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

DH cheating? am I being paranoid?

56 replies

RoRoMummy · 27/09/2009 14:51

My DH has a normal day job but plays music in pubs / village halls for a hobby. Since March he's been 'playing music' with (amongst others) a woman who lives in the next village. All seemed OK at first and I met her a few times, she knows a few of my friends too. But when we were on hols in Aug he was in the shower and a text came in, so I picked his phone up (being helpful!) and saw quite a worrying text from this woman. Not out and out sexy or anything... but more about being soul mates and thanking him for his 'late night conversations' (he always gets home quite late when he's 'rehearsing'). I stewed for the day, not wanting to upset kiddies (7 and 3) and tackled him that evening. He said they were close friends and that she was not happy with her husband. He did not say a lot but said that nothing is going on and not to worry. So I believed him.
I have since discovered that the texts have continued back and forth, but he is really quick to delete them (WHY????).
Have spoken to two friends about this and one thinks I should nip it in the bud and ask him not to be 'friends' with her. The other thinks I am being a paranoid maniac and that maybe she is just a genuine 'friend'. But the 'soulmate' thing haunts me. I am getting really upset and don't know what to do. Advice please?

OP posts:
clam · 29/09/2009 13:07

Sorry, but I just don't think it's appropriate for any married person to have a "very close friend" of the opposite sex. And I say that as someone who's always had mates of both sexes, as has my DH, but the nature of those frienships has altered now. It's not necessary. I have close personal female friends, and DH. Why would I need another bloke? We're neither of us jealous types, but I did ask him once not to go out for drinks with one woman once. He chuntered a bit saying, "but there's nothing in it, why not?" but stopped going.
And I presume that there are other women in his life that you don't object to? So there's something about this one that crosses a line for you. Trust your instincts.
His first loyalty should be to you, so even if it is perfectly innocent (which I'm afraid I doubt), if you're really not comfortable about it, he should stop it. Your feelings should over-ride anyone's outside the marriage.

wannaBe · 29/09/2009 13:17

I think people should be careful to jump in and say "he is having an affair," because really nobody knows. There is every chance he could be headed in the direction of an affair or even in the midst of one, but just because he has had a couple of texts and has become close friends does not mean he is having an affair.

these threads are always emotive and people post from their own experiences. But not every experience is the same and not every relationship is the same.

Op I think there are several issues here tbh, but that they are all potentially leading towards the same thing.

It sounds from your posts as if you potentially don't have much in common and don't spend much time together as a couple. You say that he's out rehearsing while you're at home with the kids, and that even when he has gigs it's his mother that goes to them and not you.

It sounds as if you are frustrated by this (and rightfully so), because he is spending his time elsewhere and you're at home. But if you're feeling like this, perhaps he does too?

Currently it seems that you don't do anything together as a couple, and that he's having fun playing in this band (which is perfectly ok), except that there are others in this band who share his enjoyment of the music, and consequently friendships have developed. Music is a powerful tool. Playing music can involve a lot of emotion, and I can totally see how close friendships would develop between people who play together.

So it's possible that he's developed a close friendship with this woman because of their involvement with this band, and he's sharing things with her that he's not got with you at home.

I can see why you don't like that. I wouldn't either. But telling him to end the friendship isn't going to change what's missing in your own relationship.

You need to try and make time for each other. Get a babysitter and go out for a meal. If you can't get a babysitter cook a nice meal and wait till the kids are in bed and spend the night in. But actually I think that you should try to get out together, because it seems you yourself don't actually go out, so he sees you as the wife at home iyswim. If you bring your own relationship back on track then he will have less insentive to talk to this other woman.

You should still express to him how you feel about this other woman, but do it in conjunction with "we seem to be drifting/I'm always home and you're out so we never get time to spend together," (don't opportion blame, make it a thing you have to work on jointly).

I wouldn't be inviting her round, and I certainly wouldn't be going round to punch her in the fact as per suggestion below. It's your dh that you need to work on, if you can get him to come back to you the other woman will be irelevant.

mummee09v · 29/09/2009 17:36

yeah i think it defintely sounds like they don't have much in common, and i think that having lots of common interests is such an important thing in a relationship. and obviously this girl is into her music as well.
does OP actually want to go and see her DH's band?? or is she completely not interested in it?? or is it just because of the babysitting issue?
where is OP anyway, she has disappeared!!
xxx

mingthemerciful · 13/11/2009 11:11

This has to stop. Time for ultimatum. You have to get him to see it from your angle - if he can't, start texting someone yourself to see how he likes it. Make sure you delete texts as they come in too.

Martha1 · 13/11/2009 11:32

If he's deleting his texts he has something to hide!

