DWP update!! | French Runway 3: The Dinner
Title: French Runway: 3. The Dinner
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Rating | Genre: g | femslash, AU
Characters | Pairings: Andy, Miranda, Emily, Serena, Nigel | Andy/Miranda, Emily/Serena (maybe…), references to Andy/Nate
Summary: Andy lives with Nate in Paris, where she works as Jacqueline’s second assistant and life is good. Now, she suddenly finds herself falling head over heals for Miranda who is visiting and “borrowing” Andy because Emily is in the hospital, and things begin to change. In the meantime, Emily has discovered an unexpected love of flowers and crêpes, thanks to her doctor… But it is soon time for Emily and Miranda to go back to New York. Where will that leave Serena and Andy? The story alternates between Andy’s and Emily’s point of view.
Word count: 4 255
Spoilers | Warnings: No.
Notes: Very late fic for punky_96 and fandomaid’s Help Japan auction. I know it’s been more than six months since I began writing this story. I’m really sorry! I’ve been completely DWP-blocked! :( But I won’t bore anyone with excuses. Here are the previous chapters if you need to catch up or refresh your memory, if anyone still remembers this at all:
Chapter one: I Love Paris.
Chapter two: Champs Elysées
Notes 2: Here’s a French song to get you in the Paris mood: Paris tout va bien by Zoe Avril.
***
“Andrea.”
Andy didn’t have to look up to know that the only person who said her name like that was Miranda. But of course, that was not why she looked up - to know who was talking to her - no, she looked up because she didn’t want to be discrete anymore. This was Miranda’s last day in Paris, except for a few hours next morning. Paris Fashion Week was still months away; Andy weren’t going to see Miranda again until then. So she was looking at Miranda as much as she possibly could. She wanted to make sure that the visual impression was going to stay burnt into her brain for all the long months to come.
Miranda would have looked very serious - cold and haughty, even - if it weren’t for a shade of pink over her cheeks that looked a little too natural and too bright for makeup.
“Have dinner with me tonight,” Miranda commanded as soon as Andy met her gaze. “You pick the place. But the car is going to pick you up.”
‘The car’ was actually one of Jacqueline’s, but that didn’t seem to be a problem. Miranda didn’t give Andy the time to ask any questions before she walked away, and no time to decline of accept either, for that matter.
Not that Andy would have wanted to say no, not for anything in the world. It was just that it was Nate’s day off, and she had promised him… But he has to understand, Andy tried to convince herself, but to understand what? Her career? Or her heart?
Miranda wanted to talk about work, no doubt, but Andy still had a feeling that it was her heart that was at stake.
*
“It’s getting easier now, isn’t it?” said the nurse with an incredibly strong accent. “It doesn’t hurt as much as before now, does it? You can do this!”
“Bloody hell! Fuck!”
Emily was going to go on, there was more to say, but she lost her breath when she swayed and thought she was going to fall, but the nurse caught her and helped her to the bed. Emily let the damned crutches fall to the floor.
“How’s it going in here?”
Serena, just entering, sounded far too cheerful. Emily blushed - anger or embarrassment? - and clasped her hands, her fists were tight knots with sheets in them
“I can’t walk,” she announced.
“Oh, sure you can.” Serena was still behind her at the door - why was she always behind? “I know it’s difficult - thank you, nurse, I’ll take over from here - but it is not impossible.”
Serena walked around the bed, picked up the crutches from the floor and gave Emily a small smile.
“Come on, won’t you try one more time? I’ll catch you if you fall, but I don’t think you are going to.”
No, Emily did not want to fall. And she did not want to do any less than what Serena thought she was able to. She accepted the crutches and stood, carefully.
Emily walked around the room as the doctor was standing in the middle of it, all the time keeping her eyes on her patient. Emily did not fall; she was careful, but she was also shaking from the effort.
“Come, that’s enough for now. Rest a little. You did well, Emily.”
Emily went back to the bed and sat down, and her beautiful doctor sat down in a chair at her side.
“But I can’t,” Emily said. “I can’t walk away from here.”
From you! We haven’t even gotten to know each other yet.
Serena nodded quietly. Then she shook her head.
“But you have to. It wouldn’t be right, it would be wrong of me to try to keep you here when there’s no reason. No reason, except…”
Serena blushed and bit down on her bottom lip. Emily wanted to kiss her and she wanted to cheer and cry at the same time.
“Of course, I know that. But…”
A nurse came in and said something to Serena. Emily didn’t know what exactly, but she didn’t need to understand French to realize that there was some kind of crisis somewhere that needed the doctor’s immediate attention.
“Sorry”, Serena said, “gotta go…”
She was out of the door before Emily had time to say anything, and she could only hope that Serena would have time to see her again before she went home.
Emily sighed and tried to hold back the tears that were building up inside of her. She didn’t want to cry, she wouldn’t. As a distraction, she managed to put herself in the wheelchair by herself - thankfully it wasn’t that hard; Miranda would complain if she were a complete invalid during the journey home - and she rolled across the room to the window.
Emily looked at Paris from above.
***
As soon as they had ordered their food and had their drinks at the table, Miranda began telling Andy what she wanted from her. Straight to the point, no small talk. Of course, Andy hadn’t expected any less of Miranda.
“I want you to come and work for me in New York.”
Andy’s eyes went wide. She didn’t know what she had expected, but this seemed too big to be true.
