Title: Heat Wave
Author: InBetweens
Plot: Andrea Sachs is trying to navigate her way through her continued tenure at Runway magazine six months after Paris Fashion Week. While New York City is suffering through an early heatwave at the onset of the summer Andrea has to live through a chain of events caused by the heatwave that she would have rather avoided.
Author's Note: This is my entry in the MirAndy Fun and Frolic Writers Bingo challenge. I have taken on a challenge from Lara where I combine all of the prompts on one bingo sheets into one story. This is the result of that.
Author's Note 2: This story contains Alpha/Omega/Beta themes, though they will eventually become prevalent they are mostly in the background for the start.
Part 1
-.-.-Thursday, June 28th 2007—.-.-.-.-
New York City the last week of June was a blistering sweltering boiling mixing pot of all types of people. With the thermometers reading well into the 100's for the third day in a row, the city and its inhabitants were starting to melt into diverse pools of goop. The fact that it was this hot so early in the summer astounded Andrea. She expected this kind of heat from the end of July and beginning to mid-August, not June 28th!
July 4th hadn't even passed by yet, and according to the Accuweather forecast the heat wasn't going to let up for the holiday week either.
Andrea (Andy) Sachs despised the heat. It was incredibly uncomfortable. She would much rather it be in the midst of a cold front where cold blizzard filled days were threatening the tristate area rather than this heat wave and the sweltering heat. Add on to the fact that Andrea's job required her to remain outside in this nauseating heat, made her long for the chill of December and January with a passion. The designer clothing she wore, thanks to her job at Runway magazine, stuck to her sweaty skin more often these days than not. No matter her attempt to wear clothing that remained airy and kept her as cool as possible, after running errands around town, her skin glistening with sweat, the material started to stick in very uncomfortable ways.
It was like the heat just wouldn't release her from its grasp. Even after being tortured throughout the day with the suffocating warmth, her nights were just as warm. The temperature barely going below 80 degrees even in the dead of night. Andrea's air conditioning hadn't even been installed until last night. And even then it was second hand and barely cooled off four feet in front of it, let alone her entire apartment.
In an effort to remain as cool as possible Andrea had taken to wearing boxers, and only boxers, to bed. The satin pajamas she had gotten from Miranda for Christmas last year, cast offs that the Fashion editor hadn't wanted, were abandoned for the time being. An old ratty pair of boxers with faded red valentine hearts were her best friends at night.
Andrea was having a hard enough time sleeping at night. Dreams of Miranda Priestly, her older, meaner, exotic alpha boss, tormented her night after night with unending scenarios of shared passion. Even before this heat wave Andrea woke in a warm sweat most mornings. Now, she was constantly washing her sheets and her fevered body, for they and her were soaked down to the bare bones after a long night of her wet dreams.
The twenty-six year old started waking up a half an hour earlier every morning so she could get in a nice cold shower to calm herself and be presentable. Andrea attributed the disturbed, uncomfortable, sleep and heat with her grouchy mood.
Andrea prided herself on being a charismatic person, kind, even-tempered, personable, and welcoming. Yet she felt like her personality had been on a slip scale suddenly as she was short tempered, rude, closed off, and downright aggressive with strangers, and even some co-workers. Emily, Nigel, and Serena were facing the brunt of her wrath.
Mostly, Andrea realized that she couldn't stand the scent of people around her. It was as if people had decided to stop buying deodorant or being decently hygienic people. It was hot and stuffy and the air was thick and rife with disgusting scents. Scents that Andrea had never smelled before in her 26 years on this earth including the three years she'd been in New York.
Andrea's ire was sky high particularly after her errand runs. She hid it well from Miranda, because she wouldn't dare be anything but pleasant and cordial with Miranda. She valued her life after all, and her job.
It had nothing to do with the fact that she was also infatuated with Miranda. The woman was the walking, talking personification of perfection in Andrea's eyes and no one could say otherwise. Andrea's glasses were so rose colored it was like the world bled red when it came to Miranda. Yet, she wasn't naive. She knew what Miranda was capable of, she'd seen it first hand in Paris last year when Miranda had dashed Nigel's dreams in order to keep control of her kingdom. Although Andrea had started out as an outsider in this world of glamor and prestige, she was now one of the hundreds of minions who'd happily genuflect to their reigning Queen.
