DWP July Fic-a-thon Entry #2
Title: Daddy’s Little Girl
Rating: G
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Summary: Andy has a secret and Miranda is about to learn what it is.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the rights to The Devil Wears Prada or any of its characters.
A/N1: This is a one shot not related to my other DWP stories. This is a definitely AU. Someone at some time offered a prompt. I’m sorry to say I don’t remember who or when. The prompt (you’ll be able to figure it out) kind of rattled around in my head until it was ready. This is what happened.
A/N2: Thank you Jen (jenhope2268) for looking this over. Any and all mistakes are mine because I can’t keep my grubby paws to myself.
Bam. Bam. Bam. Nigel pounded on the bedroom door. “Andrea Elizabeth, open this door.” Bam. Bam. “I swear to God, I will break it down.” Nigel paused when he heard the faint click of the lock and the door slowly opened. Nigel’s heart broke when Andy’s tear stained face appeared. “Oh, sweetheart, come here.” Nigel pulled Andy into a hug. Andy laid her head on his shoulder as she cried. Nigel rubbed her back and gently rocked as he waited for her to calm. “Your text scared the crap out of me. Don’t ever do that again,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry,” Andy whimpered. “I didn’t mean to scare you. This is all so messed up.”
“I know sweetie. I know.” Pulling back, Nigel wiped some tears from Andy’s cheek. “Come on, let’s go sit down and figure this out.” With an arm around her shoulders, Nigel guided Andy down the hall towards the living room. He grabbed a box of tissues on the way to the couch. As he sat he pulled Andy down next to him where she snuggled into his side. Handing Andy a couple of tissues, he settled in keeping one arm around her shoulders.
“Now tell me what brought on that text.” Nigel had been spending a pleasant Saturday playing cards with friends. They were trying to decide where to have dinner when Andy’s text interrupted them. ‘It’s over. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know how to go on.’ Luckily Nigel was able to hail a cab as soon as he rushed out of the apartment building. The promise of a large tip meant he was pounding on Andy’s door within twenty minutes.
“I was at Miranda’s working on an article while she went over the book. The girls were with their father, so we were just having a nice quiet weekend. Everything was going great until I got an e-mail from Ma. She went off about me dating Miranda.” Andy started tearing up again just thinking about the harsh words.
“I thought she and dad were awfully quiet when I told them last week and I guess she finally blew. I was so angry, I put my laptop down and went to get a drink.” Andy grabbed a couple more tissues and mopped her eyes.
“Miranda read the e-mail while I was gone. When I returned she said she could not be responsible for the ‘obvious rift’ between my parents and me.”
“Karen has always been overly dramatic. This will blow over in a day or two.” Nigel was familiar with the woman’s habit of stewing about something and then blowing everything out of proportion. After a while calmer heads would prevail and she would move on to something else.
“Miranda never gave me a chance to explain, she told me to leave.”
Nigel kissed the top of Andy’s head. “I’ll go talk to her.”
“You don’t have to,” Andy whispered.
“Yes, I do. I should have talked to her a long time ago. Come on, let me up.”
“Thanks.” Andy gave Nigel a tremulous smile as he picked his coat up off the floor on his way out of the apartment.
Bam. Bam. Bam. Nigel pounded on Miranda’s door. His fist was still raised when the door swung open. Nigel stormed past Miranda and down the hall.
“Please come, Nigel,” Miranda said dryly. On his way to the sitting room he stripped off his overcoat and tossed it on top of a small table. Luckily it was not the one with the flowers that waited for the book each night.
“May I take your coat? Please make yourself at home.” Miranda muttered as she followed. By the time she reached the sitting room Nigel was helping himself to a scotch.
“Would you like a drink?” she continued.
Nigel poured another drink and grabbed both glasses before moving to the seating area. Shoving a glass into Miranda’s hand he sat in one of the two wingback chairs facing the couch. Taking a healthy swallow he glared at Miranda until she got the message to take a seat.
Miranda sank down to the couch and stared impassively at her friend.
“You made Andy cry,” he accused. He saw Miranda close her eyes before knocking back most her drink.
“It couldn’t be helped. I know how important Andy’s relationship with her parents is. This would eventually eat her up inside and she would come to hate me for it.” Surely Nigel could see this was for the best, even though it was breaking her heart.
“Miranda, you don’t know anything about Andy’s parents. Karen and Richard will come around eventually. Besides, they aren’t the parental units you need to be concerned with right now.”
“Oh, and who should I concern myself with?”
“Me.” Nigel swallowed the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the coffee table.
“What?” Shocked, Miranda stared at her friend.
“Andy is my daughter.”
“You’re joking.”
“I am most assuredly not. I am Andy’s biological father. Right now I am not very happy with you because you made my little girl cry.” Nigel barely kept his voice below a roar.
Miranda quickly finished her drink and stood up. Without asking, Miranda grabbed Nigel’s glass on the way to the liquor cabinet. Miranda poured two drinks then eyed the bottle and decided to bring it with. After delivering Nigel’s drink she set the bottle on the coffee table where she or Nigel could reach. Sitting down she crossed her legs. “Now explain everything. Starting with Andrea’s mother.”
Nigel picked up his drink and took a deep breath. Thoughts of Andy’s mother chased his anger away. Its place was filled with sadness and he almost missed the anger. He was too familiar with sorrow.
“I met Beth, Elizabeth, when we were seniors in college. I claimed it was love at first sight. She would joke that she needed a second and third sighting. She was so vibrant and full of life. I used to tease her by calling her Sunshine. A bad mood or cloudy day had no chance against her smile.” Pausing again Nigel stared across the room. He couldn’t risk looking at Miranda and possibly seeing sympathy or worse yet, pity. Either look would cause him to lose what little composure he held onto. “She told me we were soul mates and destined to be together. I called her a hopeless romantic.
