“Go on up and take a bath to relax. I’ll have Trisha come up about an hour and a half before they’re expected to be here. I say we plan on you walking down the stairs after they come in the front door, so they see you looking like Katharine Hepburn in one of the movies she was in, but I can’t recall the name. She glided down the stairs. It was beautiful.”
“I’ll have to try to find the movie,” Cat said.
“I’ll think of it and call up to you so you can find it on Netflix.”
“Thank you again.”
Cat raced up the stairs and into the master bedroom. The afternoon went fast, and she enjoyed it immensely. The nanny brought Corey in to play so she could see him as she watched the movie Mrs. Pinkerson told her about, and then she let Trisha help her with her clothes, makeup, and hair.
“You’re very good at this,” she told the woman.
“My sister and I used to play dress-up all the time.”
“Okay, Miss Cat, turn around and look,” Trisha said.
Cat turned toward the mirror, and her mouth dropped open. Was that really her? “Oh, my God, I can’t believe…” They put her in a white dress that went a few inches past her knees. The top clung to her curves, but the dress flared at the bottom.
Trisha scowled. “Don’t you dare cry. I just finished your makeup.”
Cat chuckled. “You made me look beautiful.”
“You were already gorgeous. I just made your features stand out.”
“I’ve never seen my hair like this.”
“I left most of it down because it’s so pretty but pulled it back so it wasn’t in your face.”
The nanny clapped and giggled. “Oh, miss, you look like a princess.”
“You guys are making me feel like one.”
The phone rang by the bedside.
“I’ll get it,” Trisha said. “Okay, I’ll tell her.”
“That was the gate. Both Mr. Richardson and his parents are pulling in. This will be perfect.”
“Oh, God.”
Trisha shook her finger at Cat. “Stop, or I’ll tell Mrs. Pinkerson.”
Cat laughed and took a few breaths. “Okay. I’m a queen. I’ll keep repeating it in my head.”
“Yes, you are, and don’t forget it. Let’s get the earrings in, kiss the beautiful boy goodnight, and go to the top of the stairs to be ready.”
“Okay.” Cat kissed Corey and hugged the girls.
“I’ll be up here watching you,” Trisha said.
Cat grinned at the threat in her tone. “I’m Katharine Hepburn and the Queen all in one.”
“Damn right you are.”
Cat laughed and waited.
“Okay, that’s them.”
Cat took in a breath and moved to the top of the stairs. She smiled when Trisha squealed when King looked up and saw her and froze. His parents glanced up, and she ignored the scowl on his mother’s face.