FIC: A Few of My Favorite Things
Title: A Few of My Favorite Things
Rating: G
Pairing: Miranda/Andy
Giftee: capegrl
Summary: Three years after No Matter the Miles
Disclaimer: haha...please. If I owned them, they'd so do it every chance they got.
A/N: That's right, you read correctly. This ficlet flashes forward three years after "No Matter." No worries, this doesn't mean I won't finish the fic or that from now on it will be written from the future. This is simply a glimpse without actually giving anything away. If you haven't read the fic, you might be a little lost. Special thanks goes to my beta, Karen for getting this back to me so quickly. This was written for capegrl, who wasn't my giftee for the exchange, but is a very important friend to me. I hope you enjoy it, dear. I hope the rest of you enjoy it as well. Comments are love!
Chuck Sachs sprung awake, her hazel eyes bright as she looked over at the clock. It read 7:45 am. Sighing, Chuck lay back down. Randa had said no one was to be out of bed before 8:30. Which totally wasn’t fair. She’d sent her list to Santa early and left out special cookies and chocolate milk. She’d even left carrots and celery for the reindeer. She was certain he’d gotten her everything she asked for. She’d been good all year and was doing well in all of her classes. She’d cleaned her room and didn’t fight with her sisters too much. So she was sure the Jolly One would hold up to his end of the deal.
Looking over at the clock, she saw that it now read 8:02 am. This was gonna take for-ever. “Maybe I can just peek,” she whispered to Patricia, who lay next to her on the bed. The Saint Bernard lifted her head and whimpered before covering her eyes. Chuck rolled her eyes. Randa wouldn’t get that mad. She’d just say “Andrea, she gets her impatience from you.” And her mummy would smile and say that impatience was a Priestly trait and everyone would laugh, except Randa, who’d just pretend she was mad.
Throwing the covers back, Chuck sat her stuffed dragon, Randa, to the side and hopped out of the bed. She paused to slip on her new Christmas red Ugg slippers, an early present from Mummy, and walked to the door. “Come on, Patricia,” she whispered loudly. The dog whined before jumping off of the bed and standing next to the girl. Petting the dog’s head gently, Chuck grabbed hold of Patricia’s collar and gave it a little tug.
The two walked quietly down the hall, passing Cassidy’s room and then Caroline’s. They walked past Randa and Mummy’s room and stopped at the last door. She opened it slowly and walked inside. Patricia stuck by her side and the two peered over the side of the little bed. The sleeping girl breathed evenly, her jet-black hair plastered to her cheek and forehead. Chuck reached over and pushed the hair back from her sleeping face, stroking her cheek lovingly like she’d seen her mummy do a million times over the past eight months. She pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s warm cheek before moving to whisper in her ear.
“Wake up, Claudia. Wake up,” Chuck whispered, shaking the smaller girl gently. “It’s time to see if Santa came.”
Dark eyes opened slowly and her little sister looked up at her in confusion. “Chuck!” She said loudly.
Chuck smiled brightly. Claudia had finally learned how to say her name last month. “Yeah, come on. Let’s go see what Santa got us.” She reached over and awkwardly lifted the toddler from her bed before grabbing her hand. Claudia still wasn’t completely awake or steady on her feet, but she ambled behind Chuck as best she could.
They made their way slowly down the stairs and in through the kitchen into the family room. Chuck squealed loudly in delight, forgetting that she wasn’t supposed to be awake and certainly wasn’t supposed to be yelling. Claudia looked momentarily frightened, but Chuck smiled brightly, clapping her hands. Soon the toddler joined in and the older girl led her over to their toys. Mummy had explained to her that while Claudia was still in China waiting for Mummy and Randa to find her, she hadn’t learned about Santa Claus. So this year was special. Chuck had had a lot of fun helping Mummy tell Claudia all about him while they made their special cookies. She thought he’d think she’d done a good job. And she was right. Santa had gotten her everything on her list and even a few things she hadn’t put, but still wanted. He’d gotten Claudia a lot of toys too and Chuck helped her onto her shiny pink tricycle. She tried to help her pedal, but there were too many presents in the way for her to get very far.
Knowing she’d have to wait until everyone was up before she could open her presents, Chuck handed Claudia one of her new dolls and turned to Patricia. “You stay here and watch Claudia. I’m gonna go wake everyone up,” she said in the serious tone she’d heard Randa use many times before. The dog whimpered, offering Chuck a slobbery kiss before going over to the toddler and plopping down.
Chuck took off up the stairs, yelling as soon as she reached the hallway. “Wake up, everybody! Santa Claus came! Hurry! Hurry!” She knocked on the doors, throwing her sisters’ open before taking off down the so they couldn’t yell at her. She paused when she got to her mothers’ door. There was no white Hermes scarf on the knob; still she knocked softly as she opened the door. Seeing that Randa and her mother were still sleeping, she climbed up in between them. She shook them both, careful of her mummy’s stomach. “Wake up, Santa came. Wake up, Mummy. Wake up, Randa.” Miranda sat up quickly, looking over at her mummy then the clock. Chuck looked too. It said 8:25 am. She smiled shyly at her stepmother.
“It is quite all right, Charlotte. Usually, promptness is something I admire in people. Usually…” She smiled at the girl, smoothing her hair. “Now, go on. I will be there momentarily.”
Chuck leaned forward, giving Randa a kiss on the cheek before she scrambled off of the bed and back out into the hallway.
Miranda groaned softly as she stretched. She gazed enviously over at her sleeping wife. Andrea hadn’t even moved. She ran a tired hand through her white locks. Well, four hours of sleep wasn’t bad. She’d survived on less than that on a good night spent editing the Book. Still the idea of chasing very energetic eight and two and a half year olds made her want to pull the covers over her head. What a fool she’d been. Seven years ago, she’d excitedly thought that her nights spent playing Santa Claus were long gone. Then Charlotte and Andrea had come bursting into her life nearly four years ago and changed her life dramatically.