Miranda Priestly was the most intoxicating Alpha Andrea had ever met. Although the halls of Runway were crowded with both alphas and betas there was no question in the air of who was the most powerful alpha of them all. The way that Miranda held herself, regally above all others, was only amplified by the aura of her power. Physical, intellectual, emotionally, all of it. There was no way any beta in the vicinity would not show their neck in submission to the powerful woman with nothing more but a look.
Miranda was what Andrea's generation considered a Super Alpha.
For as long as the human race had been in existence there were hierarchies. Not only in the sense of social hierarchies that determined a person's station in life, but also biological hierarchies. For thousands of years there were three distinct biological definitions for humans: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.
It was only within the last hundred or so years that the trio paradigm of biological definitions shrunk down to two. Two very distinct categories as there hadn't been a confirmed omega in nearly a hundred and fifty years. With only two dividers societal needs started to create subsects of the two groups and as the generations changed so too did the subdivisions that divided the human breeds.
A Super Alpha was an alpha male or female that radiated power and control over betas and Lesser Alphas. These Super Alphas were rare, as there weren't many who could command the control needed to tame another alpha, but they existed, and now Andrea was left basking in the light of one every day.
Except right now.
Now, Miranda was on the 38th floor in a meeting with Irv and the Board of Directors of Elias-Clarke.
Andrea herself was, well, she presented as a Lesser Alpha, but that was only thanks to the suppressants she'd been using since she had presented at age 16 as an omega. Her parents, fearing for her safety, had found underground assistance to help hide her status as an omega—the first omega in over a hundred and fifty years. As an omega, Andrea would be sought after by all, as even a hundred and fifty years ago omegas were prized. But as the omega numbers had dwindled, the care they had been given lessened, as they became a rare commodity that only those with power or money could afford. Being an omega was as good as being a body slave.
Andrea's parents did not want that for her, so they helped her hide in plain sight as a lesser alpha. So far, no one ever suspected a thing, sometimes even Andrea herself wondered if she was really an omega. After all, she had just turned 26 and she had never experienced her first heat. Then again, she had also never experienced her first rut either. People's statuses weren't much spoken about in polite society. It was the norm to forego introducing one's self based on their biological breed. You did not go around telling people that you preferred oral sex to penetration and you did not go around telling people you were a bottom or a top either.
It was much like how sex wasn't spoken about in a public forum, it was too taboo. The only time sex was spoken about was with close friends, (rarely with family) and with prospective lovers. So to was it just assumed that one's biological definition would be ignored until it had to be spoken about, mostly during heats and ruts, when it couldn't be ignored.
That didn't mean it wasn't easy to spot specific types. It wasn't just about a person's personality that helped identify them as an alpha or a beta. It was in their scents as well. Alphas and betas gave off vastly different scents.
But the ability to identify someone based on their scent and Andrea's personal lack of biological milestones was the least of her problems right now.
She and Miranda were scheduled to go to a photo-shoot for , a new up and coming designer, that had captured the attention of both Vogue and Runway. They were doing a spread for the September issue but there was an unending list of things Andrea had to finish before they left. Andrea leaned back in her chair and rolled her tense shoulders.
Emily had moved on to work under Nigel and the new girl-Kristen-was practically useless, so Andrea was in charge of first and second assistant tasks.
Andrea scowled at the blonde sitting across from her. The girl was picking at her nails with a bored expression on her face. Meanwhile, Andy was chin high in files that needed filing, calls that needed to be made, and plans to be confirmed. But Kristen? Kristen was sitting on her ass doing nothing but looking as pretty as any super model wannabe.
Nearly six weeks ago, when Emily had been promoted, Andrea had pitched for Joey, a hardworking, fashion educated woman. But Miranda had seemingly taken one look at the woman's name and chosen Kristen out of spite.
Now, now, they were all suffering, but Andrea most of all. Andrea who still had to wait for the book and run errands in 100-degree weather, who couldn't even trust Kristen to man the phones so she had them rolling to her cell.
"Miranda Priestley's office, please hold...Miranda Priestley's office, please hold...yes, how can I help you? Yes, alright. No, that will not work for Miranda. She is available the Tuesday after next. Yes, three pm. Please hold. Miranda Priestley's office, please hold..."
Andrea typed into her computer as she kept the phone pressed to her shoulder and cheek. Her eyes, continued boring into the woman across from her sitting pristine and unruffled.
