Part III
I realize I haven't let my mother know I've arrived safely at Dev's house so I excuse myself and hunt down my purse. I find it where Devin has thrown it along with my coat on a huge pile in the living room.
I text Mommy, then return to the kitchen with my bag.
"That's a pretty purse you have," says Eve.
"Oh. Thanks.” I add, "it's one of my favs" just to make small talk.
"Let me see," interjects Earl's mom. She's settled into a seat with her big red cup too. I pull it from lap and hold it up above the table so she can see from her vantage point across from me.
"That is pretty. How much you spend on that?"
"Oh, um..." As a rule, I don't discuss what I spend. I get what I like and can afford whether it's $2, $200, or $2000. "It wasn't that much," I offer, sidestepping the question.
"300?"
"Uh... no."
"More or less?"
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