Chapter 1: The Dragon Lady Before Her Pedestal
It's been a week since Paris and a week since Andy first got her job in the mirror. It was weird for both Andy and Miranda. To Andy it was both for the better and for the worse, better because she's got the job that even though a million girls wont kill for, it was her dream job, worst 1st because she never expected it to be boring even for the 1st week and 2nd… well second… WHY? WHY? Of all the sudden did she miss that hell of a boss that is usually labelled as the ice queen? WHY? Why did she leave her in Paris? There were the reasons and questions that even andrea couldn't answer… for now. even Miranda had felt weird not having the little life size Doll walking and cramming around the office. It was even more fun watching Andy accomplishing the almost impossible Tasks she gave her, than hearing Emily whine about it and cram up to the last minuite. No matter how she denies she missed the pretty brunette's presence around her.
Staring at the blank computer, she finally gave in to the doubt that she'd finish an article that was due next week. She was thinking about her. She so missed her. Thinking it wouldn't be such a crime to relieve the stress from her new working environment. She goggled MIRANDA PRIESTLY it struck her that even after almost a year of working for the dragon lady she knew nothing much about her. She just knew of the twins, the runway career and Stephen, and from what Miranda said other divorces. She read her Wiki information and as it turned out she was not Miranda Priestly at the beginning. She was this elegant yet charming young Miriam Princheck who grew in the streets of London. Having a seamstress as a Mom and a drunk and old nothing Dad that was responsible for their poverty.
In other trusted sites they say that her full known biography was nothing much but a drama story. Her mom inherited a huge clothing Company from her granddad but to the extent of his father's alcohol and gambling addiction they fell in a huge fall of poverty. At the very young age of 9 she helped her mom with the sewing of dresses. At 12 she took over the sewing, and the responsibility of earning a decent food for their family, practically her 3 younger brothers, 1 little sister, and his drunk for nothing dad since her mom died of Cancer leaving them nothing but creepy mortgages and problems. At 14 she was not only sewing dresses but designing them, not only for school productions but for the London theatrical performances in the city.
At 18 she finally took the courage to leave after taking care of her so called family for the last 6 years, when her little sister who was 10 at the time told her that their father had sexually molested her, taking the little girl with her she left her brothers and their father. She took her sister with her to New York, taking a couple of Grands that she's been saving ever since she worked to be able to attend a fashion designing school, where she eventually finished. The fashion editor that she worked for, ever since she came to NY, being a troubled assistant, sponsored her studies. At 25 she took over the company which was now Runway taking in the label as the youngest editor in chief there was in the fashion industry. At 27 she married her first husband Anthony Bridges, who was at the time a well-known news writer. He was the last person she knew to be so in love with. They were so happy together until the tragedy came… As early as 33 she was widowed after Anton got Shot in a writing assignment at Iraq. Three years after a long mourning period she decided it was time to move on… but she knew deep down inside she would never love another man like she loved Anton… She married Gregory Styler who was a great man of a decent company. At a late age of 39 she never thought she'd have something she couldn't leave without now, her twins. At 43 she came from being a widowed wife, a mother of two, to an up and coming divorcé after she and Greg decided it wasn't going to work anymore, She knew this had caused the twins' life a very huge shaking… but what could she do… things were never good with him After 3 years she married Anton's best friend Stephen to whom she vent her grieving side. And now at the ripe age of 49 she was facing her 2rd divorce on the public eyes just like before.
She stared at the screen blankly not knowing what to think, 'she suffered all this? No wonder she's so stiff' she thought. Closing her Mac book, she went to bed but not to sleep. She stared at the ceiling blankly thinking of her. Then it struck her 'my god I've been thinking about her ever since I left, every night before I sleep. THIS IS NOT SO NORMAL ANDY SACHS!' she yelled in her thoughts.
Giving up the thoughts of sleep she once again opened her Mac book and started typing furiously. After that she went out for a coffee in a nearby café. It was nearly 1 in the morning
On the other side of New York was Miranda Priestly who, for one couldn't have her job done for the 1st time. She kept reflecting the things that had happen in Paris while sitting on her office desk at 11 in the evening, after Andrea left, her divorce getting in public and Irv in the best possible way of describing him an idiot, for trying to replace her. She started working late when she came back from Paris, which was only a week before. She indulged herself into working harder than before even though you could classify her as a certified Workaholic. There were 2 nights that she let Roy go home as early as 4 in the morning, which cause Emily to be a but senile in the office, and have him drive her to the town house as late as 3 in the morning. In those seven days the twins only saw her trice but she always checks them and kiss them goodnight before goes to rest in the decency of her own bed.
