Two chapters today, one is extra longer (I guess I just didn't know where to stop, haha)

I still don't own nothing. All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 4

" Caroline, it's late and I've had enough of this nonsense with you two, make your sister take her prescription, I couldn't possibly leave Runway every time you choose to have fits of pertinacity. " Miranda paced nervously by the window in her office, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"But moom, Cass said she's not gonna take her medicine until you get home, and she still coughs like a donkey. "

"Caroline, put your sister on the phone" Miranda said authoritatively.

" Yea, mom?" Cassidy croaked at the end of the line.

"I don't care for this manipulative strategies that you two are wielding. We've discussed about this, you know what the doctor said and I will not have you skipping school longer than it is necessary."

"Right mom, like you even care." Cassidy said in a throaty voice

"Cassidy Priestly, don't make me consider consequences for this kind of attitude. " Miranda tone dropped to a deadly hiss.

"Mom, they make me nauseous and they taste like crap. Besides, I'm feeling so much better." Cassidy said impassively.

"Apparently this illness has also affected your ability to speak in a civilized manner, I will call Dr. Bennett, he will make sure that you get the proper medication. Expect him to be there in an hour." Miranda sighed and leaned back in her chair. She hated that she had to use this method to manage her children's behavior.

Andy sat at her desk, she overheard Miranda's conversation with the twins, lately they were starting this kind of riots more often than usual, last time they did this was when Miranda missed their piano recital and it went on for a whole week. Andy smiled, they were so much like their mother.

After that incident when they fooled her into bringing the book upstairs, one night they peeked their heads over the banister and apologized in unison, at Miranda's suggestion no doubt, but it was sweet. They were good kids, sometimes they even came downstairs and they talked for a bit, asking about her day. One time they both concluded that it was really cool that she cared about their mom enough to make a job out of it.

"Andrea." Miranda's voice came after a while.

"Yes, Miranda?"

"Get me Doctor Bennett on the phone."

Andrea's mind worked feverishly, she had an idea and a crazy one too that might just get her skewered, skinned alive on public display, or in worst-case scenario, even fired. Either way, if she was about to mess up royally, at least it would be 2 months before her tenure was over, and it wouldn't be that bad, would it?

For some time, in a dark corner of her mind, this idea expanded and now was about to break its leash in a fit of pure insanity.

So what if Miranda had become her sole focus since Paris? No, since Nate left, that sounded better for her conscience. So what if she lived and breathed anything that had to do with Runway? Or Miranda, or Miranda's needs, or Miranda's moods that sometimes made her feel like a paper boat in a storm.

It was slowly becoming unmanageable this desire to be noticed by her, and not just as someone who dutifully followed her obligations. Maybe the twins were right, maybe she did care. It distressed her to no end this feeling that tugged at her heart, she wouldn't even dare to call it infatuation. That woman could infatuate statues with just a look; she had to stop it even if that meant to throw herself under the bus. She knew that any kind of rejection would sting her enough to put an end to this delusion.

"Miranda, I can go to the townhouse, there's no need to call Doctor Bennett."

"Excuse me?" Miranda frowned and Andy's heart sank.

"I'm sorry, I know Cassidy's got a cold and you cannot leave the office to make sure she takes her medication, and I thought…"

"What makes you think she'll listen to you? " Miranda interrupted narrowing her eyes.

"Well, we talk sometimes, and I know they are both very reasonable." Andy swallowed hard, she was treading on thin ice now.

"Oh, please Andrea, stop acting as if it's such a great secret. I know you talk to my children. In case you didn't know, I live there too."

Andy could feel her cheeks burn as she remembered the silly discussions she had with the twins, they were curious little ferrets, always asking about what kind of new absurdities their mother made her deal with.

" Andrea, in case you are not attempting to demonstrate that you can fall asleep with your eyes open, I suggest you go, Cassidy needs her treatment" Miranda cocked an eyebrow over her laptop.

