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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

Do these things look odd to you?

135 replies

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:23

A few things have happened recently that make me uncomfortable, but not sure how to get my head around them. In LTR, no children together, things have been a little strained over the past few years but nothing too dramatic.

First incident: About a year ago he began moving his dinner time later into the evening, hour by hour, until we were rarely eating together much at all. I mentioned it a few times and he said he hadn't noticed.
I then begin to notice that he seems silently irritated if I am in the kitchen when he is cooking. Then, last week, whilst making myself a cup of tea whilst he was at the sink, we were just having a laugh, fairly lighthearted vibe, and as I turned around to say something he caught both my upper arms in his hands, squeezing his thumbs into my flesh which really freaking hurt! I actually yelped. He looked puzzled and said nothing until I mentioned it hurt, his reply was he had no idea what I was talking about, but he was sorry if he had hurt me. It was quite out of the ordinary and since he is a big chap, surely he would have known?

Another incident: We had been planning a short break for a while, and he told me to go ahead and book it for any weekend that was free for me. I surprised him last week by booking our favourite place and told him the dates, then he went quiet. After a bit of prodding he told me he had arranged to visit a friend on the day we'd depart. He visits this friend several times per month, only a few miles up the road, and they tend to just listen to music together and chat. It wasn't an important meeting and could have been rescheduled for any day that following week, so seemed a bit out of character.
He was visibly annoyed and said he would come down the following day on a train!

Another: I have noticed that if I don't make conversation, he pretty much doesn't speak to me. He will say practical stuff, offer to make coffee, tell the occasional joke, but no actual conversation whatsoever. I tend to generate most things and never gave it much thought before.
One effect of this is that if I don't ask or instigate a topic, he won't tell me anything about his day, or ask my opinion on things. It seems really strange as I am certain it never used to be like that a few years ago.

There are plenty more odd details that stand out to me, but I don't want to make the post too long. I am wondering if this is common, or has had anyone else baffled in a similar way? There's a lot of things that when questioned, he either denies knowing what I am talking about or acts completely confused.

The day after the arm thing I had two small bruises on my arms. I showed him and he kindly rolled his eyes as if I was being silly. I am sure to god he must have bloody known how they got there.
He has never been particularly violent, apart one or two small incidents many years ago which were during a time of terrible stress. He is also very bothered about being seen as a 'good person', especially in his own eyes. He says a lot but doesn't act on his words. Obviously, I am having doubts, but dont' want to be too hasty.

OP posts:
HaveSomeIntrospect · 19/10/2024 19:27

How odd about the bruises.

How long have you been together?

Redshoeblueshoe · 19/10/2024 19:29

Have you written about him before ? I'm sure I've read something very similar about the arm/bruising.

BCBird · 19/10/2024 19:29

This definitely sounds not right to me. More importantly it doesn't seem right to u. I hope u get to the bottom.of this OP

TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 19/10/2024 19:30

Take photos of the bruises.

My ex started by ‘accidentally’ hurting me.

Catoo · 19/10/2024 19:30

Can’t he remember grabbing your arms?

SallyForf · 19/10/2024 19:32

You do understand he's dangerous, don't you? He's cool with hurting you physically, and he's cool with gaslighting you (denying what happened)

The only amount of violence acceptable should be zero. This made my blood run cold: ''He has never been particularly violent, apart one or two small incidents many years ago which were during a time of terrible stress.''

So, what to do?

First of all, don't give him idea that you are questioning the relationship. He could turn very nasty.

Do you have somewhere to which you can flee? (I am not joking here)
Tell your friends, your parents/siblings that your partner is starting to ramp up abuse.

What is your living situation?
Are your finances entwined?

Mrsttcno1 · 19/10/2024 19:33

How long have you been together? Did you used to share a meal together or have you always eaten separate things?

