She sat in her office staring out through her glass doors, deep in thought. Camping. Her daughters wanted to go camping. She was Miranda Priestly, she didn't go camping. She hated to admit it but she didn't know how. She rolled her crystal blue eyes and removed her Gucci glasses, resisting the urge to rub her eyes. What was she going to do, she wasn't even sure what she was supposed to buy.
Sighing she stood up and made her way into her outer office where her two assistants Andrea and Emily sat typing away on their computers and answering phones with superhuman speed. Since the Paris trip, Andrea had become the first assistant while Emily returned to second. Miranda knew that Andrea had wanted to leave her after that fateful lunch where she denied Nigel his dream job to save hers.
Miranda knew she had to act quick and did the first thing that came to mind, she pulled Andrea into the bathroom and as she fixed her hair she told her about the plot to overthrow her and her future plans for Nigel, which was making him editor-in-chief of Men's Runway. Miranda had expected Andrea to feel bad but she didn't expect her to hug her. Miranda stood frozen, partially because Andrea had trapped her arms to her side and partially because she didn't know what she was supposed to do. Since she couldn't move her arms and she felt that she should at least try to return hugs so she tucked her head into Andrea's shoulder. She didn't know it then but it was the beginning of a relationship that would last a lifetime.
She now stood in the outer office and barked orders to a shaking Emily while looking at Andrea out of the corner of her eyes. She sat there calmly typing a an email and flipping through a magazine. This normally made Miranda mad but because Andrea was on top of her work and there wasn't a single task she gave Miranda gave Andrea that she couldn't accomplish. Plus she didn't try to hide the magazine or stop looking at it because Miranda was in the room and that was major points in Miranda's book. Miranda feeling friendly walked over to Andrea's desk and asked, "What are you reading?"
Andrea looked up for a second and then finished her email and then handed the magazine to Miranda as she hit send. "I'm trying to find some new camping equipment that Nate took when he moved out, but it is proving harder than it looks." Her eyes hardened when she mentioned Nate and Miranda looked down at the magazine as she smiled and came around Andrea's deck so her back was to the door and perched on the desk.
"The girls want to go camping but I am lost at where to start" She said with her eyes on the magazine. Although Miranda and Andrea had become close and every good friends over the time since Paris Miranda was still uncomfortable with her pride. She was embarrassed that she didn't know how to go camping and was lost at how to start a fire or make s'mores, whatever they were. Andrea smiled and her eyes met Miranda's and was about to say something when Emily flew into the office like a bat out of hell, that seems backwards, with Miranda's latte. Her jaw dropped when she saw Miranda and Andrea chatting like best friends with Miranda sitting on Andrea's desk. She would never admit it but she was a little jealous of Andrea having Miranda as an actual friend.
"really Miranda, camping whatever brought that on?" She asked as she glared at Emily.
"I have no idea apparently it is the "in" thing. And what in god's name are you glaring at?" She asked as she turned her head to see a cowering Emily holding her latte. She turned back to Andrea and rolled her eyes before turning back and holding out her hand for her coffee while gracefully sliding off the desk and with a flick of her wrist motioning for Andrea to follow her. As she passed in front of Emily she paused and made eye contact with the shaking red head and took a sip of her latte. She frowned and looked down at the cup as though it held the secrets of the universe before she passed it to Andrea with a brisk, "take a sip."
Andrea raised her eyebrows but took the proffered cup and took a sip. It was strong with an explosion of flavor on her tongue but it was not that hot. Meaning that for most people it would be hot enough and they would just drink it but for Miranda it was not acceptable. She shook her long brown hair and stuck out her tongue. Miranda grinned slightly and said, "yes, that's what I thought although I think I am too old to stick out my tongue. Get me a new coffee and Andrea's as well and I realize this is a novel concept but I would like to drink it while it is hot. Try to accomplish that so I don't have to see Andrea's face contort it like that. That's all." She turned on her heel and strutted into her office with Andrea right behind her.
Emily stood in the outer office with a look of utter confusion on her face while she tried to figure out what just happened. She racked her brain trying to remember what Adnrea's favorite coffee was when she saw a flash of movement through the closed glass doors. The doors were always closed when Andrea and Miranda were having what Emily called "friend time." She crept forward and looked in to see Miranda clutching her sides and laughing while Andrea sat in Miranda's chair giggling. Emily sighed and as she turned away she saw Miranda collapse into a chair in front of her desk.