Wednesday 11th February 2009
9:45 am
(3 days before Valentine’s Day)
‘I hate days like this’ Andy thinks to herself as she walks to the subway station. Living and working in New York on a day that is cold and wet is not in the ‘ideal working conditions’ category. A loud crack of thunder sounding somewhere far off in the distance made Andy curl her coat further around her body.
She had been chasing down quotes for the story she was working on for ‘The Mirror’ for the last two hours and so far hadn’t had much luck in finding any. It wasn’t a big story, after all when you’re a junior the only stories you get are ‘Human Interest’ or the little lesser read articles.
Her boss, Greg, had given her the task of writing on what people thought about President Obama’s first month in office and whether they thought that he was working on making all of the changes he had promised.
‘Finding someone to talk to about this in New York should be easy, Sachs’ Greg had said. Yeah right! No-one wanted to talk to her in weather like this and at this time of the day.
She hadn’t known what she was getting herself in for when she said that she wanted to be a journalist. Three years of working for the mirror and she still hadn’t gone any further than a junior reporter, she'd been hoping that with all the good articles she had been doing that she would have been “promoted” by now, but obviously not.
Stepping on the train she tried to ask some more people and got some useable quotes, after she had run out of people to ask she sat quietly and made herself a plan. In six months she will have been at ‘The Mirror’ for four years and if she hadn’t advanced in that time then she was going to have to find another place to work. She didn’t want to be a junior reporter for the rest of her life.
Upon arriving back at the office she sat down and started outlining her article. She had been working on the article for almost an hour when a messenger came in looking for her.
“I’m Andrea Sachs.” She walked over to him when she heard him ask someone where he could find her.
“Sign here please.” He pointed to the line where she had to sign. As he turned on his heel he said in a gruff tone “have a nice day.”
Walking back to her desk she wondered who would be sending her a package. Sitting it aside for now she concentrated on her article. As she passed the reporter whose cubicle was next to hers they typed out a text message.
‘Gift received, not opened yet.’
~~DWP~~
Same Day
12:45 pm
Andy sat in the little café down the block from the office enjoying an Espresso and a salad. She hadn’t quite finished the article when some of the other reporters asked her to join them at the little café. One of the good things about working at ‘The Mirror’, well actually two things, was that she had made some new friends and she had longer than fifteen minutes for lunch.
She hadn’t had a chance to open the package yet and given that she now had company didn’t want to bring it with her. She made a vow to open it as soon as she got back to the office after lunch.
“Waddya think Andy, you in?”
“In where, Mike?”
Mike was a bleach blonde, muscular yet slim, “surfer dude” type, and could always, when asked, tell you anything you wanted to know about surfing; despite the fact that he lived in New York.
“Drinks tonight, that bar we went to the last time, I forget what it’s called, ya know the one?”
Mike was also gayer than Nigel.
“You mean ‘Titans’?” Louise pointed out.
Louise was a lot like Lily, except Louise had darker hair than Lily and the fact that Louise actually spoke to Andy. Andy and Lily hadn’t spoken much since the night that Lily had seen Christian kiss her in the gallery.
“I think that’s the one he means.” Andy pointed out “you only wanna go so you’ll see whatshisname… Lou help me out.”
“Ralph… Roger… I’m sure it starts with an ‘R’”
“Randall and yeah so what Andy! I like goin’ and lookin’ alright!”
“Hey Mike, we are only kidding, what do we care. Beats sitting at home on a Wednesday night, right Andy?”
“Absolutely.” Andy looked at her watch “we better get going. I still have an article to finish.”
The walk back to the office was filled with Andy and Louise teasing Mike about his interest in some guy that he’d met the last time they went to the club.
Andy thought back to two years ago when Mike had been afraid to come out to her. He’d been shy at first and wouldn’t say much regarding relationships but one night Louise, Andy and Mike were heading out to a “straight bar” and Mike had run into an ex of his, unknowingly his ex had outed Mike in front of his new friends.