Also I agree with one of the posters above - if any woman dared pull that 'soulmate' bullshit on my OH I would hunt her down and she'd damn well know about me!!

macdoodle · 13/11/2009 15:14

ugh mumee you repulse me - if it makes you happy to believe that you and your (D)H destroyed someones life and family because you were meant to be/or the wife was somehow lacking - good for you, dont hold your breath he wont do the same to you!
But could you stop peddling that line of crap to all the cheated on wives here!

SandyChick · 15/11/2009 10:22

Hello, a similar thing happened to us last year. The woman was someone DH worked with. She is married with a DS same age as ours. They lived close by to us and we used to get together with the kids, have bbq's etc so I wolf consider is all friends. She often confided in my DH about her marriage. He would relay these conversations to me etc so there was never a problem. Until..... I found a few text messages saying things like 'I miss you x' etc. I hit the roof and demanded to know what was going on. My DH has always swore that the messages were not meant in the way they looked. Anyway, in the end we went for counselling and things are fine now. I believe my DH. He has never given me a reason to doubt him before.

Giving you DH and ultimatum etc is the wrong way to go about it. You need to explain to your DH how hurtful his messages were to you. He may have a close friendship with another woman but you are his wife and he should respect your feelings before his friends and if you are uncomfortable with their friendship then I think he needs to consider your feelings over hers. I don't thing lecturing him will get you anywhere and if he says he is telling you the truth you need to trust him.

RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:04

Well a lot has happened since September... As briefly as possible: The texting thing, despite my pleas for it to stop, continued right up until just before Christmas. I tried a number of tacks, including becoming a sexual 'beast' and behaving like a call girl. He seemed to enjoy that bit (!) and for a few weeks I even thought all was OK again (NB: actually enjoyed the sex bit too). Then a mobile bill came in the week before Christmas, with an alarming amount of texts and call listed. So I presented it to him, went MENTAL, and threatened to leave unless it stopped. The following day I phoned her and had it out with her as well. They both still claimed it was all innocent and 'just very good friends', but I said 'it stops NOW or I'm leaving'. Husband was very upset and said OK, sorry for being such a git, you are 'the love of my life' etc etc. As far as I can tell, it has all stopped now. BUT... ever since I have not been feeling like having sex with him. Have done so in a rather mediocre fashion. Can't bring myself to do it properly (he was still texting her while I was 'performing' remember). So instead I have developed my own Mid Life Crisis in the form of a Lustful obsession with Being Human actor Aidan Turner (I'm on two other threads elsewhere on the subject). Can't stop thinking about him, watching him on TV, You Tube etc. So what now? Will it get better? I feel old, fat and frumpy too, which doesn't help...

OP posts:
RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:07

Yes I agree: I actually find it pretty shallow to post this here.

OP posts:
RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:08

Above was in reference to:
ugh mumee you repulse me - if it makes you happy to believe that you and your (D)H destroyed someones life and family because you were meant to be/or the wife was somehow lacking - good for you, dont hold your breath he wont do the same to you!
But could you stop peddling that line of crap to all the cheated on wives here!

OP posts:
RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:14

In reference to wannaBe's post ages ago: we do have a lot in common still and I actually organised a gig he was in lately. But my children take up most of my time and we live a long way from relatives who can baby sit. His mother is a useless, annoying person who comes over to stay when a gig is on and SHE goes to see her precious son.

OP posts:
mampam · 27/01/2010 13:19

Not really sure what to advise here. Good luck for the future RoRo x

RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:21

My final thought is this... even if it has stopped and is all OK now... I feel like getting my own back on him. I need to feel desired by someone else too. My confidence has taken a huge knock, I'm still really pissed off with him. I am nearly 39 and suddenly feel 'passed by' and past my 'prime'. My head is full of mad, mad thoughts like 'what if I hadn't married him, where would I be now?', like the last 16 years have been the wrong destiny for me. Before the who 'text affair' thing these thought would never have occurred to me.

OP posts:
WhenwillIfeelnormal · 27/01/2010 13:21

So, did you use the SIM card reader RoRo?

skidoodle · 27/01/2010 13:25

What do you get up to on the two nights a week you get to go out and have fun?

RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:26

Yes I spent £65 on Ebay, only to discover that it didn't work! There was some weird kind of guard on it (3 mobile network), so I wasted my money. Instead I just signed him up for itemised bills and opened them. Gave me the info I needed though. It felt horrid 'spying', didn't like it at all. Things have generally settled down, but it's almost like he's recovered and getting on with life and noe I'M having the crisis!

OP posts:
RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:30

We are trying to go out once a month and, so far, I have been the one to book things: Nov: Flaming Lips gig in Portsmouth, Dec: Xmas dinner dance in Brighton, Jan: Way to Blue Nick Drake tribute gig Brighton Dome. Bit fed up of being the one to make all the bookings.

