expect to hear from him unless he’d like a lift home. I want him to enjoy himself with his mates, not be sending me a blow by blow account of his night. I can’t imagine going through accounting for everything he spent.

However I also don’t think he’s honourable for helping his friend to the strip club. He could have just said he wasn’t interested in going to that sort of place.

IdblowJonSnow · 07/03/2022 11:10

It's a hell of a coincidence thst your ex SIL also just happened to be there?! Is no one else even picking up on that?

You'll never know for sure so will have to go with your gut.

TristesseDurera · 07/03/2022 11:12

@IdblowJonSnow

It's a hell of a coincidence thst your ex SIL also just happened to be there?! Is no one else even picking up on that?

You'll never know for sure so will have to go with your gut.

It's called suspension of disbelief.
SaintJavelin · 07/03/2022 11:15

He showed me the Deliveroo screenshot before he’d even left because he couldn’t believe how much the beers cost.

There’s no way his friend paid for it, he asked for the beer money immediately so I highly doubt that he would have paid for a dance and told DH to not worry about the money.

And yes, DH was stunned that ex SIL claimed to have been there, he didn’t see her but she still lives locally so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility.

He wasn’t sending me a blow by blow account, he was checking in because he thought that he had taken the piss by going out even though I was fine with it.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 07/03/2022 11:26

Did he update you when he went to the strip club?

I don't believe that his friend would say "you don't have to have a dance" then would happily sit with his back to the stage and leave after one beer if he was so insistent on going, to be honest.

OhItsSpicyy · 07/03/2022 11:31

Are you sure friend didn’t pay? Most of the clubs I worked in were £20 for a one song private dance, I even did a couple of shifts in a club in Liverpool where it was £10! So it wouldn’t always be a massive amount of money.

SaintJavelin · 07/03/2022 11:32

No I didn’t know he was there, I should have written it better but he was occasionally checking in with me, he certainly wasn’t telling me everywhere they’d been at the time.

His friend wasn’t sitting with his back the stage, they were sitting opposite each other on individual seats and friend was facing the stage.

OP posts:
Fatgalslim · 07/03/2022 11:34

FFS my DP always sends me messages when he's out with friends, I tell him just to have fun but he insists on doing it whenever he goes out. When we were together last month he'd ask me if I minded if he went out with his friend or his dad, I laughed saying he doesn't need my permission but he still does it.

It doesn't mean I'm controlling, it's his choice to do it

OhItsSpicyy · 07/03/2022 11:38

Also, I worked in a few clubs where they would charge for entry and in return they would get a card which they could hand to a dancer of their choosing. That card entitled you to a one song private topless dance from the dancer. The dancer cashed it in for a few ££. Not all clubs do this, but a few do. They all pretty much charge entry though, this was just an extra way of getting customers in. Could it be something like this?

CityCommuter · 07/03/2022 11:43

@SaintJavelin tbh you sound like his mother rather than his wife the way you know everything about him and even checking his bank account! He's covering up something alright... is there some sort of history where you haven't trusted him before as otherwise why are you doubting him to post this? Trust your gut, it's usually not wrong...

UnconditionalSurrender · 07/03/2022 11:49

I think your ex SIL is shit stirring. She saw him at the club and was pissed and so she exaggerated to make it look worse. WTF was she even messaging you after 3 years other than to cause trouble?

SaintJavelin · 07/03/2022 11:50

He’s not done anything before to make me feel as though I can’t trust him, the club doesn’t charge for entry before midnight, I guess to get punters in so no card entitling him to a dance.

I think if anyone received a message like this they’d be doing some digging so I don’t know why posters are using this to have digs at me?

OP posts:
DrDetriment · 07/03/2022 11:52

No OP, I wouldn't do any digging after a message like that. I trust my partner so I'd ask him whether he saw her at the club, show him the message, we'd both have a laugh about the shit stirring SIL and move on. You really sound like you have a few issues with trust and control.