Andrea insisted yesterday that I buy the same winter clothing as the girls, so I find myself standing here in full padded thermal trousers, and a matching jacket. It's not too hideous, all in pale grey with cerulean trim, much to my amusement, but I would never be caught wearing this normally. I shudder at the thought of a photo reaching Page Six of me in this outfit.

She inspects each of the girls carefully, making sure that they will be warm enough, and have all their layers on. She declares them ready to go and picks up a rucksack that I saw her putting spare outfits for the girls and myself into earlier. The outfits that she has chosen are waterproof but she patiently explained that snow can find its way in, especially for beginners who spend more time laying in the snow than travelling down on skis or a snowboard.

"In the car then, girls," she shoos them out of the front door, taking my hand and walking with me outside.

The overnight snowfall has transformed the area, and the view across the lake takes my breath away. The hills and countryside surrounding the lake are cocooned in a thick white blanket and the covering of snow has made the world a silent place. Gone are the echoes that were carried across the lake only yesterday, it is strangely peaceful and quiet.

It's beautiful.

Andrea makes sure the girls are buckled into their seats, and then slowly turns the car and heads up the short driveway. She is meticulous in her driving as if there is nothing more precious than her current cargo, and she drives us along the main road again. The road is narrow in places and there is no sidewalk, just high snow-covered hedges on either side of us.

"Is this how you got to Gayle's the other night?" I ask quietly, not wanting our discussion to be overheard by my daughters.

"No. There is a much quicker route following a trail by the lake," she informs me with a grimace, and I know she is feeling guilty about the way that she left that night.

"Please don't worry, darling, I was simply concerned about you walking this road in the dark."

She flashes me a brief smile and turns back to the road again. We are only driving a few minutes more when she signals and then turns into a small driveway. There is a big wooden painted sign in the entrance and although the sign is slightly faded the words in the middle are freshly painted; 'Liliums Outdoor Pursuits'.

"Liliums?" I read the word, unsure of my pronunciation.

"It's Latin for Lily. Gayle renamed the place after Lily passed away. It was also the childhood nickname I had for her."

"What was hers for you?" I am curious when I see a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Panda." She laughs then, and continues, "it was Andy Pandy but it evolved over the years and somehow Panda stuck."

"It's adorable, darling, it suits you." I feel myself grinning at her, and I can see she is pleased that I think so.

She pulls in next to a large house that is built like a chalet, but two stories high. All in pine cladding, it is an exact replica of the traditional ski chalets I have seen in Switzerland. Andrea is practically bouncing in her seat, and I can feel the excitement coming off of her. I know that she will genuinely enjoy today.

We all get out of the car, and then the front door opens, and Gayle steps outside, with a welcome smile on her face. She walks up to the girls, holding out her hand to shake theirs.

"You must be Cassidy," she identifies correctly, taking her hand, and then turns to shake the other small hand being held out to her, "and you must be Caroline?"

The shock on my daughter's face is enough to make Andrea laugh out loud as she steps towards Gayle and hugs her quickly. I am surprised to note that I don't mind it. The woman steps towards me and hesitantly opens her arms, and I find myself swept up in a brief hug from her too.

"It's good to see you, Miranda," and her voice is so warm and so genuine that I believe her.

"And you," I murmur back, as she kisses my cheek and then releases me.

"How did you tell us apart?" Cassidy demands, looking the woman up and down with a stare that would rival my own.

"Or did you just guess?" Caroline accuses, crossing her arms.

Gayle laughs then and I realise that she is not offended by their questions, as she answers them.

"I saw your paintings a long time ago," she explains to them, "Andy painted you so well that it was impossible not to be able to tell you apart. You're not identical, and anyone with eyes can see that."

She couldn't have known it but these are the wisest words that she could have used to win them over.

"You don't think we look alike?" Cassidy questions in a slightly softer tone this time.

"I think you have as many differences as you do similarities," she tells her and I know she is being honest. The paintings that Andrea has completed of the twins did highlight the ways they stand out from each other.

The girls turn to each other then and to anyone who doesn't know them it just looks as though they are staring, but I know that this is how they sometimes communicate. They both shrug and turn back to Gayle with a smile.

"Ok," they answer in tandem, and just like that, they have made a new friend. They start asking her questions as she guides us into the house and then through a door leading out to a large patio at the bottom of a hill.

The patio has tables, and outdoor heaters surrounding it, and I can see a hatch that leads through into the main building.

"Are you joining them on the slopes today?" Gayle asks me, "or we could sit and drink coffee? Andy is perfectly able to take care of your girls."

I had planned on trying to get involved, but the thought of another coffee sitting by the warmth of one of the heaters is too much.

"I would love to have a coffee with you," I reply gratefully, "and then maybe I will join them later." Neither of us believes that my words carry any weight though, and she smirks at me.

"Well, until you want to venture out into the snow, I could use the company," she offers.

I can see Andrea glancing at us and she looks pleased with the interaction so far.

"That sounds perfect," I tell her, sitting down at a table near the heater that has a good view of the slope in front of us.

