After receiving a text from Caroline confirming their meet at the corner coffee shop Andy had headed over to wait on her pint sized pals. Grinning from ear to ear she just couldn't help her good mood. She had come to love those teen terrors so much over the last several months. It was hard to think of ever leaving them but what with the articles Miranda was letting her proof and the ones she was letting her write for Runway Andy was hoping she never had to leave. Not being near Miranda on a daily basis would crush her soul in a way that losing Nate, Lily, Doug, and her entire family couldn't even touch. Andy was planning on doing everything within her power to remain by Miranda's side in any capacity that the editor would have her.
Andy chose a table near the window and perused her phone while she waited on the girls to arrive. Miranda had sent her an unusually large file to review. Her email had said it was a collection of articles, something different than what she usually sent to Andy but that she expected her to read the articles thoroughly with an open mind and give her feedback to the editor after the Christmas break. The entire thing was odd, but if Andy had learned anything about Miranda during her tenure it was that the editor was unpredictable and it was best to simply follow her instructions as closely as possible. Anything else would be considered a failure and failing gets you a pink slip and Andy couldn't have that. No, she was never going to screw up, no matter what she had to do.
Spying sunlight reflecting off of twin red manes Andy set her phone down and greeted her friends.
"Hey, Cass," Andy grinned at them, "Caro." The girls threw their arms around the assistant and gave her a tight hug.
"Hey Andy," the said in unison when they broke the hug.
"Got big plans for the day?" Andy asked teasingly.
"Nah, not really," Cassidy said. "You know Mom took the time off but she still does some work things. We have a few plans for the rest of the holiday but mostly its just staying at the house decorating the tree and opening gifts on the big day. Same as every year."
"What about you, Andy?" Caroline asked.
"What about me?" Andy asked.
Caroline rolled her eyes, making her look like a mini-Miranda. Of the two twins she was the better at acting Miranda-ish, but the girl also had a huge heart, both girls did actually. However, Andy knew that Caroline was the mastermind of the duo while Cassidy was more for following the rules. It reminded Andy of the relationship she had with her older sister. The thought made her frown. She missed her sister, especially now that her family had disowned her and Christmas was upon them.
Feeling a hand on her arm Andy realized that she had drifted off in thought, she looked up and found two sets of blue eyes looking at her worriedly. "What's wrong, Andy?" Cassidy asked while patting her forearm. Andy mustered up a smile for them and said, "Nothing, Cass. Just thinking is all. So what do we want to order? I like their pumpkin chai, personally."
"No dice, Andy," Caroline said crossing her arms.
"Yeah, you can't look all puppy dog sad then change the subject like it's nothing," Cassidy agreed.
"I thought we were friends," Caroline pouted. Damn, even her pout resembled Miranda. Andy couldn't resist.
"It's ok really girls, just some personal stuff going on with my family," Andy said. "And my friends," she muttered.
"What stuff?" Cassidy persisted.
"Tell us, Andy its what friends are for," Caroline begged.
Andy sighed, there just wasn't any winning with a Priestly woman. "Ok, where to start?" Andy mused.
"The beginning would be best," Miranda's voice cut through icily. Three heads popped up in surprise and shock. Andy desperately wanted to know how to take that comment but Miranda had on her editor-in-chief face that gave nothing away. Andy decided to play it cool.
"Good afternoon, Miranda," she smiled, "Won't you join us?" Andy asked politely.
Miranda quirked an eyebrow, "I will join you, Andrea," the editor drawled, "and you can explain why you are in a coffee shop with my girls when they told me they were meeting 'friends' and then Cassidy and Caroline can explain why they lied to me." Both girls got a deer in the headlights look and Andy felt sorry for them, at least she was more used to dealing with a pissed off Miranda.
"We are in a coffee shop because I told the girls we could meet for coffee this afternoon," Andy shot an apologetic look at the girls and then the editor. "I'm sorry, Miranda," Andy continued. "I thought the girls told you whom they were meeting," Miranda narrowed her eyes at the twins. Andy gulped, suddenly much more nervous. "I'm sorry, Miranda. I would never do…"
Miranda raised her hand to stop the stammering flow from Andy's mouth. "Enough," the editor said. "Caroline and Cassidy, you know better than to lie to your mother. You've put Andrea in a very untenable position."
Caroline was the first to crack, "We didn't lie, Mom!" Cassidy punched her twin to get her to shut up, "Caro! Hush!" she hissed. Caroline looked at her twin with a look that said 'You'd better fix this then.'
"Mom, we are sorry for not telling you whom we were meeting, but Caroline is right. We didn't lie," Cassidy defended. "We are friends with Andy. We see her all the time when she brings the book and we talk to her and she talks to us. We've been texting and emailing and calling for months. We are friends!" Cassidy finished defiantly.
Miranda looked shocked for a moment before quickly recovering her mask. She turned to Andy, head tilted.
"You are 'friends' with my 14 year old daughters?" Miranda questioned.
