Strenuous disclosure

Screams and sobs, that's what greeted Andy when she opened the door of the townhouse that night.

It was 8.30. Andy could hear Miranda and a male voice yelling at each other in the den and Cassidy was sobbing in the stairs

"What the fuck!" mumbled Andy quickly running up the stairs. "Hey baby, what's going on? I'm here sweetie. Shhhhh" Andy took Cassidy in her arms and tried to calm her down. Gently kissing her forehead she was relieved when the little girl relaxed into her embrace. "Breathe and tell me what's going on ok? Can you do that for me?"

Unable to speak, Cassidy looks at her sister with pleading eyes.

Caroline too was very pale and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

"Promise us you won't be mad Andy, please, promise us" pleaded Caroline

"Of course, Caro I won't, will someone please tell me what is wrong?" Andrea was getting impatient, and the shouting from the den had not lessened and Andrea wanted to go after Miranda.

"Well, Dad brought us back tonight. During the holidays, Cass told him that Mom and you are … well you see. She didn't do it on purpose, it was an accident, I swear. And now, Dad is furious, he said he wants to take us away, fight for custody. He told Mom and she got mad, now they are yelling."

"Everything is my fault, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, you hate me, Mom will hate me" sobbed Cassidy.

"Hey hey hey, stop this nonsense sweetie, nothing is your fault, you've done nothing wrong." Andy said taking Cassidy in her arms and tried to soothe her. "Listen, I love you baby girl, both of you, and I love your mom and your mother loves you more than anything. No matter what happens we will always love you." She grinned at the girls. "Well unless you marry someone with no fashion taste then I can't speak for your mom..." She grinned. Caroline couldn't help but smile weakly at the thought.

"Dad is an asshole." Caroline snapped in her best Miranda tone.

"Caroline! Please! he is your father so show a little respect." Grinning at the girls again Andy quipped, "Well, for now we'll just call him a jackass, ok?" Giving Cassidy a reassuring hug, Andy once more looked worriedly toward the den. "Don't worry girlies. Everything will be fine, but right now I want to go and check on your mother. Why don't you go into your room? We'll be right back, as soon as we've cleaned this mess" said Andrea with a smirk. "Wish me luck!" she pasted on a smile before heading downstairs.

Standing in the hallway, Andy was left rooted to the floor. Stunned by what she was hearing.

"You! A dyke? I cannot believe this, you're a fucking dyke? What does this slut do to you? Something I obviously never could, tell me what does she have that I didn't? Does she make you scream? I doubt it, you've always been frigid!" Phillip turned on his ex his eyes flaming.

Miranda for once was shocked into silence. She had been married to this man. He had put up with her not being home, her cancelling dinners at the last minute, once even a family vacation. But she had never seen him this angry.

"Philip please! The girls!" Miranda begged, glancing to the ajar door.

"Tell me, who exactly is looking after my children while you are...I don't know what is it you do? Fuck this girl? Do you really think I am going to let my children be raised with you and your...your..whore? You've gone too far Miranda, is that's what is in this season a lesbian partner? Well I won't have it. Tomorrow I am going to the courthouse, applying for residency. I will not allow my children to be subjected to your latest fashion accessory."

"Philip please stop before you say something you regret." yelled Miranda wearily. They had been yelling at each other for well over an hour now and for once Miranda was tired. They were not getting anywhere and every time he threatened to take her girls off her, Miranda felt sick.

Phillip paced the room and again whirled on his ex-wife. Smirking he stated. "I'll go to the press. I'm sure the world of fashion will be thrilled to know that their Ice Queen is a lesbian!"

"Enough!" Andy snapped pushing the door fully open from where she had been listening. Philip stopped talking and turned astonished to face her. Andy walked toward Miranda and gently kissed her cheek, her stomach sinking when she tasted salty tears on her lover's cheek. Brushing a piece of hair back into place, she whispered in Miranda's ear. Philip silently watched the interaction, not believing what he was seeing. With one touch this, this ...girl seemed to be able to calm Miranda down. A trick he had never learned.

"You should go check on Cass, she's a mess." Andy softly spoke to Miranda. Miranda shot her ex husband a glance and worriedly turned back to Andy.

"Don't worry, Philip and I are just going to have a talk. Right Philip?" Gently pushing Miranda toward the door, she was relieved when she left with no argument and no look back.

Steeling herself, Andy took a deep breath, trying to curb her anger. Feeling it bubble under the surface she knew she was about to blow. Whirling round, she faced him.

"Ok lets get a few things straight, if you'll pardon the pun, shall we? Number one: You don't talk to anyone like that again, your dog, your dry cleaner, and especially Miranda."