“After graduation we moved to Cincinnati to be near Beth’s brother and sister-in-law. They were her only family and she wanted to be close. We got married, found jobs, and moved into a dinky one bedroom apartment. Time went on and we were very happy together.” Nigel smiled at the memory of that perfect time.
“We were doing very well in our careers when Beth got pregnant. We weren’t seriously trying, it just happened. Beth was ecstatic and I was happy that she was happy. She really wanted kids and I wasn’t opposed to the idea. I figured Beth would teach me what I needed to know about raising children. Everything with the pregnancy went well.”
Nigel swallowed twice before he could continue. “Beth died shortly after giving birth. She kissed Andy’s forehead and fell back unconscious. We found out later she had a cerebral aneurysm. When it ruptured, it caused a massive stroke.”
The unexpected tragedy shocked Miranda. She felt as if someone punched her in the stomach. She could hear the raw pain in Nigel’s voice. Although she and Nigel had been friends for years, neither mentioned anything more than generalities regarding their pasts.
“Everything happened so fast. One nurse grabbed Andy and whisked her away while another pushed me out of the room. No one could tell me what was happening. The doctor and nurses were all yelling trying to figure out what was wrong. I was frozen outside of the delivery room. Someone finally led me to the waiting room with Richard and Karen.”
“They were Elizabeth’s brother and sister-in-law?” Miranda started to fill in a few of the blanks.
“Yes. I don’t know how long we waited until someone finally came out and told me she was gone. I felt like my life was over. I loved her so much and I had no idea how I was going to go on.” Nigel sighed and took another drink.
“I was ready to curl up in a corner when this nurse came out and grabbed me. She dragged me to the nursery and put Andy in my arms. She said, I’m sorry for your loss but this baby needs her daddy. That means you have to pull it together. It’s harsh, it’s not fair, but that’s the way it is.” Nigel never did get that nurse’s name, but he was grateful for what she did.
“I held this little person who Beth and I created and cried. Then Andy opened her eyes and I fell in love. I promised her I would take care of her and we would make her mother proud.” Nigel took off his glasses and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped his eyes and put his glasses back on. He noticed that Miranda dabbed the corner of her eyes with a tissue.
“Richard and Karen helped me take care of Andy. I had no clue what to do with a baby. I moved in with them for a couple of weeks so that I could learn about diapers and feedings and what not. When I went back to work, Karen took a leave of absence from teaching and kept Andy. For a little over two years, we shared raising her. They took care of her during the week and I had her on weekends. Life went on. I was doing well at my job and I had a beautiful daughter to be proud of.” Nigel paused and took another drink. “Then I received a great job offer with a struggling New York magazine.”
“Oh, Nigel,” Miranda whispered. Miranda was part of the team that scoured the country for new blood for various positions at Runway. Everyone knew up front that until the magazine improved everyone would be working upwards of twelve hour days, six or seven days a week. Family considerations were not a high priority with the magazine’s management. Miranda considered herself lucky that she did not have the twins earlier in her career.
“I was very tempted by the job. It was a substantial increase in pay and prestige. But I had no idea how I could handle a challenging job and a small child. I was convinced I couldn’t take care of Andy by myself and had decided to turn down the offer.” Nigel had been so disappointed. It was the kind of opportunity he and Beth dreamed about.
Nigel took another drink before continuing. “Richard and Karen convinced me to let them adopt Andy. They thought of her as their own, she was comfortable with them, and they could provide the stable family life that I could not. It tore me up, but I agreed that it was best for Andy. I saw her when I could and I always spent my vacations with her. When she graduated from college, she came here.” Nigel still thought it was the best decision at the time. But that didn’t mean there were no regrets.
Miranda paused as she refilled her glass. “You didn’t recommend her for the assistant job.”
“No, I didn’t. When she had trouble finding a job in journalism I suggested she apply at Elias-Clarke just to get some kind of job. I thought she would get the assistant’s job at Auto Universe. I was surprised when she showed up at Runway.” Nigel just happened to bump into Andy in the Runway lobby before her interview. “She asked me not to say anything because she wanted to get the job on her own.”
Miranda stared at her friend over her drink. “As her father, you couldn’t get her to dress better in the beginning?” Good lord, that cerulean sweater and awful skirt still gave her nightmares.
Nigel smiled ruefully. “Andy was going through a rebellious phase that included a boy friend I hated and a complete distain for fashion. Her opinion was that her clothes should not impact how well she did her job. Luckily the fashion problem was fixed fairly quickly. The boy friend left before Paris.”
“Paris,” Miranda sighed. It had been a horrid trip. “You went after her and brought her back.”
“Yes, I couldn’t let her throw everything away. I knew she would regret it if she kept walking.” Nigel saw Andy walk towards the fountain and throw her phone away. He actually ran to catch up to her before she went too much farther. “I explained that it was a business decision and not personal. You don’t know how hard it was to convince her to return. You didn’t just destroy her best friend’s dreams. You hurt her daddy and that is what drove her away.”
“I will always regret what I had to do. But you will be paid back soon. Next month the board will formally approve going forward with the new magazine.” Miranda and Nigel had invested a great deal of effort the last few months preparing the preliminary business plan for Men’s Runway.
Nigel was looking forward to the challenge of bringing a new magazine to life. “I told Andy that day I wasn’t worried. I said you would make it up to me.”
Nigel and Miranda sat quietly for a while sipping their drinks and thinking. Nigel felt wrung out. He hadn’t talked about Beth in years. No one since had touched his heart like she did.
“You raised a remarkable young woman,” Miranda said quietly.
“Thank you. Richard and Karen deserve most of the credit.” Nigel always felt guilty for not keeping Andy. He had done his best the times they were together.
“I have an idea that you were an important influence also.” Miranda knew Nigel was a man who took his responsibilities seriously. He would have been there for his daughter when it counted.
Nigel gave a nod of thanks. “I missed so much of her growing up.”
“At least you had a good reason,” Miranda sighed thinking of her own girls.
