Lara watched one of her guests walking down the hall, obviously being berated to some degree by the person on the phone. A word had caught her attention though and she turned to the other adults, “Promos?” It was Cassidy that answered.
“Yeah, Andy's gonna be on TV.”
Alan found that kind of surprising, he thought Andy was very pretty but she didn't seem famous or anything, “Why?”
Caroline tried to think of how to explain it when Cassidy jumped in, “It's because of Mom, and that they're together and the wedding and stuff.”
“Miranda...” Lara recalled the name, “She's someone important?”
Dorothy smiled as Caroline and Cassidy looked at each other with similar incredulous expressions. “Yes, Miranda is quite important in the fashion industry. She is the editor-in-chief of Runway magazine.”
“Ah...” Lara tried to place a face to the name and found only vague images of a white haired woman she had seen from afar at a charity function or two. Certainly the woman she was thinking of was too old for the young woman currently in her kitchen. Lara temporized her response, “Well, I don't watch much TV, and I certainly don't follow fashion...”
“That's understandable.” Dorothy tried to assure their hostess, “I didn't either until Andy started working at Runway, and then only in passing. Now...” With a shake of her head, the older woman indicated her large tummy, “I'm afraid it's not much use.” She winked at Cassidy and changed the subject, “You want to see if those strings hold out long enough to let Gram, Mary and Ms. Hartstone hear your song?”
“Grandma...” Cassidy groaned, wondering if this woman had embarrassed Andy as much as this when Andy was a kid. One look into Dorothy's twinkling eyes told Cassidy, yes she probably had. “They don't want to hear that...”
“You wrote a song?” Alyssa's pale eyes searched her young friend's face, “That's amazing.”
“It's just a...” Cassidy swallowed hard as Alyssa smiled. “It doesn't even have a title or lyrics or anything...”
“That's okay. Can I hear it?” Alyssa tilted her head in question and asked, “Please?”
With a sigh of resignation, Cassidy moved back to the piano, “Okay...” She began to play the song she had written. She had actually intended it to be a gift, for Miranda and Andy's wedding, but now that they had both heard it she didn't think it was appropriate for that purpose anymore. As she played, her eyes closed and a picture formed. Most of the time when she did this, played and let her mind wander, the image of Ms. Bax would come to her. This time though, it wasn't the laughing teacher that appeared in her head, it was a smiling blonde girl with pale blue eyes.
Dorothy remained quiet as her future grand-daughter played the piano so beautifully. It struck her that the previous times she'd heard this song played it hadn't been rendered so, emotionally. When Andy slid into place next to her and gave her a little wink, Dorothy knew her daughter had caught the difference as well. Her nostrils only flared a bit as the scent from the antibacterial gel on Andy's hands reached her nose.
When the piece was over, they all applauded and although Cassidy rolled her eyes, she stood and bowed playfully.
Andy moved to wrap her arms around the girl's shoulders, “That was great, Sweetie.” She kissed the top of Cassidy's head then looked at Caroline, “But I think it's about time for us to go.”
Lara walked them to the door and they were all standing either on the steps up to the door or the sidewalk when the low rumble of tires on the pavement drew their attention. Andy smiled and moved toward the towncar even as Miranda exited the vehicle. “Miranda!” Wrapping the woman in a warm hug, Andy kissed her cheek, “C'mon, meet our new neighbors.”
Miranda appreciated Andrea's arm around her waist as they walked up the short sidewalk to meet the group of people standing there. She was not exactly thrilled with the familiarity that the taller girl seemed to exhibit toward Cassidy but it was the woman she was most interested in. The way Andrea smiled when she said her name, “Miranda, this is Lara Hartstone. Lara, this is Miranda.”
“Nice to meet you, Miranda, finally. I believe we've attended some charity functions together, but I've never had the honor of being introduced.” Lara held out her hand to shake and was a little surprised when Miranda didn't take it. She smoothly gestured to her children, “These are my twins, Alyssa and Alan.”
“Pleasure.” Vivid blue eyes glanced at the children then returned to hold Lara's gaze for a moment, “I'm told you have put Cassidy to work.”
Uh oh, Andy thought and tried to figure out why Miranda was upset, Maybe something happened at the office...
“Mom.” Cassidy shook her head, “I wanted to do it..”
“Of course you did my darling...” Miranda smiled at her daughter, despite the older girl's arm around her shoulder, “... there are few things worse than an out of tune piano.”
“She did a wonderful job.” Lara tried to smile again, “Cass says you can give us the name of the man who maintains your pianos, this one is in need of restringing.”
