Short fic: Little Sunshine
She was young, beautiful and ready to take over the world of fashion. Soon she will become the editor in chief of Runway and she was determined to lead the weakened fashion magazine into new glory. Everyone will know her name: Miranda Priestly.
She loved the sound of the name she chose, her past as “Miriam Princhek” will be forgotten forever.
A smile, small and rare, was on her lips, when she stretched herself a bit and looked at the New Yorker skyline. She did not really know what brought her here exactly, on Liberty Island, where thousands of tourists were standing in line to visit the famous statue in these early hours already.
She looked at them amused, having no desire to climb up the old French lady. The sight of her alone remains power, that’s why she secretly admired her.
She was nearly perfect in any way, just a tiny imperfection in her face. Her nose was to long and sharp. She decided to make a nose correction near future.
Soon the name Miranda Priestly will rule the world of fashion and she leaned back on the small bench she was sitting, closing her eyes.
“Excuse me?” She heard a voice after a while talking to her, not opening her eyes until she heard it again. “Excuse me, Miss….”
She sighed slightly annoyed, opened her eyes and saw a man standing right in front of her, a baby buggy right beside him.
Before she even had the chance to say something very snappy, the man said hastily: “I know this is strange and awkward, but my wife doesn’t feel well… I need to walk a little with her to get some fresh air. It won’t take long and I….. I wanted to ask if you could take care of the baby for a little while…. Not for long, I promise!”
The young woman was speechless for a minute, her eyes widen. Was he serious? Taking care of a baby? She? A stranger?
She took a look at him and saw the slight desperation in his eyes. “I know… I just…. saw you sitting there and….”
To her own surprise Miranda answered. “Okay.”
She shivered inside. What the hell was wrong with her?
“Really?” the man asked again, with a sign of relief.
Miranda just nodded. Awkward…
“Tank you so much! I swear she’s an angel. She’s already fed and has a fresh diaper. You’ve only had to watch the buggy. It won’t take long, I promise.”
He shoved the buggy to her front, put his hand to the baby’s cheek and spoke softly: “I’ll be right back, Andy. Be nice to the lady, okay honey?” He smiled. “I love you so much. Just need to take some care of your mommy. Bye bye.”
With that he went away to a brunette woman waiting.
A moment Miranda thought what the hell just has happened. She stared at the baby buggy in front of her and noticed two big brown eyes staring right back.
She grimaced. Miranda did not have any young siblings, just an older brother and was never interested in children, let alone babies. She was not the “mommy type”, so what did the man thought she would take care of his baby? And more absurd, why did she actually agreed to it?
Miranda sighed. He was nuts. Giving his child in the hands of a complete stranger. Tourists! No New Yorker would ever do such a thing. They don’t trust each other very much for a good reason.
“What am I doing here?” she said out loud. “This is just….” She didn’t have the words for it.
She noticed the little creature in the buggy watching her with great interest.
She thought all babies were only doing either sleeping or crying. The child before her did just look at her, widely awake.
Miranda took a closer look. The baby had small brown locks and brown eyes. Maybe already about a year old, definitely not newborn. The baby was wearing a bright yellow suit with a laughing sun patched on it and under the picture the words “Little Sunshine”.
Miranda snorted. Gosh, baby fashion was so kitschy. She hoped for some better designs in the future.
She could not believe she was even thinking about that. Baby fashion…
Miranda was flipped back into reality when she heard a strange sound out of the buggy.
First she thought the baby was crying, but actually it was laughing and happily wiggling in the buggy, reaching for Miranda.
“What? Do you…” She could not believe it. “Do you want me to take you into my arms?”
“Da!” the baby said excited. “Da da da!”
Miranda swallowed. She looked at the cloths she wore. Chanel.
“Forget it.” She hissed and leaned back on the bank, her arms crossed her chest.
The baby suddenly stopped it’s movement and laugh, just looked at her. Miranda glared.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Then the baby started to cry. Loud.
