"She tried to set you up again?" Arabella, Daphne's best friend since college, asked. Arabella already knew the deal with her mother and she understood where she was coming from since her grandmother was pretty much doing the same thing her mother was doing.

"Yes and it's annoying," Daphne responded. Arabella let out a small sigh and just sipped on her hot coffee. She wished that her mother understood that she wasn't all that interested in dating right now nor is she all that interested in getting married either. The only reason why she feel this way is because of the men she's met and their personalities.

"I'm glad my grandmother stopped," Arabella said. Arabella was a curvy, dark chocolate beauty with 4C hair that reached her back, full lips that hid a gorgeous, pearly white smile, a wide upturned nose, high cheekbones, and almond shaped, dark brown eyes that were the color of fudge.

"Lucky," Daphne mumbled bitterly.

"I guess, but she still slips up from time to time about some of her friends' sons," She replied.

"Well at least she's trying to respect your wishes. She is just ignoring mine and doing whatever the hell she wants," Daphne responded, "I just wish my dad was still here to kind of be the peacemaker between us."

"Hm. Well, even if he was still alive, you can't just hide behind him forever whenever you guys have an argument. You're an adult, Daphne. You need to at least set some boundaries with your mother. I'm sure your dad would not be disappointed if you did. In fact, I think he would understand," Arabella explained. She was right. Her dad wouldn't want her to always run to him whenever her and her mom had a problem with each other. 

"If you ever find some magic potion or something that will give me the courage I need to stand up for myself, then please tell me when you do," She murmured. Arabella chuckled and slipped her coffee once more.

"Daphne, you need to stop," She smiled shaking her head.

"What? I'm totally serious," Daphne giggled. They both laughed together at her little joke. Even though it was a joke, she was still serious. She needed something that will light the fire of courage within her so that way she can finally stand up to her mother. When that happens, at least she'll at least be a happier and less miserable version of herself with the same problems as before.

"Did you sleep with the guy she introduced you to?" She asked.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Daphne scoffed. Arabella rolled her eyes at her remark. If it makes her sound like a hoe to just sleep with some guy she just met, then so be it. She's grown. She can do whatever the hell she wants, when she wants, and however she wants. 

"Was he good or bad?" She inquired. She finished off her coffee and then raised her hand to have a server come to her side.

"Eh. He was average ," She shrugged, "He's someone whose face I wouldn't even recognize the next time I saw him."

"Wow. How cold," She snickered. The server poured more coffee into her cup and she thanked them before they were whisked away by another patron.

"Cold, schmold. He was still an average lay," She nonchalantly replied.

"I'm so glad that I finally met Adonis. Now that is a brother who knows how to touch a woman," She sighed dreamily. Adonis was Arabella's current late night snack and they have been meeting each other for six months now. Adonis was a 5'8, dark skinned dreamboat that looked like he stepped out of a wet dream.

"If you want to date Adonis, then I won't judge. However, don't date him because you feel like you have an obligation to return the favor to him," She said. She snapped out of her little dream-like state, which was probably about her and Adonis getting married or something, and narrowed her eyes at her friend before sipping her coffee.

"And who said anything about dating him?" She asked.

"You don't have to get so defensive about it. I'm just saying that if you decide to date him, then I'll support you every step of the way," Daphne murmured.

"Adonis and I's current relationship is fine where it is. Platonic," Arabella responded. What a load of crap? Platonic her ass. They both know that she wants something more out of that man. She is not fooling anybody at all. Before Daphne could even refute that statement with a witty response, her phone rings. The caller I.D let her know that it was her older sister Marcella.

"Hold on a second, Arabella," She sighed feeling like this conversation was about to be an exhausting one. She nodded and took out her phone to text whoever she was texting before she arrived.

"Hello," Daphne greeted.

"Daphne, where are you? Mom and Sydney are pretty much tearing us a new one because you're not here yet," Marcella urgently informed.

"Huh? Why is she yelling at you guys for no reason?" Daphne asked in confusion. If there's one thing her mother does without hesitation, it's yell at you for pretty much no apparent reason. It's annoying when she does that because she finds any and every excuse to just be on your, or on Daphne's, case.