Last night she’d remembered exactly why she’d had most of the things for the twins delivered assembled from the store. Andrea had insisted they do it all themselves. And though her intentions had been good, her dear sweet wife had lasted all of three hours after they’d put the girls to bed before curling up on the couch and falling asleep. The twins had stayed up to help as well, but soon Caroline followed suit, cuddling against Andrea as she slumbered in a way that reminded Miranda of the gangly fifteen-year-old she’d been the first time she’d done that. Cassidy made it up to the last hour, but Miranda sent her to bed when she noticed the poor girl trying, in vain, to stay awake as she assembled Claudia’s tricycle.
“Miranda,” Andrea mumbled, coming awake when she reached over for her wife and came up empty.
“Shh, darling, go back to sleep. You need your rest.” She placed a soft kiss on full lips.
“I thought I heard Chuck,” Andrea mumbled sleepily.
The editor smiled warmly. “You did. Apparently she found her gifts from Santa had been delivered.”
“What time is it?” The brunette asked, waking up a little more.
“It’s still early, my love. She has your patience, you know?”
“No way, that’s a Priestly trait,” Andrea quipped back already drifting back to sleep. Miranda placed a kiss on her cheek and then one on her round belly before standing from the bed. “Sleep well, my Andrea.”
She closed the door quietly behind her, making her way down the hall to the stairs. She prayed one of the girls would have the foresight to make her some coffee. She was in desperate need of it. Cassidy handed her a steaming mug as soon as she walked into the kitchen, taking a healthy drink of her own. Miranda smiled gratefully, pulling her oldest daughter into a hug and kissing her temple. Her three other children sat on the floor in the family room. Claudia ran over to her, throwing her tiny arms around Miranda’s legs.
“Mama,” she said, burying her face and Miranda felt tears burn the back of her eyes.
They’d come a long way in the last eight months. Hell in the last two years. What with Andrea having trouble conceiving again and being put on the waiting list for adoption, even being Miranda Priestly hadn’t been able to fix it. Then Andrea had finally gotten pregnant and three weeks later they’d gotten the call about a two-year-old girl in China who was in desperate need of a family and their family had gone from five to nearly seven in the matter of a few months. Getting Claudia home had taken longer than they’d expected and she’d needed extensive surgery when she arrived in New York. Miranda closed her eyes as images of her little girl with tubes going in and out of her body came back to her, their force surprising her with emotion. Claudia had overcome her medical issues and was well on her way to getting past her attachment issues. Something for which they were all extremely grateful.
“Randa, where’s Mummy?” Chuck asked, nearly bubbling over with excitement.
Miranda smiled, setting her coffee down when she sat and pulling Claudia into her lap. Sometimes Chuck reminded her so much of Andrea. “She is still sleeping. She had a late night and needs her rest. But I am sure she won’t mind if we open a few presents now.” And that was all it took. Chuck and the twins took to their usual contest of seeing who could open the presents the fastest, while Claudia cheered them on, snuggling against her mother. It didn’t take long for the floor to be covered with pieces of various printed wrapping paper.
“I see you guys decided to start without me,” Andrea said dryly as she sat down awkwardly next to her wife on the loveseat. She winced as she settled and Miranda frowned.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, my love. My back’s just achy and I have a little Braxton Hicks going on. Nothing to worry about. I had them the entire ninth month I carried Chuck.” She placed a lingering kiss on the older woman’s lips before placing a sweet one on Claudia’s forehead.
“Mommy!” Claudia said, happily scrambling over to sit on Andrea’s lap as best she could around the brunette’s pregnant stomach.
“Good morning, my sweet girl, are you watching everyone open presents?” Andrea cooed, snuggling in next to Miranda as she watched their older girls tear into their gifts. Soon Claudia lost interest in only being a spectator and climbed down, running over to join in the fun.
When all of the brand new iPods, iTouches, cellphones, laptops, clothes, video games and toys had been opened, the girls showed their parents what they’d gotten for the baby. The baby would certainly not be without a thing. They’d gone above and beyond with silver rattles and designer accessories, mobiles and strollers, they’d even gotten diapers and bottles. Then they handed their parents their presents. Andrea had insisted that this year she wanted the girls to make her presents. Caroline’s smile was uncharacteristically shy when she hand Andrea her painting. The girl had been secretive for the last two months about her project, even going as far as lock her door whenever she left the house. Miranda heard her wife’s breath catch as she took the whole painting in.
Tears slipped from honey colored eyes. “Oh Caroline, it’s beautiful. How did you ever find this picture?” She whispered.
“Grammy Sachs sent it to me,” Caroline explained, trying to sound nonchalant, but Miranda knew otherwise. The girl was flushed to the tips of her ears.
Miranda looked at the painting again. It was striking. Caroline had managed to recreate the picture of Andrea as a small child, sitting with her favorite grandmother. Elizabeth Sachs had passed away shortly after their wedding and it had been very hard on her.
“Caroline, thank you so much. I’m going to hang this in my office when we get home. Come here and hug me. You know how hard it is for me to get up,” she joked through her tears.
Caroline chuckled, moving to hug and kiss Andrea. “Merry Christmas, Andy. I’m glad you liked it.”
Cassidy sat on the arm of the loveseat, an envelope in hand. “Well, I knew that whatever Caroline was cooking up, I’d have no hopes of beating. After all she is the artist and well, I’ll always get credit for my genius of bringing you two together, I figured I would let her have this one.” The comment garnered her a chuckle from her parents and an elbow in the side from her twin. “But I figured this would at least make you smile.” She handed the envelope to her stepmother, watching her face intently.
Miranda peered over her shoulder, but since she wasn’t wearing her glasses, she couldn’t really decipher the small print. Claudia climbed back into her lap, hugging her neck as they looked on.
“This is from Northwestern,” Andy said slowly, pulling the letter out. She scanned the contents, a huge grin slowly spreading across her mouth. “This says you got accepted to early admissions and they want to offer you…a full scholarship! Cassidy! I didn’t even know you were applying.”
Cassidy grinned smoothly. “Merry Christmas…”
She yelped as Andy pulled her down, embracing her tightly. “You little brat! How could you not tell me?”
“Well, I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, I wanted actually make it in. They really liked my essay on the ‘new blended nuclear family.’ I’ll have to let you read it sometime.”
“Later on today. I know you have your laptop on you. I expect you to have it ready for me after dinner.” Andrea smiled, shifting to get comfortable.