Miranda nearly jumped at the impact of the strength of the voice. People around her suddenly looked into her direction and Miranda’s cheeks turned pink. She did not wanted to have any attentions, at least not yet.
“Ssshh! Ssshh! Okay, okay! I’ll do it! Please stop crying!” She tried to sooth and picked up the baby. The crying was stopped immediately, people looked away.
“Fine, you won. But if you drool or even puke on my cloths, then…”
Miranda felt the warm little body moving in her arms and a sudden jolt of unknown but very nice feelings floated through her own body. The little creature smelled so nice and fresh. Better than anything she's ever smelled in her life.
It was like something was switched inside her.
She was mesmerized how the baby was not scared of her, a stranger. Those big brown eyes scanned her face with interest. Suddenly a tiny hand landed on her nose. Not grabbing it roughly, but nearly caressed it. The baby laughed again.
“You… you like my nose, don’t you?” Miranda said.
Well, it fits into my face after all…
The baby liked to hold her nose in a light grip. "Da da!!"
Miranda carefully leaned back, watching the little creature in wonder.
Maybe babies are not so bad…
She heard a tiny yawn and felt the baby drifting to sleep quickly. Miranda has never learned how to hold a child, but like an instinct, she held it against her chest and cradled it. She just had to. A gently smile crossed her face.
The baby was also smiling in its dreams.
The man said “she”, so it means the baby was a girl and now that Miranda was holding her so closely and just looked at her, a real beautiful one. Her skin was so warm and soft.
Miranda was absently caring the written letters on the baby’s yellow suit.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey…” She began to sing quietly, holding her for another few minutes before putting her carefully back into her buggy, placing the blanket over the little sleeping body.
How long she just stared at the little girl, watching her sleeping, breathing… Miranda did not know.
A shadow stood before her and when she looked up it was the girl’s father.
“I’m so grateful. Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I’m sorry it took so long…”
Miranda took a look at her watch. Thirty minutes! Could that be?
“Acceptable.” She only said, trying to sound cool.
“Oh, she’s finally sleeping. She has a lot of energy, you know?” The man laughed.
When Miranda didn’t respond he just coughed lightly. “Well… We need to go now. Thanks again for your time.” He reached for his wallet.
Miranda stopped him. “I said it was acceptable. I don’t like to repeat myself. No need for that, really.”
“Oh… okay… Thank you anyway…” The man stuttered.
“Richard! Come on!” His wife yelled.
“Coming!” The man yelled back, carefully not to be loud enough to wake the baby again.
He just nodded to Miranda, but the woman has already closed her eyes, not looking at his face.
God, what a bitch! Richard thought angrily. “Come on, Andy. Mommy’s waiting.”
He turned the buggy and was ready to go when he heard the young woman’s voice. “Wait!”
She opened her eyes. “Andy is a short form for something, no?”
“Well, we call her Andy. But her name’s Andrea.” The man said.
This time Miranda nodded slightly. “Andréa…. That’s all.”
Richard just sighed. “So, see you.” Hopefully NEVER again. With that he went away.
A few moments Miranda just sat on the bank and thought about what just has happened. Only in a span of thirty minutes a little person has changed something inside her. She was determined to have a great career, without husbands or children. But now…
She could still feel a bit of the warmth, the soft little hands on her face, the bright smile with little beginning teethes, the big brown eyes, looking so vivid and baffling in this world, with no worries yet.
Even that dreadful yellow suit was actually…. Cute.
She seemed to be healthy and happy.
Miranda could not help but wonder what would become of her. Hopefully a pretty and happy girl.
“Andréa.” She said quietly to herself, rolling every syllable on her tongue. “Not a bad name at all.” And she smiled.
*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was like flash of lightening before her eyes out of nowhere.
Miranda shivered. It was gone before she could remember what it was.
“Miranda? Are you all right?” She heard the voice of her young wife asking. “Is Elisabeth ready?”
