A/N: Not sure if I mentioned it but this is definitely unbeta'd. A few more chapters coming later today but then it might be a few days before the next update. Hopefully not but I may not have access to my computer. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen. Happy Reading everyone. xoxo
Chapter 8:
Los Angeles, CA
Andy paused outside of the audition room and took a moment to listen to the two young girls running through the lines for a scene in The Hidden Door that she remembers writing years ago sitting in the outer office at Runway. The lines were being delivered with passion and intensity that she found fascinating and she was anxious to meet the girls reading lines. As quietly as possible she let herself into the back of the room and stood silently in the corner so that she wouldn't interrupt the dialogue. As she watched the two redheads turned towards the camera, smiled, and stood waiting. Andy inhaled sharply and let out a surprised panicked sound before she clamped her hand over her mouth to silence it.
She stared at the twins standing there talking with Kaydence and Carl and felt her heart rate pick up. Her heart beat so fast and hard that it caused her physical chest pain. Her feet wouldn't move almost as if they were glued to the floor, her breathing was rapid and shallow, she was feeling a slight dizziness taking over her, her skin felt clammy and she could feel the sweat running down her spine. She leaned against the wall behind her forcing herself to slow her breathing down and take deep breaths while trying to figure out why she was looking at Caroline and Cassidy Priestly years after she'd left New York and Runway behind.
After a few deep breaths Andrea stood up straight, squared her shoulders, gave herself a pep talk, and moved on shaky limbs from the dark corner of the room to the table where Lisa still sat with Hayden and smiled, "Please excuse my tardiness for this audition, emergency back home." she said softly to Lisa as she lifted Hayden from her seat and looked over to where Kaydence, Carl and the twins stood talking quietly still oblivious to her presence. Taking another deep breath Andy moved over to them and smiled softly, "I never thought I'd see the two of you again." she said bringing their eyes to her for the first time since she'd arrived in the room.
Cassidy gasped when she turned and saw the woman who had spoken standing there holding the little blonde she believed was named Hayden. She stared at her taking in the longer, darker yet sun-bleached hair, her soft hesitant smile, the black True Religion Destroyed Vintage jeans and red pleated Donna Karan tank top she was wearing, and the soft, doe eyes that she remembered so well. She felt Caroline shift next to her and turned to see her sister staring at her in return, "Carrie... is... do... you... see..." she started saying before her voice failed her and she turned to look again at the woman before her.
"Andy?" Caroline said softly next to her, her voice so low that Cassidy had to nearly strain to hear what she was saying. Cassidy watched the woman's eyes close as if she were in pain before they opened again showing tears flooding them and she nodded.
"Yeah..." Andy said her eyes darting between them. "Kaydence... take Hayden and get her something to eat then bring her back here please. I need to talk to these two... about our friend from New York."
Cassidy frowned but saw the look that passed between the two women so she kept her mouth closed and watched as Andy whispered to the little girl and tickled her before letting her down to go with Kaydence. She found a chair and sat in it heavily before her weakened legs really did decide to give out on her. She couldn't wrap her young mind around the fact that Andy was standing in the room with them after all these years. She had truly thought something horrible had happened to her until the first book arrived and she'd read online that it wasn't released yet. She knew that Andy would have been the one to send them. To know that she was correct and that Andy was in fact ok was a relief and it angered her.
"Why didn't you visit or call or write or email?" she heard Caroline say and she looked up locking eyes with the woman who had become like a second parent to them years ago without any influence from their mother or anyone else. She just genuinely cared about them and never tried to use them for her own personal gain or to get something from their mother. Andy was their friend and confidante and then she just left them like everyone in their lives and Cassidy was upset and hurt.
"I'll explain everything to both of you if we can leave this room. None of what I am about to tell you needs to be captured on film and we still have a few auditions to get through today so they'll need the room." Andy said pulling her phone from her waist clip and pressing a few buttons.
"Kay... yeah... no, no... It's fine... just... yeah... I haven't seen their mother... no... She... WHAT... no I'll handle it... tell Hayden to be a good girl for me... alright... yes room 2183D... thanks. Ok... bye." Andy said to into her phone looking around the room.
"Wait, we have to get Mom." Caroline stated.
"I'm already here." Miranda stated in what Caroline and she called her 'Runway tone', cold and low. Her mother never yelled but the effectiveness of the 'Runway tone' is just as intense if not more so. It sent chills down her spine and made her stand up straighter even as she smiled warmly at her mother and headed out the door following Andy to a different room.
Andy closed the door behind Miranda and her daughters and leaned heavily against it staring at a random spot on the far wall taking deep, even breaths. She had spent a while dreading this day and at the same time anticipating what it would be like to be in her company again. Taking a final deep breath Andy looked up at the people in the room with her and smiled slightly, "I have no idea where to start."
"You could start by telling us why you are here." Miranda said her eyes pinning Andy in place and setting her nerves into a chaotic state.
Sighing she nodded and moved to sit down in one of the chairs littering the room, "I'm working." She stated simply, her tone soft and just as cold as the older woman's. She had worked too long and too hard to let this woman intimidate her. Miranda Priestly could no longer stop her from writing and they both knew it. She smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, "I would ask what YOU are doing here however since I listened and watched part of Caroline and Cassidy's initial audition, I already know the answer."