Except that she quickly realized that she should have known already.
“You have already talked about this with Jacqueline,” she said.
The conversation - the argument she had overheard - she had been right, it was about her. But it didn’t make any sense. Why did Miranda want this?
“Why did you talk to her? You should have asked me first!”
Miranda seemed surprised, as if she had expected another answer.
“Well, I don’t normally care what people think about my decisions, but I have no reason to want to stab poor Jacqueline in the back. You are a valuable employee and I simply wanted to warn her that she is not going to keep you for long.”
“But…” Andy was lost for words. She knew Miranda was sure of herself, but this… “I haven’t even accepted yet. I can’t go to New York just like that; I have a life here, I…”
Andy stopped talking. Why was she talking like that? She wanted to be with Miranda, no doubt about it… but she couldn’t help feeling that she was part of a game she didn’t understand.
“Andrea,” Miranda said with a strain to her voice as if she was trying not to lose her patience, “it is your career I am talking about. Yes, of course Paris is wonderful. And yes, French Runway is good. But my Runway is better, and New York is the place where everybody wants to be. You must know that.”
Well, Andy wasn’t so sure. According to her, Paris had its own charm, even if Miranda’s magazine was slightly better and more important than Jacqueline’s.
“I have a boyfriend here.” Andy wasn’t sure why she brought up Nate. Part of her wanted nothing more than to shout ‘yes!’ and accept Miranda’s offer - what would it be like to work with her every day, to see her every day and know that she wasn’t going anywhere? - but something about it felt wrong. Miranda asked her for the wrong reason.
Or rather, Andy’s reason for wanting to accept was the wrong one.
“A boyfriend?” Miranda raised her eyebrow in a way that definitely made her opinion clear. “Andrea, like I said, I am talking about your career. I see a lot of potential in you.”
Andy knew enough about Miranda to realize that she should be flattered, grateful even. The job Miranda offered her was one a million girls would kill for, she knew that. Normally, Miranda wouldn’t have to ask and argue, normally it would be the other way around.
Miranda was quiet, and so was Andy. Time seemed to be standing still, but if Miranda was impatient, she hid it well. She sipped her white wine calmly, and their food arrived - both of them had skipped starters and went directly for the main course.
Andy thought about what her time with the American queen of fashion had been like. Miranda wasn’t a woman who smiled, made jokes or small talk. She rolled her eyes, glared, sniffed, and made sharp comments. Rumour had it she could make grown men cry. She was admired but feared.
But Andy had caught her smiling. They had even had a few not work-related conversations, albeit brief ones. Andy knew she wasn’t crazy; she had seen laughter in Miranda’s eyes.
“I like you,” she blurted out. She blushed and was surprised when Miranda’s face was as calm as ever.
“I know,” the older woman replied. “It is obvious that you are not afraid of me. Most people are, and if they’re not, they are stupid. You are obviously not stupid, and you are not disrespectful, you are… well, you know what I mean.”
Miranda looked Andy in the eyes in a way that told her that being liked was highly unusual but not a bad thing. Miranda did not disapprove. But how could she not?
“Miranda, I don’t know if I have made myself clear…”
“Yes,” Miranda interrupted. “I understand. I have seen the work you do. I want you to keep doing it for me. It is as simple as that.”
Miranda’s determined gaze was intense, and terribly confusing. She looked away after a long moment and turned her attention to her food, as if their discussion made perfect sense and there was nothing more to say.
“I…” Andy gulped and unlike Miranda she wasn’t at all hungry. “I’ve always wanted to be a journalist. But I actually like the work I’m doing here. I like doing it for you, too. But I have never seen it as something permanent…”
“Oh.” Miranda shook her head dismissively. “None of my assistants stay with me forever. Usually I fire them. But you… I could open many doors for you in the future.”
Andy stabbed a piece of meat on her plate. Why was Miranda so impossible, refusing to see her point?
“Actually, I do want to work for you. I can understand all your reasons, and it’s not like I’m indifferent or ungrateful, but like I said: I like you. As much as I would like to say the opposite, I just can’t work for a person I like.”
Miranda chewed and swallowed before she replied, but this time she averted her eyes for a moment as if to hide something.
“Andrea, you are not making any sense. Are you saying that you prefer to dislike your boss? That is very strange, especially since you strike me as a person who actually does a better job if you… are content with things. Is liking someone not a good thing? I thought it was but… I’m hardly an expert.”
“I don’t mean ‘like’ like. I mean that I like you.”
Oh my god, Andy thought, how much more embarrassing can this get?
Miranda rolled her eyes and sighed.
“You sound like my children. Stop being so ridiculous about this. Has it never occurred to you that I might like that you like me because I like you too?”
Andy had hardly even touched her wine but she felt dizzy. And she felt, too, that something warm was building up in her heart, trying to burst it, and it was finding its way up to her eyes, and if she wasn’t careful, they would spill over. Was it possible that this magnificent woman actually liked her?
“But…” she stammered. “But that just proves my point…”
Well, sort of. Andy’s point had been that it would, in the long run, be torture to work for a person she had unrequited feeling for. It would be wonderful, but it would hurt too much. Now, on the other hand, if the feelings were mutual…
“No,” she said, “you are the one who is not making any sense. If we have feelings for each other” - it felt almost too amazingly strange because it had happened so quickly - “then you wouldn’t offer me a job but ask me out instead. How can we work together if we want to be together?”
