Half-sister obsesses over newfound brother
Dear Abby: Six months ago, my husband, “Lee,” met his long-lost sister, his father’s daughter from a previous marriage. Lee’s father passed away when he was 6; he is now 30.
Since he and his four siblings met their half-sister, she has become obsessive over him. She calls and keeps him on the phone for hours, three or four times a week. I didn’t mind at first, but it has gotten out of control, and she constantly texts him.
If Lee doesn’t respond, she texts him asking if he’s angry. She expresses how “in love” she is with him and how happy she is to have met him. (She doesn’t say these things to the others.) When I recently expressed my concern, he got offended.
How should I cope with this? She also says unflattering things about me to him and tries to turn him against me. I know, because I heard the whole conversation.
– Put Off in New Jersey
Dear Put Off: Your husband may be flattered by the attention he’s receiving from this newfound sibling, but I agree that what she’s doing seems excessive. Your husband, however, is playing into it by being receptive and constantly available for these extended conversations and texts.
While you can’t control who he talks to, you can express that you feel her behavior is out of line, you are concerned that she’s trying to undermine your marriage, and suggest it may be time to step on the brakes with Sissy.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at Dear Abby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.