12

Miranda sat on her bed in stunned silence. Her emotions going crazy, trying to register what her eyes had just seen. In the quiet house she could hear the distinctive ring of her phone, Andrea was calling. Each ring made her angrier. For the first time in six weeks, she let the call go to voicemail.

She didn't know who she was more disappointed in and angry at, herself for allowing the young singer to make a fool out of her and toy with her feelings or Andrea for doing it.

The tears started and she screamed the woman's name, cursing her. As she sobbed she felt her heart break. For only the second time in her life, Miranda cried over losing a loved one.

Even with the exhaustion of weeping for hours, sleep never came. At five a.m. the older woman rose and went to shower and start what was bound to be the longest day of her life. Miranda never raised her voice at work, she didn't show emotion, she was the Snow Queen. Today, there was going to be a blizzard at RUNWAY.

She had a hundred things to now consider. They were planning and entire issue around Andy Sachs and the Country Music industry, not to mention the cancer awareness tie-in. Plans and schedules were in place, appointments made, dresses designed and ordered. There was no way even the Dragon Lady herself could pull off changing an entire issue as complicated as this one was becoming.

Miranda had called Emily. Roy was there by seven and she was on her way to the office. She tried not to think about how she should have been sitting, having her morning coffee via video with Andrea. "Damn HER!" she mumbled while staring out the window.

The silver Mercedes pulled up in front of the Elias-Clark building and Roy got out to open her door but she was already stepping her red Prada clad foot on to the sidewalk. Roy watched as the old, unhappy, impossible to please Miranda walked toward the building. He wondered to himself just what Andy had done. He shook his head and got back behind the wheel knowing he had better stay close at hand today.

Emily met Miranda at the elevator ready to follow the Devil into hell and take notes along the way. She didn't know what was going on but one look at her boss and she knew she was looking at the woman she was before six weeks ago.

"I want a staff meeting at 10am, make sure everyone is present. Get me the list of Country artists confirmed for the Tennessee shoot and the designer's examples. Make sure the art department has the layout for the spread on the Cancer Benefit on my desk no later than noon today. Get me a copy of the itinerary for the Colorado trip and find out what is needed to cancel the trip."

Emily looked up from her notes and saw the fire in her icy blue eyes at the last request. Miranda met her glare, daring her to ask her question but Emily returned to her notes.

"Get me some eggs and coffee. That's all"

"Yes Miranda" the young assistant turned to go to her desk "Bloody Hell" she whispered. Taking a deep breath she made one of those job threatening decisions and called Nigel first. Something was very, very wrong.

"Nigel. You need to get here now! She's talking about canceling Colorado… Just Bloody hurry!"

By 9am Andy's jet was landing at JFK's private flight landing strip and a car was waiting for her. She entered the car telling the driver, "there's a huge bonus in it for you if you get there in fifteen minutes." She was thrown back in the seat as he accelerated and took off.

Nigel sat in the chair across from Miranda. They were having a stare down. Neither willing to give in first to talk. Nigel broke second as he heard the door to her office open and Miranda gasp. "thank God" he didn't have to turn around and look to know who it was. There was only one person with the balls, so to speak, to enter the Dragon's lair without knocking first. He rose from his seat and turned to see a disheveled yet beautiful Andy Sachs standing there with, 'holy shit' he thought, anger glowing in her eyes.

"Nigel" she said sweetly and kissed his cheek.

"Andy" he kissed hers, "I'll clear the floor" he whispered. She smiled her thank you at him, then looked at Miranda who was still seated behind her desk. As Nigel was closing the door behind him he heard "Ms Sachs" in a cold bitter icy tone.

"Don't you dare. You don't get to talk. You get to listen. You lost you're chance to talk when you refused to answer my calls." Andy moved toward her.

"Excuse me! Who do you thin…"

"Silence!" Andy spun her chair to make Miranda face her and the woman gasped.

Andrea knelt in front of her placing her hands on the arms of the chair. "Now, I, like you do not appreciate explaining my actions." Miranda glared at her. "However, for you I will make an exception. I know what you thought you saw this morning. But have you actually thought about what you saw before your insecurities and temper took over?" The older woman raised an eyebrow trying to show disinterest. "I thought not. Which is why I have been on a plane since three this morning. You thought you saw me in bed with my assistant. What you refused to see was that we were both fully dressed and I was sitting with my arm around someone who was upset."

