Driving Miranda - Chapter 28
Title: Driving Miranda - Chapter 28
Author: Widdy
Disclaimer: I don't own the Devil Wears Prada, or Miranda or Andy, unfortunately someone else does so I'm just borrowing them I will return them after I'm done.
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Yes feel free to feed me.
Pairings: Andy/Nate, Miranda/Stephen, Andrea/Miranda eventually.
Summary: While Roy is ill Miranda gets an interesting new driver.
Beta: Amelie (thank you so much for your help!!)
Chapter 28
Andy looked down into the cup of black coffee that was resting upon the counter top in front of her. She hadn’t seen Lily or Kyle for the rest of the night. She had found a plate in the refrigerator covered in Clingfilm with her name written on in Sharpie Marker. She had smiled faintly as she placed the plate in the microwave. Even arguing they had taken the time to leave her something to eat.
She had heard sobs and murmured words come from behind the bedroom door a few time during the night.
Andy shook her head. She couldn’t believe it. Lily pregnant. It defied belief. If the situation wasn’t so serious it was be amusing. Lily was the least most maternal person Andy had ever met. Andy had never pictured Lily as a mother, when they were growing up she was the one who was going to get married and have two children, a boy and a girl, the prefect nuclear family. Lily was going to be an artist, go travelling around the world and meet lots of famous people. How different reality was, she had ended up working as a chauffeur and Lily had ended up managing a gallery, engaged to a great guy with a kid on the way.
Andy shook her head. She had always been sure that Lily and Kyle were destined to keep the title of DINK. Now it seemed that was not to be.
Then there was Miranda, and the kiss. What a kiss it had been. She had almost melted at the first touch of their lips. People often spoke of fireworks and the earth moving, Andy had never believed any of that stuff, she had wanted to but she thought she had found the best she could in Nate. How wrong she had been. Nate was not the great love of her life she had though he was. No, he was cruel and manipulative.
So what did she feel for Miranda? What was it? Miranda had just been nice to her, which was all. She was seeing and feeling something that wasn’t there, it was a rebound transference thing. Sure she found Miranda attractive, but the question was who didn’t? She was a very attractive woman, she was beautiful, intelligent, and she had a confidence, added to the fact that she just exuded sex.
Andy shook her head to dislodge the thoughts. She didn’t understand her own reactions to Miranda; she had willing accepted that kiss, and then she had run like a child. Andy hung her head; she could hardly believe that she had done that. It was almost like sleeping with someone and leaving before they awoke.
She had just been scared, frightened that Miranda felt something for her and terrified that there was a possibility that she returned those feelings.
A small creak followed by a click alerted Andy to the fact that she was not alone. The brunette drew her eyes up from her coffee and she met Kyle’s gentle and tired green eyes.
“Hey.” His voice was a little horse and he looked like hell. His hair was mussed and he was slowly padding across the bare floor in a tight white thermal t-shirt a pair of black pyjama bottoms.
“Hey Kyle, how’s Lily?”
“Asleep, she was freaking out most of the night. I’m going to call the gallery and tell them she won’t be in.”
“Good luck with that.” Andy raised her eyebrows and then took another sip of her coffee.
“I know, I’ll do it before she gets up. She will be pissed, but it will be a piece of cake compared to yesterday.”
“Yeah.”
“Is this fresh?”
“Yes, made by me, no longer than ten minutes ago.”
“Nice.” Kyle slowly poured the coffee into a cup. He moved efficiently around the kitchen space and in seconds he had retried milk from the refrigerator and was liberally pouring the white liquid into the white cup.
He took a sip, smiled and then leaned his hip against the kitchen counter top behind him.
“I’m not sorry I did what I did. I am sorry that I hurt you and Lily.”
Andy sighed; she didn’t really want to think about anything at the moment. However she could understand how Kyle felt. He had just tried to help. “I know Kyle.”
“This is so surreal.”
“Is she?”
Kyle nodded, “Yes.”
“When?” Andy could hardly believe this.
“She never said anything to you?”
Andy gave a swift shake of her head. Lily had said nada, she didn’t know how long she had known but she had just listened to her blabber on about her life and hadn’t said a word. She had let her unload a shit load of problems on to her shoulders, and she had brought the bitter Nate into her life and still her friend had kept her pregnancy to herself. “No, I haven’t been in the best place for her to unload. God, how long?”
“She’s two and a half months pregnant.”
“God, when was she going to say anything?”
