Part 25
Miranda leaned against the shower wall, her hands bracing herself as the water washed over her body, still suffused with a little irritation thinking that Andrea thought that about her.
She had never before considered it, not really. She had never even thought about her life in that way much. Sure she had the opportunity to sleep around, if that is what she wanted to call it, to have multiple partners, hell even at one time, but she just never wanted it. Power and drive to succeed would always oversee her need to do just that.
When Miranda did have sex, it was with one of her husbands, and the other two partners were horrible one night stands. She never wanted to endure any of that ever again. So that's why she decided, well before her first marriage, that she would never take someone home to just get off when her vibrator seemed to do it better anyhow.
Then it was like once Andrea waltzed into her life, Miranda had found everything she had thrown away…a want inside her like she had never felt before. It was as if she had been blind until Andrea opened her eyes. Her husbands were always a means to an end; she convinced herself she didn't need anyone to hold her, even if the nights were cold and lonely. But once Andrea started working for her, those brown eyes of hers haunted Miranda, and the ache to get closer seemed to torture her.
Miranda knew she was being silly by leaving her bed like that. Seriously, what was the big deal that this young beautiful star had more lovers than you?
The water abruptly turned even warmer, and surprised, she lifted her head, slowly aware of a presence behind her. Familiar hands were suddenly moving over her body, her back, slipping lightly over her sides and stomach, stroking her with delicate skill.
"God, Andrea" she groaned, "I thought that you didn't…"
Andy paused momentarily and then resumed her caress. "I changed my mind," she said softly, her fingers light, teasing and inflaming at the same time. "Plus, I know that you want to."
Miranda exhaled. "But," she managed, squirming beneath those wonderful hands. "I just…"
"You know what, I don't care. It's just a stupid number, and I love you no matter what."
Miranda breathed in a quivering voice. "Six," she said, her head going back. She was unable to keep from leaning back into the warm, gentle strength of the younger woman, desire rising thick in her throat.
That wasn't what Andy was expecting; Miranda had never called her that. Surprised, she slightly shook her head and smiled. "Huh, you never called me that."
Miranda paused and let the hot water slip over her body. "That's not…Andy dear, that is how many men I've been with."
Andy spun Miranda around and gave her an incredulous look. "Are you serious? Wait yes, oh my god I am sorry." She lowered her head. "I just thought since…" she trailed off and exhaled loudly.
"You thought that what?"
Andy huffed, causing the water to fall off of her lips. "I thought well, I .." she stammered. "I just assumed since you are you and so god damn beautiful you would have had whomever when ever. I shouldn't have assumed and again I am sorry."
Miranda sighed and cupped Andy's cheek. "No need. As you pointed out, this is stupid, and I shouldn't have cared," she said gently.
"You know I love you, right?"
"I do, I don't deserve it, but I am happy that you do." She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Andy's neck and resting her forehead against hers. "It amazes me, but I really do love you, more than I have loved anyone else," she said with utter seriousness, and then tenderly brushed her lips over Andrea's.
Soon it didn't matter that the sheets on Andy's bed ended up drying them off as they succumbed to sleep after the water in the shower began to prune their skin. Andy was glad for the instant water heating system even if she knew that tomorrow would be a long long day.
Eventually they succumbed to sleep, arms and legs tangled, and sleeping soundly as the hours of the day drifted by. Miranda hazily awoke and noticed that Andy's arms held her perfectly. She smiled warmly, knowing this is what she had secretly always wanted, but never admitted she needed. Now that she has had it, she didn't think she could ever go without it again. She just brought Andrea's hand up and kissed it before she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.
The scream of Miranda's phone startled them both. "God," Miranda muttered, as she pulled her tired body away from her partner.
"This better be important," she firmly said into the phone.
"Mom," Cassidy's voice sounded panicked.
Suddenly more alert, Miranda bounced up. "Bobbsey, what is it, Darling?"
"It's Stephen," she choked. "Where are you? When are you coming home?"