“But…” Now it was Miranda’s turn to look like she was lost for words. She also looked like she wasn’t used to anyone talking back to her.
“I don’t see the problem,” Miranda said, finally. “You like me, I like you - it is highly unusual, but we work well together and that’s what matters. This is extremely strange for me… Andrea, I am not used to opening up like this…”
Yes, of course it must be pretty hard for an ice queen like her to even try to open up. Miranda’s voice died away, and Andy felt a wave of affection for the other woman. That, too, was extremely strange and nothing she would have expected a week ago, but now she decided to just roll with it, come what may…
“Miranda, I understand. And we barely know each other yet. I’m not saying that we should rush into anything…”
“Well, no, I suppose it’s fair to Jacqueline to give her two weeks… although that kind of generosity is also highly unusual…”
“Wait…” Andy stared at the older woman, now visibly flustered, although passersby probably wouldn’t notice because they did not know her well enough…
Wait, Andy said to herself, am I saying that I know her?
“Are you still talking about work?”
Miranda stared at her.
“Of course. Andrea, what do you think this whole conversation is about?”
Andrea sank back in her chair, exasperated.
“I don’t know. I have no idea. Maybe about us confessing our feelings for each other? Or at least that’s what I am trying to do.”
Miranda dropped her fork and knife and her gaze softened, just a little.
“Andrea, don’t get me wrong. I understand what you are saying. And as strange as it is, it makes me very… happy… to know that you harbour such feelings for me. I have feelings for you, too, and I am glad that we’ve… confessed. But I am not a romantic. I am not the relationship type.”
“I’m willing to drop everything, to leave my boyfriend for you…”
Miranda nodded, looking down.
“Yes, and that only after such a short amount of time. I can understand that for most people, that’s a very big thing to ask. But I can only tell you how I feel…”
Andy waited for something more. When it didn’t come, she said:
“Okay. I understand. I mean, for now, that’s good enough for me. And I’m glad. I’m glad that you didn’t leave Paris without letting me tell you how I feel.”
“Well”, Miranda said. “So, let’s just enjoy our food now, then. And when we’re done here, maybe we can… take a walk?”
“Sure!” Andy smiled. “Paris is beautiful at night.”
***
“Thank you for dinner and everything”, Andy said. “I’ve got to say, this has been the strangest dinner meeting slash date ever…”
“Is that so?” Miranda looked thoughtfully at her. Exactly what she was thinking, Andy wouldn’t know.
“I mean strange in an entirely good way, obviously.”
“Obviously”, Miranda echoed. After a moment, she added: “And we need to talk more, of course. We’ll keep in touch via email.”
“Yes”, Andy nodded. “And chat, of course. Makes it easier to have something of a real conversation.”
“Well”, Miranda said, “we’ll see.”
She looked strangely… surprised, Andy thought. As if everything except ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers were making her uncomfortable, even when she spoke for herself. Then again, Andy supposed the situation was unprecedented for both of them.
“Anyway”, Miranda said, “I’ll see you in, I suppose, about two weeks.”
Andy stared at her.
“No”, she said. “Haven’t you been listening? There’s no way I’m leaving that soon. I need to think this over, not to mention all the necessary arrangements…”
“I do not like to postpone things when there’s no need for it”, Miranda said.
“I know, and neither do I. So believe me when I say that I really do need more time. Besides, I think I’ll need a new passport, I think it’s about to expire soon.”
“You’re not serious.”
Miranda looked at her in a way that made Andy feel she was reconsidering her plan to make Andy her assistant/girlfriend, or girlfriend/assistant, or whatever she was thinking.
“Yeah…” Andy shrugged. “I was going to fix it. But it’s not like I’ve been planning on going somewhere anytime soon.”
Miranda pursed her lips. She looked like she was mulling something over. Then her expression softened, and Andt would have given anything to know what she was thinking. Miranda sighed, as if she finally reached a decision and something heavy fell off her shoulders.
“Al right”, she said. “Let’s have it your way. The final decisions are up to you. And we’ll talk about it later. That’s… fine. I’m looking forward to it.”
Andy smiled. It really wasn’t like a normal date at all; all the emotions were conflicted and they talked about very big decisions, but on the whole, it still gave her a giddy feeling in her gut and… she was happy.
“So”, she said, “a kiss before we say goodnight?”
That wasn’t out of the place, was it? But Miranda nodded.
Andy brought her face closer, slowly. Miranda’s lips were just as warm and soft as she had imagined, and more welcoming than she had dared to believe.
When Andy broke the kiss, Miranda leaned in for another one, and she deepened the kiss. Right then, Andy didn’t doubt anything anymore.
Then they looked at each other. Andy waited for Miranda to say something; she was almost prepared for the standard ‘that’s all’, but Miranda simply said:
“Goodnight, Andrea.”
***
Emily blushed and let out a shaky breath. Her fingers trembled and she looked toward the glass doors. No sign of her colleague yet, and she knew that Roy was going to warn her if Miranda was on her way.
She turned her attention back to the little chatbox in the corner of her computer screen:
TheRealEmily: I happen to be alone in the office right now, but fyi, it will probably not last…
Aneres: Oh, I forgot, you’re at work! blushes I’m sorry…
TheRealEmily: No, it’s okay!
