Seeing him made Andy feel awful, now learning his name was Andy. Felt like she'd been hit by a bus.
Andy frowned at him, in the picture holding Miranda's waist.
Looking at him with scrutiny. The Andy who got Miranda. His eyebrows were a little close together, if she was really honest, he smiled to widely. Who smiles like that? Only toothpaste ad models. Probably he was an heir to old money millions who wore madras shorts in Martha's Vineyard.
Glaring his smile more than likely made Miranda melt.
This Andy. Her Andy, he probably said all the right things and suggested extravagant things like a dinner date of 24-carat gold leaf wrap sushi and sweeping Miranda off her feet to be chartered by plane to taste Venezuelan Grand Cru chocolate.
What was with the scruffy long locks styled in a man bun? He looked very metrosexual to Andy. Was he a model? Nigel probably set them up, Andy thought darkly. Probably he was fluent in french and doesn't get verbally crucified by Miranda over a colour called cerulean.
Heck he probably wears a cashmere cerulean sweater over his shoulders.
Miranda had better watch out and reconsider with Mr. Pretty Boy because she'll probably have to vie for time in front of the mirror.
Who'd he think he was, hip like Jared Leto or something? Andy didn't like him at all.
''Andy stop scowling, he's you.''
Andy blinked. He was her. She was Mr. Hunk here. Yeah right. Nooo. That was impossible. Sure he had sun kissed brown hair and so did she and his eyes were brown like hers and if she squinted hard, he looked okay for a Calvin Klein billboard but no way was he, her.
She'd have to have man parts and Andy knew she didn't have that under her skirt or in her faded sweatpants.
Andy now knew they were escapees from a mental asylum. They looked relatively normal.
Melusine pinched her nose bridge just like Miranda use to do when frustrated with Andy.
Zelda pointed her finger at Andy impatiently. ''Andy you were enchanted by us. By me actually from a cupcake you ate, I tweaked the 1000 year old recipe so you accidently became a male for Miranda for a time.'' Zelda confessed at Mel looking at her firmly.
''Go look in the mirror right now. Momentous Reflections Changes Sex Andrea.''
Andy humored both. Fine she didn't know why she was even humoring them. Going over to the mirror, Andy's jaw dropped open at herself, pressing her nose to the glass at what she saw in it.
By the beacons of Gondor that was not possible, she only had one drink at The Press Circle tonight and it was with ice. As far as Andy knew poured by a bartender with no hallucinogenics mixed into it.
Andy never did drugs or smoked weed.
Brown eyes saw him in her reflection. Andy trailed her fingers over hard pecs and she pulled her sweats by her waistband, looking down, mother butler she also saw she had a kraken in her pants.
With two fingers pinching it, the weird protruding alien like tube, Andy was never touching finger food again. Yuck. Ewe. Never eating a hot dog again. Ever.
How was this happening to her? Maybe now was the time to call her Mom in Ohio and find out if hallucinations ran in the family?
''Andy this is a reflection of you.'' Zelda said.
Andy saw she was him. It was her next to Miranda, she was Miranda's Andy. Touching her face as it changed back to her own in the reflection.
''Mir needs you and so does your baby.'' Held out the ultrasound print, Andy took it.
A lump in her throat, this was hers.
''Baby.'' Andy gulped. She made Miranda knocked up. It was her who impregnated her. The baby inside Miranda was hers.
''Miranda and I are having a baby.'' Andy said slowly. Pinching herself hard nope she was awake. Fully awake standing here, tracing the ultrasound.
''Oh yes she's looking forward to meeting you both. She has Mir's eyes and your wild hair. She is beautiful.'' Mel supplied. Her blue eyes holding Andy's shocked brown.
Andy tried to wrap her head around this, staring at both of them, the baby that Miranda was carrying was hers and she couldn't wait to meet them.
''It's a girl.'' Andy was going to have a daughter. She might just need that Irish coffee.
Mel made Andy sink into a chair.
''We expect you to take on your responsibilities Andy.'' Mel folded her arms at her. Andy blinked at the tone to her.
Hey Andy was no tug your Thomas plant your seed, loser baby daddy like K-Fed or a deadbeat dad to be, of course she would be there. She loved Miranda and their baby she loved, even it came about from being enchanted and was truly unconventional.
How was she going to tell her parents?
Andy couldn't believe it, she was having a baby with Miranda.
''Now by morning you will remember everything you shared with Miranda. If you drink this.'' Mel placed a small vial onto the kitchen counter for her.
Zelda patted Andy's hand. ''It tastes awful but has an aftertaste like caramel.''
'' This time it is your choice what you do, if you do drink it to remember all you and Miranda shared, Andy, Miranda thinks it's for the best for both of you being apart. Forever.''
Andy echoed out. ''Forever.''
''Why?'' Andy asked. What'd she do? Was it because of the baby?
''There is a curse on us. Concerning love.''
''A curse.'' Andy repeated.
A curse on Miranda. Dark brown brows came together, Andy had watched every Disney film and Frozen a couple times on Dish.
''How do you break it?'' Andy casually asked them.