“I’m not sure how good of a reason it was. I will always wonder if it was really the right thing to do. You on the other hand raised your girls and managed a career. I know you worry that the twins don’t get enough of your attention. But you make time for the girls and you’re very involved in their lives. I’ve even seen you leave work early to attend school functions.” Nigel raised his glass to Miranda. “I heard Andy’s rant about the recital you missed because of the hurricane.”
“It was barely a drizzle,” Miranda smirked. “Seriously, Nigel, you shouldn’t compare your circumstances to mine. We were at different stages in our careers when our children were born. I was fortunate enough to be established and able to afford help. You did what you felt was best for Andrea.” Miranda knew it was folly to second guess the past.
“Tell me more about Elizabeth. What did she look like?” Miranda was genuinely interested in the woman that captured Nigel’s heart so many years ago. Until she and Andrea became involved, she had not experienced that kind of all encompassing love.
“Beth was beautiful with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was intelligent, generous, and kind. I fell in love a little more every day.” Nigel hesitated as he remembered. “She was one of a kind and I haven’t met anyone that could take her place in my heart.” Clearing his throat he continued. “Andy’s coloring comes from my side of the family, but she is definitely her mother’s daughter. I see Beth whenever Andy smiles,” he said quietly.
“I’m surprised that I never suspected anything about your and Andy’s relationship.” There were times that Miranda had been jealous of Andy and Nigel’s easy friendship. “You were always looking out for her. I chalked it up to being a mentor. Although I was shocked when she moved in with you after Paris.”
“She couldn’t afford her apartment when the loser boyfriend left. I convinced her to move in with me to save money. I’ve enjoyed spending time with her.” Nigel was grateful for the chance to get closer to Andy. He was very proud of the woman his daughter had become.
“Was it your idea for her to give notice and move to the Mirror?” Andrea surprised her when she discussed moving on. Miranda had no inkling that Andrea had been seriously looking for another position.
Nigel nodded as he reached for the bottle of scotch. “Yes, I had my suspicions concerning her feelings for you. I was hoping that a little distance would help her get over what I thought was a crush. I was afraid she would do something rash and get hurt. I never thought she would turn around and pursue you. When she told me what she was planning, all I could do was hope for the best.”
Miranda smiled as she remembered how astonished she was by the pursuit. Of course she had feelings for the girl. However, there was no way she was going to act on those feeling with an assistant. When Andrea gave her written notice, she told Miranda in no uncertain terms what that would mean on a personal level. Two weeks later, Andrea followed up on her promises by taking Miranda on their first date.
Nigel was the first person other than the twins to know of the relationship. At the time Miranda did not consider it curious when Andrea asked that she be allowed to break the news to Nigel. She just accepted the offer, grateful for being able to avoid the initial awkwardness with her old friend. The first time she saw Nigel after that conversation, he asked if she was serious about the relationship. He seemed relieved when she assured him that she was. “When she told you about us, were you concerned?”
“Of course, I was concerned. For God’s sake Miranda, we’re practically the same age and you’re my best friend. You have no idea how many times Andy and I talked through the night. She loves you and there is nothing I can say that will change that.” He and Andy had this in common. Once they gave their heart to someone there was no going back, no substitutes. “But if you hurt her, I will go through your closet and burn all of your shoes.”
“The last thing I want to do is hurt her. Today was a terrible mistake. I don’t want to make her life difficult, but I’m afraid that’s just what is going to happen. When our relationship goes public she’ll have to deal with the worst of the paparazzi.”
“Andy knows what she’s getting into. She’ll handle it.”
“I sincerely hope so my friend.” Miranda looked at her glass surprised that it was empty again. How many drinks had she had? She picked up the bottle of scotch and realized the level was down significantly from when they first started talking.
Feeling a little light headed Nigel rubbed his forehead. Seeing Miranda pick up the scotch he knew what she was thinking. “We put a dent in it, didn’t we?”
“Yes we did.” Before Miranda could say anything else, Nigel’s phone rang.
“Hello?” Nigel brightened as soon as he heard who it was. “Yes, sweetheart, everything is fine. Miranda has seen the error of her ways and is ready to beg forgiveness.” Nigel smiled as Miranda rolled her eyes. “Do you want to talk to her? What?” Pulling the phone away from his ear he looked at Miranda. “She’s here.”
“Where?”
“Outside.”
“Tell her to use her key and come in.”
“Did you hear that?” When he heard the front door open, he hung up. “I guess she did.”
They heard Andy in the foyer and guessed she was hanging up her coat. After several minutes Nigel was ready to go look for the girl when Andy finally appeared in the doorway.
“Hey guys.” Andy bit her lip and looked back and forth from Nigel to Miranda.
“Andrea, come here.” Miranda patted the cushion next to her. She could see that Andrea was nervous and ready to bolt at any second. Miranda wasn’t sure what she was feeling right now. She was angry that Andrea and Nigel hadn’t said anything sooner about their relationship. But she was sympathetic towards Nigel. He lost his wife and for all practical purposes had to give up his daughter. A daughter she was now involved with. The entire situation bore the hallmarks of a very bad TV talk show.
Andy moved towards the couch, stopping briefly to bend down and kiss Nigel’s cheek. When she sat down next to Miranda she reached over and took her hand lacing their fingers together. “Are you angry?” Andy kept her head down as she asked.
“Should I be?” Miranda had no intention of going easy on her lover.
“Yeah, maybe even hurt. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.” Andy couldn’t bring herself to look into Miranda’s eyes and see confirmation of that hurt.
“Why even keep it a secret?” Miranda glared at Nigel. “There are no rules against nepotism at Elias-Clarke. You weren’t her supervisor.” Turning to Andrea she asked, “Why didn’t you say something sooner? We’ve been seeing each other for months. Why? That’s all I’m asking. Why?”