“Yes, we’re down in a minute.” She answered, looking at the happy moving baby in front of her, dressed in a bright yellow baby suit with a little laughing sun and the words “Little Sunshine” patched on it.
She raised an eyebrow. She knew that suit from somewhere. It was dreadful, but Andréa said she loved wearing it as a child and got it from her old baby cloths from her parents.
But Elisabeth seemed very happy wearing it. So Miranda just sighed.
“Okay young Lady, I will pass that suit. I will teach you the sense for fashion soon enough. Just like your mother.” She smiled and carefully picked the one year old girl up.
The little girl giggled and snuggled right into her arms.
“Ah, there you are! Oooooh, isn’t she just adorable? I knew that suit will look cute on her!” Andrea said lovingly as she met the two in the living room.
Miranda sat down on the couch. She snorted.
Andy rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, Admit you think so, too. She looks cute!”
“She’s our daughter, Andréa, of course she does.”
Suddenly she felt tiny hands on her nose. “She likes my nose.”
Andy smiled and sat beside Miranda on the couch. She stroke first lovingly of the soft brown hair and cheeks of her baby girl and then over Miranda’s long and sharp nose. “Of course she does. I love your nose, too, you know.” She placed a light kiss on it.
Miranda chuckled. “Indeed you do.” Remembering how much time Andréa just spend by caressing her nose when they lay in bed.
“I better get the bottle. She’ll be sleepy soon. I’ll be right back, Ellie.”
Andy stood up and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
Miranda rolled her eyes. “What did I told you about short names?”
Andy grinned before vanishing in the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Mira.”
Miranda sighed. She could not believe she let her wife pass with so many things. The young brunette has turned her life upside down. She has shown her so many wonders, with one right here in her arms, big brown eyes watching her with a bright smile.
The silver haired woman didn't regret it.
“Never.” She whispered softly into her daughter’s ear.
She carefully placed her baby girl into her lab and began to sing:
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are grey
you'll never know dear how much I love you
please don't take my sunshine away...
That’s all.
She loved the sound of the name she chose, her past as “Miriam Princhek” will be forgotten forever.
A smile, small and rare, was on her lips, when she stretched herself a bit and looked at the New Yorker skyline. She did not really know what brought her here exactly, on Liberty Island, where thousands of tourists were standing in line to visit the famous statue in these early hours already.
She looked at them amused, having no desire to climb up the old French lady. The sight of her alone remains power, that’s why she secretly admired her.
She was nearly perfect in any way, just a tiny imperfection in her face. Her nose was to long and sharp. She decided to make a nose correction near future.
Soon the name Miranda Priestly will rule the world of fashion and she leaned back on the small bench she was sitting, closing her eyes.
“Excuse me?” She heard a voice after a while talking to her, not opening her eyes until she heard it again. “Excuse me, Miss….”
She sighed slightly annoyed, opened her eyes and saw a man standing right in front of her, a baby buggy right beside him.
Before she even had the chance to say something very snappy, the man said hastily: “I know this is strange and awkward, but my wife doesn’t feel well… I need to walk a little with her to get some fresh air. It won’t take long and I….. I wanted to ask if you could take care of the baby for a little while…. Not for long, I promise!”
The young woman was speechless for a minute, her eyes widen. Was he serious? Taking care of a baby? She? A stranger?
She took a look at him and saw the slight desperation in his eyes. “I know… I just…. saw you sitting there and….”
To her own surprise Miranda answered. “Okay.”
She shivered inside. What the hell was wrong with her?
“Really?” the man asked again, with a sign of relief.
Miranda just nodded. Awkward…
“Tank you so much! I swear she’s an angel. She’s already fed and has a fresh diaper. You’ve only had to watch the buggy. It won’t take long, I promise.”
