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The original was posted on /r/bestofredditorupdates by /u/Sebastianlim on 2024-07-05 00:41:54+00:00.

**I am NOT OP. The OP of this story is u/Grand-Grape-9253**

Trigger Warnings: Misandry.

AITA for refusing to help my wife and her friend anymore over what my wife calls a miscommunication?, Posted May 24th, 2023.

Fake names. My wife, Emily, has a longtime friend, Leslie, who has recently become a single mother. Leslie does not have a working vehicle at the moment and is working two jobs so Emily took it upon herself to help Leslie out as much as she can. Emily had started asking me to help as well in driving Leslie and her kids around, taking them to school/appointments, taking Leslie to the grocery store, etc, whenever Emily or someone else couldn’t.

I agreed since it made my wife happy and I understand the kind of situation Leslie is in. Helping has turned into Emily inviting Leslie and her kids over often, or organizing trips that they would like, such as camping or fishing. A few times my wife was unable to attend these get-togethers she organized due to work and insisted they still take place leaving me to entertain Leslie and her kids on my own. Since I’ve known of Leslie my entire relationship with my wife I didn’t think too much about this. The times that it has been me left with her, or sent in Emily’s stead to shuttle Leslie around, I’ve made normal small talk with her and her kids.

Recently, Leslie’s kids were going to be away for a weekend so Emily wanted to have Leslie over for dinner and some movies. She asked me to text Leslie to ask her over and when I did, Leslie replied with “Just as friends right? I’m not interested in being anyone’s girlfriend”. I thought that response was out of left field so I asked her why she’d even say that and her response was pretty much “No guy would be asking me and my kids how we’re doing or helping me out unless he wanted something in return”. I told Leslie it wasn’t anything like that and then showed my wife the conversation and informed her I would be stepping back from helping her with anything involving Leslie and to leave me out of any future plans. I also offered to show her the rest of my phone and anything else. Emily believed me but she still talked to Leslie about it to see what had given her that impression and accordingly, she gave Emily the same answer. A few days later Leslie apologized to Emily and told her that her emotions and mind were just all over because of a down day. That’s fine but I’m still not willing to help her or my wife out anymore as I had been because I don’t want any repeats or accusations hurled at me when I was helping as my wife asked. Emily thinks I’m overreacting and should just brush it off because it was just a ‘silly miscommunication’ she had on a bad day. AITA?

Additional info: The text I sent Leslie about the night was “Emily wants to know if you’d like to come over for dinner and some movies on Saturday”. That’s why her response was so out of left field. I sent the text because Emily was busy on her phone and wanted to know asap so we could make our weekend plans.

Edit: Thanks for all the comments and different perspectives. I’ll talk to Emily tonight when we get home about the overhelping and what to do going forward. We are not swingers, Leslie knows my wife is completely monogamous, and while I will be bringing up concerns she’s helping too much, this level of help between the two of them has been present for as long as I’ve known my wife.

Relevant Comments:

NTA but why is your wife so suddenly attached to this woman? If I were Leslie, I’d be wondering more if your wife wants a girlfriend than you.

They’ve always been attached at the hip. When my wife had surgery for carpal tunnel Leslie kept showing up even when I was home to take care of Emily and the house. Add in that my own sister is similar with some of her close friends I never found their friendship strange.

Info - how long have you and your wife been acting as Leslie’s chauffeurs and doing everything for her? What is Leslie’s plan to get her own life back together?

It’s been about 4 months. Leslie is trying to save up to get a new used car or her current one fixed as well as looking for a cheaper place to live.

INFO - Does she have trauma in her background? This sounds more like someone who has learned people give nothing for free and has been betrayed or hurt in the past.

No idea.

NTA

But only because Leslie didn’t apologize. And I don’t think you’re in the wrong for not helping her anymore.

This is kind of a weird situation. Like if my friend asks me to go fishing with me and my kids, then sends her boyfriend/fiance/husband in her place, that’s pretty weird. If it was just an errand that’s one thing, but a whole ass fun trip is super weird. I would just cancel the plans at that point. Also, was this fishing and camping trip just you, Leslie and her kids, or were there others involved?

So I can actually kind of get Leslie’s side, because this time, you directly texted her from your phone right? When your wife sets up these errands/play dates, I’m guessing she initially says it’ll be her, then shit might come up and so maybe half the time, she then tells Leslie that you’re coming.

So a direct text to Leslie from you asking to come over for movies kinda does feel pretty off.

Also, you say paraphrase here: “No guy would be asking me and my kids how we’re doing or helping me out unless he wanted something in return”, but I’m curious what exactly the text messages say.

My wife made the camping trip. One of the fishing trips when my wife couldn’t make it and we knew ahead of time, we discussed canceling, she discussed it with Leslie and they both decided to go ahead with it. The other time my wife organized us all going to do something together, she was with us for about an hour before she had to leave.

I did directly text her from my phone, which I’ve had to do before. My text read ‘Emily wants to know if you’d like to come over for dinner and watch some movies on Saturday’. I don’t know about 100% of the time, but I have heard my wife tell Leslie she’d be sending me in her stead on a number of occasions, so it’s not as if Leslie didn’t have heads up.

NTA, did she apologize to you in addition to Emily? That’s what kinda sets it off. She can have an off day and feel like maybe everyone has an ulterior motive and get snappy, but like… She needs to apologize to the person she hurt, ie you.

If you’re worried she’s going to like… Make a move on you and she’s done more than this comment that’s different too.

No she did not apologize to me. Only to Emily.

NTA… I think there is more of a miscommunication between your wife and her friend. When your wife cannot drive or entertain her friend, does she let her friend know you are taking her place or that she volunteered you herself? Or do you just show up? The friend might be confused in this situation. While I understand the single mothers frustration, she needs to figure this out for herself. She cannot nor should she depend on everyone else forever. Also, where are the kids father in helping in their appointments?

I don’t know about each and every time, but I have been witness to my wife giving Leslie a heads up I would be showing up instead. Such as one outing Emily planned, I suggested canceling when Emily’s schedule changed but after Emily and Leslie discussed it they decided to go on ahead without Emily because Leslie’s kids were looking forward to it.

NTA, but forgive her and move on. People get silly notions, and she’s recently been abandoned, right? You’ve been very nice, and she didn’t understand that your wife was directing it. I’m sure she’s embarassed enough, so it would be nice to accept her apology and not withhold your help.

She knew my wife was directing it and she did not apologize to me.

NTA. I’m a Mormon, and in certain parts of my religious society this behavior would be seen as a clear attempt by Emily to groom Leslie to become a sister-wife. Actual attempts to do so have been done with more tact and subtlety, and yes, they do happen, despite the fact that polygamy is literally illegal and banned by the Church.

She’s going way too far way too fast and I’m not surprised Leslie is panicking a little when Emily is coming on like a wrecking ball and dragging hubbo along with her. Leslie’s the one who said The Words, but she said them in reaction to Emily’s energy and actions.

Emily’s the one who’s been shoving Leslie and OP together, alone, at night, and then being conspicuous by her absence, That would get any honest person’s hackles up, and I simply fail to believe emily when she pretends not to be aware of this.

Bottom line, I can’t help but feel that Emily is up to no good here and somewhere in the back of her mind may be an idea to “share” her husband with her childhood friend like just another possession.

Question: Is there any possibility that Emily may have learned she can’t have children? That would certainly put a magnifying glass on a possible motive for Emily’s behavior.

Emily can have children, and she’s only not been present twice in all the months she’s been helping her. I don’t …

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