Miranda’s been acting so weird lately anyway, she’ll probably not even notice, she seems to be completely lost in thoughts these days…
What time is it over there, 10 pm or something?
Aneres: Yes.
sighs I hate this time difference… I just got home from work.
I wish you were here……
TheRealEmily: blushes!! Really, you do?
Aneres: Yes, Emily. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I miss you.
TheRealEmily: I feel the same… ah, brb, the phone!
Aneres: :)
“Miranda Priestly’s office,” she answered, and she really didn’t listen much to what the person on the other end was saying, but somehow the autopilot managed to get the necessary information and she could get back to Serena.
It was difficult to chat during office hours, but her office hours were long, and there was no way Serena could chat at work, and she rarely could during her early mornings, when Emily finally was free for the night. Serena was a doctor, after all, she saved lives, couldn’t afford to lose too much sleep.
So Emily gladly risked being caught in the act and decapitated for it. She had to take the risk. Working at Runway was the best thing that had ever happened to her and she had always believed that she wouldn’t jeopardize it for anything in the world. But that was before she met Serena.
Emily smiled behind her desk and if anyone saw her they would probably think she was finally going mad. She didn’t care.
It was just so amazing. Serena had given her her email address and said she wanted to stay in touch, but Emily had not dared to believe that she truly meant it. She was going to get out of the hospital and out of Serena’s life - that was what she had believed. But Serena had written to her, and they began to chat. Emily found herself looking forward to a new message from ‘Aneres’ and they began to talk about more personal things, things they hadn’t had time for in Paris. Serena was so funny and smart and supportive and very often Emily found herself giggling in front of her computer very late at night, instead of going to bed.
That whole business with Andrea and Paris and all the crazy things that seemed to have happened there for Miranda, it was good to have somebody to talk to. And then…
Emily couldn’t even explain it to herself. She didn’t fall in love often. It rarely happened that anybody fell in love with her. Since she began working at Runway she hardly even had the time to feel lonely and think about looking for love.
But isn’t that what they say? ‘Love comes when you least expects it’ and all that? It appeared to be true, because it went against all rhyme and reason - they met in a hospital of all places! She was too nervous to admit it at first; was it not just attraction, a silly doctor crush that can happen to people in a hospital because they’re injured and their defences are weakened… But when she was back home again and they had begun chatting, Emily found herself falling in love and she knew it was more than a little crush. She began to try to think of a way to say it out straight to Serena, instead of just hoping and wondering and analyzing every word Serena wrote…
In the meantime, strange things seemed to go on behind the façade in the office. There were many reasons why Emily cursed the car that had hit her that first day in Paris, but because of her beautiful doctor, she was ready to forgive and almost thank that stupid driver. There was one detail in particular, though, that made her wish she had been with Miranda the whole time.
Miranda was acting kind of strange.
Miranda was always special, of course, and Emily had learned to live with her… eccentricities. It was normal that she wouldn’t tell Emily if something was up if Emily didn’t need to know; it was normal that she made unreasonable demands, and that she was impatient. It was not normal that she seemed to have her thoughts occupied with something that obviously had nothing to do with the magazine.
Emily would have assumed it had something to do with the twins, some kind of serious trouble they were in, perhaps fatal illness… but then there was that little detail with those random smiles Miranda didn’t even seem to be aware of.
As far as she knew, no one in the office had ever seen Miranda smile like that before. Add to that a certain jumpiness, something that suggested Miranda was nervous about something, but not exactly unhappy… Emily was flabbergasted.
Now, Miranda had even said thank you when Emily handed her the coat when she was on her way out. Wow, isn’t this surreal! Emily had to brace herself not to run out to the elevator and take a long look at her boss to see if she was having some kind of a breakdown. Miranda had said the words as if she didn’t notice, as if she was operating on autopilot, and apparently, Miranda’s autopilot was polite.
Emily shook her head and grabbed Nigel by the arm as he walked by. He nearly dropped a pile of photos but she ignored it.
“Hey,” she hissed, “is it just me, or is Miranda… you know, is she..?”
Nigel raised an eyebrow.
“Is she not quite like herself anymore?”, he suggested. “Yes, I have noticed… I don’t know why, though. I wonder what happened back there in Paris?”
“Don’t ask me. I was stuck in a bloody hospital from an hour after we arrived to about two hours before we left…”
“Emily, don’t tell me you’re still bitter over that?”
“Not really,” she admitted. “I’m going back there someday to see it for real. I… I met someone, you see.”
Nigel stared at her and looked like he was mulling something over.
“Good for you”, he finally said. “I wondered… you did seem a lot happier lately. I’ve seen you smile sometimes, you know.”
Emily blushed.
“Really? Well, I guess I’m just sort of in my own world sometimes. This is so new and also kind of scary, a long distance relationship and all…”
Emily blushed again. A long distance relationship. Was that really was it was, a relationship? Or was she overthinking it, hoping for too much too soon?
“Exactly”, Nigel said. “That’s normal behavior when you’re in love. Absentminded smiles… Remind you of someone you know?”
Emily’s jaw dropped for a second and she gasped when she got his point.
“No way! You’re not saying… that Miranda met someone, too?”
“I wouldn’t know”, Nigel said. “I wasn’t there and she’s not telling me things like this, you know, so my guess is as good as yours. But it’s a theory.
Emily and Nigel looked at one another and Emily thought they probably were thinking the same thing: Who is this mystery person who can make Miranda smile?
