Part II
"This," Caroline said, picking up Miranda's iPad off the coffee table, "is how we are going to get mom and Andy together."
Cassidy quickly found Andrea Sachs in Miranda's contacts. "Aww, Mom still has her number. How sweet."
"And her personal email address!" Caroline squealed. "Okay, we need to strategize. We can't call because, let's face it, neither one of us sound like Mom. So I think our options are limited to texting and emailing."
"Did mom leave her cell phone?" Cassidy asked, as both girls looked around the room in the usual places. "Doesn't look like it. Let's just email."
Caroline nodded, as if making an outline of their plan. "We have to find a way to email her without Mom seeing replies or anything. Do you have any ideas?"
Both girls sat and thought for a moment. "Care, does Mom ever check your phone?"
"Never," she said. Two years ago, Miranda had given the girls a smartphone for emergencies and getting in touch with her or Roy or their father. She promised to buy them each their own phone when they entered high school, but for now, they had to share, which meant Caroline kept it and made all the decisions.
"So, why don't we send Andy an email from mom's account on her iPad, and then tell her that mom has a new personal phone number, ours, and then we can text her!" Cassidy said.
"Okay, wait, wait," Caroline said. "We need to consider the implications of this. If Andy does come back into mom's life, she and maybe Mom, too, are going to find out that we lied and that we were pretending to be Mom."
"But Care, won't it be worth it? If Andy still likes Mom as much as she used to, they won't care who or what brought them back together."
"Cass, you're such a romantic. I can't stand it. But, you're right. Let's just text her from our phone, saying it's Mom and that she got a new number, ok? Even if we ask her not to reply to the email, there's still a chance she will, and that Mom or Emily will see it before we get to it."
"Ok. Deal. Now, what do we want to say?"
"Do you think we should have Andy show up at lunch?" Caroline asked.
"No. Mom will expect us to be playing matchmaker again, so we need to make her think we're perfect angels."
"Oh god. So, we'll go to lunch and do something fun with Mom, then somehow get her and Andy together at night?"
"Yup, sounds good. We can even go with Mom in the Range Rover, and then Roy can pick us up once she sees Ahn-drey-uh," Cassidy drawled.
"Uhh, what if Mom brings Andy home with her? I really don't want to be present for that. Should we make plans to stay at Isabella's? Or, is Mom not the type to jump into bed on the first date?"
"Care, I don't want to think about that. Plus, Mom and Andy have known each other, so it's kind of not the first date. We'll just make it really clear that we will be at home, awake, waiting for her. This way, if it works out, they can make plans to see each other again."
"Ok, fine, whatever. Now, should we make reservations at Pastis or what?"
"What about Daniel? It's really close to our house, and they have those private screened booths. Mom would probably like that, so no one sees her at a table with a gorgeous woman."
"Cassidy! That's ridiculous, but Daniel is a great idea. Since Mom is also expecting us to have something planned for the afternoon, why don't we all get mani/pedis, then head to The Palm Court for high tea?"
"Girls' day out? I like it. Mom will be totally relaxed, too. But, um," Cassidy said, "How are we going to get Mom to Daniel tonight? I mean she really doesn't like eating out so much."
"Well, first we have to make sure Andy can go. I think if Mom thinks that you or I really want to go there, she'll go," Caroline said.
"Okay. Awesome plan. Now, start texting Andy. You know exactly how Mom talks, so I'm just going to leave this up to you."
"Thanks, Sis," she said, pulling out her phone and entering Andy's phone number into her contacts. "Here goes nothing," she said as she began to type:
Andrea, I need to speak with you about something. And no, I won't ask you about Paris. Can you meet me at Daniel on the upper west side tomorrow evening at 7pm? -Miranda (This is my new personal, non-Runway number. I don't want anyone to know.)
"That's it?" Cassidy asked. "You're not going to say more?"
"When does Mom ever type more than ten words? This is borderline too explanatory as is. Now, we just have to wait." ding-ding!
M, Yes, I can meet you at 7. Is everything okay? Should I be concerned? -A
No. No need for concern. It will be lovely to see you. Text me when you arrive. -M
"Ooh, that was smart," Cassidy said. "That way, we'll know when Andy is coming!"
"Exactly. Now, do you want to call Emily or should I?" Caroline asked.