Andy nodded.
"How long has this been going on?" Miranda asked. Secretly the editor was pleased. This new development could lead to more time spent in Andrea's company without the guise of work and Runway. Andrea had become so precious and vital to the editor not that she would ever say so aloud.
"Since Paris," Andy said.
'Ah so when you didn't leave me but Stephen did?" Miranda thought. It wasn't a time she liked to think about. She'd nearly lost Andrea and would have had Nigel not run after her.
"The girls would meet me when I delivered the book and we would chat. Mostly about you at first then we just kinda became friends," Andy explained smiling fondly at the memory. She treasured Cass and Caro and she prayed Miranda wouldn't take their friendship from her.
Miranda studied Andy silently for a moment. Seeming to come to a decision she said, "Well obviously the 'personal stuff' to which you were referring does not involve the twins so explain," Miranda said.
Andy gasped softly. The quick change of subject startled her and she really didn't want to divulge her personal problems to Cass and Caro with whom she'd been friends for months much less Miranda, her boss. Unfortunately, judging by the expectant look on Miranda's face Andy had little choice, if she wanted to keep her job anyway.
"Oh, um," Andy stuttered.
"By all means, Andrea. Move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me," Miranda said sharply.
Andy was somewhat relieved to have Miranda treat her just like she did at work. She was used to it and it comforted her somewhat.
"They were asking about my holiday plans and I was telling them that I don't have any," Andy explained hoping to avoid going into embarrassing personal details.
"Why is it you have no plans?" Miranda asked the curiosity evident in her voice. "What about the fry cook? Or your parents?"
Andy should've known Miranda would ask questions and there was no lying to the editor. Miranda could spot a lie through a door. Andy sighed then took a deep breath.
"Nate, the fry cook, and I broke up before Paris," Andy started.
"Why would anyone break up with you, Andy?" Cassidy questioned surprised.
Andy smiled tremulously. "Nate didn't like my job. He said that I was more dedicated to it than I was him."
"I'm sorry, Andy. He sounds like a jerk," Caroline said.
"Thanks Caro, but he was right. I do love my job," Andy said.
Miranda quirked her eyebrow at Andy, no one liked working for Miranda or being married to her. This girl constantly surprised her.
"That explains the boyfriend. What about your friends? Parents?" Miranda asked.
"Well, my friends, Lily and Doug, they aren't happy about my job either. My parents are still upset that I didn't go to Stanford law school and that I work for a fashion magazine," Andy said.
"Stanford is a difficult school to get into. Surely they can't fault you for that?" Miranda said.
"Oh I got in," Andy gave a weak smile. "I turned them down. That was their dream, not mine."
"And you dream is to work at Runway?" Miranda questioned scathingly.
"My dream is to work for you," Andy said looking into Miranda's eyes.
Miranda was floored. She didn't know what to say. She would very much like to believe that Andrea wanted to work for her, be around her, but it was unlikely and unprecedented.
"So your parents won't let you come to Christmas because you didn't go to law school?" Caroline questioned.
"That's not right, Andy" Cassidy said shaking her red tresses.
"No that's not why," Andy said.
"Then why not?" Miranda asked.
"Because I'm gay," Andy muttered blushing furiously and looking down at her lap. The second assistant had just realized she was gay a few months ago and it was all because of her huge crush on her boss who was sitting across from her and just forced her to come out, again.
"What did you say?" Caroline asked.
"I couldn't hear you either," Cassidy said.
Andy took a deep breath and repeated a little louder, "Because I'm gay."
The Priestly women were shocked by the admission. Miranda's heart raced. 'She's gay. She's gay. She does like women. Maybe...no! It just couldn't be. She's half your age, Miranda!' The editor scolded herself.
"Andy, that's not right. You are telling us that your parents won't let you come home for Christmas because you like girls and not boys?" Cassidy said.
"Parents are supposed to love their kids no matter what!" Caroline raged. "Mom wouldn't care if we were gay! She certainly would've let us come home for Christmas for crying out loud!"
"Calm down, Caroline," Miranda said gently. "I'm sure this hasn't been easy for Andrea."
"No, it hasn't," Andy's chin trembled.
That was it. Miranda wasn't going to continue this very private conversation in a coffee house. "Andrea, we would very much like your company at the townhouse this evening," Miranda invited. "We can finish this conversation over dinner."
"Sure, ok," Andy nodded. "Thanks," she beamed at Miranda, glad for the reprieve and ecstatic at the prospect of spending time off the clock with Miranda and the girls.
Miranda nodded and the girls smiled brightly throwing their arms around Andy for the second time. Miranda envied them the contact she couldn't have with the beautiful brunette. Whipping out her phone she texted Roy, luckily he was on the clock for one more day before his holiday started.
"The car will be here momentarily girls," Miranda stood. "Let's get coffees to go." The twins stood obediently. "Andrea, aren't you coming?"
"Yes, Miranda," Andy answered standing to follow the girls to the counter to order.
