''Three months!'' Caroline exclaimed in disbelief, her whole summer taken away from her.

''Take it or leave it Caroline.'' Andy was dead serious. ''Because if you don't accept I will press charges.''

''But I didn't know what Caitlin was planning to do.''

''I don't care. You were there and you did it and your wallet is what I found…Andy looked at Mrs Kemp ''maybe we should just call your Mother.''

Saw her necklace first of a hummingbird.

''Can't I just pay for the damages, I can give it to you in a few days. Then this can just go away.'' Caroline would call Cassidy to wire her some money.

Car could somehow talk Cassidy into selling her skis and Dad's gifts and maybe a designer bag or two, knowing her bad luck Mom would know.

This Andy Sachs just needed to tell her how much it would cost. Paying it off.

Dad did things like this all the time in his law firm, made problems for wealthy people go away. This was the same thing.

''Go away.'' Andy repeated not hiding her apparent disgust at Caroline's words. No way was she getting out of this, she was being held accountable.

''No Priestly this isn't going away. You are going to be responsible for your actions. Accept this gift or I press charges. It's your choice Caroline. Which is it going to be.''

Miranda had really raised a great kid in front of her, coasting through life without a care in the world when she had all it could offer.

Manhattan finest and wealthiest were unbelievable.

Caroline in front of her had no concept of the value of right and wrong. Entitlement came as easy as breathing for this kid whose blue eyes were watching her warily.

What the hell was she doing, letting anything of Priestly's near her, Andy chided herself was going to regret this in some way her sudden act of lenience to Miranda's daughter.

If this kid didn't want a second chance fine by her. Gosh a juvenile record, no Miss Porter's for a Priestly what a shame.

Caroline brows furrowed, in fairness she deserved this, but all summer, her music. ''Fine. Just don't call my mother.''

Andy conceded. The last person she wanted on the phone was Miranda.

''Can I phone my sister first.''

Andy Sachs studied the upset redhead silently ''Yeah. Go ahead.''

Giving in Andy could still do nice every now and then. ''Make your call Caroline and get your things. I'll be in my car.''

Caroline dialled her sister's number. ''Hey Cass are you with Mom?''

Cassidy was junior interning at Runway for the summer for credits which was going great for her, learning about fashion from Mom for the next three months.

Cassidy didn't get detentions or in trouble like she did.

''Mom's busy with Nigel.'' Cassidy was filing for him and Emily and later would be trying to sketch with a known fashion illustrator who would be drawing the whole collection in a new editorial spread.

On speaker, it started with words her twin knew very well. ''Don't tell Mom. Promise me Cass.''

''Car what did you do now?'' Cassidy accused her.

Car locked onto trouble like a sonar.

Started telling her what happened last night, it was another stupid thing she'd done. ''You did what!'' Picking up the phone from speaker, Cass saw Mom and Nigel hadn't notice she was on the phone.

''Fine. I'll cover for you but if Mom finds out about it. Which you know she will.'' Cassidy heard Car exhale on the line. ''Mom won't find out.''

Cassidy doubted that. Mom would find out eventually.

''I'll call you with where I'll be.''

Hanging up on her twin, Caroline had to go pack.

Mrs Kemp sternly said to her.

''Caroline I suggest you use this chance Ms Sachs is giving you wisely.'' Caroline rolled her eyes. Whatever.

Her mother would die she was in back of a pickup truck. Being driven to purgatory listening to Gin Blossoms and now 90s songs on radio. Turn dial to. God she could kill Caitlin.

Scrolling through her Ipod, about to tap As It Is new song Concrete Stream, on loudest volume.

So far wasn't talking to her period except occasionally mumbles of ''whatever.''

''How you doing back there?''

Not looking at Andy who was driving them across Wright Memorial Bridge.

''This heap is taking us to where exactly in Hillbilly country?'' Caroline realised she didn't know anything about Andy Sachs. She could be a serial killer. Should've told Cassy her holding her summer hostage stranger's name.

Sneaking a glance at her, looked normal enough but so did Dahmer, wore a tucked down faded baseball cap and today was overcast. Humid for a scarf around her neck with a Patagonia fleece.

Andy pulled over abruptly. Maybe Priestly's were used to speaking to anyone like that but not to her. Getting out.

So we're a little class-conscious, are we Caroline Priestly. Figures.

''Caroline take off your Ipod, give it to me. Now.''

Very reluctantly did so.

Andy held it then...

Caroline yelled. ''Hey.''

What did she pitch for the Yankees? Her Ipod was thrown right into the waves.

''Now that I have your attention. This heap was earned by me so here is the first lesson in my list of do's and don'ts with me that you will do. When I speak you listen with polite respect. Is that clear.''