"You do it. From the house phone. She'll be scared straight," Cassidy said with a smile.
Caroline quickly walked over to the desk and picked up the phone, dialing Emily's number, which was written on a post-it next to the phone.
"Hello, Miranda? Is something the matter? What do you need?" Emily babbled.
"Hi Emily, it's Caroline."
"Oh god, hi. Did something happen to Miranda? Are you okay? Are you lost?"
"Calm down and have a cube of cheese, you crazy woman," Caroline said sternly. "Now, Mom asked that we have you make reservations for us tomorrow. It's our day to treat Mom, but we need you to make the reservations."
"Oh, okay," Emily said, having calmed down significantly. "I can do this. What will you be doing?"
"Three mani/pedis at that place with the navy blue chairs. And make sure we will all be seated together. They will tell you it's first come, first serve, but you need to ensure that we will be on either side of Mom. Book the entire spa for two hours, whatever it takes, Emily."
Emily was speechless. At fourteen, Caroline's quick tongue was exactly like her mother's. "Yes, I'll do that. Anything else?"
"Yes, after the mani/pedi, we will be having high tea at The Palm Court. Let's plan on tea at 2pm. And we will be returning to the townhouse afterwards, but would like to dine at Daniel here by our house for dinner at 7pm. Get us a private booth as far back as possible," Caroline said. "Oh, and Mom will be driving us to Daniel, but Roy needs to be on hand if we need a lift."
"Of course, Miran—I mean, of course, Caroline. I will schedule your mani/pedis for 11:30am. Anything else?"
"Nope, just don't tell Mom anything, because we want it to be a surprise. Oh, and if you don't mind, can you just provide Mom's card number over the phone so she doesn't have to worry about paying while we're there?"
"Yes. Is that all?"
"That's all," Caroline said, hanging up the phone.
Both girls were giggling when Miranda cleared her throat from the doorway. "Girls, it's nearly midnight. I thought you were going up to watch a movie—what happened?"
"Well, we got really excited about planning our day tomorrow. It's a surprise. Emily is the only one who knows and I think she's scared of me now, so she won't tell you," Caroline said, giggling.
Miranda smiled. "I can't wait to see what you girls have in store. But tell me, why is Emily scared of you?"
"Caroline sounds just like you on the phone, Mom. It's uncanny," Cassidy said, "And she even said 'that's all' before hanging up on Emily."
Miranda shook her head back and forth. "Girls, I did not raise you to be chimpanzees. Imitation is unbecoming. As hard as I try to set an example for you, I want you to be your own people," Miranda said.
"Mom, chill out. We were just having fun teasing Emily. I'm not like this all the time," Caroline said, quickly turning to Miranda and giving her her own signature icy glare.
All three of them suddenly bust out laughing. "Okay, you two, off to bed. What time will we need to be out of the house tomorrow?"
"We need to be somewhere at 11:30. It's nearby, but Roy will take us. I presume we will leave around 11:15," Cassidy said.
"Would you girls like me to make you breakfast in the morning? Eggs Benedict or something?" Miranda asked.
"No, we'll just have some fruit and toast. We have some food planned later in the day," Caroline said, smiling.
"Okay, then goodnight girls," Miranda said as she ushered her children up to their rooms. Miranda returned to the study to retrieve her iPad from the coffee table. Earlier that evening, she had been looking through photos of Andrea, photos taken at shoots or events where Andrea was standing next to Miranda. She had been admiring the shots and deciding on a photo for her contact, but apparently she left Andrea's contact information on screen.
Miranda sat down on the couch, tracing her finger over Andrea's phone number, debating whether to call or not. This is ridiculous, she thought. What am I supposed to say? Why would she even want to take my call, let alone speak with me or see me again? Miranda sighed, feeling quite helpless, and turned out the lights before heading to her bedroom.