“The why is my fault, not Andy’s,” offered Nigel. “I kept waiting for the right time. One thing or another would come up so I just kept holding off. I planned to tell you when we had dinner next week.” Nigel regretted finishing his scotch earlier, but didn’t think another drink would be wise. Running his hand over his bare head, he tried to think how best to explain.
“In the beginning it was easier to not share any details of my life before New York. After a while, it became a habit. I planned to introduce you when Andy moved here. When she became your assistant, we decided not to say anything. At first she didn’t want any special treatment, but then she was afraid she would reflect badly on me.” Nigel looked fondly at Andy. “I have always been proud of you, sweetheart.”
“I know,” Andy smiled softly, “but it didn’t take me long to realize how easy it was to screw up. Besides, what kind of grief would you have gotten over my early wardrobe?”
Miranda smirked and gave Nigel an ‘I told you so’ look. “I suppose you might have a point,” he agreed.
“I am sorry for not telling you sooner. Can you forgive me, Miranda?” Andy remembered Miranda telling her once that she lived on hope. At this moment, she was right there with her.
Miranda decided it must have been the scotch because she cupped Andrea’s cheek while kissing her. “Yes,” she whispered. So much for not going easy on her lover.
Relieved, Andy threaded her fingers through Miranda’s hair as she deepened the kiss. Eyes closed she barely registered the low groan from a few feet away. She finally leaned her forehead against Miranda’s. “Mmmm, you taste of scotch.” Curious, Andy pulled away and reached for the bottle on the coffee table. “Hey, this is almost empty. How much did you have?” Looking into Miranda’s glazed eyes, she grinned. “You’re a little toasted, aren’t you?”
“Of course not, Andrea. What a ridiculous thing to say.” There was no way that Miranda was going to admit to over indulging. She would do her best to hide her suffering the next morning.
“Oh yeah? So how much did you have?” Andy turned towards Nigel. “Daddy? What’s wrong?” Andy jumped up to check on her father when Nigel raised his head and removed his hands from his eyes.
“Sweetheart, there are some things a father does not want to see,” he grumbled.
“Sorry.” Andy shook her head when she saw her father’s glassy eyes. “You’ve had a bit too. Have either of you had anything to eat?” When Miranda and Nigel shook their heads no, Andy reached down to help Miranda up. Moving towards Nigel’s chair she waited for him to stand and join them. “Come on, you need to eat. Water would probably help too.”
Andy waved Nigel and Miranda towards the kitchen table while she investigated possibilities in the refrigerator. She pulled out a covered platter, cheese, and a couple bottles of water. “How about my famous hot roast beef sandwiches?” Hearing no objections she delivered the drinks before getting started on the sandwiches. Andy pulled out pans, turned on the stove, and started assembling ingredients. Miranda and Nigel chatted about the twins latest interests while watching Andy work.
It wasn’t long before they were enjoying an impromptu dinner. Miranda and Nigel asked Andy about her articles and the latest goings on at the Mirror. Andy guessed they were done with the earlier emotional subject. Her father only rarely talked about her mother. She learned about those early years from her Dad and Ma. It was obvious from her father’s tired expression that revealing their past to Miranda had taken a lot out of him.
Miranda quietly watched Andrea and Nigel’s interactions. There was always an easy familiarity between them. Before today it never dawned on her that there was a long standing foundation to their friendship. After one of Andrea’s comments to Nigel, Miranda couldn’t help interjecting. “It seems so strange hearing you called daddy.”
“Nigel was always daddy and Richard was dad.” Andy shrugged. “I don’t know how many times I nearly slipped when I was at Runway,” she said wryly. “I’d start to say dah and turn it into dandy, just dandy.”
Miranda had just taken a drink and almost sprayed Nigel and Andy before regaining control. Miranda mock glared at Andy while wiping her face with her napkin. “I often wondered why you said that. I assumed the pressure had gotten to you.”
Nigel pushed his plate away and finished his water. “Well, I should leave you two alone. Thank you for cooking, Andy.”
“You’re welcome. Hang on a minute and I’ll call a cab.” Andy went to get her phone leaving Miranda and Nigel in the kitchen.
Miranda placed her hand on Nigel’s arm. “I do love Andrea, Nigel. I will do my best to take care of her heart.”
“Just remember what I said about your shoes.”
“I will,” Miranda smirked.
“Cab should be here in a few minutes,” Andy announced when she returned.
“That is my cue.” Nigel stood and followed Miranda and Andy to the foyer.
While they waited, Nigel shrugged on his coat. “When the time is right, I expect a wedding. Richard and I are going to walk you down the aisle.”
Laughing, Andy shook her head. “When did you and Dad decide this?”
“You had just turned one. Oh, and I want grandchildren,” he added. “Caroline and Cassidy are a good start but I want a baby to bounce on my knee.”
“Daddy!” Embarrassed Andy glanced at Miranda, surprised to see her girlfriend nod in agreement. “Miranda?”
“I always wanted more children, darling, it just didn’t work out. However, I will support any decision you make.” Miranda planned on waiting to have this discussion until she was sure of her and Andrea’s relationship.
“Oh. Well, umm, I always thought, but I wasn’t sure …” The thought of raising children with Miranda gave Andy a warm feeling. She was afraid that Miranda wouldn’t be interested in diapers, midnight feedings, and lack of sleep.
“We’ll talk later,” Miranda assured her, secretly pleased with the possibilities.
“My work here is done.” Satisfied, Nigel was ready to go home. It had been a long emotional evening. “I’ll be on my way.”
“Your cab should be here in a minute.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I’ll see you when I see you.” Nigel looked up as he finished buttoning his coat.
Andy threw her arms around Nigel’s neck. Nigel wrapped his arms around his daughter and held on.
“Thanks, Daddy,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.” Nigel kissed Andy’s forehead when she pulled away. Nodding once to Miranda he stepped outside. As promised the cab was just pulling up as he came down the steps. Nigel looked back at the townhouse before slipping into the vehicle. Staring out the window on the ride home he remembered a girl he called Sunshine.
