DISCLAIMER: This is a fan fic, so I obviously don't own anything...except my deep and abiding love of the pair... oh.. and Pava... and Chad are my characters, although they don't show up much in this one, I would suppose Dorothy is my character too since we didn't see much of Andy's mother in the movie and I have no clue what her name was in the book.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is the Third story in the 'Like' series. It's not as much a 'story' as Like Andrea, just a continuation of that universe, much like "Like Family" was. Thanks and everlasting gratitude to my all knowing Beta reader Kamouraskan. My stories are always better with Kam's input. I don't always take his advice though, so any mistakes, omissions, or errors are mine. I made them, I may as well own them.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Like Life
By Gin
Part 2
They managed to eat their meal in peace. Discussing the vacation and laughing at various memories. Andy had just swallowed the last bite of her rice she'd mixed with masala sauce when her phone rang. She wiped her mouth and looked at the screen.
Lily
Andy sighed, "So it begins." Pressing the connect button, Andy smiled into the handset. "Hello Lily."
"Jesus Christ, Andy, you shouldn't be sending files like that out. People are going to think you're serious." Lily sounded like she was about to laugh.
"I am serious, Lil." Andy winked at the girls and waited for the dead silence on the other end of the conversation to be broken. She tilted her head at Miranda and whispered, knowing Lily would hear her. "She's processing the information."
"Oh my god," Lily gasped. "Is she there now?"
"Um… yeah. We do live together." Andy shook her head at the phone. "Didn't you read the article?"
"Well, not all of it," Lily confessed. "Only enough to know the gist."
Andy sighed. "Read it."
"I am!"
Leaning back in her chair, Andy listened as Lily read her computer screen. Andy heard several Jesus H's… and a few oh my god's before the woman remembered she was on the phone. "Dammit Andy, I thought we were friends!"
"We are friends, Lily."
"Then why didn't you tell me?!"
"We weren't telling anybody. It's why I always met you at the restaurant when we went out. You are getting this information before everyone else because you're my friend." Andy pressed her lips together for a moment and then glanced at Miranda. A wink and a small nod from the older woman made her smile. "Lily, something that wasn't in the article." Andy waited until she knew Lily was listening. "Miranda has asked me to marry her and I've accepted."
"Oh My God!" Lily's head was spinning. "Anything else? Did she get you pregnant too?!"
Andy laughed, eyes twinkling at Miranda. "Nah… We are pretty careful about that…" She couldn't resist. "We were, however, discussing adoption earlier."
"OH MY GOD!"
Laughing louder, Andy assured her friend. "Lily… don't pass out… I'm kidding." Brown eyes latched on to the twins smiling faces and winked. "We're happy with the kids we have. I'm pretty sure we don't need any more." She chuckled as both girls rolled their eyes. She could hear Lily about to hyper-ventilate. "Lily, go find a paper bag to breathe into, take some time to think about things, and call me back later okay?"
"Yeah…" Lily agreed. "Later."
Andy clicked her phone shut. "Well, that was fun." She took a sip of her wine. "I wonder who'll be next."
Miranda's phone began to vibrate and move toward the edge of the table. The older woman glanced at the screen and nodded then accepted the call. "Yes, Stephen?" Miranda's expression never changed as the man on the phone spoke to her.
"So what? You've snared someone else in your web? Managed to fool them into thinking you… what? care about them?... love them?" Stephen barely disguised the disgust in his voice. "Does he know what you are really like? Does he know you'll leave him for the slightest 'emergency' at Runway? That he'll have to make an appointment to see you and you still probably won't show up?? Perhaps I should speak with him and inform him of the truth."
Miranda blinked and a smile that would send Runway employees screaming into the night crossed her face. It was too bad the expression was wasted on the man on the phone. "You actually want to do that?"
"Ohhh… Is he there?" Stephen laughed bitterly. "Hard to believe you are in the same room together, the same house together."
