7

After eating and relaxing, just enjoying each other's company, Amelia glanced at her palm pilot then looked at Andy. Miranda saw a glint of uncertainty in her expression as she gave Amelia a slight nod. Amelia stood and left the bus after saying her thank yous to the Priestlys for a pleasurable meal.

Andy took a deep breath and released it. She opened her eyes and looked at her girls. "Time to get ready." Andy slapped her hands on her thighs and stood up.

The girls jumped up excitedly and Miranda, of course, rose gracefully, just barely containing the excitement her girls shared.

The four proceeded to the trailer that housed Andy's wardrobe and stylists. She went directly to the hairdressers chair in front of the lighted mirror and sat down. The girls began to wonder around. Cassidy in the clothes and Caroline chose to inspect Andy's make up. Miranda sat in the chair behind and to the left of Andy. "So" asked Evelyn, "what do you want to do with your massive mop for this evening?" There was a light hearted tone in her voice. Obviously she knew Andy did not enjoy this part of her job.

Andy looked at Miranda in the mirror, whose eyes were trained on the back of her head, but spoke to Evelyn. "could you make it look as beautiful as hers?"

Miranda's eyes rose to meet the singers in her reflection and saw the blush begin to tint her own cheeks. She chuckled trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. "I believe my dear, that this" she ran her fingers through her soft white hair, lifting the lock that always fell into her eye, "is one of a kind."

Without a second thought, Andy caught the older woman's gaze. "Yes, it is." She saw Miranda's neck go crimson but did not break her stare, and smiled.

"Thank you Ahn-dray-a." The use of her full name by the older woman always sent a chill down her spine.

Evelyn became aware of the electricity between the two women and smiled to herself. "How 'bout we put it into a braid, maybe French?" she asked as she lifted the younger woman's hair and gathered it in her hands.

"I think that would be lovely" Miranda smiled

Andy looked then to Evelyn from Miranda, "You heard the lady." She sat back and closed her eyes.

It took the hairdresser no time at all to pull Andy's long chestnut tresses into a braid at the back of her head and trail down her back. Just as she finished the girls rejoined the three older women.

"Andy can we get our hair done like yours?" Cassidy asked hopefully

"Of course. Evelyn would you mind?"

"Not at all. I get to play with hair other than yours. I'm always up for that." She teased.

She moved to the empty chair next to Andy and tapped the back, "who's first?" Cassidy jumped into the seat.

Just then another woman walked from the back of the trailer. She stood in front of Miranda "I'm Georgia." She certainly was with that accent Miranda thought, "It's an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"Like wise" the older woman replied and nodded her head.

Georgia then turned to Andy "So, you want me to try to improve upon perfection once again darlin'?"

Yes, Miranda liked her.

"Georgia if I didn't know better, I'd think you were flirting with me" Andy grinned at the woman.

"You can't blame a girl for tryin darlin'" she smiled back

"Hmm, remind me to tell your wife that when we get home" the singer chuckled.

"Just cause I'm on a diet, don't mean I can't read the menu" Georgia laughed.

Andy dared a glance at Miranda out of the corner of her eye but only saw a pleasantly amused look on the older woman's face.

"Do your worst Georgia" Andy again closed her eyes and Georgia went to work. She wasn't joking, there wasn't much the singer needed. Andy's skin was gorgeous, brows naturally shaped, full lips. She only added a bit of pink to her cheeks, gave her eyes some "stage" colouring and painted those thick soft lips a rich red.

Miranda suddenly found herself wondering what it might be like having those lips on her skin. 'What?' she thought, feeling the colour rise in her cheeks and a thrilling hum moving in the other direction. It must be knowing there was a lesbian in the room. Yes, that must be it. She would never have thought that otherwise, would she?

Miranda raised her eyes to see Andy staring at her in the mirror, a sly smile on her face.

'Oh, surely she can't read my mind.' Miranda thought, then thought 'Oh, what if she could' and she returned Andy's sly smile.

Georgia finished with Andy's make up just as Evelyn was finishing Caroline' hair. The girl rose and went to her sister. They took turns admiring each others new style.

Andy rose, "Let's head to the stage for my final sound check, then we'll come back so I can get dressed."

The four females left the trailer. Once outside, Richard and Amelia joined them and the group headed to the arena. The Priestly's took a seat in the front row and Andy climbed the steps to the stage. She took something from a man that met her at the front of the stage and she hooked something over her ear as she turned her back to him. Miranda watched, a bit jealously she realized, as he hooked a little black box on her waistband.

"Test" Andy's voice echoed through the arena.

"Cool" the twins chimed

"Test. Tony, you got me up there?" A spot light dropped onto Andy illuminating her as an answer. "Run the sequence for the first ten songs would ja." The singers voice reverberated off of the rafters.

A light show proceeded to begin. Andy walked back to where the band was set up on a riser and picked up her guitar, her blue guitar. Miranda watched in wonder as the younger woman's fingers moved quickly over the strings. She turned a knob at the top then strummed it again and set it back into it's stand. Andy then picked up a saxophone and played the scale on it, then replaced it as well.