It was a Sunday, the supposedly last day of the fashion week in Paris when Andrea left her in the middle of the crowd where the obvious hungry paparazzis' are waiting to swallow her. She had a rough night before that day thinking about the damage, of how her up coming public feast of a divorce would affect her career and mostly her twins. Before Miranda told Andy about the divorce she called for Nigel in her room… there was no hint of crying in her face and that was because she wasn't, she didn't cry for Stephen's filing of divorce.
"oh this is a wonderful news, Oh my god Miranda! Your not joking right? Cause if you are you'll really melt on ice queen! I can't believe I'm having this job" he ramble in front of Miranda
"oh Nigel do your Rambling in front of anyone else I do have important things to do. One of which is to call for Andrea so we could go over the sitting arrangements tomorrow" she said
"why? Six told me that she was finished for the night and that she'd be out tonight with the Thompson guy" he said
"Her name is Andrea and I don't want you butchering her name, call her and tell her that I expect her to be here in an hour… That's all" and with that Nigel left the lair of the dragon lady
it was as if steams were blowing out of Miranda's ears as she tried to control the flare that was all ready to bursting inside of her. Just by the thought of Andrea being with someone else made her flare up. She didn't know what it was… these feelings were new to her and she didn't want to own up to it and to screw things up further, she was still indeed in the state of doubt how her girls would take the divorce
When Andy came inside Miranda's suit, she didn't expect to see her crying. She didn't even expect her to be there since Andy was half an hour late. Even Miranda wasn't expecting Andrea to arrive since she was never late in terms of her needs. So she cried at the confusion, it really hit her that much to cry just to hear or think that Andrea was being touched by other man. This was more than an infatuation, it was "love" she whispered to herself. she didn't know what was heavier the fact that she was getting divorced to a man she never loved? The doubt she was feeling of how the girls would take things? Or for once admitting to herself that she was falling for the dear assistant she carries around with her and snapping back to reality that they could never be.
After Nigel left she sobbed and cried, tears striking her precious face and ruin her make up. Deciding it would be best to run a bath to hide the tears, she did. Once she got out of the water she slipped in a grey robe and walked towards the couch where she eventually started crying again. When she heard the door close, she tried to ignore it but as the beauty of the woman she's been partly crying for appeared before her sight, she tried to compose herself
"oh there you are" she said with slight nervous and confusion in her tone that Andy swears she have never heard of before, it was as if their was uncertainty in her tone that made her suddenly concerned of her boss' welfare "we uhm, need to go over the sitting charts for the party tomorrow" she continued straightening herself
"oh okay" andy said nervously as she scanned trough her crowded fashionable bag "I have it right…" she paused as she checked if she got the right document
"by all means, move in a glacial pace you know how it thrills me" she said becoming more and more irritated at the girl's presence when she was disoriented with her thoughts
"here" she said leaning as she hand the folder towards Miranda. As she leaned, her low cut blouse took lose and briefed Miranda with the sight of her upper breast just enough to expose the lowest part of her cleavage. 'my god is the girl trying to kill me or what' she thought as she hesitated in taking firm hold on the folder but griped it firmly at the last minute. She pretended to go over the folder but she knew the only one reason she called for Andrea "first we need to move Snoop dog to my table" she said
"but your table's full" Andy answered with confusion
"Stephen isn't coming" she let out a sad at the same time relieved sigh out of no where
"oh Stephen isn't…" she paused, as if it was a reflex she instantly took the appointment book in her bag and started scribbling in it "If Stephen isn't coming, then I wouldn't have to fetch him in the airport tomorrow morning" she said cancelling the Stephen thing in her appointment book