Rating: G
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Summary: Andy has a secret and Miranda is about to learn what it is.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the rights to The Devil Wears Prada or any of its characters.
A/N1: This is a one shot not related to my other DWP stories. This is a definitely AU. Someone at some time offered a prompt. I’m sorry to say I don’t remember who or when. The prompt (you’ll be able to figure it out) kind of rattled around in my head until it was ready. This is what happened.
A/N2: Thank you Jen (jenhope2268) for looking this over. Any and all mistakes are mine because I can’t keep my grubby paws to myself.
Bam. Bam. Bam. Nigel pounded on the bedroom door. “Andrea Elizabeth, open this door.” Bam. Bam. “I swear to God, I will break it down.” Nigel paused when he heard the faint click of the lock and the door slowly opened. Nigel’s heart broke when Andy’s tear stained face appeared. “Oh, sweetheart, come here.” Nigel pulled Andy into a hug. Andy laid her head on his shoulder as she cried. Nigel rubbed her back and gently rocked as he waited for her to calm. “Your text scared the crap out of me. Don’t ever do that again,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry,” Andy whimpered. “I didn’t mean to scare you. This is all so messed up.”
“I know sweetie. I know.” Pulling back, Nigel wiped some tears from Andy’s cheek. “Come on, let’s go sit down and figure this out.” With an arm around her shoulders, Nigel guided Andy down the hall towards the living room. He grabbed a box of tissues on the way to the couch. As he sat he pulled Andy down next to him where she snuggled into his side. Handing Andy a couple of tissues, he settled in keeping one arm around her shoulders.
“Now tell me what brought on that text.” Nigel had been spending a pleasant Saturday playing cards with friends. They were trying to decide where to have dinner when Andy’s text interrupted them. ‘It’s over. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know how to go on.’ Luckily Nigel was able to hail a cab as soon as he rushed out of the apartment building. The promise of a large tip meant he was pounding on Andy’s door within twenty minutes.
“I was at Miranda’s working on an article while she went over the book. The girls were with their father, so we were just having a nice quiet weekend. Everything was going great until I got an e-mail from Ma. She went off about me dating Miranda.” Andy started tearing up again just thinking about the harsh words.
“I thought she and dad were awfully quiet when I told them last week and I guess she finally blew. I was so angry, I put my laptop down and went to get a drink.” Andy grabbed a couple more tissues and mopped her eyes.
“Miranda read the e-mail while I was gone. When I returned she said she could not be responsible for the ‘obvious rift’ between my parents and me.”
“Karen has always been overly dramatic. This will blow over in a day or two.” Nigel was familiar with the woman’s habit of stewing about something and then blowing everything out of proportion. After a while calmer heads would prevail and she would move on to something else.
“Miranda never gave me a chance to explain, she told me to leave.”
Nigel kissed the top of Andy’s head. “I’ll go talk to her.”
“You don’t have to,” Andy whispered.
“Yes, I do. I should have talked to her a long time ago. Come on, let me up.”
“Thanks.” Andy gave Nigel a tremulous smile as he picked his coat up off the floor on his way out of the apartment.
Bam. Bam. Bam. Nigel pounded on Miranda’s door. His fist was still raised when the door swung open. Nigel stormed past Miranda and down the hall.
“Please come, Nigel,” Miranda said dryly. On his way to the sitting room he stripped off his overcoat and tossed it on top of a small table. Luckily it was not the one with the flowers that waited for the book each night.
“May I take your coat? Please make yourself at home.” Miranda muttered as she followed. By the time she reached the sitting room Nigel was helping himself to a scotch.
“Would you like a drink?” she continued.
Nigel poured another drink and grabbed both glasses before moving to the seating area. Shoving a glass into Miranda’s hand he sat in one of the two wingback chairs facing the couch. Taking a healthy swallow he glared at Miranda until she got the message to take a seat.
Miranda sank down to the couch and stared impassively at her friend.
“You made Andy cry,” he accused. He saw Miranda close her eyes before knocking back most her drink.
“It couldn’t be helped. I know how important Andy’s relationship with her parents is. This would eventually eat her up inside and she would come to hate me for it.” Surely Nigel could see this was for the best, even though it was breaking her heart.
“Miranda, you don’t know anything about Andy’s parents. Karen and Richard will come around eventually. Besides, they aren’t the parental units you need to be concerned with right now.”
“Oh, and who should I concern myself with?”
“Me.” Nigel swallowed the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the coffee table.
“What?” Shocked, Miranda stared at her friend.
“Andy is my daughter.”
“You’re joking.”
“I am most assuredly not. I am Andy’s biological father. Right now I am not very happy with you because you made my little girl cry.” Nigel barely kept his voice below a roar.
Miranda quickly finished her drink and stood up. Without asking, Miranda grabbed Nigel’s glass on the way to the liquor cabinet. Miranda poured two drinks then eyed the bottle and decided to bring it with. After delivering Nigel’s drink she set the bottle on the coffee table where she or Nigel could reach. Sitting down she crossed her legs. “Now explain everything. Starting with Andrea’s mother.”
Nigel picked up his drink and took a deep breath. Thoughts of Andy’s mother chased his anger away. Its place was filled with sadness and he almost missed the anger. He was too familiar with sorrow.
“I met Beth, Elizabeth, when we were seniors in college. I claimed it was love at first sight. She would joke that she needed a second and third sighting. She was so vibrant and full of life. I used to tease her by calling her Sunshine. A bad mood or cloudy day had no chance against her smile.” Pausing again Nigel stared across the room. He couldn’t risk looking at Miranda and possibly seeing sympathy or worse yet, pity. Either look would cause him to lose what little composure he held onto. “She told me we were soul mates and destined to be together. I called her a hopeless romantic.
