It did not take long for Miranda to recover her equilibrium and return to Andrea's room. Dr Stevens was just leaving. He looked quite surprised when Miranda stopped him to ask what happened. The editor still looked rather cold and haughty but the previous waves of anger were replaced with concern.
"How did she get injured?" Miranda asked
"Apparently she was knocked down by a messenger bike." Dr Stevens said. "Mrs Sachs-Priestly fell to the ground and rolled off the curb hitting the kickstand of a motorcycle which then fell on top of her. The tail pipe was still hot and it burned her face. Her arm was apparently broken by the original fall which also caused her concussion. The motorcycle contributed two cracked ribs and a punctured lung." The doctor gazed at Miranda intently.
"Were you able to find someone to be with her in your place?"
Miranda gave him a supercilious look as she replied, "Why would I do that? She is my wife, I will stay with her." Runway Miranda, the woman who never explains herself had taken over.
"I was under the impression that you were estranged."
Miranda waved her hand airly, "A silly misunderstanding, nothing more." She looked at the doctor as if daring him to ask another question. When he did not she said, "That's all," and took her seat next to Andrea. Her hand was trembling as she reached out and touched her love's cheek for the first time in four months. Miranda's thoughts went back to their first meeting post Paris.
It was a Saturday in late October and Caroline was enraged. She had been looking forward to Sunday's planned outing with her father all week, when he canceled due to her younger half-sisters desire to be elsewhere she was inconsolable. She and her mother were walking through the park and discussing alternate plans.
"Mom you don't understand, it's the playoffs! Going to a game next year will not make up for the playoffs."
"Caroline please, it is a game, a baseball game," Miranda replied calmly."
"Mom it is the seventh game of the American League playoffs! It's the Yankees vs the Red Sox! Dad promised, I hate him!"
"He said he would take you to the World Series instead. Won't that be fun?"
"No, it won't because he will break that promise too! Don't you get it, Red Sox vs Yankees, home damn game final game of the play offs!"
"Caroline please, there is no need for profanity."
The child's face was red with apparent rage. "Ok Mom, how about this? It's New York Fashion week, your assistant screws up, and you miss Valentino? No worries right? You'll see him in Millan."
"Caroline you can't compare-"
"That's right Mom you can't. There are more people at one Yankee's game then all your stupid fashion shows combined."
Miranda began to reprimand Caroline for her disrespect but it seemed that Caroline had taken all that she could take. Miranda watched helplessly as her daughter ran off through the park. The fatigue she was still feeling from Paris fashion week and her five inch heels made chasing the child down impossible. While watching her run off Miranda's eyes fell on an unexpected sight. Andrea Sachs was just a few yards away. Their eyes locked. The assistant who just a month previous had deserted Miranda in Paris was right in front of her. She stared at the girl who left her high and dry at her busiest time of the year. Andrea must have picked up on the panic and pleading in the older woman's face. After a quick nod to her former boss Andrea was off, following Caroline.
Miranda watched as Andrea caught up with her daughter. Caroline seemed to recognize her pursuer because she slowed down and the two began to jog together. She watched as they made a wide circle jogging back towards her. As they came in to earshot Miranda heard the words 'your mother' and 'Yankee stadium' this seemed to cause her daughter to double over in gales of laughter. Andrea looked over at Miranda smirking, then she seemed to realize who she was smirking at and a look of panic crossed her face.
As Caroline continued towards her mother Andrea gave a little wave and began to turn away. Miranda spoke sharply, "Andrea, do not walk away from me." The slight break in her voice shocked Miranda, she was very grateful that Andrea seemed not to hear it.
"Yes, Miranda," the younger woman said as she walked towards her former boss.
Meanwhile Miranda, internally cringing because of what she was about to do, spoke in to her phone. "Emily call the girls' father and inform him that they will be staying with me this weekend. Ask him to courier his Sunday ball game tickets to me. If he refuses procure four tickets in another way, that's all." Miranda hung up the phone and looked at her wide eyed daughter and then at Andrea. "I hope you are free tomorrow to attend the ball game. I understand it is to be an exciting event."
Andrea nodded her head as she stuttered out another "Yes Miranda."
"Mom," Caroline said her voice squeaking with amazed excitement. "you're going to have Andy take us to the game?" The child was practically hopping up and down. "I really get to go to the game?"
"No," said Miranda. As she watched her daughters face fall she quickly continued. "As she is no longer my assistant I cannot compel Andrea to do anything. I will be taking you to the game." She watched fascinated as both Andrea and Caroline's faces turned red while they were clearly trying not to laugh. "Andrea would you care to join us? I believe my ex-husband had four tickets."
In a strangled voice Andrea replied, "I wouldn't miss it."
The game was just as exciting as Caroline said it would be. Derek Jeter's walk off in the Ninth sent the crowd roaring and the Yankee's to another world series. Spotters who look for famous fans found Miranda and her family very quickly. Miranda didn't understand why her girls were suddenly jumping up and down and waving until Andrea pointed up to the big screen.