Kristen thought this job was a cake walk! Andrea had heard her talking to a friend four days ago, at the start of this abnormal heat wave, about how much of a breeze this job was! Andy had gawked and been about to strangle the woman, sure she could be forgiven for the murder if she just had time to explain WHY she had done it, but Emily-neurotic and high strung Emily who was finally eating more than just cheese cubes-had grabbed her about the waist and held her back.
It was only the text from Roy about Miranda's arrival that had saved them all from Andrea's sudden murderous intentions.
"Andrea, the proofs for..." Emily stopped walking mid stride and stared at Kristen, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. Was she...painting her nails?
Emily spun to see Andrea's flaring nostrils and clenched fist as she answered the ringing phones and typed responses to emails and had a budget spreadsheet open for the Hawaii shoot in November, and acted quickly.
"Kristen..." Emily hissed through clenched teeth. "...coffee run." Kristen shot to attention but faltered when she saw who was issuing the order. Emily raised a single sculpted eyebrow in challenge. "Now."
Kristen grabbed her bag and was out the door without a look towards Andrea's desk.
The second the woman was out of earshot Andrea cracked. "I can't...stand...her." Andrea radiated with tension, her finger nails still biting into her palms even as she tried to calm down and un-ply them.
"Yes...well..." Emily tutted and sniffed in derision as she put the proofs on Andrea's desk, on top of a growing pile of documents.
Files that Andrea just couldn't get a handle on. Not with how little time she had to actually do her own work.
"...shame with that new rule from Irv forbidding the firing of an employee without 'just cause' for at least six weeks."
"Only five days left." Andrea rejoiced aloud eyes a little bleary with happy tears.
Emily walked over to the empty desk, her former desk, and dialed Serena. "Serena, get that girl from Beauty with the pleasant phone manner and the snaggle toothed IT girl and bring them to Miranda's office. Yes. Yes."
"What are you doing?" Andrea questioned, before being pulled back to the phones.
Andrea was so busy taking notes and making changes to the calendar she hadn't even noticed Serena, Debra from Beauty, and Ashlynn from IT.
What she did notice was the sudden unblinking light on her phone as Debra picked up from the other desk and Emily hit hold on Andy's phone.
"Come. You have ten minutes before that wannabe comes hobbling in and eleven before Miranda gets back. Come, come." Emily ushered Andy out of her seat and pulled her away from her desk, heading towards her small office on the other side of the floor.
Emily left Serena to run herd on the two other women, all three needing to take a phone to keep up with the influx of calls.
A lot of the calls were from reporters looking to get a quote about the divorce-which had officially been finalized after six long months.
It had been a hard time for everyone at the office as Stephen seemed to be making it his life's work to drag out the process and get as much from Miranda as he could. He'd even filed for visitation rights with the girls-just to piss Miranda off.
Andrea knew firsthand how the girls felt about Stephen. She had often times run into them when she was dropping off the book. Truthfully, they were usually there waiting for her. They asked her questions about random things, talked to her about their day, and sometimes asked for help with homework.
Andrea, at first, had been cautious of them, especially after they had almost gotten her fired. That, and she wasn't sure how Miranda would feel about her talking to them. At first it was their little secret. They had opened up to her and apologized for her almost getting fired-they had just wanted Stephen to stop yelling at their mom. Andrea being there had helped-for a few minutes-but then the yelling had started and gotten louder and worse.
The night after Stephen petitioned for visitation rights was also the night that Cassidy had cried in Andrea's arms because she was afraid she and Caroline would have to spend time with Stephen by themselves. They didn't like him, and were pretty much afraid of him. Andrea had been comforting Cassidy when they heard tell-tail footsteps at the top of the stairs, where Miranda was looking at them in surprise and then worry when she realized Cassidy was in tears.
Andrea had never seen Miranda go from concerned to angry as fast as she had that night. Her eyes promised death if Andrea was responsible for her daughter's tears and Andrea would just have to accept her death calmly and without protest.
Caroline had been the one to save Andrea that night. Explaining with tears in her own eyes that Cassidy, and by Cassidy she meant both of them, were worried that they'd have to spend time with Stephen. Caroline of course called him a few words that would normally get her in trouble, but that night only got her held tighter by her mother. Cassidy had also gotten in on the bear hug, explaining that "Andy" was making them feel better. Miranda had looked into Andrea's eyes and whispered "thank you" and Andrea made her escape to leave the Priestly women to their privacy.
The next night Miranda had called her into the study and asked point blank how long she and the twins had been conversing at night. Andrea was honest and told her the truth, but instead of being eviscerated, as Andy had thought she would be, Miranda had hummed, nodded and then dismissed Andrea.
