Betty and Claire step into the baby boutique. "So what are you going to buy?"
Claire looks around at all the pink baby things. "This is going to take a while," she announces.
They go through racks of clothing picking out several outfits. "Do you think that it would be tacky if I bought her a tiara?"
"Who?" Betty questions.
"The baby."
"You want to buy her a tiara?"
"She's going to be treated like a princess."
"I think that a tiara is a little much."
"Ok," she agrees.
After buying half of the store Claire pays for her selections and leaves the store. They are on their way to the next store when they pass a jewelry store. Betty stops.
"Come on."
"Jewelry," Betty answers.
"Yes, it's jewelry, but we have..."
"No. Get her jewelry."
"Who?"
"The baby," Betty answers.
They go into the store to browse. They leave with a tiny pinkish cultured pearl bracelet with a silver tiara charm on it. On the back of the tiara charm the words, For A Little Princess, are engraved.
"I think that we're done," Claire smiles.
The following week everyone tries their best to keep the secret. Friday comes, and Wilhelmina suspects nothing. Marc pokes his head into Wilhelmina's office.
"We're leaving early," he tells her.
"No we're not," she argues.
"Come on," he begs.
"Where are we going?"
"We've got a meeting," his eyes light up.
"With who?"
"No time for questions, just come on," he begs.
"Marc..."
He grabs her by the hand and pulls her. He follows him to the elevator. They rush through the lobby after getting off the elevator. He pushes her out the door, and into a car waiting on the curb. The door is barely closed when the car begins to move.
"Where are we going?"
"Lunch," he lies.
"Why couldn't you just say that?"
"I wanted to surprise you."
"With lunch?"
"I like to keep you on your toes."
She rolls her eyes and sits quietly. After ten minutes in the car he hands her a blindfold. "I need you to put this on."
"Not going to happen," she answers.
"Put it on," he insists.
"Why am I being blindfolded?"
"It's a new restaurant, everyone eats blindfolded."
"I don't buy it."
"Please just put it on."
"Where are you taking me?"
"I can't tell you."
"Then I'm not putting it on."
"Please," he begs.
She pulls the blindfold over her face. "Happy now?"
"Uh huh," Marc signals the driver.
Ten minutes later the car stops. The driver opens the door, and Marc helps Wilhelmina out of the car. He leads her into the building.
"You can take it off of her now," Claire tells him.
"We're eating lunch with Claire?" Wilhelmina asks as she holds onto Marc's arm.
Claire slips the blindfold off of her, "Not quite," she answers.
Wilhelmina looks around the room at the decorations, the guests, and the waiters carrying around trays of food.
"It's a baby shower," Marc answers.
"For who?"
"For you," Claire tells her.
"I..."
"Come on," Claire begs.
"Ok," Wilhelmina agrees following Claire into the crowded room.
Hours later Wilhelmina arrives home. She waits on the couch as the presents are unloaded. She takes a seat on the floor in the middle of the pile. The door opens and Daniel comes in. He shuts and locks the door behind him.
"Are you here?" he calls out.
"Over here," she answers.
He carefully makes his way over to her. He moves some of the presents clearing off the coffee table, pulling it to her.
"Do you want help?"
"If I'm expected to get these open by the time she gets here," she answers.
He smiles and takes a seat next to her. He takes his jacket it off and lays it on the couch. He grabs a box out of his pocket and lays it on the table.
"I picked up a few million thank you cards."
"Only a few million?"
"Let's get started," he suggests.
"You should make a list."
"What do you mean?"
"Of who got what."
He leaves her side and wanders off. He returns with a yellow legal pad and a blue ball point pen. By a quarter after ten Daniel has put most of the gifts in the nursery. She sits on the couch with a cup of tea. He looks on the floor, making sure they haven't missed anything. He finds a tiny box under the couch. He hands it to Wilhelmina, and then slides under her legs and begins massaging her feet.
"Can't it wait until morning?"
"It's the last one."
"You open it," she whines.
"Are you sure?"
"Open it," she growls.
He pulls off the bow, and tosses it aside. He takes the tiny envelope off the top of the box. He lifts the lid off the box and looks inside. "Well it's a little small for me," he admits.
She raises her eyebrows. He hands the box to her. She sits her tea on the coffee table and takes the box from him. She carefully takes the bracelet out of the box. She studies it carefully. She reads the inscription on the back of the bracelet.
"Who is this from?" she questions slipping the bracelet back into the box.
He hands the envelope to Wilhelmina. She opens it and slips out the tiny card. She reads it aloud, "To my granddaughter."
"It's from my mother?"
"I guess."
"So which gift was your favorite?"
"I hate to admit it, but I think that it's this one."
"You have to give her some credit. She's trying, after all she's the one who threw the baby shower."
"Your mother threw the baby shower?"
"Who did you think threw it?"
"I figured that it was Marc and Betty."
"They helped, but it was her idea."