"I don't know. Tell me what happened." Miranda's eyes quickly found the clock in Andrea's room and she noticed that she did sleep the morning away. She was about to search the room for her robe when unexpectedly Andy was already at her side and gently wrapping it around her.
The younger woman smiled at her and then gently pressed her lips over her brow. She pointed to the door and mouthed very quietly. "I'll be downstairs."
Miranda nodded, and quickly pulled her arms through the robe, listening to Cassidy tell her how Stephen had cornered her and Caroline at the movies and demanded to know what Miranda's new cell number was. The girls didn't tell him, and were saved by a friend's mother. She rubbed irritated fingers against her temple. "Was he….?"
"Yes Mom, he was so drunk, and so scary."
"Next time just give him the number and let me deal with him."
"No, Mom, he doesn't deserve to know it."
"Cassidy I know you're trying to protect me, but trust me I'd rather you tell him and let me handle him. Understood?"
The line went quiet, and right away Miranda's chest tightened. "Darling, what is it?"
"He knows," Cassidy whispered.
"He knows what?"
"He knows about you and Andy."
Panic now raced through Miranda's veins and she inhaled a nervous breath. "Excuse me, how how…how does he?"
"Caroline kind of snapped and blurted out how happy we all are now that she was back in your life."
"God," Miranda voiced quietly.
"You need to come home, Mom. Plus we went to Dad's and apparently Stephen went there as well, and now he knows too."
Miranda tried to stay calm, yet felt the air slide through her lungs now at a faster pace. "And have you heard anything from the press yet?"
"No, nothing."
"I'll catch the next flight back," she mentioned to her daughter just in time to see Andy standing at the doorway with a steaming cup of coffee and looking worried. "I'll call you back as soon as I make the arrangements," she swallowed. "I love you both very much and I promise I will take care of everything."
"Love you, too, Mom….and I'm sorry."
"It's okay, please don't, you both did nothing wrong."
"Tell Andy hi for us, and we really are happy for you Mom, even if your ex-husbands aren't."
Miranda felt her heart flutter at hearing that, and was so glad she raised smart girls. "I'll be home soon," she said into the phone as she stared at Andrea.
The phone clicked off and she sighed as she raised a hand to her brow. "I…"
Andrea quickly set the coffee down and erased what little space separated them to pull her into a tight embrace. "It's okay, and I'll get you on the next flight back."
Miranda sucked in a breath as she clung to the younger woman. "Thank you, but.." she drew back and softly cupped her cheek. "You are not my assistant. Let me call Emily."
"Okay," Andy smiled. "Hard habit to break, I guess," she teased, giving her a wink.
As soon as the phone call to Emily ended, she noticed Andrea already had her carry on half way packed. She slightly rolled her eyes then drifted across the room and tenderly slid her arms around her. "You just can't help it can you?" Miranda whispered, then kissed the side of her neck.
Andy leaned back against her. "I'm not doing this as your assistant, I'm doing this because I love you. There is a big difference."
"I see."
"So when is your flight? And are you going to tell me what is going on?"
Miranda inhaled a deep breath and pulled away. "Stephen, well….well he knows about us."
Andrea blinked. "Knows? And?"
"And I don't honestly know." Andy picked up on the anxiety in her voice.
"Miranda what is it? What are you worried about?"
Miranda slightly bit the side of her lip as she glanced at Andy then back to the window. "The divorce, well you probably know it wasn't good ...it didn't go smoothly at all."
"I read about it on page six," Andy wrinkled her nose and shrugged.
"So you read about the woman he married not long after it was finalized?"
"I did. So he should be happy right?"
"Yeah, you'd think, but that blonde bimbo is bleeding him dry, so naturally he tried to get more money from me then he already did."
"Oh god I'm sorry, I didn't know."
Miranda gathered another deep breath. "Well, when he found that was a big dead end, he uh…" she trailed off.
Andy's forehead caved. "He what?"
Miranda muttered something under her breath then groaned. "He wanted me back."