"We just finished a family dinner." Miranda only gave Andrea a moment's warning. "If you are sure you want to speak with my current partner, I'll hand the phone over."
"I'm sure."
Miranda sighed. "Very well." She held out the phone for Andrea to take. "He wants to talk to you."
Andy's eyes widened. "Uh…" She took the phone, glaring at Miranda for half a second before lowering her voice and speaking into the phone, gruffly. "Whut?"
Miranda looked amused and both girls clapped their hands over their mouths. Andy sounded like a guy.
Stephen laughed. "Oh my god, where did she find you? Under a rock?" He didn't wait for a response. "Look, I know Miranda is really very mesmerizing, she's rich and powerful and loves to show it off. But I'm telling you, you are going to be jumping through hoops for her, waiting for her to show up even after you make an appointment to see her." Andy humphed in her gruff voice. "Another thing, I don't know how far you've uh… gotten, and I know at first glance she really seems beautiful…but without all that paint on her face… she's really not all that, kind of frumpy actually… oh and one more thing…" Stephen was on a roll now, thinking the man on the other end of the connection was listening to him. Thinking he had a chance to ruin whatever Miranda thought she had with this new guy. "In bed…."
Andy clenched her teeth together, listening to the vile things this man who once claimed to love Miranda was saying. He spoke for two full minutes on Miranda's shortcomings and iciness in bed, which Andy knew for a fact were completely, totally, and one hundred percent incorrect before she was finally able to unlock the muscles in her jaw. She interrupted him, in her regular voice.
"Stephen!" She glanced at Cassidy. "Don't be such a… dick!"
"What?" He thought the voice sounded familiar but couldn't place it. "Who is this?"
"I'm the person you asked to talk to." Andy sneered. "The one you've spent the last five minutes trying to turn against Miranda, which, by the way, wouldn't work no matter how long you try or what disgusting things you say." She wished she had more control over herself, but she couldn't just let him talk about Miranda like that… "I know you, your whiney ways." She mocked him in a high nasal voice, "'I sat there for hours…' 'They call me Mr. Priestly'… whaaa whaaa whaaa… cry me a river." She was full of righteous anger on Miranda's behalf and continued, "In case you've forgotten, you cancelled plans on many occasions because of 'work' too. What was she supposed to do just sit at home and wait for you? I hope you don't treat your next partner that way…or maybe I do and it will serve you right to lose them too. Try joining the rest of us in the year two thousand and nine and maybe you'd be a lot happier." She snapped the phone closed, handed it to Miranda with a mumbled 'sorry', and left the room quickly.
All three Priestly's watched her go but only Cassidy broke the silence. "Wow."
Miranda found Andrea in the study; her dark hair spilling over the back of the couch as she sat with her head resting on the soft surface, doe-eyes staring at the ceiling. Miranda sat down silently next to the distraught young woman and took the limp hand in her own. Lacing their fingers together, Miranda sat, waiting. Her patience was rewarded a few moments later as Andrea's head turned and watery brown eyes gazed upon her.
"I don't know if I can deal with this." Andy watched as Miranda's eyes closed, and she could feel the older woman's pulse flutter through their connected hands before Miranda broke the contact.
"I see." Better it happens now, I suppose. Miranda thought, feeling her heart begin to crack.
"No…" Andy grabbed the hand back quickly and moved closer. "No… that's not what I meant… I…" She moved closer wrapping her arms around the one person in her life she couldn't lose. "I mean, the press… they are going to be worse than Stephen right?" She gritted her teeth at the memory of his words. "They are going to be worse and I can't even keep my temper when he's…"
With her heart suddenly and firmly in one solid piece, Miranda pulled the arms from around her shoulders, but tangled their fingers together once again. "What did he say?"
"It was just a load of crap… if the argument you were having when I came upstairs the first time is any example, it was the usual…" Andy sighed. "I just lost it."
