Chapter 35

Maria eagerly awaited Megan and Sophia’s arrival. She knew that she only had about two hours to implement her plan, so the timing was not ideal, but she knew that she could make this work.

Oh, this is going to be delightful! I hope that Megan doesn’t put up too much of a fuss, though. Any delay could throw everything off.

Thankfully, Megan was punctual. Maria watched as she parked and bundled Sophia out of the car. She opened the door as they approached. “Sophia! Megan! Welcome! It is lovely to see you both again.”

“Hi, Maria!” Sophia said.

“Thank you for watching Sophia,” Megan said. “It’s very kind of you.”

“It’s my pleasure! It will be nice for you and Tasha to have a girls night. I’m sure that Sophia and I will have a wonderful time.”

“I hope so. Sophia, thank Ms. Rodriguez for watching you.”

“Thank you, Ms. Rodriguez!”

“You are quite welcome, Sophia. I see that your mom brought some books and games. I do like games! Maybe you can teach me one!” Meanwhile, it’s time to set my own little game in motion. Maria turned to Megan. “Are you planning to wear that, dear?”

“Oh, this?” Megan surveyed her jeans, blouse, and cardigan. “Tasha said that it was a casual event.”

“It is a holiday party, and that is definitely more ‘working mom’ than festive.” And now to set the hook. “Hmm, I think that I have just the thing for you.”

“Uh, that’s okay, Maria. Maybe I should just run home and change. I have plenty of time to do that.”

“No, I won’t hear of it. Come along.” With that, Maria strode off, heading for the staircase. She’d long ago realized that confidence and the unspoken assumption that someone will do as asked often led to them doing as asked. As Maria expected, Megan and Sophia followed along in her wake. Once upstairs, she led them to a well-lit guest bedroom.

As Megan entered, she saw the other people in the room and stiffened. “Maria, what’s going on?” she asked warily.

“It’s a surprise for you, my dear! I felt that you deserved something special for your first evening out alone with Tasha, so I brought in some friends to help. Just sit in that chair and these ladies will get you ready for a night out!”

“This is too much, Maria!”

“Nonsense, Megan. Their last show just wrapped, so we’re helping them with a bit of holiday bonus cash, and you’ll look stunning.”

“Show?”

“Yes, Portland is much cheaper than Los Angeles, so we often get TV shows and movies filming here. Now you’ll get the same hair and make-up treatment as the stars!”

“I can’t!”

“Of course you can! Sophia and I will be right over here playing a game while you sit back and relax and let them work their movie magic on you.” Maria turned to Sophia. “It will be fun to watch your mom get made up like a movie star, won’t it, Sophia?”

“Yes, Ms. Rodriguez!”

“See, Megan. Just relax and let them work.”

Megan didn’t look sure, but she was ushered into the chair and then surrounded by a flurry of activity. After about thirty minutes, Maria called a halt to the proceedings.

“Before you get too far, this Hollywood look needs something more. Megan, go into the closet there. I believe that’s where you will find your dress.”

“Maria, what? This is fine.”

“Trust me, the mom look is wonderful for a teacher, but you need to up your game tonight.”

Megan reluctantly stood up and went into the closet. “Holy shit! Maria, get in here right now.” The anger in her voice brooked no argument.

“Forgive me a moment, Sophia. I must tend to your mother.” With that, Maria glided to the closet and entered. “What’s wrong, Megan?”

“What’s wrong?” Megan hissed. “This dress probably costs more than I make in a year! I can’t wear this!”

“Oh, it assuredly does, dear. It’s my gift to you.”

“Gift? Why? Hell, we never even talked about your fees for my divorce.”

“As to why, it is because Tasha loves you, and you love her back.”

“She told you?”

“She called me in a panic last Sunday and told me that she loved you. I trust that she told you that. You haven’t run off and are in fact going to a holiday party with her, which tells me that you reciprocate her feelings.” Maria enjoyed Megan’s shocked look. “As to my fees, I am the preferred divorce lawyer for the soon-to-be ex-wives of hedge fund bros and tech billionaires. Women who supported their husbands, raised families, and then were discarded for a younger model. I don’t charge much, but when the payout is that many millions, well, let’s just say that I don’t really need to work ever again. But I carry on because I do so enjoy ripping their cheating balls off. But you, Megan, have brought joy to Tasha’s life, and that is payment enough. Besides, what’s the point of being rich if you can’t make people”s lives better?”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes to the dress, or whatever that saying is. Put this on, let the team finish their work, and then go see Tasha.”

“I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Just say thank you. Oh, and make Tasha happy.”

“Thank you.”

“One last thing. Send me selfies.” Maria giggled as she went back to Sophia. She kept Sophia distracted as Megan exited since she wanted this to be a fun surprise for her as well. It was after five thirty when they finished. It had taken a team effort, but they were professionals of the highest caliber and worth every penny. Maria stood up and told Sophia to close her eyes, with no peeking allowed. She personally added the shoes to complete the outfit.

“Sophia. Open your eyes, dear.”

“Mommy! You’re beautiful! You look like a princess!”

Megan blushed.

“You’re right, Sophia. But our princess is missing something.”

Maria hurried from the room, returning shortly thereafter. In her hands, she held a silver tiara, which she handed to Sophia. “Here, darling. Put this on your mother.” Megan bent down as Sophia placed the tiara in her hair. “Perfect! And now, Princess Megan, your chariot awaits. Technically a limousine, but we’ll call it a chariot for now.”