“Indeed.” Miranda narrowed her eyes slightly at the truncation of her daughter's name, but nodded, “I can send you his name and number.”
“Thank you.” Switching subjects, Lara reached out to ruffle Caroline's hair, “The kids have been playing basketball, Ro here has been running my two ragged.”
Miranda's eye twitched as the woman again used a diminutive name for her daughter and Caroline smiled at the woman affectionately. “In that case, we should be going home. Playing strenuous sports in this heat can't be good for you, Caroline.”
“Mom, I'm fine!” Caroline rolled her eyes. “We took breaks when we got too hot.”
Dorothy exchanged a wide eyed look with Pava, “Um... we were actually on our way back to your house when you pulled up.” She indicated their position outside the door, with Patricia on her leash, “We were just saying goodbye when you arrived.”
“Well then I suggest that process be completed so that we may go home and have our mid-day meal.” Miranda was aware she was being a bitch but at this point she couldn't help it.
Oh! Andy suddenly realized what the problem was and she wasn't too happy about it. She decided to give Miranda a healthy dose of reality and waited for the girls to say their goodbyes.
Miranda watched uncomfortably as her children exhibited a disconcerting familiarity toward this, woman. When the girls gave their new friends, and their mother, hugs goodbye she could almost tolerate it, but then Andrea released her hold and moved forward.
Miranda watched her fiancee move, as if real life had suddenly shifted into slow motion. Watched as her Andrea's long lanky arms wrapped around the tall, thin woman with the long, nearly white, hair. Watched as the light disappeared from between their bodies as her Andrea willingly pressed herself against this woman who had to be at least a decade or more older than Andrea, but also a decade younger than Miranda herself. Miranda felt her heart pounding at the sight of Lara's smile as the hug ended, a smile that caused the woman's absolutely wrinkle free face to light up.
“Come back any time.” Lara grinned at Andy and the girls then turned her gaze downward as Patricia whined a little and reached her paw up to get Lara's attention. Kneeling, Lara ruffled the fur at the large dog's neck, “You too you gorgeous girl... Next time you come, maybe Benji will be here to play with.” She laughed as Patricia licked her face.
That was the last straw, even her dog was a traitor, Miranda's nostrils flared as she spoke to the women staying in her home, “You are welcome to take the car home.” She stepped forward, wrapping her arm around her Andrea's waist, “Andrea and I will walk Patricia back.”
“Awesome!” Andy smiled and leaned lightly into Miranda's embrace, “I don't think we've taken a walk together since our vacation on the Vineyard.”
Miranda thought about that and realized Andrea was correct, even in London they hadn't actually taken a walk.. they'd only gone from the car to the buildings. Shopping at Harrod's for hours apparently didn't count, nor did the flight they'd taken on the Eye. It was a problem, Miranda should be spending more time with Andrea and she knew it. It was also a bit embarrassing for the editor that Lara, a virtual stranger, was privy to a problem between Andrea and herself. “That is something we will need to work on, in the future.” Andrea's arm finding its way around her waist calmed Miranda's jealousy somewhat.
“I actually meant to ask you,” Lara spoke, unaware of the near boiling point of Miranda's blood and the imminent danger she was in, “Where is a good place to walk Benji? Once we get him here, he's gonna want to run some.”
“Oh, sure...” Andy grinned, “I'll take you to the park and show you the dog friendly areas... Patricia has a great time running around with the other dogs there. You have to go early though, they're only allowed to be off-leash until nine a.m.”
“You're up that early?” Lara was surprised at that for some reason. Possibly because her teenage children were rarely up before ten and Andy seemed closer to their age than to her own. Lara started her day around five every morning.
“Andrea runs every day before she goes to work.” Miranda informed the woman almost imperiously, “Her workout regime is quite strenuous.”
“Oh,” Alyssa grinned at her mother, “Maybe you can start running again, Mom.”
Miranda felt her mouth go dry, “You run?”
Lara ran her fingers through her long hair and nodded, “Yeah, I did... I haven't for a little while, getting ready for the move, house hunting and packing has thrown me out of my routine.”
“Oh, well I pass here every morning on my way to the park.” Andy offered, “Maybe we can run together?” Andy could feel the tension singing through Miranda's slight frame.
“I'd like that.” Lara laughed as her stomach growled, “Wow... it is lunchtime isn't it?”
“Indeed,” Miranda managed to unlock her jaw and speak through her fake smile, “I believe I said that some time ago.”
