So sorry for the delay. It's been a pretty crazy busy time with work. Thank you for your follows and for joining me on this runaway train. Still no beta, so forgive the grammatical errors and inconsistencies. - Ren

Chapter 7

A few weeks later, Miranda was in her office pouring over the latest issue to make her final edits before the book would need to be updated. Her staff was strong and she finally had a great rhythm with the new crew. She remembered the times when she would want to just fire everyone for their lack of creativity and forward-thinking. Finally, things started to shape up. It was a hard time after Nigel left. Some followed shortly after, but she was able to find a good team.

Her phone rang with an unfamiliar number. "Hello."

"Hi, this is Mark Rubenstein. I'm a friend of Andrea Sachs."

Miranda was puzzled for a moment and then remembered, "Oh, hello. Yes. Andrea said she would be reaching out to you."

Miranda was puzzled. After that night, she didn't realize that Andrea would make good on her word. Of course, she would, Miranda thought.

"My apologies for taking so long to reach out, I wanted to be sure to do some inquiries before connecting with you. She advised me you have a very talented daughter," Mark said. "She let me know that she may be a good fit for a project that I am in the works of beginning in the next month or so. I'm going to be restoring some apartment buildings on the Upper West Side. Fully eco friendly and I need a fresh mind. I've reviewed a lot of your daughter's work, and I have to say... she's quite exceptional."

Miranda smiled, "Yes, she is. Cassidy has done very well in London."

"I'd say she has. Would there be a way I could contact her for an interview?"

"Yes, that would be lovely." Miranda gave the man her daughter's information.

After Miranda's call with Mark, she called her daughter and relayed the news. Cassidy was so excited that she quickly got off the phone to prepare for her interview. She was so inspired, she told her mom she would be in the study.

Miranda wanted to celebrate her daughter's new potential venture. She wanted to be the proud mother she is, but at the same time, she was confused and sad.

Confusion. This emotion had become a staple in her life as of late. She wanted to find clarity, but the only place she could find that was in her work. Her heart ached in her chest. The feel of longing mixed like the perfect emulsion of oil and water, stripping her of everything she had. Right when she would feel relief, the thoughts of Andrea would shake her again. Why? Why can't she move on? Why can't she find her bearings?

She needed familiarity. She needed someone that knows her better than she knows herself. Sure, Emily would be the person she'd usually call, but this... this was out of Emily's wheelhouse.

"Miranda," Nigel greeted. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Miranda didn't realize she picked up her phone and dialed the man. The sound of his voice almost broke her. Nigel isn't confusion, he's clarity. Even if the clarity hurt... he was clarity. Clear blue sky with a view as far as the eye could see above the horizon.

"I'm lost, Nigel," Miranda said as she broke. She got up and closed the door to her office. She needed her own little world for a while. She wandered away from the glass walls she knew she could have a moment to be Miriam Princheck and not Miranda Priestly.

"Where are you?"

"Runway," she whispered, collecting herself.

"Can you meet me?"

Miranda shook her head to gather herself to speak. "Where?"

"My studio. Greenwich and Washington. Text me when you get to Canal and I'll wait for you outside. southwest corner."

Miranda hung up the phone and left.

Nigel put his phone down and rubbed his eyes. How did he always get sucked back in? Sure Miranda had changed, sure they talked, but how was he able to get back to the old times? Truth be told, Miranda was in his soul. He loved her. She's family.

It would take at least 40 minutes to get downtown from midtown, even taking the Westside Highway.

He picked up his phone and called Andy.

"Hey, Nigel," Andy said. She sounded tired.

"Did I wake you?"

"I was taking a nap." She took a deep breath and yawned.

"Well, you may want to take a second to wake up," he signed.

Andy sat up and swung her legs over the side of the couch. "Okay, I give. Why did you wake me up?"

"Miranda."

Andy sighed and rubbed her face in frustration. She wasn't in the mood. She had just got back from a quick turn-around to London and she wasn't interested in anything heavy. "Nigel... I'm really not in the mood for this. I'm exhausted. The hearing I went to cover was a clusterfuck and I really don't want to add to it."

"We both know you had your draft in your editor's inbox by the time you touched down at Newark. We need to talk. Miranda is on her way here right now."

"Okay, so what do you want me to say about it? You don't need my input. She's your friend, Nigel."

"No, Andy. Stop drawing conclusions. I really hope you're not this presumptuous with your questioning."

"Oh my god, just tell me!"

"She's breaking, Andy."

Her breath caught. "What do you mean?"

