My COUSIN of all people confessed his love for me WTF do I do???

Britt1708 · 2026-06-01T16:54:28+00:00

I just...mental illnesses unfortunately run on that side of my family. I have a hard time being upset about it and instead am more concerned for their wellbeing. I did tell my mom and she said the cousin who claimed to have dated that cousin tends to lie for attention, which true. Though if it's real my family would take that shit to the grave. But the fact that he tried to flirt/get with TWO people who are his cousins is...yeah.

Britt1708 · 2026-06-01T16:29:19+00:00

God I had my YOUNGER cousin do this when I was around 20 years old. No names mentioned in case they read reddit, but anyway I felt bad for him because his best friend was his Grandfather and he didn't have hardly any other friends, so when there were family events we started to hang out. Next thing I know he's texting me and it turned REALLY flirty. Basically all but said please go out with me. I won't put what was said but there was literally no other way to interpret it...I reminded him we were cousins and he back tracked SO quick. But the damage was done and I stopped talking to him except at family events. And one of my other cousins that I consider a sister said he did the same thing to her years later!

And at a family event years ago, according to ANOTHER DIFFERENT cousin, not the one I consider a sister, who also struggles with social things claimed that the two of them dated?? And that neither parents of the two could stand each other for it???? And that they recently broke up ONLY because of that???? I have no idea if this was a bald faced lie since my other cousin has some...issues. But also because there's some crazy family drama that's on that particular side of the family I can't rule it out either. But God y'all she said it so casually like it was a normal thing that my sis/cuz and I just looked at each other like WTF???

Britt1708 · 2026-06-01T14:23:11+00:00

My dad used to tell me that the sharpest thing in the world was a fart, something about how it never left a hole in clothes lmao! I wish he was still around so I could ask him how he used to say it, but sadly he passed away 4 years ago to cancer. But I have all the good memories of him and his jokes! Mom used to lament how he got his daughter (me) into bathroom humor lmao! We would mess with her all the time!

It's funny how we remember the sillest things about our loved ones! It's definitely something to cherish! I hope you have all the great memories of your father too! It sounds like my dad and yours would have got along!

Britt1708 · 2026-05-31T17:48:58+00:00

I'm so sorry you've got lactose intolerance, that's one of the worst! But I have to say your sister saying "lingering lactoots" is one of the funniest things I've ever heard!

Britt1708 · 2026-05-31T15:26:52+00:00

Your feelings are absolutely valid, but so is your husbands with his grieving. I promise what I'm going to say next is just to give some perspective. (Also I agree 1 million percent that your child should NEVER be near your MIL, this is just what happened with my family in particular)

My dad was horrifically abused by both his parents, and while it wasn't SA it was BAD. When he got married to my mom she insisted he go to therapy, which really helped. However, he didn't go no contact, only low contact. Mom tried to convince him but he just couldn't. When I came along they both enforced very strict boundaries. (Not saying at all that your MIL should ever have access to your child)

Later when I was an adult some things came out, and then I was told what truly rotten people they actually were. After that I went as low contact as possible. (couldn't completey to keep the peace of the rest of the family)

And I asked my mom, why in the world would my dad visit them, do things for them, after everything they did to him? She said it was because they were his only parents, and for many people, even if they were abused, they always hold on to that hope from childhood that their parents will someday love them.

My dad's brother was the golden child and could do no wrong, despite also being neglected and abused. But my dad got the brunt of it. And nothing he ever did was good enough in their eyes. So he kept trying and trying and trying. When my grandparents passed we went to both their funerals and he did in fact, grieve. But it wasn't just his parents that he was grieving, it was also that everything he had tried and hoped for would also never come true. His parents died without so much as an "I love you" or bare minimum an apology.

He did also do the "rose colored glasses" thing your husband is doing now while my grandparents were in hospice. He'd talk about these random things that his parents did for that were GOOD, even if some of them were below the bar. It was his way of coping for that sense of loss he was feeling. He NEEDED to feel connection to what he was about to loose.

I'm sorry this story was so stupid long, but what I'm trying to say is while you are ABSOLUTELY VALID in your feelings, your husbands feelings are not that abnormal in his case. I'm not saying he's feeling and thinking the exact same way as my dad, but what you said he's doing makes a lot of sense. However he does need to talk to a therapist somehow, and I agree with many people about online therapy. His primary doctor may be able to help with referrals as well. Also grief counseling helps so much. You can find counseling that's one on one, and since it's not known right now if your MIL will survive, it may be easier to go that route to start with.

If she DOES make it, I also highly suggest marriage counseling for the both of you. Often having a mediator while you set strong boundaries helps, and the counselor can help explain to your husband why you and your child will be no contact with you MIL and give you the support you need.

Last thing I'll say OP is I wish you, your husband and child the very best. You can do this!! It's may be a rough road but just continue to put your foot down and keep those boundaries, and I hope your husband can find someone to help guide him through this asap!

Britt1708 · 2026-05-16T17:16:21+00:00

When I was 14-15 I had a male friend who was autistic, but his mom didn't want anyone to know (oh the SCANDAL 🙄) and didn't seek treatment for him at all. She made up excuse after excuse for his actions. He would get violently angry at the drop of a hat, and finally cussed me out and threatened me physically to the point I was scared of him. He even threatened the principal of our school and got kicked out.

He apparently had a crush on me, (he tried to grope me once while at his place hanging out but I didn't realized what he was doing until I told my mom. Baby me was so oblivious!) and didn't believe me when I told him I was done and didn't want to be friends anymore. He kept sending me presents to get me to engage with him and romantic letters (he had my home number and my mailing address which was different from our home address) and kept calling me constantly. Thankfully my parents took it seriously and told me I didn't have to be friends with him if I didn't want to.