Some of these things I think can just be normal in long term relationships, if he prefers eating at 9pm and for awhile he was eating later at 5pm in the “honeymoon period” it’s not crazy to think that as the dust settles he would revert back to his preferred meal time, the not chatting constantly can also be a normal part of long term relationships.

The being irritated by you in the kitchen when he is cooking I have to say I get that, if you’re not helping me cook I’d always prefer to have the kitchen to myself.

But the bruises thing is strange and so is not rearranging a casual meet up with friend for the sake of a trip away.

WomanFromTheNorth · 19/10/2024 19:33

Why are you bothering? When he can't even be bothered to talk to you. Get out while you can.

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:34

No, not written about the arms before.
We have been together 12 years.
He can remember it but acts stunned as if he doesn't know what I was talking about. He most certainly isn't unwell or losing his mind.

I think I am beginning to see things clearly, but am still confused. Some single incidents like these I have never been able to straighten out in my mind. Many of them are years apart, so hard to make a picture of it. Difficult to explain.

I am starting to feel that in some way he resents me, or no longer respects me. It is in all these details, as on the surface he says all the right things, usually.

I am the type of person who would always tell a woman to run from a man who did such things, but it is more confusing when it involves the self.

OP posts:
Stormyweatheroutthere · 19/10/2024 19:36

My exh shut the door on my arm. It was bruised the next day. He denied doing it. Though at the time he had accused me of rolling my eyes at him. I hadn't. And didn't deserve to be bruised even if I had done..
Exh.
He is silently mocking you by avoiding spending time with you and denying assaulting you to boot...

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:38

Mrsttcno1 · 19/10/2024 19:33

How long have you been together? Did you used to share a meal together or have you always eaten separate things?

Some of these things I think can just be normal in long term relationships, if he prefers eating at 9pm and for awhile he was eating later at 5pm in the “honeymoon period” it’s not crazy to think that as the dust settles he would revert back to his preferred meal time, the not chatting constantly can also be a normal part of long term relationships.

The being irritated by you in the kitchen when he is cooking I have to say I get that, if you’re not helping me cook I’d always prefer to have the kitchen to myself.

But the bruises thing is strange and so is not rearranging a casual meet up with friend for the sake of a trip away.

Well the strange thing is, I can't remember, it is as if it has happened slowly over time, so there's no big change, if you see what I mean? We did used to eat together and we both loved cooking, I would say it has become more noticeable since the lockdowns. What links these changes together is that they always involve pulling away from me in some fashion.
He will change a habit and then deny ever having had it!
It isn't the biggest deal but my head is a bit tired of it all.

OP posts:
GrumpyInsomniac · 19/10/2024 19:40

It sounds like he’s checked out of the relationship, but rather than doing the decent thing and bringing it to an end, is seeing how far he can push you before you snap and initiate the break-up yourself. And that has become a form of entertainment or activity in itself.

Either way he sounds callous and cruel, and I would be looking at planning my exit, especially with the escalation to the bruises. A man who genuinely loved you would not be behaving like this. You deserve better. And being alone would undoubtedly be better than spending your life on eggshells, wondering what the next sign of cruelty or neglect is going to be.

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:40

Stormyweatheroutthere · 19/10/2024 19:36

My exh shut the door on my arm. It was bruised the next day. He denied doing it. Though at the time he had accused me of rolling my eyes at him. I hadn't. And didn't deserve to be bruised even if I had done..
Exh.
He is silently mocking you by avoiding spending time with you and denying assaulting you to boot...

I'm sorry to hear that.
For me it was shocking as just felt so obvious that such pressure would hurt me.
It reminds me of once asking him for a neck massage and he really hurt my neck! He often stands on my feet too, but he is not clumsy.
I wouldn't say it was an assault so much as I am just becoming invisible or not worth respect:(

OP posts:
SallyForf · 19/10/2024 19:42

Of course he stands on your feet, and he probably barges you with his shoulder as well?

NigelHarmansNewWife · 19/10/2024 19:45

Hold old is he OP? He's either gaslighting you about some of his behaviour or showing signs of dementia.

