Chapter Two
There was a wonderful holiday buzz in the Runway offices post-Paris and pre-Christmas. Not only was Miranda kinder to Andrea and Emily, she was actually quite cheerful.
Andrea and Miranda had decided to spend an hour after work each Tuesday and Thursday to focus on finding Andrea a job. They began by brushing up her resume, and then Miranda even offered her a few small uncredited assignments for an upcoming issue. In January, she was going to help Andrea setup some informational interviews with writers at a variety of publications.
Initially, they met in Miranda's office at six, but Miranda soon invited her to her home so she could at least be present when the girls were home. On the Thursday before Christmas, Miranda invited Andrea to stay for dinner.
"Andy, where are you going for Christmas?" Cassidy asked.
"Oh, I'm just staying in New York in my apartment. It will be nice and quiet, you know," she said, staring down at her plate.
Miranda looked up with concern. "Andrea, you didn't mention you were staying in town. Will you at least be enjoying the holidays with your friends?"
"Uh, well…yeah, I'll probably just get brunch with them."
"Andrea…" Miranda pressured.
"I'll tell you more later," she said, looking Miranda in the eye. "But how about you two—are you excited about your trip to Mexico?" she asked, turning her attention to the twins.
"Yeah! We've been there before. The Fairmont Mayakoba is, like, my favorite place ever!" Caroline said.
"Well, I'm sure you'll have an awesome trip. Take lots of pictures, okay?"
"Girls, why don't you clear your plates and finish studying for your History test tomorrow, okay?" Miranda said.
When the girls left, Miranda reached across the table and took Andrea's hand. "I would have brought you with us if I had known. Andrea, you shouldn't spend Christmas alone."
"It's okay," Andrea said, squeezing her hand. "Really, I don't mind. We've got a lot of projects we can work on at the office, and I'll be able to work on those assignments for the March issue, too."
"Is it the time off? You know you can work from home if you need to travel back to Ohio."
"No, it's not that. I really don't want to go home. My parents aren't really talking to me, so a trip would just be a waste of money," Andrea said. "I should get going."
Miranda nodded and released her hand, following Andrea to the front door, helping her into her jacket. She straightened the lapels of her jacket and twisted her lip as she looked at Andrea.
"Merry Christmas, darling," she said as she pulled the young woman into a hug.
Andrea pulled back with wide eyes. "Seriously?"
Miranda smiled and hugged her tightly. "You once told me you were 'a hugger,'" she said, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Well, I'm a kisser," she said with a wink.
Andrea smiled and leaned in to kiss Miranda's cheek. "Merry Christmas, Miranda," she said. "I hope you enjoy the time with the girls and that you can relax a little bit, too. If there's anything you need, you can call me."
"Would you mind watching the townhouse—just coming by a few times? I didn't tell Stephen we were leaving, but I don't want him, well. Can you just keep an eye out?"
"Will do," Andrea said as she opened the door and stepped outside.
"Hello, Miranda? What's wrong?" Andrea said, answering her phone.
"Andrea, I just called to wish you a Merry Christmas, that's all. Did I interrupt you?"
"No. I mean, yeah, actually. I was sleeping. It's not even 6 AM. Why are you awake?"
"I couldn't sleep."
"Is everything alright?"
"Yes. I just haven't been feeling well. I think it's the water."
"Don't they say you're supposed to only drink bottled water and not take any ice over there?"
"Yes. And you know I do that anyway. I just think some of the food must have been prepared with tap water or something."
"Are the girls okay?"
"Yes, they're fine. I'm fine, really."
"Well, are you taking anything? Do you think an antacid or maybe Pepto-Bismol would help?" Andrea asked.
"I'll pick up some Pepto today. Really, it's nothing. I'll be fine."
"Okay. Can I schedule an appointment with your doctor when you return?"
"Maybe," Miranda said. "But I'll let you know. Really, I just called to say hello."
"Aww, do you miss me?" Andrea said, "Wait, don't answer that. Sorry, that was not professional."
"Andrea, I'm calling you to chat at 6 AM on Christmas day. This is not a work-related conversation. And to answer your question, yes, I do miss you. I think the girls do, too."
"Oh. Well, I kinda miss you, too. It's been pretty quiet at the office. Everyone knows you're gone, so there are no calls. There's no book to wait around for or anything, so I'm mostly just stuck watching Serena and Emily flirt all day."
"Well, you—what? Our Emily…and Serena!? You mean, they're— I thought," Miranda said, chuckling. "Here, all this time I thought Serena was with Kyle from Production."
"Nope, they're just good friends. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have told you that," Andrea said.
"Well, I can't exactly pretend I don't know when I see them now. Let's just hope they keep the flirting behind closed doors when I'm back," Miranda said. "You know, I'm happy for Emily. That girl keeps everything inside. There have been days I nearly told her to go get herself off and come back when she's calmed down."
Andrea laughed. "You're joking. Oh my god, I would pay to hear you say that to her. The look on her face would be priceless."
"Yes, it would, wouldn't it. You know as well as I do that HR would not approve of those comments."
