Fic: Happily (n)ever after (4/?)
Chapter 4: Sweet Dreams
Andy was pretending she had closed her eyes for only a few seconds. She felt something warm on her cheek and something soft was tickling her nose, when she slowly woke up.
She blinked a few times and nearly squealed when she realized that she had laid her head on Miranda’s shoulder and nuzzled in her silk white hair.
Thankfully she’d kept her mouth shut.
She listened for a while the calm breathing of her boss besides her, sighing in relief that the older woman still seemed to sleep.
Carefully she lifted her head, when suddenly Miranda slightly shifted, but did not wake up.
Andy was not sure, but the editor had made a small sound of…. protest(?), when Andy has lifted her head. No, that could not be.
Andy tried to lean quietly back into her own seat, when Miranda began to shift in her sleep again and made a noise which was very similar to a moan. Andy shuddered, when she saw where she’d laid her right hand: perfectly placed on Miranda’s tight.
Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! she thought, very close to panic now.
Was it just placed there? Or did she move it? Was she… touching her boss, her very much older female boss in a kind of…. “wrong” way?
Slowly Andy took off her hand and there was this little noise of protest from Miranda’s lips again.
Holy shit!
But in a small space of her brain she wanted to convince herself that Miranda still moaned in pain, because of her headache. It was the right answer, it has to be.
Andy knew by now her face was flushed red. Nervously she looked around; wondering how much time has passed by and nearly fell off the chair, when she looked at her watch.
Three hours. They were asleep for three whole hours. They will be landing soon in New York at the JFK.
Sweating and with wide eyes Andy carefully stood up. Did anyone see them like this? Andy with her head on Miranda’s shoulder and her hand…. The thought alone send another flush right on the brunette’s face. She quickly needed to go to the bathroom. Cold water would be good.
Miranda was still asleep, not noticing anything of Andy’s dilemma, hopefully. The younger woman was sure that she would never survive that.
Inside the luxury air plane bathroom Andy splashed cold water into her face, slowly calming down again.
Her heart finally beating normally again, she watched her reflection. She chuckled.
My god, how ridiculous I am… she thought and shook her head.
So she laid her head on Miranda and accidentally touched her boss while she slept.
And? The older woman fortunately didn’t notice it. Nothing has happened, everything was alright. She did not even touch bare skin, so…
But she couldn’t help when she looked at her right hand and felt something…. Pulsating.
Andy sighed and took another splash of cold water.
The pleasant warmth Miranda felt for a while on her body slowly subsided. She could not tell what it was, but she was immediately missing it after its disappearing.
The older woman woke up and opened her eyes. The pain in her head finally was gone and when she turned her head to the side, she noticed the seat of her assistant was empty.
For a brief moment she shivered and thought that Andrea was gone, has left her alone.
It was impossible, but she could not help thinking it. Why?
The girl must have used bathroom again. The older woman glanced at her watch. She couldn’t believe she has slept three hours. Miranda has never slept more than precisely one hour in an airplane, no matter how long the flight was.
The editor felt the lingering pleasant feeling of a dream she had, although she could not remember the subject matter. It was a nice warm feeling before the warmth had suddenly disappeared…
Slowly she lifted her head from the pillow she’d used and realized that her headache was really gone completely.
The editor sighed in relief and took the luxury of yawning and stretching her body a bit.
She circled her shoulders and could not help by wondering about her second assistant, who really seemed to be able to make miracles come true.
Miranda reached at the empty seat besides her and felt the lingering warmth on the armrest there. She bit her lip and wondered, if the spot, where the younger woman has sat was also still that warm, but she didn’t dare to touch it.
The editor really had to stop thinking of the girl; there were more important things on the line.
Miranda was really looking forward to see her daughters again. The only positive thought she had at the moment.
She sighed, leaned back and waited for Andrea’s return.
When the brunette finally walked out the bathroom, she spent minutes by checking at her reflection in the mirror that her face had a normal skin colour again.
Don’t worry, nothing has happened. You will land soon, seeing Nate again and forget that stupid… Accident. she calmed herself down.
Her heartbeat was also almost normal again, but it made a little jump when she saw her boss was awake and staring out of the window.
Andy gulped, made her way to her seat and slowly sat down again.
“So there you are.” The white haired woman said in a dry voice.
“Yes I… Needed fresh water….” Andy stuttered.
The details of your incompetence do not interest me.
To Andy’s surprise Miranda did not replied, just shrugged her shoulders.
“Is your headache better?” Andy asked slightly worried; the sound of Miranda’s small moan still echoing in her head. She prayed to the heavens that she didn’t blush again.
“Yes, it’s better now.” The older woman still didn’t turn her head. “Enough information?”
The younger woman shivered. Miranda hated small talk. “Yes, I’m sorry Miranda…”
The older woman began slightly to shift away from her assistant. She felt the warmth flowing from the girl’s presence and it confused her.
Andrea was so young, so innocent, so naïve. She has to learn so much more about life. Miranda was sure she did not even believe the words she told the young girl in the car…
It was hopeless. The ice queen had to return at once.
She had to act cold again, gain the professional distance, although there were many things on her mind, questions burning her tongue to be asked, but Miranda remained silent for a while.
“When we land, I won’t need you anymore this day, since everything is scheduled.”
The editor slowly tuned her head into Andrea’s direction. “Before you get to the office tomorrow, don’t forget my coffee, the way I like it and the skirts from Calvin Klein I’ve ordered.”
That was it, back to reality.
Andy sighed inside in relief. She nodded. “Yes Miranda, of course.”
The white haired woman turned to the window again. “That’s all.”
They did not say anything, but they would be surprised if they knew both were thinking just the same:
That’s all… I really wished that’s all…But no… it’s not.
TBC......