Chapter 4

Ashley reached over the table to grab a piece of Alice’s strawberries. She smiled when she got the reaction she wanted.

“Ash, I am going to kick your ass.”

“Uh huh. Al you can try, but I can assure you that you will be unsuccessful.”

“Oh my God, you are your mother’s daughter.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. She hated being compared to her mother. Her mother was stuck up, pretentious, and OCD. She didn’t want to be compared to any of those characteristics. There were characteristics about her mother that she did love though. Such as she was beyond gorgeous, smart, hard-working, and loving. Ashley had never known another parent besides her mother, but that was perfectly okay with her. It’d always been her and her mother. It was comfortable like that. Of course they had their occasional disagreements, but Ashley knew she had her mother wrapped around her finger. Ashley was ripped from her thoughts when she felt Alice push on her shoulders to watch her get a rise out of her mother.

“So Bette, how’s the gallery going?”

“Really good, why?”

“Can’t I just ask and see how life is treating you?”

“Sure you can, but usually that’s never the end of it.”

“Of course it’s not. How’s your personal life?”

“Well Ashley and I have been having a disagreement about something, but other than that we’ve been doing okay.”

Alice shook her head.

“You know perfectly well that’s not what I am talking about.”

“Alice drop it.”

“Drop what?”

Bette rolled her eyes. Ashley smiled to herself. Alice always had her mind in the gutter, why should today be any different?

“I know exactly where this is going and I’m not answering.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. She didn’t want to hear about her mother’s sex life. She tapped on Alice’s arm telling her to give it a rest. Alice shot her daggers with her eyes. Bette giggled.

“You know Al, it’s pretty bad when my 16 year old daughter know when it’s enough and you can’t.”

Alice sighed.

“So Aunt Al, guess what?!”

“What spawn of satin?”

“I am not the spawn of satin, and if you weren’t so mean I’d tell you, but whatever.”

“Fine whatever. Your not.”

Alice rolled her eyes. Ashley immediately sat up excitedly.

“Ayden asked me to go to the Paramour concert, but the mother from hell over there won’t let me go.”

“Ashley watch you language. I am not all that bad. And I told you to drop it!”

Alice looked from Bette to Ashley.

“Well why don’t Dana and I take you?”