A/N: I say, here we are again. This one isn't a very happy chapter and as I said last time, we're very very close to the end. I think I've managed to string it out for four chapters barring anything else going on. Hope you all enjoy.

See disclaimer, Chapter 1

-0-

Things had changed, somehow, since that night in bed. Andy had noticed it, Cara had even mentioned something in passing too but neither of them could work out what it was. It simmered underneath their frantic efforts to make it to the day their plane left. Andy was exhausted, Cara was exhausted and Miranda felt different.

It wasn't until the morning of Sam's birthday that Andy realised what it was. Miranda felt distant. They had barely spoken all week. She'd texted and emailed and had replied back, but they'd only been short and clipped and, as she opened her eyes to find Sam's beaming face in her vision she simultaneously realised that she was in bed alone.

"MAMA!"

"Happy Birthday, my little monkey," she grinned, letting him throw himself into her arms.

"Where's M'anda?"

"I don't know baby, why don't you go and check to see if she's in her office?"

"M'kay," he grinned, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek.

Andy had a very icky feeling in the pit of her stomach and it was confirmed when he came back not long later with a confused look on his face.

"She not there!"

Andy's icky feeling got stronger.

"Well, let's get up and get dressed and have some breakfast then we'll go from there."

She was very careful not to promise anything that she could not fulfil and he nodded happily and ran off to get dressed.

She checked her phone and found no messages and decided to give Miranda the benefit of the doubt. She'd been extraordinarily busy in the last week or so. They were facing more and more pressure from Alexi and then they'd lost an entire shoot's worth of photos, leaving them scrambling. Andy knew what it was like, but they were due to leave on Monday and that feeling wasn't going away.

They played happily, with Andy fielding Sam's desperate questions about when his party was going to start. Every half-hour he'd drape himself over and ask her when it was time.

Eventually, she showed him the clock and drew the correct time when he could come back and ask her. It was a tense but peaceful existence for a few hours while she paced in the kitchen.

"She'll be here," Cara muttered as she iced the cupcakes.

"I'm not so sure," Andy whispered.

She sent one text message, gently and carefully reminding her that Sam's party would start soon and she would need to come home. It remained unanswered and when her phone rang forty-five minutes before the party was due to start.

"Andy, it's Joc," Andy blinked, expecting Miranda.

"Hey?"

"My husband's going to bring Robbie around, seeing as she's just called us all in."

"Oh," Andy said, going cold all over. "Right."

"Did," Jocelyn paused. "Did you know she was -"

"No," Andy whispered. "I didn't know."

They stayed quiet and she heard Jocelyn paying for a cab and getting out.

"Do you want me to say something?"

"No," Andy whispered. "Don't make waves. I'll handle it. Sam," her voice broke. "Sam will miss you."

"I sent him his own card," she said sadly. "I'm sorry Andy."

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for letting me know."

She hung up and immediately rang the love of her life, growling as it went to voicemail. She hung up and stared at Cara.

"She's just called them in," Andy whispered, meeting Cara's eyes. "She's not coming."

Cara's eyes widened as they heard Sam making his way down the stairs.

She quickly called Miranda again.

No answer.

And again.

No answer. This time, she left a message.

"If you don't get your arse home right now, you can forget everything you've ever said to us about putting us first. This will not fly. It is his first birthday with us and there's literally nobody else in the world he would rather spend it with than you." The anger evaporated. "Please don't do this to him."

She put on a brave face as Sam ran in.

"IS IT TIME!"

"It is nearly time," Andy smiled, trying to make herself believe that it would still be alright. "Robbie's Daddy is going to bring him around so why don't you go and change into your birthday shirt and ask," she grabbed his hand. "Ask your brothers and sisters to get ready."

Her kids made their way down the stairs half an hour later as she opened the door to Jocelyn's husband.

They made polite talk while Sam greeted his little friend and ran back upstairs with him to play with his cars.

"I," he frowned. "Sorry Joc couldn't be here."

"It's really okay," Andy smiled. "We'll have fun without them, I think."

"Five okay to pick him up? I go on duty at six."

"Of course, or we can take him home, or wherever he's going?"

"Would you?"

"Of course! Cara can stay while I'm out."

"Thank you so much," he smiled, waving goodbye and jogging down the Townhouse steps. He was a good looking guy and she was going to enjoy ribbing Jocelyn about it at a later date.

She let the kids play for a short time, trying to get Miranda on the phone. The desk phone rang out three times and it was becoming quickly apparent that she was being avoided. She rang Melody's phone and it was answered on the second ring.

"I'm sorry," the woman said before Andy could speak. "I've tried to tell her three times but she's ignoring every comment I've made."

"It's Sam's birthday!"

"I know," the woman said quietly. "I'm sorry I have to go."

"Wait!"

