Chapter Five
"Miranda, please calm down," Andrea said as they sat, waiting in a room at Dr. Assaf's office.
Miranda stopped bouncing her leg.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
She nodded. "I've always been like this," she said, rolling her eyes as she began playing with her hands in her lap.
"Look at me," Andrea said. She took Miranda's face in her hands and kissed her for much longer than was appropriate in a public setting. "Calm down. Okay?"
Miranda smiled and took a deep breath. "Okay."
"Miranda, how are you today?" the nurse asked. "Come on back."
They followed her back into a large exam room, where Miranda climbed onto the table and offered her left arm for some blood samples and her right arm for blood pressure.
"Miranda, your blood pressure is very high," the nurse said.
Andrea gently tapped Miranda on the shoulder and raised her eyebrow.
Miranda sighed. "It happens at doctor visits," she said.
"Okay, well we will re-check your pressure before you leave."
Miranda nodded, and Dr. Assaf walked in.
"Miranda, how have you been doing?"
"Great. I mean, I really feel wonderful," she said.
"Nutrition, rest…everything is good?"
"For the most part, I'm adhering to the diet your nutritionist gave me," Miranda said.
"Good. And you're resting?"
"I'm working no later than six, and going to bed when my nine-year-old daughters do. I'm working from my sofa on Fridays, and working on light exercises with my yoga instructor weekly."
"Okay, but you may need more rest. I know you have a demanding career, but please listen to your body. If you feel like taking a nap in the middle of the day, do it. And if your nap turns into eight hours of sleep, that's okay."
Miranda looked over at Andrea. "Hmm, this should be fun," she said. "Yes, doctor. I will be sure that I don't push myself. I remember how difficult it becomes to sleep later on."
"Excellent," she said as she gently applied pressure to the side of Miranda's belly. "What about the morning sickness?"
"It's gone. I don't need the medication anymore."
"Good, good. So you're officially at thirteen weeks and four days today. We'll do your next appointment at sixteen. Now, let's have a look," she said, pulling the ultrasound machine over.
"Have you felt any quickening?" she asked.
"Yes," Miranda said with a smile, "I just noticed it a few days ago."
"Wonderful. So, by now, the babies have fully functioning kidney systems. They each weigh just under one ounce, and in a few days, their spinal columns will be visible," Dr. Assaf said. "Oh look, this one is sucking its thumb," she said, pointing to the screen.
Miranda grinned and dabbed at the tears in her eyes.
"Everything looks fine today, Miranda. I'd like to see you every two weeks to monitor the babies' growth and your health as well. Do you have any questions for me?"
Miranda softly chewed on her lower lip. Andrea reached up and took her hand. "When will—I mean, when can—" Miranda sighed. "When will we know if they're going to make it?"
"Miranda, right now you're three days short of the second trimester. With each day, the babies' chances of survival increase. While we like to see all pregnancies go to term, that's not always an option with multiples or older mothers. I want you to know that we will do whatever is necessary to keep you healthy and to help you bring two beautiful, healthy children into this world."
Miranda nodded and squeezed Andrea's hand. "So I should plan on forty weeks?"
"Let's aim for thirty-six. Taking care of yourself can really help, Miranda. On your next visit, we can talk more about the different screening tests we can perform, including an amniocentesis. The NT reading from today is showing approximately 1.1 for each baby, which is perfect, Miranda. Relax, and spend the next four weeks taking care of yourself. We'll do the full anatomy scan, and discuss a level 2 ultrasound at your eighteen-week appointment, okay?"
Miranda thanked the doctor, and soon she and Andrea were back in the town car. Leaning forward, she raised the privacy glass. "Would you like to come over this weekend?" Miranda asked.
"Come over…for lunch or something?"
"Sure, but I was thinking more so for the entire weekend."
"But, aren't the girls home this weekend?"
"Yes, but they have a lot of homework and—I just kind of want you there when I tell them about the babies."
