Just a reminder, this is the belated Wednesday strip, there will be a regular Friday strip tomorrow.
When I was running late yesterday on this strip, I was tempted for a short time to simply do this one as prose instead of a regular strip. But I couldn't deny myself the opportunity to draw these reactions.
Oh, craps.
Selkie, no!
This song’s playing in the background.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_MW65XxS7s
I knew from the start that the two of them being sisters would make for a rocky relationship as it was… since Selkie was with Todd first she’ll probably feel like Amanda’s behavioural problems and emotional needs overshadow her own needs, and since Amanda is Todd’s biological child she might even feel inferior as a result. I just hope the girls won’t be so competitive with each other over Todd that their sisterly bond (or lackthereof, as it is right now) will be virtually destroyed forever.
Those are some pretty fine parallels to how Amanda felt when Selkie first showed up. Selkie’s needs and problems overshadowed Amanda’s and later on she felt as though her being biological to Todd and he still passed over her made her feel inferior to Selkie. Hopefully if Selkie does start feeling this way it opens up conversations to how Amanda felt and they can bond over it and heal.
And hopefully she doesn’t start to resent and hate Amanda and inadvertently start to shun and bully her as a result.
Anyone with with siblings probably experiences this sooner or later…
To be fair; Selkie isn’t wrong to be angry. She’s been dealt a really shitty hand. Todd promised her his undivided attention and it’s Amanda, of all people, that’s the one getting Todd’s love while she sits on the side. She’s been wonderfully patient and understanding so far, but this is a bit too much for her to be happy about.
The unfortunately part is that she’s going to end up taking it out on Todd. Who is only doing his best to do the right thing in light of a difficult situation.
Her feelings are understandable but she’s absolutely wrong. She’s not being neglected or getting any less “love” than she should because of Amanda or anyone else fo that matter.
Oh Selkie! I know that pain. I still remember how resentful I felt (as a teenager) when I heard my Mom using what had been her pet name for me with a little girl she babysat. Luckily I was old enough to realize I was being unreasonable but it still hurt and made me feel like I was being replaced in some ways.
The pet name my wife uses for me and the dog are similar… sometimes she gets them confused. I give her the stink eye every time she does.
If you’d stop making a mess on the carpet… 😉
OH NO SELKIE
…I’ve encountered the ‘pet name jealousy’ problem with my GRANDMAS of all people. I’ve made up a new shortening of ‘grandma’ when visiting one of them and casually mentioned that I never called anyone else that before, which made her very teary-eyed and happy. But after I came home to the other one, I naturally started using the shortening for her too…
I mean, my grandma is an adult, and it never did turn into awful drama, but… I DID notice she was upset…
I hope Todd notices this and curbs it sooner than it blossoms into anything deep seated.
There’s the closure Amanda needed.
And now it’s time for Selkie’s green eyes to get a lot bigger…
Everyone in the comments is pretty much prepared for the sibling war. I just hope there aren’t any permanent or lasting casualties.
Yeaaaahhhhh, I’m guessing some blood, some ashes, and some broken pottery. Possibly a skinned knee type of physical scars, and Todd shouting at them to break it up. Corner time for Everyone!,
You make it sound so civil. For all we know this will be the start of Selkie going the Kylo Ren route. Wearing all black, having a bowl of her slain enemies ashes on the table, going all slashy with a lightsaber….
Thus the Prophecy of Theresa comes true:
https://selkiecomic.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/SelkieFanartTheresa4.jpeg
Woo!
I can’t but feel like a near futrue comic should be nothing but Todd comming up with a new, Selkie Only, endearment, and them all being adorable but fish related, with Selkie starting out mad and end up laughing so hard she cries as the names get more ridiculous.
Poor Selkie! Can’t say we haven’t seen this coming. Surprising it’s taken as long, bu that’s kind of how things go when kids (or even adults) are dropped in a shocking situation like that. It takes a while to process those feelings before they really emerge. Amanda’s behavior is probably going to improve now, but it may take a while for Selkie to overcome jealousy and distrust. Or maybe not? I love how the characters aren’t alway predictable, but stay in character.
Time to bring Selkie back to the orphanage?
ಠ_à²
I’m just saying, it would fix all conflict immediately! Then Todd and Amanda can repair their relationship in earnest.
I hope you were trying to be funny, and don’t seriously mean that.
Still, I do not find that funny in the least.
As a parent with 2 adopted kids and later also 2 bio kids in my house, you don’t just drop one for another. Adopted is Family. Jealousy happens, and you have to deal with it.
I wonder how Andi feels about this. Is she jealous that Todd was able to comfort Amanda?
I would hope not. This is why people say a child should have two parents. Because what one may not be good at the other can do and vice versa. Todd and Amanda have a similar outlook I think considering his flashback of the angry beat up child he had at the beginning. Andi is privy to both and thus she should be anything but jealous.
Maybe a little at first, but I think she’s mature enough to see that this needed to happen.
If she’s sensible, she’s going, “OH THANK GOODNESS.” Being the only person a kid turns to for comfort is exhausting.
(Plus Andi has always been trying to keep Amanda from being angry at Amanda’s father.)
Oh selkie, honey, nooo! Don’t take it like that D:
Transfer of anger complete. Amanda levels up. Selkie… needs more time to process the transfer. *g*
Oof. This is gonna be tough.
Aha, FOUND it! “Sweety” is Todd’s go-to affectionate name for a little kid, the one he uses without even stopping to think, because that’s what Mari called him when he was little.
https://selkiecomic.com/comic/selkie74/
See? When Mari gets her first unprepared look at Selkie, what does she say? “H-Hi, sweety…” It’s her way of talking. What d’you want to bet, Andi’s mom always called her “kiddo”?
That makes a lot of sense–and it also sets up time for explaining things–no matter what happens, Todd has demonstrated that he’ll be there for Selkie. He’s her dad. Selkie may now have a sibling in the mix, but that doesn’t mean Todd isn’t there for her.
Still, learning that the term of affection used for you was generic rather than specifically yours stings like a papercut. It’s small-looking, but it hurts like all getout.
Last panel: Selkie realizes she has become a supporting character in the comic that, at least for the moment, still bears her name. :p
I could honestly see her become the villain of the comic. I think what’s left of her clan could become the true villains too.