Carmen grinned. "Somehow I think I'll wind up on the losing side no matter what happens." She sobered. "If I don't care which route I use and he does, why should I contest him? That's just inviting problems - stirring up conflict where it doesn't exist."
Katie methodically placed the margarine on the table. "Alright, I see your point, but what about the things you do care about? What about this cell phone thing with Jonathan?"
Carmen shrugged. "I said no and Alex is beside me on it. That only proves my point."
Katie's smile was wry. "He isn't arguing the point, but is he really supporting your decision?"
Carmen shrugged again. "He has a right to his opinion just like I do. I don't always agree with his views on how to raise children either, but we don't contest each other in front of the children. If we disagree, we do so privately."
Katie sighed. "Sometimes you're so naïve. Do you honestly think the kids don't know you disagree about it? Did you know Jonathan told our twins that Alex wants to get him a cell phone but you're being a … unreasonable about it?"
Carmen pushed away the anger her words aroused. Jonathan had reached puberty in full rebellion, which was one of the reasons she didn't think he should have a cell phone. He didn't need a constant source of ideas from friends who were having the same identity crisis. Lately she had to stay after him to get his chores done. It had all started after they came back from their visit to Texas. At first she had thought it was only a stage. Maybe it was the continued contact with Alfonso. Some children were simply bad combinations. Alfonso wasn't a bad boy, but when he and Jonathan got their heads together, they made some poor choices. The money making scam last summer was a good example. Neither boy had ever been deprived of anything they actually needed. Certainly neither had been taught to misrepresent for their own profit. Fortunately Morino saw the ad for Apple Hors Devours in the local paper and recognized Alfonso's cell phone number before they made their first sale. They actually had some horse manure boxed up and ready to ship. Apparently the idea came up when the boys heard it called road apples. Alex had been embarrassed, but Morino's response was basically "boys will be boys." Surprisingly, Senor Medena reprimanded both Morino and Alfonso. Alfonso lost the use of his cell phone for a month and Alex grounded Jonathan for the same amount of time.