Slipping in between the sheets, Miranda wondered what it would feel like to touch another woman. Of course, she has physically touched all sorts of models, and she is no stranger when it comes to models and nudity. But to really, physically, intimately touch another female. Miranda slowly ran her hands down her body, down her silk chemise, down her smooth legs. Her heart began racing as she ached for this sort of intimate touch. She slowly slid her hand between her legs, gently cupping her sex. Biting her lower lip and closing her eyes, she imagined another woman there with her, between her legs, pressed against her aching groin. Miranda tried to imagine a faceless woman, but her thoughts were plagued with images of Andrea—between her legs, straddling her chest, crushing those plump lips against her own… Miranda suddenly sat up with a gasp. I'm fantasizing about a former assistant, she thought, this is ridiculous, I'm fifty years old! Miranda curled up onto the other side of the bed, forcing herself asleep.
That morning, Miranda woke early and prepared some fresh fruit and homemade blueberry muffins for the girls—anything to keep her mind occupied with something other than Andrea. Smelling the fresh-baked muffins, Caroline and Cassidy quickly appeared in the kitchen.
"Mom, you didn't have to cook for us," Caroline said. "But thank you."
"Yeah, thanks, Mom," Cassidy added.
"You're very welcome, my darlings," she said as she handed them each a glass of milk and took her coffee mug in her hand. "Now, will you tell me where we are going at 11:15? At least so I know what to wear?"
"Oh Mom," Cassidy said, "You're killing me. You look awesome no matter what you wear."
"And," Caroline added, "Because you're you, you can wear a ball gown to the grocery store and no one will look strangely. In fact, it would start a trend."
Miranda laughed at her daughters' comments, but actually, she knew they were right. "Okay, so are you saying you'd like me to wear my vintage Chanel couture from 1946 with some classic satin pumps?"
"Mooom," Cassidy groaned, "Don't be ridiculous. You'll embarrass us!"
Miranda chuckled, smiling. "That's what I thought. So, jeans or a dress?"
"Um, not jeans. Trousers would be okay. Or a casual dress or skirt."
"Got it," Miranda said. "I'm going upstairs to get ready, and I suggest you two do as well. It's almost ten o'clock, so you have little over an hour."
The girls nodded and headed upstairs after putting their dishes in the dishwasher. Miranda finished the last drops of her coffee and followed the girls upstairs.
At 11:15, the Priestly women stepped outside to their waiting car. Miranda ushered the girls before stepping in herself. She decided to wear a pair of black matchstick pants from with a green and white polka-dot cardigan sweater and her suede DKNY bowtie ankle boots. Caroline was wearing a casual shirt dress with a sweater, and Cassidy wore bright cobalt skinny jeans with a long sweater and riding boots.
The car began to move, and Miranda still had no idea where they were going until Roy stopped the car in front of Bliss spa. "Okay, we're here!" Cassidy exclaimed. Miranda smiled as she stepped out of the car and let them lead her into the building, delighted to find that they were being led to the pedicure chairs.
"Girls, this is perfect, thank you for planning everything!" Miranda said with a genuine smile.
"Oh Mom, there's more," Caroline said. "Should we tell her?" she asked, turning to Cassidy.
Cassidy nodded. "After our pedicures and manicures, we're going to The Palm Court for tea, and then later tonight, we have dinner reservations at 7 at Daniel—I really want to try their rabbit—"
"And I want to try their Jerusalem Artichoke!" Caroline added.
"Okay," Miranda said. "I've never been to Daniel, either. Surprisingly, since it's near our house. That sounds wonderful, thank you for making the arrangements, girls."
"No problem," Caroline said. "Now, big decision: which shade of red for your toenails?"
Miranda chuckled, "I don't know, I'm feeling a little frisky today. What about a deep plum black?"
"OOh! Yes!" Cassidy exclaimed. "I'm getting that on my fingernails. But I'm putting neon pink on my toes."
The girls took their seats and the staff of the spa began their work. Two hours later, the Priestly women walked out with OPI shade "Lincoln Park After Dark" on their fingernails, Cassidy and Caroline both had China Glaze neon pink, while Miranda opted for the same color on her fingers and toes.
Roy was waiting and delivered them to the Palm Court for afternoon tea. Miranda used to take the girls here for tea during the holidays when they were younger, but it had been several years since they had been back.
After a lovely, relaxing afternoon topped off by finger sandwiches and petit fours, Miranda and the girls returned home and watched some reruns of Law & Order SVU on TV, all falling asleep on each other on the couch.
Ding-ding! All three women were startled by the sound, but Caroline quickly pulled her phone from her pocket to check her message: What should I wear tonight? -A
"Mom, we should probably get ready," Caroline said. "Do you know what we should wear? Can we wear what we have on or do we have to dress up?"
