“ The truth?” Andy wrapped her arms around her middle. “I love her, Daddy. That is the truth!”
“But she...” He hated this, and hated Miranda for making him do this to his baby. “She only wants to possess you, manipulate you... she wants to control your life.”
“No, no Daddy... you have it all wrong.” Andy tried to get the man to see reason. “She loves me. She wouldn't do something like that...” This was, however, still Miranda they were talking about and Andy amended her statement slightly. “Not to me.”
“But she is!” Richard took a deep breath. “She came to see me... did you know that?”
Andy backed away some more, again shaking her head. “No...”
“She did, Andy. The day your mother and your Gram came here to visit you, she flew to Cincinnati to see me.”
“no...” Andy could feel the sinking in her stomach, and then whispered, almost to herself, “She was in meetings all day that day...”
“Well her ten o'clock was with me...” Reaching into his inside jacket pocket, Richard pulled out the prenuptial agreement Miranda had given him. “This is a pre-nup that she wanted me to help her manipulate you into signing.” He handed over the document.
“But I've wanted this for weeks.” Andy scanned the pages, frowning as she read. “She's been adamant about me being entitled to everything a spouse should be entitled to...”
“She wanted me to tell you what it says on the initial scan.” He pointed to the paper. “It makes it look like you don't get anything.”
Andy laughed, “I know her better than that. It has always been her intention that we be truly married, sharing everything.” She searched his face and would have smiled if she didn't feel so much like crying. “Daddy, I'm not stupid... according to this I would get even more than what a spouse would expect to receive.” She tossed the paper aside. “I've told her before I won't sign it...”
Richard sighed in relief. “Good. Now you're seeing reason. We can call this whole thing off...”
“What?” Andy couldn't believe her father was this clueless. She raised her voice a bit. “No!”
“She's manipulating you!” He overrode her protest loudly. “All she wants is to get her way!” Frustration added a decibel to his voice. “She doesn't care about you!”
Andy tried to drown out her father's accusations, shouting even louder than he had managed. “You're wrong, Daddy!”
“He certainly is.”
Andy inhaled shakily and turned to see Miranda standing in the doorway. “Miranda!” Smiling, Andy crossed the space between them quickly and wrapped her arms around her fiancee tightly.
Returning the embrace, Miranda looked over Andrea's shoulder at the man causing all the trouble. “I had thought you might need to talk, but then when the volume increased, I decided it was time to... intervene.”
“Of course you did...” Richard nearly sneered. “And obviously if you decided something then that's what happens...”
Ignoring him for the moment, Miranda pulled away from Andrea slightly to look her in the eyes. “You alright?”
With a tremulous smile, Andy nodded and lightly brushed her fingertips against Miranda's cheek. “I am now.”
“Dammit Andy!” His voice was at a near bellow now. “Can't you see what she's doing?”
“Daddy...” Andy demonstrated the volume they needed to keep. “Lower your voice.” She glanced at Miranda then continued her instructions to her father. “If you can't keep a civil tone, I will have security throw you out.”
“She's done this,” Richard ran his fingers through his graying hair and ground his teeth together, but kept his voice low. “She's turning you against me!”
“No, Daddy... I'm not against you. I never have been.” Andy smiled sadly. “It's you who's against me.”
“She tried to manipulate you...”
“Mr. Sachs,” Miranda smiled, her coldest business smile, and admitted, “I am a very manipulative person. I've found that many times that is the only way to get what you want.” He began to speak but she beat him to it. “However, I would never do that... to Andrea.”
“But you did!” He scooped up the pre-nup from where Andy had tossed it and shook it at her. “You wanted me to...” Miranda interrupted his rant.
“What I wanted, Mr. Sachs...” Miranda smiled, “is not necessarily what you think I wanted.” She shook her head at his obvious confusion. “You're daughter and I have a very good relationship. She has already seen that document. Even if she hadn't, did you truly think that you would have to explain it to her? She is quite intelligent.”
“What?” He looked at the papers in his hand.
Andy explained it to him, gently. “She wasn't manipulating me, Daddy.” Again resting her cheek against Miranda's temple, Andy spelled it out for him. “She knew how much the rift between us was hurting me. She wanted you to talk to me.”
“I... I don't...”
“She wasn't manipulating me, Daddy.” Andy sighed. “She manipulated, you.”
“I...” Miranda searched for the correct words, “merely wanted this... situation, resolved.”