Fandom: The Devil Wears Prada
Rating | Genre: g | femslash, AU
Characters | Pairings: Andy, Miranda, Emily, Serena, Nigel | Andy/Miranda, Emily/Serena (maybe…), references to Andy/Nate
Summary: Andy lives with Nate in Paris, where she works as Jacqueline’s second assistant and life is good. Now, she suddenly finds herself falling head over heals for Miranda who is visiting and “borrowing” Andy because Emily is in the hospital, and things begin to change. In the meantime, Emily has discovered an unexpected love of flowers and crêpes, thanks to her doctor… But it is soon time for Emily and Miranda to go back to New York. Where will that leave Serena and Andy? The story alternates between Andy’s and Emily’s point of view.
Word count: 4 255
Spoilers | Warnings: No.
Notes: Very late fic for punky_96 and fandomaid’s Help Japan auction. I know it’s been more than six months since I began writing this story. I’m really sorry! I’ve been completely DWP-blocked! :( But I won’t bore anyone with excuses. Here are the previous chapters if you need to catch up or refresh your memory, if anyone still remembers this at all:
Chapter one: I Love Paris.
Chapter two: Champs Elysées
Notes 2: Here’s a French song to get you in the Paris mood: Paris tout va bien by Zoe Avril.
***
“Andrea.”
Andy didn’t have to look up to know that the only person who said her name like that was Miranda. But of course, that was not why she looked up - to know who was talking to her - no, she looked up because she didn’t want to be discrete anymore. This was Miranda’s last day in Paris, except for a few hours next morning. Paris Fashion Week was still months away; Andy weren’t going to see Miranda again until then. So she was looking at Miranda as much as she possibly could. She wanted to make sure that the visual impression was going to stay burnt into her brain for all the long months to come.
Miranda would have looked very serious - cold and haughty, even - if it weren’t for a shade of pink over her cheeks that looked a little too natural and too bright for makeup.
“Have dinner with me tonight,” Miranda commanded as soon as Andy met her gaze. “You pick the place. But the car is going to pick you up.”
‘The car’ was actually one of Jacqueline’s, but that didn’t seem to be a problem. Miranda didn’t give Andy the time to ask any questions before she walked away, and no time to decline of accept either, for that matter.
Not that Andy would have wanted to say no, not for anything in the world. It was just that it was Nate’s day off, and she had promised him… But he has to understand, Andy tried to convince herself, but to understand what? Her career? Or her heart?
Miranda wanted to talk about work, no doubt, but Andy still had a feeling that it was her heart that was at stake.
*
“It’s getting easier now, isn’t it?” said the nurse with an incredibly strong accent. “It doesn’t hurt as much as before now, does it? You can do this!”
“Bloody hell! Fuck!”
Emily was going to go on, there was more to say, but she lost her breath when she swayed and thought she was going to fall, but the nurse caught her and helped her to the bed. Emily let the damned crutches fall to the floor.
“How’s it going in here?”
Serena, just entering, sounded far too cheerful. Emily blushed - anger or embarrassment? - and clasped her hands, her fists were tight knots with sheets in them
“I can’t walk,” she announced.
“Oh, sure you can.” Serena was still behind her at the door - why was she always behind? “I know it’s difficult - thank you, nurse, I’ll take over from here - but it is not impossible.”
Serena walked around the bed, picked up the crutches from the floor and gave Emily a small smile.
“Come on, won’t you try one more time? I’ll catch you if you fall, but I don’t think you are going to.”
No, Emily did not want to fall. And she did not want to do any less than what Serena thought she was able to. She accepted the crutches and stood, carefully.
Emily walked around the room as the doctor was standing in the middle of it, all the time keeping her eyes on her patient. Emily did not fall; she was careful, but she was also shaking from the effort.
“Come, that’s enough for now. Rest a little. You did well, Emily.”
Emily went back to the bed and sat down, and her beautiful doctor sat down in a chair at her side.
“But I can’t,” Emily said. “I can’t walk away from here.”
From you! We haven’t even gotten to know each other yet.
Serena nodded quietly. Then she shook her head.
“But you have to. It wouldn’t be right, it would be wrong of me to try to keep you here when there’s no reason. No reason, except…”
Serena blushed and bit down on her bottom lip. Emily wanted to kiss her and she wanted to cheer and cry at the same time.
“Of course, I know that. But…”
A nurse came in and said something to Serena. Emily didn’t know what exactly, but she didn’t need to understand French to realize that there was some kind of crisis somewhere that needed the doctor’s immediate attention.
“Sorry”, Serena said, “gotta go…”
She was out of the door before Emily had time to say anything, and she could only hope that Serena would have time to see her again before she went home.
Emily sighed and tried to hold back the tears that were building up inside of her. She didn’t want to cry, she wouldn’t. As a distraction, she managed to put herself in the wheelchair by herself - thankfully it wasn’t that hard; Miranda would complain if she were a complete invalid during the journey home - and she rolled across the room to the window.
Emily looked at Paris from above.
***
As soon as they had ordered their food and had their drinks at the table, Miranda began telling Andy what she wanted from her. Straight to the point, no small talk. Of course, Andy hadn’t expected any less of Miranda.
“I want you to come and work for me in New York.”
Andy’s eyes went wide. She didn’t know what she had expected, but this seemed too big to be true.