she didn't want to speak but it just came out as surprising as Miranda's attitude "yes well if he calls you and tries to re-think of the divorce then fetch ahead, you're very fetching. Go fetch " she said Andy didn't know what to say, she really tried to hold unto her boundaries and keep herself from jumping right in front of Miranda, and hug her so tight so that at least she'll know where she'll be getting love even without Stephen. Then she continued "imagine what they'll write about me this time; the devil, the dragon lady, Career obsessed, Snow queen drives away another Mr. Priestly" she paused as if to regret she said those words and thought of something else that was true but was a false extent onto why she was crying "but… I don't really care of what they write about me" she said wiping her tears with her fore finger and shaking her head "it's just my girls, it's not fair to the girls" she inhaled "another divorce" she breathed out "another failure" she said "another father… figure" she said finishing with a sarcastic giggle
'another heartbreak specially from you' she thought she might add but held the thought. 'what are you doing old woman?' she asked herself 'she won't be here all night listening to you rambling and whining about things' she stopped 'did I just say whine? Good Lords when did Miranda Priestly ever whine?' she thought 'ANDREA, for god's sake what the hell has the girl done to me' she asked herself 'you can't keep her waiting she might be late for her DATE' before saying anything. She wanted to continue "the point is…" she started with that still heavy emotion but stopped herself from doing so. "the point is we should figure out where to put Donatella because she is barely speaking to anyone"
all those time Andy wanted to hug her seeing as this was the first time she saw Miranda's vulnerable side. But snapped out of it when Miranda asked about Donatella. After this, crept and awkward silence between them, Andy didn't feel like asking, to prevent further pain but she felt like she should "I'm so sorry Miranda" she said but Miranda just stared blankly on the floor "do you want me to cancel your evening plans?" she tried asking
"Don't be silly why would we do that?" she said plainly as if she wasn't in pain at all
Andy looked at her with sympathy and asked "is there anything else I could do for you?"
Miranda nodded 'stay with me, hug me and kiss me that's what I want you to do tonight just keep me in your arms' but thought better in saying things "yes, your job" she coldly said handing the envelope which Andy eventually held and waited for that cold dismissal "that's all"
Up to this day she couldn't quite comprehend why she can't forget about that conversation. She loved her she knew that she loved her but can't be with her as it hurt that much.
It was practically Monday, a regular day for Miranda and a waking day for Andy, a new week for the both of them. Miranda didn't let Emily hire somebody new for the vacant job, just yet. It's been a week and the girl's so called 'stuff' where still on her desk- un-cleared.
"is she still under my employ and somebody just forgot to inform me that she was to have a, I don't know, maybe a vacation some where in Neptune or Mars? Coz if she is absent without leave I prefer she clear that desk so we could start over a new assistant" she said to Emily as she passed by the outer office seeing that Andrea's things were still there. The truth was she was in pain every time she sees something that reminds her of the young woman.
"no Miranda, I'll uhm call her to clear her desk" said Emily but was ignored when Miranda continued her way inside her office. And just like that Emily quickly dialled Andy's number
"Andy Sachs" she answered the phone
"I haven't got that much time but unless you are planning on staying under Miranda's employment I suggest that you clear your desk now" Emily said without even greeting her.
"yah well that uhm can I just ask you to uhm clear it up for me"
"you'll be so lucky if I ever do that I'm still on crutches you whim. How do you suggest do I do that?" Emily said Icily as she started at the empty desk.
"grow another arm I guess?" andy laughed but continued "I was just joking, em, you don't need your feet to pile up my things just pile them up in a box you don't even have to arrange them neatly" andy replied while playing with her pen "please, anyway I could come by at your place and pick it up seeing as I have to hand these dresses you said you'll have someone to pick up"
"oh yes, the dresses it completely drifted my mind… okay but I won't be doing anymore favors is that clear?" said Emily as she started scanning through Miranda's appointment book of when she'll be free
"xur it'll be the last" said Andy
"come by early at…" she scanned "shit I'll have to wait for the book you ass. Come by at 11 later" Emily said closing the appointment book.
"sure… uhm Em I'll be in a conference till 6:30 so don't call me until then, just in case some things go differently" said Andy
"I wouldn't hell dream of it… now if you don't mind someone has got to work around here" she said as she hung up even before andy could say good bye
geez this is my first Mirandy Fanfic so I hope you guyz would accept me in the group... lolz anyway I would be updating soon I hope you guys like it... and reviews would be definately appreciated ^_^