Charlotte handed Andrea the bear Caroline had helped her build for her. It was dressed in a school uniform. “This is from me and Claudia.”
“Well thank you both, my beautiful girls.” Andrea held out her arms and embraced her two youngest children.
The girls hadn’t stopped at their homemade gifts, having spent an extravagant amount on both of their mothers. There were movies and box sets of some of Andrea’s favorite television shows, jewelry and gift certificates to the spa. They claimed Andrea was a lot easier to shop for than Miranda because she always just got what she wanted when she wanted it, never giving them a chance to surprise her. Miranda assured them they’d never given her a present she didn’t like, and she quite enjoyed the mother/daughters sculptures they’d had made for her. She knew exactly where she’d put it in her office at Runway.
Miranda rose from the couch, moving over to the tree. She bent down and retrieved a tiny box. She sat beside her wife, pulling their youngest daughter into her lap and Charlotte to sit between them. She smiled over at Caroline then Cassidy before turning back to Andrea. “Almost four years ago, you were dragged back into my life by a willful teenager that thought she knew better than I what was good for me. And I’m happy to be able to say that just that once, she was right.”
Cassidy looked affronted. “Hey!”
“Anyway my love, you have helped this family grow in more ways than one,” she continued, looking down at Andrea’s swollen stomach and around at all of her girls. “And we’ve been better for it. I love you very much, Andrea. Merry Christmas.” Miranda opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring surrounded by five different birthstones. One of each of their children.
Tears fell rapidly from Andrea’s dark eyes as she took the ring from its box. Her fingers were too swollen for her to wear it, but she brought it closer so she could see it. “Miranda,” she breathed, looking over at older woman with so much love in her eyes, Miranda’s heart began to beat faster. She leaned forward and kissed her wife tenderly.
“Ew, gross!” Charlotte exclaimed, having been caught in the middle.
Miranda pulled back and Andrea let out a watery chuckle, caressing Miranda’s cheek, still looking into her eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Miranda whispered back.
“Yeah, I’m with Chuck. This is gross,” Caroline quipped, breaking the mood. “Come on, it’s almost eleven. Time to go play in the snow.”
The younger girls squealed jumping up from the couch. “Hey wait a minute,” Andrea called before the girls disappeared. They stopped and looked at her impatiently.
“No one’s going outside until we have breakfast.” That brought a chorus of groans and protests, but she was insistent. “I’m serious, Caroline and Cassidy. You’re supposed to be setting an example.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Caroline grumbled. “Come on, Chuck. Help me make the eggs.” Caroline grabbed her younger sister’s hand and pulled her into the kitchen.
“And you can help me make the pancakes, C-Bear,” Cassidy said, lifting Claudia into her arms.
The girls rushed through breakfast, not even bothering to make casual conversation. Andrea looked a little blue as they practically ran from the table. Miranda reached across the table, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Hey, they’re just excited. We haven’t really had much snow in the City this year. It’s not everyday they get a yard to actually build a snowman in.”
Andrea smiled at the words. “I know. Thanks for bringing us up here.”
They’d spent the last three years spending Christmas at the townhouse, but this year, with the increase in family and the decrease in space, Miranda had wanted to get away. Stephen had purchased this house early on in their marriage, hoping to one day relocate here, but Miranda had had no interest. When they’d separated, he’d told her to keep it. So, she’d had it decorated and used it as a summer getaway with the girls. This year had been especially important. She had a lot of things on her mind. The girls would be going away to college and she was getting older. She and Andrea would have three small children and she thought maybe it was time she got out of the City. Maybe even leave Runway. She’d been thinking about it a lot lately. She wanted to enjoy raising this set of children in the way she hadn’t gotten to with the twins.
That wasn’t to say she regretted how she’d done things with the twins, but she felt like she was getting another chance at getting it right. Making this marriage work and enjoying watching her children grow. Andrea was on a leave of absence from Vollmer. She’d decided she wanted to take some time and raise Claudia and the new baby. She’d still write columns and freelance, but Miranda knew she was looking forward to spending time with the children as well. This house was bigger than their home in Manhattan. There was a lot of land and she had every intention of getting Charlotte a horse for her birthday. This was the perfect place for it. For them. The schools were excellent. It was quiet and they were still just an hour away from Manhattan. Fairfield, Connecticut. She’d blanched at the idea when Stephen had first mentioned it, but seeing her family here, listening to the children while they played outside made her think maybe domestic bliss wasn’t so bad after all.
“What are you smiling at?” Andrea asked as she took a sip of her juice.
“Nothing, darling. Tell me, what do you think of this house?” Miranda asked nonchalantly, looking over her paper.
Andrea looked taken aback. “This house? It’s beautiful. I love it. It’s a nice change from the townhouse.”
Miranda nodded, sparing a glance over at her house. “And the area?”
“The area?” Andrea repeated, her expression confused.
“Yes Andrea, the town…the land. What do you think?”
“I think it’s nice. I guess. I’ve only ever been here one other time and that was in the summer. It seemed nice. The people here are friendly. Why?” Brown eyes focused on her suspiciously.
“I was thinking, perhaps, we could move here.”
“Move here?! Miranda, our lives are in Manhattan. Runway, is in Manhattan. You can barely stand the twenty-minute drive from the office to home. This is over an hour away.”
Miranda listened patiently while Andrea let out all of her panic. “I am well aware of the travel time, darling. I am considering retiring.”
Andrea blinked, looking over at her wife. “Whoa, back up here for a minute. You’re leaving Runway? And now you want to move? What about the girls and this baby…and my job?”
“Andrea, there is no sense in getting upset. It was just something I want you to consider. We wouldn’t move until the summer.” Miranda met her wife’s gaze, letting her know she was serious.
Seeming to relax, Andrea nodded slowly. “How about we talk about after the holidays?”
“Very well,” Miranda agreed. She saw Andrea wince again, shifting uncomfortably. “Braxton Hicks?”
Andrea smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, they’re just a little stronger than usual today, but I’m okay. I want to go help the girls build a snowman. Then maybe I’ll come in and take a nap.”
