Early the next morning, Ed sent Kate a new cell phone, packed in a fancy paper bag. Without looking inside, Kate could already tell what class of product it was. Ed said that there was a SIM card in it but that Kate could use her original SIM card if she preferred.

After Ed left, Kate was still standing in a corner behind the supermarket. This kind of thing did not go with her social status. But what social status was she in now? The words echoed ghastly in her ears, "Whatever I give ...