Andy's eyes widened, realizing now exactly how upset Miranda really was, I shouldn't have tweaked her like that... “Yes, It's time to go.” She gestured for the girls to start heading down the sidewalk, “You two pile in front with Roy, Mom, Gram and Mary can sit in the back. Miranda and I will walk Patricia and meet you there.”
“Sure, Ma,” Caroline pulled Cassidy out from under Alyssa's arm and down toward the car. She was aware of the older women mumbling goodbyes as they followed.
“Have a nice afternoon,” Lara moved to drape her arms around her own children's shoulders. “Come back soon.”
Andy only smiled and waved as she tugged lightly on Patricia's leash and with one arm firmly around Miranda's waist, began walking toward home. They walked almost half a block before Andy asked quietly, “Problems at the office?”
Miranda kept her voice neutral. “The usual incompetence.”
“Mmmm...” Andy ran her tongue across her teeth, “That's strange since you were probably the only one there.”
“No one likes a smart ass, Andrea.” Miranda walked a few more steps before admitting, “I called Serena in...”
“Oh?” Andy kept her interest casual, “How'd that go?”
“We... came to an understanding.” Keeping her eyes forward, Miranda asked, “How do you think Serena will feel running with a perfect stranger?”
Andy grinned, she'd wondered when Miranda would get around to that, “Oh, I think she'll be fine. I'll introduce them.”
“Andrea...”
“What?” Andy stopped short, pulling Patricia to a stop as she turned to face the older woman, “What Miranda? I'm not allowed to have friends?”
Miranda answered automatically, “Of course you are, but...” She pressed her lips together to stop herself from voicing her fears.
“But what?” Andy widened her eyes, “I can have friends but only if you approve of them?? I'm not one of the girls Miranda! Jesus...You're not...” Andy closed her mouth and bit her lips together quickly, the phrase she was about to say was too hurtful, but from the look in her eyes, Miranda knew what had been poised on the tip of her tongue.
“Say it.” Miranda's face was closed, hard and as much the Dragon Lady as she had ever been with Andrea. “Say it, Andrea...” She shook, visibly trembling as Andrea stood on the sidewalk in front of her unwilling to finish the phrase. “Very well, I will... I am not...” Taking a deep breath, Miranda licked her lips and nodded, “...your mother.”
Soulful brown eyes met Miranda's watery gaze and Andy frowned. “I'm sorry Miranda, I didn't mean...”
“Don't patronize me. We both know very well what you meant.” For your age... Miranda began walking toward the house, a hand on her elbow stopped her motion.
“Miranda, stop.” Stepping closer, Andy gently cupped Miranda's cheek in her palm, “Don't do this...” She looked directly into the editor's cold blue eyes, “Don't shut me out. Talk to me.”
Leaning into the touch, Miranda sighed, “Andrea, this is not the time or the place to have this discussion.” She reached up, removing the hand from her face, “We will continue this conversation, later.”
“Promise me.” Andy searched Miranda's eyes for a bit of softness, “Promise me you won't sweep this under the rug and forget about it. We have to finish this.”
Miranda nodded, “I promise. We will finish it...” One way or the other. They both began walking toward the town house and Miranda nearly lost her steely reserve as Andrea's arm automatically wrapped around her waist. She returned the gesture without much thought, only knowing that was where her arm should be and dying a little at the possibility that she might lose the privilege.
###
Andy let Patricia off her leash as soon as they walked into the foyer. She started down the hall toward the kitchen, but Miranda turned to go upstairs. “Miranda?”
“I'm not hungry at the moment.” Miranda looked down from the steps she was standing on, “I'm going to go rest for a while.” She took another few steps before adding, “Wake me when you wish to continue our... discussion.”
Andy watched as Miranda continued up the stairs. The urge to follow the irate woman up the stairs was strong, but Andy took a deep breath and resisted. She knew herself well enough to know that continuing the argument now would only result in yelling on her part and Miranda shutting down, which wouldn't be constructive at all. She wandered into the kitchen, wondering what she was going to say to defend herself. Miranda's jealousy wasn't exactly new, but for some reason it had hit her the wrong way today. Andy knew she shouldn't have tweaked the woman the way she did, hugging Lara so closely, but... why not? She's nice, and it wasn't like we're having an affair or something, we were just hugging goodbye! What's wrong with that?! She entered the kitchen with a slight frown on her face. Pava commented on it.
“Troubles, Darlin'?” The older woman smiled at her granddaughter then looked at the empty space behind her, “Where's Miranda?”