"Did you really forget what today was, Daphne?" She hissed lowly into the phone. A confused look formed on her face at that. She's pretty sure she had planned on just kicking it with Arabella all day. Any plans she was talking about were news to her, or she just wasn't paying attention at all.

"DAPHNE!" She yelled in her sister's ear. Quickly, she pulled the phone away from her ear with a wince. She really did not have to yell like that at all. This is why she didn't answer her calls half the time. She's just yelling or getting loud for no reason at all.

"Yes?" She asked placing it against her ear again.

"You're not even listening to me. This is why it's so hard to even talk to you," She ranted. Between her mother and Marcella, Daphne didn't know who got under her skin more. Oh that's right. Her mother did, but Marcella was a close second away from taking away her spot on the list of people who's calls she dreaded answering.

"If you're going to talk my ear off or just plain yell at me, then let me know so I can just hang up already. Other than that, just get to the point because right now I'm out with Arabella," She explained.

"No she didn't," Marcella mumbled, and then spoke, "Today is Sydney's dress fitting."

"Huh? I thought that was next weekend," She replied.

"Well maybe if you had answered to our messages in the group, then you would know that we moved it up to today since Sydney has to go to attend a gala next weekend with Fredrick," Marcella informed.

"If my memory serves me correctly, I informed you all that I had an interview to that week with this up and coming actress when you all planned on doing the dress fitting that week," She reminded her.

"And why couldn't you reschedule it?" Marcella asked. It took everything in her to not call her out her name. Reschedule an important interview that took months for her to even get because of that person's schedule is clinically insane for her to do.

"Marcella, as much as I want to be there for Sydney's dress fitting, I couldn't. I had to beg my editor to let me do this interview in the first place," She informed her.

"Well since your schedule is clear, come down to the dress shop," She said.

"I'm already out somewhere, Marcella," She replied.

"Out? Out where?" Her older sister asked.

"Umm....I'm in Brooklyn with Arabella right now," She answered.

"Brooklyn? Are you fucking kidding me? Why the hell are you in Brooklyn?" She snapped.

"Because I made plans to hang out with Arabella, and why am I explaining myself to you?" Daphne replied in a 'duh' tone of voice.

"Daphne, you have an hour tops to get here or so help me God," She hissed lowly. All she could do was just simply roll her eyes at her. She can make threats all she wants, but that still won't make her want to get there any faster.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there. Bye," She hung up the phone quickly before she could say anything else.

"What did she say?" Arabella inquired looking up form her phone.

"I have an hour to get to the bridal shop," She responded sipping her coffee again. Arabella cocked an eyebrow at her.

"And you're not rushing because?" She asked.

"Do you really think I'd rush for Sydney's dress fitting of all things?" She questioned. They both knew the obvious answer, which is no she wouldn't rush down there for her devil of a sister.

"No, but I'd expect you to rush because of that dragon of a mother of yours," Arabella answered. After a moment of contemplating what to do, she finally decided to stand up and pay. They left the café and headed to her car together.

"You do realize that you're coming with me, right?" She inquired. Daphne needed at least one person there to help keep her sane.

"If you guys go out after, will there be free food?" She asked. She looked at her with an expression that said "really" and sighed.

"Yes," She rolled her eyes. She cheered happily at this small victory of hers.

"But you are not eating the most expensive shit on the menu. My pockets are not deep enough for that shit," Daphne replied.

"Damn and I was so looking forward to some three-hundred dollar caviar imported from France," She sighed.

"You bougie ass bitch," Daphne laughed while she joined in.

When they arrived at the bridal shop, they walked in and went to the receptionist desk. She gave them her sister's name and was led to where her family was.

"Fredrick is loaded right?" Arabella softly whispered to her friend. She looked around at the large, upscale bridal shop that just screamed big bank.

"Mhm. My mom and Sydney hit the jackpot with him," Daphne answered. It was true that they did and those two bragged about it all day, every day to their socialite friends at the country club.

"I bet. This place just makes me feel self-conscious about myself," She said, "It baffles me how you of all people that came from money would prefer to live a simple life when you can just sit back on your ass and watch it grow."