"That wouldn't have made you as angry as you are." Miranda spoke logically and asked again. "What did he say?"
"He said… that without all the 'paint' on your face that you weren't really 'all that'. He called you…frumpy."
"Mmmmm…" Miranda tilted her head. "True."
"Not true!" Andy gazed at the woman she loved. "Not true at all, God, Miranda, you are so beautiful…"
Miranda smiled softly at the young woman and gently traced an index finger down Andrea's nose to stop at the protesting lips. "Shhh…" She removed her fingers and replaced them with a light kiss. "True to him then." She raised her eyebrows and with a twitch of her lips asked. "What else did he say?"
Andy pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.
"Ah," Miranda chuckled. "Something about my antics, or lack of, in the bedroom no doubt." She nodded as Andrea's eyes widened. "Also true." She immediately stopped the young woman from protesting. "With him… it was true. I was actually expecting that type of remark from him when he spoke to me. I'm sure it, or something similar, will be in the press at some point. I am sorry his remarks angered you. He's quite adept and eloquent in the courtroom, but in private he can be very rude and crass."
Snorting at that, Andy leaned over to rest her head on Miranda's shoulder and voiced her fear. "I don't want to embarrass you in front of the media."
"Andrea, listen to me." Miranda waited for her to look up. "Nothing you say or do can embarrass me, because anything you say or do will come from a place of love. I know that. Throwing a fit in front of the cameras just because a journalist calls me Ice Queen or Dragon Lady…or worse, well, it's not the best PR in the world, but it won't matter, because at the end of the day, guess what?"
Andy smiled. "We'll still be together."
Miranda's blue eyes twinkled and she pulled the young woman close, whispering almost to herself. "I always knew you were quite intelligent." A ghost of a smile teased her lips at Andrea's snort of laughter at that familiar compliment.
"We will get through this, Andrea, together."
Emily arrived at the townhouse much earlier than usual, Book in hand, Nigel in tow.
"Emily."
The assistant turned automatically at the sound of her boss' voice. "Yes, Miranda?"
"Bring the Book into the study."
Emily reacted slower than normal, dreading what she would find to greet her in the study. She heard Miranda's dry voice call out again.
"By all means, take your time."
With a deep breath she squared her shoulders and walked through the open door. To her deep relief the only thing that awaited her in the room was Miranda seated behind her desk. She hurried across the room to deliver the Book.
"Is Nigel not with you?" Miranda looked behind the young woman to the empty doorway. "Nigel? Must I have all my conversations this evening through the door?"
He appeared instantly. "Sorry Miranda, I thought you might want to speak with Emily alone."
"Why would I want to do that?" Miranda saw what could have been a flash of hurt cross her assistant's features. "Speaking to you both is much more efficient, I don't have to repeat myself."
"Of course," Nigel bowed slightly and waited, wincing a bit as Miranda's eyes examined the cover of the Book then returned to him eyebrows rising as if to say, 'What have you been doing while I've been gone?' It was as disapproving a look as he'd ever seen from his Boss and it was making him very, very nervous. The tension was broken somewhat when one of the twins entered the room.
"Andy said you wanted to see me, Mom."
"Yes, Caroline." Miranda handed the Book over to the child. "I would like you to use the last twenty minutes before your bedtime to take a look at this and tell me what you think."
Caroline was thrilled. She'd watched her Mom go over the Book quite a few times, usually on Friday or Saturday when she could stay up late enough for its arrival. She thought it was cool when her mom made a decision about a layout and explained to her exactly why that decision had been made. She'd never gotten to look over the Book on her own. For some reason, the tension in her Mom's shoulders made her dampen her excitement in front of the guests. "Sure. Here or in my room?"
Miranda smiled at the girl. "Either."
Nodding, Caroline turned and walked out of the room, Book in hand just as Andy entered with a tray holding four wine glasses and a bottle. She sat the tray down on the coffee table and poured for them, handing a glass to Nigel and Emily before taking a glass for herself and delivering the last one to Miranda.