“All right.” Miranda stood, walking over to help her wife up. This pregnancy had been rather hard on the younger woman. She’d been sick a lot longer than was normal and with the stress of the adoption, she’d almost miscarried. The doctor had ordered her on bed rest at six months. They only had two more weeks to go. A fact they were both grateful for.
By the time they’d changed and made their way outside, the girls were half way through making their snowman. Miranda sat on the heated porch, watching as Andrea trudged across the yard to where their daughters stood, rolling the final snowball for the head. Caroline stood back, directing the others about size and proportion. Cassidy argued good-naturedly, reminding her sister that she was a whiz at math and understood the concepts. Andrea wobbled over, bundled up in her Juicy Couture maternity jacket and matching scarf and hat.
She smiled and laughed with the girls, helping as best she could while still accommodating her extra load. She’d tried to talk Andrea into sitting with her, but now as Miranda watched her, she was glad she’d declined. Andrea was never quite as beautiful as when she was with their girls. She just seemed to radiate happiness. It was in everything she did. This became more evident to Miranda as she watched Andrea’s body change during this pregnancy. Not many women wore pregnancy well, but Andrea seemed made for it. And difficulties aside, she seemed to be enjoying it every step of the way. She was almost giddy, quickly catching Miranda up in her excitement. It was like they were new parents all over again. The editor couldn’t remember a time when she’d taken so many pictures or had so many pictures taken of her.
The sound of shouting drew Miranda’s attention immediately. The girls called to her in panicked voices and she looked up to see Andrea double over. She was up and out of her seat instantly, coat and hat forgotten as she sprinted across the yard. “Andrea, baby, are you okay?” She asked as she made it to her wife’s side.
“My water just broke,” Andrea managed to wheeze out as another contraction hit her.
That sent the girls into a frenzy, but Miranda wouldn’t be Miranda if she didn’t know how to keep her head in the situation. She slipped into the editor role quickly, barking orders. “Cassidy go to the house and call the car and then call the hospital. Caroline help me get Andrea back to the house. Charlotte, sweetheart, please stop crying. Everything is going to be okay, but I need you to be a big girl and take Claudia back in the house and help her out of her snowsuit and boots and then you do the same.” She took a moment and hugged the girl to her, squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.
The girls did as they were told, making her proud as they pulled together to help Andrea. It took the driver twenty-three minutes to arrive, and by then she’d gotten her wife as comfortable as she possibly could. She hadn’t trusted herself to navigate the icy roads, not being used to them. Luckily for her, Andrea’s contractions were still pretty far apart and the hospital was not far away. Cassidy and Caroline had taken their sisters upstairs and were getting them into warm dry clothes. Miranda told them they’d have to stay home, not wanting them to be stuck in a strange waiting room on Christmas day. Andrea had told her Charlotte’s delivery had lasted thirteen hours and she didn’t want to risk them having to wait so long.
The driver got them to the hospital in record time. Miranda’s pulse raced as she hurried Andrea into the emergency room. “I need a doctor immediately.” The staff raced over with a wheelchair. Andrea sat down instantly, grasping Miranda’s hand and groaning as another contraction hit her. “I demand to be shown to a labor room. Why are you all just standing around?”
Beside her, Andrea squeezed her hand. “Calm down, honey. I’m okay now. We just need to fill out the forms and then they’ll…OW!” Andrea’s exclamation seemed to spur everyone into action. The nurses rushed around, calling to get her into a room. Miranda felt like she answered the same question a million times but nothing seemed to get done. Soon (but not soon enough for Miranda’s liking) they managed to get the doctor on call. Then it all happened so fast. The contractions came faster and they managed to get her into a room and undressed. The nurses came in to check how dilated she was, but she seemed to jump from six centimeters to ten within the span of only a few minutes. Miranda was given scrubs and ushered in. She moved beside Andrea, holding her hand as they got her in position to push. Andrea howled, squeezing Miranda’s hand so hard, she was sure she’d have a bruise. Miranda kissed her sweat soaked hair, offering her soothing words of encouragement. Then the head was crowning and three more pushes later, shoulders slid out and so did the rest of the baby.
Andrea flopped back, tears streaming down her face. Miranda kissed her hand and then her face. “You did it, my love. You did it. I’m so proud of you. I love you so much,” Miranda whispered over and over again.
“Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy.” The doctor said, handing the newly cleaned baby to Andrea.
She smiled down at him, tears of joy still running from her eyes. “Hello, son. Happy birthday.”
Miranda looked down at the wailing baby and tears stung her eyes. This was their son. Their beautiful son. His blond hair stuck up in the most peculiar way and she felt her chest swell with love. She stroked his cheek and he quieted. Andrea chuckled, sniffling. “That’s a neat trick. I hope it will continue to work over the next few months.”
Hours later, the girls crowded around their little brother, chattering excitedly. Caroline lifted Claudia, placing her on the other side of Andrea. “Baby?” She pointed to the sleeping bundle.
“That’s right. This is your little brother,” Andrea smiled, kissing her daughter.
“What’s his name, Mummy?” Charlotte asked, leaning against Miranda.
“Yeah Andy, what’s with all the secrecy?” Cassidy asked.
Andrea smiled. “Well since we didn’t know if it was going to be a boy or a girl, I had two names picked out for each. I wasn’t sure which name suited him, but now that we’ve spent some time together, I know which one is his.”
Miranda had to admit she was a little anxious herself. They reached an agreement on names they both liked, but beyond that, Andrea hadn’t let her in on the secret either.
“Well, what is it?” Miranda asked when Andrea had been silent far too long for her liking.
“His name is Noah Alexander Sachs-Priestly,” Andrea answered softly.
Noah had been the very first name they’d agreed upon. Miranda smiled at her wife, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
“Darn it, I owe her a hundred bucks,” Caroline growled.
Andrea looked over at them in confusion as Cassidy smiled victoriously. “What?”
“Would it have killed you to pick a ‘C’ name?” Caroline frowned.
“You bet on the baby’s name?” Andrea asked, pinching Cassidy’s arm playfully.
“Hey! I just knew if it was a boy you wouldn’t. It’s not my fault you’re so predictable.”
The brunette looked affronted. “You just wait until I get home tomorrow.”