"Great," and she smiles brightly then, "let me just go and get the girls kitted up, and then I'll join you," she tells me, as she gestures for the girls and Andrea to follow her.

They disappear around the corner of the building but I can still hear their voices so I assume there must be a room or addition to the building where the outdoor equipment is stored. Sure enough, minutes later they come out wearing ski boots each and they have a snowboard in their hands. A whirring noise alerts me to a ski lift being brought to life at the edge of the slope, but they don't head up that way.

Andrea walks over with the girls, and I have to stifle a laugh at the bizarre way they walk when they step off of the snow and onto the patio. Apparently those boots are not very easy to walk in.

"The girls wanted to try snowboarding first, and it's probably easier for them," Andrea explains, and I can see that she is seeking approval.

"I'm sure you will be a great teacher." I take out my camera, and hold it up, "I will be taking photos."

"Photographer, huh? Well, we can't possibly expect you to join us when you have such an important job to do," Andrea laughs with a knowing look on her face. "We're going to work our way up and do a few warm-up exercises before we head up the hill."

I tilt my head back, and she infers my meaning immediately, taking a step forwards and kissing me soundly.

"Enjoy yourselves, my little loves, and be good for Andrea. Make sure you listen to her," I warn them, not that I believe that I need to. They worship the ground that she walks on and will surely do everything that she asks.

They promise me that they will and then the three of them walk a small way up the slope. As I watch, the girls sit down, allowing Andrea to strap them onto their boards.

"Here you go," Gayle's voice startles me, and I turn to see her with a tray of coffee for us. This woman is so effortlessly glamorous that I find myself wishing that I still had Runway. She would look incredible in a shoot, for the new range of winter wear that Donatella is designing. How she can look so chic, wearing this ridiculously bulky clothing is beyond me.

"Thank you," I take the mug nearest to me and add a splash of cream, turning back to watch their progress on the hill. I inhale deeply and then turn to Gayle with a raised eyebrow.

"I made it Irish," she says, referring to the unmistakable scent of whisky that is rising from my coffee.

"Well, it is cold today," I say with a conspiratorial wink. We both watch Andrea instructing the girls on how to stand up and move on their boards, and their earnest faces are shining with happiness as they watch her every action.

"She seems so happy," Gayle comments lightly, "she's glowing."

"We're both happy, thanks in no small part to you," I tell her honestly.

"You would have gotten there eventually. I just couldn't bear to see her suffer anymore. I'm truly glad you sorted things out."

"She told me about the paintings," I confide, "not that she had much of a choice after the girls found them."

"Painting was a great source of comfort for her, but also brought with it a lot of pain. I think it's what makes her work so extraordinary."

"She is remarkable," I agree, because I have never fallen so hard in love with art before I saw her work.

"You should see her photography," Gayle reveals, as she gives a slow whistle, "her skills with a camera far surpass my own and yet that is my career."

"You're a photographer? Andrea takes photos?" I am unsure what I want the answer to first.

"I take and edit photos, mainly for magazine content. Andy though, she creates art and brings people and places to life. There is no end to her talent."

"I had no idea," I confess. "We have known each other for three years, and she knows me so well, but I feel like there is so much to learn about her."

"You have all the time in the world, now." She picks up her mug and offers me a smile, and I realise the glorious truth behind her words.

We do have time. We are in the uniquely perfect position of both being financially stable enough to take our time with the projects that we are planning. All the while making sure that we spend time with each other both on our own and with the girls, as we build a future together.

"I want you to be part of it," I hear myself telling her, "you were right when we met before, we will be spending time together because of Andrea. However, I want you to know that I not only accept, but I also want that. It's important to Andrea, which makes it important to me."

Gayle stares at me then, and I panic that maybe I have overstepped, but then a smile lights up her face.

"You really do love her, don't you? That can't have been an easy decision to arrive at?" Gayle asks curiously.

"Honestly, Gayle, you make it easy. It's easy to see how much you care for Andrea, and you make it easy for me to want to get to know you. I get the sense that you are a woman with integrity and I would be remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to get to know you better."

"Friends with Miranda Priestly? I'm going up in the world," she teases and then laughs as my eyes roll in her direction. To be honest, I am quite surprised by the ease in which we are conversing. I wouldn't mind becoming this woman's friend and I can see why Andrea loves her so much.

"Yes, I'm sure people are falling over themselves to get in line for the chance to be friends with New York's Ice Queen," I drawl.

"They don't know you if that's what they think. I might not know you well personally, but I've listened to Andy talk about you for a long time. The press have hurt her because she knew they were hurting you. They have you so wrong."

"Not all of it," I admit, revealing more than I ever thought I would to this woman, "I realise now that much of what my husbands said in the papers was true. I was cold and I was distant, and my relationships with them would never have worked." I take a deep breath, steeling myself to say the words to someone other than Andrea, for the first time, "I now know I am a gay woman."

I can see that my confession has shocked her, but there is something akin to respect on her face.