"Thank you, darling." Miranda smiled as she accepted the drink, took a small sip then set it down on her desk.
"Now," Miranda turned her attention to her shocked employees, standing like statues with drinks in their hands. "As you know, several months ago a woman acquired employment as my second assistant under false pretenses. She then proceeded to try and kill me, which, I assume is something that most of my assistants dream about on a regular basis." She ignored Andrea's snort of laughter. "This one, however, acted upon that desire and nearly succeeded." She felt Andrea's warm hand drop to her shoulder and reached up automatically to pat and then hold the hand. "Therefore, tomorrow the D.A. is planning to file various charges against her, two of which being for the attempted murder of Andrea and myself." She released her fiancée's hand, and Andrea set her drink on the desk as well before moving to the printer to retrieve two sheets that had been waiting there since before Emily and Nigel had arrived. "Because the legal issue will cause interest in our lives, this article went out to Andrea's place of employment earlier today."
Andy walked around the desk and leaned close to Emily. "Take a drink." Emily blinked at her hand as if this was the first time she'd seen the wine and proceeded to chug it down. Andy's eyes widened but she traded her former co-worker's glass for the sheet of paper. She turned to Nigel who had taken the hint and done the same; holding his empty glass out for Andy to take and his other hand out for the paper. Andy nodded, taking the glasses back to the coffee table and refilling them. She then pushed a straight-backed chair close behind where Emily was standing, just in time for the woman's knees to buckle and save the redhead from a hard fall to the floor. Nigel had sense enough to sit in a comfy chair before beginning to read.
"As I'm sure you are aware, the press will sensationalize this for as long as they feel it will sell papers. There will be no comment made to any member of the press regarding either the legal issue or this…" She glanced at Andrea. "…personal situation, by anyone at Runway under penalty of unemployment. The standard 'No Comment' reply from my office will do." A longer look at the beautiful brunette now seated on the couch brought another instruction to mind. "All talk show offers are to be forwarded to Andrea with the specific disclaimer that if she agrees, I will not be attending the taping."
"So…" Emily tried to wrap her mind around what she'd been told and what she'd read on the paper Andy had handed her. "You two are together." You knew that you git. She chided herself. You've known, you've known for a long time, She answered her own thought, but thinking you know…and knowing you know are two different things.
"Yes, we are together." Miranda confirmed and smiled almost shyly at Andrea. "Until death do us part." The Editor saw Emily's eyes widen.
"You're married?"
"Not yet, Em." Andy spoke up. "But we will be, as soon as all this business with the paparazzi and the trial is over."
Miranda narrowed her eyes at Nigel's wide grin. "You have something to say?"
"I think it's wonderful!" Nigel laughed and moved to sit next to Andy. "Let me see the ring…"
"How do you know I didn't propose to Miranda?? I could have given her a ring!" She looked at his expression and saw the gesture for her to pony up with her left hand. Rolling her eyes, she held up the item in question.
"Very nice, Six." He pushed his index finger lightly just between her eyes. "You finally got your gold star."
"Yeah," Andy smiled at the sentiment and understood the confused look on Miranda's face. She winked at her fiancée. "I guess I did." She turned back to the man sitting next to her. "So, what's with the cat that ate the canary expression?"
Nigel laughed and announced proudly. "Jocelyn now owes me fifty bucks!"
Miranda even laughed at that, but Emily was still in shock. "Oh my gawd. You're getting married." She blinked at the thought. She knew Miranda had been married twice before, but thinking about her Boss, Supreme Commander of Runway, the Miranda Priestly doing something as common as getting married… It was weird, it meant Miranda was a person… a normal person… and that thought shook her to the core. "Oh my gawd!"
The girl's repetitiveness was beginning to wear on Miranda's nerves. "Do you have something to say, Emily?"