Except that she quickly realized that she should have known already.
“You have already talked about this with Jacqueline,” she said.
The conversation - the argument she had overheard - she had been right, it was about her. But it didn’t make any sense. Why did Miranda want this?
“Why did you talk to her? You should have asked me first!”
Miranda seemed surprised, as if she had expected another answer.
“Well, I don’t normally care what people think about my decisions, but I have no reason to want to stab poor Jacqueline in the back. You are a valuable employee and I simply wanted to warn her that she is not going to keep you for long.”
“But…” Andy was lost for words. She knew Miranda was sure of herself, but this… “I haven’t even accepted yet. I can’t go to New York just like that; I have a life here, I…”
Andy stopped talking. Why was she talking like that? She wanted to be with Miranda, no doubt about it… but she couldn’t help feeling that she was part of a game she didn’t understand.
“Andrea,” Miranda said with a strain to her voice as if she was trying not to lose her patience, “it is your career I am talking about. Yes, of course Paris is wonderful. And yes, French Runway is good. But my Runway is better, and New York is the place where everybody wants to be. You must know that.”
Well, Andy wasn’t so sure. According to her, Paris had its own charm, even if Miranda’s magazine was slightly better and more important than Jacqueline’s.
“I have a boyfriend here.” Andy wasn’t sure why she brought up Nate. Part of her wanted nothing more than to shout ‘yes!’ and accept Miranda’s offer - what would it be like to work with her every day, to see her every day and know that she wasn’t going anywhere? - but something about it felt wrong. Miranda asked her for the wrong reason.
Or rather, Andy’s reason for wanting to accept was the wrong one.
“A boyfriend?” Miranda raised her eyebrow in a way that definitely made her opinion clear. “Andrea, like I said, I am talking about your career. I see a lot of potential in you.”
Andy knew enough about Miranda to realize that she should be flattered, grateful even. The job Miranda offered her was one a million girls would kill for, she knew that. Normally, Miranda wouldn’t have to ask and argue, normally it would be the other way around.
Miranda was quiet, and so was Andy. Time seemed to be standing still, but if Miranda was impatient, she hid it well. She sipped her white wine calmly, and their food arrived - both of them had skipped starters and went directly for the main course.
Andy thought about what her time with the American queen of fashion had been like. Miranda wasn’t a woman who smiled, made jokes or small talk. She rolled her eyes, glared, sniffed, and made sharp comments. Rumour had it she could make grown men cry. She was admired but feared.
But Andy had caught her smiling. They had even had a few not work-related conversations, albeit brief ones. Andy knew she wasn’t crazy; she had seen laughter in Miranda’s eyes.
“I like you,” she blurted out. She blushed and was surprised when Miranda’s face was as calm as ever.
“I know,” the older woman replied. “It is obvious that you are not afraid of me. Most people are, and if they’re not, they are stupid. You are obviously not stupid, and you are not disrespectful, you are… well, you know what I mean.”
Miranda looked Andy in the eyes in a way that told her that being liked was highly unusual but not a bad thing. Miranda did not disapprove. But how could she not?
“Miranda, I don’t know if I have made myself clear…”
“Yes,” Miranda interrupted. “I understand. I have seen the work you do. I want you to keep doing it for me. It is as simple as that.”
Miranda’s determined gaze was intense, and terribly confusing. She looked away after a long moment and turned her attention to her food, as if their discussion made perfect sense and there was nothing more to say.
“I…” Andy gulped and unlike Miranda she wasn’t at all hungry. “I’ve always wanted to be a journalist. But I actually like the work I’m doing here. I like doing it for you, too. But I have never seen it as something permanent…”
“Oh.” Miranda shook her head dismissively. “None of my assistants stay with me forever. Usually I fire them. But you… I could open many doors for you in the future.”
Andy stabbed a piece of meat on her plate. Why was Miranda so impossible, refusing to see her point?
“Actually, I do want to work for you. I can understand all your reasons, and it’s not like I’m indifferent or ungrateful, but like I said: I like you. As much as I would like to say the opposite, I just can’t work for a person I like.”
Miranda chewed and swallowed before she replied, but this time she averted her eyes for a moment as if to hide something.
“Andrea, you are not making any sense. Are you saying that you prefer to dislike your boss? That is very strange, especially since you strike me as a person who actually does a better job if you… are content with things. Is liking someone not a good thing? I thought it was but… I’m hardly an expert.”
“I don’t mean ‘like’ like. I mean that I like you.”
Oh my god, Andy thought, how much more embarrassing can this get?
Miranda rolled her eyes and sighed.
“You sound like my children. Stop being so ridiculous about this. Has it never occurred to you that I might like that you like me because I like you too?”
Andy had hardly even touched her wine but she felt dizzy. And she felt, too, that something warm was building up in her heart, trying to burst it, and it was finding its way up to her eyes, and if she wasn’t careful, they would spill over. Was it possible that this magnificent woman actually liked her?
“But…” she stammered. “But that just proves my point…”
Well, sort of. Andy’s point had been that it would, in the long run, be torture to work for a person she had unrequited feeling for. It would be wonderful, but it would hurt too much. Now, on the other hand, if the feelings were mutual…
“No,” she said, “you are the one who is not making any sense. If we have feelings for each other” - it felt almost too amazingly strange because it had happened so quickly - “then you wouldn’t offer me a job but ask me out instead. How can we work together if we want to be together?”