Miranda and the girls were mesmerized watching Andy as she moved across the stage checking microphones and band members, all the while a glow in the changing lights that washed the stage.

When it seemed that there was nothing else for her to check, Andy returned to her girls sitting in the front row. As she approached she looked at the family she dreamed she could spend the rest of her life with. Someone with whom she would build and reach her dreams.

Tonight she would see if that was a realistic chance. Tonight would be the performance of her life, at least the life she wanted to have.

"Ready to go?" Andy asked as she descended the stairs. The three stood and followed her to the bus.

As they entered the singers tour bus the girls squealed. Andy smiled behind Miranda as she placed her hand in the small of the older woman's back to keep her from tumbling backwards down the steps onto Andy. "I guess they like em'." She said as the two older women joined the twins inside.

"What, what is this?" Miranda asked her eyes moving from the tops the twins were holding up to themselves back to Andy.

"I thought they might like a change of tops." She winked at the girls, "since they ran around in those awful T-shirts all day."

"They are lovely Andrea." Miranda fingered the soft silk blouses Andy obviously had specially made for Cassidy and Caroline. They were, of course her blue, as Miranda now referred to the colour cerulean, but they faded in shade, one from dark to light the other from light to dark.

"Andy they are beautiful" smiled Cassidy

"We love them" followed Caroline

"I'm so glad you like them, and that," Andy elbowed the older woman lightly, "the "Queen" approves."

All four bust into laughter.

"You two go ahead and use the bus to change. There's also things in the bathroom I had Emily send over for you, " she turned to Miranda," if you want to freshen up."

Miranda nodded and smiled.

"I'm going to go to the trailer and get dressed. Let Richard know when you're ready to go and he'll take you over and get you settled." Andy turned to leave. "I'll see you in a few." Andy beamed at them then left.

The girls changed while Miranda took the time to freshen up her make up and check her hair. She looked down at the broach in the mirror on her lapel and touched it gently. "My whole life I've never felt so much for another person" she whispered. She closed her eyes and Andrea's face and beautiful brown eyes smiled at her in her mind. She opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror. "Does Andrea see me when she closes her eyes?" she asked herself silently, actually, it was more like a wish.

The Priestly's exited the bus to find Richard was waiting for them right outside.

"Ready ladies?"

"Indeed" Miranda replied.

This time they followed Richard as he led the way to a side entrance to the arena. As they entered Miranda felt the excitement in the building. The noise was almost deafening. She and the girls followed Richard to a section just off stage right, behind a curtain at the front of the stage. They would have a close up view of Andy and the entire concert. The vantage allowed them to see the total stage in full sight. And most of the crowd.

"Oh my goodness" Miranda caught her breath and moved her hand to her chest as she saw all the people there, to see her Andrea.

"How many are there Richard?" she asked without trying to hide the awe in her voice.

"About ten thousand. She sold out." Richard said with a hint of pride in his answer.

"Holy" Caroline

"Cow" Cassidy

"You can say that again bobsies"

"Indeed" replied Richard. He smiled at the three and drew their attention to the area designated for them to sit. "Miss Sachs had this area designed for you. There are drinks for the girls in the small refrigerator and wine for you on the top. Help yourselves. I will be in the shadows, but not have you out of my sight. Once the concert begins, please, stay in this area. For your own safety." Richard bowed at the waist slightly "Ladies, enjoy the show" then he was gone.

The girls were standing at the edge of the curtain watching all the people when Andy appeared from behind them, flanked by two very large security guards.

"So, what do you think?" she asked twirling.

All three turned to look at her. "Wow Andy" said Caroline walking over to her. Cassidy followed, "you look fantastic!"

Miranda ran her eyes up the singers body. White snake skin cowboy boots to long bare legs sticking out of a thigh high denim skirt, up to a shiny white cotton blouse that was tucked in but unbuttoned. Underneath the blouse was a cobalt blue tank that accentuated her bust. Miranda's eyes lingered a moment on the beautiful cleavage then as she saw it turn pink she raised her eyes to a smiling Andrea. Their eyes met and the older woman melted.

"Acceptable" Miranda said but Andy could hear the pleasure and pride at her appearance in her tone.

Andy spoke into her mic. "GO" without taking her eyes from the older woman's.

Miranda broke the gaze as the movement on the stage caught her attention. The band made their way to their places and the crowd cheered. They began to play and Andy, standing in front of Miranda bent down to address the girls.

She touched each cheek and said "for Luck" and each girl kissed each cheek. She rose and Miranda stepped forward taking Andy's chin in her hand. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the younger woman's lips. She pulled back and looked at her "for luck" Miranda said with a smile.

The twins smiled at each other. Their knowing twin smile that said to each other "we got em now"

Andy turned. Miranda watched as the singer took a deep breath to relax. She raised her face to the sky, and her lips moved almost unseen. 'Thanking her grandmother' Miranda knew without needing to ask.

"GO" she said and ran out onto the stage to greet the cheering crowd of fans.

Miranda sat and watched in complete and utter amazement.

"Hello New York!" Andy waved and the crowd's voices grew louder.