It will be our tenth wedding anniversary in July and I'm already developing a complex about the fact that I actually bought my own engagement ring ten years ago (he had no money, although Argos would have done OK) and that he really should get me one for our anniversary.

OP posts:
nanafantastic · 27/01/2010 13:32

Well done you! It's ridiculous that you had to go to such extremes, but as WWIFN said earlier, emotional affairs do happen even in all innocence, and you need to nip it in the bud.

You should sit him down and tell him exactly how it made you feel. It's the lack of trust that has made off with your libido, especially if you're thinking about when you were being a sexual "beast". Once you talk it over you should feel a lot better

Good luck and keep posting!

WhenwillIfeelnormal · 27/01/2010 13:40

I imagine that many of us reading this RoRo will see a car crash unfolding before our eyes. Just because your H's emotional affair stopped, it sounds like it hasn't been dealt with properly and that your communication with eachother is still poor. What you are telling us is that despite the fact he knew this other relationship was causing you pain, that despite you attempting to restore your sex life, he carried on regardless. No wonder you're "still pissed off with him" - that would be a euphemism in my book.

Getting your own back is not the answer to this, although I understand how revenge can be a motivator. In your shoes, I'd have some counselling on my own to work out what I really wanted from life - and that might not include your husband.

RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 13:47

Yes I was actually thinking of that, but not sure where/how to start, as money is tight. Do you start with your GP? I'm really enjoying the 'fantasy with unattainable 26 year old celebrity' at the moment. Makes me laugh a lot and has weirdly put a spring in my step. Thought I might make it a bit more obvious at home and see if it bothers Husband at all!
Oh bl*dy hell, just don't know what to do!

OP posts:
Kiwinyc · 27/01/2010 14:24

I doubt having a crush on an unobtainable sleb will bother him. But getting him to babysit while you go to the gym, go socialising with friends without him and start getting an independant life back where you regain your self esteem and start feeling better about yourself might?

Start doing things for YOU. And have you thought about some couple counselling cos it really sounds like your communication with each other could be better...?

chippychippybangbang · 27/01/2010 14:37

No no no on the making your husband jealous with a celeb crush scenario.. I bet all that will do is make him think, well, if she can fancy someone else, it's ok for me to do it too. Except your love rival is a hell of a lot closer to home and more attainable than his. Don't play that game..

I think you need to build up your self esteem as kiwinyc says. I think all this crush business is showing is that your capacity to fancy someone is still there - but it's possibly not your husband you want to direct the feelings toward, and subconsciously this Aidan Turner bloke is a very safe option for you. He can't hurt you, it isn't reality..

How about counselling alone? An hour of private counselling in my area costs £35 ish - get a recommendation if you can.

Your H has some making up to do and if he can't even bring himself to put effort in now, I don't hold out hope for later on.

RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 14:41

Gym?! What is that? Seriously though, yes I have been going out to pub with female friends lately too. I do actually think the (rather childish I admit) sleb thing WILL work though. When we saw Flaming Lips back in Nov I admitted to having a bit of a thing about Wayne Coyne and it did bother him. He started making lots of comments about him being very grey and old (true: but still very sexy) and got all huffy when I put their CDs on. My latest 'boyfriend in my dreams' is much younger and more obviously attractive. It won't hurt to remind him that I do have a libido, but also a choice about what I choose to do with it. I would not ever actually have a real life affair with anyone else... the repercussions for my children are far more important to me. I do need a bit of space and time to work all this stuff through. I do not think we will split up. But I do think it will take me a little while to feel OK again. In the meantime my daydreams do help me through the day and I really think it will do him good to know that I can get turned on by someone else.

OP posts:
RoRoMummy · 27/01/2010 14:49

"your love rival is a hell of a lot closer to home and more attainable than his" Yes I know this... if he's going to do it, he'll do it and I WILL know. But I'm not going to be making a 'real life' move here. He chose to 'detach' himself emotionally from me back in the summer. I cannot be expected to just behave as normal because he's (in theory) stopped contacting her. My fantasy/detatchment is probably a way of giving myself some 'space'. Can't help feeling desire, but I do not feel (at the moment) like directing it at my husband. He needs to earn some trust back first. Does this make sense to anyone out there?

OP posts:
STIDW · 27/01/2010 14:50

I think you need to decide whether you love and trust your husband or not. If you don't the relationship is effectively over.

My ex-husband used to work away during the week and played in bands at weekends. Over 33 years the line up has included various women and it goes with the territory that this involves spending time together and friendships developing. That isn't an affair or even an emotional one.

We eventually split, not because of the other women or lack of trust, but because we were living totally independent lives and no longer did anything together.