"You girls are fine. I will probably change my sweater and throw on some nice heels," Miranda said. "Caroline, who was that on the phone?"
"Oh, um, it was Kendall from school. She was wondering if we were at dance camp this week."
"Did you girls want to go?" Miranda asked.
"No, I don't think anyone from school is," Caroline said.
"Okay. I'm going to go get ready. You girls should probably brush your teeth and run a comb through your hair," Miranda said with a smirk.
"Sure thing!" they said.
As soon as Miranda was out of sight, Caroline quickly texted Andrea back: I will be wearing matchstick pants and heels. No jeans. Although, you will look good in whatever you decide to wear. -M
"Caroline!" Cassidy shouted, "OMG why did you say that?"
"Um, Mom did say she was feeling 'frisky' today, didn't she?"
"Ugh, she's going to kill you when she finds out. You know that."
"Well, I think it's worth it," Caroline said, slipping the phone into her pocket and walking upstairs. Once they cleaned up, Caroline walked into Miranda's room to ask to borrow some jewelry.
"Hi Mom," she said, knowing Miranda was in the bathroom and didn't see her. "Can I borrow a bracelet tonight?"
"Oh Bobbsey, of course," Miranda said, stepping out into her bedroom. "Let's see, I have a few Betsey Johnson pieces that would look really good with your ensemble…here," she said, opening a small drawer in her jewelry chest.
"Thanks, Mom. I like these two."
"Fine, darling. Just remember to put them back when you're finished," Miranda said.
Caroline clasped the bracelets on her wrist and then turned to hug her mom. "Thanks, Mom."
"Oh darling, you're welcome, but you don't have to thank me."
"Uh, Mom, is this what you're wearing tonight?" she asked, gesturing at the green silk Madonna-esque corset bra top, with black lining. "It looks like something Madonna wore in the 1980s."
"Darling, it's John-Paul Gaultier. His style is known for it's wire ribbing and stiff-looking forms and shapes."
"Oh, are you wearing something over it?"
"Of course!" Miranda exclaimed. "Okay, now you two get ready to leave. I'll be down in two minutes."
Miranda laughed as she slipped on her sheer black blouse. Stepping back and looking at herself in the mirror, wearing black head-to-toenails, she smiled. I look good, she thought. Well-made, well-tailored clothing gave her the confidence she needed to slip into her leopard print patent Louboutin stilettos.
As she hurried downstairs, she saw her beautiful daughters waiting patiently at the kitchen counter with their coats on. "Mom, it's 6:55, we have to leave!" Cassidy said, nervous that Andrea would be there before they arrived. "You, uh look really nice tonight."
"Thank you, now let's go," she said, grabbing her coat and bag from the closet. "Where is Roy?"
"Uh, he couldn't. You're driving tonight."
"Oh, then, we will be there in a flash," Miranda said with a wink. Cassidy tossed her her car keys and leaned over to her sister.
"Mom is a total MILF tonight," she said, giggling. Caroline nodded in agreement. They arrived in less than two minutes, and Miranda handed her keys to the valet in front as the three women entered the restaurant.
"Ah, Ms Priestly," the maitre d' said. "Celeste will take your coats. Your table is right this way," he said, leading them to the far back corner booth.
"This is a lovely restaurant," Miranda said as they stepped into their booth.
"Your server will be here momentarily," he said, closing the wooden screen.
"This is very private booth," Miranda observed. "Excellent choice, girls."
"Can I be excused? I need to use the restroom and touch up my lipgloss," Caroline asked.
"I'll go with her," Cassidy said, knowing her mother preferred them to go places together when possible.
Miranda nodded. "Would you like some lemonade or iced tea to drink?"
"No, water is fine," Cassidy said.
"Yeah, me, too. Thanks."
They stepped out and texted Roy that they were ready. Of course, he had been waiting outside as Emily asked him to. They retrieved their coats from Celeste, and Caroline went to speak to the maitre d', to tell him that Miranda would be joined by another young woman for dinner this evening. When they were putting on their coats, Caroline received another text: Walking in now.
She quickly responded, Reservation in my name.