"She called me in tears. I don't know what happened, but she's not good."

"Mark."

"What?"

"Mark called her today about Cassidy."

Nigel nodded. Bingo. "Yeah, that could be it. I can guarantee you it brought a rush of feelings back to her. She really loves you. I think you need to talk to her again. Either you're in or you're out. Don't leave her like this."

Andy nodded and sighed. "I know. I've been so busy covering the aftermath of Brexit that I haven't had time to think about anything. I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Yeah," his phone buzzed. He looked to see Miranda's text. She was close. "Hey, she's on her way here to my studio. Would you meet her?"

She resigned. "Yeah, I'll meet her. We have to be in a neutral place. Not here and not at her house. Somewhere we've never been to before together. I don't want to be reminded of anything"

"Okay, that's fair. I'll talk to her."

Nigel made it downstairs a minute before Miranda pulled up. He waved at her driver, signaling he would get the door. When he opened it, Miranda was hiding behind her same Prada sunglasses he'd given her more than 17 years prior.

She got out of the car and they just stared at one another. He placed his arm on the small of her back and guided her to the building. "Not here, we'll talk inside." Ever the voice of reason.

They settled in Nigel's studio. Miranda was impressed. It was beautiful. The racks of young designers splayed across the very organized system. One side was categorized by designer and then subcategories in style and color. Some were on the other side of the room in garment bags that held what she presumed were his notes and suggested edits. This was his world. This was what she suppressed.

She felt this burden grow. She felt this increase as fast as her heart could beat. How could she have been so wrong? So selfish.

"Do you hear from Serena?"

Nigel stopped in the kitchenette where he was making two espressos and turned his head slightly. "No," he said quietly. After the final drip, he brought over the small cups with condiments on the side. "She went home and that was that. She never answered phone calls or emails. I have a friend that works at ELLE Brazil and they told me about six months after she left New York she started working there as their Beauty Director." He sat down across from Miranda. "I think after everything, she just wanted to disconnect from anything in New York and start anew at home."

Miranda nodded. "She didn't deserve what I did. No one did."

"Why did you call her a 'sorry excuse for a human being'?"

Miranda closed her eyes. "Nigel..."

"I won't apologize for the question. You've said worse to me and I to you, but what I don't get is why a person who was so devoted and literally the best in the business who turned down countless - rather lucrative offers, I might add - to stay and work for you. That was not fair."

"I have to admit, I had no reason to say that to her. I was angry about something that my new assistant couldn't get, and took it out on her. I blamed her for the images she didn't approve of that were used, and took it out on her and not Thomas who had the correct photos that she did. I told her if she couldn't do her job, that she was a sorry excuse for a human being that didn't deserve to be there or in this industry." Miranda sighed. "She didn't screw up, but she was there and she took the bullet. She never defended herself. She knew that the truth would make me look like the ass and her vindicated. It was a childish maneuver on my part, 100%. I wish I could make it up to her somehow. I miss her."

"Well, maybe use your Miranda Priestly contacts and call her up. She's not vindictive. She'll talk to you."

Miranda nodded. "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"What happened today?"

"Andrea's friend called about Cassidy. I had forgotten all about her offer and didn't think she'd follow through after that whole confession, that my daughters quickly told me that was the worst way to confess love."

Nigel smirked, "You raised some great kids."

Miranda nodded and smiled. "Caroline stopped me from sabotaging myself and basically had me on the stand," she laughed softly. "I could see Cassidy out the side of my eye readying to take cover, but Caroline was right. I blew it up out of proportion. I always do that, but now it seems I've lost my opportunity and it sickens me."

"You haven't."

Miranda looked up in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"I called her before you got here. She's willing to talk to you. Her only stipulation is to go where you two have never gone together before. Someplace that doesn't hold memories for either one of you together."

Hope... god I live on it.

"Did she say when, or are you going to be the little liaison between us?"

Nigel laughed. "I'll do whatever I can, but you two have to do the work. How about I call her and set up a time that is good for her. She's busier than both of us right now and you'll have to be patient."

"Nigel, I have been a vapid bitch and a fool. I will give her what she needs. I've already told her the ball is in her court. It's her lead."

"I have an idea, but I have to run it by her. How about we finish up our coffees and go get a real drink at the Ganzevoort?"

"Deal."

The next day...

Andy had received a call from Nigel during her meeting at a publisher that wanted to sign her on to write a book about her career. She was able to have them reconsider the pitch to write a novel loosely based on her career. They bought it and she said she would get back to them with her answer soon.