He shoved the buggy to her front, put his hand to the baby’s cheek and spoke softly: “I’ll be right back, Andy. Be nice to the lady, okay honey?” He smiled. “I love you so much. Just need to take some care of your mommy. Bye bye.”
With that he went away to a brunette woman waiting.
A moment Miranda thought what the hell just has happened. She stared at the baby buggy in front of her and noticed two big brown eyes staring right back.
She grimaced. Miranda did not have any young siblings, just an older brother and was never interested in children, let alone babies. She was not the “mommy type”, so what did the man thought she would take care of his baby? And more absurd, why did she actually agreed to it?
Miranda sighed. He was nuts. Giving his child in the hands of a complete stranger. Tourists! No New Yorker would ever do such a thing. They don’t trust each other very much for a good reason.
“What am I doing here?” she said out loud. “This is just….” She didn’t have the words for it.
She noticed the little creature in the buggy watching her with great interest.
She thought all babies were only doing either sleeping or crying. The child before her did just look at her, widely awake.
Miranda took a closer look. The baby had small brown locks and brown eyes. Maybe already about a year old, definitely not newborn. The baby was wearing a bright yellow suit with a laughing sun patched on it and under the picture the words “Little Sunshine”.
Miranda snorted. Gosh, baby fashion was so kitschy. She hoped for some better designs in the future.
She could not believe she was even thinking about that. Baby fashion…
Miranda was flipped back into reality when she heard a strange sound out of the buggy.
First she thought the baby was crying, but actually it was laughing and happily wiggling in the buggy, reaching for Miranda.
“What? Do you…” She could not believe it. “Do you want me to take you into my arms?”
“Da!” the baby said excited. “Da da da!”
Miranda swallowed. She looked at the cloths she wore. Chanel.
“Forget it.” She hissed and leaned back on the bank, her arms crossed her chest.
The baby suddenly stopped it’s movement and laugh, just looked at her. Miranda glared.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Then the baby started to cry. Loud.
Miranda nearly jumped at the impact of the strength of the voice. People around her suddenly looked into her direction and Miranda’s cheeks turned pink. She did not wanted to have any attentions, at least not yet.
“Ssshh! Ssshh! Okay, okay! I’ll do it! Please stop crying!” She tried to sooth and picked up the baby. The crying was stopped immediately, people looked away.
“Fine, you won. But if you drool or even puke on my cloths, then…”
Miranda felt the warm little body moving in her arms and a sudden jolt of unknown but very nice feelings floated through her own body. The little creature smelled so nice and fresh. Better than anything she's ever smelled in her life.
It was like something was switched inside her.
She was mesmerized how the baby was not scared of her, a stranger. Those big brown eyes scanned her face with interest. Suddenly a tiny hand landed on her nose. Not grabbing it roughly, but nearly caressed it. The baby laughed again.
“You… you like my nose, don’t you?” Miranda said.
Well, it fits into my face after all…
The baby liked to hold her nose in a light grip. "Da da!!"
Miranda carefully leaned back, watching the little creature in wonder.
Maybe babies are not so bad…
She heard a tiny yawn and felt the baby drifting to sleep quickly. Miranda has never learned how to hold a child, but like an instinct, she held it against her chest and cradled it. She just had to. A gently smile crossed her face.
The baby was also smiling in its dreams.
The man said “she”, so it means the baby was a girl and now that Miranda was holding her so closely and just looked at her, a real beautiful one. Her skin was so warm and soft.
Miranda was absently caring the written letters on the baby’s yellow suit.
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey…” She began to sing quietly, holding her for another few minutes before putting her carefully back into her buggy, placing the blanket over the little sleeping body.
How long she just stared at the little girl, watching her sleeping, breathing… Miranda did not know.
A shadow stood before her and when she looked up it was the girl’s father.
“I’m so grateful. Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I’m sorry it took so long…”
Miranda took a look at her watch. Thirty minutes! Could that be?
“Acceptable.” She only said, trying to sound cool.