They saw Andrea enter the restaurant. She looked gorgeous, as they remembered, and Caroline noticed that she still had no ring on her left hand. The twins silently high-fived each other as they slipped out.
In the car, Caroline turned to Cassidy, "We didn't tell Mom we were leaving! Shit!"
"Uh, text her, now."
Caroline quickly began to type: Mom, Roy picked us up and is taking us home. We will be waiting up for you—hope you enjoy your evening! -C&C
"Think she'll be pissed?" Cassidy asked.
"Hopefully not so much that she leaves."
Andrea handed her coat to Celeste and followed the man back to the corner booth. Miranda was absentmindedly playing with the stem of her wine glass when the screen opened, and she wasn't paying much attention until she realized her daughters did not enter the booth.
"Andrea—" she gasped, speechless. It had been nearly a year since she last saw the young woman, though she had been thinking about her nearly every day.
"Hi, Miranda," Andrea said, flashing a bright smile.
"Wha—what are you doing here?" Miranda said, "Where are the girls?" she asked, pulling out her phone frantically. She quickly saw that she had a message from them, and after reading it, she immediately dialed their number.
"Caroline!" Miranda said, "What is going on? Where are you? Is your sister with you? Are you alright?"
"Yes, Mom! We're both here," they said, putting her on speakerphone. "Roy just dropped us off at home. The door is locked, and we'll stay up to wait for you."
"But, I don't understand, I thought you wanted—"
"Mom, we wanted you to be able to talk to Andy in person. Please, you can get mad at us tonight when you get home. Don't make Andy leave."
Miranda looked up at Andrea who was biting her lip and clutching her purse, ready to leave. "Okay, Bobbsey, but when I get home, we are sitting down and having a serious talk."
"Yes, Mom."
"Okay, I love you. Call me if you need anything. I will see you soon," Miranda said, ending the call and slowly setting her phone down on the table.
"Look, Andrea said. "I should go."
"No, wait." Miranda said, reaching her hand out, hesitating, drawing it back before she touched the younger woman. "Please, let me try to explain," Miranda said taking a deep breath.
"Miranda, you don't have to—"
"Yes, Andrea, I do. Please," she said. "It appears you were brought here under false pretenses. I had no idea you would be here, as I thought I was having dinner with my daughters."
"So, that wasn't you texting me?" Andrea asked.
"Oh god," Miranda said, leaning back against the booth. "No. I did not text you. What number was it from? 4432?"
"Yes."
"I'm sorry to inform you that was Caroline and Cassidy."
"Oh, um," Andrea said, "Maybe I should go."
"Wait. I'm curious," Miranda said leaning forward. "Why did you drop everything and come tonight?"
"You said—or, rather, they said that you needed to speak with me. At first I was worried, but they reassured me and said it was okay, you just needed to see me."
"I cannot apologize enough for my daughters' behavior, Andrea."
"It's okay, really. It's uh, nice seeing you again."
Miranda looked up and smiled. "Yes, Andrea, it is nice to see you, too." She paused for a few seconds before adding, "Would you care to join me for dinner tonight?"
Andrea smiled, releasing her grip on her bag. "Yes, I would love to," she said. As if on cue, the waiter arrived, and Andrea ordered a Chardonnay.
"So," Miranda said as she fidgeted in her seat. "How have you been? Are you still at The Mirror?"
"Yes, I've been there for seven months. It's going great, and I think my editor is going to move me to the news desk soon."
"Well, congratulations, that's wonderful," Miranda said, smiling genuinely at Andrea's achievements. "Are you still living in Brooklyn with your boyfriend?"
"Uh, no. No, no, no. We broke up around Thanksgiving, and I moved in January when my lease was up."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"I wouldn't expect you to, but it's okay, it was never going to work with us, and it's just easier for me to be on my own."
"So did you stay in Brooklyn?"
"No. I found a place on the Lower East side. A family was looking for a dog-walker, and it turned out they had a garden-style apartment they were willing to rent out. It's basically a 700-sqft studio, but I got a great deal."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Miranda said, wondering if Andrea was doing okay financially.
"How about you, Miranda?" she asked, taking a sip of her wine.
"As you see, the girls have grown up, but still enjoy their little pranks. And things at Runway are, well, as to be expected."