The redhead's brain whirled at the mountain of work ahead of her. "No, Miranda." She shook her head. "Only, I'll need to know the venue and the guest list for the wedding, as well as the menu for the reception and the rehearsal dinner. I'll need to know what kind of security you want in place… and I'll also need your colors for the wedding so I can contact the florist…"
"Emily!" Miranda chuckled at the girl's sudden enthusiasm. "Let's just take one thing at a time shall we?" Her expression warmed toward the assistant. "We haven't really discussed any of those details yet, or even set a date."
Andy cleared her throat. "Em?" She waited for Emily to turn toward her. "We'll be getting married on Martha's Vineyard, using the big hotel with the Southern style architecture, I'm sorry I can't remember its name but I'll get it for you. We haven't set a date yet because we don't know for sure how long the trial will last. We haven't discussed the guest list for the ceremony yet, but it will most likely be small, the list will expand considerably for the reception. We'll work on that." Andy glanced at Miranda for a brief second then grinned as she turned back at Emily. "I've already spoken to the hotel regarding security personnel, and my colors are Cerulean Blue and Black. Miranda may want to add a color to those."
The white-head shook as Miranda felt a little overwhelmed at how organized Andrea already seemed to be. For just a moment, a fleeting second, Miranda was sitting behind her desk in her office at Runway and Andrea was telling her that the twins had copies of the Harry Potter manuscript on the train with them. It was… wonderful, the competence and confidence Andrea radiated enveloped her. Miranda could feel it wrapping around her like a warm blanket. Then Andrea looked at her and the blanket was stripped away, replaced with pure love that warmed her from the inside. "No," she breathed deeply, "That's all." Blue eyes twinkled as she added, "For now."
"Mom?" Caroline poked her head around the doorjamb, "Can I come in?"
"Of course, my darling." Miranda gestured the child into the room as she glanced at the steadily ticking grandfather clock in the corner. "Bedtime, I see."
Caroline nodded. "Here's the Book back." She handed the mock-up over to her mom with wide rolling eyes. She was sure in the next two weeks they weren't going to be seeing very much of her mom around here.
"Thank you." Miranda smiled at the girl. "Run along now and get ready for bed. We'll be up in a moment to tell you good night."
Caroline nodded and left the room quickly. Only when she looked back through the door and saw Andy's disapproving expression did she realize that she had, not once, acknowledged the presence of Emily or Nigel. Ah well, Caroline thought as she climbed the stairs. It's good practice for ignoring the press.
After a few quiet moments of Miranda looking over Caroline's Post-it observations, she excused herself and Andrea. They walked upstairs, hand in hand, to tell the girls goodnight.
There were several long moments of silence between the co-workers before Emily was able to vocalize, then only to repeat her favorite phrase for the evening.
"Oh my gawd." Emily shook her head to clear her thoughts. It took a few more minutes for her to organize them and voice the outcome. "They're… they're…"
"In love?" Nigel just chuckled and patted the young woman on the cheek. "Breathe, Emily." The man sighed. "It's about time our illustrious leader found someone that actually makes her happy."
"Happy?" That was a term Emily had never even imagined applying to Miranda.
"Of course!" Nigel ran his hand over his balding head. "How many times have you seen Miranda smile? I mean really smile." He paused a second. "Because I can assure you without a doubt I've seen her smile more times since we've been here tonight than I have in the last three years, or more. I'm telling you, that woman…" He pointed upstairs. "…is happy."
Andy heard the last few words as she walked into the study, carrying a tray full of munchies. "We are both very happy, Nigel." She smiled at the man as she sat the tray down on the coffee table. "Help yourself, Miranda will be down in a moment." Andy indicated a small section of the tray. "There are some cheese cubes here, Emily. You looked a little faint earlier."
The redhead drifted closer to the offerings. "What is that?"
