gift certificates to the whole foods store.”
Bar sighed. “McDonald’s and Burger King gave us coupons. The people at the health food store gave us a twenty-dollar contribution, and they grumbled about that.”
“I suppose their profit margin is slim,” said Tina.
“I happen to know the owner, Inez, spent two weeks at Canyon Ranch last winter,” replied Bar. “Do you have any idea how expensive that is?”
Tina decided to change the subject. “And we have live entertainment—the Claws are going to play—and no kid is going to want to miss it. I know my daughter, Heather, is really excited about going.”
“My daughter, too,” said Bar, turning to Lucy. “This will be Ashley’s third prom. She’s had a date every year since she was a freshman.”
“My daughter Sara is going, too. She’s only a freshmen, but Chad Mackenzie asked her,” said Lucy, unable to resist the temptation of bragging about her daughter’s popularity.
Both women turned and fixed Lucy in their sights.
“Chad Mackenzie?” asked Tina, narrowing her eyes.
“I thought Chad was taking Ashley,” said Bar, twitching her trigger finger. “I mean, I just assumed it when he broke up with Heather.”
“Since when did they break up?” demanded Tina. “Heather never said a word about it. It was my understanding he was taking her.”
Lucy was beginning to realize she’d made a big mistake and wished she could take back her boast. “Maybe he has three dates,” she said, trying to make a joke.
“I don’t think so,” said Bar, speaking between clenched teeth. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“It means Heather is not going to be prom queen,” said Tina, her voice bitter with disappointment.
“And neither is Ashley,” said Bar, looking stunned.
“They’re both lovely,” protested Lucy. “They have a better chance than most of the girls.”
“Not anymore,” said Bar. “Chad will definitely be king.”
“He’s the most popular boy in the school,” agreed Tina. “And chances are that his date will be queen.”
Lucy was stunned. Sara? Prom queen? She was hardly able to wrap her mind around the idea when Bar pounced. “I’m sure you’ll want to share in her triumph,” she said, wrenching her mouth into something between a smile and a grimace. “Don’t you want to see her in her crown?”
“I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourselves here. Besides, parents don’t go to the prom,” said Lucy.
You could almost see the wheels turning in Tina’s head. “But you could come to the after-prom party. We need lots of parent volunteers to help out.”
“I guess I can help,” said Lucy, thinking it would be worth losing a night’s sleep to see Sara reign as prom queen.
“Oh, good,” said Bar, making a note. “I’ll just put you down as head of the recruitment subcommittee. I know we can count on you to deliver at least four volunteers.”
“Uh, I wasn’t…,” began Lucy, shaking her head.
“I know you’ll do a great job,” said Tina, smiling brightly. “Another mochaccino?”
Lucy declined, dropping her notebook into her bag and standing up. She felt as if she’d had a narrow escape and wanted to get out while she still could.
That night, Lucy and Sara went to the Galleria to look at prom dresses. As they drove along the interstate, Lucy was tempted to ask Sara about the laxatives and diet pills Zoe had reported seeing, but decided against it. This was supposed to be a happy mother-daughter experience, and she didn’t want to spoil it. And besides, she’d seen no sign that Sara was using them.
“We don’t have to make a final decision tonight,” said Lucy, excited to see what the store was offering. “Let’s just see what’s available, what looks good.”
“Okay,” agreed Sara. “How much can I spend?”
“I saw some nice dresses advertised in the paper for under a hundred dollars.”
“Probably a come-on,” grumbled Sara. “I want to look good.
Bar sighed. “McDonald’s and Burger King gave us coupons. The people at the health food store gave us a twenty-dollar contribution, and they grumbled about that.”
“I suppose their profit margin is slim,” said Tina.
“I happen to know the owner, Inez, spent two weeks at Canyon Ranch last winter,” replied Bar. “Do you have any idea how expensive that is?”
Tina decided to change the subject. “And we have live entertainment—the Claws are going to play—and no kid is going to want to miss it. I know my daughter, Heather, is really excited about going.”
“My daughter, too,” said Bar, turning to Lucy. “This will be Ashley’s third prom. She’s had a date every year since she was a freshman.”
“My daughter Sara is going, too. She’s only a freshmen, but Chad Mackenzie asked her,” said Lucy, unable to resist the temptation of bragging about her daughter’s popularity.
Both women turned and fixed Lucy in their sights.
“Chad Mackenzie?” asked Tina, narrowing her eyes.
“I thought Chad was taking Ashley,” said Bar, twitching her trigger finger. “I mean, I just assumed it when he broke up with Heather.”
“Since when did they break up?” demanded Tina. “Heather never said a word about it. It was my understanding he was taking her.”
Lucy was beginning to realize she’d made a big mistake and wished she could take back her boast. “Maybe he has three dates,” she said, trying to make a joke.
“I don’t think so,” said Bar, speaking between clenched teeth. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
“It means Heather is not going to be prom queen,” said Tina, her voice bitter with disappointment.
“And neither is Ashley,” said Bar, looking stunned.
“They’re both lovely,” protested Lucy. “They have a better chance than most of the girls.”
“Not anymore,” said Bar. “Chad will definitely be king.”
“He’s the most popular boy in the school,” agreed Tina. “And chances are that his date will be queen.”
Lucy was stunned. Sara? Prom queen? She was hardly able to wrap her mind around the idea when Bar pounced. “I’m sure you’ll want to share in her triumph,” she said, wrenching her mouth into something between a smile and a grimace. “Don’t you want to see her in her crown?”
“I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourselves here. Besides, parents don’t go to the prom,” said Lucy.
You could almost see the wheels turning in Tina’s head. “But you could come to the after-prom party. We need lots of parent volunteers to help out.”
“I guess I can help,” said Lucy, thinking it would be worth losing a night’s sleep to see Sara reign as prom queen.
“Oh, good,” said Bar, making a note. “I’ll just put you down as head of the recruitment subcommittee. I know we can count on you to deliver at least four volunteers.”
“Uh, I wasn’t…,” began Lucy, shaking her head.
“I know you’ll do a great job,” said Tina, smiling brightly. “Another mochaccino?”
Lucy declined, dropping her notebook into her bag and standing up. She felt as if she’d had a narrow escape and wanted to get out while she still could.
That night, Lucy and Sara went to the Galleria to look at prom dresses. As they drove along the interstate, Lucy was tempted to ask Sara about the laxatives and diet pills Zoe had reported seeing, but decided against it. This was supposed to be a happy mother-daughter experience, and she didn’t want to spoil it. And besides, she’d seen no sign that Sara was using them.
“We don’t have to make a final decision tonight,” said Lucy, excited to see what the store was offering. “Let’s just see what’s available, what looks good.”
“Okay,” agreed Sara. “How much can I spend?”
“I saw some nice dresses advertised in the paper for under a hundred dollars.”
“Probably a come-on,” grumbled Sara. “I want to look good.
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