“I know.” Andy shifted and kissed the temple that had been warmed by her cheek, “And I love you for it. Thank you.”
“Thank you?? Thank you?!” Richard was incredulous. “This is exactly what I'm talking about! She has you so brainwashed that she can do any sort of devious thing and you thank her for it!”
“You don't understand.” Andy was tired of discussing this. Moving away from Miranda, Andy sat in the chair in front of the dresser and spoke to her father. The resignation in her tone was evident to them all. “If you've said your piece, you can leave now.”
“Andy...” Richard didn't want to leave things like this, he needed Andy to listen to him, “Baby..”
“Don't call me that!” Andy's eyes flashed. “Don't ever call me that again.”
“Andrea...”
Andy turned on Miranda. “Don't you defend him...”
“I think you know me better than that.” Miranda spoke calmly and moved to stand next to the distraught woman. She put her hand on Andrea's shoulder. “However, I don't want you to say anything you will regret later.”
“I won't regret it, Miranda.” Andy looked from Miranda's loving face to her father's grimacing one. “He's the one that will regret it.”
“Good God, Richard.”
All three occupants of the room turned toward the voice at the door. Miranda nearly smiled at the look in the woman's eyes. It wasn't only Richard's side of the family Andrea took after.
Dorothy continued into the room, directly toward her husband. “What have you done?”
“I had to tell her, Dot.”
“Richard...”
“I couldn't just stand by and...”
“Yes!” Dorothy put her hand on Richard's chest and sighed. “You could have, you should have...” Shaking her head, she pleaded with him. “Don't do this... come with me.”
“Dot... I have to...”
“No!” Dorothy grabbed his lapel and began to pull him toward the door. He resisted forcing her to turn back to face him. She nearly begged the man, “Don't do this to Andy... don't make her choose between her past, and her future.”
“But...”
“You'll lose, Richard...” Dorothy sighed and spoke quietly to her husband. “If you push her, you'll lose.”
“She's acting like a child!” Richard kept his voice low, intending only Dorothy to hear. “Why would she choose this....woman, over us?? We didn't raise her to turn her back on her family.”
“You raised her to think for herself!”
Richard's head snapped to the door to find his mother glaring at him. “Mother...”
“That's right.” Pava shook her head and crossed the room. “I am your Mother, and you're going to listen to what I have to say.”
“Mom... not now.” He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “You don't understand.”
“Richard Andrew Sachs... I am, at this moment, as close to turning you over my knee as I have ever been in my life.” Pava clenched her hands at her sides. “I understand more than you realize and you have got to start dealing with the fact that Andy is happy!”
“But she can't be! Not like I am with her mother... not like you were with Dad.” Richard's forehead wrinkled in confusion as he watched his mother seem to wilt.
The weight of the past years pressed on Pava's shoulders, and her voice became resigned. “Son, we need to talk.”
“What?”
“Now.” Pava rubbed the back of her neck, so as not to mess up the make-up that had been so carefully applied earlier. “Do you want to come with me, or should I ask the others to leave for a bit?”
“Just go, Daddy.” Andy tugged on her robe. “I still need to finish getting ready.”
“You're still going through with it?” Richard was incredulous. “After everything she's done? You're still choosing her?”
Licking her lips, Andy glanced at the wonderment in Miranda's eyes and smiled a small soft smile. “Always.”
With a frustrated sound, Richard threw his hands in the air and stomped out of the room.
Pava shook her head as her gaze followed her son. She spoke to the rest of the room. “I'll speak with him. He won't cause any trouble at the ceremony.”
“You bet he won't.” Dorothy nodded at her mother-in-law and they both followed the upset man, intent on catching up with him before he got to the press pit.
###
“You alright?” Miranda watched her fiancee's face closely.
“No...” Andy sighed, “I didn't expect that.”
“I'm sorry.” Miranda rested her forehead against Andrea's. “I had hoped he would come to his senses...”
“You meant well.” Andy moved to the couch and sat, relaxing back into the corner of it. “I wish he wasn't so...”
“I know, my Darling.” Miranda walked over, placing her hand on Andrea's shoulder. “I truly am sorry.”
Andy smiled and took the hand on her shoulder, tugging lightly to bring Miranda down onto her lap. “Let's just forget all this... run away...You already have two weeks off... let's just go to the house and be by ourselves.”
Searching Andrea's eyes, Miranda tried to determine if the woman was serious. “Is that what you honestly want?”
