You can have them if you can get them here

Alex has been going with Danielle to mother's help at Craig's and she met a girl her age nearby. During the week she asked if she could invite the girl over for Sunday. I said sure. This was one of the biggest things we were looking forward to about getting away from Aunt Elaine. On Thursday I asked Alex if the girl was coming, she said no. Friday? Same question, same answer.

I told Al that people make like, plans. That she needed to get on it, otherwise the girl might be busy. That is when Alex burst into tears and told me she didn't know how. To ask a friend over. I sort of had forgotten she never had before. So Danielle and I sat back to back in front of Alex and had pretend phone conversations where we invited each other over. Then we invited Alex over. Then we had Alex invite us over. I told her to call the girl Saturday morning.

Saturday Alex called me at work. "Gemma's mom wants to know if a parent will be home." So obviously I told her to say no. Alex called me back. "Gemma's mom wants to know if you'll be home." No. "She wants to know if an adult will be there."

These girls are going into eighth grade! They are old enough to babysit! Why on earth would they need an adult to supervise? What, are they going to get into a fight about their Polly Pockets or something? I mean come on! They're going to sit around watching movies, playing online, eating and like looking at cute boys in magazines or something. That's fun to do but not fun to watch other people doing.

Alex called back. "Gemma's mother wants to talk to you so can you call her?" Oh crap. So I called the mother. She told me she wasn't comfortable with her special snowflake being at our house without an adult there but said Alex could come to their house. Okay fine. I didn't bother telling her that Alex wants to have people HERE, that it's about more than like just hanging out.

Then the mother said she'd like to meet me. I told her I work Sundays but could come to pick Alex up. She sighed at me and said she supposed that would do. Fuck you lady!

Today I am working when my phone rings. Alex is calling to tell me Gemma's mother wants to know if she can have a cookie. I actually asked Alex if she was kidding. She lowers her voice and says the mother tried to get her to call two other times. Rolling my eyes I told Alex of course she can have cookies. I hear her repeat that to Gemma's mom, and then Alex tells me they're peanut butter cookies. I was like "Okay eat one for me." She was like "No, I have to tell you in case I'm allergic."

Okay Alex isn't allergic to anything. Except maybe all three of us are a little allergic to smoke, I don't know. But no foods. Doesn't this mother know an eighth grader will say something if they can't eat something being offered?

When I ran over there to get Alex before our Sunday dinner in Brooklyn the mother opened the door and invited me in. Alex and Gemma were sitting on the couch watching something with Miley Cirus. Alex looked bored. We thanked the mom and moved towards the door. She offered me a cookie for the train ride. She asked if we knew how to get home.

As Alex and I were walking I took a bite of the cookie. It was terrible! I spit it out. Alex goes, "Oh yeah I forgot to tell you the cookies sucked, sorry." I asked if she had fun. "Gemma's boring. Her mother hovered and we were only allowed to watch kid channels."

Poor poor Alex. All she wants in life is to have a friend over. Maybe after school starts.