The Happiest Place on Earth, Chapter 23
The following is a story that I have been tinkering with for a year and a half. I have gone back and forth on parts of it. It starts off on a rather heavy note, but lightens up to match the title. I can only “hope” it works for you all.
Pairing: Miranda / Andrea - ‘cause I just can’t seem to care about any others.
Caroline and Cassidy are with us on this one.
Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own anything… really. As I have mentioned before, all I own in this world is a 2003 Toyota Corolla- although it is an LE. Nothing to get out of me if you sue… so don’t. Please, allow us poor folk some fun. We aren’t hurting anyone.
Rating: Have to go with NC-17 Sorry all you “innocents”, J don’t want to harm your virtue or anything. Rated due to SEX and adult only themes.
Which leads to the WARNINGS: I apologize, sincerely if this should offend anyone, but for some odd reason I was motivated, moved, +/or hypnotically commanded to write about a rape. It is not overly explicit, however it does occur. If you are not up to this, for any reason, I am sorry. Rewriting it just wouldn’t work. Again, sorry. I will alert w/ each chapter necessary w/o giving everything away.
Chapter 23: Phone home.
Rating: PG-ish / K-ish
The Happiest Place on Earth
Chapter 23
Andy chose the study as her communications base. She could most easily feel Miranda’s presence emanating from the warm colors, the orderly desk, the family pictures, and the comfortable couch they shared on numerous occasions. As the phone rang in Cincinnati , Andy felt her heart rate increase. By the third ring, she thought she was going to throw up.
“Hello?”
“Hey mom,” Andy’s voice was a little screechy .
“Hi honey. What’s going on?”
“Nothing much. I, uh, I wanted to give you guys a heads up on a couple things.”
“Should your father pick up the other line?”
“Um, yeah. That’d be good.”
Within a count to twenty her father picked up.
“Hi Andy. What’s the news?”
“Um, well… There have been a few changes going on in my life. Um, some things that are kind of surprising at first, although Lily wasn’t surprised.”
“Honey,” her mom’s voice cut in. “Try to focus.”
“Oh. Right. Ok. So I’ve moved to a new place. And I’m in a new relationship. In fact, the relationship is why I moved. It obviously made sense to move into the more established home.”
“Andy, you’re being too evasive. What’s the problem with this?”
“Well, this relationship sort of confirms that I’m not exactly… um… straight.”
“I’m sorry, what?” her dad asked.
“Apparently I’m bisexual.”
“Well. Um, that is news.” her mom put in. “Is this a first time experience for you?”
“Yeah. Pretty much. But it is easily the most…, the truest, the…”
“We get the idea. Honey, it’s ok. We aren’t going to condemn you. We just want you to be true to yourself and happy.”
“Thanks dad.”
“But Andy, I think there’s more to this.” Andy’s mom could always ferret out the truth where Andy was concerned.
“Um, yeah, there is. Now , mom, promise to keep a level head.”
“Andy…”
“No, really mom. Promise you won’t fly off the handle.”
“I promise to bite my tongue until I have had time to process whatever you tell me.”
“Thanks. Ok. Um, Remember the trip to Florida?”
“You met someone in Florida?”
“Mom, hang on. I didn’t meet her in Florida. I went with her to Florida.”
“But Andy, I thought you said you went there with Miranda and her children.”
“Yeah, I did. Congratulations, you’re grandparents.”
“Andy, what are you saying?” Her father’s voice dropped to his angry baritone.
“I’m with Miranda. We’ve been together since the vacation.”
“Andy, are you insane?”
“Dad..”
“No, Andy. Miranda Priestly? Your boss?”
“She’s not really my boss anymore.”
“Just because there are a few layers between your positions now, does not make her any less your boss. Jesus, Andy, I thought we raised you with more ethics than this.”
“Ethics? That’s what you’re concerned with?”
“That is just one item for discussion. Obviously, the elephant in the room is Miranda Priestly. I mean, Andy… your history with this woman. I have concerns. Did she pressure you?”
“What?! No she didn’t pressure me. Mom, tell him…”
“Andy, I am still biting my tongue. Leave me out of this for now, please.”
Andy could tell her mother was speaking through clenched teeth. This was not going well.
“Ok. Look. I am not going to have you attack either of us. You need to have a little faith in me. I am not delusional. I am not suffering PTSD from the rape. I am not under anyone’s influence. And I am not drugged. I am completely sober and sane. I am in love with Miranda and she loves me. We are two consenting adults who have decided to enter a permanent relationship. We are equal partners in our home and our family. No one is controlling anyone here. We are a family. If that is too hard for you to understand and accept, then we have nothing more to say.”
“Whoa, hold on a minute, Andy. Don’t make rash decisions. Do you really want to cut ties with us over this?”
“I don’t want to cut ties at all. But there won’t be much for us to say to each other if you can’t accept my life. And this is my life. Everything else comes after my family.”
“I thought we were your family.”
“You are family, dad. And I really want you to be a part of my life. But you’re going to have to figure out a way to come to terms with my relationship. Otherwise, all we’ll ever have is strained phone conversations.”
“Ok, I think I’m ready to say something now.” Andy’s mom spoke up. “I think we need to take some time with this, Andy. I think we should hang up for now and talk again in a couple of days. Your dad and I need to process. Honey, you’ve been living this and you’re much further along than we are. We just need some time to catch up.”
“That sounds like a good idea, Joanna. Andy? Is that all right with you?”
“Yeah, dad. Mom, that sounds like a good plan. Just… don’t leave me hanging too long, ok?”
“Of course not, honey. We’ll call you Tuesday night.”
“Ok. Oh, before you go. The reason I called today, specifically, is that we were caught on camera today.” A sharp intake of breath warned Andy of a coming outburst. “No, no, nothing bad. It was just the family out having ice cream. But with the gossip rags the way they are, well, expect the worse.”
“All right, Andy. Thank you for the warning.“ Her mom’s voice sounded thin and tense. “We’ll call Tuesday.”
“Ok. Bye.”
“Bye honey. We love you.”
“Love you too.”
Andy hung up feeling like she had been hit by a bus. She curled into the corner of the couch and tried to analyze the conversation. She opened her eyes when she felt her feet being lifted from the cushion. Miranda sat and pulled Andy’s feet onto her lap. She began to massage Andy’s legs while she waited for the run down.
“It could have been worse.” Andy offered glibly.
“Was it really that bad?” Miranda asked, concern lowering her voice.
“It wasn’t that good. Not a total freak out, but not exactly jumping for joy with open arms of acceptance.”
“And the problem was…?”
“They were ok with the general idea, just not the specifics.”
“Ah. So it was me.”
“But that’s their problem, not mine.”
“They have never met me. Therefore, the problem arises from what information they received from you and, I presume, the fact that you work for me.”
“Wow, you’re good at this. Maybe you should have been a detective.”
Miranda dug her fingers into flesh, extracting a squeal. “I believe it is you who wanted to be an investigative journalist.”
“Until I discovered the error of my ways.”
Miranda pushed Andy’s feet to the floor and stood. Leaning over Andy she asked, “Are you at all interested in dinner?”
“I think I could eat.”
A soft smile and a warm kiss were her rewards for a good answer. “Come along then. The girls are ‘starving’, or so they say.”