Andrea smiled. "Yes, of course," she said, kissing her softly on the cheek.
As they rode in silence the rest of the way, Andrea couldn't help but feel a tiny pang of disappointment. As much as she loved Miranda and loved those unborn children as her own, they still weren't. Miranda had been feeling the babies kicking and hadn't said anything for days.
"Andrea?"
"Oh, sorry. What?"
"I asked if you needed to get anything from the office," she said.
"Yeah, actually. There's some stuff I have to do. Did you want me to come by tonight or tomorrow?"
"Whenever," Miranda said. "I'll probably tell the girls as soon as they get home from school."
Andrea nodded. The car came to a stop at Runway, and she leaned over, kissing Miranda on the cheek before stepping out and heading back up to work.
"Hey Andy, this letter came for you earlier," Serena said. "I signed for it—it looked pretty important."
"Thanks," she said, quickly opening the envelope.
"Well? What is it?" Emily asked.
Andrea's eyes quickly scanned the page. "Umm, a job offer. New York Times."
"Wow, that's good," Serena said.
"You're leaving? Now? Before the baby comes?!" Emily asked.
Andrea smiled and tucked the letter away so she could show Miranda later. "Maybe, it depends. I've been talking to a few different publications, but this one is actually for another assistant position, which I really don't want."
"Oh but come on, that job will be a piece of cake compared to what you're doing now," Emily said.
"Yeah, and I get bored easily. I want to write, so I guess that means you're stuck with me for a while longer."
"Andrea, I never thought I'd say this, but I will miss you. You have this calming effect on Miranda as if—" Emily's eyes widened and her eyes darted between Serena's and Andrea's. "Are you…no. You can't be…can you?"
"What?" Serena asked.
"She—she's—"
"Emily, so help me god, do not say another word!" Andrea said. Once Emily's lips were firmly shut, she continued. "I am neither confirming nor denying that. Miranda and I are sort of friends. She's been my mentor in finding a new job, so I see her outside of work sometimes."
Serena's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean—you and Miranda?"
"What? What's going on?" Nigel asked as he walked in.
"Nothing!" Andrea said.
"Are we talking about Miranda? Because she's been acting like a different person recently, right? I mean, obviously she's getting laid or something," he said.
Andrea rolled her eyes and buried her head on her desk. This was going to be a very long afternoon.
At 6:30PM, Andrea climbed the steps to the townhouse, and before she could fish the key from her bag, Miranda opened the door.
"Hi."
"Hi, how was the rest of your day?" Andrea asked, setting her bags in the foyer. She had Roy stop at her apartment on their way so she could get some clothes and toiletries.
"I took a nap," Miranda said, "and I slept for four hours! Honestly, I would probably still be sleeping if the girls hadn't come home."
"Well, that's good, though. Dr. Assaf would be very happy to hear that. Did you tell them?"
"I did. They weren't as excited as I had hoped, but Caroline is eager to make sure I'm okay. Cassidy's eyes were glued to my belly."
"Is this what you were wearing?" Andrea asked, gesturing at the lycra-blend Lululemon long sleeve tee.
"Yes. It's comfortable. I'll still try to conceal it for a while at work, but the tabloids will figure this out sooner or later," she said. "Would you mind just chatting with the girls for a bit? I want to make sure they're okay with everything. They started asking questions about the father, and I don't think they were satisfied with my answer."
"Of course. What did you tell them?"
"That the baby doesn't have a father."
Andrea fought the urge to roll her eyes. "They're too old to fall for that, but maybe a little too young for the truth."
"And what, exactly do you think 'the truth' even is?" Miranda asked.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."
"How did you mean it, then? Are you trying to tell me what I should tell my children?"
"No. I'm sorry. I'll go up and check on them. Are they in their rooms?"
"Yes, watching a movie, I think."
"I'll go say hello," Andrea said. "Oh, and remind me—I have two things to tell you," she called behind her.
Upstairs, she softly knocked on the girls' room. "Hey Cass. Hey Caro," she said.
