From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )

Adah bubbled over with excitement. "I have never seen this Ann you keep yapping about, but I can bet my bottom dollar that Annie knocks Ann out of the park any day!"

"Poppycock!" Karen scowled, her brows knitting together in disapproval. "No matter how striking Annie might be, she's got nothing on my Ann! Ann is the belle of the ball, the talk of the town, and the queen bee! She's the girl that makes heads turn and hearts flutter!"

In Karen's eyes, Anthea was the epitome of beauty, the perfect ten.

Dare anyone say Anthea wasn't a knockout, and they'd have Karen to answer to, even if it were her daughter-in-law!

"Karen, don't you think you're laying it on a bit thick?" Adah couldn't fathom anyone more ravishing than Anthea. "Annie's drop-dead gorgeous, and you're saying she can't hold a candle to a plain Jane?"

Karen was blowing her trumpet way too loud.

"How dare you?" Karen's hands shot to her hips. "Who're you calling a plain Jane?"

Unfazed, Adah retorted, "Well, you're always going on about Carlotta being a fish out of water. What's the deal? Is it one rule for you and another for everyone else?"

Karen choked on her words, her cheeks puffing up with anger as she pointed at Adah. "Ann is not a plain Jane! You should watch your mouth!"

Adah raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with sarcasm, "Funny, you make it sound like she’s the most beautiful girl in the world."

Karen stood there, stumped. She'd never lost a verbal duel before, and at the moment, she'd talked herself into a corner!

What an embarrassment!

"I don't care what you say! Ann is the belle of the ball, and there's no denying it. Your Annie can't even compare to my Ann!" Climbing onto the coffee table, Karen locked eyes with Adah.

She might be petite, but her spirit was as tall as a skyscraper!

If the coffee table didn't give her enough height, she'd scale the ceiling if she had to! ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Adah mirrored Karen's stance, hands on hips, taunting, "A plain Ann trying to match up to my Annie? She's not even on par with Annie!"

"You're making stuff up, grasping at straws, fantasizing, fabricating, speechless, hopeless! There's something wrong upstairs, and it's never-ending!" Karen's face turned crimson as she ranted without pausing for breath, "My Ann is the belle of the ball! Your so-called Annie can't even measure up to Ann, not a little bit!"

Adah's eyebrow twitched, a sly idea forming. "How about we invite them over and settle this once and for all? Let's see who's the real beauty." She'd heard so much about this Ann and was dying of curiosity.

Karen nodded, "Fine! We'll have Sherman be the judge."

"When should we invite them?" Adah pressed.

Karen thought for a moment. "Ann's booked this week. I'll set it up for next."

At that moment, Sherman walked in from outside, shrugging off his black coat and handing it to a servant. "Mom, Grandma, why does it feel like a battlefield in here?"

"We're discussing your future wife!" Karen snapped back. "Your mom insists she's not as pretty as that Annie or whatever! We will bring her home next week and have you play judge!"

Sherman's refusal died on his lips as Karen turned to him, her voice sharp. "If you dare say no, I'll knock some sense into you with a good smack! I swear it."

"Grandma, I've told you I'm not looking to settle down. Please stop dragging other ladies' names through the mud," Sherman said sternly.

Karen eyed him with a mischievous grin.

Refusing to marry, eh? Fine!

She would ensure her blockhead of a grandson learned the hard way that pride came before a fall.

Feeling Karen's gaze crawling over him, Sherman stood up from the couch. "I'm heading to my room."

Soon after, the song "Amazing Grace" echoed down from upstairs.

...

Sunday rolled around, and Anthea had plans with Lizzie and Tanya to catch a movie that afternoon.

The trio met up at the planned spot.

"I've got our tickets," Anthea announced. "We can head straight in."

"I'll get the popcorn," said Lizzie, "Any other munchies you guys want?"

"A Coke on ice for me," Tanya requested.

Anthea gave it a moment's thought. "And some chips, plus an iced Coke for me, too."

Lizzie nodded and headed for the snacks.

But as she reached the counter, she spotted a familiar figure. It was her dad, Malcolm.

He seemed to be waiting for someone.

Lizzie lingered nearby, and she saw the middle-aged woman soon. It was the homewrecker.

Hadn't Malcolm promised to cut ties with her?