"Oh right, HR. I sometimes wonder if their reach extends to Runway, though."
"Why would you say that?" Miranda asked.
"Well, you're always firing people for no apparent reason."
"Andrea, did you read your contract that you signed on your first day?"
"Yeah."
"Do you remember what it says?"
"Well, it was really long. I remember it mentioning 'the period of twelve months' several times."
"Yes, that is to establish that the assistant position is not at-will employment, and thereby you can actually only be terminated with cause. Because the details of the job description are so precisely laid out in the contract, with qualifiers like "promptly" and "accurately" and "efficiently," I can generally find cause to fire an employee simply because they did not make me happy. That's in the contract, too."
"Wow, you've really thought this through."
"Of course I have. In the case of the rest of the staff, they sign quite the opposite agreement. They are employed at-will, and I can terminate them without cause, as long as it doesn't violate public policy, isn't discriminatory, etc. It covers me when I need to justify breathing fresh life into the magazine, or into a particular department."
"So, your point is that you've got HR in your back pocket."
Miranda laughed. "When you put it that way, yes I suppose I have."
Andrea heard a muffled sound on the other end of the line.
"Andrea, the girls just woke up. I have to go," Miranda said.
"Of course. Tell them Merry Christmas from me!"
"I will. Our flight gets in Tuesday afternoon. Do you have plans for New Years Eve?"
"No. I can watch the girls if you need. I know Cara has the week off."
"Don't be ridiculous. I have a suite booked at the Renaissance Mariott. There's a remarkable view of the Times Square festivities and all that, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in joining us. I'm sure the girls will fall asleep early, and depending on how our flight goes, I can't promise that I can stay up too late, either, but… I mean, if you have other plans…"
"I'd love to join you," Andrea said quickly.
"Oh. Good. Great."
"You'd better get back to the girls."
"I'll call you Tuesday when we land. Take care," Miranda said.
"You, too, Miranda," she said, ending the call.
The next six days dragged on. She finished her projects at work, wrote and edited several drafts on the topics Miranda assigned her, and even setup a list of potential journalists for interviews.
"Miranda Priestly's office," she answered.
"Andrea, why are you at the office?"
"Miranda? Um, I was under the presumption that I was still employed," Andrea said.
"Yes, but it's two o'clock in the afternoon on New Years Eve. No one will be calling the office. I—I expected you to be here when we got home."
"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought you'd want time with the girls," Andrea said as she packed her stuff. She ran down the hall to grab a sparkly dress she picked out earlier in the day.
"Andrea, I've been with two ten-year-olds for the past eleven days. Are you still free tonight?"
"Yes, yes, of course. What time did you want to head over?"
"The sooner the better. I'm packing a small overnight bag for myself and the girls. They likely have the streets closed off already, so whenever you can get here."
"Do you want me to meet you there? I can be to the townhouse in twenty minutes."
"That's fine. I'll see you then. Oh—bring the bottle of Veuve that's in the wine cooler."
"Will do. See you soon!"
"Mom! Andy's here! Let's go!"
Miranda came down the stairs with her bag, and Andrea couldn't help but stare. Her hair was a little bit longer, and she had it pinned back with a sparkly barrette, clearly belonging to her daughters. Her cheeks and nose were pink and freckles dotted her cheeks. Andrea absentmindedly licked her lips.
"Andrea, are you ready?"
She grinned and smiled at Miranda. "Yes. Roy's outside waiting. Let's go!"
"Shotgun!" Caroline said, running out the door.
"I wanted to sit up front with Mr. Roy! That's not fair, you only said it because I wanted to!" Cassidy cried, running after her.
Miranda rolled her eyes. "Why don't you both sit up front with Mr. Roy? If I remember, there are two seat belts up there."
As the girls situated themselves in the front, Andrea and Roy put their bags in the trunk. When Andrea joined Miranda in the back seat, the privacy screen was up and Miranda was rubbing her temples.
"Remind me never to fly without a nanny again," Miranda said.
"Aw, I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"
Miranda shook her head. "Just let me enjoy the silence for a few minutes."
Andrea turned and hugged Miranda, kissing her softly on her temple. "I missed you."
Miranda sighed and rested her head on Andrea's shoulder. "I missed you, too. A lot. And I have a new respect for what you do every day. I'm absolutely exhausted, and I was on vacation," she said.
Andrea shifted into the corner of the backseat and tugged Miranda back against her as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and relax. I'll take care of everything."
"Thank you," Miranda said.
Nearly an hour later, Roy pulled into the service entrance of the hotel. "We're here, wake up," Andrea said, softly rousing the editor.
"I could have slept for hours," Miranda said.
Once inside, the concierge met them and handed Andrea their room keys and another young man carried their bags up to their room for them. Andrea tipped him generously and asked that they not be disturbed, as she wanted to ensure Miranda got her rest.
The girls immediately claimed the bedroom with two queen-sized beds and a giant flatscreen TV. Andrea set her things in the main room next to the couch, and Miranda made her way to the master bedroom. It was a beautiful, luxurious room with all the amenities anyone could ask for. Andrea pulled out the hotel's room service menu and helped the girls to pick something out for dinner.