“She went upstairs to rest.” Andy washed her hands, globbing some antibacterial gel on at the end, then sighed and washed her hands again. When she was done she reached into one of the storage containers arranged on the counter, snagging a crisp bell pepper slice to munch on. “She wasn't hungry.”
“We decided to do individual stir fry's,” Cassidy smiled at Andy and indicated the containers on the counter, each filled with a chopped or sliced vegetable or protein. “Just get a plate, fill it with what you want and then we'll cook it.”
“This way everyone gets what they want.” Caroline grinned as she piled veggies on her plate, carefully avoiding the thinly sliced red meat.
“Good idea.” Andy looked over the selections and sighed, “You know, I'm not terribly hungry right now either. You guys go ahead and eat... I think I'll go rest for a while too.” Dorothy's quiet voice stopped her at the bottom of the stairs.
“Andy...” Dorothy smiled at her daughter as the young woman looked back at her, “It's going to be okay.”
“What?” Andy's forehead wrinkled, Does Ma know Miranda and I are....
“Tomorrow... your television appearances.... Don't worry, you'll do fine.”
“Oh...” Blinking, Andy nodded, “Thanks, Ma.” In fact she hadn't thought about that for quite a while now, not when Miranda was upset at her, compared to that, nothing could scare her. She walked up the stairs but found herself turning away from her bedroom door heading for the sunroom instead. She stopped short when she saw Miranda sitting in the lounge chair. “Oh, sorry I... I guess you want to be alone...” She began to back out of the room.
“Andrea,” Miranda's voice was choked. “Don't leave,” The editor knew tears were gathering in her eyes and she thought her voice sounded like she felt, broken, “I don't want to be alone.”
“I won't leave, Miranda.” Andy sat on the edge of the lounger. “I'll never leave...”
“I will always be this way, Andrea.” Miranda laid her head back and closed her eyes, “I cannot change my nature.”
“I don't want you to change, Miranda.” Andy took the chance and reached out, brushing the wayward lock of white hair off her fiancee's forehead, “I just want you to trust me.”
“I do!” Miranda leaned into the touch, “I do trust you... it is other people's motives that are suspect...”
Andy shook her head, “It doesn't work that way, Miranda.” Shifting, Andy slid into the chair next to the older woman, “Do you feel this?” Andy molded herself against Miranda, “You have to trust this... trust us.”
“I'm trying...” Miranda admitted, “This helps,” she sighed, “It's very hard for me, Andrea, because everyone leaves. Everyone has always left...”
“I'm not everyone...” Andy spoke quietly, “I'll tell you what I told the girls.” She kissed the side of Miranda's neck lightly, “There are only two things that will make me leave you.”
“Oh?” Miranda was barely able to push the word from her lips, not really wanting to know the answer. “What?”
“I'll leave, Miranda, if you want me to go and I mean really want me to go.” Andy smiled as Miranda scoffed.
“That won't happen.” Miranda couldn't imagine a scenario that would cause her to go that insane. But Andrea had claimed two reasons. “And the other?”
“If I die.”
“Andrea...” The very thought of anything happening to the woman in her arms caused tremors to roll through Miranda, “Nothing is going to happen to you...”
“Everyone dies, Miranda.” Andy smiled and peppered Miranda's neck with light kisses, “I won't go looking for it and I will fight with everything I have to prevent it... I eat right,” she grinned at Miranda's rolling eyes, “Usually... and I exercise. I'll get checkups regularly, all that, but eventually...”
“You understand that we had an agreement.” Miranda spoke in her best business tone. “You are to remain with me until I am one hundred years old.”
Andy nodded, “Yes... then you're going to kick me out.”
“When we marry, that agreement is going to change.” Miranda looked into Andrea's dark eyes, “We will vow to each other to stay together until death parts us.”
“Yes.”
“Serena informs me that her grandmother lived to be one hundred and five years old...” Miranda shifted, wrapping herself around the woman pressed against her, “So, the marriage vows will have to supersede the verbal agreement we have.” Closing her eyes, Miranda savored the feel of Andrea in her arms, “I don't think I could live five minutes without you in my life, much less five years.”
“You're going to live to be a hundred and five?” Andy grinned at the response.
“If Serena's grandmother can do it, so can I.” Miranda smiled as Andrea's chuckle vibrated both of them.
Andy gently traced the outside edge of Miranda's ear. “You are so competitive.”
“No I'm not...” Miranda moved into the touch, “I just like to win.”