Andy grinned. "That… is seasoned beef and shredded cheese wrapped in a lettuce leaf. There are practically no carbs in them at all." She knew her former co-worker wanted to eat one, but was resisting because of her unhealthy obsession with her weight. It worried Andy and Miranda too, although the older woman would never admit it, that Emily was hurting herself with all her dieting. She caught colds so easily and always seemed to be sniffling. Andy picked one of the items in question up, popped it in her mouth and shrugged. "They're okay." She deliberately rolled her eyes and mentioned as casually as she knew how. "Miranda loves them." A little gleam appeared in Emily's eyes and Andy knew she'd accomplished her mission. Gotcha. A tiny smile flitted across Andy's lips as Emily picked up one of the morsels.
Andy also chose a bite, carefully bypassing the gross little rhubarb compote tarts that Miranda almost always insisted be served. The journalist shuddered, she wasn't even exactly sure what 'compote' was… it just sounded too much like 'compost' to ever imagine it was actually food. She happily snagged the much more common option of pig in a blanket.
Miranda walked into the room and was slightly taken aback by the expression on Emily's face. Her assistant had a small piece of food in her hand halfway to her mouth and looked like she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Good grief, is she that paranoid about eating?? Without missing a beat, Miranda walked directly to the tray of hor d'oeuvres. "What a thoughtful gesture, Andrea." Miranda wiggled her fingers over the tray and grinned at the tarts. "You have my favorite." Reaching down, Miranda chose one of the lettuce wrapped beef bites Emily was currently consuming and popped it in her mouth, chewing as she walked back to her desk. She waited to swallow the bite before speaking, carefully watching her guests to make sure they'd be able to answer, and not choke, when she asked them. "So, what exactly have you been doing at Runway in my absence?" She indicated the Book in front of her, turning page after page of the mock-up to find more and more stickers with suggestions on them. "Because if my eleven year old child can find this many mistakes…" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's quite disappointing."
Andy chuckled and stood from her seat on the couch. Walking around the desk she leaned down and whispered into her fiancée's ear. "Miranda…" Mischievous blue eyes met hers. "Be nice." She smiled at the Editor's bark of laughter and continued whispering. "You are scaring the bejeezus out of Nigel. They don't know you are teasing them."
Blue eyes widened slightly in a 'Who's teasing?' expression.
Rolling her eyes, Andy straightened. "I'll leave you to your work, then." She turned to their guests and approached Emily first. "Good night, Emily." She gave the redhead a brief hug and turned to the man. "Nigel." She hugged him and told him good night as well. She was about to walk out of the room when Miranda cleared her throat loudly.
"Andrea…"
Looking back at the Editor, Andy's eyes widened in question. "Yes?"
Miranda's face was absolutely blank. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Blinking, Andy laughed and a huge smile crossed her face. She moved back around the desk and leaned close again, whispering. "I didn't forget, I just wasn't sure…"
Miranda reached up cupping one cheek in her elegant hand and brushed her lips lightly against the young woman's. "Good night, Andrea."
Andy found Miranda's ear and whispered, "Goodnight." She kissed her fiancée lightly on the cheek then straightened up and headed toward the door. She allowed herself only one over-the-shoulder-glance at Miranda as she walked out of the room.
They all watched as Andy exited, but Emily and Nigel turned to face Miranda quickly after the brunette was gone. Therefore, they were both treated, and somewhat dismayed, to see the transformation from private Miranda to public Miranda. The soft expression that lingered for a few seconds on the empty doorway, sharpened, and blue eyes hardened as she focused on her employees.
"I'm waiting for an answer." Nostrils flared, realizing the original question had been lost to them. Miranda spoke, slowly, in a deadly tone.
"I repeat. Exactly what have you been doing in my absence?"
Wincing as Miranda had spoken the word 'repeat', Nigel paled and Emily sat suddenly, reaching automatically for a cube of cheese.
They both knew, Miranda never repeated herself, not without dire consequences to the person she was speaking to.