"Girls, after dinner, why don't you take a little nap," Andrea said. "You're probably tired from flying, and I know you want to be awake to see the ball drop. Beyonce's performing this year, I heard."
"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Andrea," Miranda said.
"But right now, while we wait for dinner, I want you to tell me all about your trip," Andrea said.
After dinner, while the three Priestly women were napping, Andrea turned out the lights and pulled a chair up to the floor-to-ceiling windows. This was the perfect place to be on New Years Eve, and she expected no less from Miranda. One month ago, in Paris, she agreed to spending eight more hours with Miranda, but so much had changed. Miranda had become a real person, and they were almost friends.
Before long, Andrea's alarm went off on her cell phone. "Girls," she said, "time to wake up. I'm going to make some popcorn, come on," she said.
As the girls brushed their teeth, Andrea put some popcorn in the microwave and poured two glasses of apple juice. She gently knocked on Miranda's door, and when there was no answer, she crept inside. "Miranda, it's almost midnight," she said, walking over to the bed. She gently nudged the woman's shoulder. "Miranda?"
"I'm awake," she said, sitting up. "I'll be out in a minute," she said.
Andrea nodded and met the girls in the living room, where they had pulled chairs up to the window, too. Andy poured the popcorn into small bowls for them, and popped the bottle of champagne, pouring a flute for herself and for Miranda.
Miranda joined them, and the girls sat at the foot of the chaise lounge with her. When it came time for the ball to drop, they all counted down with the crowd of people below. Caroline and Cassidy grew more and more excited with each passing second.
"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" the girls shrieked, hugging each other, and their mother, and Andrea.
"Well, that was fun," Caroline said, yawning, "but I'm going back to bed. Don't wake me up before nine, okay?"
"Me too, goodnight Mom. Goodnight Andy," she said.
Miranda bit her lip as she shook her head at her daughters. "Goodnight, girls. Sleep well," she called after them.
Andrea followed them into the bedroom, making sure the curtains were pulled and that they were tucked in before she turned out the lights and closed the door. She returned to the window with two glasses of champagne, and sat at the edge of Miranda's chair.
"Happy New Year, Miranda," she said, lifting her glass. "May the year to come be filled with joy and happiness."
"Cheers," Miranda said, gently clinking their glasses and taking a sip. She reached over to set her glass down on the table, just as Andrea was leaning in to give her a hug and kiss.
Their lips met, and both women froze. Miranda pulled back and set down her glass.
Andrea reached up and cupped the editor's cheek. "Miranda," she whispered, blowing her warm breath on her lips. "It's New Years, and I don't see anyone else around," she said as she brushed her lips against Miranda's.
Miranda traced her fingers along the young woman's face, then she slipped her hand behind her neck and closed the distance between them.
They were sitting two feet away from a glass windowpane, with over one million people in the street below. She should have been concerned, but when Andrea's soft, plump lips were pressed against hers, she couldn't think about anything else. Her hand found Andrea's hip, and soon, the young woman was straddling her lap, pushing her back into the chair.
Miranda pulled away to catch her breath, and Andrea began to unbutton her blouse.
"Wait," Miranda said, covering Andrea's hand with her own. She looked Andrea in the eye. "What are we doing?" she asked.
Andrea leaned in and kissed her again, but Miranda pushed her away.
"Stop, stop," she said. "Just, stop. Please. The girls."
Andrea sat back, then stood and walked back to the kitchen to clean up the popcorn bowls.
Miranda walked up behind her and softly placed her hands on Andrea's shoulders as she leaned her head against the taller woman's back. "I'm sorry. I—" Miranda looked over at the door to the girls' bedroom. "Come with me," she said, tugging Andrea towards the other bedroom.
"Miranda, look," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry. It was just a New Years thing. We can just forget it ever happened."
Miranda sat next to Andrea and took her hand. "Do you want to forget it?"
"Not really."
"Neither do I," Miranda whispered. "But I can't. Not right now."
Andrea turned and smiled against Miranda's cheek, and she pressed soft kisses along her jawline.
"Andreeeea," Miranda moaned as she arched her neck. "I'm still married. Stop, please," she said, getting up and walking to the bathroom. "I'm going to get ready for bed. I suggest you do the same."
Once Miranda disappeared into the bathroom, Andrea grabbed a blanket, changed into yoga pants and a tank, and curled up on the couch.
"Andrea? Andrea?" Miranda called. She opened the bedroom door and a stream of light filled the room. "What the hell are you doing in here?" she asked.
Andrea sat up. "What? You said—"
"I told you to stop, not to sleep on the couch," Miranda said, rolling her eyes.
Andrea quickly grabbed her things and crawled into the California king bed.
"Andrea."
"Now what?" Andrea groaned.
Miranda crawled closer and laid her head on the young brunette's shoulder. "Happy New Year, darling. This is going to be a good year—I can just feel it."
TBC