That was surely something Andy wasn't prepared for. "Wait, what..." she uttered. "He did?"
Miranda noticed the slight panic in Andy's brown eyes, and she quickly moved her arms around her waist. "I'm not, okay. No way in hell. NO! But he has been rather obnoxious about things, which is why I changed my phone number."
"I'm sorry."
"Not your fight, Darling. But I am sorry that I have to cut this weekend short."
"I'm just glad you came," Andy smiled, and then waggled her eyebrows. "Really really glad."
….
Miranda sat uneasily at her desk, at Elias-Clark waiting on her meeting with Donatella, and also waiting to hear from her girlfriend Andrea. She smiled to herself thinking about that, thinking about how it had been with her former assistant from the moment that dangly young girl had stepped into her office all those years ago. She softly shook her head as she played with her long necklace. Who would have imagined I would have fallen in love with her of all people? she thought, and then was interrupted when her cell phone chirped indicating she had a message.
'I can't see you tonight; sorry something came up Forgive me! '
Miranda inhaled slowly, feeling a pang of regret as she regarded the text with puzzlement. "What the," she mouthed to the empty room. "What could be more important than seeing me?" she now fumed with annoyance.
Trying not to jump to conclusions again she took a breath and typed.
'What's going on Darling?'
She waited for what seemed like forever when in reality it was only five minutes. Getting more irate, she tossed the phone across her desk. Emily entered at the same time and gave her strange look. "Uh Miranda?"
Biting back her urge to be spiteful and take it out on her assistant she gazed up at the redhead. "What is it?"
"Donatella just canceled."
She quietly balled her fist up and squeezed it painfully. "Did she tell you why?"
"Her assistant just said that something came up."
Her nostrils flared on their own accord. "Well that's just wonderful! Who cares if I was made to wait or worry about taking up my precious time," she snapped, and then waved her off. "That's all."
Miranda waited until she out of her office before she leaned back in her chair and stared up at the ceiling. Free time and no one to spend it with. "This is just terrific!" she expressed again to no one and fretfully snatched the phone back up and glared at it once she noticed that Andrea still hadn't texted her back.
Going against her own rules, she broke down.
'Andrea, you could at least give me a reason, since I was looking forward to spending the evening with you.'
Again going against her better judgment she sat and stared at her phone waiting for a reply that never came. She glanced over at the clock and she knew that Andrea was already here in New York.
She tried to busy herself with the new changes in the spread, but she just couldn't switch it off. The gnawing ache in her stomach just wouldn't let it go.
Miranda fretfully snarled as she snatched the phone back up and typed one more, now fueled by dim-witted resentment.
'Busy with Jacqueline I presume. If that's the case, you could at least have the decency to tell me. I will not be made a fool of.'
She stood from her desk, now almost regretting the last message. "Emily," she tossed, and Christine entered.
"Yes, Miranda."
"Call Roy, I want to leave."
Christine exited as Miranda gathered her things and put them away. She strutted out of her office just in time for Christine to place her bag in her hands.
As soon as she slipped into her Mercedes, her phone finally chirped.
'That's not fair and that's not it, please understand.'
That's it?
'That's all you have to say for yourself?'
'Can't you just tru…'
She narrowed in on the small font. It felt unfinished, so she waited and still nothing more. Getting more annoyed by the minute she now decided she needed to know what was going on. "Roy change of plans, take me to this address instead."
Thirty minutes later Miranda arrived at Andy's high-rise penthouse. She couldn't believe she about didn't get by security, seriously didn't he know who she was? But after flashing her credentials, the guard finally realized who he was dealing with after she threatened to have his job, so he begrudgingly let her up.
Five minutes later she knocked on Andrea's door with authority. When it appeared after a few minutes that no one was home, she about turned to leave when the door slowly inched open.
"Miranda?" A very hoarse weak voice filtered through the crack.
Miranda bent her head and her eyebrow arched slowly. "Andrea? What is going on? What are you trying to hide?"
"Nothing," Andy croaked. "Just go, please."