''You crazy…that had 500 songs on it. You suck. Go to hell.''

Andy smiled at Caroline's rant, she'd already gone to hell and back. ''You gotta shut up, Priestly.'' Caroline mouth dropped open. No one spoke to her like that.

''Your mouth pisses me off. "Yes, ma'am or Andy" is the way to address me.'' Waiting for Caroline to do so.''

Caroline was folding her arms furious with this bitch. ''We can stand here all afternoon. Caroline.''

After ten minutes finally said. ''Okay. Ma'am.'' Cutting her eyes at Andy.

''Good you can follow instructions. Your Dalton education did teach something.''

''First thing we'll do is follow certain courtesies. You'll do whatever I tell you and do it with enthusiasm.

I'm gonna teach you about consequences. This long summer together I'll run your ass off every day with things you'll be doing for me till you learn that.''

Caroline couldn't believe this beginning of her magnificently crappy summer. Andy smiled in the rear-view mirror ''something will happen to you that's never happened in your life.''

''What's that, Ma'am?'' Sarcastic.

''You're gonna be happy learning this, kid.''

Turning the keys and starting her car back on and driving one seriously pissed off redhead Priestly further down the highway to the unknown.

Settling in and dinner was a very quiet still pissed off at Andy Sachs occasion, part of her wanted to call Mom to save her from a summer of this. Frozen meals and Nestea.

Mom would faint if she let a Twinkie pass her lips

Caroline heard the porch door swing open and wind chimes.

''My meeting was later. Andy you better not have bought any alcohol…

''Hello. Who are you?''

Staring at her an older woman with her same brown eyes.

''This is Caroline. Caroline Priestly.'' Andy introduced her to her grandmother.

''This is Doña.''

Given a shy. ''Hi.''

Caroline was allowed to explore the house, she definitely was not staying all summer at the Plaza, heard them talking about her as they washed dishes. Heard a few words of ''Andy are you sure this is a good thing for you.''

Andy replied happily. ''I have no problem with it.''

What kind of guest beach house had no TV? An old one Caroline would be living in for the next three months till September 1st. She should have taken her chances with Mom's punishment.

Curiously looking at framed photos of people who didn't look like The Manson's, most were grey and white of a couple, picking one up of a young man on a beach looking at the camera. Read on the back of it.

'Hummingbird.'

''That's Jonas, my husband. Andy's grandfather.'' Car had to admit he was very handsome in uniform with her. Saw her younger unwrinkled with smooth skin and a full smile that reached her eyes, crinkling them at him.

''We stayed here on our honeymoon and Jonas bought it for me.'' Brown eyes tracing the glass, setting it down.

Gosh and here Mom got Harry Winston from Dad how could this lap of luxury compare.

''Andy says you play piano?''

Shrugging at her. ''Some.''

''Perhaps I will hear it in the time you're with us.'' Doña studied Miranda Priestly's daughter, vibrant red hair and freckles she was still only fifteen and had very serious blue eyes but was still a little girl.

''Maybe.''

Doña smiled at her. ''I would like that. I will hold you to it.''

Caroline couldn't believe this, playing for a senior. If she really got lucky might be invited to bingo.

''When I was younger I was very musical myself.'' Caroline gave a Priestly smile what did she play the banjo or the fiddle.

''Are you from Mexico?''

''Cuba.''

''This was Andy and her sister's room every summer. Enjoy. ''

'' Que pases buenas noches Caroline.''

Andy on the steps spoke. ''I'll wake you tomorrow, bright and early.''

''Ten.''

Caroline shut her door. Sure some time around ten for her would be great. Unpacking her things, looking around the bedroom, tracing the carving of two initials. A & J.

Joe DiMaggio her part shepherd sat at her feet, Andy felt her watching her.

''What?''

Making a list out with too much relish for Caroline to do, in the next few months she was going to make Miranda's daughter work harder than she ever has.

Plucking Andy's beer away from her primly before she took a swig of it. ''I don't like watching you drink.''

Andy shrugged. ''Then don't look.''

''She has her eyes.''

Shrugging uninterested. ''Does she?''

Scowled at as Andy hummed Zippety doo dah! Zippety yay! My oh my, I got a wonderful Priestly slave.

''You haven't been sleeping?'' Stern brown eyes on her.

Andy sat on the porch swing, stopped writing her list. ''I'm fine.'' Lying to Nati as her silvery scar was traced from her lip to her eye.

''You should let your hair grow long again.'' Ruffling Andy's spiky chestnut tresses cut critically.

''No.'' Andy was firm on that.

