Meant to Be Read Free

pretty frugal. I can't help but think that Mom's doing this because she's worried that this might be her last chance…and it's making me feel seriously freaked.
    “Why don't you look around, honey, while I take care of this and fill out the engraving form.”
    I wander around the jewelry store feeling like a robot that's pretending to look at things but not really seeing anything. Mostly I'm thinking about Mom, trying to figure this thing out.
    “Can I help you?” asks a gray-haired salesman.
    “Huh?” I attempt to focus.
    “Are you shopping for anything specific?”
    “Oh, no…I'm just looking.”
    He smiles. “I know just what you need, young lady.”
    Now I'm curious. “What?” I ask him, almost as a challenge. “What is it you think I need?”
    “Come over here.” He leads me to a glass-covered case full of glistening diamonds—pendants and rings and bracelets and earrings. “After all,” he says, “diamonds are a girl's best friend.”
    I sort of roll my eyes as I lean over and look more closely at the sparkling jewelry. And although I've never considered myself a material girl, I am slightly fascinated by all that glitter. I'm trying to imagine what it must all be worth. “That's a lot of diamonds.”
    “I see that your ears are pierced. You'd look lovely in diamonds.”
    I kind of laugh. “Yeah, right. I'm only sixteen. Well, almost seventeen. I don't really have the budget for diamonds yet.”
    “So you haven't considered diamond studs earrings yet? Lots of girls your age wear them.”
    “I guess I'm waiting until I become rich and famous.”
    Now my mom comes and stands by me. “Oh my, look at all those pretty diamonds.” She bends down to see better.
    “We're having a holiday sale,” entices the older man,turning his attention from me to her. ‘Twenty percent off until Christmas Eve.”
    She nods and continues looking. This is kind of odd since my mom's not exactly the expensive jewelry type. At least I never thought she was. But maybe I wasn't paying attention.
    “I didn't know you were into diamonds,” I say to my mom.
    “Oh, you two are together,” the man says with a surprised look. Of course, I'm used to this reaction— people see the Asian girl with the Caucasian woman and wonder how or if we're related. Anyone out there ever hear of international adoption? Okay, don't get me going.
    But Mom just smiles at him and proudly says, “Yes, this is my daughter.”
    “In that case, I might be tempted to offer an even bigger discount if you both find something you like.”
    My mom actually giggles, which is really kind of cute. “Oh, no, I'm not a diamond sort of person. Well, other than my engagement ring.” She looks fondly at her left hand. “But Kim, how about you? Do you like diamonds?”
    “I, uh—”
    “I was just telling the young lady that she should consider some earrings,” says the fast-thinking salesman.
    “Yes, diamond earrings! That would be perfect!”
    “Mom?” I look at her as if I'm looking at a stranger. “You don't need to—”
    “Can we look at that tray?” My mom points to a display of earrings and ignores me.
    He pulls out the tray while I protest to my mom about the extravagance of diamond earrings for a girl my age.
    “Please, Kim,” she finally says. “Just indulge me.”
    This makes the man laugh. “Yes, Kim, just indulge her.”
    Before I know it I am trying on diamond earrings, and despite myself I am having fun. And as much as I hate to admit it, it does feel rather glamorous.
    “Okay,” Mom says after I've looked at several pairs. “You go out into the mall while I make up my mind.”
    “Mom? I thought we were just having fun.”
    She looks at me then smiles. “I thought that's what we were doing too. Now, you scoot.”
    Okay, I have no doubts that she's getting me diamond earrings for Christmas, and as exciting and fun as that sounds, it also makes me seriously uncomfortable. Like why is she doing this? Why is she spending so