“After graduation we moved to Cincinnati to be near Beth’s brother and sister-in-law. They were her only family and she wanted to be close. We got married, found jobs, and moved into a dinky one bedroom apartment. Time went on and we were very happy together.” Nigel smiled at the memory of that perfect time.
“We were doing very well in our careers when Beth got pregnant. We weren’t seriously trying, it just happened. Beth was ecstatic and I was happy that she was happy. She really wanted kids and I wasn’t opposed to the idea. I figured Beth would teach me what I needed to know about raising children. Everything with the pregnancy went well.”
Nigel swallowed twice before he could continue. “Beth died shortly after giving birth. She kissed Andy’s forehead and fell back unconscious. We found out later she had a cerebral aneurysm. When it ruptured, it caused a massive stroke.”
The unexpected tragedy shocked Miranda. She felt as if someone punched her in the stomach. She could hear the raw pain in Nigel’s voice. Although she and Nigel had been friends for years, neither mentioned anything more than generalities regarding their pasts.
“Everything happened so fast. One nurse grabbed Andy and whisked her away while another pushed me out of the room. No one could tell me what was happening. The doctor and nurses were all yelling trying to figure out what was wrong. I was frozen outside of the delivery room. Someone finally led me to the waiting room with Richard and Karen.”
“They were Elizabeth’s brother and sister-in-law?” Miranda started to fill in a few of the blanks.
“Yes. I don’t know how long we waited until someone finally came out and told me she was gone. I felt like my life was over. I loved her so much and I had no idea how I was going to go on.” Nigel sighed and took another drink.
“I was ready to curl up in a corner when this nurse came out and grabbed me. She dragged me to the nursery and put Andy in my arms. She said, I’m sorry for your loss but this baby needs her daddy. That means you have to pull it together. It’s harsh, it’s not fair, but that’s the way it is.” Nigel never did get that nurse’s name, but he was grateful for what she did.
“I held this little person who Beth and I created and cried. Then Andy opened her eyes and I fell in love. I promised her I would take care of her and we would make her mother proud.” Nigel took off his glasses and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped his eyes and put his glasses back on. He noticed that Miranda dabbed the corner of her eyes with a tissue.
“Richard and Karen helped me take care of Andy. I had no clue what to do with a baby. I moved in with them for a couple of weeks so that I could learn about diapers and feedings and what not. When I went back to work, Karen took a leave of absence from teaching and kept Andy. For a little over two years, we shared raising her. They took care of her during the week and I had her on weekends. Life went on. I was doing well at my job and I had a beautiful daughter to be proud of.” Nigel paused and took another drink. “Then I received a great job offer with a struggling New York magazine.”
“Oh, Nigel,” Miranda whispered. Miranda was part of the team that scoured the country for new blood for various positions at Runway. Everyone knew up front that until the magazine improved everyone would be working upwards of twelve hour days, six or seven days a week. Family considerations were not a high priority with the magazine’s management. Miranda considered herself lucky that she did not have the twins earlier in her career.
“I was very tempted by the job. It was a substantial increase in pay and prestige. But I had no idea how I could handle a challenging job and a small child. I was convinced I couldn’t take care of Andy by myself and had decided to turn down the offer.” Nigel had been so disappointed. It was the kind of opportunity he and Beth dreamed about.
Nigel took another drink before continuing. “Richard and Karen convinced me to let them adopt Andy. They thought of her as their own, she was comfortable with them, and they could provide the stable family life that I could not. It tore me up, but I agreed that it was best for Andy. I saw her when I could and I always spent my vacations with her. When she graduated from college, she came here.” Nigel still thought it was the best decision at the time. But that didn’t mean there were no regrets.
Miranda paused as she refilled her glass. “You didn’t recommend her for the assistant job.”
“No, I didn’t. When she had trouble finding a job in journalism I suggested she apply at Elias-Clarke just to get some kind of job. I thought she would get the assistant’s job at Auto Universe. I was surprised when she showed up at Runway.” Nigel just happened to bump into Andy in the Runway lobby before her interview. “She asked me not to say anything because she wanted to get the job on her own.”
Miranda stared at her friend over her drink. “As her father, you couldn’t get her to dress better in the beginning?” Good lord, that cerulean sweater and awful skirt still gave her nightmares.
Nigel smiled ruefully. “Andy was going through a rebellious phase that included a boy friend I hated and a complete distain for fashion. Her opinion was that her clothes should not impact how well she did her job. Luckily the fashion problem was fixed fairly quickly. The boy friend left before Paris.”
“Paris,” Miranda sighed. It had been a horrid trip. “You went after her and brought her back.”
“Yes, I couldn’t let her throw everything away. I knew she would regret it if she kept walking.” Nigel saw Andy walk towards the fountain and throw her phone away. He actually ran to catch up to her before she went too much farther. “I explained that it was a business decision and not personal. You don’t know how hard it was to convince her to return. You didn’t just destroy her best friend’s dreams. You hurt her daddy and that is what drove her away.”
“I will always regret what I had to do. But you will be paid back soon. Next month the board will formally approve going forward with the new magazine.” Miranda and Nigel had invested a great deal of effort the last few months preparing the preliminary business plan for Men’s Runway.
Nigel was looking forward to the challenge of bringing a new magazine to life. “I told Andy that day I wasn’t worried. I said you would make it up to me.”
Nigel and Miranda sat quietly for a while sipping their drinks and thinking. Nigel felt wrung out. He hadn’t talked about Beth in years. No one since had touched his heart like she did.
“You raised a remarkable young woman,” Miranda said quietly.
“Thank you. Richard and Karen deserve most of the credit.” Nigel always felt guilty for not keeping Andy. He had done his best the times they were together.
“I have an idea that you were an important influence also.” Miranda knew Nigel was a man who took his responsibilities seriously. He would have been there for his daughter when it counted.
Nigel gave a nod of thanks. “I missed so much of her growing up.”
“At least you had a good reason,” Miranda sighed thinking of her own girls.