Miranda smiled as her family continued to bicker. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
Rating: G
Pairing: Miranda/Andy
Giftee: capegrl
Summary: Three years after No Matter the Miles
Disclaimer: haha...please. If I owned them, they'd so do it every chance they got.
A/N: That's right, you read correctly. This ficlet flashes forward three years after "No Matter." No worries, this doesn't mean I won't finish the fic or that from now on it will be written from the future. This is simply a glimpse without actually giving anything away. If you haven't read the fic, you might be a little lost. Special thanks goes to my beta, Karen for getting this back to me so quickly. This was written for capegrl, who wasn't my giftee for the exchange, but is a very important friend to me. I hope you enjoy it, dear. I hope the rest of you enjoy it as well. Comments are love!
Chuck Sachs sprung awake, her hazel eyes bright as she looked over at the clock. It read 7:45 am. Sighing, Chuck lay back down. Randa had said no one was to be out of bed before 8:30. Which totally wasn’t fair. She’d sent her list to Santa early and left out special cookies and chocolate milk. She’d even left carrots and celery for the reindeer. She was certain he’d gotten her everything she asked for. She’d been good all year and was doing well in all of her classes. She’d cleaned her room and didn’t fight with her sisters too much. So she was sure the Jolly One would hold up to his end of the deal.
Looking over at the clock, she saw that it now read 8:02 am. This was gonna take for-ever. “Maybe I can just peek,” she whispered to Patricia, who lay next to her on the bed. The Saint Bernard lifted her head and whimpered before covering her eyes. Chuck rolled her eyes. Randa wouldn’t get that mad. She’d just say “Andrea, she gets her impatience from you.” And her mummy would smile and say that impatience was a Priestly trait and everyone would laugh, except Randa, who’d just pretend she was mad.
Throwing the covers back, Chuck sat her stuffed dragon, Randa, to the side and hopped out of the bed. She paused to slip on her new Christmas red Ugg slippers, an early present from Mummy, and walked to the door. “Come on, Patricia,” she whispered loudly. The dog whined before jumping off of the bed and standing next to the girl. Petting the dog’s head gently, Chuck grabbed hold of Patricia’s collar and gave it a little tug.
The two walked quietly down the hall, passing Cassidy’s room and then Caroline’s. They walked past Randa and Mummy’s room and stopped at the last door. She opened it slowly and walked inside. Patricia stuck by her side and the two peered over the side of the little bed. The sleeping girl breathed evenly, her jet-black hair plastered to her cheek and forehead. Chuck reached over and pushed the hair back from her sleeping face, stroking her cheek lovingly like she’d seen her mummy do a million times over the past eight months. She pressed a soft kiss to the girl’s warm cheek before moving to whisper in her ear.
“Wake up, Claudia. Wake up,” Chuck whispered, shaking the smaller girl gently. “It’s time to see if Santa came.”
Dark eyes opened slowly and her little sister looked up at her in confusion. “Chuck!” She said loudly.
Chuck smiled brightly. Claudia had finally learned how to say her name last month. “Yeah, come on. Let’s go see what Santa got us.” She reached over and awkwardly lifted the toddler from her bed before grabbing her hand. Claudia still wasn’t completely awake or steady on her feet, but she ambled behind Chuck as best she could.
They made their way slowly down the stairs and in through the kitchen into the family room. Chuck squealed loudly in delight, forgetting that she wasn’t supposed to be awake and certainly wasn’t supposed to be yelling. Claudia looked momentarily frightened, but Chuck smiled brightly, clapping her hands. Soon the toddler joined in and the older girl led her over to their toys. Mummy had explained to her that while Claudia was still in China waiting for Mummy and Randa to find her, she hadn’t learned about Santa Claus. So this year was special. Chuck had had a lot of fun helping Mummy tell Claudia all about him while they made their special cookies. She thought he’d think she’d done a good job. And she was right. Santa had gotten her everything on her list and even a few things she hadn’t put, but still wanted. He’d gotten Claudia a lot of toys too and Chuck helped her onto her shiny pink tricycle. She tried to help her pedal, but there were too many presents in the way for her to get very far.
Knowing she’d have to wait until everyone was up before she could open her presents, Chuck handed Claudia one of her new dolls and turned to Patricia. “You stay here and watch Claudia. I’m gonna go wake everyone up,” she said in the serious tone she’d heard Randa use many times before. The dog whimpered, offering Chuck a slobbery kiss before going over to the toddler and plopping down.
Chuck took off up the stairs, yelling as soon as she reached the hallway. “Wake up, everybody! Santa Claus came! Hurry! Hurry!” She knocked on the doors, throwing her sisters’ open before taking off down the so they couldn’t yell at her. She paused when she got to her mothers’ door. There was no white Hermes scarf on the knob; still she knocked softly as she opened the door. Seeing that Randa and her mother were still sleeping, she climbed up in between them. She shook them both, careful of her mummy’s stomach. “Wake up, Santa came. Wake up, Mummy. Wake up, Randa.” Miranda sat up quickly, looking over at her mummy then the clock. Chuck looked too. It said 8:25 am. She smiled shyly at her stepmother.
“It is quite all right, Charlotte. Usually, promptness is something I admire in people. Usually…” She smiled at the girl, smoothing her hair. “Now, go on. I will be there momentarily.”
Chuck leaned forward, giving Randa a kiss on the cheek before she scrambled off of the bed and back out into the hallway.
Miranda groaned softly as she stretched. She gazed enviously over at her sleeping wife. Andrea hadn’t even moved. She ran a tired hand through her white locks. Well, four hours of sleep wasn’t bad. She’d survived on less than that on a good night spent editing the Book. Still the idea of chasing very energetic eight and two and a half year olds made her want to pull the covers over her head. What a fool she’d been. Seven years ago, she’d excitedly thought that her nights spent playing Santa Claus were long gone. Then Charlotte and Andrea had come bursting into her life nearly four years ago and changed her life dramatically.
Last night she’d remembered exactly why she’d had most of the things for the twins delivered assembled from the store. Andrea had insisted they do it all themselves. And though her intentions had been good, her dear sweet wife had lasted all of three hours after they’d put the girls to bed before curling up on the couch and falling asleep. The twins had stayed up to help as well, but soon Caroline followed suit, cuddling against Andrea as she slumbered in a way that reminded Miranda of the gangly fifteen-year-old she’d been the first time she’d done that. Cassidy made it up to the last hour, but Miranda sent her to bed when she noticed the poor girl trying, in vain, to stay awake as she assembled Claudia’s tricycle.
