How can a parent be so mean?

Hannah met a girl who has recently moved into our neighborhood on the first day of school. She has gone to play with this girl, Rebecca, several times over the past week. Hannah also has two friends that she started hanging out with last year, Alexus and Meagan. They are also hanging around with Rebecca. Yesterday, Rebecca invited all three girls to sleep over at her house. Her mom, knowing the hurricane/tropical storm was approaching, told Rebecca that they could stay another time. This afternoon, Hannah goes over to play with Rebecca and is informed that Alexus and Meagan are staying overnight tonight, but she is now uninvited because Rebecca's mom said she could only have two guests. Of course, Hannah is heartbroken and starts crying, the girls then laugh at her. Alex was either there with Hannah or Hannah came home and told him the story at this point, I'm not sure which. Anyway, Alex ends up over there with Hannah and tells Rebecca that she is rude and mean to tell Hannah that she can't stay overnight now. Rebecca then starts to cry and gets her mom. The mom basically tells Hannah and Alex, too bad, I only allow two kids over at a time. Then she tells him, if I let Hannah stay too, I might as well invite 40 kids. Alex, politely says to her, "Well, it really hurts Hannah's feelings because she was invited, too, and it isn't fair to her to be the only one left out." Again, the mom tells them that Hannah is not welcome tonight.

A few hours later, this mom shows up at our door and asks to talk to me. I hobbled out there, not too anxious to talk to someone who could be so hurtful to a kid. Anyway, she introduced herself and proceeds to tell me that Hannah left her jacket at her house and she was returning it. Rebecca is with her, but she did not come all the way up to the door. She stood on the landing, where the stairs turn and I could only see the side of her head, she had her head forward so her hair would cover her face. Then the mom gives me the same story about only allowing two kids over at a time and that Hannah could stay overnight next weekend. She was semi-apologetic, but I could tell that she wasn't really sorry, she just didn't want Hannah to stay over. I was polite, but cool to her and I never said that I accepted her apology because I don't. I told her that Hannah was really hurt because Rebecca had invited her and she felt really left out because the two other girls were being allowed to stay but she wasn't. Her answer was well Rebecca invited them before she asked me. I didn't answer. I have been a parent for 25 years and never, not once have I ever done anything like that to hurt a child. Who does she think she is kidding? Would one extra little girl really make a difference? Give me a break!

Alex is totally convinced that Hannah is not wanted because she is black. Of course, this is a good possibility, but who knows. No matter what the reason, Hannah is devastated and I am so angry. I know the issue isn't behavior because even Hurricane Hannah is very well behaved when she goes to other people's houses. Middle school is going to be fun.