Mother-in-law: julie, aka “Honey” (51), Hairdresser

Daughter-in-law: Carobi (26), Leasing Consultant

Son: Maxwell (24), Barber

location: orlando, florida

princess of the pecking order

Carobi is a fiery, outspoken, and fierce young woman who has earned (and continues to fight) to maintain her role as number one with her mother-in-law, “Honey.” Much like Trudy in Steel Magnolias, “Honey” is a fun, fabulous, and gossip-obsessed hairstylist who can’t help but be the center of attention in her family. Honey has multiple children (Four boys: Sam, Chad, Christian and Max) and those children have their significant other’s. Carobi will be the first to remind any of the other girlfriends or wives that she is number one in Honey’s eyes!  After Max’s, older brother and his wife divorced, Carobi was fast acting to fill the role of Honey’s right-hand woman claiming her seniority with any newcomer to the family.

Carobi and Honey absolutely love an old-fashioned, gossip filled, girl’s sleepover kicking Max to the curb! Whenever there are sleepovers with Carobi and Honey, it’s an unspoken rule that Max is forfeiting his side of the bed despite them having a 4-bedroom house. Carobi has also been known to sniff and smell her mother-in-law, remarking on her soft and sweet scent! The sleepovers are a special tradition that Carobi is prepared to gate keep from any other in-law. Carobi and Honey are very much alike. They’re both self-proclaimed spoiled princesses, unfiltered, bossy, they both command respect and attention and they don’t settle or back down. While they are very close, they are so alike that their similarities turn to fights just as quickly. It’s not uncommon to see these two powerful ladies hash it out!

People are surprised to learn that Carobi’s best friend since childhood (Kiara) is dating her husband’s brother, (Christian.) That’s right, we have two best friends in serious relationships with two brothers! Talk about closeness and drama. That means that there are two daughters-in-law vying and jockeying for Honey’s attention and love. Honey is split, and has a hard time playing favorites. Can she really show favoritism? Or is Carobi really the apple of her eye? Either way, Carobi is obsessed with Honey and Kiara wants to charm her way into the family and be in the good grace’s of matriarch Honey. If there’s an issue between family members, they will discuss and work through it for hours. Honey says that she doesn’t have a lot of friends and that her family are her friends. Recently, one of Honey’s friends from childhood ended their friendship after stating she wasn’t getting enough energy from her!

While Carobi is close with her mother, her relationship with Honey has proved to be a problematic factor with her biological mom as it has highlighted where their issues lie. Honey embraces Carobi as “perfect”, while her mother has made comments about weight gain.

Honey and Carobi will do just about everything together. They’ve even celebrated Carobi and Max’s anniversary together! Their level of comfortability with one another allows for conversations that Carobi doesn’t feel comfortable speaking to her own mother about. Carobi and Max’s sex life was going through a rough patch and who did Carobi go to for sex advice? You guessed it, Honey. Carobi expressed how she needed Max to be more assertive in the bedroom and was able to gain some advice from his mother. However, the discussions aren’t one sided. Honey will find herself going to Carobi for sex advice as well!

With Carobi and Max’s wedding in the not so far distant future, wedding planning has begun to take hold. Having so many big and fabulous personalities with the women in this family, the opportunities are ripe for clashing opinions. Especially when it comes to the already existing dynamic of Carobi’s biological mother feeling out of the loop. This has already begun when Carobi’s mom discovered that Honey was heavily involved in some of the arrangements that she was completely in the dark about. The awkwardness was palpable. Carobi isn’t shy for a second to express what she wants, and with both her and Honey describing themselves as “spoiled brats” adding a glam wedding to the mix can only unfold in a loud and unapologetic way. What will the future hold for pulling off Carobi’s dream wedding with Max?