MAYA

dinner

ONE

MAYA WANTED new clothes. She wanted so much, but asked only for a fraction of it. The fraction was still enough. Enough to make her parents frown at her demands.

"She wants to buy a bag for eight hundred pounds," her mother complained, aiming her statement towards Maya's father. "When I was your age, I didn't have a bag that cost that much."

"But it's my money!" Maya argued. "I worked for it, so therefore I should be able to spend it however I want."

"Think about it, Maya." Her father said, speaking up. "Do you really want to spend it all on a bag?"

Did she?

"No," Maya mumbled. "Maybe I don't."

She could spend her money on other things.

"Dad," Maya said. "Can we go shopping on Tuesday then, instead?"

He glanced at her over his phone, before nodding slowly, "Okay."

"I want to buy a new jacket," she said. "I'll pay half of it."

He nodded once again.

Then, his phone rang.

"I have a telephone meeting now," he said, smiling slightly. "I made the food, so maybe you kids could tidy up?"

"Okay," her little sister said, looking up from her phone for a second before looking back down.

Maya frowned at her, "Don't use your phone during dinner. And chew with your mouth closed!"

"But Dad uses his phone." Her little sister said.

"That's different," Maya mumbled. "Very different."

With a sigh, Lily straightened her back and her manners improved.

Maya wanted perfection. Perfection was what she liked.