"Hey Andy. Why are you here tonight? It's Friday," Cassidy said.
"I know. I just thought I'd spend some time with you and your mom this weekend. Is that okay?"
"Sure."
"Cool. What are you watching?"
"Snow White," Caroline said. "Cass doesn't remember ever seeing it, but I know we've watched it, like, a hundred times."
"Can I stay and watch a little? I haven't seen it since I was a little girl," Andrea said.
"Sure," Cassidy said, moving over so she could fit on the bed with them. "Andy, is Mom okay?"
"Yes, sweetie, she's fine. Why?" Andrea said.
"She told us about how she's having a baby."
"And she said it makes her tired and hungry and whiney."
"Your mother said that? That she's 'whiney?'" Andrea asked.
"Yeah," Caroline giggled. "I know."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the movie. When it finished, Andrea looked down and noticed Cassidy staring off into space. "Cass, whatcha thinking about?"
"Mom says 'we' now to mean you and her," she said.
Andrea thought about that for a minute. "Yeah, I guess she does sometimes. It's just a pronoun."
"No, Cass is right. She says that all the time now. Before it used to be 'Mommy and Andrea' or something," she said mimicking her.
"She must see me as a close friend now or something," Andrea said, with a shrug.
"Do you love her?" Caroline asked.
Andrea thought before answering. She didn't want to disclose anything Miranda wasn't ready to. "Of course, your mom is one of my best friends, and I care about her a lot," she said, "just like I care about you two a lot."
"Andy?" Cassidy asked. "Are you going to leave us when you aren't working for Mom anymore?"
"No way," Andrea said. "In fact, you'll probably see me around even more because your mom and I will have so much to catch up on, and I'll definitely want to see your new brother or sister," Andrea said, careful not to mention that Miranda was expecting twins. "Are you okay with that?"
Both girls nodded eagerly, and Andrea wrapped them in a giant hug.
"Your mom loves you both so much, do you know that?" Andrea said.
"Andy, do you love us?"
"Yes, very much so. I don't have any kids or nieces or nephews or anything, so I'm really glad to have you two in my life," she said.
"What about when the baby is born?" Cassidy asked. "Will you be its big sister, too, or, like, will it call you 'Mom?'"
Andrea shrugged. "I hope that someday I can be like the baby's second mom, but that's for your mom to decide."
"Hi, did I miss anything?" Miranda said from the doorway. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Andrea.
"Mom, are you feeling okay?" Caroline asked.
"Yes, sweetheart, I'm fine. I hope Andrea kept you company?"
They nodded.
"Okay, girls, I want to talk to you about something," she said as she reached for Andrea's hand.
"So you know how, when a mommy and a daddy love each other, they can have a baby, right? Well, this baby," she said, putting her hands on her belly, "doesn't have a daddy like you do. This baby just has a mommy, okay?"
"So, Stephen's not their dad, right?" Caroline asked.
"No," she said. Miranda held her breath, hoping this would not become a game of twenty questions.
"Well," Andrea said. "I'm hungry. How about you?"
Both girls eagerly nodded.
Miranda smiled. "Can you set the table for the four of us? Cara made some chicken and pasta thing today, so I just have to reheat it. I'll be down in a minute," Miranda said.
Once the girls left, Andrea leaned over and kissed Miranda on the lips.
"What was that for?"
"To apologize for what I said when we were in the foyer," Andrea said. "How long were you standing there?"
"Mmm," she hummed, hugging Andrea tightly, "long enough to hear that I'm your best friend and that you care about me a lot."
Andrea blushed, and Miranda took her hand, entwining their fingers. "I didn't know what to tell them. I didn't know if you were ready to explain…"
"Would you have answered that question differently if I asked? If the girls weren't around?" Miranda asked as she placed Andrea's hand on her belly.
"Yes," Andrea said. Her voice had become shaky.
"How would you have answered it?" she asked.
