Meanwhile, not too far away, another pair of relatives, also both women, were holding a discussion. However, this discussion was a bit more heated.

“Angela, I spent years working hard just to provide for you and your older brother and sister, trying to be a good mother to you, and yet you refuse to do one small thing that will make me happy. Why?” her mother cried out.

“Do you want to know the truth, Mother?” Angela snapped. “I’m embarrassed by both of you.”

“Why on Earth would you be embarrassed?”


“It’s not normal,” Angela whined.

“Just because something isn’t done by the majority of the population doesn’t always make something abnormal,” Edna Paxton replied, trying not to lose her temper any further than she had already.

“Mother… oh… why did you have to leave Father for that person?”

“I didn’t leave your dad for anyone, honey. We had a mutual agreement that things weren’t working out for us, and I met Jill a year later.”

“See? Not normal.”

“Angela, you are acting like a child. Now, I need to go to work, and when I get back, you and I and Jill are going to go eat at a restaurant. You hear?”

“Yes, Mother,” Angela agreed, rolling her eyes.

“Now, take care.” Edna walked out of the house and dialed a number on her cell phone as she headed to her car. “Walt? Yeah, it’s me. Our daughter is still taking things badly. I just don’t know why she acts the way she does. Maybe she thinks that if she acts the total opposite of me, she won’t end up like me?”

Angela glared out the window, watching her mother drive away. “Gosh, I hope I never end up like her,” she murmured, smoothing her dress down. She sighed. “Well, it’s nine o’clock. Time to head over to the Stanton home. At least that family is normal, at least in terms of family members. They do act terribly unconventional though. Oh goodness, yes…”



“Angela, it’s good to have you back,” Mrs. Stanton greeted Angela. With her red hair and teenager-like fashion sense, she was quite a striking foil to Angela’s mother. “Dee’s out back, playing with Michaela. They’ll mostly be coming in for food and drinks, so it should be an easy day for you. Help yourself to anything you want-- remember, mi casa es tu casa.” She squeezed Angela’s shoulder affectionately. “And remember, if you need me to come by for any reason, you know the numbers.”

Angela nodded and watched Mrs. Stanton walk out of the house. She’s nice. Kind of odd, I suppose, but nice, Angela thought. A shrill burst of laughter from the backyard brought Angela back to her senses. Time to go deal with the unladylike kids, she thought.



“He’s so cute!” the petite girl with reddish-brown hair squealed.

“Seriously. I mean, with that blonde hair and tan,” Michaela agreed.

The two kids stopped in their discussion of their male classmates when they realized Angela was listening.


“Please, do go on,” Angela said dryly. “It’s so very encouraging to see two young children like yourselves acting in such a horribly unladylike manner.”

Michaela and Delilah raised their eyebrows and glanced at each other.


“What is she talking about?” Michaela whispered.

“I think she means we shouldn't talk about hot guys.”

“Oh.”

Angela sighed. “Delilah, I must warn you, as the adult here, that if you continue to act in such a manner, you’ll end up living up to your name. Do you really want to have a future filled with drug use and one-night stands and going from job to job?”

Delilah tilted her head, confused. Finally, she said, “I’m eight. I’ll worry about those things when I need to.”

Angela sighed. “As you wish. I see there is no changing you.” She turned on her heel and walked back into the house.

Michaela and Delilah sat silently for a few seconds, and then Delilah asked, “MJ, what’s a ‘one-night stand’?”

Michaela thought. “I think it’s a type of furniture. Mom said she has a nightstand in her bedroom.”

“Oh. That’s what I thought. So anyways, about that new guy with the blonde hair and tan…”