"Is there anything else you need before I leave, Miranda?" Andy tried to keep her embarrassment in check.

"That's all."

Andy didn't need to wait for the book that night, maybe she was about to get more than she bargained for; at least she couldn't complain, she brought this upon herself, Miranda didn't skewer her, but if this went awry it would be the backlash of flying too close to the sun.

When she arrived at the townhouse, Andy found the nanny pulling her hair in exasperation; she sent her home before the poor woman went even more berserk. The devil's spawn indeed, Andy chuckled.

"Oh my god, is mom serious?" Caroline groaned.

"Does she really think we need a surveillance team over here? We can look after ourselves just fine." She huffed and strode through the foyer in her huge fluffy slippers.

"Guys, your mom wanted to make sure that Cass took her medication. She has a lot of work to do tonight" Andy smiled sheepishly.

"Already took it." Cassidy muffled wiping her nose with a napkin. Her bloodshot eyes contrasted with the pale face, giving her a diseased look. "And I feel so much better anyway."

"Well, since I've sent the nanny home, I guess you're stuck with me."

"Where is doctor Bennett? Wasn't he supposed to come and shove pills down my throat?" Cassidy rolled her puffy eyes.

"Yeah, and mom always sends this posh, ridiculous girls to look after us. They are fluent in at least 5 languages and they can't handle eleven year olds for more than two hours" Caroline quipped and busied herself with a bottle of juice.

"She should send you instead. At least you don't treat us like we're made of glass or something." Cassidy grinned.

"And you are waaay cooler, and prettier, and you really care about mom." Caroline chirped and propped herself on the kitchen isle.

"Hey, it's my job, remember?" Andy laughed nervously. "I volunteered for this, okay? I'm whole the reason why Doctor Bennett didn't come."

"Right, well, no one volunteers to spend time with us, you know." Cassidy said between coughs, "I mean look at me, I'm full of germs."

"Yeah, and I looove to play with the stove. Seriously, it's a miracle you didn't run for the hills by now, no wonder mom trusts you. She doesn't let anyone near us unless they are fully trained for calamities." Caroline sniggered evilly.

"Come on guys, I am fully trained in handling your mom 24/7" Andy shot back.

"Oh, imagine that" Caroline said examining her fingernails.

"Mom is not really like that, not with us anyway. We know we've made a whole scene today, but someone's got to pull her out of her work." Cassidy frowned. "She works too much when she is sad."

"But why is she sad?" Andy bit her lip and stared at them worriedly.

"Oh my god." Caroline huffed. "Do you hear that?" She waved her hands and stared at the ceiling.

"Hear what?" Andy looked at her quizzically.

"That. It's always so quiet in here. Not that we miss Stephen's histrionics, but at least mom was busy fighting with him all the time so we didn't see it."

" She's been unhappy, so we've established family time once a week and today she is slacking." Cassidy explained. "We're glad you came, but it would've been nice if mom was here too."

Three hours later Miranda entered the townhouse; she took off her coat and discarded her shoes and bag in the foyer. Patricia didn't come as usual to greet her at the door, she glanced in the kitchen, on the isle there were plates with some leftover snacks and glasses, then she heard laughter and giggles from upstairs.

She climbed the stairs quietly and she saw light coming from Cassidy's room, she sneaked around the corner and peeked inside; they were all splayed around on the carpet playing a board game and Patricia was napping with her head on Andrea's lap.

Miranda leaned against the wall and felt the need to compose herself, she didn't expect this image and the immediate effect that it had. It was a glimpse of possibility, of what her life could've looked like; it was quiet, domestic and simply beautiful.

The way Andy interacted with the twins was curious yet captivating, her eyes gleamed with the same candor and sincerity she often saw directed at herself, that sparkling, radiant laugh echoed in the deepest hollows of her being. Andy was a figment of unbridled happiness that was going to walk out of her life in two months' time.