Since then Andrea spoke to the girls, and even sometimes stayed to help them with their homework in the kitchen and hear about their days with Miranda's blessing. Sometimes Miranda would pop in while the three of them were crowded around the kitchen table working on math problems or when they had been debating whether or not John Brown was a terrorist or a martyr and gotten involved in the debate. It had been one of the best nights Andrea had in the last six months.
Today, after all the trouble Stephen had caused previously, he'd accused Miranda of keeping him from the kids he'd come to love as his own on camera. He'd done it after Miranda won the case and he'd gotten nothing. He got less than nothing in fact as Miranda was able to claim some of HIS prized possessions when she revealed his philandering ways.
Andrea had been on the phone with Leslie, Miranda's PR rep, for almost two hours last night. The rebuttal of his comments went out today and the phones were ringing off the hook. Andy had called HR for temps to come and take over, but they wouldn't arrive for another hour. Which meant Andy had been fielding all the calls by herself as Kristen sat on her ass and looked 'pretty'.
"Sit. Take a breath. Then drink this." Emily instructed with a no-nonsense tone. Since her promotion they had gotten along much better. There wasn't a form of competition between them anymore, which allowed for a friendship to grow. Emily could now commiserate and feel somewhat empathetic with Andrea's situation, as although Emily had a rough time as Miranda's assistant, she had at least had a competent second assistant in Andrea to help handle the burdens.
Andrea sat on Emily's white couch. This couch had seen many late nights and smelled of the redheaded beta. But Andrea detected her own scent on the couch as she would often come here to wait for the Book and talk with Emily if the woman was still around. Andrea and Nigel fondly referred to the comfortable couch as Emily's counseling couch as many a Runway staff found themselves sitting on it when problems arose.
Now, the comfortable couch welcomes Andrea like an old friend as she drank the offered water and took several deep breaths. "It's not fair. Irv is just trying to make things more difficult." Andrea understood the policy, intellectually she did. But she also despised that she had to work with a woman who sat on her ass all day and only 'looked' busy when Miranda was present. "She should have hired Joey."
Emily huffed, shaking her head at her colleague. There was no way that Miranda was going to hire Joey. The woman could have been more qualified than Miranda herself, but the fashion editor wouldn't have given her the job because of the way Joey looked at Andrea. Miranda had become very possessive of Andrea in the year the would-be journalist had been working at Runway. It was very subtle and Emily was sure that Miranda didn't even recognize that she was doing it, but it was there. Emily, as a beta, could easily read the vibes being given off by Miranda when it came to Andrea. Truly, anyone worth their salt could. When Joey's eyes had strayed too low on Andrea's anatomy within sight of Miranda, the woman had lost her chance at the job immediately. No matter how Andrea had pitched for her, it wouldn't be enough.
"I hate when you do that. Joey was a good choice."
"That may be, but Miranda made her choice and now we all must live with it for at least another five days."
"Thank god, it's only five more days." Andrea huffed and reached for an empty folder on Emily's desk and started to fan herself.
Emily's nose twitched at the scent Andrea was giving off. "Would you stop that! It's not even that warm in here."
"Give me a break. I haven't cooled off from running errands this morning." Andrea begged off, glaring when Emily merely smirked at her discomfort.
"I assume you called for temps."
"Of course I did. I put in a request last night, but they won't be here for another hour."
"Then set up Debra and Ashlynn in the conference room and have them deal with the reporters until the temps get here. That should free you up long enough to get some of your own work done."
"That's a great idea." Andrea wondered why she hadn't thought of it herself. She'd been the one to set up such a protocol the last time reporters had started hounding the office phones for quotes.
"Yes, I know."
"Thanks Em." Andrea stood and left the office, bringing the empty folder with her to use as a fan until Miranda showed up. Emily shook her head in mild amusement before focusing back on her own work. Repeating her mantra of "I love my job" over and over again within her mind and these days, she actually meant it.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Andrea rushed around the photoshoot making sure everything was in its proper place. She made sure the models were ready, the make-up team was available, and the seamstresses for any last minute alterations were keeping their hands busy.
The lighting was perfect and the room held a nice chill to it thanks to the industrial air conditioning that Andrea had made sure was on and running at least three hours before they arrived. The last thing any of them had needed was to be running around this large open concept studio with no air conditioning. The studio was normally not used, so the heat and stagnant air would have made this shoot unbearable.