“Miranda,” Andrea mumbled, coming awake when she reached over for her wife and came up empty.
“Shh, darling, go back to sleep. You need your rest.” She placed a soft kiss on full lips.
“I thought I heard Chuck,” Andrea mumbled sleepily.
The editor smiled warmly. “You did. Apparently she found her gifts from Santa had been delivered.”
“What time is it?” The brunette asked, waking up a little more.
“It’s still early, my love. She has your patience, you know?”
“No way, that’s a Priestly trait,” Andrea quipped back already drifting back to sleep. Miranda placed a kiss on her cheek and then one on her round belly before standing from the bed. “Sleep well, my Andrea.”
She closed the door quietly behind her, making her way down the hall to the stairs. She prayed one of the girls would have the foresight to make her some coffee. She was in desperate need of it. Cassidy handed her a steaming mug as soon as she walked into the kitchen, taking a healthy drink of her own. Miranda smiled gratefully, pulling her oldest daughter into a hug and kissing her temple. Her three other children sat on the floor in the family room. Claudia ran over to her, throwing her tiny arms around Miranda’s legs.
“Mama,” she said, burying her face and Miranda felt tears burn the back of her eyes.
They’d come a long way in the last eight months. Hell in the last two years. What with Andrea having trouble conceiving again and being put on the waiting list for adoption, even being Miranda Priestly hadn’t been able to fix it. Then Andrea had finally gotten pregnant and three weeks later they’d gotten the call about a two-year-old girl in China who was in desperate need of a family and their family had gone from five to nearly seven in the matter of a few months. Getting Claudia home had taken longer than they’d expected and she’d needed extensive surgery when she arrived in New York. Miranda closed her eyes as images of her little girl with tubes going in and out of her body came back to her, their force surprising her with emotion. Claudia had overcome her medical issues and was well on her way to getting past her attachment issues. Something for which they were all extremely grateful.
“Randa, where’s Mummy?” Chuck asked, nearly bubbling over with excitement.
Miranda smiled, setting her coffee down when she sat and pulling Claudia into her lap. Sometimes Chuck reminded her so much of Andrea. “She is still sleeping. She had a late night and needs her rest. But I am sure she won’t mind if we open a few presents now.” And that was all it took. Chuck and the twins took to their usual contest of seeing who could open the presents the fastest, while Claudia cheered them on, snuggling against her mother. It didn’t take long for the floor to be covered with pieces of various printed wrapping paper.
“I see you guys decided to start without me,” Andrea said dryly as she sat down awkwardly next to her wife on the loveseat. She winced as she settled and Miranda frowned.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, my love. My back’s just achy and I have a little Braxton Hicks going on. Nothing to worry about. I had them the entire ninth month I carried Chuck.” She placed a lingering kiss on the older woman’s lips before placing a sweet one on Claudia’s forehead.
“Mommy!” Claudia said, happily scrambling over to sit on Andrea’s lap as best she could around the brunette’s pregnant stomach.
“Good morning, my sweet girl, are you watching everyone open presents?” Andrea cooed, snuggling in next to Miranda as she watched their older girls tear into their gifts. Soon Claudia lost interest in only being a spectator and climbed down, running over to join in the fun.
When all of the brand new iPods, iTouches, cellphones, laptops, clothes, video games and toys had been opened, the girls showed their parents what they’d gotten for the baby. The baby would certainly not be without a thing. They’d gone above and beyond with silver rattles and designer accessories, mobiles and strollers, they’d even gotten diapers and bottles. Then they handed their parents their presents. Andrea had insisted that this year she wanted the girls to make her presents. Caroline’s smile was uncharacteristically shy when she hand Andrea her painting. The girl had been secretive for the last two months about her project, even going as far as lock her door whenever she left the house. Miranda heard her wife’s breath catch as she took the whole painting in.
Tears slipped from honey colored eyes. “Oh Caroline, it’s beautiful. How did you ever find this picture?” She whispered.
“Grammy Sachs sent it to me,” Caroline explained, trying to sound nonchalant, but Miranda knew otherwise. The girl was flushed to the tips of her ears.
Miranda looked at the painting again. It was striking. Caroline had managed to recreate the picture of Andrea as a small child, sitting with her favorite grandmother. Elizabeth Sachs had passed away shortly after their wedding and it had been very hard on her.
“Caroline, thank you so much. I’m going to hang this in my office when we get home. Come here and hug me. You know how hard it is for me to get up,” she joked through her tears.
Caroline chuckled, moving to hug and kiss Andrea. “Merry Christmas, Andy. I’m glad you liked it.”
Cassidy sat on the arm of the loveseat, an envelope in hand. “Well, I knew that whatever Caroline was cooking up, I’d have no hopes of beating. After all she is the artist and well, I’ll always get credit for my genius of bringing you two together, I figured I would let her have this one.” The comment garnered her a chuckle from her parents and an elbow in the side from her twin. “But I figured this would at least make you smile.” She handed the envelope to her stepmother, watching her face intently.
Miranda peered over her shoulder, but since she wasn’t wearing her glasses, she couldn’t really decipher the small print. Claudia climbed back into her lap, hugging her neck as they looked on.
“This is from Northwestern,” Andy said slowly, pulling the letter out. She scanned the contents, a huge grin slowly spreading across her mouth. “This says you got accepted to early admissions and they want to offer you…a full scholarship! Cassidy! I didn’t even know you were applying.”
Cassidy grinned smoothly. “Merry Christmas…”
She yelped as Andy pulled her down, embracing her tightly. “You little brat! How could you not tell me?”
“Well, I wanted it to be a surprise. Besides, I wanted actually make it in. They really liked my essay on the ‘new blended nuclear family.’ I’ll have to let you read it sometime.”
“Later on today. I know you have your laptop on you. I expect you to have it ready for me after dinner.” Andrea smiled, shifting to get comfortable.