"You are a brave woman, Miranda. You're perfect for Andy, and I know you're going to have a long and happy life together."

I open my mouth to reply but we are interrupted by shouts from the hill.

"Mom!" come the cries of both my girls and as we turn to watch, my girls are on their feet and travelling down towards us on their boards.

I switch the camera to video, and capture the moment. Even from this distance, I can see the happiness radiating on all three of their faces.

Caroline is the first to lose her balance, followed quickly by Cassidy. Rather than the tears I am expecting, I can hear their giggles. Andrea squeals, dramatically throwing herself into the snow next to them. As I watch, they are all rolling around tossing handfuls of snow at each other.

"She loves them so much," I tell Gayle, "and they love her too. I never thought they would have another adult in their life that loves them the way I do."

"I probably shouldn't tell you this, but I'm going to blame it on the whisky in my coffee. The house and her entire fortune, is all in her will to be left to those girls. She wanted to make sure that if anything ever happened to her that they would inherit everything."

I feel my mouth drop open, and I stare at her in shock.

She nods knowingly, "I told you. She loves them."

We sit in silence then, but it is not at all awkward, and we both just drink our coffee and watch Andrea and the girls. Gayle disappears and returns with another coffee for us, and then sets up a camera on a tripod and starts taking pictures. She passes me a laptop that is connected by a cable to the camera, and I watch as the images she takes materialise in front of me on the screen.

"You have a very good eye, and capture them brilliantly," I compliment her, "would you consider working with Andrea and I, on a new project?"

"A photography project? You know that Andrea would be a much better choice than me?"

"I think Andrea will have enough on her plate, and I believe she might like to involve you in this. Think about it, and when the time comes you can let us know your decision," I propose.

Another smile lights up her face and for a moment I think just how well matched her and Gayle are. They are both extremely beautiful, and Gayle looks younger than I do, considering I suspect we must be of a similar age.

Blonde and brunette, they both compliment each other well, and they both are so open and smile so much. I feel the sting of empathy for this woman who is in love with a woman who will never truly be hers.

"What is it that you are planning to do? Will you remain in fashion? Find another position as Editor-in-Chief?" She asks me, picking up her mug and drinking deeply.

I match her movement and take a large drink, relishing in the warmth of the whisky as it makes its way down. I am pleasantly relaxed now and find I enjoy talking to her. I explain my plan for a new clothing range and the part that Andrea will play in it to help me bring my ideas to life.

While we talk we are both keeping an eye on the slope and the antics of my children and the woman we both love. Her fond smile as she looks at Andrea should be disconcerting, but I am not threatened and I find myself watching her as she gazes at our mutual companion.

"She loves you too, Gayle," I hear myself blurt out.

Gayle turns to me then, smiling gently, "I'm not pining for her, I promise. I know that we will never be an option and I'm ok with that. I think I will always love her to a degree, but it's not more than that. I'm honestly just enjoying seeing her with your girls. She looks so carefree and happy, and I have wanted this for her for so long. She deserves to be this happy, always."

I am unable to stop the genuine smile that I send her way, "they knew she was an essential part of our family long before I ever confronted the truth and admitted it to myself. They have loved her since they met."

We are quiet then, and we sit in companionable silence just watching them enjoy themselves. Gayle takes a few more photos and manages to capture videos of both Cassidy and Caroline separately, the first time they make it down the slope without falling over.

The afternoon comes to an end when the girls finally get too tired. They head back to the patio with Andrea behind them, panting slightly. They all have runny noses and rosy red cheeks, but they look happy and their eyes are shining. My love for them grows exponentially.

"How about we take you girls inside?" Gayle suggests, "Andy brought you spare clothes, so why don't you go and change while I make you cocoa, if that's ok with your Mom," she lifts her gaze and I nod my agreement.

Gayle takes the girls inside, and Andrea takes her gloves off and then sits in the seat next to me, reaching for my coffee to take a sip. I send her a mock glare in response but she just smiles sweetly at me and I can't help the smile that is pulling at the corner of my mouth.

"Did you have fun, darling?"

"We had a great time! Did you see how good they were? Cass managed to go all the way down first, but Caro managed it straight afterwards, they were amazing!" She gushes at me and I can feel just how proud of them she is.

"It looked like a lot of fun, but I have to confess I was much happier sitting here talking to Gayle."

"Yeah?" she asks hopefully, passing my coffee back and taking my hand. Her hands are cold now, despite the gloves that she has been wearing.

"She's a truly wonderful woman, and I'm glad I have had some time to get to know her better. I can see why you are so fond of her."

Andrea sits back in her chair and the look she gives me is so full of love. She looks so happy, and it is incredible to know that I can make her feel so good with so little effort.

"I'm really happy sitting here," she tells me shyly, "I never imagined that the life I dreamed of for so long could be mine."

I can't sit with this distance between us, and as I start to move, she spreads her arms wide as if she can guess my next move. I walk around the table and sit on her lap, as her arms close around me holding me close.

I don't know if I have ever felt as content as I do at this moment.