“Oh, she’s finally sleeping. She has a lot of energy, you know?” The man laughed.
When Miranda didn’t respond he just coughed lightly. “Well… We need to go now. Thanks again for your time.” He reached for his wallet.
Miranda stopped him. “I said it was acceptable. I don’t like to repeat myself. No need for that, really.”
“Oh… okay… Thank you anyway…” The man stuttered.
“Richard! Come on!” His wife yelled.
“Coming!” The man yelled back, carefully not to be loud enough to wake the baby again.
He just nodded to Miranda, but the woman has already closed her eyes, not looking at his face.
God, what a bitch! Richard thought angrily. “Come on, Andy. Mommy’s waiting.”
He turned the buggy and was ready to go when he heard the young woman’s voice. “Wait!”
She opened her eyes. “Andy is a short form for something, no?”
“Well, we call her Andy. But her name’s Andrea.” The man said.
This time Miranda nodded slightly. “Andréa…. That’s all.”
Richard just sighed. “So, see you.” Hopefully NEVER again. With that he went away.
A few moments Miranda just sat on the bank and thought about what just has happened. Only in a span of thirty minutes a little person has changed something inside her. She was determined to have a great career, without husbands or children. But now…
She could still feel a bit of the warmth, the soft little hands on her face, the bright smile with little beginning teethes, the big brown eyes, looking so vivid and baffling in this world, with no worries yet.
Even that dreadful yellow suit was actually…. Cute.
She seemed to be healthy and happy.
Miranda could not help but wonder what would become of her. Hopefully a pretty and happy girl.
“Andréa.” She said quietly to herself, rolling every syllable on her tongue. “Not a bad name at all.” And she smiled.
*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was like flash of lightening before her eyes out of nowhere.
Miranda shivered. It was gone before she could remember what it was.
“Miranda? Are you all right?” She heard the voice of her young wife asking. “Is Elisabeth ready?”
“Yes, we’re down in a minute.” She answered, looking at the happy moving baby in front of her, dressed in a bright yellow baby suit with a little laughing sun and the words “Little Sunshine” patched on it.
She raised an eyebrow. She knew that suit from somewhere. It was dreadful, but Andréa said she loved wearing it as a child and got it from her old baby cloths from her parents.
But Elisabeth seemed very happy wearing it. So Miranda just sighed.
“Okay young Lady, I will pass that suit. I will teach you the sense for fashion soon enough. Just like your mother.” She smiled and carefully picked the one year old girl up.
The little girl giggled and snuggled right into her arms.
“Ah, there you are! Oooooh, isn’t she just adorable? I knew that suit will look cute on her!” Andrea said lovingly as she met the two in the living room.
Miranda sat down on the couch. She snorted.
Andy rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, Admit you think so, too. She looks cute!”
“She’s our daughter, Andréa, of course she does.”
Suddenly she felt tiny hands on her nose. “She likes my nose.”
Andy smiled and sat beside Miranda on the couch. She stroke first lovingly of the soft brown hair and cheeks of her baby girl and then over Miranda’s long and sharp nose. “Of course she does. I love your nose, too, you know.” She placed a light kiss on it.
Miranda chuckled. “Indeed you do.” Remembering how much time Andréa just spend by caressing her nose when they lay in bed.
“I better get the bottle. She’ll be sleepy soon. I’ll be right back, Ellie.”
Andy stood up and kissed her daughter’s forehead.
Miranda rolled her eyes. “What did I told you about short names?”
Andy grinned before vanishing in the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Mira.”
Miranda sighed. She could not believe she let her wife pass with so many things. The young brunette has turned her life upside down. She has shown her so many wonders, with one right here in her arms, big brown eyes watching her with a bright smile.
The silver haired woman didn't regret it.
“Never.” She whispered softly into her daughter’s ear.
She carefully placed her baby girl into her lab and began to sing:
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are grey
you'll never know dear how much I love you
please don't take my sunshine away...
That’s all.