Charlotte handed Andrea the bear Caroline had helped her build for her. It was dressed in a school uniform. “This is from me and Claudia.”
“Well thank you both, my beautiful girls.” Andrea held out her arms and embraced her two youngest children.
The girls hadn’t stopped at their homemade gifts, having spent an extravagant amount on both of their mothers. There were movies and box sets of some of Andrea’s favorite television shows, jewelry and gift certificates to the spa. They claimed Andrea was a lot easier to shop for than Miranda because she always just got what she wanted when she wanted it, never giving them a chance to surprise her. Miranda assured them they’d never given her a present she didn’t like, and she quite enjoyed the mother/daughters sculptures they’d had made for her. She knew exactly where she’d put it in her office at Runway.
Miranda rose from the couch, moving over to the tree. She bent down and retrieved a tiny box. She sat beside her wife, pulling their youngest daughter into her lap and Charlotte to sit between them. She smiled over at Caroline then Cassidy before turning back to Andrea. “Almost four years ago, you were dragged back into my life by a willful teenager that thought she knew better than I what was good for me. And I’m happy to be able to say that just that once, she was right.”
Cassidy looked affronted. “Hey!”
“Anyway my love, you have helped this family grow in more ways than one,” she continued, looking down at Andrea’s swollen stomach and around at all of her girls. “And we’ve been better for it. I love you very much, Andrea. Merry Christmas.” Miranda opened the box, revealing a beautiful diamond ring surrounded by five different birthstones. One of each of their children.
Tears fell rapidly from Andrea’s dark eyes as she took the ring from its box. Her fingers were too swollen for her to wear it, but she brought it closer so she could see it. “Miranda,” she breathed, looking over at older woman with so much love in her eyes, Miranda’s heart began to beat faster. She leaned forward and kissed her wife tenderly.
“Ew, gross!” Charlotte exclaimed, having been caught in the middle.
Miranda pulled back and Andrea let out a watery chuckle, caressing Miranda’s cheek, still looking into her eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Miranda whispered back.
“Yeah, I’m with Chuck. This is gross,” Caroline quipped, breaking the mood. “Come on, it’s almost eleven. Time to go play in the snow.”
The younger girls squealed jumping up from the couch. “Hey wait a minute,” Andrea called before the girls disappeared. They stopped and looked at her impatiently.
“No one’s going outside until we have breakfast.” That brought a chorus of groans and protests, but she was insistent. “I’m serious, Caroline and Cassidy. You’re supposed to be setting an example.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Caroline grumbled. “Come on, Chuck. Help me make the eggs.” Caroline grabbed her younger sister’s hand and pulled her into the kitchen.
“And you can help me make the pancakes, C-Bear,” Cassidy said, lifting Claudia into her arms.
The girls rushed through breakfast, not even bothering to make casual conversation. Andrea looked a little blue as they practically ran from the table. Miranda reached across the table, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Hey, they’re just excited. We haven’t really had much snow in the City this year. It’s not everyday they get a yard to actually build a snowman in.”
Andrea smiled at the words. “I know. Thanks for bringing us up here.”
They’d spent the last three years spending Christmas at the townhouse, but this year, with the increase in family and the decrease in space, Miranda had wanted to get away. Stephen had purchased this house early on in their marriage, hoping to one day relocate here, but Miranda had had no interest. When they’d separated, he’d told her to keep it. So, she’d had it decorated and used it as a summer getaway with the girls. This year had been especially important. She had a lot of things on her mind. The girls would be going away to college and she was getting older. She and Andrea would have three small children and she thought maybe it was time she got out of the City. Maybe even leave Runway. She’d been thinking about it a lot lately. She wanted to enjoy raising this set of children in the way she hadn’t gotten to with the twins.
That wasn’t to say she regretted how she’d done things with the twins, but she felt like she was getting another chance at getting it right. Making this marriage work and enjoying watching her children grow. Andrea was on a leave of absence from Vollmer. She’d decided she wanted to take some time and raise Claudia and the new baby. She’d still write columns and freelance, but Miranda knew she was looking forward to spending time with the children as well. This house was bigger than their home in Manhattan. There was a lot of land and she had every intention of getting Charlotte a horse for her birthday. This was the perfect place for it. For them. The schools were excellent. It was quiet and they were still just an hour away from Manhattan. Fairfield, Connecticut. She’d blanched at the idea when Stephen had first mentioned it, but seeing her family here, listening to the children while they played outside made her think maybe domestic bliss wasn’t so bad after all.
“What are you smiling at?” Andrea asked as she took a sip of her juice.
“Nothing, darling. Tell me, what do you think of this house?” Miranda asked nonchalantly, looking over her paper.
Andrea looked taken aback. “This house? It’s beautiful. I love it. It’s a nice change from the townhouse.”
Miranda nodded, sparing a glance over at her house. “And the area?”
“The area?” Andrea repeated, her expression confused.
“Yes Andrea, the town…the land. What do you think?”
“I think it’s nice. I guess. I’ve only ever been here one other time and that was in the summer. It seemed nice. The people here are friendly. Why?” Brown eyes focused on her suspiciously.
“I was thinking, perhaps, we could move here.”
“Move here?! Miranda, our lives are in Manhattan. Runway, is in Manhattan. You can barely stand the twenty-minute drive from the office to home. This is over an hour away.”
Miranda listened patiently while Andrea let out all of her panic. “I am well aware of the travel time, darling. I am considering retiring.”
Andrea blinked, looking over at her wife. “Whoa, back up here for a minute. You’re leaving Runway? And now you want to move? What about the girls and this baby…and my job?”
“Andrea, there is no sense in getting upset. It was just something I want you to consider. We wouldn’t move until the summer.” Miranda met her wife’s gaze, letting her know she was serious.
Seeming to relax, Andrea nodded slowly. “How about we talk about after the holidays?”
“Very well,” Miranda agreed. She saw Andrea wince again, shifting uncomfortably. “Braxton Hicks?”
Andrea smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, they’re just a little stronger than usual today, but I’m okay. I want to go help the girls build a snowman. Then maybe I’ll come in and take a nap.”