"I see," Andrea said, "But what about you? How are you doing? I mean, the last time we spoke was the day after you received your divorce papers."
Miranda froze and stared down at her empty wine glass. "I don't want to talk about Paris," she said quietly.
"Interesting, that's what you said when you texted me yesterday, too," Andrea said. "What's going on?"
Miranda looked up at Andrea, trying to wrap her brain around the fact that her daughters knew enough to tell Andrea that she wanted to see her but didn't want to talk about Paris. "It's just—I—we're moving past that," she said.
Andrea could see the tears forming in her eyes. She knew this could possibly be her only chance to see Miranda in such a private atmosphere, so she took the opportunity and did what she wanted to do that night in Paris.
Miranda watched in fear as Andrea scooted around the table to sit next to Miranda. Andrea softly took Miranda's hands in her own, looking Miranda in the eye. "Miranda," she said, "I let myself down in Paris. I wanted to be there to comfort you that evening. I knew when you told me to do my job that you were just pushing it away, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything. And in the car—"
"Stop, stop," Miranda interrupted. "I can't listen to this," she said, pulling her hands away.
"Miranda," Andrea urged. "I left because you were actually beginning to understand me. What you said, it was true, and I knew that. But I also knew that if you paid that close of attention to me, you would soon find out something else I didn't want you to know. So, I ran."
Miranda stared down at her lap. "I pushed you away."
"I let you because I was scared."
"No, Andrea. That was my fault. I'm sorry."
"Look at me," Andrea said. "I thought I would never see you again, and it broke my heart, especially knowing that had I stayed, things could have been different. When I got that text yesterday that you wanted to see me, I had to hide my joy. I was so happy to hear from you, and to know you didn't hate me. Please don't push me away again," she said. "Talk to me."
"Okay," Miranda said. "Please, just give me a minute?" she asked. Andrea nodded, and Miranda stepped out. God, what I would do for a cigarette right now, she said. Instead, she stepped into the bathroom for some air.
She took a few deep breaths as she stared at herself in the mirror. This was too much, too soon, she thought. Andrea was happy to hear from her again. Miranda ran her hands under cold water in attempts to cool herself off and get a grip on her situation. She turned off the faucet and dried her hands before picking up her cell phone and calling her daughters.
"Mom? What's wrong?"
"Darling, I don't know what to do," Miranda said, sighing. "Andrea is being so kind—like she actually wants to be here with me."
"And…?" Cassidy asked. "Mom, you have to let her know you want her. That you want to be sitting there with her."
"But what if she doesn't like me like that?" Miranda said.
"You'll never know unless you try, Mom. Andrea likes you enough that she wouldn't hurt you, and I think you know that. Now, get back to your table!"
"Okay, okay. I love you my darlings. Be home soon."
"Not too soon!" they said as they ended the call.
Miranda took a deep breath and walked back out to the dining room. Andrea was sitting in the booth, and the screen was open. For the first time that evening, Miranda took in Andrea's beauty. She was wearing a casual red dress with a deep v-neck. From this angle, Miranda could see her long legs crossed under the table, red pumps on her feet.
"Hi," Andrea said, moving aside as Miranda stepped in and shut the door. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you," Miranda said. "Look, Andrea. I need to start from the beginning." She took a deep breath and reached for her wine glass, grateful that it had been refilled as she was away. "I have grown closer to my daughters since—well, since December. Caroline, especially, she is like my best friend, and I hate to put that burden on my twelve-year-old daughter, but I feel like I have no one else. And you can imagine how my relationship with Nigel is." Miranda paused and took another sip of wine before continuing. "I was lost after Paris. I was distant, not paying attention, just very much not myself. Caroline thought I missed Stephen," Miranda chuckled, "but the truth was, I missed you."
Miranda reached over and took Andrea's hand. "I thought you would never want to see me again, so I have been trying to forget you. Then—then you walk into my life and I get lost all over again."
Andrea leaned over and wrapped her arm around Miranda's shoulders. "Oh, Miranda," she said, "You're not lost. I'm here."
Miranda leaned into Andrea, unable to help herself from indulging in the young woman's embrace. "Thank you," she whispered, forcing herself to sit upright. "I, I think I need to get back to the girls."
"Of course," Andrea said. "Can I walk you home? I could use some air myself."
