When to know to leave?

Shwiftyfox

New member
Hey! So my best friend and I of four years have finally decided to be together. We’ve talked about it a couple times, but we wanted to work on ourselves in our lives and didn’t feel like we were ready for relationships. We have lived together for a couple years now, and have been business partners for about just as long. My BF has introduced me to his ex before, and we became friends and stayed in touch on and off for the last few years as well.

When we started speaking of being poly she was always the one who would speak about which is why we tried to stay in contact. The problem is even though we have known of each other there still isn’t really any friendship between us, hence my post. I have honestly contisously tried and even communicated that I need us to get to know each other. I’m more pansexual then bisexual, I need an emotional connection, I come from a emotionally neglected childhood which is why poly is so appealing to me to have a family of people who picked me to love them. However she isn’t trying to talk to me or if we do talk it always goes back to her, it’s never getting to know me because I’m the only one asking questions or texting first.

This issue though is getting into the relationship between me and my BF, he thinks it’s because I don’t like her or I mite not like girls but we’ve had sex all 3 of us and I was into it, honestly never felt more connected to him. Now though he is saying he will have to get his own apartment and we will live separately, but how is that a happy situation.

Now to explain a little bit why her and I aren’t clicking in person either is our personalities are very different. I’m incredibly ambitious and hard working, I’ve never worked less than 40 hours a week. I have dreams and I have goals. I am a patient parent who likes to hear their kids talk about how they’re feeling I try not to yell I am a healer. I’m actively trying to heal myself and to make sure my kids are healthy and happy at the same time. She is not like me. She does not have a job. She is hesitating to go back to school to finish her hours for nail tech. Oh I feel like the only reason she even knows how many hours she has just because I’ve asked her multiple times if she’s going back. Whenever we talk on the phone all she does is yell at her kids and then when we’re together she just never looks happy I’m not gonna lie. We like to watch a lot of cartoons. A lot of anime and a lot of subtitles shows she’s more of a reality TV show person I’m trying to find things that were relatable, even the shows we do like she just doesn’t even want to talk about them. She’s quick to talk to our boyfriend and to respond to him with me it’s a couple hours between replies.

I do believe she is just there for him to kind of save her from her situation, but if she can’t connect with me or won’t connect with me, how is our relationship between all of us going to work? And I am cool with him being poly V but I want to be a nesting partner. How do I communicate with him and her? Or do I just let him have her and start another relationship or do I just walk away from both? He makes me so happy and I do love him with all of me. I have complete faith in him. I have complete trust in him. I don’t want to leave him but I also don’t want to make him unhappy if he really wants to be with her. It’s been eight years for them on and off and only four with us.
 
You can't "be poly" with someone you don't even like. Trying to get to a point where you're a sexual and romantic partner for this woman is ridiculous.

It sounds like he's being sensible knowing he can't live with either of you while also being with the other.

Poly can't replace your childhood.

I think you should give this situation a pass because it sounds very toxic and you're already eaten alive with jealousy and hatred for this woman.
 
I'm sorry you struggle.

Let me repeat back what I understand in my own words. You correct me if I get it wrong, ok?

  • You and your best friend started dating. You have been together 4 years, run a business, and live together.
  • Now this BF wants to get back together with his ex in a poly V. They have been together on and off for 8 years.
  • He also wants to move out and all of you to live separate.
  • You are interested in polyamory and being "like family" with your metas, possibly living together in a "blended family" kind of thing. (???)
    • Not really gonna work out that way with this BF since he wants to live separate
    • Not really gonna work out with this potential meta because you two don't click for personalities
      • Your work styles are different, your parenting styles are different, you don't have much in common even for friendship, and you just don't see this being a "blended family" thing with her
      • You think she only wants to get back with this BF to "save her" from her situation (She's not got stable work, and needs help with her kids, etc.)
Is this about it?

If so? I think you could let go of this BF entirely and break up. Don't get why he's up and down with this woman for EIGHT YEARS. Sounds messy. And you move on to polydate new people who are more compatible and share the wish to create that "blended poly family" thing that you want.

If you are going to still date this BF? Consider him "separate" and NOT part of your "blended poly family" part of your network. Maybe consider him a comet partner? Once in blue moon only?

Then whatever he does with his other partners including this meta? You aren't involved in any of that. It can be very separate parallel poly. He spends time with you HERE. He spends time with them THERE. And doesn't leak stuff over on to you from the other parts of his network.

Either way? STOP sharing group sex with this BF and this woman. Group sex is NOT a requirement in polyamory. I think you doing group sex with her and your desire for a "blended poly family" is making you think she's supposed to be your GF too or something. Let it go. And stop trying to be friends with her.

I'm not sure how it's gonna work out as business partners. If you still want to do that if you two break up or if you want to sell him your part of the business or buy him out or what.

Galagirl
 
Last edited:
Hello Shwiftyfox,

What are the chances you could do a V, where he is the hinge, and you and your best friend (his ex?) are the legs of the V? Would that be a satisfactory outcome for you, or do you need her to connect with you more?

Hopefully your therapy will help.
Kevin T.
 
It sounds like this other woman isn't his "ex." She's still his on again, off again girlfriend.

Meanwhile, you're business partners with this guy, and you live together too, and you're best friends, AND you now are having sex with him and with his so-called ex!

That sounds like too much togetherness. It sounds like your best friend/boyfriend wants and needs his own place.

There is no need to try and force a full-on triad here, just because you were neglected as a child. This other woman, who isn't working, who yells at her kids, etc., is not a match for you.

Most poly people do not live in groups, like a family. While that does happen occasionally, it's usually a V, where there is one hinge partner, and the other two are just friends. But sometimes a couple people live together and go about dating other partners separately.

Along with therapy, I recommend reading the book Opening Up.
 
Back
Top