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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

DH acting weird after I went away on my own

257 replies

amberisola · 29/06/2023 16:16

I’ve just got back from a few days away at a yoga retreat. Absolute bliss and long saved up for. It’s the first time I’ve been away on my own apart from short work trips since before I got married, although I travelled and worked all over the world alone when I was younger. My self-confidence has taken a knock recently and I can feel it bouncing back.

DH was sulky about my work trips early in our marriage. He also got moody after I told him I was going on the yoga retreat, in a passive aggressive way (while insisting he was fine with it). I didn’t pay much attention because I had real problems to deal with - work has been very stressful, my dad has been seriously ill in hospital for weeks, I’ve been coming and going, exhausted, and had no bandwidth for dealing with nonsense. I was disappointed that he hasn’t been at all supportive about my dad, but I left it.

Anyway, DH picked me up today and all seemed fine. Until we got home and I found a complete bomb site, I was so disappointed that I couldn’t completely bite my tongue. He’s normally a bit of a clean freak so it was a shock. I didn’t go mad but asked him why there was mouldy bread and food lying around from 5 days ago, and why he hasn’t given the cat her medicine. Both cats seemed really upset and scared as well which is unusual. He said “they probably don’t recognise you” which seemed a bit nasty.

Later I noticed a prosecco bottle in the fridge with a bit left in the bottom, and two wine glasses in the dishwasher. I asked if he’d had someone round (fine, just unusual) and he said no, he drank it on his own. He hardly drinks and definitely not prosecco! He’ll have a little if I buy it (rarely) but we had none in the house when I left and I never buy that brand. I didn’t tell him I’d spotted the glasses. But it’s obvious he’s lying.

He got angry then and said I was “attacking” him, I’d “come back in a horrible mood” (no, I was really happy and relaxed until I saw the mess!) and I’ve clearly “got it in for him”.

I said neglecting the cat and drinking a bottle of prosecco alone was out of character and I felt like he wasn’t being completely honest with me, and he started going mad saying “what about you? You’re not being honest are you?!” I asked what that meant and he snapped at me “we’ll talk about that later” and stomped off out of the house.

Now I’m left here racking my brains as to what I could’ve done (or what he could think I’ve done). I’m coming up with nothing. I think he’s upset that I went away without him and is trying to make me feel bad - possibly to deflect from something he’s done? Maybe he just made a weird, cryptic comment to mess with my head. I don’t know.

It did mess with my head though, so I’m asking for the wisdom of MN. What do you think is going on, and how should I respond? Should I ignore, should I be worried about the lie, or could I really be in the wrong here?

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 29/06/2023 16:45

This is about control. He does not want you to go away so he is punishing you for going away and hoping that it will make you less likely to go away again. The glasses are a set up another method to make you less likely to go away. How is he when you go out to meet friends etc? Have you children with him? If you don't than please do not. Honestly I would be giving serious consideration to whether you say married to this man. He is not going to change.

Teenytinyvoice · 29/06/2023 16:47

It is classic DARVO - deny, attack, reverse victim and offender.

I wouldn’t be so quick to assume it’s a set up, the simplest explanation is often the correct one.

Pinkhairedlaydee · 29/06/2023 16:51

I seriously hope you're not going to clean up his mess.

angsty · 29/06/2023 16:53

Well he either set it up, in which case he's a controlling and immature arse, or he did have a woman round and doesn't care if you find out he is having an affair, in which case he's dishonest, cruel and not worth bothering with. Either way I would be rethinking the relationship.

Mommasgotabrandnewbag · 29/06/2023 16:54

He thinks that the only reason someone would go away alone or for work is to shag someone else.

Incredibly emotionally mature 🙄

I'd be thinking it's what he thinks he'd be doing given half a chance.

Hollyppp · 29/06/2023 16:55

It’s a mind fuck either way - either cheating or wants to mess with your head and look like cheating to get you stressed out.

what a twat

EllaRaines · 29/06/2023 17:01

Sounds like a female colleague has homes in on him and he's fed her the 'poor me, my wife has gone away' line and she's stuck the knife in and planted the seed that you must be seeing another man and of course he's lapped it up and she's let him company to fawn over him.

He's now pissed off because he loves all the attention and now you're back it's business as usual.

Mommasgotabrandnewbag · 29/06/2023 17:01

Make sure you tell him how incredibly unattractive you find him when he behaves this way

amberisola · 29/06/2023 17:05

MsPavlichenko · 29/06/2023 16:42

It’s controlling behaviour, he’s almost certainly attempting to stop you going away again. You say he did it previously about work trips so it’s ramped up now with the mess, the attempt to make you jealous , and to gas light you about being unhappy/moody.

It’s abusive behaviour, impacting both you and the poor cats he’s neglected. He wants your response to be to stop going away so that this doesn’t happen again. His lack of support with your Dad is another red flag tbh.