“But…” Now it was Miranda’s turn to look like she was lost for words. She also looked like she wasn’t used to anyone talking back to her.
“I don’t see the problem,” Miranda said, finally. “You like me, I like you - it is highly unusual, but we work well together and that’s what matters. This is extremely strange for me… Andrea, I am not used to opening up like this…”
Yes, of course it must be pretty hard for an ice queen like her to even try to open up. Miranda’s voice died away, and Andy felt a wave of affection for the other woman. That, too, was extremely strange and nothing she would have expected a week ago, but now she decided to just roll with it, come what may…
“Miranda, I understand. And we barely know each other yet. I’m not saying that we should rush into anything…”
“Well, no, I suppose it’s fair to Jacqueline to give her two weeks… although that kind of generosity is also highly unusual…”
“Wait…” Andy stared at the older woman, now visibly flustered, although passersby probably wouldn’t notice because they did not know her well enough…
Wait, Andy said to herself, am I saying that I know her?
“Are you still talking about work?”
Miranda stared at her.
“Of course. Andrea, what do you think this whole conversation is about?”
Andrea sank back in her chair, exasperated.
“I don’t know. I have no idea. Maybe about us confessing our feelings for each other? Or at least that’s what I am trying to do.”
Miranda dropped her fork and knife and her gaze softened, just a little.
“Andrea, don’t get me wrong. I understand what you are saying. And as strange as it is, it makes me very… happy… to know that you harbour such feelings for me. I have feelings for you, too, and I am glad that we’ve… confessed. But I am not a romantic. I am not the relationship type.”
“I’m willing to drop everything, to leave my boyfriend for you…”
Miranda nodded, looking down.
“Yes, and that only after such a short amount of time. I can understand that for most people, that’s a very big thing to ask. But I can only tell you how I feel…”
Andy waited for something more. When it didn’t come, she said:
“Okay. I understand. I mean, for now, that’s good enough for me. And I’m glad. I’m glad that you didn’t leave Paris without letting me tell you how I feel.”
“Well”, Miranda said. “So, let’s just enjoy our food now, then. And when we’re done here, maybe we can… take a walk?”
“Sure!” Andy smiled. “Paris is beautiful at night.”
***
“Thank you for dinner and everything”, Andy said. “I’ve got to say, this has been the strangest dinner meeting slash date ever…”
“Is that so?” Miranda looked thoughtfully at her. Exactly what she was thinking, Andy wouldn’t know.
“I mean strange in an entirely good way, obviously.”
“Obviously”, Miranda echoed. After a moment, she added: “And we need to talk more, of course. We’ll keep in touch via email.”
“Yes”, Andy nodded. “And chat, of course. Makes it easier to have something of a real conversation.”
“Well”, Miranda said, “we’ll see.”
She looked strangely… surprised, Andy thought. As if everything except ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers were making her uncomfortable, even when she spoke for herself. Then again, Andy supposed the situation was unprecedented for both of them.
“Anyway”, Miranda said, “I’ll see you in, I suppose, about two weeks.”
Andy stared at her.
“No”, she said. “Haven’t you been listening? There’s no way I’m leaving that soon. I need to think this over, not to mention all the necessary arrangements…”
“I do not like to postpone things when there’s no need for it”, Miranda said.
“I know, and neither do I. So believe me when I say that I really do need more time. Besides, I think I’ll need a new passport, I think it’s about to expire soon.”
“You’re not serious.”
Miranda looked at her in a way that made Andy feel she was reconsidering her plan to make Andy her assistant/girlfriend, or girlfriend/assistant, or whatever she was thinking.
“Yeah…” Andy shrugged. “I was going to fix it. But it’s not like I’ve been planning on going somewhere anytime soon.”
Miranda pursed her lips. She looked like she was mulling something over. Then her expression softened, and Andt would have given anything to know what she was thinking. Miranda sighed, as if she finally reached a decision and something heavy fell off her shoulders.
“Al right”, she said. “Let’s have it your way. The final decisions are up to you. And we’ll talk about it later. That’s… fine. I’m looking forward to it.”
Andy smiled. It really wasn’t like a normal date at all; all the emotions were conflicted and they talked about very big decisions, but on the whole, it still gave her a giddy feeling in her gut and… she was happy.
“So”, she said, “a kiss before we say goodnight?”
That wasn’t out of the place, was it? But Miranda nodded.
Andy brought her face closer, slowly. Miranda’s lips were just as warm and soft as she had imagined, and more welcoming than she had dared to believe.
When Andy broke the kiss, Miranda leaned in for another one, and she deepened the kiss. Right then, Andy didn’t doubt anything anymore.
Then they looked at each other. Andy waited for Miranda to say something; she was almost prepared for the standard ‘that’s all’, but Miranda simply said:
“Goodnight, Andrea.”
***
Emily blushed and let out a shaky breath. Her fingers trembled and she looked toward the glass doors. No sign of her colleague yet, and she knew that Roy was going to warn her if Miranda was on her way.
She turned her attention back to the little chatbox in the corner of her computer screen:
TheRealEmily: I happen to be alone in the office right now, but fyi, it will probably not last…
Aneres: Oh, I forgot, you’re at work! blushes I’m sorry…
TheRealEmily: No, it’s okay!
Miranda’s been acting so weird lately anyway, she’ll probably not even notice, she seems to be completely lost in thoughts these days…
What time is it over there, 10 pm or something?
