The pool is different,\u201d he said, echoing her exact words. \u201cIt\u2019s just there. You\u2019re asking her to trust you with her personal property.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop being such a mooch, Alisa,\u201d he sighed, as if I were the unreasonable one. \u201cIf you want to go camping, we\u2019ll buy our own damn tent. I don\u2019t want my family thinking my wife can\u2019t afford her own things.\u201d<\/p>\n
The next day, Patricia called, the family grapevine having done its work with remarkable speed. \u201cAlisa, dear,\u201d she began, her voice a weapon of condescending sympathy. \u201cCassidy told me about your\u2026 request. You should be grateful for everything this family does for you instead of always asking for more. Really, dear. Beggars can\u2019t be choosers.\u201d<\/p>\n