“You know, I let my daughter hang around with Will against my better judgment. He seemed like a polite, hardworking boy. Nothing like his brother, who—and I know that you don’t want to hear this—was trouble from the start. I heard about his arrest for dealing marijuana last year. But I can see now that I made a mistake, and I take responsibility for that. You want to be open-minded, but when it comes to your children, you can’t be too careful. Research shows that who teenagers hang out with can have a bigger impact on their futures than their grades.”

Linda couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Will is going to Princeton,” she said. “I can’t believe you’re saying he’s a bad influence. But while we’re on the subject of who our kids are hanging out with, you, Kim, seem only too happy to let June hang out with Hunter Finch. There’s no trouble Will or Trip have gotten into that Hunter hasn’t done or worse. But I suppose it’s okay because his family has money and his father plays golf at your club. Is that right? You’re a hypocrite, and if you think you’re going to pin this whole thing on my sons, you’d better think again!” Without realizing it, her voice had grown louder and louder until she was yelling. There wasn’t a single person in the produce section who wasn’t staring at them now.

Kim stepped back, her hand on her chest, as if Linda had lunged at her. “Ask your sons,” Kim said, as she turned on her heel and began to walk away. “You seem to be the last person around here to know what’s going on.”