''That is what we hope you will succeed in doing Andy. Breaking it. Freeing Miranda from it.''
How? Andy didn't know much about curses she was just from Ohio. Before journalism she'd taken prelaw but that didn't qualify her with breaking curses.
''I don't know how to do that?'' Andy confessed.
Melusine squeezed her hand. ''Your reaction to the Amas Veritas was unique Andy and I believe Miranda shared a little of her magic with you one night. Which is rare. For a witch. Andy any curse is only as powerful as how much fear we put into it. Miranda believes you both being apart keeps you alive and safe. First remember her and you then everything will work out.''
Showing to Andy in an old book what Amas Veritas mean, true love.
Not giving Andy any idea how to go about breaking it, Melusine took the bottle from the counter and set it down in front of Andy. ''This is your decision Andy. If you do love Miranda enough. I've seen your heart that you do. Love is a spell that can't be broken. We must be off.''
Zelda encouraged Andy. ''Drink it when we leave and you'll remember and when you do, go make Mirybelle fluttery with how much I know you love her and she loves you to.''
Andy repeated. Mirybelle. A smile played on her lips. She liked that name they used for Miranda. Andy called after them. Both had Miranda's pretty blue eyes. ''Wait a sec. Who are you both to Miranda?''
''We're her Aunts.''
Zelda smiled at the startled brunette and happily informed. ''We're also witches.''
Witches. Andy swallowed.
''Is Miranda also a witch?''
Both nodded at the sitting brunette. ''Yes. A very powerful one. Andy.''
Miranda was a witch too. Powerful. Why was Andy not surprised?
Andy stared after her strange visitors, her brown eyes rounded as she saw them disappear, she held up the vial of strange liquid swirling in the small glass bottle. Should she drink it?
Andy Mom always warned about being careful trying new things. This drink took the cake.
Uncapping it and holding the small bottle up to her mouth, Andy swallowed it down in one gulp.
Andy's eyelids opened as her alarm blared with the radio loud and on, it was too early to get up, wanted to smash the snooze button a bit longer, with a groan from her, she really wanted to go back to bed for another hour, lifting her groggy head from the kitchen table, why wasn't she sleeping in her bed, running her hand through her unruly hair, not noticing an empty bottle next to her.
Her mouth felt like sandpaper but Andy's tongue glided and tasted a hint of caramel. Must have had a midnight snack last night.
That was a really a strange dream last night, rubbing her stiff neck, witches visiting her who were Miranda's Aunts, Andy saw three blue mugs on the dishrack, strange those two ladies in her weird dream were making tea for themselves and an Irish coffee for her, as Andy saw the time, crap she was going to be late, as she rushed to grab a quick shower.
Her buildings hot water only worked from 6 to 10 every morning.
Drying off, dressing quickly as Andy slipped on one boot, holding her metro card between her teeth, she came back into the kitchen to get her packed lunch, huge brown eyes glanced and saw it the ultrasound print and the empty ornate bottle on the table.
It wasn't a dream.
Holding it up. It happened, pushing it into her bag.
Andy had to get to work and somehow figure this out and then go and make Miranda see her.
''What's with Andy this morning?'' Lucy at reception asked John their Editor.
Andy wasn't herself this morning at The Mirror, kept blushing for no reason at her desk, earlier at a coffee shop, the barista handed her morning coffee to her, as she walked out she saw a cute couple kissing and started remembering kissing Miranda for the first time and bombarding her with flowers taken from Elias Clark lobby, her cheeks reddened at doing that.
Miranda probably thought she was a dork.
Andy blushed at her screen, recalling a few more moments she'd remembered sharing with Miranda. Intimate ones.
Couldn't think of one thing to write today, staring at the blank Word document for the last hour, she knew she really needed a break.
Walking away from the pen called her office for her and five others, Andy strided to the snack vending machine. Out of order. Come on.
She needed a candy bar or something salty to chew and crunch as more visions of being with Miranda as a guy filled her head.
Sweet little moments making her smile to herself, deciding to get some air, grabbing her jacket and shrugging it on, as she went out. These memories were coming at her in a rush.
Andy leaned against the wall of her building, doing her leather jacket up, looking across at looming Elias Clark building, she was going over to see Miranda now, her phone pinged, pressing to answer.
''Guess who newsy girl.''
Andy groaned at his voice, the last person she wanted to speak to, as she saw him across the street, holding a small bouquet of daisies as he saw her, yelling out to her.
''Andy!''
Crossing over to Andy against the traffic.
Nate Cooper rushed up to his ex, leaving her for Boston was a stupid idea, he knew he was being an insensitive jerk, and she looked just great today. He really missed her and also them. They were perfect together and with Andy now being away from Runway and her.
Nate wanted to try them again.
Moving in for a hug and kiss to her, Andy had half a mind to stick her hand out in greeting, instead crossed her arms to give off a do not hug me vibe. ''Nate. What are you doing here?''
Nate's bushy brows raised at Andy's frosty reception to him as he still snuck one kiss onto her cheek. It was a sloppy stubble burn kiss.