"Yes," she repeated. "I would have said 'yes.'"
Miranda's eyes lit up and she pulled Andrea into a deep kiss. As they pulled apart, she took both of Andrea's hands and placed them on her belly. "I want you in their life so badly, Andrea."
Tears fell from Andrea's eyes as she sat there, holding Miranda. At that moment, she couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life any other way.
"Mom! Andy! Are you coming?" Cassidy shouted from the kitchen.
"We'll be down in a minute, sweetie. Can you pour the milk?" Miranda called back down.
Andrea stood and started making her way to the stairs when Miranda took her hand and stopped her. "Darling, I'm worried," she said.
"You just saw the doctor and everything has been going great so far, Miranda. The girls seem to be happy about new siblings, and…"
"No, I'm worried about you."
"Me? Why are you worrying about me?"
"One of these days you're going to get a job offer, and it will be good for you, but I can't bear thinking of letting you go. That's probably going to happen well before August, and then…"
"And then, when I accept an offer and leave Runway, I'll move in here," Andrea said.
Miranda's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Well, I mean, if you want me to. Sorry, I kind of just invited myself."
"Yes. I want you to. Oh, Andrea," she said, kissing her.
"I told you I'm here for it all. And then some."
"Andrea, I—I love you," Miranda said as she traced Andrea's lips with her fingertip.
Andrea smiled and kissed Miranda on the bridge of her nose. "And I love you, Miranda. Let's go downstairs."
As they were walking the two fights of stairs down to the kitchen, Miranda asked, "Oh, what were those two things you were going to tell me about?"
Andrea froze. "Um, I probably shouldn't tell you right now."
"Oh no, you don't get to do this to me."
She sighed. "I got a job offer from The New York Times. But I'm not going to take it. It's an editorial assistant position, although they call it 'Assistant Editor,'" she said.
"Ahh, one of those 'Assistant to the Editor' positions," Miranda said as they took their seats at the table. To her surprise, the girls had already reheated the chicken dish. "We'll talk more later."
"Mom, when do you leave for Connecticut?" Caroline asked.
"Next Friday."
"And we'll be at dad's?"
"Yes. I will be returning Tuesday morning, so you'll spend Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night with him," Miranda said.
"I almost forgot about that," Andrea said. "This is the Lauren shoot, right?"
"Yes. The shoot is Sunday/Monday, but right after Paris, Nigel asked me to spend a few extra days there with him." At Andrea's raised eyebrows, she offered further explanation. "It's only two hours away. We could easily drive back and forth, but, well, Nigel grew up there. His brother lives in Hartford, and I think he is hoping to visit."
"Oh, nice," Andrea said.
After dinner, they all curled up on the couch to watch TV for a few hours before going to bed.
"Mom, is Andy sleeping over?" Caroline asked.
"Yes, baby, she is."
"Where is she going to sleep?" Cassidy asked.
"I was thinking she could sleep in my room. That way, no one is sleeping alone," she said without missing a beat.
"Makes sense," Caroline said.
"Okay, girls, I really need to get some rest. Why don't you finish watching this upstairs?"
The girls agreed and headed up to their room. Miranda turned out all the lights, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and made her way upstairs to her room. Andrea went upstairs with the girls, and Miranda smiled when she saw that the young woman had turned down the bed and started drawing a bath for her. Miranda shut and locked her bedroom door before meeting Andrea in the bathroom.
"I thought a bath might be nice," she said with a shrug. "It's not very hot, but I was thinking of adding a drop of sandalwood oil if you'd like."
"That would be perfect," Miranda said as she began to undress. "You're not upset about Connecticut, are you?" she asked as she climbed into the giant claw-foot tub.
"No, no. I was just surprised, I guess," Andrea said. She squirted three drops of almond oil, then one drop of the sandalwood oil into her hand, rubbed them together, then swirled them around in the water.
"So, what else were you going to tell me besides the job offer?" she asked, closing her eyes and leaning back against the tub. She wrapped one arm tightly across her breasts and traced her swelling abdomen with the other.