Miranda nodded, and they left the booth. Tightening the belt on her coat, Miranda stepped out into the fresh air. She casually placed her hand on the small of Andrea's back as she led her down the street. It felt so right, so natural. "I must say, Andrea, you look wonderful tonight."
The young woman smiled, "Thank you, Miranda. That means a lot, considering I know that 'acceptable' is the highest compliment you typically offer."
"Oh, do give me more credit than that," she said.
"Well, thank you. I do have to say you look sexy tonight. The Gaultier top with that sheer blouse…you should show off your body more often."
Miranda smiled, "Thank you," she said. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, go ahead."
"This is probably a silly question, but I've heard the girls talking about it and they said it to me, and wouldn't tell me what it meant."
"Uh, well, that's kids for you," Andrea said, slightly concerned about the question she was about to be asked.
"Do you know what a milf is?"
Andrea suddenly stopped walking, staring at Miranda open-mouthed.
"Well, what does it mean?" Miranda said impatiently.
"It's an acronym," Andrea said. "It stands for Mom-I'd-Like-to-Fuck."
Blush crept up Miranda's face. "Oh. Well. Now I know," she said as they continued walking.
"It's kind of true," Andrea said, blushing herself.
"What?" Miranda said, turning around to face Andrea.
"I mean, you're gorgeous, confident, and you just exude sexual energy, Miranda. I mean, who wouldn't want to—" She said, her voice trailing off.
"Do you want to?" Miranda asked quietly.
Andrea felt her heart beating as she debated how to answer the question. She reached down and took Miranda's hand, squeezing gently. "Everyone wants to," she whispered. "I'd be lying if I said it never crossed my mind."
Miranda's breath hitched at that admission, but just kept walking, holding Andrea's hand. They reached the front steps of the townhouse and Miranda turned to Andrea. "Andrea, I need to go inside—the girls have been home alone for a few hours—but I don't want this conversation to end," she said, squeezing Andrea's hand. "Come inside?"
Andrea nodded and followed Miranda inside the house. This foyer was so familiar to her—she had been here so many nights, hoping to see Miranda, imagining Miranda asking her upstairs. Andrea let go of Miranda's hand the minute they stepped inside.
"Mom!" the girls shouted, running downstairs. "How was it? Did you—"
"Andrea and I are home," Miranda said, interrupting them before their embarrassing questions began.
"Oh!" Caroline said, "Hi, Andy."
"Hi, Caroline, hi Cassidy," Andrea said.
"We're sorry we misled you with our texts," Cassidy said. "Will you be coming around more now?"
Andrea and Miranda exchanged a glance. "Girls, Andrea and I need to finish our conversation. Now, go back upstairs, and we will have a nice, long chat in the morning."
"Okay, goodnight, Mom, goodnight, Andy!" they said as they ran upstairs.
"Andrea, can I get you a drink?" Miranda said as she stepped into the den and walked over to the bar.
"Really, Miranda, thank you, but I should be heading home."
Miranda stopped and turned back towards Andrea. "At least let me call you a cab? It's too dark out to be walking alone to your place. Please," Miranda said, "I invited you to dinner and we didn't even eat."
Andrea chuckled, "Actually, I am a little hungry. I guess I can stick around for a little bit."
"How does a belgian waffle sound?"
"Delicious," Andrea said, "Can I help?"
"Sure," Miranda said, walking towards the kitchen. "The wafflemaker is in the bottom cabinet over there," she said, pulling a mixing bowl and whisk out of the pantry. Andrea set the wafflemaker up on the counter while Miranda grabbed two eggs and some flour. They worked together in silence, and Miranda thought to herself how nice it felt to have Andrea around.
"It's ready," Andrea said, once the irons were heated. Miranda stepped over and poured batter into the irons. "Plates?" Andrea asked.
"To the left of the sink, silverware is below," Miranda said.
Andrea set out plates and silverware, and pulled some syrup out of the pantry. The wafflemaker beeped, and Miranda pulled the first waffle out.
"Is it wrong to drink wine with breakfast?" Andrea asked.
"Of course not, especially if breakfast is at 11pm," Miranda said. "There should be some prosecco or riesling in the wine storage."
Andrea found a bottle of riesling and opened it, pouring two glasses while Miranda carried their plates to the den.