Chuckling at that, Andy pulled Miranda into a tight hug. “Oh God, you would do that, wouldn't you?” She laughed louder as she released the hold and looked into Miranda's loving eyes. “You would just throw all this away, all the planning, all the time, everything... if I wanted to go.”
“Of course.” Miranda smiled. “Have I not told you that I would do anything for you?”
“Yeah...” Andy smiled. “Um.. do you think... maybe, we could practice that end bit of the ceremony... just a few times?” She smiled wider as the question drew a true laugh from Miranda. “God, I love that sound.” She gently traced the older woman's delicate cheekbones and sighed, “I love you.”
“And I, love you.” Miranda leaned in to comply with Andrea's request for practice with the kiss. The moment their lips touched Miranda was again ready to acquiesce to Andrea's previous request as well. Running off to the house, right now, seemed like an excellent idea to her. They deepened the kiss and Miranda sighed as Andrea's hand found its way inside the robe she wore. She loved Andrea's hands. She loved Andrea's hands on her. Moaning as the soft caresses shifted to purposeful exploration, Miranda broke the kiss. “Darling, you're starting something we don't have time to finish.”
Andy chuckled, low and sensual, and continued her search for bare skin. “They won't start the ceremony without us.”
“Mmmm... very true...” Miranda agreed, “but, there are preparations to be made...” She gasped as Andrea found a particularly sensitive area. “And anyone could walk in here at any moment.”
“That is true...” Andy grinned wickedly. “Who will it be, do you think?” She tugged the tie holding Miranda's robe loosely closed. “Who do you think will walk in on us, hmmm?” Andy offered some choices between kisses. “Terry? Serena?”
“Oh.”
“Ma?” Andy licked then kissed Miranda's pulse point.
“Oh no...” Miranda groaned at Andrea's touch and knew she was losing this battle.
“Caroline or Cassidy?...” Nipping at Miranda's ear, Andy's lips traced Miranda's jawline down to find her mouth, ready and waiting. After a long kiss Andy offered a final option. “Emily?”
“Oh, no...” Miranda pulled herself away. “We can't... not here...”
“Shhh...” Andy removed her hands from the inside of Miranda's robe and quickly began rubbing her back; with long strokes, up and down. “Easy.. I know... shhh... it's okay...”
Slowly relaxing, Miranda shook her head, laughed at how insane she felt and admitted, “I wouldn't have been able to resist much longer...”
Andy continued her impromptu backrub and leaned forward to find Miranda's ear, whispering, “Me either.”
They both jumped slightly as a soft knock on the door was followed quickly by the door opening. The new arrival saw their position and gasped, “Oh! I'm sorry.” She turned quickly to go. “I'll just...”
“No!” Andy smiled as Miranda stood, quickly tying her robe closed, “Mary, wait!” She stood too, adjusting her robe as well. “Please, come in...”
Miranda nodded and whispered, “There's one we didn't expect..” then spoke louder, “I was just leaving.”
Mary was embarrassed. “I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to...”
“It really is fine.” Miranda kissed Andy quickly then moved toward the door, patting Mary's arm as she passed. “I do need to go.”
Andy watched Miranda leave then resettled onto the couch, leaving room for Mary to sit next to her. “What can I do for you?”
“I, um... wanted to talk to you, for a minute.” Mary hesitated then sat down on the couch. “If you don't mind?”
Much calmer now, Andy smiled and nodded. “Sure...” She saw the flush on Mary's cheeks and asked, “Does this have something to do with Gram?” Smiling at the astonishment on Mary's face, Andy asked, “About how you feel toward her?”
“How did you...” Mary wilted a bit. “Is it that obvious?”
“It is to me.” Andy didn't voice the rest of her thought, and anyone else who has seen you together.
“But...” Mary berated herself. She'd been so careful! She didn't dance with Pava. She never really touched her when other people were in the room.
“I can see it,” Andy explained as she met Mary's gaze, “in your eyes. I see that look all the time, when Miranda looks at me, and in the mirror when I think about Miranda...” She assured her visitor, “It's okay. Gram loves you too. You know that, right?”
“Yeah,” Mary smiled even as tears filled her eyes.“I know. I've known for a long, long time.”
“So what's the problem?”
Mary looked down at her hands, clasped in front of her and admitted, “I'm afraid.”