The music started and the concert was under way. Miranda knew this was a once in a lifetime experience and she thanked whoever it was responsible for letting it happen to her and her girls.

Andy's energy through the concert was astounding. 'It's like she feeds off of their energy' Miranda thought. She also thought about the pride she felt for the woman on that stage. Andy had come so far and had been through so much, yet there she was giving herself, her talents to all those people. The older woman realized only once in her life had she felt so overwhelmed with pride and yes, love. That was the day she held her newborn babies in her arms for the first time. She looked at her girls singing and dancing along with Andy, no one, not even herself had ever brought out that kind of joy in them. Miranda was sure her heart was going to explode from being so full.

Her attention was drawn back to the beautiful woman on the stage. The song she was singing had ended and she rose from her seat to applaud. Miranda wondered where she got her stamina from. That was what, the tenth song and with each one she danced across the stage, never slowing.

The crowd quieted and the three in the wings stopped clapping as well. The girls on each side of their mother each took a hand.

Andy walked toward them and winked as she stopped at the small table just a few feet away and took a long drink of water from a bottle setting there.

"Whew" she said to the crowd, "I believe I'm a bit out of shape" Hoots and cheers came in droves from the audience. Andy laughed.

When it quieted again Andy spoke. "I'd like to do something different for you tonight" Cheers- Andy smiled

Behind Andy the riser with the band on it split in two and moved outward to stage left and right.

"This is something very special to me and holds a special place in a lot of New Yorkers hearts."

From under the stage two baby grand pianos began to rise behind the singer.

"It's special to me, because I will probably never get this opportunity again. I've been blessed to meet some incredible people during my stay here" she looked to the Priestly's. Caroline and Cassidy squeezed their mother's hands, "and I'd like to share a tiny bit" she pinched her fingers together, "of that with you."

The girls dropped their mother's hands and walked out toward Andy on the stage. Before Miranda knew what was happening Andy spoke again "New York, I'd like you to meet two of my very best friends. This is Cassidy and this is Caroline." The crowd cheered louder than before. "They have been kind enough to agree to accompany me for this song.

Miranda sat down before she could fall down. Her babies, her bobsies playing at Madison Square Garden to a crowd of ten thousand people. No more questioning it, she was in love with that woman!

The girls walked to the pianos, set so they were back to back and sat down. The lights went dark and three blue spotlights lit the stage, one on each girl and one on Andy.

The crowd went very quiet. Miranda held her breath and listened to her heart beat.

Andy bowed her head and the girls began to play. The crowd recognized the music intro and began to scream and cheer.

Miranda sat on the edge of her seat with her hands to her mouth, eyes watching in disbelief.

The crowd stilled and Andy raised her head and with the most incredible voice Miranda had ever heard, began to sing.

"Midnight, not a sound from the pavement, has the moon lost her memory? She is smiling alone. In the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet, and the wind begins to moan."

Suddenly the crowd is lit a glow with thousands of small flames. Andy moves stage right—

"Memory, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then. I remember the time I knew what happiness was, let the memory live again."

Miranda is truly hearing the words of the famous song for the first time. The song of her Andrea's life.

Andy begins to cross to stage left—

"Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning, someone mutters and a street lamp gutters and soon it will be morning."

Andy moves back to center stage—

"Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise, I must think of a new life and I musn't give in. When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too and a new day will begin."

While the girls play the musical break she walks to them. Stage right only a few feet from Miranda a platform with two steps rises from the floor. As Andy begins to sing again she moves towards it and walks to the top—

"Burt out ends of smoky days, the stale cold smell of morning. The street lamp dies another night is over, another day is dawning."

The music crescendos and Andy looks right at Miranda with her arm outstretched,

"Touch me, it's so easy to leave me, all alone with the memory of my day in the sun."

Miranda sees a single tear fall down Andrea's cheek, they never break eye contact.

"If you touch me you'll understand what happiness is, look a new day has begun."

Andy smiles at Miranda as the girls play the last of the music. The older woman is smiling through her sobs. 'HOLY SHIT' she thinks. Then she breaths.

Andy moves down the dais and back to the girls only then noticing the audience going crazy. The girls join her down stage. "Caroline" she points with her outstretched arm and Caroline bows. "Cassidy" the other arm and Cassidy bows in turn. The crowd cheers, screams, whistles and claps.

The girls move to Andy and each gives her a kiss on the cheek then they run back to their mother where she is waiting with open arms to scoop them up and hug and kiss them.

Andy moves right into her next song, seeing the joy she has brought to her new family out of the corner of her eye. 'Two more songs' she thinks to herself.

Miranda can't seem to let go of Cassidy and Caroline. "I am so so very proud of both of you." She kisses their heads again. "You were both amazing"

"Andy is the amazing one mom" Cassidy said

"She wanted to do something just for us." Caroline looked at her mother seeing her tear streaked face for the first time and smiles, "We told you she loves you."

"When are you going to learn to listen to us?" Cassidy asked

"From this day on" she looked out at the stage. Andrea loved her. Her. Wow!

"From this day on!" She squeezed the girls again and they settled back to watch Andy, their Andy finish her show.