At the Stroke of Midnight (Naughty Princess Club 1)

“Okay. Let me just—”

“Did you just call your mother Cynthia?” Ariel interrupts, walking over to stand in front of Anastasia.

“It’s fine, Ariel, I can—”

“That is her name,” Anastasia replies to Ariel with a roll of her eyes as I get up from the love seat and walk over to them, before the discussion gets out of hand.

“Listen, Morticia Addams, where I come from, we don’t call our mothers by their first names. Show some fucking respect. Your mother is busting her ass and losing her mind trying to keep a roof over your head and food in your mouth, and she doesn’t deserve your bullshit. And while you’re at it, wash that black shit off your eyes. You look like a street hooker.”

I’m frozen in place as I watch Anastasia drop her hands down to her sides and lose all of her cockiness as Ariel continues to stare her down.

Anastasia mumbles a quick, quiet apology to me under her breath, turns, and races back up the stairs. Instead of the usual slamming of her bedroom door, I hear her footsteps move to the bathroom across the hall from her room, followed by the shower being turned on.

“How did you do that?” I ask in wonder, still staring at the spot where my daughter was standing.

“I spoke to her like an adult. You can’t tiptoe around everything with teenagers or they’ll walk all over you.”

It suddenly occurs to me that that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ve been sheltering my daughter from everything bad that has happened, lying to her in order to protect her, and all it’s done is hurt her and our relationship. Tears fill my eyes and my heart breaks right in half knowing I’m the reason our relationship has been so strained lately. Knowing I’m the reason her life is no longer colorful, and every word she speaks to me is one filled with annoyance. I can blame Brian for this mess until I’m blue in the face, but I’m the one who has been living with her head in the sand, perpetuating the lies I’ve told myself and my child.

“We haven’t really talked about what her father did. Obviously she knows he’s gone, and she knows that money has been tight, for the most part, but she doesn’t know the full story. I thought I was doing the right thing,” I say as Isabelle gets up from the floor and wraps her arm around my waist.

“I’m not a mother, so I don’t know the first thing about raising a daughter, but she probably already knows everything,” Ariel says. “As much as you want to deny it, the entire neighborhood knows. Do you honestly think someone hasn’t said something to her? I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that’s why she’s dressing the way she is and acting like a little asshole. She knows you’re lying to her and is doing everything in her power to piss you off and get you to say something to her.” Ariel’s soft voice suggests a sweet side that I didn’t even know she had.

The doorbell chimes, interrupting our discussion, and I’m glad for it. I need a break from thinking and worrying about this. Ariel and Isabelle follow behind me out through the foyer, and I can’t hide my complete shock when I open the door and see John standing there. Along with mortification that one of my neighbors was witness to what went on this evening.

“John, what are you doing here?”

He gives me a sheepish smile and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out a large bundle of cash and holding it out to me.

“After I sobered up, I realized the huge mistake I made, and I feel awful about it. It’s not the original amount we agreed on because, well, even though I feel bad, the party still didn’t have strippers. But you ladies deserve something for your trouble,” he explains.

Ariel moves around me and takes the money from his hand, quietly flipping through it and counting what’s there.

“A thousand dollars? For huddling in the corner and losing our shit?” she asks.

“Like I said, I feel bad. I guess I should have explained a little better what was required. And hey, the guys loved the three of you, even if you didn’t take your clothes off. They thought it was hilarious,” John says with a laugh.

“Hey, tell that guy I kicked in the balls I’m sorry,” Ariel apologizes.

“Actually, that’s who gave me the cash and told me to get my ass over here. I guess he gets off on the rough stuff. Who knew?” John reaches into his pocket again, pulling out a small, square card and handing it to me. “Look, I don’t know if this is something you guys are thinking about doing going forward, or if this was just a fluke, but with some coaching, I think it’s a great idea, and I think you guys could really make a killing on it. Go to this place tomorrow at noon and ask for Tiffany.”