Laughing at that, Andy captured Miranda's lips with her own, pulling away only far enough to speak, “I love you, Miranda. Always. No one will ever change that.”
“Not even a tall, thin, older woman with long white hair, and twin children?” Miranda's tone was mostly playful with only a slightly sarcastic streak.
Andy relaxed, knowing that the crisis that could have been very very bad, had been averted. “Miranda,” Andy whispered into her love's ear, “You just described yourself.” Dark eyes twinkled a few inches from Miranda-blue ones. “Well, except for that long hair thing.”
“Shall I grow it?” Miranda's eyebrow rose in question, her lips twitched at Andrea's outraged expression.
“You most certainly will not!” Andy was appalled at the very idea. No matter how incredibly sexy Miranda would be with long hair, to change one single strand on her iconic head would be tantamount to blasphemy as far as Andy was concerned.
“Come now, Andrea.” Miranda licked her lips and smirked, “I'm a full grown woman, capable of making my own decisions about how I look.” Blue eyes twinkled, “You aren't my mother after all.”
“No,” Andy smiled, “but I will be your wife, and you are going to be my wife. And I will need to remember that the things I do affect you.”
“That goes both ways.” Miranda chuckled, “That hasn't been an issue for me in my previous relationships... perhaps that speaks to a reason they didn't work out.”
“Perhaps.” Andy inhaled deeply, content to stay right there in Miranda's arms, with Miranda in her arms, except her inhalation had revealed something important. “Miranda?”
“Mmmm?” Miranda also took a deep breath, closing her eyes to savor this moment with her Andrea.
“Whatever they're doing in the kitchen smells good.” Andy grinned as one blue eye opened to peer at her through wayward white hair. “Well, it is lunchtime and it smells really good.”
Miranda laughed, “So it does!” Patting the arms around her, the older woman requested release.
“Miranda...” Andy didn't let go and in fact pulled her fiancee closer, “...let it wait, for just a minute?”
Nodding, Miranda settled back into the embrace. “Of course.” Closing her eyes again, Miranda smiled, content in her Andrea's arms, “For as long as you want.”
###
Dorothy took the last bite of her stir-fry then eyed the remaining cut vegetables in the storage containers. She knew there was probably just enough left for one portion that she would eat, or one for each slender woman who hadn't yet taken their lunch. She looked up at the ceiling, as if she could see her daughter through the layers of the house. “Should we go get them?”
“No,” Caroline picked at the bean sprouts on her plate, “Mom was upset about something, Andy is calming her down. They'll come down when they're ready.”
“Unless they fell asleep in the chair again.” Cassidy shrugged, “Then they'll be down when they wake up.”
“Um... your mom was upset?” Mary took her plate, and Pava's, to the sink rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher. “How do you know that?” Miranda had seemed somewhat curt toward the new neighbors, but Mary wasn't sure that the attitude was any different than normal for Miranda, if Dorothy's stories about Miranda's work persona were to be believed. Then again, she hadn't been paying that close of attention to Miranda this afternoon.
“We always know.” Caroline informed their lunch companions, “Mom thinks she hides it from us, but we always know when she's upset.”
Cassidy nodded, “Ro's right, we always know when... it's not often we know why.”
Caroline shrugged, “It's usually something about work.”
“Not always...” Cassidy shook her head, “Mom tries to shield us from most of the bad stuff.”
“And when she's upset, what happens?” Pava was curious. Long ago, when she was Miranda's age or younger, Pava's temper had gotten the best of her several times, resulting in items being thrown and broken. She couldn't imagine Miranda doing that, but she wondered what the woman did do to let off steam.
“Nothing happens,” Cassidy took her plate to the sink, “She just gets really quiet and goes to the sunroom, or the study, or her bedroom... 'to think' she says.”
Caroline agreed, “That's where they'll most likely be, in the sunroom. We found them there once, sleeping in the lounger after a fight.”
“They fight?” Dorothy didn't like the sound of that.
“Of course they fight,” Pava shook her head at Dorothy's dismay, “All couples have arguments and misunderstandings from time to time...” She glanced at Mary, “I had plenty with John during our marriage... but they usually worked out in the end.”
Mary nodded, “George and I didn't always see eye to eye on things... but yes, we always managed to get past our differences.” or just ignore them...
“Mom and Andy work things out,” Cassidy smiled softly, “When Mom and Stephen were together things would drag on for weeks and weeks... but now if there is a problem, Andy doesn't mess around. She takes care of it.”
Pava shot a significant look at Dorothy who chuckled in self-recognition, “That's my girl.”