“Ah...” Andy acknowledged. “That is a problem.” She asked, quietly, “And Gram? Is she... afraid too?”
“Her?” Mary shook her head. “No... Pava has never been afraid of anything.” Mary laughed, ironically. “If she'd had her way we'd have both gotten divorces and run off together...she was always so....fearless.” Shaking her head at those crazy plans and wild ideas, Mary sighed. “And then...”
Andy licked her lips and continued the sentence, “And then... my daddy came along.” Again, Mary looked astonished that Andy could know that. Andy shrugged, “I can guess some things.” Winking at the older woman, Andy reminded her, “I have a fearless woman of my own and I know that even seemingly fearless people have weaknesses.” Patting Mary's clasped hands, Andy smiled. “I know that if Miranda thought the girls would be... disappointed in her, for any reason, it would kill her. And I know that she would go to... great lengths to keep that from happening.”
Mary willed the tears not to fall from her eyes and nodded. “Yeah... after he was born, everything with us just... slowly, stopped.”
“And she never told him...” Leaning back into the soft surface, Andy studied the tent's ceiling. “Wow, this is really messed up.”
“She blames herself,” Mary sniffled. “She thinks if she'd told him sooner, that he would be.... better able to accept you, and Miranda.”
“No.” Andy groaned at the thought of her Gram putting any of her father's attitude on herself, “Telling him would have just turned him against her. He never would have allowed us to be around her after that...” Something occurred to Andy, a comment she'd heard at her birthday barbeque came back to her. “Aunt Dawn knows...”
“Yeah,” Mary nodded. “Dawn has always known, but she kept quiet in public. She did razz Pava about it in private quite a bit.” Mary shrugged and only needed one word to explain that attitude. “Sisters.”
“Ah... right.” Andy had heard the girls, when they thought she wasn't listening, razzing each other about different things so she guessed she had an idea of what being sisters entailed. With Chad it was different, but she gave him a hard time about some things as well. Now something Mary said chimed in her head and she repeated it, “Told him sooner??” Andy sat up. “She's telling him... now? About you and her??”
“I don't know if she's telling him about... us, but I know she intended on telling him about, her.”
“That's her decision I guess...” Andy became lost in thought for a moment and spoke quietly, almost to herself. “Her choice.”
Mary sighed. “If I wasn't such a coward I would be there with her, but I can't even dance in public with her.” She looked at Andy. “How do you do it? How do you find the strength to deal with... all the things you have to deal with?”
“You mean, the paparazzi following us around, having our pictures in the tabloids, false stories, lying ex-husbands, crazy stalkers and a gaggle of press at our wedding?” Andy grinned as Mary nodded to all those things. “Well, if you were listening, I don't do it alone... Miranda and I rely on each other for support. If we didn't have that... what would be the point?” At Mary's silence, Andy shrugged. “I can't imagine my life without Miranda. To be with her means I deal with all those things I mentioned. Would it be easier not to have to deal with that? Certainly... Would it be worth giving up Miranda to not have to deal with it? Not even remotely. I will do anything to be with her, have her in my life, be in her life.”
Mary played with a bracelet that surrounded her wrist and nodded as she listened to Andy's speech. “I felt that way too, only anything seemed to be too much and I chose the safe route. I couldn't deal with what a life with Pava would bring...” With a deep cleansing breath, Mary spoke softly. “I know that I'm not your family...”
“Whoa...” Andy shook her head and smiled as Mary's head snapped up. “My Gram loves you... that makes you my family.”
With a bark of laughter, Mary covered her mouth even as the tears spilled down her cheeks. “That's going to take some getting used to.”
Winking at that, Andy handed Mary a tissue and chuckled, “It's easier than you think.”
“Well then.” Mary wiped the tears from her eyes and unclasped the bracelet she wore, “I want you to carry this, when you get married.” She handed over the charm bracelet. “Pava... Pava gave it to me, years ago when we... first...” Shaking her head, clearing the memories, Mary continued. “She said she was going to get hundreds of charms for me...for our life together...” Her voice failed her as Andy reverently took the bracelet, then she blurted, “But I want it back!” She laughed to cover her tears. “It's your something borrowed, okay?”
“Of course.” Andy hugged the older woman. “Thank you!”
Mary held on tightly and whispered, “I'm so glad you have the option...to be with the one you love.” She pulled away, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Back then, we just didn't really have a choice. Not where we lived...” Standing, Mary took a step toward the door. “I should go, find her...”