As it was, at the moment, things were going well. They were halfway through the shoot and there had been no mishaps, thanks in part, to Andrea's bull whip control of the room and its inhabitants.
Miranda almost seemed pleased.
When it was over and Andrea and Miranda were on their way back to Runway in the back of Miranda's town car, Miranda even seemed relaxed. She did sniff at the air of the town car as if trying to scent something for a few moments, but soon settled into her seat.
"Do you like baseball, Andrea?"
Andrea blinked, wondering where that question had come from. "Well, yes. I used to go to games with my grandfather when I was younger."
"Hm…" Miranda went quiet after that, seemingly considering something. Andrea waited, knowing there was nothing else she could really do but wait for Miranda to say what she wanted to say. "It would seem that I have an abundance of Mets tickets. You see, I purchased season tickets for Stephen, the girls and I, and was going to give them to him on his birthday. He of course, sent me divorce papers before I could give them to him. I have been unable to bring the girls as of yet. I have far too many tickets and far too little time to attend said games."
"Oh well…that's too bad. The Mets aren't doing too badly this year. I mean, in comparison to other years that is." Andrea filled in the silence.
"Yes, so I've heard." There was a twitch to Miranda's lips that indicated she was amused with something. "There is a game this Sunday at 6pm. I understand that it is also the fireworks show." Andrea remained silent, letting Miranda continue. "The girls would like for you to attend with us."
Andrea's eyes widened, "Oh, wow. That's uhm, well, I'd love to. If, if it's okay with you of course. I wouldn't want to intrude on time you spent with the girls."
"That's very kind of you, Andrea." Leave it to Andrea to try and assure Miranda had time with her girls—just the three of them. "Your presence would be welcome, that is, if you're free of course."
"Yes, I, I'd love to!" Andrea beamed happily at Miranda.
"Good. The girls will be thrilled. We will pick you up at 4:30pm."
"I'll be ready."
Miranda nodded, and slipped her sunglasses on just as the car came to a halt outside of the Elias-Clarke building. "And Andrea, do make sure HR has a replacement ready and available for that useless blonde first thing Monday morning."
Andrea's smile, if possible, doubled. "Yes, Miranda."
-.-.-.-Sunday, July 1h 2007.-.-.-.-
Andrea was ready and waiting outside of her apartment building at 4:20pm. She was wearing a Mets T-shirt with David Wrights name on the back and an old Mike Piazza jersey over it. To top off her baseball outfit she wore a Mets baseball cap with her ponytail pulled through the back, had her old softball mitt on her left hand, and wore true religion jeans and sneakers. She was ready for a baseball game and hoped Miranda and the girls weren't wearing designer clothes to the game.
It wasn't Miranda's town car that pulled up to the curb, but a four-door silver 2007 Lexus IS. The twins were seated in the back and rolled down their window and squealed when they saw Andrea's outfit.
"Andy!" The girls yelled as the car pulled to a stop in front of her. The girls were wearing Mets jerseys and ball caps like her.
Andrea was gob smacked to see Miranda behind the wheel of the car. Andrea was sure that the woman could drive, she had just never really taken any time to actually think about Miranda driving. If anything, Miranda looked fabulous behind the wheel.
Thankfully, Miranda wasn't wearing Mets regalia, because if she had Andrea wasn't sure her legs could have held her up. Instead, Miranda was wearing a Donna Karen royal blue blouse.
"Do take your time Andrea…" Miranda sarcastically greeted, prompting Andrea to stumble forward in her hurry to reach for the car door, as it appeared she was sitting in the front passenger seat next to Miranda.
Great, Andrea thought, already feeling a cold sweat develop along the back of her neck and on her palms.
"Seatbelt, Andrea, really."
"Oh, right, sorry." Andrea clicked her seatbelt into place and offered Miranda a nervous smile as she rested her worn softball mitt on her lap.
Miranda's eyes took in Andrea's outfit but the fashion queen said nothing as she pulled out into traffic. However, Andrea noticed the tell-tale signs of a smirk gracing the older woman's lips as she drove, but neither said a word to each other. They left most of the conversation up to the girl, who eagerly chatted away about how excited they were. Andy could practically feel their excitement as it buzzed around them all like an electric charge.
"Have you ever been to a game, Andy?"
"I've been to a few Mets games since I moved here. My grandfather was born in Brooklyn. He was a huge Brooklyn Dodgers fan until they moved to California. He became a Mets fan on principle. But he loved baseball. He really loved the Amazin' Mets."