“All right.” Miranda stood, walking over to help her wife up. This pregnancy had been rather hard on the younger woman. She’d been sick a lot longer than was normal and with the stress of the adoption, she’d almost miscarried. The doctor had ordered her on bed rest at six months. They only had two more weeks to go. A fact they were both grateful for.
By the time they’d changed and made their way outside, the girls were half way through making their snowman. Miranda sat on the heated porch, watching as Andrea trudged across the yard to where their daughters stood, rolling the final snowball for the head. Caroline stood back, directing the others about size and proportion. Cassidy argued good-naturedly, reminding her sister that she was a whiz at math and understood the concepts. Andrea wobbled over, bundled up in her Juicy Couture maternity jacket and matching scarf and hat.
She smiled and laughed with the girls, helping as best she could while still accommodating her extra load. She’d tried to talk Andrea into sitting with her, but now as Miranda watched her, she was glad she’d declined. Andrea was never quite as beautiful as when she was with their girls. She just seemed to radiate happiness. It was in everything she did. This became more evident to Miranda as she watched Andrea’s body change during this pregnancy. Not many women wore pregnancy well, but Andrea seemed made for it. And difficulties aside, she seemed to be enjoying it every step of the way. She was almost giddy, quickly catching Miranda up in her excitement. It was like they were new parents all over again. The editor couldn’t remember a time when she’d taken so many pictures or had so many pictures taken of her.
The sound of shouting drew Miranda’s attention immediately. The girls called to her in panicked voices and she looked up to see Andrea double over. She was up and out of her seat instantly, coat and hat forgotten as she sprinted across the yard. “Andrea, baby, are you okay?” She asked as she made it to her wife’s side.
“My water just broke,” Andrea managed to wheeze out as another contraction hit her.
That sent the girls into a frenzy, but Miranda wouldn’t be Miranda if she didn’t know how to keep her head in the situation. She slipped into the editor role quickly, barking orders. “Cassidy go to the house and call the car and then call the hospital. Caroline help me get Andrea back to the house. Charlotte, sweetheart, please stop crying. Everything is going to be okay, but I need you to be a big girl and take Claudia back in the house and help her out of her snowsuit and boots and then you do the same.” She took a moment and hugged the girl to her, squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.
The girls did as they were told, making her proud as they pulled together to help Andrea. It took the driver twenty-three minutes to arrive, and by then she’d gotten her wife as comfortable as she possibly could. She hadn’t trusted herself to navigate the icy roads, not being used to them. Luckily for her, Andrea’s contractions were still pretty far apart and the hospital was not far away. Cassidy and Caroline had taken their sisters upstairs and were getting them into warm dry clothes. Miranda told them they’d have to stay home, not wanting them to be stuck in a strange waiting room on Christmas day. Andrea had told her Charlotte’s delivery had lasted thirteen hours and she didn’t want to risk them having to wait so long.
The driver got them to the hospital in record time. Miranda’s pulse raced as she hurried Andrea into the emergency room. “I need a doctor immediately.” The staff raced over with a wheelchair. Andrea sat down instantly, grasping Miranda’s hand and groaning as another contraction hit her. “I demand to be shown to a labor room. Why are you all just standing around?”
Beside her, Andrea squeezed her hand. “Calm down, honey. I’m okay now. We just need to fill out the forms and then they’ll…OW!” Andrea’s exclamation seemed to spur everyone into action. The nurses rushed around, calling to get her into a room. Miranda felt like she answered the same question a million times but nothing seemed to get done. Soon (but not soon enough for Miranda’s liking) they managed to get the doctor on call. Then it all happened so fast. The contractions came faster and they managed to get her into a room and undressed. The nurses came in to check how dilated she was, but she seemed to jump from six centimeters to ten within the span of only a few minutes. Miranda was given scrubs and ushered in. She moved beside Andrea, holding her hand as they got her in position to push. Andrea howled, squeezing Miranda’s hand so hard, she was sure she’d have a bruise. Miranda kissed her sweat soaked hair, offering her soothing words of encouragement. Then the head was crowning and three more pushes later, shoulders slid out and so did the rest of the baby.
Andrea flopped back, tears streaming down her face. Miranda kissed her hand and then her face. “You did it, my love. You did it. I’m so proud of you. I love you so much,” Miranda whispered over and over again.
“Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy.” The doctor said, handing the newly cleaned baby to Andrea.
She smiled down at him, tears of joy still running from her eyes. “Hello, son. Happy birthday.”
Miranda looked down at the wailing baby and tears stung her eyes. This was their son. Their beautiful son. His blond hair stuck up in the most peculiar way and she felt her chest swell with love. She stroked his cheek and he quieted. Andrea chuckled, sniffling. “That’s a neat trick. I hope it will continue to work over the next few months.”
Hours later, the girls crowded around their little brother, chattering excitedly. Caroline lifted Claudia, placing her on the other side of Andrea. “Baby?” She pointed to the sleeping bundle.
“That’s right. This is your little brother,” Andrea smiled, kissing her daughter.
“What’s his name, Mummy?” Charlotte asked, leaning against Miranda.
“Yeah Andy, what’s with all the secrecy?” Cassidy asked.
Andrea smiled. “Well since we didn’t know if it was going to be a boy or a girl, I had two names picked out for each. I wasn’t sure which name suited him, but now that we’ve spent some time together, I know which one is his.”
Miranda had to admit she was a little anxious herself. They reached an agreement on names they both liked, but beyond that, Andrea hadn’t let her in on the secret either.
“Well, what is it?” Miranda asked when Andrea had been silent far too long for her liking.
“His name is Noah Alexander Sachs-Priestly,” Andrea answered softly.
Noah had been the very first name they’d agreed upon. Miranda smiled at her wife, leaning down to kiss her forehead.
“Darn it, I owe her a hundred bucks,” Caroline growled.
Andrea looked over at them in confusion as Cassidy smiled victoriously. “What?”
“Would it have killed you to pick a ‘C’ name?” Caroline frowned.
“You bet on the baby’s name?” Andrea asked, pinching Cassidy’s arm playfully.
“Hey! I just knew if it was a boy you wouldn’t. It’s not my fault you’re so predictable.”
The brunette looked affronted. “You just wait until I get home tomorrow.”
Miranda smiled as her family continued to bicker. She wouldn’t have it any other way.