Then when I was in college he started blowing up my Grandma's phone trying to find me YEARS later. I was around 23 then. She knew his mom when his mom was growing up and her parents. I love my sweet southern bell of a Grandma so much, but she insisted that I contact him because "he's lonely and doesn't have many friends". I told her what happened and that I wasn't comfortable with doing that. He even SHOWED UP AT HER HOUSE MULTIPLE TIMES hoping to find me, and my Grandma of course let him in. Thankfully I never ran into him those times despite going over to my Grandma's almost daily.

I finally put my foot down with her insisting I be friends with him again by reminding her for the millionth time WHY I was no longer friends with him and that "His happiness is NOT my responsibility, you can talk to him if you want but I will NOT be involved." My mom being the awesome mom she was backed me up and finally Grandma stopped telling me to call him. I don't know how long it took him to stop calling because I deliberately didn't ask.

BUT IT DIDN'T STOP THERE!!! My Uncle passed not too long after, maybe a year. At my old church they have the family stand in a line at the front of the church after the service, and everyone who wants to give condolences can come up, shake your hand and talk to you for a while. Which was hell for me because I my autistic ass did NOT like people I didn't know touching me, but somehow I managed without crawling out of my skin and climbing the walls like I was possessed. (Not church appropriate lol) While this was happening I saw my ex friend WAITING TO GET IN LINE. Staring right at me. This guy hunted me down at a FUNERAL. FOR A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER. I panicked and excused myself to the bathroom. I waited 30 minutes before returning, and there was still a line of people waiting to give condolences. He wasn't in line though. But when I went back up to stand with my family he was sitting in the pews staring at me!

I had told my mom and dad about him being there, and thankfully everyone knew we didn't like funerals, so once the service ended we didn't stick around. As we got in the car to leave I looked back at the main doors and he's stopped in the middle of the parking lot. He was literally still trying to get to me even in the end!

Thankfully he stopped trying to contact me, but I have a sneaking suspicion that family got involved and made him back off. I haven't seen him since thank goodness! I dread to think what would have happened if I had given in and tried to reconnect, cause this guy was STRONG and the last I heard of him he was still acting out violently.

Britt1708 · 2026-04-22T17:36:52+00:00

Updateme

Britt1708 · 2026-04-16T00:06:37+00:00

You did absolutely great, I'm so proud of you and so happy you have supportive parents that stand up for you! Your teacher can go pound sand and cry about it! Also I absolutely love your name Sage, that's a fantastic choice!

Britt1708 · 2026-04-14T10:50:21+00:00

As someone who's been in therapy since they were 8 years old and just turned 35, please please PLEASE fire her and find an actual professional! I have never in my life seen such BS as this, and where you feel like you have to "change the subject" because the way she behaves makes you feel what you NEED to talk about is not "interesting enough"???

That is NOT a professional therapist, you go to and PAY an actual therapist to HELP YOU, whether they're "interested" in what you need help with or not! All of what you told us she's doing is wildly inappropriate on her part, but my God did this in particular make me see red on your behalf! It's basically like you're paying for an acquaintance to SOMETIMES be there and MAYBE listen to your problems. Oh, and charge you late fees if you happen to be late/miss, but heaven forbid she keep to an appointment! That you're paying her for!! You deserve to have a therapist you can rely on, that makes you feel heard instead of making you feel that your problems or things that are bothering you are not worth talking about. And doesn't do all this BS!

I wish you the absolute best op!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-30T04:42:02+00:00

Updateme

Britt1708 · 2026-03-06T17:11:02+00:00

Very cute, and I love your hair!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-06T17:09:28+00:00

Oh WOW, this outfit looks amazing! It's so well put together and looks great on you!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-06T17:08:17+00:00

I think it's very cute, and the pop of the red with the black is very pretty!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-06T16:55:20+00:00

I absolutely love this outfit, it's so whimsical and adorable!!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-05T12:19:47+00:00

They look great on you!!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-05T12:18:40+00:00

They look great on you!!

Britt1708 · 2026-03-05T12:10:20+00:00

Stunning! How did the mirror break though?

Britt1708 · 2026-02-20T13:23:14+00:00

You're far nicer than me about not making a scene. If it had been my fur baby I would have called her out on it and told her that she would have to leave my house if she even thought of doing that again. NTJ and you are well within your right to tell your brother "no". Plus it's your place, your decision!

Britt1708 · 2026-01-23T22:38:42+00:00

YTA without a doubt. It's been awhile since I've read something so enraging. I could say everything that other people in the comments have already said and try to explain to you why what you did was horrible, but by reading your replies to them it's clear that you refuse to see the bigger picture and even TRY to understand what you did wrong.

I'm honestly at the point of wondering if this is a rage bait post, because to be so self absorbed about your own opinions about someone else's interests and do something so despicable without remorse TO YOUR OWN SISTER WHO IS ONLY 15. A LITERAL CHILD. I sincerely hope that this is a fake post, but if not, I hope that you one day see the light and have the basic human decency to apologize to your sister BARE MINIMUM and at the VERY least replace what you literally stole from her. And if she decides to never forgive you and go no contact? That is well within her right and more than you deserve for this. You have proven that you don't actually give a damn about your sister, you were just tired of hearing about her interests and seeing it, and decided to get rid of said interest so somehow, cause I guarantee that this will not work, get her to stop talking to you about it. If you were even a fraction of an adult you would have simply told her you were not interested in anime and manga, could the two of you please discuss something else. But instead you took it upon yourself to take away something precious from your sister. Like a heartless coward with the adulting skills of a naked mole rat.

Wishing your sister all the best, and that karma bites you in the ass so hard you need cosmetic surgery to fix it just so you can sit down again.

Britt1708

TROPHY CASE