‘So you put your sister up to this?’
Sloane has just returned from seeing her sisters off to the airport for their flight home when her mother rang. She was half expecting this. Serena and Beatrix are up in the air, Bella must’ve just dropped the bomb and so she is the next best person for her mother to take her anger out on. How does she always get so lucky?
‘Hello mother. How are you? I am well, thanks for asking.’
‘Now is not the time to be a smart mouth with me Sloane.’
‘What was your question?’
‘Your sister got married.’
‘Which one?’
‘Don’t.’
Briar’s tone is such that Sloane should heed but she has never known when to call it with her mother.
‘If it’s any consolation to you, I met her husband.’
‘And?’
‘And?’
‘Do not test my patience Sloane you are working my last nerve.’
‘Why are you taking this up with me? I’m not the one who got married in secret.’
‘But you’re who is most influential when it comes to your sisters. I don’t know how my youngest child became the lead troublemaker but here we are.’
‘Contrary to popular belief mom, I am not a troublemaker we just don’t see eye to eye and that is a healthy relationship as far as I’m concerned. Besides, why are you acting as if she killed someone? She got married, they love each other. Isn’t that a good thing?’
‘It figures, you would be the one to cosign this nonsense.’
‘I didn’t cosign anything, she got married and you have to get over it. You calling to rant when I haven’t done anything wrong is redundant. You were at my wedding. Daddy gave me away, I believe I toed your line of propriety. I had nothing to do with Bella and her decision to get married the way she did.’
‘But you are going to tell her to undo it.’
‘I will not. She is happy I am not messing with her happiness. And I hate to break it to you mother, she is a grown woman who can do whatever she wants.’ Thank you Beyonce for such a great line.
‘Sloane Yaya Rhodes you will talk to your sister and make her see sense. You will tell her to get this marriage annulled.’
The dreaded middle name drop, and her mother has the perfect tone to make it have the desired impact. She is named Yaya after her Senegalese Grandmother.
‘I will do no such thing. Furthermore, we are planning a ceremony and you’ll all be there for it.’
‘I will not take part in this foolishness.’
‘Oh well then, it’s your loss mother.’
Briar never wanted to ring her daughter’s neck so bad. Sloane knows what buttons to press, just how to get her riled up. ‘You would say that wouldn’t you. You who have no consideration for anyone or anything but your feelings. You are so selfish and-’
‘I’m selfish!’
‘Yes. You. Are.’
‘I was the one who flew out there to see her and the man she married, I left my life and my husband in New York, and flew out to Provence to talk her off a cliff. I was the one who was ambushed by your two other daughters because everyone is up in arms about Bella getting married and you’re calling me selfish? No wonder she didn’t want any of us there. I’m not the one who got married, call Bella and take it up with her.’ Sloane hangs up the phone on her mother.