A Christmas Princess Ball

Beca sighed as she smoothed the skirt of the dress Chloe had insisted she wear. The top was black with lace sleeves, which she was fine with. The a-lined skirt was red with polka dots and tied to the side of her waist with a bow. She was a less of a fan of that part. She moved to her jewelry box and found a set of red beads – she had no idea where they'd come from – but they matched. The coordinating drop earrings hung from the bronze earring tree on a shelf. She was still pulling black silk stockings on when Chloe returned, looking happy but a bit harried.

She laughed. "How are you not ready yet? I got all three of them into their dressed, did their hair, and made sure their teeth were brushed."

"I am not feeling particularly motivated," Beca told her, rolling her eyes. "Are we really doing this?"

"We really are!" Chloe said, clapping and grinning. "Because you are a great mom and your daughters are going to love this." She pulled Beca to her feet and looked at her, smiling in approval before offering her a kiss. "You look beautiful, darling."

"I look like I belong on a very stuffy family's Christmas card."

"Nope. Just a Christmas Ball for toddlers and preschoolers," Chloe said, going to the closet and returning with a pair of black sling backs with patten leather bows.

"Seriously?"

"Definitely," Chloe said, nodding. She twirled in her own dress. It matched Beca's perfectly, except for the polka doted skirt being green. The three girls were waiting patiently in the kitchen. So patiently, Beca thought they looked more stressed than anything. The four-year old twins wore dresses that matched their mothers except their tops were velvet and their bows were in the back. Vera's dress was all green with polka dots. Curls, frilly barrettes, black stockings, and patent leather shoes with bows all around.

"Well, don't you look absolutely gorgeous," Beca said, twirling each of the little girls in turn, making them giggle. She kissed each of her daughters, choosing for the peace of the moment not to point out that she did not agree with Chloe's choice to allow them makeup – even if it was only a tiny bit of mascara, blush, and lipstick. But it did add to the pretty little Victorian doll look they already had going on. "We should get hopping, we're meeting Aunt Stacie at the restaurant, correct?"

Chloe nodded, standing at the door with her purse and Beca's. A few moments later, they were on their way to lunch at a ritzy hotel downtown that was already decorated beautifully for Christmas. And, indeed, Aunt Stacie was already waiting, camera at the ready, red dress swirling around her as she crouched to get the best pictures of the girls with the trees that lined the sidewalk. Inside, Beca had reserved a private room, so they were seating quickly – and Stacie continued her happy photo shoot with her favorite subjects. Eventually, Beca allowed her to take several family photos in front of different winter and holiday displays – and took a few pictures of her own with the doting aunt and her beloved nieces.

The waitress was, of course, charmed by the three little girls who had impeccable manners and only a little bit of trouble sitting still. While they waited for lunch, the little girls received complementary hot chocolate with whipped cream and – of course – sprinkles.

Bella was particularly distraught at being forced to wear a bib. "Mama, it covers my dress," she said, looking down in dissatisfaction.

"I know, love. That's the point. You don't want your pretty dress to get messy before the party." She didn't have time to argue because her sisters were already nose-deep in homemade whipped cream.

An hour and a half later, both Beca and Chloe felt it was a plain victory that they left without a stain or splash on one of the dresses – including their own. They didn't have to walk far to find the ballroom where the event was being held. It was smart, Beca mused, to have a grownup per child, as they entered a room full of little girls also dressed in either their Christmas best or a princess dress. All roughly the size of her daughters. It gave her a slight and immediate sense of dread and panic and made her think about how Chloe wouldn't even discuss somehow attaching tracking devices to their daughters. Beca thought it was worth a conversation.

They found seats towards the front of the room, lined up along the edge of a huge rectangle carpet that had been laid out. The room was lined with Christmas trees and baubles hung from the ceiling. "Pretty." Poppy said under her breathe from Stacie's lap.

Bella was craning her neck around, trying to make out the different entrances. "Are the princesses coming?" She asked Beca softly.

"They are," Beca assured her, glancing at her watch. "We may be a few minutes early." But the girls were entertained enough with people watching that she didn't need to pull anything from her bag. Soon enough, the entrance doors had closed and very familiar music began to play. The woman who seemed to be in charge, who introduced herself as the Christmas princess – invited all of the children to sit on the carpet because her special friends were just about to arrive for the party.

The three Beale-Mitchell sisters did move to the carpet, but both Bella and Vera kept to the very edge where they were still within reaching distance of their mothers. But they all watched, wide-eyed, as the Christmas Princess welcomed her friends – 12 Disney princesses and the Beast in human form – apparently, he was called Prince Adam in that state. Beca nudged Bella with her toe to make sure she was still breathing. The child pushed away her shoe, but did not look at her mother. Her eyes were glued to the princesses who had created a perimeter around the carpet.

Some of the other kids were waving back at the princesses, but her children were not. "I think we broke them," Beca said, staring at her motionless, wide-eyed daughters.

Stacie giggled. "I think they're a little star-struck." They loosened up quite a bit as the party went on – at first not budging when invited to dance with the princesses. But once Poppy was taken in hand by Belle herself and twirled around, she seemed to wake up out of her stupor and dragged her sisters with her. Soon, they were all participating in the dancing and the Disney and Christmas sing-alongs. During the short story time they had, Vera ended up in Merida's lap and was deliriously happy. She kept looking at her mothers, making sure they were seeing what was happening. They smiled and waved.

After quite a bit of dancing and singing and the short story time, they were invited to go around the ballroom and visit with each of the princesses for a picture and autograph. Bella had decided there was a correct order in which to visit the princesses (despite verbally being told to visit in any order) – the way it was laid out in the autograph book, so she dragged her family in that order, no matter how long the lines were. She would not be reasoned with.

Each princess was better than the last – and the adults were impressed at how special they made the little girls feel. The autograph and photo sessions were a whirlwind and when they went back to the carpet – there was one more dance – the Christmas princess told the kids to find the "Prince or Princess" who brought them that day. Stacie danced with Poppy, but still somehow managed to get pictures of Beca with Vera and Chloe with Bella. The event ended with a balloon drop, and the three women sat back and watched as the little girls joyfully swatted at them with the princesses.

Beca was carrying Vera when they exited the hotel. She smiled at Stacie. "Thank you for coming."

"I wouldn't have missed it. An opportunity to get all dressed up and meet princesses with my favorite girls doesn't come every day."

"Thank you for finding this!" Chloe added, reminding Beca and the girls that it had been Aunt Stacie who had discovered the Christmas Princess Ball.

"Thank you, Aunt Stacie," Bella said, moving to hug her. Poppy followed suit. Vera reached for her from Beca's arms – clearly wishing to hug her, but not enough to give up her free ride. Beca laughed and moved in so both she and Vera could hug Stacie. Chloe did too, thanking their friend. Surprising no one at all, the three girls were sleeping before the drove out of the parking lot, leaving their mothers to sing along softly to Christmas carols.

Chloe smirked at her wife as they approached home. "Glad you played along?"

Beca gave her a side eye but smiled. "I always play along."

"I know. Because you're a good mom. And three hours with princesses didn't kill you," she teased.

"No, it didn't," Beca agreed. "Although, I thought, at the beginning, that they were never going to move."

"I know!" Chloe giggle. "They were completely in awe. It was adorable. I guess this would be their equivalent of meeting Beyonce or Taylor Swift."

Beca nodded her agreement. "It was a really nice day. And I don't think they'll forget about it anytime soon." She glanced in the rear-view mirror and assessed her sleeping children. "But these late day naps are seriously going to mess with our beauty sleep."

Chloe laughed in unworried agreement.