She turned to give her a look at that statement. It was a little offensive to hear that, but it was true. Her family was loaded enough for her to sit back and do nothing for the rest of her life, but she didn't want to nor was she raised to even do that by her father. He was adamant on making sure her and her siblings worked hard for everything they had.

"Yeah well my dad didn't allow that kind of ish at all. He would rise from the grave and skin me alive if I dared to do that," She replied. She snickered.

"Damn. I forgot that your pops was a stickler for hard work," She smiled.

"Besides when you have so much money that you don't know what to do with it, you don't really feel the need to sit on your ass all day and just spend. You just go out and try to have as much fun as you can as any other person would," She explained.

"I can see why you would say that," Arabella nodded.

"Besides I feel your pain about this place, they always made me feel so judged whenever I walked into them," Daphne replied.

"I don't know why when you're gorgeous," Arabella said.

"Thanks," She smiled. It was nice for her to hear her friend compliment her, but it didn't exactly make her feel anything at all. It just made Daphne feel like that whole compliment was not true. Her insecurities kind of make it hard for her to even accept a genuine compliment because she didn't believe them as much as she should.

They finally made our appearance in front of Daphne's mother and sisters, Fredrick's mother, Fredrick's grandmother, his sister, and his two aunts as well. All eyes were on us two late comers who were dressed in mundane clothing while they all looked like they just stepped off a Paris runway. Daphne's mother's expression let her know that she was fuming. 

"Good afternoon, everyone," Daphne smiled. She knew it was best to just avoid her mother as best as she can.

"Hello, Daphne. How are you?" Fredrick's mother greeted with a smile. Fredrick's mother, Angela, was a breath of fresh air compared to her own. She was just so kind and sweet that she pretty much felt bad that we met under these circumstances.

"I'm doing fine. I wasn't informed that we were having the fitting today," She lied smoothly. Angela gave the woman a brief look of disbelief, but said nothing at all.

"Well it's a good thing you're here now. She's trying on some more dresses now," She informed her.

"Alright. Before I forget, this is my friend Arabella. She decided to tag along with me," Daphne said.

"Hello, Arabella," She greeted.

"Hello, Miss Angela," Arabella greeted back. From what Daphne has told Arabella, she instantly liked Miss Angela because of how nice she was to her friend compared to her own mother. Arabella and Daphne took their seats on the side where Fredrick's family were because she was not about to hear her mother's mouth or Marcella's at all.

Her other sister, Faith, caught her attention when no one noticed and scratched behind her ear. It was their secret code since we were kids to let the other know how much trouble they were in. A nose scratch was a little bit, a cheek scratch was moderate, and a behind the ear scratch was severe.

Moments later, Sydney came out in this gorgeous, dress that looked like it could pay someone's mortgage that confirmed to her figure nicely. It was a beautiful dress, but it seemed like she didn't approve of it at all. You know that saying, "champagne tastes with kool-aid money", well she has billionaire tastes with millionaire money. She just wants the most expensive shit in the world and their mother will bend over backwards and jump over many hoops to get it for her.

"Glad you could finally make it, Daphne," She said without looking at her sister. It took everything in Daphne not to call her out of her name too. A fake smile plastered onto her face.

"Me too. I wouldn't want to miss this for anything in the world," She responded. She looked at her with the same grade of fake in her smile.

"How considerate of you to be here for me, you know the one who's getting married," She said.

"I've said it once and I'll say it again, congrats on finally being the ball and chain to Fredrick. I'm sure you two will be very happy together," She responded.

"Thank you again, Daphne. I'm hopeful that the day will come when you are finally able to get married, but let's not hold our breath on that," Sydney chuckled.

"How nice of you to say that, but I'm pretty sure that men like Fredrick are one in a million thing, unless you know where to look and I'm sure you were looking hard for someone like him in the local country club," Daphne giggled. Arabella turned to the side to snicker into her hand at the comeback while Faith sipped loudly on the complimentary champagne as she looked between the two of us.

The tension in the room was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Fredrick's aunt's were looking at the two sisters with amused expressions while his grandmother was shocked. As for his mom, she laughed into her hand.

"Daphne, a word," Her mother clenched her teeth. She stood up and stormed out of the room. The entire interaction was worth getting yelled at and she did not regret it one bit.