Andrea took a deep breath. "At work today, Emily and Serena figured out that we're, uh, seeing each other."
Miranda's eyes opened wide. "And?"
"And that's it. I told them they couldn't say anything. I think they get it, but still."
"So you confirmed?"
"No. I explicitly told them I was neither confirming nor denying."
"Which is basically the same as telling everyone!"
"I'm going to get ready for bed," Andrea said quietly, walking out of the bathroom and shutting the door.
She quickly changed into the boxers and tank top she brought, then sat indian-style on the far side of the bed as she tried to convince herself that Miranda was not, in fact, trying to hide their relationship. More than anything, she wanted to talk to someone, but her options were even more limited now, since she apparently couldn't tell anyone.
She grabbed her iPhone and headed out of the bedroom, disengaging the alarm system as she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. There was a random armchair in the corner of the kitchen, probably just for decoration, but it was the closest thing to hiding in a corner she could find in Miranda's house.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, Andrea dialed her mom's cell phone number.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mom."
"Andy, sweetie? Is that you?"
"Yeah."
"Well how are you? You haven't been returning our calls or emails. Dad and I were getting worried. Have you spoken to Nate?"
"Look, Mom. I don't want to talk about Nate. We're over."
"But sweetie, he's such a nice boy. He said you were making questionable decisions—what did he mean?"
"When did you talk to him?"
"Oh, we invited him over for the holidays. We thought you'd come, too."
"No, Mom, that's exactly why I didn't come. And don't let Nate fool you. When we were fighting that week before moving to New York, he slept with four other girls. And I heard he moved to Boston with his new girlfriend."
"Andy, don't make things up. He misses you."
"Mom! I'm not talking about Nate. I don't want him. At all. Ever."
"Okay," her mother said, growing silent. "Why did you call?"
Andrea sighed. "I just needed…I shouldn't have called you."
"No! Wait," she said. "Are you okay, sweetie? You sound upset. I promise not to mention Nate. We miss you."
"I'm okay. I'm just a little emotional right now. I've been sort of dating someone, but this person is kind of well-known and so we've been keeping things quiet. Emily and Serena at the office managed to put the pieces together, but when this person found out that I didn't deny our relationship, they freaked. And, I guess I'm just disappointed."
"Oh, sweetie. I should have known you would fall in love with a celebrity. Have you talked to him about it?"
"Not really. We just got into an argument. I feel like I can't even say what I think because I'll risk losing it all."
"Is it worth it, Andy? You sound so upset."
"Yes, Mom. It is worth it, which is why I'm so upset. If it were anyone else, I'd say 'screw you' and leave. But this is different."
"You really are in love with him, aren't you?"
"Yes. With her."
"What? Oh…her. Andy, I…I had no idea. Are you sure? I mean, I thought you always dated boys."
"I know, I did, too. But she's different. She's worth it, and I'm so scared I'm going to lose her," Andrea said as she started to cry again.
"Andy?" Caroline said, walking into the kitchen.
"Hey Mom, I have to go. Thanks," she said. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Andy. Good luck."
Andy ended the call and turned to the young girl. "What's up?"
"I was coming to get a drink of water. Why were you crying?"
"I was just talking to my mom."
Caroline walked closer and stood in front of Andrea's chair. "Is she okay?"
"Yes, my mom is fine. I just hadn't talked to her in a while."
"I heard you say you were scared about losing someone. Was that Mom?"
Andrea nodded.
"Andy, Mom really likes you," she said.
"I know she does, love bug. Come here," Andrea said, squatting down and hugging Caroline tight.
"So, does this mean you're staying?"
"What?" she asked.
"Mom said you left. Are you staying now?"
"When was this?"
"When I was coming downstairs."
"Did she say anything else?" Andrea asked.
"Just that the baby is making her cry all the time," Caroline said with a shrug. "I'm thirsty."
