Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the mistakes. This story is written completely for fun.
Dedication goes to EllieWrites for being my Mirandy muse.
Chapter 1
Andy walked through the townhouse door carrying the ever present dry cleaning and book. She had been doing this for almost a year now, and she had her steps down to an exact science. But tonight the dry cleaning seemed heavier and the book felt weightier. As she hung up the dry cleaning and deposited the book on the side table, she sighed heavily. Normally she wouldn't make a sound, she had even taken her shoes off in the past to ensure a noiseless entry and exit. Miranda had made it very clear when entrusting this errand to her assistant that she was to simply deposit the items effortlessly and most importantly soundlessly. Andy had only failed once in this task when two twin girls had tricked her into delivering the book upstairs. Andy thought back to that night and visibly cringed. Well honestly anytime she thought of Stephen it made her cringe. Thank god that douche bag was no longer around. Miranda deserved so much better than that sniveling drunkard. So what if he waited for two hours for Miranda to show up for dinner one night? Hell I'd wait two weeks, two months, two years even for Miranda, Andy thought. Andy shook her head because she knew those thoughts would get her nowhere. She had been spent on Miranda for over six months now and tonight the emotions in her were overflowing.
Tonight Miranda had accepted a dinner invitation from Dr. Charleston Epps, esteemed Board of Directors member. Andy knew the good doctor had his eye on Miranda for some time. Every gala, dinner, and company soiree, Dr. Epps had made a beeline straight for Miranda blatantly flirting with her, and always making Andy sick to her stomach with his leering glances.
As Andy began to leave, she saw Patricia come barreling down the staircase. No matter how quiet Andy had always been delivering the book, she could never get in and out without petting the beloved Priestly St. Bernard. Andy bent down and patted Patricia's enormous goofy head, "Hey pretty girl. Looks like it's just you at home all by yourself tonight uh?"Patricia just flopped down at the end of the staircase and rolled over expecting a tummy rub. Andy knew the twins were at a sleepover and Miranda would still be out with Dr. Eww, so she decided to take a minute and sit at the bottom of the staircase with Patricia. Andy wasn't in any hurry to go back to her empty apartment, so why not sit here and enjoy some rejection free time.
"So you know your mom went out with another idiot tonight don't you.? Ugh, I can't stand that guy. I know that theoretically he looks good for Miranda. I mean he's handsome, only four years older than her, he's on the board, and he's a freaking doctor which also makes him wealthy, but god he's just so slimy and all he cares about is getting into Miranda's La Perla. Although I can't blame him for that, I know I've often fantasized about what lies underneath those Prada pants, but at least I actually care about her too" Andy said with a bit of an indigent moan. Patricia just looked up at her like, 'stop waving your hand emphatically in the air, and get back to petting me'. Andy sighed again and put her hand back down onto Patricia's belly. "Who am I kidding Patricia? I more than care for Miranda, I'm hopelessly in love with her. Six months ago that other idiot that your mom was with sent her divorce papers via fax. I mean, who does that? He was married to the most amazing, most stunning woman I've ever known and he sends her divorce papers during the most important week of her life! And the public has the audacity to call her the Ice Queen! I mean how much colder can you get? And if you ask me, Stephen was definitely a queen. He was always complaining like a damn diva about having to be Mr. Priestly. Hell, let me be Mr. Priestly. There's no way I'd ever let her go" Andy stated somewhat dreamily as though she were actually picturing herself standing at the alter with Miranda.
Patricia was now snoring but Andy continued to pet the dog finding solace in finally being able to tell someone about the emotions that had been building in her for months. Nate was long gone before she had even made it back from Paris and Lily had made it quite clear that she would be taking Nate's side after the break up. Her friend Doug was still around, but she didn't trust sharing with anyone with the feelings she had for Miranda. Talking to her parents would have been impossible. They would have demanded she come home to Ohio and pray the gay away. She wanted to confide in Nigel but she was sure that confessing undying love about the woman who snatched your dream job away might not go over well. There was a safety in conversing with Patricia. The St. Bernard would keep her secrets, and no one would be the wiser.
"You know, that's the day I realized that I was in love with her. I walked into her suite and she was sitting on the sofa with red-rimmed eyes, wearing only a soft grey robe, looking the most beautiful I had ever seen her... and I knew. All I wanted to do was hold her tight and show her just how incredible she is. And of course reach through the fax line and throttle Stephen for putting her through that. What an ass to make her worry about her girls! Those kids are the most important thing in the world to Miranda, you aside of course. At first I was just as afraid of Cass and Caro as I was of Miranda, but now those two have really grown on me. I actually like helping them with their schoolwork, and really it's not like I didn't pull pranks when I was a kid. They probably had no idea the enormity of the repercussions from their little stunt, so I couldn't hold it against them and nor was I going to tell on them either. Besides, I kinda liked being able to do the impossible by obtaining those Harry Potter manuscripts. I think for the first time Miranda actually looked at me with something more than contempt, and for that I'll always be grateful." Patricia stretched a little in her sleep, as Andy moved her hand from the dog's belly to place it behind one of Patricia's ears. "I'm so glad you're here for me to talk to. When Miranda accepted that dinner invite, I was completely devastated. Doesn't she know that she deserves so much better? I know she's straight, hell I used to think I was too until her... so I know she'll end up with a guy eventually but I'd rather see her with someone who she can feel safe with enough to let all her guards down... someone who isn't just madly in love with the image of Miranda, but the real Miranda... the one that never takes time for herself, the one that cries over her kids, the one that secretly loves pancakes- it's true because Cass told me one night. Her and Caro had wanted to do something special for her on Mother's Day so I suggested that they make her breakfast in bed, thus I know about her love for pancakes. I'd make her pancakes. I'd make her anything she wanted. I bet Dr. Epps can't even turn on a stove. Or he'd make her cook. He wouldn't spoil her... maybe with monetary things, but not with caresses, or bubble baths, or just finagling her schedule so she could have more time with her girls or even just time to herself" Andy sighed again.
While it felt good to be able to voice some of her musings, it didn't change the fact that Miranda was out on a date and she was here alone with Patricia. Looking at her watch, she realized that the time had gotten away from her, and as much as she wanted to stay, she knew that Miranda would be home soon and she had no desire to find out if Dr. Epps would be invited in for a nightcap. Nope, her heart wouldn't be able to take it. She just wasn't emotionally strong enough at the moment to handle such a scenario. With one final pat to Patricia's head, she arose from her perch on the steps and headed for the door. She was halfway to her destination when she heard "Andrea."