"You never offer to help clean up, Mother. What do you want?" Angela asked as they began taking the plates off the table.
"Angela, I'm surprised at you, thinking I'm only helping out because I want something!"
"You mean you really don't have an ulterior motive?" asked Angela, genuinely surprised.
"Oh, no, I do!" Mona replied. "I'm just surprised you picked up on it!"
Angela sighed. "Ok, Mother, how much money do you need?"
"None," Mona said. "Actually, it's more like I need a favor."
"What do you need?"
"Well, it's not so much my favor as it is Samantha's," Mona said.
"What do you mean?" Angela asked.
"It seems Samantha's teacher has asked her class to write about their mothers, and then the mothers are coming to school to hear them read their essays," Mona explained.
"And Sam wants me to be there?" Angela asked. "Oh, that's so sweet! I'd love to! When is it?"
"Next Friday afternoon, around 1."
"Oh, no! I can't do that. I have a meeting with a client next Friday afternoon. I'd cancel it, but we really need this account," Angela said.
"Oh, Angela, can't you put work aside for one afternoon? To make a little girl very happy?" Mona asked.
"Mother, if I rearranged my schedule for every activity that the kids were involved in, I'd never get any work done. I love Sam, but I can't just let Wallace and McQuade lose a 50,000 account," Angela reasoned. "I guess I'd better go tell her I can't make it," Angela said with a sigh, as she left the kitchen.
In the living room, Angela found Sam sitting on the couch doing homework. "Sam, honey," Angela said, trying to get her attention.
"Yeah, Angela?" Sam replied, not taking her eyes off her textbook.
"Mother's just told me about your school project. It sounds really wonderful."
"Thanks!" Sam said, now turning her attention to Angela. "I'm going to start writing my essay tonight."
"I'd love to read it, when you've finished it," Angela said.
Sam shook her head. "It's supposed to be a surprise. You'll just have to wait and hear it next week with all the other parents."
"Well, I think maybe you'd better let me read it," Angela said gently.
"What are you saying?" asked Sam nervously.
"I have a big business meeting with a major client next Friday afternoon. It doesn't look like I can come," Angela said.
"Oh," said Sam. "Well, OK, then. If you have to work, you have to work."
"You're sure you're OK with this?" Angela asked.
"Yeah," said Sam, looking down at the floor. "I think I'll go finish working up in my room." With that, Sam took her books and went upstairs.
As she watched Sam leave the room, Angela didn't know quite what to think. Just then, Mona returned from the kitchen. "Well, did you tell her?" Angela nodded. "How did she take it?"
"Pretty well, I guess. She said she understood," Angela replied.
"That's good. At least she didn't get too upset," Mona said reassuringly.
"Yeah, but, I don't know. Something about her behavior seemed odd," Angela said.
"Angela, she's almost a teenager. She's not supposed to make sense!" Mona said.