Nodding, Andy also stood. “Okay... I need to finish getting ready.” She watched Mary leave and only looked at the bracelet still in her hand after the door had closed. The delicate silver chain only held one charm. Andy touched the tiny silver heart and couldn't help the tear that leaked from her eye. “Oh, Gram...”
###
Dorothy and Pava caught up to Richard quickly and guided him past the reporters. Pava shot Louise a grateful look as the older woman and both the girls kept the vultures distracted. She followed Dorothy, keeping Richard between them, to the elevators. The ride up was thankfully silent. Pava couldn't tell what Dorothy or Richard were thinking, but her mind was running all the different scenarios in her head, not liking the outlook on most of them. Trailing along behind the couple, Pava found herself entering Dorothy's hotel room. As soon as the door clicked behind her, Pava jumped when Dorothy rounded on Richard.
“What were you thinking!!”
“Dot!” Slumping into the cushioned chair, Richard buried his face in his hands, “Don't yell at me.”
“Why not?!” Pava held herself back, unwilling to become physically violent at this stage of her life. “You deserve it.”
“I was only trying to...”
“What?” Dorothy threw her arms in the air and paced the room, “Force your daughter to think like you? Make her choose between her father and the person she loves?? How can you possibly think that would help anything?!”
“She's making a mistake.”
“No.” Pava sighed, “She's making the exact right choice for her.” She looked at her son sadly, “It's not your life, not your decision. It's not up to you to say what makes her happy.”
Jumping to his feet, Richard countered his mother's statement, “I'm her father!”
“That doesn't give you the right to control her life...” Pava sighed, “Just like being my son doesn't give you the right to control mine.”
Richard barked with laughter, “Yours?! I've never controlled your life!”
“Sit down, Richard.” Pava rubbed the back of her neck, “It's time you heard... the truth.”
Dorothy blinked and tugged her husband down onto the couch, settling next to him. Sliding her hand into his, Dorothy laced their fingers together and squeezed slightly. He was being a jerk, but he was still her husband, and she did love him. She had a good idea what Pava was going to say and wondered how Richard was going to take it. When Pava began to speak, telling them about her life, before she was married, before Richard... and the decisions she made after the man was born, Dorothy felt tears trailing down her cheeks. Pava never once named the woman she had been in love with, but Dorothy had a good idea about that person's identity. What she had no idea about were the sacrifices Pava had made, for her son. Richard hadn't known either, obviously. His incredulous face as his mother's words impacted him was enough for Dorothy to know he was shocked, but his grip on her hand reinforced the idea that he wasn't taking the revelation well. She hoped he got over it soon though, because the wedding ceremony was going to begin, and come Hell or high water, Dorothy intended on being there.
###
Louise focused on the reporters, holding their attention as Pava and Dorothy ushered a man she'd never seen, presumably Andrea's father, past them. She had been ready for many of their questions regarding the wedding, but then one of the men pushed a microphone in Caroline's face and asked, “How do you feel about your dad's relationship with Candice Gaines?”
Caroline took her sister's hand when she saw Cassidy's frown. She watched her sister immediately begin to put up her emotional walls then Caroline replied calmly, “We have been advised by our father's lawyer and the authorities not to discuss the matter due to the ongoing investigation into Candice Gaines and her partner's activities.” She grinned as Cassidy composed herself and also spoke calmly.
“Now if you will excuse us, we have a few things to attend to before the ceremony begins.” With a socially acceptable smile, Cassidy gestured to the walkway that led to the hotel, “I'm sure the guests will begin arriving soon. Please be respectful in your interviews.”
Nodding at that, Caroline warned them, “Yes, watch your boundaries. Emily will have no problem whatsoever revoking your press passes, not only for this event but for an unforeseen number of events in the future and if you're lucky, she won't mention it to our mother.” The murmurs of agreement to that statement along with some slightly louder comments about “Miranda's devil dog” made both girls smirk. Caroline linked her elbow with Tante Louise and waited for Cassidy to move to the other side of the older woman, before they began walking back toward the dressing rooms.
Louise patted the arms around hers, “I'm impressed with the way you handled yourselves back there.”
“We've dealt with the press before.” Caroline gestured back toward the group they'd just left, “Those guys are sweethearts compared to some of the vultures we've encountered.”
Cassidy giggled. “They're just scared of Emily.”
“That's the truth.” Caroline laughed. “They have good reason to be too.”