Andy stared at the man's face, his jaw dropped. Stepping closer toward him Andy reached out but didn't touch him. "No-one talks to Miranda like that. I don't care what you think she has done. In this house we don't scream, we don't yell, we talk ok?" Taking advantage of the man's shock into silence Andy continued, "Well, now we're clear on that I should introduce myself. I am Andrea, friends call me Andy, but you can call me Andrea. I am as you may have guessed Miranda's partner. And although I have my doubts after hearing the way you spoke about their mother when the girls were in ear-shot, I am assuming you are their father." Andy smiled sweetly.

"I do not have to tolerate this and your sarcasm. I will not be spoken to like this." Philip was annoyed, at least with Miranda he had someone to fight with, this girl was speaking in a low tone and smiling at him, and it unnerved him.

"Spoke to like what? I am merely trying to talk to you Phillip. You obviously have an issue with the woman in my life, so go ahead. Let's talk." Andy didn't let her pasted on smile drop for a second; when what she really wanted to do was sucker punch this man.

"Cut the crap! I don't want to talk to you about this bullshit! You know nothing about Miranda and the girls, it's complicated."

"It's not bullshit. And on the contrary, it is not complicated. I love Miranda and Miranda loves me. Seems very uncomplicated to me."

Philip turned to face the young girl and for a second felt sorry for her. "You really are stupid aren't you? You will discover I imagine sooner rather than later, that Miranda is incapable of loving anyone. Wait..." He chuckled, "That's not strictly true. Miranda loves Miranda."

"That may have been true when you were married Philip and for that I am sorry for you, but I have no doubts of Miranda's feelings for me. None at all."

"Don't tell me, she asked her assistant to send you a card for Valentines Day?" Philip laughed cruelly.

"Witty" Andy looked the elder man in the eyes and continued. I know Miranda loves me because she tells me, not once not even twice but sometimes three or more times a day. When I look into her eyes as she tells me that, I have no doubts of her love for me." Andy saw Phillips face drop slightly "I'm guessing by your reaction, expressions of love were not frequent in your marriage?"

Phillip turned away. The mocking smile he had been wearing quickly faded.

"For that I am truly sorry, but you have to understand this is not a fling, this is not the latest fashion as you so delicately put it. This is serious. Do you think for a second Miranda would have told her children about us if this was something she wasn't 100 committed to? Do you think I would have let her? I know on some level you are concerned about the effect this will have on your children and I would be shocked if you weren't. But this is happening, this is real and I am not going anywhere. I am sorry your marriage did not work out but through it all, did you ever see Miranda give those children anything but love? Did she ever mistreat them? No. She loves those children more than anything, yes even more than me. I hope that you feel the same about them, and if you do you would not want to put them through a lengthy custody battle, you would not want them to see their mothers name smeared across some tacky tabloid magazine. No, you would want them to be happy too. Phillip go talk to them, get their reaction. Caroline and Cassidy have accepted the situation, I hope in time you will come to accept it too." Andy realised she had been talking for minutes and looked at Phillips face. It no longer held the anger of only moments ago, but now he looked simply puzzled.

"I don't know you very well Philip but I know you love Cassidy and Caroline, as Miranda loves them and as I love them. I'm not asking for us to be friends. My only concern is Miranda and the girls. I think you should speak to your children. You may find they are not as traumatised as you think."

Miranda sat on the bottom of the stairs and jumped when she saw the door to the den open. Standing slowly, she was relieved to see Andy not looking the worse for wear. Glancing between her ex and her lover, she looked confused at the calm that seemed to have settled around them.

Andy walked Philip to the front door and as he turned to go he spoke softly to Miranda, still not quite able to meet her eyes, but at least he wasn't shouting. "Tell the twins I'll call them tomorrow"

"I...I...I, I will. Goodnight Philip." Miranda let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding and turned to face Andy. "What in the name of God did you say to him?" For once in her life Miranda looked truly amazed. Andy was pleased to see the look of awe on Miranda's face. That was one for the diary.

"I told him the truth, nothing more nothing less." She reached for Miranda's hands and pulled her to her. Feeling naughty, she whispered in Miranda's ear, "I also told him that for the first time in your life, you were getting laid with satisfaction guaranteed every time." She nibbled on Miranda's earlobe and felt the older woman tremble under her touch. "Well maybe I didn't say it, but I truly wanted to" Andy grinned.

For the first time that evening Miranda smiled. "100 really? You seem pretty sure of that figure dear?" Miranda teased.

"Well, maybe I need to experiment a little further but I am pretty sure of myself."

"Experiment huh? I think we could manage that." Miranda smiled, though Andy noticed she looked drained and tired. Pulling her down to sit on the bottom step, Andy pulled Miranda into her embrace and just held her. "You ok?" Andy asked concerned.

"Yes I am now." Miranda looked up at the girl she loved and giggled, very un-Miranda like. "Thank you, my knight in shining armour." Smiling, she cupped Andy's cheeks and softly kissed her, feeling truly happy.

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