Andrea stood in front of her mirror, buck naked on a Sunday afternoon. She'd just returned from the salon and was running her hands over her body as she reveled in the silky texture of her skin. It bugged her that however much she exercised - at least an hour a day on her recumbent bike for cardio, weight-loss and physical fitness - she could never seem to lose that little lip of flesh between her navel and her mound. She never liked that word but it always seemed appropriate in these circumstances, as it was forever puffy looking to her mind. It occasionally made her feel shy about wearing a tiny-bottomed bikini, that she would look like a trannie or something ridiculous like that.

Don't go there, she told herself sternly, tonight is all about looking awesome and feeling great about yourself.

With this little lecture in mind, she pulled on her lacy white thong, then the shape-holding Spanx over top of those. Once she was home later, once she ditched the Spanx, Daniel would get a total charge out of seeing her in little more than lace and her wedding rings.

Andrea smiled at herself, running her hands through her bobbed red hair. She'd let it grow out from her pixie-cut after making her donation to the Cancer Society of New York for medical wigs and it was now chin length and flipped out at the tips so she had burnished red angel wings framing her face. It made her smoky grey eyes all the more mesmerizing, Andrea thought as she dabbed on mascara, eyeliner, muted tones of lip colour. She knew Sloan wouldn't appreciate the make-up job she'd prefer to do for a red carpet event but then, Andrea knew it would make more of an impact since all nine of the models plus Sloan were going to stay with the theme of their upcoming photo shoot and keep their looks as natural as possible.

Andrea slipped on the nude-coloured lace bra, then went to the bed and unzipped her dress, delivered the day before from Van Valken Tailors. She sighed dreamily as she looked at it - a crisp snowflake silk that would set off her eyes and hair; it had a bateau neckline similar to her wedding dress and slicked from the bust down to her hips, where the material was gather in a side-knotted sarong-style, the longest point of the diagonal cut skirt sitting at her right knee and a sparkly crystal brooch pinned at her hip.

She slipped it on, twisted back and forth and smiled. No pantie lines, and no back-fat rolls. Her body looked like a lush, curvy vision - it was exactly how she wanted to look for this event.

Next came the shoes, peep-toe three-inch stilettos in silver to match the brooch and Andrea tottered around in them a little to make sure that the gel-sole inserts weren't going to slip out. They were gorgeous shoes but all night on her feet at something like this when she had to work days the next four days would be criminal on her arches.

Andrea grabbed her clutch that had everything she'd need - tickets, wallet, pocket-watch, cellphone with fully battery and camera - and headed into the living room with a spinning twirl. She struck a pose for Nessa and Heddie who were playing Pop-o-Matic Trouble with Daniel.

'So, how do I look?'

Nessa and Heddie's heads snapped up and they both gasped dramatically. 'Wow Mama!' Nessa gasped. 'You are gorgeous!'

'Thanks baby.'

'Go-shus,' Heddie agreed, not one to be left out.

'So, why are you going to this fancy party?' Nessa asked, coming over to admire her mother. She was so proud of her mama, how she looked so pretty no matter what.

'Because the magazine that sponsors the High Summer Arts Festival is having a big party to celebrate the start of the festival.'

'But why are you going?'

'Oh, you know that picture?' Andrea pointed to the eight and a half by eleven portrait of her nude and pregnant with Nessa that had been featured in Sloan's inaugural Real Live Women exhibition.

'You all nekkid, Mama,' Heddie giggled with ruby-red cheeks.

'Well, every year, Sloan does those pictures and all the women who are Sloan's models have been invited to the party too.'

'Oh, that's nice,' Nessa, ever the sweetheart, replied. 'You're gonna have so much fun!'

Andrea smiled widely, caught Daniel giving her that look while their daughters fawned over her. She knew that look well, it had been in his eyes too often to miss it. 'You save that smile for later, Mister Brick,' she purred at him.

'Ewwwwww.' Heddie screw up her face, stuck her tongue out.

'What's ew, Heddie?' Daniel asked, intrigued.

'You guys are being all mushy,' Nessa replied on her sister's behalf, 'and Max says that's the first step towards baby practice.'

'No mo' babies,' Heddie declared and poked her little finger at her chest. 'I baby girl.'

'Yes you are, and there's my ride,' Andrea said as she heard the chirp of her phone indicating Meredeth's pick-up text. 'Come give me a hug, mushy ones.'

'No!' Heddie shook her head, her dark eyes bright and shining. 'No get 'mudgie. Hee.'

She put her palm to her lips and blew her mother a kiss. 'See soon, Pin-cess Mama!'

Andrea caught it, then gave Daniel a wink. 'You want to keep me smudge free too?'

'Only until you get home.'

She laughed, with the children's horrified cries of 'yicky' and 'ew ew ew' ringing in her ears as she headed downstairs to the refreshing mid-May air. Her breath caught in her chest as she saw the town-car, a sleek onyx jewel, idling by her curb. The driver opened his door and rounded the trunk to open hers, offer his hand as she slid in to avoid mishap in her shoes.

'There she is!'

Meredeth Esposito was radiant in her emerald green cocktail dress with the silver shoes almost identical to Andrea's, save for the fact that Meredeth's were slingbacks. She passed Andrea a small flute of champagne, just enough to enjoy a little toast before they arrived at their big night.

'Hey girl! You ready to party?'