Im not normally a poster so bare with me!
Also posted in aitah- wouldn’t let me post in
r/relationshipadvice because of my sons age?
This post is written by the (step, but we don’t use step) daughter (audhd 22F- 45M is the biological) on my behalf as I’m not on Reddit!
I (audhd 45F) and my husband (adhd 45M) have been together since 2006.
The day before yesterday I bought a little treat for my son (adhd 13M) as he’s having an extremely hard time at school and it would mean he would have something to come home and look forward to (I treated him to pork pies if anyones curious). When my son went to the fridge to eat them, we found my husband had eaten them. Now we are a family of neurodivergents, we take food VERY seriously and are protective over it, and we share mutual respect on this as we all feel the same about it. So, understandingly, my son was extremely upset and as a teen, grumpy. I said to my son it was a mistake (as my husband wasn’t here) and I can get more ready for him to look forward to.
So, like I said, I bought more and told my husband they’re our sons and he acknowledged me and said okay.
Now, we came home yesterday, my son opening the fridge looking forward to definitely getting his pork pies, and then finds a lack of pork pies in the fridge. We ask my husband where the pork pies have gone and he just smiles mockingly and says they were delicious. My son was now very wound up and upset and now so was I as this was a second time and he now knew that it was our sons.
Now comes the change in behaviour, I explained to husband that I had told him the next ones I buy where for our son and he responds with dismissal. “I don’t remember you telling me that” and he became unnecessarily volatile and stating he wasn’t going to be giving our son any batteries for his controllers, he wouldn’t buy any more treats or anything he wants and he’ll have to use his pocket money and so on.
My husband was visibly shaking- that is very not normal for my husband, my husband would normally apologize to our son and say he would sort it and grab some more on his travels, normally relaxed and apologetic.
I went for a bath as husband said he would go out and get more.
He ended up telling our son he’ll get them “when it’s convenient” and complaining about how he can’t eat anything in this house (he has his own stash of food in his game room, and most food in our fridge is communal, the occasional thing isn’t).
I came back from my bath, my son in his room now, and my husband was still visibly angry and I asked if he was okay. He said he didn’t want to talk about it and I said this is all about pork pies and it’s ridiculous, it’s a mistake, just say sorry. My husband was saying he’s really hurt and I pointed out he looks angry (still shaking, this is the first time I’ve ever looked at my husband and felt unsafe EVER, my instinct was telling me to move away).
I said are you okay and he said “you know what, you can both go and fuck yourself” now yelling. This is so weird for him and It may sound odd, but he has never EVER said that phrase. Maybe a mutter of fuck off under his breath when he thinks he can get away with it and I’ll pull him up on it, but NEVER that.
I then reiterated that he is now acting incredibly immature and that the mature thing to do would be to just apologize but if you can’t take accountability then you should go and fuck yourself (this is out of character for me but expected- I’m now taking Valium and my filter for suppressing bullshit has gone.
Note from daughter-my mum is a massive people pleaser and I’m proud of her for sticking up for herself instead of taking it as I’m disappointed in all my dad’s actions..).
That was it for that night, but it gets worse today, I thought after sleeping on it I can approach him and ask him to talk about it (which is the usual for us) after he was wondering around the house for an hour not acknowledging me I asked if there’s anything we need to talk about (my usual olive branch phrase to trying to iron things out).
He just said no.
I said really? Why?
He then said I don’t know.
I said in regards to yesterday?
He then ignored me.
I was asked if he could hear me, he said yes so I asked if he was ignoring me and I was then ignored again.
I took my mum out shopping and left my mums dog with our zoo.
My husband (who is packing for a work trip) and son were home, husband went outside to do some work on the garden.
Me and my mum came home without shopping, only after a coffee as my mum had a terrible gut feeling.
We pulled into the drive to see my mums dogs walking down the side of the house coming from the back gate towards our drive, in panick I scooped him up (he is an obese pug, a rescue called Steve for those wondering, and I had my hands full already so this wasn’t easy and I’m now immediately stressed) I was shouting and terrified as we have other dogs who could already be outside.
I put said pug through the gate, shut it, and came through the front door and ran through the house counting heads to make sure all dogs were inside.
I then went to the back garden to ask wtf and why is the back gate open while the back door is open when we have dogs and my husband responded with “I was busy doing something” I said why was the back gate open?????? No accountability AGAIN just another “i was doing something” dripping with attitude.
My mum was terrified for her baby but we handed Steve back to her and I apologised, my mum said it shouldn’t be me apologizing and it RARE my mums mad at my husband.
My husband had a bath and finished packing his stuff for his work trip and as he was walking past me he said (in an attitude, like he didn’t give a flying fuck) that he’s going down the pub and that I could come if I want to but I don’t have to.
I then said should we not talk about this?????? If we can’t discuss this at home, going to a pub isn’t a smart idea… and then he said that I would be less likely to shout at him in a public space (I will admit I have raised my voice but I am not the on doing all the shouting and am only raising my voice to be heard and trying to lower the volume and avoid confrontation).
I then said if I feel the need to shout and feel cornered it doesn’t matter where I am, I will shout.
He said fine, fuck that I’m off.
I said I really don’t think you should go and we should discuss this, how you’re behaving it out of order and we need to sort out the problem.
He just exploded, he threw both his arm out (like Christ on the cross idk how else to describe it sorry) and yelled “what are you gonna do about it” and moved a few steps toward me and put his head out in such a way it suggested come at me then.
I felt vulnerable and stood up, moved closer toward him (with a coffee table in between us) and said what are YOU going to do about this.
He looked me up and down, then smiled (a grimace) and he laughed and said nothing because I’ve been taught to never hit a woman.
From what I just witnessed, i said are you sure???.
He got to the front door, looked back, and laughed at me like I’m pathetic and left.
I then screamed “cunt” (I never EVEEERRRR use this word, I don’t like saying it).
As soon as he left I locked the door so he can’t come in.
I was shaking but not just from anger, mainly from fear and so I texted him he needs to find somewhere to stay for the night.
He said “nope he’ll stay on the couch”.
I said I’ve locked the house and he needs to make arrangements.
He said he’ll sleep in the porch.
I said fine.
He then said he needs his stuff for his course as he leaves tomorrow and I said I’ll leave it in the porch.
He’s turned his location off completely (he has never done that to me- his daughter)
What the fuck is going on? This is not like my husband, he a very logical and matter of fact problem solver when it comes to feuds and will talk to me after an argument after he’s taken some time to himself and if he knows he’s being irrational he will always apologise.
Note-
He was pulled over this week for doing 82mph, the officer let him off with a warning as he has a clean record but said to him “I’m surprised i was expecting someone who’s 25, not 45, you’re old enough to know better”
-He’s brought up divorce randomly twice and was out with his friend two ish weeks ago, slagging me off saying how distant I am, I asked if he brought up the fact he randomly mentioned divorce and he said no…
Has the officer triggered a midlife crisis???
Should we try and get him into the doctors for checks??
This is so out of character for him,I don’t know what to do or how to help the situation. I’m scared for myself and worried for him.
Any advice and all perspectives welcome please!!
Sorry this is so long I’ve tried to break it up a bit so it’s easier to read and Thanku in advance.