But Abigail and George, being older, wiser, and much less convinced about the New World Order, knew that the hard choices about money and parenthood and doing work you believed in versus work that made a decent living were right around the corner for their kids, not decades away. Economic reality came at you fast and it was exhausting. What seemed like a good idea at thirty was a terrible reality at forty and an unsustainable trap at fifty. But the couple held their tongues because they believed there was a time and a place for a conversation like this and it was not while stuck in traffic on the Whitestone Bridge.

George extended an olive branch. “We believe in work, too, son. What can we do to be helpful?”

This trip was Penny’s idea, Abigail mouthed at George. It was costing them a small fortune in airfare, fresh hair highlights, a few new wardrobe items, and one Hydrafacial because she needed to look her best when she met the Merry Widows, whom she’d heard so much about. She’d even been suspicious about the offer to stay at Ming’s house, until she looked at the hotel situation in Montecito and realized that the only available rooms were the ones she could never afford. When the offer to stay with Ming was extended, Abigail was relieved and then paranoid. Did Alexa suspect that their financial situation was so dire?

Now Chase was insinuating that Penny needed to work because he had no family money. That was what he was implying, wasn’t it? And what was it with this new generation of men and their “equal partnership” stance? The minute Penny gave birth, the scale would tip in one direction for the next eighteen years. He’d flee public service for a private company paycheck minutes after the baby arrived. Did he know the cost of day care?

Chase ticked off his notes like he was debriefing an advance team. “Penny has sent you all the details on the venues for the wedding and the rehearsal dinner and the schedule for the site visits. Madison the wedding planner will pick you up on Saturday morning. Of course Penny has looped in her own mother so you’re not in charge of anything, but just another set of eyes. Also, she wanted me to make sure and let you know that because our family is hosting the rehearsal dinner, anywhere you choose is fine with her.”

Abigail rolled her eyes and muted the phone so she could say to George, “I don’t believe that ‘anywhere we choose’ is fine with her.”

Wisely, he didn’t respond. She unmuted.