“What would you do in Aspen that you couldn’t do here?” Tina asked, her voice betraying some irritation.

“We don’t ski, Ang,” Bette reminded their daughter gently. “You wouldn’t enjoy it.”

“That’s not the point! I want to be like all my other friends,” Angelica said, poking her food with her fork. “I’ve never even been on a private jet!”

Tina chortled at this and covered her mouth with her hand.

“What’s so funny?”

“Dear child, even I haven’t been on a private jet, and I actually have had a reason to be. Now stop talking nonsense and eat your dinner.”

“But Mom,” Angie wheedled.

Tina set her fork down and just looked at Angelica until the girl began to eat, after heaving one long, put-upon sigh.

***

Later on, as they were getting ready for bed, Tina was standing in front of the mirror applying cream under her eyes as Bette climbed under the covers, Tina brought up the dinner conversation again.

“I can’t believe how spoiled Angelica is getting these days. Those friends of hers at school sound like a bunch of stuck-up snobs.”

“She just wants to fit in,” Bette said, trying to be reasonable.

“She’s eight! We’ve never raised her to be so materialistic. Granted, there were times we spoiled her a little but nothing like what she’s talking about,” Tina said, moving on from eye cream to hand cream. She vigorously rubbed her hands together. “I told you about that school. I wanted to send her to a good public school, but you wouldn’t have it.”

“T, don’t start that again. It’s for the best, trust me. Getting Angie a first-class education will always be my biggest priority.”

“Well, making sure she’s a well-rounded person is mine. That school and her friends are creating unrealistic expectations for a lifestyle that, frankly, we can’t afford.”

“Come on, we’re fine. We might not be jetting off to Aspen any time soon –”

“Or ever,” Tina snorted, padding over to the bed and getting under the covers.