“I’m not sure how good of a reason it was. I will always wonder if it was really the right thing to do. You on the other hand raised your girls and managed a career. I know you worry that the twins don’t get enough of your attention. But you make time for the girls and you’re very involved in their lives. I’ve even seen you leave work early to attend school functions.” Nigel raised his glass to Miranda. “I heard Andy’s rant about the recital you missed because of the hurricane.”
“It was barely a drizzle,” Miranda smirked. “Seriously, Nigel, you shouldn’t compare your circumstances to mine. We were at different stages in our careers when our children were born. I was fortunate enough to be established and able to afford help. You did what you felt was best for Andrea.” Miranda knew it was folly to second guess the past.
“Tell me more about Elizabeth. What did she look like?” Miranda was genuinely interested in the woman that captured Nigel’s heart so many years ago. Until she and Andrea became involved, she had not experienced that kind of all encompassing love.
“Beth was beautiful with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was intelligent, generous, and kind. I fell in love a little more every day.” Nigel hesitated as he remembered. “She was one of a kind and I haven’t met anyone that could take her place in my heart.” Clearing his throat he continued. “Andy’s coloring comes from my side of the family, but she is definitely her mother’s daughter. I see Beth whenever Andy smiles,” he said quietly.
“I’m surprised that I never suspected anything about your and Andy’s relationship.” There were times that Miranda had been jealous of Andy and Nigel’s easy friendship. “You were always looking out for her. I chalked it up to being a mentor. Although I was shocked when she moved in with you after Paris.”
“She couldn’t afford her apartment when the loser boyfriend left. I convinced her to move in with me to save money. I’ve enjoyed spending time with her.” Nigel was grateful for the chance to get closer to Andy. He was very proud of the woman his daughter had become.
“Was it your idea for her to give notice and move to the Mirror?” Andrea surprised her when she discussed moving on. Miranda had no inkling that Andrea had been seriously looking for another position.
Nigel nodded as he reached for the bottle of scotch. “Yes, I had my suspicions concerning her feelings for you. I was hoping that a little distance would help her get over what I thought was a crush. I was afraid she would do something rash and get hurt. I never thought she would turn around and pursue you. When she told me what she was planning, all I could do was hope for the best.”
Miranda smiled as she remembered how astonished she was by the pursuit. Of course she had feelings for the girl. However, there was no way she was going to act on those feeling with an assistant. When Andrea gave her written notice, she told Miranda in no uncertain terms what that would mean on a personal level. Two weeks later, Andrea followed up on her promises by taking Miranda on their first date.
Nigel was the first person other than the twins to know of the relationship. At the time Miranda did not consider it curious when Andrea asked that she be allowed to break the news to Nigel. She just accepted the offer, grateful for being able to avoid the initial awkwardness with her old friend. The first time she saw Nigel after that conversation, he asked if she was serious about the relationship. He seemed relieved when she assured him that she was. “When she told you about us, were you concerned?”
“Of course, I was concerned. For God’s sake Miranda, we’re practically the same age and you’re my best friend. You have no idea how many times Andy and I talked through the night. She loves you and there is nothing I can say that will change that.” He and Andy had this in common. Once they gave their heart to someone there was no going back, no substitutes. “But if you hurt her, I will go through your closet and burn all of your shoes.”
“The last thing I want to do is hurt her. Today was a terrible mistake. I don’t want to make her life difficult, but I’m afraid that’s just what is going to happen. When our relationship goes public she’ll have to deal with the worst of the paparazzi.”
“Andy knows what she’s getting into. She’ll handle it.”
“I sincerely hope so my friend.” Miranda looked at her glass surprised that it was empty again. How many drinks had she had? She picked up the bottle of scotch and realized the level was down significantly from when they first started talking.
Feeling a little light headed Nigel rubbed his forehead. Seeing Miranda pick up the scotch he knew what she was thinking. “We put a dent in it, didn’t we?”
“Yes we did.” Before Miranda could say anything else, Nigel’s phone rang.
“Hello?” Nigel brightened as soon as he heard who it was. “Yes, sweetheart, everything is fine. Miranda has seen the error of her ways and is ready to beg forgiveness.” Nigel smiled as Miranda rolled her eyes. “Do you want to talk to her? What?” Pulling the phone away from his ear he looked at Miranda. “She’s here.”
“Where?”
“Outside.”
“Tell her to use her key and come in.”
“Did you hear that?” When he heard the front door open, he hung up. “I guess she did.”
They heard Andy in the foyer and guessed she was hanging up her coat. After several minutes Nigel was ready to go look for the girl when Andy finally appeared in the doorway.
“Hey guys.” Andy bit her lip and looked back and forth from Nigel to Miranda.
“Andrea, come here.” Miranda patted the cushion next to her. She could see that Andrea was nervous and ready to bolt at any second. Miranda wasn’t sure what she was feeling right now. She was angry that Andrea and Nigel hadn’t said anything sooner about their relationship. But she was sympathetic towards Nigel. He lost his wife and for all practical purposes had to give up his daughter. A daughter she was now involved with. The entire situation bore the hallmarks of a very bad TV talk show.
Andy moved towards the couch, stopping briefly to bend down and kiss Nigel’s cheek. When she sat down next to Miranda she reached over and took her hand lacing their fingers together. “Are you angry?” Andy kept her head down as she asked.
“Should I be?” Miranda had no intention of going easy on her lover.
“Yeah, maybe even hurt. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.” Andy couldn’t bring herself to look into Miranda’s eyes and see confirmation of that hurt.
“Why even keep it a secret?” Miranda glared at Nigel. “There are no rules against nepotism at Elias-Clarke. You weren’t her supervisor.” Turning to Andrea she asked, “Why didn’t you say something sooner? We’ve been seeing each other for months. Why? That’s all I’m asking. Why?”