Before the game even ended there were youtube clips of Miranda Priestly doing the wave. For Miranda the best part of the game was Big Papi's foul ball in the sixth inning. It came straight towards her, she jumped out of the way right into Andrea, who wrapped her arms around Miranda and kept her from falling. Cassidy grabbed the ball as it rolled around on the ground after bouncing off Miranda's seat. When she was once again steady on her legs the editor mourned the loss of Andrea's arms. Several outings later both women acknowledged the power of that moment and placed it as the true beginning of their relationship.
As she took Andrea's hand in hers Miranda turned to see her assistant Emily Charlton enter the room. Emily glanced at the interlocked hands and then asked, "How is she?"
"She is stable and will recover. She is in a lot of pain."
"That is nothing new," the redhead said sharply. "She has been in a lot of pain for months. At least pills can help this kind of hurt."
Miranda's eyes turned to ice as she glared with pursed lips at her assistant. "How dare you speak to me that way! How dare you comment on my private life!"
"Oh I dare, I totally dare." Emily handed Miranda an envelope. "I dare because it was me who opened the door to her when she couldn't see for the tears or speak for the sobs!" Emily took a deep breath and continued, "I dare because I left her at home crying every morning for two weeks and came to work with you, cool as a cucumber, going through your day."
As Emily continued Miranda looked at the envelope in her hand and began to open it. "I don't know what happened between you two but I do know she was sobbing into her pillow while you were happily hosting the Met Gala."
"So," Miranda said coldly. "You don't know what happened and yet have judged me at fault." The glare that accompanied her words was raw and angry. "You think that I have not been unhappy or even devastated these last four months? Tell me Emily what does a devastated Miranda Priestly look like?" The self-righteous expression began to fade from Emily's face.
"Don't you think after watching two divorces, each all over the news making a mockery of me as a woman, you would know?" Miranda's eyes never wavered from the younger woman's face.
"It is true that I did my job at the Met Gala even though I didn't have my wife at my side. It is also true that I smiled and cut cake to celebrate my 100th issue of Runway while my husband was out celebrating our separation with his mistress. The papers had been served that morning."
Miranda glanced down at the letter in her hands and read it swiftly. "I see, your two weeks' notice. I figured that must be why you are suddenly so brave." Miranda took a deep breath and shook her head. Her face lost the expression of anger and derision. "Until five minutes ago you had been an adequate assistant. Your reference will reflect that."
"I don't need a reference Miranda. I have another job all lined up." Emily raised her chin in defiance.
Miranda studied her for a moment and her lips twitched in mild humor. "Anna will be lucky to have you."
"I..I..how did you know?"
"I have no influence over her so it would be a reasonable choice if you were afraid of repercussions." She gave Emily a half smile. "I also think you believed it might hurt me to have my faithful lieutenant at Vogue." Emily lost all of her bravado and looked down at her feet. "It is truly amazing how many people have wanted to hurt me over the years." Miranda shook her head, "So few actually accomplish it. You should be proud."
"Pack up your things before Monday. You will receive your two weeks pay but I don't need to see you. You may sit with my wife while I freshen up, then I want you gone."
Andrea opened her eyes slowly, vaguely aware of her surroundings. When she saw her wife sitting next to her she smiled groggily. Her voice was only a whisper as she said, "Miranda."
"Hello Darling, are you in pain?"
"I hurt all over."
Miranda leaned in and pushed the call button for a nurse and then moved her chair back over beside the bed and took Andrea's hand.
"I had a horrible dream that you were angry and you left me here alone."
A flash of guilt passed Miranda's face as she replied. "I didn't take the accident very well, but I am here now."
The nurse entered the room and gave Andrea some pain medicine. The young woman was asleep before she even left the room. Andrea woke up three more times that day, each time she was a little more lucid and stayed awake a little longer.
On Sunday morning when she woke and looked over at her wife Andrea's expression was not the sweet smile that Miranda had become re-accustomed too. Her eyes were sharp with anger and a different kind of pain, clearly her memory had returned. "Why are you here? Couldn't you find another family member to deal with my scratches?"
"Darling, I-"
"Do not darling me, I am not your darling. I am just the woman you so easily kicked to the curb."
"Andrea, I made a mistake, a huge one." Miranda took a deep breath and continued, "I am so sorry I didn't listen, but I understand now."
Andrea studied her wife's face then shook her head, wincing in pain as she said, "You talked to Maryanne." Miranda nodded.
"Let me guess, when you called she spilled the whole story of her little prank." Miranda nodded again. Andrea's voice was laced with anger as she continued. "You called her to come and take over my care and she told you the situation." This time Miranda's entire body was shaking as she agreed with a nod.
"That's not good enough, Miranda, not good enough at all. I know it looked damning, but you wouldn't even listen for one fucking second! You aren't here because you have faith in me."
"Please darling, I will do anything I can to make this right. When we get home I'll-"
Andrea gave a rather dry chuckle. "You can't possibly be expecting me to come home?" Her eyes were stone cold as they bore in to Miranda and dismissed her with the words that had caused her so much pain, "get out."