She called Nigel when she got home. "Hey, sorry I missed your call. What's up? Want to get take-out tonight?"

"Not today, darling. I have a late consultation with a designer that will only be here for 4 more hours before they're off to Paris."

"Oh nice, anything I would like?"

Nigel made a noise that let her know that she might not. "Not really. The line is beautiful. It's a gender-neutral line, but it's for the person who doesn't wear anything shapely. It's very boxy, but it works. It's quite amazing and innovative. They're going to be huge. They're young and need guidance, so I'm going to meet with them later on until they have to bounce to the airport."

"That's amazing! Yeah, it probably wouldn't work on me." She breathed a sigh. "So, what's up? How did it go with Miranda?"

"It went well. She's willing to meet with you. I have an idea of where to meet."

Andy closed her eyes, "Where?"

"Anna's."

"Anna's? Why there?"

"She's going to Maine for a wedding and the house will be empty."

"You called her already, didn't you?"

"Yeah. She said to have at it. She will messenger you her key tomorrow and text you the code for the alarm. She said you and Miranda can stay as long as you want. She's on board with this."

"Fuck, Nigel." Her heart was beating quite loudly. "Okay, I'll call her to set it up."

"Do that. I also offered to be the go-between you two if that makes you comfortable."

"Nigel, I'm a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist of the New York Times. I've interviewed world leaders. I can handle Miranda Priestly."

Nigel laughed and her semblance of confidence. He knew better. She was terrified. "You weren't in love with them."

Andy went to deny his remark but knew it would be fruitless. "I can't voice it. It's like it's caught in the back of my throat."

"Well, it's not me that needs to hear it. It's Miranda."

Andy nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay, I need to run. Let me know what happens."

"Okay, love you Nige."

Andy paced. Andy breathed. Andy stretched. Andy overthought.

She needed to bite the bullet. She needed to talk to Anna.

"Hello, Andrea. Did you speak with Nigel?"

"Yes. Why would you offer up your house?"

"Seriously, Andrea. I love you both dearly. You're like a daughter to me. You two are made for each other, and you need to stop this nonsense."

Andrea could hear the rustling of paper. Anna was clearly busy, but always made time to talk when she called.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You both need a neutral zone. Even though you both have been to my house several times, it's a place you're both familiar with, but never have been there together. You both need some comfort, Andrea. I want you to be happy."

Andy nodded and squeezed her eyes closed to force the tears back. She took a deep breath. "What if I fuck this up, Anna?"

"Then you will get on the first flight and meet me in Maine where you can nurse your wounds, but honestly my love, I don't think that will be necessary. Miranda will love you with a fire of a thousand suns. She's the one that I know is worried But I also know Miranda doesn't fight for anything that isn't worth it. You're worth it. Call her. Let her know the plans. I'm sure Nigel told you I'd send the key over to you tomorrow and text you the codes. I'll be sure the wine you like is there and have your favorite cookies waiting for you."

"Levain?" Andy smiled.

"Of course. Now go call Miranda. I have a meeting with Grace."

"Thank you, Anna."

"You're welcome, my darling."

Anna was right. Ever since the interview 4 years ago, they have gotten so close. Anna always looked at her as her own. Anna always looked out for her.

Before she could lose her nerve, Andy called Miranda.

"Andrea," Miranda breathed in a way that made Andrea fall under her spell.

"Hi, Miranda. How are you?"

"Is it too forward for me to say I'm better after hearing your voice?"

Andy smiled, "Not too forward. It's welcomed."

Miranda smiled brilliantly. "Then I'm better after hearing your voice."

"So, I know you spoke with Nigel and he had the idea to get Anna involved."

"Why do so many people insist on poking their nose in our business?" Miranda joked.

"Some rumor going around is that they love us and want us to work something out," Andy chuckled.

"Do you want that, Andrea?" Miranda asked full of hope.

"I think it would be good for both of us."

"So what do we do? Nigel said you would meet me at a neutral ground of sorts."

"Yes, that's where Anna comes in. She gave us her house. It's familiar to both of us, but we've never been there together."

"Acceptable."

"So you'll meet with me? Are you busy?"

"I run the place. Name the time."

"Okay, Anna is sending me the key tomorrow before she leaves for Maine. We can meet there at her place for 8. I'd bring a bag, cause it will probably be a late one."

"Sounds good. I'll see you at Anna's at 8."

This was hope. This was the beginning. She didn't run away. Andrea wanted to meet with her. She'd go with an open mind, but mostly an open heart. She'd also be sending Nigel and Anna both really expensive gifts.