"The who?" The twins echoed.
Andrea's eyes widened as she twisted in her seat—as much as her seatbelt allowed—and looked at the twin redheads. "You don't know about the Amazin' Mets?" She asked, aghast.
"No…" The twins echoed, suddenly on the edge of their seats. "Tell us!"
"Well you see, it all started in 1969, the eighth year of the Met's franchise. Now back then the Mets were considered one of the worst teams in the league. And their records the last eight years didn't help their cause. But the fans were obsessed and as luck would have it, the 1969 Mets won the last 38 games, helping them finish first in their division…but they were going up against the best of the best—which in 1969 was the Orioles in the World Series." Andrea began, aware that it wasn't just twin 12 year olds who were captivated by her story.
By the time they arrived at Shea stadium Andrea was just finishing her tale of the World Series win and the girls practically had stars in their eyes.
"Wow…" Cassidy whispered.
"That's so neat!" Caroline exclaimed, breaking the air of awe that had been in the car for several long moments. "Isn't that neat mom!?"
"Yes, Bobbsey it is…neat." Parking the car, Miranda turned off the engine and looked to the back seat. "Now you girls remember what I said about sticking close to Andrea or I, yes?"
"Yes, mom." Caroline rolled her eyes at the instruction while Cassidy seemed to be taking it very seriously.
"Alright then." Miranda gave Andrea a significant stare, warning her to remain close as well, before she exited the car with three eager Mets fans.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Andrea wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but having access to one of the private clubs and front box seats right by the Mets dugout wasn't it.
"Can we get hot dogs mom? Please?" Cassidy asked as they stood in line within the club. It seemed, as famous as Miranda was, she didn't know many—if any—of the people currently surrounding them. Then again, this wasn't the type of place Andrea would expect to see Miranda on a normal basis.
"Yes, but you may only have one soda between the two of you."
"Awesome!" Caroline and Cassidy high fived as they bounced on the balls of their feet while in line.
"What are you going to get, Andy?" Caroline asked over her shoulder.
"Well, it's tradition to get kettle corn, but that's for later. I think I'm going to go with a hot dog and a beer."
"A beer, really Andrea?"
"Hey, it's tradition!" Andrea defended with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Well then, if it's tradition." Miranda intoned. Miranda stepped up to the cashier to place their groups order, surprising everyone by getting herself a hotdog and a beer as well.
Andrea's mouth dropped, but the raised eyebrow from her boss kept her from saying anything at all.
-.-.-.-.-.-
"This is so cool!" Cassidy raced down the stairs to their front row box right by the dugout, eyes wide as she looked out at the field in front of her. Caroline was only a step or two behind her leaving Andrea and Miranda to take up the rear.
"Girls, do not run, you'll slip!" Miranda warned, though it fell upon deaf ears as the girls continued to run down the remaining steps.
Andrea had learned that this was the girls' first baseball game. They'd never been to a live sports event that wasn't hosted by their school so their excitement was understandable, and maybe even a little contagious.
Andrea slid in to the right hand seat, allowing Miranda to sit in the aisle seat, the girls sure to sit in front of them when they came away from the fenced off area.
"Thank you for dinner." Andrea offered into the silence that had descended between the two of them.
"You're welcome."
"Mom, mom, do you think we'll catch a foul ball?" Caroline asked as she and Cassidy rushed to take their seats.
"I hope not." Miranda honestly stated, the idea of a foul ball heading straight for one of the girls heads causing her to shiver in worry.
"Ah, don't worry. I'll catch anything that comes close to us." Andrea assured, taking the time to put on her mitt and slam her fist into the worn leather.
"Did you play baseball, Andy?" Cassidy asked, slightly skeptical of Andrea's skills.
"No, but I played softball for three years during high school. I played as shortstop."
"That's the one between first and second, right?" Caroline asked, to which Andy smiled good naturedly.
"No, that's the one between second and third."
"Oh, right. That's what I meant." Caroline blushed at the mistake but Andy's smile kept her from getting too embarrassed at her flubbed answer.
"Mom, can we go see if they'll throw us a ball?" Cassidy asked, noting the other kids standing where they had been previously trying to get the attention of the practicing players.
"Very well. But stay together and do not go where Andrea and I cannot see you."
With the permission they were looking for the redheads were off like a shot.
"So this is the girls' first baseball game. Have you been before, Miranda?"