Aneres: Yes.
sighs I hate this time difference… I just got home from work.
I wish you were here……
TheRealEmily: blushes!! Really, you do?
Aneres: Yes, Emily. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I miss you.
TheRealEmily: I feel the same… ah, brb, the phone!
Aneres: :)
“Miranda Priestly’s office,” she answered, and she really didn’t listen much to what the person on the other end was saying, but somehow the autopilot managed to get the necessary information and she could get back to Serena.
It was difficult to chat during office hours, but her office hours were long, and there was no way Serena could chat at work, and she rarely could during her early mornings, when Emily finally was free for the night. Serena was a doctor, after all, she saved lives, couldn’t afford to lose too much sleep.
So Emily gladly risked being caught in the act and decapitated for it. She had to take the risk. Working at Runway was the best thing that had ever happened to her and she had always believed that she wouldn’t jeopardize it for anything in the world. But that was before she met Serena.
Emily smiled behind her desk and if anyone saw her they would probably think she was finally going mad. She didn’t care.
It was just so amazing. Serena had given her her email address and said she wanted to stay in touch, but Emily had not dared to believe that she truly meant it. She was going to get out of the hospital and out of Serena’s life - that was what she had believed. But Serena had written to her, and they began to chat. Emily found herself looking forward to a new message from ‘Aneres’ and they began to talk about more personal things, things they hadn’t had time for in Paris. Serena was so funny and smart and supportive and very often Emily found herself giggling in front of her computer very late at night, instead of going to bed.
That whole business with Andrea and Paris and all the crazy things that seemed to have happened there for Miranda, it was good to have somebody to talk to. And then…
Emily couldn’t even explain it to herself. She didn’t fall in love often. It rarely happened that anybody fell in love with her. Since she began working at Runway she hardly even had the time to feel lonely and think about looking for love.
But isn’t that what they say? ‘Love comes when you least expects it’ and all that? It appeared to be true, because it went against all rhyme and reason - they met in a hospital of all places! She was too nervous to admit it at first; was it not just attraction, a silly doctor crush that can happen to people in a hospital because they’re injured and their defences are weakened… But when she was back home again and they had begun chatting, Emily found herself falling in love and she knew it was more than a little crush. She began to try to think of a way to say it out straight to Serena, instead of just hoping and wondering and analyzing every word Serena wrote…
In the meantime, strange things seemed to go on behind the façade in the office. There were many reasons why Emily cursed the car that had hit her that first day in Paris, but because of her beautiful doctor, she was ready to forgive and almost thank that stupid driver. There was one detail in particular, though, that made her wish she had been with Miranda the whole time.
Miranda was acting kind of strange.
Miranda was always special, of course, and Emily had learned to live with her… eccentricities. It was normal that she wouldn’t tell Emily if something was up if Emily didn’t need to know; it was normal that she made unreasonable demands, and that she was impatient. It was not normal that she seemed to have her thoughts occupied with something that obviously had nothing to do with the magazine.
Emily would have assumed it had something to do with the twins, some kind of serious trouble they were in, perhaps fatal illness… but then there was that little detail with those random smiles Miranda didn’t even seem to be aware of.
As far as she knew, no one in the office had ever seen Miranda smile like that before. Add to that a certain jumpiness, something that suggested Miranda was nervous about something, but not exactly unhappy… Emily was flabbergasted.
Now, Miranda had even said thank you when Emily handed her the coat when she was on her way out. Wow, isn’t this surreal! Emily had to brace herself not to run out to the elevator and take a long look at her boss to see if she was having some kind of a breakdown. Miranda had said the words as if she didn’t notice, as if she was operating on autopilot, and apparently, Miranda’s autopilot was polite.
Emily shook her head and grabbed Nigel by the arm as he walked by. He nearly dropped a pile of photos but she ignored it.
“Hey,” she hissed, “is it just me, or is Miranda… you know, is she..?”
Nigel raised an eyebrow.
“Is she not quite like herself anymore?”, he suggested. “Yes, I have noticed… I don’t know why, though. I wonder what happened back there in Paris?”
“Don’t ask me. I was stuck in a bloody hospital from an hour after we arrived to about two hours before we left…”
“Emily, don’t tell me you’re still bitter over that?”
“Not really,” she admitted. “I’m going back there someday to see it for real. I… I met someone, you see.”
Nigel stared at her and looked like he was mulling something over.
“Good for you”, he finally said. “I wondered… you did seem a lot happier lately. I’ve seen you smile sometimes, you know.”
Emily blushed.
“Really? Well, I guess I’m just sort of in my own world sometimes. This is so new and also kind of scary, a long distance relationship and all…”
Emily blushed again. A long distance relationship. Was that really was it was, a relationship? Or was she overthinking it, hoping for too much too soon?
“Exactly”, Nigel said. “That’s normal behavior when you’re in love. Absentminded smiles… Remind you of someone you know?”
Emily’s jaw dropped for a second and she gasped when she got his point.
“No way! You’re not saying… that Miranda met someone, too?”
“I wouldn’t know”, Nigel said. “I wasn’t there and she’s not telling me things like this, you know, so my guess is as good as yours. But it’s a theory.
Emily and Nigel looked at one another and Emily thought they probably were thinking the same thing: Who is this mystery person who can make Miranda smile?