Miranda harrumphed.

Andrea sighed loudly. "I have obviously lost my mind when it comes to you. There is no other reason I can think of to explain why I care what someone so insecure about my feelings for them would cause me to take the actions I have since this happened."

Miranda glared again and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I am totally aware we have two completely different personalities Miranda, so, I want you to listen to me very, very carefully. Because I will not allow this to become a reoccurring event in our relationship. I show love, care, concern compassion to the people that are important to me with physical interactions. I am a touchy feely kind of person. Deal with it! I will NOT however, share intimate, sexual physical interactions with anyone but you!"

Miranda sighed and her eyes blinked slowly taking the words of the singer into her heart. When she opened her eyes again Andrea was uncrossing her arms and taking her small hands into her own and leaning on Miranda's knees.

"So, with all of that being said, this is what happened." She smiled "Amelia's husband" she stressed that word, "was in an accident over seas while on tour with his band."

Miranda gasped

"Exactly. I could not get her on a flight to Europe until this morning. So while I was waiting for you to call, which is why my laptop was on, facing us on the bed I might add," Miranda lowered her eyes and blushed, "I held her till she cried herself to sleep. I was not about to leave her alone, she was a basket case."

Miranda raised her eyes to meet the younger woman's "Andrea…"

Andrea leaned in and kissed her. Miranda melted. How could she ever have thought… she reached up and wrapped her hands around Andrea's neck and pulled her closer. When they separated she licked her tingling lips.

"I don't know how to tell you how sorry I am. I acted like a foolish jealous child." She looked Andrea in the eyes.

"Baby, from now on, just don't jump to conclusions. You have got to start trusting in how much you mean to me and that nothing," she took Miranda's chin in her fingers," nothing could ever tempt me enough to jeopardize what we have. I love you. YOU!" Andrea leaned in and kissed the older woman with a searing intense strong kiss. Miranda whimpered into her mouth. This time though, Andrea did not pull herself away. This time she nipped Miranda's lower lip and when her lips separated she plunged her tongue inside Miranda's mouth aggressively attacking the other woman's mouth. Miranda's whole body shivered, no one had ever kissed her this powerfully. Andrea continued to make love to her mouth. The kisses became heated, full of passion. Her hands were tingling in the soft gray hair at the older woman's nape. In return the fashionista's hands were twisted in her long tresses. Miranda moaned. Andrea devoured her moth more intensely. The older woman was now visibly shaking. The ache she had had between her legs for the past several weeks was throbbing.

Andrea broke for an instant and whispered into her mouth "Oh God" but returned her lips to Miranda's. Their lips were swollen and smeared with lipstick, their tongues sore from the battle then suddenly both mouths froze as a warm release ran through their bodies. Both stopped breathing for it to take them over. Andrea opened her eyes first to see the glazed look on Miranda's as she slowly blinked hers open.

Andrea gently, sweetly kissed the older woman's swollen lips and slowly extracted her hands. She leaned back on her heels as Miranda's grasped loosened on her as well. They smiled at each other.

"Now, do you understand, why I need to wait" the singer said a bit breathless.

Miranda closed her eyes, "Oh my God Andrea"

Andrea grinned. That had been a first for her as well. My God what this woman did to her.

"I think I need a cigarette" Miranda grinned evilly.

Andrea laughed. They helped each other to stand. Miranda's knees were weak and her legs a bit shaky in her four inch Pradas. She leaned in and kissed the singers cheek then walked to the door of her office, she stood for a second to regain her composure and opened it.

Emily wasn't seated at her desk. Smart girl. She looked into the small kitchen and found the young brit pacing and ringing her hands. Miranda smirked, she had put the poor girl through hell this morning. "Emily" she watched as the girl spun on her heels and darted to Miranda. "Ignore my previous instructions from this morning. That's all."

Emily sighed "yes Miranda" Andy Sachs was going to be the death of me she thought as she made her way back to her desk to make the necessary calls. Nigel first, of course.

Miranda returned to her office to find Andrea on the couch lounging while she talked on her phone. She moved to her desk, smiling like a cat who caught the canary.