Andrea quickly poured her a glass of water, then turned the lights out and headed back upstairs. She made sure Caroline made it up to her room, kissed her forehead goodnight, then returned to Miranda's room. The door was still ajar, and she could see Miranda curled up against her pillow. She quietly shut the door and crawled into the other side of the bed.
Miranda opened her eyes and lifted her head. "Andrea," she gasped. "I thought you—"
"No. I just needed a minute."
"Like in Paris. I drove you away."
"I'm still here, aren't I? Not the same," Andrea said. "Look, I know you're not going to apologize, but can we at least talk about this? How long do you plan to keep this relationship secret?"
"Andrea, you work for me. I could lose my job."
"I know that. It could have negative repercussions for me, too. But we can't live in a dream world where—" she instantly stopped talking, knowing she went too far. "I'm sorry."
Miranda moved closer on the bed and softly brushed Andrea's cheek. "I know, darling, but can we stay in this dream world for just a bit longer?"
"Yes, but we need a plan, Miranda. We can only say 'no comment' for so long."
"Okay," she said, "tomorrow we will decide when and what to say. But tonight, I just want to hold you."
Andrea nodded as Miranda snuggled against her side and quickly drifted off into sleep.
Several hours later, Andrea woke when Miranda got up to use the bathroom. "Everything okay?" she asked when she climbed back into bed.
"Yes," Miranda said, slipping into her spot alongside the young woman. "Here," she said, taking Andrea's hand and pressing her palm to her belly. "Feel that?"
Andrea's eyes lit up. "Was that a kick?"
Miranda nodded. "First time. The girls didn't start kicking until much later," she said.
"I thought you told the doctor you felt it a few days ago?" Andrea asked.
"Quickening. It's a fluttering feeling inside when the babies are too small to kick properly. This one, you can actually feel."
Andrea smiled and kissed Miranda as she settled into her side. "I was meaning to ask you—were you planning on having an amnio?"
"I don't think so. It seems like the risk is too high, and then it's doubled because they'd have to stick each baby."
"True. And everything is looking good with your bloodwork and the scans," Andrea said. "I'm sure it will be fine. Is this a comfortable position to sleep in?" she asked.
"Mm-hmm. I can't sleep on my stomach anymore, and I don't know, I just sleep better on your shoulder."
"We should get you one of those total body pillows," Andrea said.
"Mmm, okay," she said. "Tomorrow."
They spent most of the weekend in each other's arms, both in bed and on the couch. Miranda helped Andrea draft a polite and grateful letter, turning down the Assistant Editor position, and Andrea helped Miranda pack for her trip to Connecticut.
"Well, I think you're all packed," Andrea said on Friday morning. Nigel would be meeting Miranda at the townhouse shortly since he would be driving the Elias Clarke SUV for the weekend.
"I'll only be two hours away if you need anything. James has your number—and Emily's for that matter—if there's anything with the girls."
"I'll take care of it," she said while Miranda was digging through her purse to find her phone. "There's one other thing—I got you this," she said, handing Miranda a large shopping bag.
"For me?" she asked, surprised.
"Yes. A gift for your trip."
Miranda's eyes widened and she eagerly opened the bag, pulling out a large pillow.
"It's the mini version of the giant pillow you ordered. I slept with it for the past week, so, um, it should smell like me," Andrea said, blushing.
"This is perfect," she said, kissing Andrea on the cheek. "I was just thinking of grabbing a pillow to take in the car."
"What time are you leaving?"
"Nigel said he'd be here in—" she peered at the clock on the wall, "forty minutes."
"We have time if you want to, you know…before you leave for the weekend."
Andrea watched as Miranda's lips turned upwards in a grin. "You're spoiling me, you know that?" she said, kissing Andrea. Her lips were consuming as she lifted her leg, trying to make contact with Andrea's thigh.
"Oh wait, wait," Andrea said, pushing her back against the counter. "I've got this," she said, sinking down to her knees. She put her hands on each side of Miranda's belly, softly caressing her skin.
