The standard disclaimer applies: All characters are property of Dick Wolf and NBC Universal. Not mine, not making money.

What a lovely Mother's Day treat, Shambala thought.

Ben was taking her out to dinner – they both had reservations about leaving Didi with a babysitter for the first time, but he assured her that it would be all right. Adam had given him the name of his grandkids' babysitter, and she was reportedly excellent.

But first, he was treating her to an appointment at an upscale beauty parlor. She never could have afforded it on her Legal Aid salary – especially not with Ben retired and a baby to care for. She wondered how he managed to spring for it, but decided to not ask questions.

She felt uneasy, though. The woman in the next chair – a complete stranger as far as she knew – kept looking over at her. Shambala tried not to think too much of it, assuming that the woman had probably seen her on the news; she was in the middle of a big trial.

Shambala tried to be polite – she wasn't in the mood for a confrontation, especially not while being pampered – but every glance from the woman made it more difficult for her to bite her tongue.

Then, finally, the woman spoke.

"Aren't you Shambala Green?"

"Yes. Do I know you from somewhere?"

"No, but you should. My name is Anne Terzian. I was married to Ben Stone."

Shambala tried not to show how surprised she was; in the four years she was with Ben before they married, she'd never met his ex-wife. She expected to, sooner or later – they shared a child, after all – but not under these circumstances.

"You're his second wife, right?" Anne asked. "Emily has mentioned you."

Not in a good light, I'm sure. Ben's daughter had made it very clear that she was not fond of her new stepmother. If it were any other situation, Shambala wouldn't tolerate it; but she loved Ben, and she wanted to keep things civil for his sake.

"Yes, he is my husband," Shambala replied, hiding her discomfort.

"And you have a daughter, correct?"

"Yes. She's two months old."

"How nice that you actually have Ben around to help raise her," Anne said bitterly.

"I beg your pardon!" Shambala exclaimed. Several women turned to stare at them.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. Ben is a good man. Only problem was, he was married to his job instead of me. He always had dreams of someday being Frank Hogan, but I suppose that's all over now."

Shambala didn't know what to say, especially when surrounded by other women having beauty treatments. What she wanted to do was leap over and tear the woman's throat out.

"Tell me, has he changed since resigning?" Anne asked. "It's hard to imagine Ben without all that ambition."

"He's happy," Shambala said quietly. "He's a visiting professor at NYU Law." She silently prayed that she could soon make a hasty exit from the former Mrs. Stone.

"I'm glad. Like I said, he's a good man."

"You're all done, Ms. Green," the beautician said. "Becky will take your gift certificate out front."

Shambala stood to leave, not a minute too soon. She had already decided not to tell Ben about this encounter; doing so would serve absolutely no purpose.

"It was nice meeting you," Anne said, smiling weakly. "Please tell Ben I said hello."

Now I can see why he divorced you.

finis