She pretended to busy herself while Andrea took care of business. 'I must have completely messed up her schedule' she thought, 'and she has no assistant to handle it. My God I acted like such an old fool.' Miranda looked up from her papers to see the younger woman starring at her and she blushed, a lot. Andrea stood and walked over to the chair in front of her desk and sat down.

"Well, now that you've got me here, what are you going to do with me?"

Miranda tapped her index finger to her lips, "Hmm. Emily"

The red head appeared, "Yes Miranda"

"Get me the girl's principal." Andrea's smile lit up the whole room.

"I have her"

"I will be there in thirty minutes to retrieve my daughters. They will not be returning," she looked at Andrea who mouthed Thursday, "until Thursday. That's all" and she hung up.

Andrea beamed. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

Miranda looked at her lovingly, "you have more than told me darling, you have shown me in ways no one ever has." She blinked slowly and took a deep breath, "thank you my love."

Andrea smiled back "anything for you."

"Emily" the first assistant scurried in "cancel the rest of my day. Have Nigel handle the shoot tomorrow and reschedule anything else important on Wednesday to Thursday as well. Call for my car. That's all."

"Yes Miranda"

The changes were going to put a huge squeeze on her already tight schedule for the next two weeks, but even the girls would forgive her working late for the next few days after the surprise they were about to get.

She stood and the younger woman mimicked her movement. "Shall we"

Andrea nodded

Emily was waiting with her bag and she took it from her devoted assistant and said softly, "thank you Emily"

"You're welcome Miranda. Enjoy your day." She meant it. The new Miranda was back and she wanted it to stay that way.

The older woman looked at Andrea the nodded to Emily and they left.

The principal at Dalton school immediately went to each Priestly girls class to retrieve them. When both were standing in front of her she proceeded to tell them that their mother had called and was on her way to pick them up.

"What?" Cassidy

"Why?" Caroline

"She did not give me any details." She replied as she walked them to the front entrance of the school.

Caroline looked at her sister, "Mom called, she never calls herself"

"Something must be really wrong. She's coming to pick us up herself too" Cassidy said while taking her sister's hand.

Both girls were worried, running through all the worst case scenarios in their minds as they stood waiting for the car that held their mother and what ever terrible news to arrive.

The Mercedes pulled up and they moved to exit the school as Roy was opening the car door. When they saw an all too familiar blue wrist take Roy's hand to step out, they looked at each other then back to see Andy standing at the open car door. "Andy!" they screamed and took off running down the stairs to her.

"Mozart, Bach, wanna get some lunch?" she laughed as they attacked her with fierce hugs.

"What are you doing here?"

"How long can you stay?"

"Is everything alright?" Both girls rapid fired questions.

She hugged and kissed the girls then ushered them into the car to squeeze between her and their waiting mother.

"Mom, did you know Andy was coming?" Cassidy asked

Miranda looked into Andrea's deep brown eyes, "No baby, I could never have imagined it." She smiled at the singer.

"To answer your questions," Andrea tore her eyes away from Miranda's to look at the girls, "everything is fine, I have to leave Thursday morning and I missed you too much to wait two more weeks."

Caroline turned to her mother. "What about staying at Dad's?"

"I'll call your father, I'm sure he will be okay with you staying home to see Andrea for the next couple of days."

"I can't believe you're really here" Cassidy said hugging Andy again.

She hugged her back and looked at the older woman, "well I am Bach. So, what do you want to do?" moving her eyes between the two girls.

Cassidy and Caroline looked at each other and nodded before Caroline spoke shyly, "could we just go home and hang out together?"

Miranda and Andrea smiled.

"I think that is a wonderful idea Bobsies. Roy, home please."

"Yes Ms Priestly" He smiled into the rearview mirror and Andy winked at him when he caught her eye. Everything's going to be just fine he thought.

The family arrived at the townhouse and upon entering Andrea released a long breathy sound. Miranda watched her visibly relax. She took the younger woman's hand and squeezed it.

The girls made a beeline to their room to change out of their school clothes and start enjoying Andy's surprise visit. While the older women strolled to the kitchen hand in hand.

"Darling" Miranda began but Andrea stopped their movement and placed a finger on the older woman's lips.

"Shhh. I know. It's over, in the past." She leaned in and kissed her. Miranda closed her eyes and fell into the gentleness. Andrea moved away, cupping her chin. "I love you" she smiled "get use to it." And kissed her again.