Narrowing in on the younger woman, she stared in disbelief. "Excuse me? I am here for you..…wait do you have someone in there with you? Who are you hiding…..just fucking say it," she snarled through gritted teeth. "I will not be toyed with!"
Andy's head fell against the door, then after a few moments she slowly backed away, leaving it ajar. "Well, I did try to ke," Miranda heard her vaguely utter, then heard a little more loudly. "Oh no not again," and then she disappeared.
Miranda wasn't sure what to do, so she stood there for a second as she slowly inched the door open further. No one was in sight, but right away she did notice Andrea's luggage thrown about with items sticking out of it and lying askew around the floor.
She took a breath, squared her shoulders and slid into the apartment. She shut the door behind her, and once she did a sudden god awful smell engulfed her nostrils. "Good god, what is that smell?" Her face twisted sourly and she immediately raised her Hermes scarf up to cover her nose.
Carefully walking through the front entrance, Miranda began to wander down the hall to where she now heard a dreadful noise coming from what she presumed was Andrea's bathroom. She waited a moment outside contemplating what to do, now feeling like an ass for once again doubting this woman who was clearly not feeling well. Nevertheless, Andy should have just told her.
Blowing out a breath, she lightly knocked. "Andrea?"
After a beat she finally heard a muffled response. "Go away," followed by the flushing of a toilet, but that was it.
After another minute she knocked again. "Darling, what's going on?"
"Please, just go."
Miranda firmed her jaw then tried the door, and realized it wasn't locked. "I'm coming in."
"It's your funeral," she heard Andrea voice, but it sounded strained.
As soon as she opened the door she wished she hadn't. The smell was horrid beyond anything she had ever smelled, yet the sight before her made her heart break. There was her Andrea curled up on the floor, wearing only a tee shirt, a nice Dolce & Cabana one even, but nothing else except her underwear. She appeared to be shivering as wet sticky hair clung to her forehead. Her face was pale and she didn't even have the strength to even look up at her.
"Oh my god, what is going on?" Miranda voiced, clearly shocked and disturbed at the scene in front of her.
"I don't need this, least of all by you, so please just go," Andy now sobbed.
Miranda sobered, and took another step closer and kneeled down beside the younger woman. Reaching out, she ran a soothing hand over her damp brow. "Sweetheart, you are on fire, and I don't mean that in a good way."
Andy pulled her head away from Miranda's hand. "You need to go."
"Stop this, stop acting like a child, Andrea, and I will not go." She stated firmly. Rising up, she began searching through Andrea's shelving and drawers. She pulled out a large towel then stepped around the brunette and turned on her shower. "You need to shower, and while you are in there I will call my doctor."
"No, it's just the flu," Andy mumbled. "I think. Or maybe it's food poisoning."
"Well, whatever it …it is not good."
"And if it is the stomach flu, I don't want you here….you could get it," Andy sniffed. "You can't be sick."
"Then I get it. I don't care, and I am not going to just up and leave you looking like you might die on the bathroom floor," Miranda scolded, trying to help the younger woman up.
"I look that good huh," Andy tried to joke, but it fell short when suddenly she pushed Miranda away from her and began to dry heave again into the toilet.
"Dear god," Miranda muttered under her breath. She softly pulled Andy's hair away from her face and rubbed her back. "Are you sure you just don't want to go to the hospital?"
"Noooo," Andy mumbled, half spitting into the toilet. "It'll be all over the news, they'll say I OD'd or something just as horrible."
Miranda knew exactly how bad the press could be, but she was worried. "But…"
"Call your doctor," she wheezed as she wiped her face. "I'll get into the shower."
Miranda relented, and as she called her doctor, she also checked what was in the apartment to rehydrate Andrea, and quickly realized there was absolutely nothing. Her next call was to Maria her housekeeper. She ordered her to pack her a bag, then to go shopping. After giving a long list of items to get, she instructed her to get to Andrea's pronto. Finally, she called her girls and told them she wouldn't be home, and told them why.