“The why is my fault, not Andy’s,” offered Nigel. “I kept waiting for the right time. One thing or another would come up so I just kept holding off. I planned to tell you when we had dinner next week.” Nigel regretted finishing his scotch earlier, but didn’t think another drink would be wise. Running his hand over his bare head, he tried to think how best to explain.
“In the beginning it was easier to not share any details of my life before New York. After a while, it became a habit. I planned to introduce you when Andy moved here. When she became your assistant, we decided not to say anything. At first she didn’t want any special treatment, but then she was afraid she would reflect badly on me.” Nigel looked fondly at Andy. “I have always been proud of you, sweetheart.”
“I know,” Andy smiled softly, “but it didn’t take me long to realize how easy it was to screw up. Besides, what kind of grief would you have gotten over my early wardrobe?”
Miranda smirked and gave Nigel an ‘I told you so’ look. “I suppose you might have a point,” he agreed.
“I am sorry for not telling you sooner. Can you forgive me, Miranda?” Andy remembered Miranda telling her once that she lived on hope. At this moment, she was right there with her.
Miranda decided it must have been the scotch because she cupped Andrea’s cheek while kissing her. “Yes,” she whispered. So much for not going easy on her lover.
Relieved, Andy threaded her fingers through Miranda’s hair as she deepened the kiss. Eyes closed she barely registered the low groan from a few feet away. She finally leaned her forehead against Miranda’s. “Mmmm, you taste of scotch.” Curious, Andy pulled away and reached for the bottle on the coffee table. “Hey, this is almost empty. How much did you have?” Looking into Miranda’s glazed eyes, she grinned. “You’re a little toasted, aren’t you?”
“Of course not, Andrea. What a ridiculous thing to say.” There was no way that Miranda was going to admit to over indulging. She would do her best to hide her suffering the next morning.
“Oh yeah? So how much did you have?” Andy turned towards Nigel. “Daddy? What’s wrong?” Andy jumped up to check on her father when Nigel raised his head and removed his hands from his eyes.
“Sweetheart, there are some things a father does not want to see,” he grumbled.
“Sorry.” Andy shook her head when she saw her father’s glassy eyes. “You’ve had a bit too. Have either of you had anything to eat?” When Miranda and Nigel shook their heads no, Andy reached down to help Miranda up. Moving towards Nigel’s chair she waited for him to stand and join them. “Come on, you need to eat. Water would probably help too.”
Andy waved Nigel and Miranda towards the kitchen table while she investigated possibilities in the refrigerator. She pulled out a covered platter, cheese, and a couple bottles of water. “How about my famous hot roast beef sandwiches?” Hearing no objections she delivered the drinks before getting started on the sandwiches. Andy pulled out pans, turned on the stove, and started assembling ingredients. Miranda and Nigel chatted about the twins latest interests while watching Andy work.
It wasn’t long before they were enjoying an impromptu dinner. Miranda and Nigel asked Andy about her articles and the latest goings on at the Mirror. Andy guessed they were done with the earlier emotional subject. Her father only rarely talked about her mother. She learned about those early years from her Dad and Ma. It was obvious from her father’s tired expression that revealing their past to Miranda had taken a lot out of him.
Miranda quietly watched Andrea and Nigel’s interactions. There was always an easy familiarity between them. Before today it never dawned on her that there was a long standing foundation to their friendship. After one of Andrea’s comments to Nigel, Miranda couldn’t help interjecting. “It seems so strange hearing you called daddy.”
“Nigel was always daddy and Richard was dad.” Andy shrugged. “I don’t know how many times I nearly slipped when I was at Runway,” she said wryly. “I’d start to say dah and turn it into dandy, just dandy.”
Miranda had just taken a drink and almost sprayed Nigel and Andy before regaining control. Miranda mock glared at Andy while wiping her face with her napkin. “I often wondered why you said that. I assumed the pressure had gotten to you.”
Nigel pushed his plate away and finished his water. “Well, I should leave you two alone. Thank you for cooking, Andy.”
“You’re welcome. Hang on a minute and I’ll call a cab.” Andy went to get her phone leaving Miranda and Nigel in the kitchen.
Miranda placed her hand on Nigel’s arm. “I do love Andrea, Nigel. I will do my best to take care of her heart.”
“Just remember what I said about your shoes.”
“I will,” Miranda smirked.
“Cab should be here in a few minutes,” Andy announced when she returned.
“That is my cue.” Nigel stood and followed Miranda and Andy to the foyer.
While they waited, Nigel shrugged on his coat. “When the time is right, I expect a wedding. Richard and I are going to walk you down the aisle.”
Laughing, Andy shook her head. “When did you and Dad decide this?”
“You had just turned one. Oh, and I want grandchildren,” he added. “Caroline and Cassidy are a good start but I want a baby to bounce on my knee.”
“Daddy!” Embarrassed Andy glanced at Miranda, surprised to see her girlfriend nod in agreement. “Miranda?”
“I always wanted more children, darling, it just didn’t work out. However, I will support any decision you make.” Miranda planned on waiting to have this discussion until she was sure of her and Andrea’s relationship.
“Oh. Well, umm, I always thought, but I wasn’t sure …” The thought of raising children with Miranda gave Andy a warm feeling. She was afraid that Miranda wouldn’t be interested in diapers, midnight feedings, and lack of sleep.
“We’ll talk later,” Miranda assured her, secretly pleased with the possibilities.
“My work here is done.” Satisfied, Nigel was ready to go home. It had been a long emotional evening. “I’ll be on my way.”
“Your cab should be here in a minute.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I’ll see you when I see you.” Nigel looked up as he finished buttoning his coat.
Andy threw her arms around Nigel’s neck. Nigel wrapped his arms around his daughter and held on.
“Thanks, Daddy,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome.” Nigel kissed Andy’s forehead when she pulled away. Nodding once to Miranda he stepped outside. As promised the cab was just pulling up as he came down the steps. Nigel looked back at the townhouse before slipping into the vehicle. Staring out the window on the ride home he remembered a girl he called Sunshine.