Not letting her hair grow long again. She'd just feel him again. Inside her again.

Doña broke the silence. ''All summer her daughter will be here. As I said earlier are you sure Andy, that you are fine with this?''

Andy's grandmother, Dona Cateya y Domingo's was worried for Andy, ever since four years ago she was slowly sewing and piecing her granddaughter back together. Talked to Jonas about Andy every day.

Should have gone to speak to Miranda that week herself.

Spoke to a Stephen on her home number. Told not to call again.

''I hate her mother, Doña. I enjoy hating her. Don't kill one of the few pleasures in my life.''


Andy sat at the kitchen table waiting, sipping her tea. Nati was right she wasn't sleeping if at all. Saw it was time for a six am wakeup call.

Discovered shortly one Priestly was not an early crack of dawn riser, head under a pillow. ''Go away.'' As Andy rapped on the doorframe persistently. ''Come on Caroline up.''

''Give me another hour 'kay.'' Caroline was not getting up.

Andy was given a hand gesture, Andy went downstairs and got someone from the kitchen who'd been swimming with her.

''Okay boy go wakeup Caroline.''

Joe DiMaggio still wet jumped onto her bed.

A squeal of ''what's your problem.''

Andy just gave a perky. ''Good Morning.'' Met with a returned groan from Caroline.

Surveying the damage she'd done, welling shame, Caroline hadn't realised how much, it had been dark.

Hands on hips, Andy watched her.

''Because of you and your friends we'll have to paint the house, we'll fix the stained glass at the end.''

Expected to do this herself, Caroline wasn't being raised on the Upper East Side future Vassar attendee to be a handyman.

By lunch Caroline was convinced Andy Sachs was going to kill her with chores. She was trying not to stare since breakfast at Andy's side of her face.

She couldn't stop, Mom would think it rude but couldn't look away, saw the crisscross silvery scars along her face, kept stealing a glance as Andy swung on the hammock watching her.

It wasn't burns or a deformity.

She'd since after breakfast, did dishes, walked a crazy dog figures the owner was, scraped and sanded and now was painting a deck in the hot sun.

''Come on Priestley, why don't take a nice long look and get it over with and then you can concentrate on painting.''

Andy serious eyes held the teen's innocent ones.

''Go help Doña and get out of my sight.''

After clearing away a dozen National Geographic magazines, Caroline was shown by Doña what to dust and polish.

So that was what she looked like smiling, with her arms around a tousled shaggy haired guy. ''Andy lived in NY then.''

''I am sorry you would have liked this Andy better.''

Caroline thought Andy seemed familiar to her, somewhere she knew her from.

Doing laundry, which was something, Car had never done her own laundry before. To Andy's shock, not catatonic doing housework that normally their housekeeper Mary did.

Andy now had pink sheets and what should have been white t-shirts. Not happy about it.

Through dinner, all this last week, Caroline dosed off.

Andy was given a dirty look by her grandmother. ''Andréa are you being hard on Caroline through her to Miranda.''

Andy wasn't sympathetic. ''Caroline vandalised our home, this has nothing to do with Miranda.''

''I know you wanted Miranda but punishing her child is not right.''

Both unaware Car wasn't asleep. Andy Sachs was Mom's Andréa.


Andy knew something was up the moment she stepped into the kitchen this morning, first Caroline was up without her dog's help and by her being greeted so politely was up to something.

Andy cautiously tasted the scrambled eggs certain it was laced with Metamucil, tilting the plate and putting it in her dog's dish.

DiMaggio had a cast iron stomach Andy didn't.

''I know you now.'' Caroline was at the sink pouring mugs of coffee and turning to Andy with empty plate in front of her, who gave Car a thumbs up. ''Great eggs.''

''You're my Mom's assistant. Her Andréa. You got us Harry Potter. I remember you.''

Surprised Caroline realised who she was, Andy didn't deny it. Car brightly handed a mug which Andy sipped.

''No milk right.''

Swallowing the liquid okay Andy knew something was up.

''Why'd you leave Mom in Paris? Is it because you wanted to sleep with her?'' Almost burst out Folgers all over.

Andy without thinking said outloud. ''How did you know that?''

Caroline wouldn't elaborate how she knew. Biting into a piece of toast with pleased eyes Andy knew was a smug resemblance of La Priestly. ''Maybe I could put a word in.'' With a cute wink.

''Let's set this straight I don't feel anything for your mother. So if you think this is going soften your punishment you can forget it.''

Andy grabbed her arm hard.

''Caroline come walk with me.'' Doña offered in the doorway.

Looking at Andy sternly, finger up. ''You… we will talk later.''