"This is delicious, thank you," Andrea said. Miranda nodded.
Andrea took hers and Miranda's plates back to the kitchen and set them in the sink. When she returned, Miranda was pouring more wine into their glasses. Andrea picked up her glass and sat back on the couch, closer to Miranda than she was sitting earlier. Miranda noticed, and also moved a little closer. "So," Andrea said, "What was that conversation we were finishing?"
Miranda tossed her hand in the air. "I have no idea, Andrea. This night has been all over the place." When she set her hand back down, it landed partially on Andrea's. The younger woman grasped Miranda's hand and slowly began to trace circles on her palm with her thumb.
"This has definitely been an interesting evening," Andrea said, setting her wine glass down and taking Miranda's from her hand, placing it on the table, too. Andrea moved even closer to Miranda, her eyed devouring Miranda from head to toe. Andrea placed her hand on Miranda's knee, slowly moving upward. Miranda crossed her legs tighter and gently bit her lower lip. Her skin was on fire under Andrea's touch.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Andreeeeaa," Miranda moaned. "This is too much," she said gently pushing Andrea away. She picked up her wine glass and stood, walking towards the window.
"I should probably call that cab," Andrea said quietly, standing up to retrieve her phone from her bag.
"Wait—" Miranda said, turning around and walking towards Andrea. Miranda stood inches in front of her former assistant. They gazed into each other's eyes as Miranda brought her hand up to Andrea's face, softly cupping her cheek. "Andrea, I enjoy spending time with you. I—I don't know if I can do this," she said, turning away.
Andrea sighed. "I enjoy spending time with you, too," she said. "I'm sorry for pushing you," she said. "I just didn't, well, I just didn't expect Miranda Priestly to be shy or insecure."
Miranda turned back to Andrea, an icy glare in her eyes. "I am not insecure or shy, Andrea."
"Okay," she said, "then kiss me."
Miranda inhaled sharply, her eyes searching Andrea's.
"Miranda," Andrea said, taking her hands. "It's okay. I'm sorry for pressuring you."
Andrea let go of Miranda's hands and texted for a cab. She put on her coat and picked up her purse, walking towards the front door to watch for her ride. Miranda didn't say a word, but slowly followed Andrea to the front door. Andrea stood, looking out the window next to the door, while Miranda leaned her back against the door. "I've never kissed another woman," Miranda said quietly.
Andrea looked over and saw Miranda tightly wringing her hands. She was nervous. "Neither have I," she admitted.
Miranda looked up, confused. "But—how—how do you know?"
"Because it feels right," Andrea said.
"Hmm, that it does," Miranda said.
"So, what are you afraid of?"
Miranda looked at Andrea as if the answer were obvious. "That you'll leave me again," she said. "If this is all we have, dinner and conversation once every six months, I will be ten times happier than I have been. I don't want to lose you by trying for too much."
"You won't lose me," Andrea said. "I want you in my life just as much."
"I just—I can't believe it," she said.
Andrea glanced out the window and saw her cab pulling up. "Miranda, I have to go, but I will call you tomorrow, okay?"
Miranda nodded. "Text me when you arrive home, too, please?"
"Of course," she said. "Thank you for tonight," Andrea said, stepping closer and softly pressing her lips to Miranda's for a chaste, brief kiss. "Goodnight, Miranda."
Miranda reached up and pressed her index and middle finger to her lips, savoring Andrea's taste. "Goodnight," Miranda said as Andrea shut the door.
Miranda locked the door and turned out the lights before heading upstairs, where she found Caroline and Cassidy waiting for her in her bedroom, asleep. Miranda stepped into the bathroom, changing into her pajamas and removing her makeup.
Miranda turned out the light and crawled into bed next to Cassidy, careful not to wake her or her sister. Her cell phone buzzed on the nightstand and Miranda quickly silenced it before it made another noise. It was a message from Andrea: Home safe & sound. See you tomorrow? xo A
Miranda smiled and quickly typed back: Yes. Be sure to get some rest tonight. xx M
She smiled as she laid back into the bed, sweet thoughts of Andrea claiming her dreams.
TBC... please r/r! I'm thinking Miranda should ship the girls off to their father's for the rest of this story... lol ;)