Miranda turned to Andrea, wondering when the woman had become brave enough to ask her questions. Then again, they weren't in the office. Far from it really. "I have not been in many years and I have never been to Shea Stadium. Should I have to choose a team to root for, it has always been the Yankees."
Andrea hissed, "No…"
Miranda's lips twitched, "I'm afraid so."
Andrea laughed, "Ah, well. No one's perfect."
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well, you know. Just that, if you had been a Mets fan then you'd be perfect. But now that I know you're a Yankee's fan, you're flawed."
"Andrea…" Miranda warned.
"It's not a bad thing, Miranda! And it's only my personal opinion. Besides, it makes you more human."
"And I suppose me being more human is a good thing rather than more dragon-like?"
"Well, yes." Andy wasn't sure where this bravery was coming from. Maybe it was the fact that she'd already finished a large 36oz beer and was halfway through her second. "Not that I think you're dragon like. You're too much of a softy when it comes to the girls to be a dragon. I mean…uhh…" Andrea cleared her throat and made a grand effort to pay attention to the girls who were waving their hands up in the air to get the attention of the players.
Miranda took mercy on her and refrained from commenting on her slightly tipsy confession.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
It turned out that Andrea's softball skills came in handy when she lunged forward and caught a foul ball that would have otherwise hit Cassidy in the jaw. She caught the ball and the people around her—including the girls—went wild. They even ended up on the big screen where Andrea gave the ball to the girls to hold up and jump about in their excitement. Miranda, remained seated, her heart racing in her chest at the averted catastrophe of her daughter needing plastic surgery from being hit by a foul ball. When the fever died down Miranda smiled as the girls shoved the would-be-catastrophe-baseball in her face. Then came the fight between who would get to keep it.
"You will share it." Miranda instructed, stopping the squabbling before it truly began. When the girls' attention went back to the game, Miranda turned to Andrea and dared to place her hand on the young woman's knee. "Thank you…" She whispered the fright she'd felt at her own inability to stop the imagined horrifying damage to her daughter's face, making her shiver in fear.
Andrea patted Miranda's hand and then rested her hand atop the fashion queen's when she realized it wasn't going anywhere. "Of course, Miranda. Anytime."
Andrea must have smelt the fear rolling off of Miranda in waves, because the girl didn't comment on the fact that they were essentially holding hands. Miranda needed the comfort, and for some odd reason touching Andrea helped calm her. Andrea, in the meantime, wasn't going to comment on it if Miranda wasn't. They both just continued to watch the game with their hands touching. Even when Andrea jumped up with the crowd to watch pop fly's head into the outfield—in hopes that they were homeruns—once she sat down Miranda's hand returned to her knee, and Andrea's hand returned to rest atop Miranda's.
And so the game went on. The Mets won by three runs when Jose Reyes hit a homerun with two men on in the bottom of the 11th.
The girls were still hyped up on energy, popcorn, and even cotton candy—for which Miranda had balked at but only insisted that the girls brush their teeth twice before going to bed when it was clear she was outvoted. Andrea, the surprisingly impish woman that she was, even got Miranda to try some of the sugary confection. Of course, it was worth watching Andrea's eyes widen and the vein in the younger woman's neck bulge when Miranda did not take the sugary snack from Andrea's hands with her own, but leaned forward and closed her mouth around the treat, and Andrea's fingers. Andrea had gulped and turned a bright shade of red, and Miranda just smirked and leaned back into her seat as if nothing had happened.
If Andrea was incredibly still, and suddenly very hot, for the rest of the game, it was just the damn heatwave, right?
"Oh man Andy, it was so cool when you caught that ball. I thought for sure it was going to hit me, but then you were there and you caught it and then everyone was cheering."
"Everyone wanted to be us." Caroline proclaimed, tossing the ball—which they'd gotten signed—up into the air and catching it with her chest awkwardly.
"Hmm…they did indeed." Miranda met Andrea's eyes and the brunette grinned and shook her head at the miniature version of her boss and choose to say nothing.
"David is going to be so jealous!" Cassidy proclaimed as she and Caroline skipped just in front of Miranda and Andrea in the parking lot.
"David?" Andrea asked.
"Yeah, our step-brother. He's like 16 and thinks we're a vernal plague or something. I don't know."
"Viral plague…" Miranda corrected. Andrea bit the inside of her lip to keep quiet. It seemed there was a lot of information, saying, and vocabulary that the girls picked up on from their mother that further made them miniature versions of her. "And I thought David was being nicer to the two of you?"
