(inspired indirectly my MaryPear's recent branch)
When Jon got home from school that day, his mother Linda was pacing the living room.
"Is everything alright?" the boy asked.
"It's fine," Linda gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's just Freddy's birthday party this weekend." Freddy was a good friend of Jon's younger brother, Mikey. "His mom wants all the moms to have some kind of session while the kids are running around. I think it's for an MLM, but whatever. The problem is that Susan really looks down her nose at people for their choice of cup."
"Like, for water?" Jon wasn't putting two and two together.
Linda sighed. "You wouldn't get it, it's a girl thing. When I was Mikey's age it was the same way, but with dolls. All of my friends had these really expensive American Girl dolls, where they have these fancy accessories that cost as much as real-person clothes. And grandma always thought it was a waste of money, so I never got one. But my friends all judged me for it. When I'm with Susan and the other moms, sometimes it feels the same way." She slumped down onto the sofa. "I don't want to waste money on their little status symbols, but at the same time, it's not fun to be left out of their little games."
"And you need a cup? Can't you bring one from the kitchen?" Jon sat down next to his mom.
"It's a whole thing. I need a specific insulated water cup, from a specific company, or else I'm not worth anything in their eyes. You've seen them, they have a logo of a lion on them? The company is called Stanley."
Jon furrowed his brow. "I think that sounds familiar."
"And today I just made the decision, I'd get one for the party. I don't want to. It's a waste of money. But it will just make things easier. But they're all sold out!" Linda's hands grasped at air in empty frustration. "None at Target, none at Wal-Mart. I even checked the thrift store to see if there were any second-hand. None! Now it feels like I've given in mentally, but I don't even get a reward for it."
"That sounds rough," Jon put his hand on his mom's shoulder. "I wish you could get a Stanley cup, mom."
Neither of them noticed the brief flash of light.