"Why would you be watching our audition? You left us... just like Dad and Stephen. Just like Julie and Maggie. You don't care about us... you never did." Cassidy said anger lacing her voice.
Andy stared at Cassidy and felt the tears she had been fighting return with a vengeance, "How could you think I would willingly leave you Cass? There was a reason I couldn't stay in New York or see you and Caroline before I had to leave. If I could have been there with you sweetheart you know I would have been. Situations and circumstances turned time against me and I was in New York for only two days before I was on my way to Ohio. I've been to New York only once since then. Seeing you girls was on the agenda but you were with your grandmother so it wasn't possible. I've never stopped loving and caring for you Cassidy or you Caroline." Andy said softly looking between the twins.
"What reason could you have had to leave us Andy? You knew what was going on... you were the only adult other than Mom that gave a shit about us."
"Language." Andy and Miranda stated immediately.
Andy shook her head and smiled sadly, "I cared then and I care now... I don't make it a habit to explain anything anymore, something I learned from your mother." she said shooting a look at Miranda, "However you asked and I will tell you. I went to Paris for Fashion Week with Runway and while there... I left. I will not get into all of the whys, how's, and whens because I still have auditions to sit through and videos to review. After I left your mother's employ I found that I was not only blacklisted but my boyfriend at the time left taking with him most of my belongings and half of the emergency funds I had set back... all before I had returned. With little options of work in the city... I went home to start things over and differently. I was there for about 3 days before Kaydence came to visit and from there things started working out for both of us.
"So how did you go from Ohio to California?" Caroline asked her moving to sit in a chair across from her.
"I just arrived in California a week ago for work. I don't live here. Tried that out for about a month, I hated it. I like having four seasons." she told them just as her phone began to ring. She looked at the number and smiled, "Give me a second?" she asked connecting the call not really wanting an answer, "Yes?"
"Hey. I know you are busy but Newman has upset Hayden, she's looking for you now. She likes the Priestly twins and he thinks her liking them will influence your decision for the movie and he's yelling about something or another. Is it alright if I bring her in to you until Stacy comes down from the top?" Kaydence's voice came through the line sounding hurried and annoyed.
Andy groaned, "I swear that man is going to be the death of me. Yes bring my little princess to me, tell Newman the Priestly twins will do the parts of Jazmyn and Jaylen Cole, if they so desire, they are naturals. Cassidy will play Jaz, Caroline will play Jay. Remind him that the contracts give me final say not him. They are both naturals in front of the camera and since the characters are based on them, it is only logical that they should bring the characters to life. If he has a problem with that have him contact Stacy. She'll go over it all with him. Thanks Kay." she responded before ending the call.
Standing Andy walked over to the door, opening it and waiting in the doorway for Kaydence and Hayden to appear. She could feel the eyes of the Priestly women on her but she did her best to ignore them until she had her little girl taken care of. Since deciding to adopt Hayden, she made the little girl number one in her life. She hated to see her cry or see fear in her pretty emerald eyes and she made it her goal to keep the little girl happy and smiling.
Hayden saw her almost immediately and ran full out down the hall and into her waiting arms. Smiling Andy picked her up and nodded to Kaydence before walking back into the room and sitting down.
"Mommy... Mr. Newman said that he doesn't want them to play the parts... he wants to use that actress from that movie with the family with like 12 kids cause he said she'll bring publicity. I told him she wouldn't work out playing both of them... she didn't even read the lines good." Hayden said with a pout looking up at Andy with wide eyes.
Chuckling Andy pulled the little girl tighter into her and kissed her head, "Well... baby girl... she didn't read the lines well. If Caroline and Cassidy still want to play the parts after everything else, it's theirs. Carl has no say in it anyway, Stacy does. He's just the pawn she uses as a mouth piece. I have already taken care of that sweetie, you just relax. Now... this is Caroline," she said pointing to the redhead sitting by them, "Over there is Cassidy and that is their mother Miranda next to her." she said motioning to where Miranda and Cassidy stood.
"The same Miranda that you and Auntie Kay were talking about on the plane?" she asked.
"You heard that? We thought you were sleeping."
"I was... then I woke up and heard you ask how Miranda Priestly found you. I asked Auntie Kay but she didn't know much either. Why don't you like her?"
Andy groaned and shook her head, "I never said I didn't like her sweetie, I just didn't understand how she located me since everything about me is a secret... remember that morning you found all those books in my office and I explained to you about my life before I moved to Tennessee?"
"Oh, yes I remember now. Well... can I go play with Molly? Ms. Stacy said she'd take me to get Scout too! I miss her."
Andy smiled and nodded kissing the little girl on her cheek, "Be careful Princess... and stay away from Carl, if he bothers you again ask Stacy to get me alright?"
"Yes ma'am. Have fun! Auntie Kay owes me a cookie!" Hayden said running off.
Andrea watched her little girl leave the room and then turned back to Miranda and the girls, "I do apologize for the interruption. Now..." she said looking at Miranda's cool azure eyes, "you are aware that your daughters are auditioning for roles in a film based off a book written by Kenzie Mitchell, correct?"