"He is, Dad and Katherine make sure he is. But he's still gross and says stuff when they're not around." Cassidy admitted.
"Dad thinks it's because he's "showing"." Caroline air quoted.
Miranda's eyes widened as she cut her eyes to her youngest. "Caroline, you know better than to speak of such things!"
"Sorry, mom. But isn't that what happens? With alphas? They start showing and preening as they're going through the phase?"
Miranda frowned, but touched Caroline's shoulder in comfort as the young girl asked her a question Miranda had always made clear they could ask her about—in private. "We are not to talk about such things, especially about someone else. You know that it is rude to do so. If you'd like to discuss it more we can do so, in private." Miranda stressed her eyes flittering to Andrea so Caroline would realize they were talking about family member's biological definition in front of someone outside of the family.
"Alright…" Caroline whined, head facing down.
Miranda's eyes hardened the more she thought about her daughter's step-brother and the phase he might be going through, "I will speak with your father about this."
"No, don't mom. If you do, then this whole week we're at dads is going to suck."
"Language, Caroline."
"Sorry, but it will!" Caroline protested.
Miranda seemed torn. She wanted to destroy the little cretin that was making it difficult for her daughters to enjoy their time with their father, but she did not want to make things harder for the girls by getting further involved in something they wanted to handle themselves. They were at that age where they realized 'mommy' couldn't make everything better, sometimes she could make it worse by getting involved. Especially when it came to their step-brother.
"We will talk more about this before you leave tomorrow afternoon."
"Fine…" Both girls chorused and their good moods seemed to have turned sour as their heads drooped.
"Alright you two knuckleheads…buckle up." Andrea instructed as they all settled into the car. Andrea did her best to get the girls to focus on the fun they had to break through the tension in the air between the three Priestly women. It took a few minutes, but by the time Miranda had navigated them out of the parking lot the girls were back to their cheery selves.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
When Miranda pulled in front of Andrea's apartment building the girls were fast asleep in the back seat their heads resting against each other's as they each puffed out gentle snores. It was the cutest thing Andrea had ever seen and made her heart stutter in her chest with how much she'd come to care for the two pre-teens.
"Are you sure you don't want me to help you bring them up? I don't mind taking a cab home." Andrea offered for the second time, looking between Miranda, the sleeping redheads, and her own apartment building.
"Yes, I'm sure. I'm quite capable." Miranda assured, not even minding that she had to repeat herself.
"Right, of course you are, I just…" Miranda smiled at Andrea and the brunette swallowed thickly as a sudden wave of heat swam around her. "…right then. I had a great time, Miranda. Thank, thank you for inviting me."
"We did as well. And thank you for spending time with us on your day off. It was, it was very nice." Miranda held Andrea's gaze, wondering what the young woman saw when she looked into her eyes.
Andrea shook her head to clear it of the silly notion that maybe Miranda didn't want this evening to end either. "See you tomorrow." Andrea quickly scurried from the car, turning to wave awkwardly at Miranda when she made it to the door of her apartment building. Once she opened the door, Miranda pulled away and disappeared down the road.
Once out of sight, Andrea's shoulders sagged as she made her way up to her apartment. Once inside she went to the rickety air conditioner and turned it on as high as it would go. She stripped down, put on the fan by her bed, put on her boxers, and flopped into bed.
What had happened between her and Miranda tonight? They had certainly crossed a line, but what kind of line had they crossed? Andrea had thought they were becoming friends or at least friendly to each other thanks to the girls. But tonight, there had been a particular fission between them. Andrea looked down at her hand and stared at it, the same hand that had touched Miranda for nearly two hours.
Friends could hold hands.
They could!
Andrea held hands with a lot of her friends. She'd also eaten food out of her friend's hands too. Granted, she'd only done that in an effort to be playfully sexy. And Miranda didn't need to be playfully sexy, she was just sexy all the time.
Andrea shivered at the memory of Miranda's lips closing around the tips of her fingers as the older woman sucked the cotton candy right off. "Ugh…" No, Miranda didn't need to try to be playfully sexy.
But that still begged the question of what happened tonight, what lines had they really crossed, and what would happen tomorrow because of it?
End Part 1
For the Bingo Challenge:
This chapter included the following prompts from Card 5:
1) Heat
2) Sports
3) Photo-shoot
4) Boxers
5) Couch
6) cheese cubes
7) Everyone Wants to be us
8) The book
9) Injury
10) Viral Plague
