Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev Skip Family Dinner Amid Tension With Her Mom and Brother

By Allison Crist Apr 23, 2020 1:15 PMTags
Watch: Nikki Bella Skips Family Dinner After Feeling Judged

A tale of two dinners. 

In this preview clip of tonight's all-new Total Bellas, Nikki Bella and Artem Chigvintsev are notably missing as Brie Bella, the twins' brother JJ Garcia and mom Kathy Colace all prepare for a big family dinner. 

It turns out the couple will be eating dinner, but just with one another—something Nikki apparently forgot to tell anybody. And when Brie calls her trying to figure out where she is, Nikki's casual, unbothered attitude seems to indicate that the last-minute change of plans is meant to send a message (or two). One of these is likely meant for JJ, who recently accused Nikki of "favoring" Brie and Daniel Bryan's child, Birdie, over his own two daughters. 

"To tell you the truth, I actually don't know who to play with or if I give Birdie attention at their house," Nikki tells Brie over the phone. "I don't know if I'm gonna get put in time-out or scolded. So."

Nikki's also upset with her mom, who wants everyone to pose for a family portrait, except for Artem.

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"This is my birthday present. My family together in a family photo," Kathy says earlier in the episode. "And he isn't family yet."

Nikki obviously opposed the exclusion from the moment her mother brought it up. 

"Here my mom doesn't want Artem involved in the family photo and wants to make it all awkward," she explains in a confessional. "And then my brother wants to judge me and say that I favor Birdie over his daughters and give me a hard time about not showing up to places. It's like, why would I want to be around my family right now?" 

See more of what's set to go down ahead of tonight's Total Bellas in the above clip!

Total Bellas returns this fall, only on E!

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