"We got a letter asking us to. I wanted to meet Kenzie Mitchell in person even if we didn't get the role." Caroline said her voice soft but filled with excitement and something else Andy couldn't name.
She smiled a small smile turning back to the young girl and nodded, "Well Caroline, Cassidy... it's a pleasure to meet you both... again." she said keeping a close eye on Miranda in her peripheral, "I hope our journey has a happier ending this time."
"Wait a minute... are you saying that you are Kenzie Mitchell?" Cassidy asked moving closer to where she was sitting.
Andy simply nodded and then turned back to Miranda, "When I returned to New York after the disaster in Paris, learning of the blacklisting, and Nate's departure I was confused, upset, and depressed almost. At first I was completely lost... I didn't know what I would do and then while I laid on my old sofa staring at the bookshelf I realized that just because your mother destroyed my chances of having a career in journalism she couldn't kill my love for writing. I went to Ohio to get myself back on track and see my family. The visit was shorter than I anticipated but that was in thanks to my cousin. She took a copy of the first book, The Hidden Door, and asked a friend of hers to do some editing on it. Together Kaydence and I went on a search for a publishing company that would publish my books under the name Kenzie Mitchell." she explained.
"Did you send those books to us then?" Cassidy asked her voice soft and no longer angry.
Andrea sighed and nodded, "You two actually have two of the first copies printed. I sent them to you right after I received them... about a month or so before they were sent to book stores across the nation. I wanted to deliver them in person but I didn't think your mother would allow that."
The door to the room opened before anyone could say anything else and a tall woman with short spiky black hair, bright honey colored eyes, and multiple piercings entered with Kaydence and Lisa behind her.
"Ms. Mitchell?" the woman asked. Andy nodded and looked at Kaydence raising a questioning brow.
"Sorry Kenz, she overheard me telling Stacy where you were and she is very determined to talk to you." Kaydence explained.
Andy sighed heavily and nodded for the woman to speak.
"I'm sorry to bother you and I know this is completely unprofessional, but when I heard her say that you were here and that... man if you can call him a man, started ranting I decided to come directly to you. My name is Rebecca. Rebecca Brown, I just finished reading the script and I was told that you were responsible for turning your book into a movie script and the set designs as well. Is that correct?" she stated.
Andy pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, "Kaydence... tell Stacy I want Newman off this project, if he is going to harass everyone that mentions my name he doesn't need to be here. I understand men get this complex when there is a woman in power over them but this is ridiculous. Call Mark and tell him that we need to reschedule, make reservations somewhere for dinner and make sure they have something Hayden will eat. Ms. Brown what is it you needed to speak to me about?" Andy said.
"Rebecca please, and well Stacy called me last night telling me about this new project she had taken on and the woman that made it all possible and she told me to come in today to speak with you both. See she's my sister and she knows all the trouble I've been having with my own work even after a lifetime of writing. Anyway, she believes that if I work for you and learn from you over a year's time, I'll be able to do what you did with the Cole series. When I mentioned that to Kaydence here, Carl kind of flipped out. He wants me to work for him in hopes that it will have some sort of effect on his relationship with Stacy. I wouldn't have bothered you at all if he hadn't threatened to get security after me when Stacy took Hayden to get her dog. While she's out of the building he has free reign and he's sleeping with the head of the security team so… they will kick me out on his behalf. Stacy wanted to talk to you about it herself before I did, but if they are going to boot me I wanted to let you know I am interested in working for you." Rebecca told her with a smile.
Andy groaned and looked at Miranda and the twins, "Miranda do you have dinner plans?" she asked running a hand through her hair.
"Not at present." Miranda said with a slight tilt of her head.
Andy smiled and nodded; "Now you do. We'll talk later Cass, Carri. I promise." she stated to the Priestly matriarch and her children before turning back to the other two women. "Kay can you handle that for me? Call Emily, she's at the office if she's not here; she can help you figure out where is a good place to go. Nowhere that carries freesias. Period. Have her informed of the time and location you choose. Such little things are too trivial to bother Miranda with. Make sure there is a car there to pick them up and to drop them back off at the end of the night. Also... no never mind... that's all."
"Right on that. Hayden wants breakfast, she's already trying to talk Stacy into ordering some from somewhere near by." Kaydence said with a laugh as she walked out of the room.
Andy laughed softly shaking her head and turned back to Miranda and the girls who all wore amused expression, "What?"
"You sounded like Mom!" Caroline giggled.
"That was creepy." Cassidy replied and she too fell into a bout of giggles.
"Indeed." Miranda said a slight curve to her lips indicating the smile she was fighting.
Andrea rolled her eyes and smiled, "Whatever. If you ladies will excuse me, duty calls. Caroline, Cassidy... the parts are yours if you want them... I can pretty much guarantee you that. Stacy will make it happen for me. Talk it over with your mother and I will see all three of you at dinner. Rebecca if you'll come with me to your sister's office we'll talk about this and see what it is you may be able to do for me over the next year while I help you sharpen up those skills." she said winking at the twins and leaving the room.