“But,” Louise was confused. “She's just an assistant...”
Caroline shook her head and corrected the older woman gently. “She's Mom's First Assistant...for now.”
“For now?”
“Yeah,” Cassidy explained. “In two weeks, Emily will start her new job as the Head of the Events Planning Department at Elias-Clarke.”
“From assistant to head of a department?” Louise was surprised at that jump.
“From Mom's First Assistant to the head of any department is practically a demotion.” Caroline shrugged. “Emily won't have the power she's used to, but she'll have some, and a bigger paycheck, plus she'll be doing something she likes.”
“She likes working for Mom. She wouldn't have taken the job if Mom hadn't made her.” Cassidy rolled her eyes. “She worships Mom.”
“Worships?”
Caroline nodded, “Yeah, in a way... she wants to be like mom... everyone wants to be Mom. They think she has this incredibly glamorous, perfect, life and they all want that too.”
“They just don't understand how hard Mom works, or what she gives up for that life.” Cassidy stopped talking as they reached the door to their mother's dressing room.
“Oh!” Louise chuckled, “I've already spoken with Miriam... I would like to have a word with Andrea now.”
Caroline nodded for Cassidy to go on. “Okay Tante... we can go see Ma. I need to talk to her too.” She paused before they turned around toward Andy's dressing room. “Cass, the guests really will start arriving soon. We need to be ready to play in just a little while.”
“Sure...” Cassidy smiled. “Just tell me when.” With that, Cassidy slipped into their mother's dressing room quickly. From this point on the doors would be opened and closed quickly and as little as possible to limit the possibility of the brides' dresses being seen before the ceremony.
Caroline sighed as she walked with Louise to Andy's door. “Cass never gets nervous about performing.”
“I'm sure she does, Dear.” Louise chuckled. “She's just a bit better at dealing with it... much like Miriam is, I suspect.”
“Ha!” Caroline spoke as she opened the door to Andy's dressing room. “Mom's not afraid of anything!”
Andy looked up at her visitors and answered the statement she heard, “You'd be surprised at what scares your mom, Munchkin.” She smiled at her visitors. “What's up?”
“I need word with you.” Tante's eyes slid sideways for a moment.
With a grin, Andy nodded. “Sure.” She turned to Caroline. “Can you do me a favor, Munchkin?”
“Um.. sure.”
“Go find my brother and tell him I want to see him for a minute, before the ceremony.”
“Oh, sure!” Caroline nodded. “I'll go find him then I'll be back, I... um... need to talk to you too, before Cass and I start playing for the guests.”
“Thanks, Munchkin.” Andy smiled as Caroline headed for the door.
“No problem, Ma.” She grinned. “Be right back.”
Louise chuckled as she settled on the small couch in the room. “You're very good with them... the girls.”
“They're good kids.” Andy sat next to Louise. “What can I do for you?”
“Well,” Louise began, “I suppose you've heard the saying “Something old, something new...”
“Something borrowed, something blue.” Andy smiled. “Yeah, it sounds familiar.” She lifted her wrist to jingle the bracelet that Mary had given her. “I already have the something borrowed.”
Louise nodded, “Good.. good...” Reaching into her pocket, she closed her hand around the coin she found there, “The entire saying though, is “'Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue... and a silver sixpence in her shoe.'” She handed over the coin. “Traditionally, the left shoe is considered the lucky one.”
“Oh...” Andy smiled as she looked at the coin in her hand, then her smile faded. “oh...”
Tante blinked. “Problem?”
“Well...” Andy chuckled and stood, speaking as she walked across the room. “The thing is...” Andy moved behind the dressing partition, and returned with a box. “My shoes aren't exactly conducive to keeping things in them.” Opening the container, Andy showed the older woman the items in question.
Grunting at the contents of the box, Louise clicked her teeth together a few times and then grinned at Andy. “Got any tape?” She laughed when Andy graced her with a megawatt smile.
###
Caroline found her target in the hotel lobby, trying to chat up two models. She smirked at their total disinterest. She knew their type, clackers were rarely interested in anything that didn't help them or their career, and decided to help her uncle out. Caroline was not unknown among the denizens of Runway. Her and her sister's reputations were nearly as fierce as their mothers, and she knew many times they were referred to as the “Devil's Spawn”. Making sure the women saw her as she walked up to their group, Caroline smiled her most polite, most terrifying, smile. “Hello,” she turned, dismissing them in the process. “Uncle Chad, Ma would like a word with you.”