The large grandfather clock ticking in the corner of the study chimed midnight. Miranda didn't notice. She was so focused on the Book, that she didn't pay attention to anything that existed outside the confines of her desk, until a lanky arm set a cup of steaming coffee down in front of her.
"It's late." Pajama clad Andy tilted her head at her partner.
"There's a lot to do."
"So I see."
"Coffee? I won't sleep."
"Decaf."
Miranda reached for it immediately.
Andy smiled. "Bed soon?"
"Lots to do," Miranda repeated, without a second thought.
"Take a break?"
Miranda looked up at the sleepy young woman and felt her heart melt a little. "Five minutes." She dropped the red pencil on the open Book and tossed her glasses next to it.
Andy smiled and held out her hand. "Great." She led Miranda to the couch and they both settled down on the soft surface. "So, did you sufficiently terrorize them?"
"Mmmm…" Miranda inhaled deeply and turned her head to scold the young woman. "No thanks to you. Be nice indeed."
"You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."
"What kind of absurd statement is that, Andrea?" Miranda shook her head. "Who would want to catch flies?"
Andy laughed. "They seemed to take the news, okay."
"Mmmm… Nigel was certainly enthusiastic. Emily… not so much."
"She's jealous." Andy ran her fingers through her own hair. "I've just not been able to figure out which one of us she feels jealous of, or exactly why."
Miranda chuckled. "She probably doesn't even know herself. She does her job though, for which I assume I should be grateful." Miranda turned to snuggle against Andrea's side. Miranda spoke quietly almost to herself. "Perhaps it's time she moved on…"
Andy circled the older woman's shoulders in her long arms, whispering in her ear. "Emily worships you." She moved a small amount of white-hair and placed a gentle kiss on the woman's neck. "She's just having a little crisis, finding out that you are human after all." Andy found herself being distracted by the soft skin her hand, sliding under Miranda's blouse, had discovered. "Don't promote her on… at least not until you find a second assistant you can rely on. You need Emily."
"No." Miranda disagreed. "You are the only one I need, Andrea."
Andy persisted, despite the distractions. "Miranda, you might need me here, in your personal life, but at the office, trust me, you need Emily."
"She hired a new assistant while we were away." Miranda's nostrils flared in distaste. "There will be a stranger in your spot when I get to the office tomorrow."
Laughing, Andy shook her head. "My spot?" She pulled away a little. "Miranda, I haven't worked for you for over two years."
"Still, that desk will always be 'yours', no matter how many other people sit there."
"Just like the other desk will always be Emily's. You care about her Miranda, I know you do." Andy saw the cleared coffee table and suddenly remembered. "Speaking of which… how many did she eat after I left?"
"Mmmm… two more, and a cube of cheese." Miranda looked to Andy for more information.
"She ate two before you got there as well. You caught her with the second one." Andy grinned at her partner-in-crime. "Telling her that you loved them put her over the edge to try one." Rubbing her hand across Miranda's flat middle, Andy asked, "Did you eat any more than the one I saw?"
"If you remember correctly, my darling worrier, I had a huge Indian dinner."
"Half of which is in the fridge now." Andy reminded her.
Miranda wrinkled her nose at Andrea's waiting expression and relented. "Yes, fine, I ate two more of the beef morsels and the rhubarb tarts."
Andy smiled, satisfied at the results of her offering. "Yay!" She tapped the end of Miranda's nose. "You gotta keep up your strength you know, stamina is important with the days you put in at the office."
Snorting, Miranda moved to straddle the young woman, pinning Andrea back against the couch. "My stamina, Andrea..."
Brown eyes widened as legs shifted and a smooth thigh slid between her legs.
"…is just fine." Miranda dipped her head down to thoroughly kiss her lover, then she moved lower, intent on proving her statement to the young woman.
It only took a few minutes to realize that Miranda was not joking. As Andy reveled in the older woman's ministrations, one thought passed through her head before she gave in to the sensations completely.
I'm gonna marry her.