Miranda moaned and arched her back as she gripped the edge of the granite.
Andrea slipped her fingers inside the waistband of Miranda's tights and gently tugged them off. With her underwear and tights around her ankles, Andrea lifted her pleated sweater dress and bunched it between her breasts and her belly. "So beautiful," she whispered as she pressed kisses to Miranda's swollen belly. "Gorgeous…sexy," she said, trailing her kisses lower and lower.
Miranda's body was jerking, and Andrea could tell by the way she was holding her breath that she was about to orgasm at any second. Again, she gently traced her fingertips all the way around her belly and continued placing wet, soft kisses on her skin. She felt Miranda's belly tighten beneath her, signaling her orgasm.
Andrea kept her hands on her belly as she bent further to taste her juices, which were practically gushing. She licked, lapped, and sucked, sending wave after wave of arousal through the editor's body. She slipped her underwear and tights back up, then smoothed out her dress over her belly.
Miranda opened her eyes and took a deep breath. "Oh my god, Andrea. Next time, I have to be sitting down for that," she said.
Andrea smiled and led her to the kitchen chair, kissing her softly on the lips. "I'm going to go get cleaned up before Nigel gets here," she said.
"Wait," she said, tugging at the young woman's wrist. She kissed her hard. "I love you. I'll call you when we get there."
Andrea nodded and headed to the bathroom to rinse out her mouth and reapply her lipstick. She heard the front door open, so she quickly dried her hands and met him in the foyer.
"Hey Six, I figured you were here. We're waiting on a call from Valentino—they should be letting us know which shade of green the jacket is. Can you call me with that information right away?"
"Sure, but I thought today and tomorrow were vacation days for you?"
"Well," he said, shrugging, "the magazine never sleeps!"
Miranda emerged from the kitchen looking as composed as ever, carrying her Snoogle under her left arm and her purse on her right. "Are we ready?" she asked.
Andrea nodded and grabbed Miranda's bag, along with another small cooler. She threw Miranda's Vuitton duffle into the back, and placed the cooler in the backseat. Inside were several bottles of water, an apple, a yogurt, and a snack pack of Oreo cookies.
"Nigel, I hate to disappoint you, but I plan to sleep in the backseat," Miranda said.
Andrea held the door open for her while Nigel walked around to the other side.
"Not a problem," he said. "Andy, do you need a ride back to Runway?"
"Uh, I was just going to take the subway."
"Nonsense, get in," Nigel said. "I haven't been behind the wheel in about five years, so this should be fun."
Miranda groaned in the backseat. "Just don't make me sick, please."
Once they were on their way, they heard a very loud moan coming from the back seat. Nigel's eyes widened, and Andrea quickly turned around to see Miranda on her side, curled against the pillow.
"Is everything okay?" Nigel whispered to Andrea.
She smiled. "She just got a new pregnancy pillow. Apparently she likes it."
"I love it," she said from the backseat. "Don't think I can't hear you."
"I almost wish you were coming with us, Six," Nigel said as they pulled up at Elias Clarke.
Andrea chuckled nervously. "Let's just say I'm grateful for a bit of free time. Have a nice trip, hope the shoot goes well, and I'll call if I hear from Valentino or the girls!" she said as she exited the vehicle.
By the time she made it to her desk, she already had a text message from Miranda: Do you not have enough free time anymore?
Andrea smiled and wrote back: I was just saying that. I would happily give every minute of my free time to you (like this morning). I love you. Enjoy your pillow. xo
She had only talked to Miranda twice over the weekend, but it sounded like she and Nigel were having a nice time in Hartford. On Monday morning, she knew something was wrong the minute she walked into the office. Emily was frantically answering call after call.
"What's up?"
"Here, look," she said, shoving Page Six in Andrea's direction. "If I weren't waiting for a call from Valentino, I would just ignore these phones all day. Bloody hell, why couldn't she warn us?"