“Oh, sure.” Chad smiled at the girl then turned to the models. “Sorry ladies, duty calls.”
The women exchanged glances and the blonde spoke coyly, suddenly very interested in the man that seemed comfortable with the Devil's Spawn. “We'll catch up with you at the reception.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, whatever...”
Caroline chuckled as she and her uncle walked away. “You are so in...”
Chad laughed. “How old are you again?”
Rolling her eyes at that, Caroline just tugged on his tailored Armani jacket. “C'mon, don't keep your sister waiting.”
“You know I think it's the coolest thing ever that Andy has kids now, right?” Chad grinned down at his new niece. “I really never imagined ever getting to be an uncle. And I never imagined having nieces as old as you right off the bat.”
Caroline grinned. “I never really imagined having an uncle as young as you.”
They slipped past the reporters, who were busy interviewing some early arrivals, and stopped briefly at Andy's door. Caroline knocked, and entered quickly when she heard the quiet, “Come in”.
“Hey Andy... Here's your brother, as requested.”
Laughing at that, Andy grinned, “Thanks, Munchkin.” She hesitated a moment then grinned as Caroline gestured over her shoulder with her thumb.
“I'm gonna go check out what Mom's doing.”
Andy smiled. “Thanks...” She watched the girl leave then turned to face her “little” brother. “You look very handsome...”
“Yeah?” Chat grinned and preened a little, “I clean up nice, eh?” He knew something serious was bothering his sister. “What's up?”
“Dad's here.”
“What?” Chad instinctively moved closer to Andy. “Are you okay?”
Nodding, Andy reassured him. “Yeah, it was just a bit upsetting.” She wrung her hands together and looked apologetic. “I, um... wanted to ask you to... um...”
“Keep Dad from making a scene?”
“Yeah...” Andy sighed. “You've always been able to control him best.”
“Ha!” Chad grinned. “You're the one who's always had him wrapped around your little finger.”
“Not anymore.”
Running his fingers through his hair, Chad nodded. “Okay... This is your day, Andy. I won't let him mess it up.”
“Thanks.”
He shrugged and grinned. “What else are brothers for?”
With a bark of laughter, Andy moved forward and hugged him. “They're for a lot more, little brother... and thank you, for all of it.”
“You're welcome.” Chad patted her back. “Love ya, Sis.” He pulled away and tugged on her robe's lapel. “Guests are beginning to arrive. You better get dressed.” He grinned. “I gotta get out there and make sure everyone sits in the right places. Miranda's brothers are directing traffic at the moment, but Dougie and I are supposed to take over soon.”
Nodding mutely, Andy realized just how close the ceremony was and swallowed past the lump in her throat. “Okay...” She smiled weakly, “See ya in a few then...”
Winking at the suddenly nervous bride, Chad headed for the door.
Andy grabbed her phone and sent a couple of quick texts. She could manage the dress herself, but for the shoes, she would need help.
###
Mary was out on the balcony of their room, leaning against the rail with her forearms when she heard the door behind her slide open. She knew who it was, but waited for Pava to speak.
“Thought I'd find you here.”
“I needed somewhere quiet, to think.” Mary continued to look out across the magnificent view of the island. “So how'd it go?”
Pava shook her head, unwilling to discuss her stubborn son. She deflected the question instead. “Whatcha thinkin' about?”
Glancing at her companion, Mary sighed. “Us.”
“And?” Pava watched her friend closely. “What did you decide?”
“I...” Wrapping her arms around her ribs, Mary shook her head. “I'm scared.” She swallowed hard. “It's been so long.”
“Yes,” Pava nodded, “it has.” She reached out, putting her hand on Mary's shoulder. “No one knows for sure about us, or anything about our past, or our friendship now. There is nothing wrong with keeping our relationship private.” That was the sticking point for Mary and Pava knew it. “Publicly we can simply be friends.”
“Do you know what you're saying?”
“I'm saying,” Pava sighed, “I'm saying, I will wait for you to be ready.” Leaning in, Pava kissed Mary's lips lightly then with a bit more fervor. Pulling away, she smiled, her fingertips brushing Mary's cheek lightly, “The ceremony will be starting soon...” Moving away, Pava reentered the hotel room.
Mary watched through the glass as Pava left the hotel room, supposedly on her way to the ceremony. She only waited a few moments before she followed.