She hung up. Andy stared at it as Sam came into the room looking worried.

"Where's M'anda?"

"Um," she swallowed, looking at Cara. "Darling, M'anda is," Carolie and Cassidy appeared at the door with concerned looks on their faces. "M'anda's working baby, she'll try and be here but, she's super busy trying to make sure we're ready to go on Monday."

"Why would she miss my birfday?"

"She didn't mean to, love. She'd just really stressed."

Cassidy had a dark look on her face and quickly pulled her own phone out. She watched as Cassidy listened and opened her mouth to speak and then stop. She looked horrified up at Andy.

"She picked up, then she hung up."

Sam burst into tears. Andréa's heart broke for him and she picked him up and held him close.

"Alright loves, not to worry. Let's go up into the den and we can eat cupcakes and watch some movies for a while. Then we've got some games to play and some things to make and it's going to be a great day."

Caroline opened her mouth, no doubt to remind Andy that Miranda doesn't let them eat in the den, but Andy glared. She got the message and nodded, sliding her hand into her sister's.

"Can you gather up the others? We're going to have a 'Sam's choice' movie and then we'll do candles and open some presents."

She let the twins figure out that part and shifted Sam up onto her hip and walked to the front door. She knew it was petty, but she locked the door, knowing that Miranda didn't carry keys. She went upstairs, staring pointedly at Cara and inviting her up as well. She was well and truly livid and she didn't care an iota what Miranda thought of what she was doing. They would enjoy their time and they would do their best to make sure Sam enjoyed it as much as he could.

"Phones in here," Andy said, holding out a basket. "I don't care what you've got going on. In here. We're putting them away."

"But Mo -"

"Has she indicated she wishes to be here Caroline?" Andy asked gently but firmly.

"No," Caroline whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't get why she can't -"
'I don't either love," she whispered, kissing Caroline's hair. "But we're going to make Sam's party special for him nevertheless."

They watched a film and then another. Andy steadfastly ignored the pounding on the door that she could hear in the distance about halfway through the second one. She has no doubt that someone would have a key and that Miranda could just order them to come and open the door but she wondered how long it would take her to realise.

"Who wants to play pass the parcel?"

She'd arranged a whole host of little games for them to play. She tried to remember that had Sam been in a better mood, he would have enjoyed playing a lot more.

They played endlessly, keeping him busy, eventually getting Sam to play his cars with Robbie while Andy went downstairs to see if Miranda had managed to get in the house.

She was sitting in the dark kitchen nursing a glass.

"An -"

"You don't get to speak," she hissed. She was sure she'd never been as angry as she was. "You don't get to speak to me or your children again. What the actual FUCK did you think? That they'd just wait for you?"

"Andréa I -"

"Nothing," Andy spat. "Nothing is more important than this day to him and you fucked up so badly, I'll be surprised if he even looks at you."

"There is work -"

"There will always be work to do Miranda, always. Cos that's who you are. But your son is 4. He doesn't care what work you had. You told him you'd be there and you broke your promise. Just like all the other promises you broke before. Fuck you for breaking his heart. You can be the biggest, most monumental bitch sometimes. You are so unbelievably selfish at times. I cannot -"

All the anger dropped out of her sails as she watched Miranda watching her, seemingly without emotion.

"I'm not them," Andy whispered sadly. "I won't leave you over this. I've never been angrier, but I will not leave. Your children, however," she nodded resolutely, making her decision. "That's on you. I'll make up for the love you've crushed today like I always will. But your relationship with them is between you and them. I'm done trying to run interference for you. You are their Mom."

"Am I?" Miranda hissed and Andy stepped back at the force of the glare.

"Is that what this is about?"

She was horrified.

Miranda had missed Samuel's birthday over a label?

"You," her heart was in her mouth and she was sure she was going to throw up. "I don't understand you sometimes, which is so disheartening because you can be the sweetest, kindest, most gentle woman and then you do something so utterly stupid that you ruin everything you've built. So," she shrugged, feeling her heart turning to dust. "Sure Miranda. If you want to work, you go ahead. The kids and I are going on holiday. We'll have as much fun as we can without you. I'll miss you, they will too, but if that's the choice you made then I'll stand by you," she smiled tremulously. "Like I said I would. But they'll miss you, even while I'm trying to keep them busy, cos you're their Mommy, Miranda. You always have been. It's not in a name, it's not in a label. It's in the feelings. It's in the cuddles they give you and the way they cry for you. You are the stupidest, most ignorant person I've ever met and I have never been more disappointed in you than in this moment."

Long after the party broke up and Robbie went home, Andy let them eat ice cream in front of two different movies, both Sam's choice and then sadly, all went to bed. Andy stood looking at her bedroom door for a while before deciding that she would rather sleep with the boys, curling up around Sam and going to sleep, breathing his scent and wishing for a do-over.