Andrea started laughing as she looked down at the paper. It was a beautiful picture, really, but she could see how easily it could be misconstrued. Miranda was wearing flats and almost flaunting her baby bump, and Nigel was holding her hand, whispering something into her ear that made her laugh. Anyone else might have had to do a double-take because Miranda's face looked so different than the intimidating editor.
"Did she see it yet?" Andrea said.
Emily shook her head. "At least she doesn't look like a whale with her belly peeking out from under her top as she's eating a hamburger."
Andrea snapped a picture of the paper with her iPhone and messaged it to Miranda with the note: Should I be jealous? xo
Thirty seconds later, her phone rang. It was Miranda.
"You have got to be kidding me!" she said.
"I know, isn't it crazy?"
"Really, this is too good to be true. All of the compromising photos they could have used, all the looks of discomfort, the awkwardness, poor lighting and angles—I mean, I can hardly believe it."
"I know," Andrea said. "It's a great photo. You look amazing, radiant, you're glowing. And you're smiling. Annnd, it's Nigel."
"What does the caption say in the photo? It didn't come through."
"'A Baby On the Way for Royal Family of Runway,'" Andrea said, trying not to laugh.
"I have to go show this to Nigel," Miranda said. "Will you call the girls this morning and just give them a heads-up? Sometimes photographers catch them unaware. Actually, nevermind. I can call them myself."
"Are you sure? It's not a problem," she said.
"No, no, I will call them. Oh, and Andrea, you have no idea how badly I wish you were here."
"Likewise," Andrea said. "Tuesday night?"
"Yes, and bring a bag if you'd like. This pillow is amazing, but it's not you."
"I lo—" Andrea began, catching herself. "I—I'll have that for you when you return."
"I love you, too, darling," Miranda said, ending the call.
"Was that Miranda?" Emily asked.
Andrea nodded.
"Is she livid or what?"
"Actually, she found it quite entertaining,"Andrea said.
"Who is this person and what has she done with Miranda Priestly?" Emily wondered aloud.
Not long after returning from Connecticut, Miranda's baby bump became quite obvious. Even her walk was just a little bit different. She was wearing items mostly from Donna Karan's collection, though under some circumstances, she would wear non-maternity clothes in a size or two larger. She could no longer effectively disguise it with cardigans, wrap blouses, and other accessories, so she opted for empire waist dresses, lycra-blend dresses, and some high-waisted skirts. She began wearing a larger, cotton bra without an underwire, and since she needed to change her underwear so many times a day, she opted for the 5-for-$30 kind from Victoria's Secret.
Miranda's sixteen-week appointment went well. The doctor confirmed that both placentas and amniotic sacs were just fine, and the babies' heart rates were well within the acceptable range at 124 and 131 bpm. Miranda's blood pressure, again, was high enough for Dr. Assaf to begin discussing gestational hypertension, but her urine tests did not show any elevated proteins. Regardless, Miranda would be monitored for signs of preeclampsia throughout the rest of the pregnancy.
Andrea received two more offers, and while she was pleased, Miranda again advised that she turn them down and kindly explain she was looking for a Staff Writer position at minimum.
After her trip to Connecticut, she found herself wanting to spend more and more time with Andrea. Once the girls knew about the pregnancy, she decided it would be okay to also tell them Andrea would be staying with them overnight a lot "because mommy needs her." Somehow, they still hadn't pushed any more about Andrea was sleeping in the same bed as their mother—or maybe they knew why and it didn't phase them. Whatever the case, they still hadn't disclosed their relationship to anyone else.
Next month, Nigel and Emily would be flying overseas for Milan Fashion Week. Several months ago, since Dalton's Spring Break coincided perfectly with Milan this year, she arranged for Caroline and Cassidy to spend the week at their grandparents' house just outside of Boston. While it would make sense to cancel the trip and stay home with them herself, she decided it would be good for them to see James' mother and father. And even better: it would give her the opportunity to escape the city with Andrea.
TBC