In the short term ignore it all. Tidy up, sort the cats and don’t engage with him about it. Have a look at the Freedom Programme online, it should be compulsory for women and girls.

If I were in your situation I’d be planning more time away/out by yourself or with friends. Don’t appease him, it won’t get better but worse. You have done nothing wrong, remember that.

Thank you.

I do think you and all the PP are correct, his behaviour just seems so unhinged that I’m struggling to get my head around it. It’s so far removed from how I’d behave (and how I do behave when he goes away on his regular trips solo/with friends)

About the moodiness about work trips early on - I told him to knock it off, he apologised and seemed genuinely embarrassed, that seemed to be the end of that. Everything else was fine at the time, I thought. Obviously I should have been more concerned.

Him not being supportive about my dad’s illness really shocked me as well. He has been increasingly cold and distant lately, and I feel like I’m dealing with a stranger sometimes. I have had so much on my plate that I just haven’t wanted to get into it with him.

The cats are much happier now and are purring away next to me. I’m going to go and tidy up and try to process some of this.

OP posts:
angsty · 29/06/2023 17:06

I had a partner who could not believe that I could go away overnight for work and not be shagging someone. He could literally WhatsApp me any time and I would always answer and he could see exactly where I was (i.e. actually AT WORK or in a HOTEL ROOM ON MY OWN or in a train/plane) but he still insisted I must be having an affair. As I often had to go to the city where my XH lives, he often accused me of shagging him (notwithstanding the fact that XH many years ago came out as gay and has been married to a man for over 15 years!). Very wearing.

Aquamarine1029 · 29/06/2023 17:11

The way your husband has treated you should be a total deal breaker. How fucking dare he be so disrespectful. I'm not convinced he isn't having an affair, either.

I would be leaving him. The vile prick.

Jacksfesteringresentment · 29/06/2023 17:14

EllaRaines · 29/06/2023 17:01

Sounds like a female colleague has homes in on him and he's fed her the 'poor me, my wife has gone away' line and she's stuck the knife in and planted the seed that you must be seeing another man and of course he's lapped it up and she's let him company to fawn over him.

He's now pissed off because he loves all the attention and now you're back it's business as usual.

Why are you blaming a woman for this man's behaviour?
You don't think he could have just decided to be nasty all on his own?

angsty · 29/06/2023 17:15

The "increasingly cold and distant" bit does sound like an affair, though. I think now it may be both a set up and an affair. He did have a woman round. He then purposely didn't tidy up or bother to get rid of the evidence because he wants to punish you, and he specifically made sure that the two glasses were left out in a blatant bid to cause a fight which would then be your fault.

Motnight · 29/06/2023 17:18

He is trying to train you not to go away again. Dirty house, a bottle of prosecco and 2 glasses. He isn't being nice.

W0tnow · 29/06/2023 17:18

Don’t you dare clean up!

He’s a sook. I’d have the ick so badly I’d be shuddering from head to foot.

angsty · 29/06/2023 17:19

and the fight (which will be your fault) will end in..."well if you hadn't gone away and left poor me alone it would never have happened"...so the affair is your fault too.

LaurieFairyCake · 29/06/2023 17:19

Screwing someone else

Or pretending to do that he can punish you for going away

Either are SO BAD I'd dump him

OhComeOnFFS · 29/06/2023 17:19

He sounds horrible! If you don't have children together, why on earth are you with him? I would have walked out if the house was in that kind of state and not come back until it was clean.

Realistically, if he was having a woman there it would be tidier than normal, don't you think?

Coyoacan · 29/06/2023 17:21

Teenytinyvoice · 29/06/2023 16:47

It is classic DARVO - deny, attack, reverse victim and offender.

I wouldn’t be so quick to assume it’s a set up, the simplest explanation is often the correct one.

Except why would he invite a romantic interest back to a filthy house?

LivingDeadGirlUK · 29/06/2023 17:21

Book yoursellf into a hotel until he cleans up.

cuckyplunt · 29/06/2023 17:23

Run for the hills, life is far too short for this sort of childish shit.

Prelapsarianhag · 29/06/2023 17:23

I would dump this sulking loser.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/06/2023 17:25

He did that to punish you. This is indeed controlling abusive behaviour on his part towards you. Reading Why does he do that? by Lundy Bancroft could help you no end.

I would now start to carefully plan your exit out of this marriage. This is not going to improve any for you if you stay.

Anxioys · 29/06/2023 17:26

You have no kids. Life is too short for this and if you get pregnant it would get all the worse.

He is desperate for you to lose your temper and have a fight. Do not give him one.

This kind of passive aggressive game is however a total death knell for the marriage. If the games are real it's over. If they are to mess with your head, it's also over.

callmeblondee · 29/06/2023 17:30

He sounds like a total fucking asshole and especially as no kids involved I would be leaving him. Life is way too short for this shit isnt it, you'd be much happier on your own.