Bittersweet Candy Bowl

124. Second String, page posted 5/9/25

Page 18 of 20 (2 pages still to come!)

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Author commentary

Veronica: Hmm.

Comments from Patreon

Comment ID #28224

Chris shouldn’t be Michael’s problem but he SHOULD be Haley’s???? 🧐

wait i just remembered mike letting chris trip over turtle and get a black eye, good call momshul

Airy Frith

Comment ID #28225

Oh what da hell

audie

Comment ID #28226

ma’am your son is starving himself, not sleeping and thoroughly depressed

whiteboypizza

Comment ID #28227

Oof… Chris shouldnt be Haley’s “problem” either. I hope Mike steps up despite the pedestal his mom puts him on. It’d be nice to see Mike develop stronger relationships with his siblings since they obviously care about him, especially Haley.

esinololly

Comment ID #28228

Yeah, really hope Haley starts becoming more prominent in his life. He REALLY needs someone he can rely on to be there for him outside of his trainwreck of a romantic life, and from what little we’ve seen, she’s been trying to make that connection as of late.

Alec

Comment ID #28229

Oof, sounds like boundaries are a problem for everyone in this family…Mom doesn’t want Haley to have boundaries around babysitting, their dad doesn’t seem very good at maintaining his work/life boundary, and this conversation makes it feel like Mike’s mom is one of those people who doesn’t “need” boundaries because they just push themselves to be the one who solves every problem.

Elizabeth Hunter

Comment ID #28230

Yeah where the hell is Haley anyway?…

Yellow467

Comment ID #28231

look there may be reasons why you don’t want Mike to help, like his life being an utter mess, but I don’t think this is helping somehow

SomeColourMage

Comment ID #28232

… Ok yeah he might just pull a Lucy. Can someone please put a watch on him?!

Joselyn Rivera

Comment ID #28233

Not the best new track recruit, not exactly special for James liking him, not Daisy’s (or Paulo’s) crush anymore, not special for being entrusted with the secret dating update, now not even a consideration for babysitting his brother. Mike getting swept away by the tsunami of Ls today

AlisterTX

Comment ID #28234

Isn’t Haley younger? Weird that she’s the default babysitter

pexl

Comment ID #28235

To be fair last time he watched the baby it got a black eye. But in all seriousness, chris should be his parents duty not the kids. Your first option should have been a daycare, not your children.

Aesthete Noire

Comment ID #28236

Wait, why is Haley the only who can watch Chris when Mike is litterally offering? No wonder she isn’t answering she wants to stop being parentified with her brother

Fiver

Comment ID #28237

(Guys when Chris got a black eye Haley was supposed to be watching him then too)

Fiver

Comment ID #28238

Oh wow, somehow this is worse than my prediction that Mike was gonna be tasked with Chris. Yikes.

Alec

Comment ID #28239

This whole family is a mess

arjay

Comment ID #28240

You mean imperfect boy.

SCD

Comment ID #28241

what so mike’s too good for it but hayley isnt?? the fuck bro

Jonah Sanville (firelight_waltz)

Comment ID #28242

This does feel a little strange, the older brother not being trusted with baby sitting but the younger sister is? Also feels wild to me seeing so many comments saying the siblings shouldn’t have to babysit. Can tell the lot of you didn’t grow up Latin. 😜

Skid