SallyForf · 19/10/2024 19:47

Does he break your stuff? And then feign ignorance?

GrumpyInsomniac · 19/10/2024 19:50

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:40

I'm sorry to hear that.
For me it was shocking as just felt so obvious that such pressure would hurt me.
It reminds me of once asking him for a neck massage and he really hurt my neck! He often stands on my feet too, but he is not clumsy.
I wouldn't say it was an assault so much as I am just becoming invisible or not worth respect:(

If he is deliberately doing things to cause you injury and pain, that’s assault. Please, OP. Reread what you have written. This doesn’t get better. He’s already gaslighting you. You need an escape plan.

pilates · 19/10/2024 19:51

Yes they do indeed. He sounds deeply unpleasant. Don’t marry him.

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 19:52

Ha! No, not often, but when a glass slips it's always my favourite cup!

Tbh a lot is catching up lately, I am not so sure how I feel anymore. We are both in our 50's. I think I have been burying some of these incidents as they are hard to work out. If you look at one of them as a single incident it's not so bad but all together it doesn't look great.

There are so many things that have happened that I am not comfortable with, but some of them are a few years old. No idea why it is all coming up now.

It sounds like he’s checked out of the relationship, but rather than doing the decent thing and bringing it to an end, is seeing how far he can push you before you snap and initiate the break-up yourself. And that has become a form of entertainment or activity in itself.
This could be true.

OP posts:
yeesh · 19/10/2024 19:57

He sounds awful, do you really want to live with someone like this? It doesn’t sound like her respects or even likes you

diddl · 19/10/2024 20:04

Obviously, I am having doubts, but dont' want to be too hasty.

I mean from an outsider's pov he deliberately hurt you.

What is there to think about?

Having already left wouldn't be too hasty!

What is there to stay for?

username3678 · 19/10/2024 20:07

He doesn't like you and is very resentful towards you. The arm squeezing is physical abuse.

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 20:14

I agree it is not great, but at the time there was no reason whatsoever for him to be angry as we were quite jovial and having a laugh. It definitely wasn't an accident either.

Lots of stuff coming to the surface for me, some of them far worse, from a while ago. The other two aggressive things were after a funeral once, I was feeling low and moping around. He seemed irritated by it so when I tried to discuss it, he freaked out and screamed in my face. As he is a large man, it was very disturbing at the time as no one had ever done that to me before. It was all over very quickly and never happened again. He later said he had built up a lot of tension and was sorry. I never felt he was, though.

Whatever I do, I won't do it suddenly, nor make it obvious.
These days he is a very passive, calm person. and often acts as if he can't be bothered about our relationship at all. But if I make my exit, i will be careful. We have no financial or family ties, although he gets on well with my daughter (in Scotland now), so that's one good thing.

OP posts:
AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 20:16

username3678 · 19/10/2024 20:07

He doesn't like you and is very resentful towards you. The arm squeezing is physical abuse.

Bit why do it?
If we were ok at the time and no tension, it makes no sense. To my knowledge he wasn't angry - It would mean that there's a constant undercurrent of something ugly, wouldn't it? And you could be right.

perhaps I don't know him that well at all. I do think that I have compartmentalised some stuff, that is now rearing it's head.

OP posts:
username3678 · 19/10/2024 20:19

AppleWhiskers · 19/10/2024 20:16

Bit why do it?
If we were ok at the time and no tension, it makes no sense. To my knowledge he wasn't angry - It would mean that there's a constant undercurrent of something ugly, wouldn't it? And you could be right.

perhaps I don't know him that well at all. I do think that I have compartmentalised some stuff, that is now rearing it's head.

He's not passive and calm, he's very angry and passive aggressive. Someone I know was in an abusive relationship and he used to hug her really hard, squeezing her ribs. He used to laugh when she complained.

He very deliberately hurt you and dismissed your pain. If he cared about you he'd be mortified.