“I have no idea; I think she was scared to tell me. She told me she had gained weight, and her stomach has started to become firm. She said she had been getting sick after she eats, and at night.”
“Why didn’t she say something?” Andy didn’t know why Lily had kept quite but she suspected.
“God knows, I should have realised something was wrong, she has been falling asleep all the time. I just thought she was overworked and stressed with everything that’s been going on. She has even been eating more than usual.”
“Kyle there is no way you could have known she was pregnant.”
“She has looked a little off; you saw it yesterday when we were arguing she looked like she was going to collapse. When have you ever seen Lily looks like that? She doesn't get sick; she is as strong as an ox.”
“I know what you mean.”
“She was complaining about having mild headaches last week and feeling really hot and feverish. She was telling me her body had changed, I have noticed that but I just didn’t think.”
“She would have told you eventually.”
“I know.” Kyle nodded and sipped his coffee.
“I don’t really know what to say, this obviously isn’t planned.”
“No it wasn’t planned. We never imagined having kids. Well, I didn’t now anyway.”
“Lily...”
“She doesn’t want children Andy, I know that. She told me when I proposed to her. I didn’t mind, Lily is enough for me. She is all I need in this world. You know how thorough Lily is sometimes; she had to make sure we had everything worked out before we made a real commitment.”
“So what are you going to do?”
Kyle’s face straightened and then he looked over his shoulder at the refrigerator. “I guess I’m going to have breakfast.”
“Funny. What are you going to do about the baby?”
Kyle shrugged in response. “Lily said she doesn’t want to have an abortion.”
“So you’re going to keep it?”
“I guess we are going to be parents.”
“Wow.” Andy didn’t know what to say to that. She was slightly shocked that Lily and Kyle were going to keep the child. Still part of her was excited for them, and she wished them the best in their attempt at parenting.
“I know I am going to have to learn how to be a dad. Jesus I’m going to have to learn how to be responsible.”
Andy laughed at Kyle’s comment. “Yep, responsible Daddy Kyle.”
“Oh, don’t.”
“What Daddy Kyle?”
“Yeah, that makes me feel old. I could make the kid call me Daddy Cool.”
“Boney M?” Andy smiled. “You’re not old.”
“You’re going to be an auntie.”
“Auntie Andy.”
“Hey you made a rhyme.”
“So I did, cleaver me. All this will be worth it when we hear the first time Lily is called Mommy.”
Kyle laughed and Andy joined him as they both imagined Lily’s face.
****
Miranda thoroughly checked her appearance in the hall mirror.
She had already had to suffer through Emily this morning. Her English assistant had called her at the crack of dawn to inform her that the carpet cleaners would be arriving at 10, She had been annoyed at being woken, so she had snapped at Emily, why was she telling her this? was she going to be in the townhouse at 10 to complete the menial task of opening the door to allow entry to the workmen? No, for her little slip, Miranda had made sure that Emily knew she would be here at 10 to give them entry. She had listened to the other woman sputtered for two seconds before she had hung up.
She had been called again an hour later, once again by Emily. This time she at least had some information that was at least relevant.
Her driver was waiting outside.
This, Miranda knew, would be an awkward confrontation. She had engaged in a kiss with Andrea, and Andrea had taken flight when she had realised what she had done.
Miranda quickly recalled the sharp stab that she had felt in her heart when Andrea had made her move. She could hardly believe that the girl had just left, but she understood why. She understood fear and right before Andrea had left Miranda had seen fear.
Andrea was young and she had just left an abusive relationship the last thing she needed was a woman old enough to be her mother throwing herself at her. Her behaviour had been wanton, she had coaxed Andrea into her home, and if Stephen found out what she had done, Miranda was sure he would dig up every one of her previous assistants. She was sure one of them would be willing to lie that she had tried something with them, if the right price was branded in front of them.
What she had done could be constituted as sexual harassment, if Andrea chose to report her. Miranda didn’t think Andrea would, she had kissed back after all.
What a kiss it had been, her lips had tingled and her body had cried out at the loss of contact. Her lips had found another set they adored and they had wanted them to return. However as the brunette has ran Miranda knew she would not return.
She had heard Tiffany enter with the book, but she had refused to move from her study. She would not appear at the window to wave to Andrea yesterday evening, as much as she understood why Andrea had fled, she would not reward her by continuing her ritual of appearing at her bedroom window.
The air shifted behind her and Miranda looked over her shoulder just in time to see Caroline come barrelling down the stairs.
“I have told you about running within the house Caroline.”