''Lily told me where you were working now. Wow your writing now. What you always wanted. You finally walked away from that Bitch in Heels. About time.'' Andy's eyes blazed, she didn't like Nate talking about Miranda like that.
He had no right to speak about her like that in front of her. Miranda was the mother of her unborn first child.
''Now Doug's birthday is tonight tiger. Come on, show up to it. For Dougie.''
Nate held her shoulder with his big bear like hand. '' Doug will be disappointed if you don't and Lily wants you there and I want you there, so I can tell you a few things you need to hear from me. Things I've been thinking about in Boston.''
Andy opened her mouth to tell him off, that they were over. ''Nate I don't think I'll be going to it.''
As usual Nate didn't listen to one word she said, off in his own narcissistic world. '' I will see you tonight at eight.'' Thrusting the daisies to her. ''Here your favorite.'' Andy narrowed her eyes, they were not her favorite flower, and daisies were Nate's mother's favorite.
''See you there at eight.''
Andy blinked at him. ''Nate No I can't go. I'm working late here.'' Cut off by him kissing her open mouth.
Nate's mouth suddenly pressed to hers as Andy saw her reflection as a guy again.
Eww he just brushed her tongue.
Blue eyes blinked and saw him kissing Andy on the sidewalk near The Mirror office doors.
Miranda turned away from the office window, her body rigid. Saw their kiss, missing Andy pulling away from Nate angrily at him kissing her.
Andy was back with her Mr. Fry up. The shaggy haired cook.
Miranda couldn't look back at Andy again she simply sat down to her desk trying to be fine about her heart breaking seeing them.
Andy rinsed her mouth again, Nate had jackhammer tongued her mouth, staring at her reflection in the office bathroom uncertainly, saw she was still the same girl, no sudden reflection changes or stall surprises for her, so why did she see a male reflection when Nate suddenly kissed her.
She had to see Miranda right now.
Both of them needed to talk about this.
Miranda was living up to her known moniker of dragon, two models were called anorexic broomsticks scarecrows, one caused an absolute emergency she could not fit in one dress sample no matter how much Crisco Nigel smeared on her hips.
One makeup artist ran out of mascara and one model holding a dog part of the shoot, it kept chewing on the floral arrangements on her dress.
''These people.'' Miranda hissed her displeasure as the shoot began.
Runway
''Em I need to see Miranda.'' Andy stood in front of her old desk, saw Miranda wasn't in her office.
''Just pencil me in as an appointment.'' Andy lightly suggested to the gob smacked redhead.
Emily didn't know what Andy was doing back here, the Paris absconding cow, how she dared even to show her face back here was sad. Was she back at Runway to beg for her job back?
Miranda would eviscerate Andy the blob, Emily was sure of it.
Serena waved hello to Andy given a mean glare at by Emily.
''Andrea. Miranda's very busy and I don't think you should remind her of your pitiful existence.'' Typing a few keys of her IMac.
Watching Andy clench her teeth. ''Em. Please I just need five minutes with her.''
''I'll give you two more pieces of couture. I'll buy you a years' worth of Hobnobs and Yorkshire red teabags.'' Andy promised Emily. Her brown eyes desperate on Em.
Odd. How did Andrea know her favorite biscuit?
Emily with a sigh, gave in. ''Fine you may wait. She'll be back in a few minutes.'' Emily supplied. ''Sit. Over there.'' Andy sat down where Emily said.
Emily began watching Serena rolling a red stress ball along her desk. Fascinated by it.
Louboutins strided on the cream carpet, it was abundantly obvious brainless imbeciles worked for her.
Miranda glided from the shoot down the hallway into her office, stopping at her here.
Why wasn't she with Mr. Lips kissing him?
''Andrea.''
Not looking at her. ''Emily remove this person from my office and building now.'' Emily squeaked at her icy tone.
Andy wouldn't follow Emily out who tugged on Andy's sleeve. ''No. Miranda please I need to speak with you in private.''
Miranda just turned her back on Andrea coldly, walking into her office without a glance at her.
Miranda was ignoring her, Emily shot a glance at Andy of 'I told you she wouldn't want to see you.'
Miranda's waspish voice came from her office doorway with her back still turned on Andy. ''Emily I said to remove this person from me now.''
Andy stood her ground, walking closer to her, trying to make Miranda look back at her.
'' Miranda…listen Melusine and Zelda came to see me and gave me my memories back...I remember you and everything we shared and I want to be with you. Only you. Let me be.''
Miranda slowly turned around and back to Andy, looking past her shoulder not into her eyes. Her Aunts without her permission visited Andrea and somehow made her remember their time together, Miranda fumed at what they did. They both had no right to do it.
'' Andrea. You want to be with me but I don't want to be with you. It was all just a spell. Nothing more. You mean nothing to me. Go be with that cook. Leave.''
Andy looked like she'd been slapped by her. ''Miranda you don't mean that.'' Emily took her arm guided her away from Miranda.
''I do.'' Miranda looked away from Andy who was led out by Emily.
Miranda's words upset her. Go be with Nate. Why would Miranda say that to her.