The girl rolled her eyes and then slowed her pace. She was dressed in her uniform with a leather satchel across her chest, and a small Louis Vuitton gym bag clutched in her right hand. It was Friday and both the girls would be going straight from school to their fathers. Miranda knew that they both hated going, and she felt a pang of guilt due to the fact that she didn’t have a choice in the situation. If she could she would allow them the choice of going to see him, but he had visitation rights.
“Sorry.”
“You have everything you need for the weekend?”
Caroline nodded. “Yes. I can’t wait the weekend is going to be great.”
Caroline smiled deviously and Miranda gave a shake her head. It was obvious that she had some sort of Machiavellian plan to destroy her father’s wife. Miranda could only wish her success in the undertaking of this newest venture against the plague that was the bleach blonde bimbo Chrystal and her dog Sergeant Bonbon.
Miranda closed the buttons upon her coat and tied the belt at her waist. Miranda watched out of the corner of her eye as Caroline shifted her gym bag from hand to hand. She stepped closer to the staircase and gently called out. “Cassidy, darling?”
“Cassidy can’t find her shoe.”
Miranda looked over her shoulder and nodded to Caroline.
“Darling?”
The small redhead appeared at the top of the stairs wearing one flat black shoe.
“I can’t find my other shoe.”
“Darling, you have various pairs of shoes, wear another pair. Preferably, a pair that matches your outfit.”
“But I want to wear theses.”
“Darling, I don’t have time for this. Find another pair.”
“But mom...”
Miranda held up her hand, she did not have the time to listen to Cassidy’s back chat. She had a serious amount of work to complete today. “Find another pair, Cassidy.”
“Fine.”
Miranda sighed as her usually mild mannered daughter marched back towards her bedroom. A small chuckle from Caroline direction caused Miranda to give her daughter a small glare of warning.
“The car has arrived.”
Caroline swiftly took her mother comment as a suggestion and moved towards the front door of the townhouse.
“Cool, I’ll go and tell Andy we are going to be late.”
“We will not be late.”Miranda hid the wince she experienced at the mention of the word cool, and Andrea’s nickname, why her driver insisted upon shortening her given name she would never know. The girls had told her on the first day of Andrea’s employment how she had told them that they could call her Andy.
Precisely five minutes later a petulant Cassidy came trudging down the stairs and exited the door without so much as a goodbye. Miranda shook her head slightly, so it was Cassidy who was going to be difficult today. That was fine, she had dealt with worse, and she would not rise to her antics.
Mirada sighed as looked in the mirror once more and then exited the townhouse. It was a clear autumn day, and there was a slight chill to the air. Miranda donned her sunglasses as she watched Andrea open the door for Cassidy. The young girl stopped as she was part of the way into the car and then nodded her head to something Andrea had said.
Miranda took the first step and watched as Andrea somehow sensed her presence and turned. She was dressed as always in a crisp black suit. Her hair was loose today and perfectly straight. Upon her face Miranda was glad to see that the sunglasses she had given as a gift.
As she came to the last step, Miranda observed the change in Andrea’s body language; she was tense and looked nervous. It was a reaction she had come to associate with those who were scared of her; she saw it almost every day. This wasn’t the first time she had seen Andrea like this, no she had been like this when her so called boyfriend had struck her. It was however was the first time that she had seen Andrea exhibit this behaviour towards her.
“Good morning Miranda.”
Miranda felt her throat go dry when Andrea’s voice caressed her ear, she clenched her jaw to try and dislodge the feeling of desire the simple words of greeting had evoked.
“Andrea.”
Miranda watched as Andrea swallowed a lump in her throat and then stepped back from the car door. She had obviously been dreading this confrontation.
Miranda wanted nothing more than to ask the other woman about last night. She wanted to know why she had run away, she had her suspicions but she wanted them confirmed. She wanted to question Andrea about the nature of this thing that was between them. She wanted to ask Andrea if she felt something more than mere attraction, she wanted to ask Andrea pointless and inconsequential things. Miranda was surprised by the fact that she actually wanted to know Andrea.
“Miranda?”
Miranda frowned and looked up Andrea’s mouth was titled to the side slightly and she was holding out her hand to offer aid. She was as courteous as ever in spite of what had occurred; it was her job after all.
Miranda shook the distracting thoughts from her mind, she needed to work and allowing fanciful thoughts of Andrea linger, would not help with that.
Miranda took the slim glove covered hand and entered the vehicle.
Chapter 29