Louise had been very supportive and Andy really didn’t mind, stating that her friend Doug was gay and that she’d introduce them if Mike wanted. Mike had declined once Andy told him what Doug did for a living saying that they’d have nothing in common. Andy had laughed and agreed.
A month or so later Louise came out.
At this one Andy was surprised. Louise had been the first person to befriend Andy in her first week at ’The Mirror’ and Andy’d had no idea whatsoever that Louise might be gay. That was when they’d started hitting the “gay bar” scene, of course Louise and Mike had both been adamant that if she didn’t feel comfortable going to gay bars then they’d go somewhere else, she’d just shrugged and said that it might be a nice change.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
3:45 pm
The package sat taunting her on the edge of her desk in it’s little yellow envelope. As she was putting the final touches on her article she glanced at it.
“Will you just open it already.” Louise called from the other side of the cubicle wall.
“It’s incredible that you can see what I’m looking at through four inches of plastic and covering.” Andy said back quietly.
“I know that the envelope has been sitting there all day and you have yet to open it. It might be something important Andy, open it!”
She double checked her article and sent it off through the email system ready for Greg to edit. “Fine, okay, I’m gonna open it!”
She picked up her pen and slid it under the lip of the envelope. She pulled out a box and a piece of white note paper. She looked up as she saw a shadow fall over her and gave Louise a puzzled look. Louise was the one to point out the embossed gold lettering in the corner of the box. “’Cartier’, my God someone thinks you’re worth the expense. Something you’re not telling me Sachs?”
“No! I don’t even know anyone that can afford ‘Cartier’.”
She opened the lid of the box and looked at the stunning platinum diamond pendant necklace sitting on a bed of white velvet. Louise nearly fainted at the sight. “You left this sitting on your desk all day? My God woman, are you stupid?”
“How was I supposed to know this was in there. Lou, this is worth way more than my rent, what am I supposed to do with it besides the obvious?”
“Read the note… Maybe there are instructions for you.”
So Andy picked up the note which in a neat block handwriting read…
‘For the one I foolishly let go.
I wish for so many reasons
That you would come back
Into my life to stay for always.
I know that it is a lot to ask
I’m not the easiest person
To love, this I know
But for you I’d do anything.
Wear this, Saturday night, more instructions to follow.’
“It doesn’t say who it’s from. Lou, help.”
Louise shrugged “until you know who it’s from I can’t.”
“It’s not from you, is it?” Andy asked kind of paranoid.
“What? No. Andy, yeah okay I’m gay but girl you’re not interested, please give me a little credit.” Louise sighed “besides on the salary we have, there’s no way I could afford something like that."
Andy didn’t say anything else about the necklace, which she locked in her desk drawer, for the rest of the day.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
4 pm
Once Louise sat back down at her desk she typed a quick text message and sent it. ‘Gift opened, nice poem. A.S worried about expense.’
~~DWP~~
Thursday 12th February 2009
7 am
(2 days before Valentine’s Day)
“Morning sweet, you’re up early” Louise greeted Andy as she walked past her cubicle.
“Despite the hangover you are no doubt suffering from right now, so are you.” As she put her coat on the back of her chair she explained “couldn’t sleep.”
“I didn’t have that many drinks. Worrying about this secret admirer business?”
“Actually, worrying about the necklace sitting in my crummy apartment and having it stolen. God Lou, I ‘Googled’ it when I got home last night, it’s worth almost more than my yearly salary.”
“I doubt it’s worth that much.”
“Yeah you’re right but it’s still worth a lot of money. Who would waste that much money on me?”
“Someone who obviously has the money to buy you nice things. Andy listen to me, you are worth more than pretty jewellery but obviously that necklace was a gift, accept it, wear it Saturday and feel like you deserve to wear it.”
“Okay, so the point is… Andy shut up, right?” Andy grinned at her.
“Exactly, stop worrying about it. So anyway, you obviously faired okay this morning.”
“I only had three drinks Lou, you and Mike were the ones doing shots of something or rather.”
~~DWP~~
Same Day
10:45 am
At the same time as the last delivery another package was delivered and signed for. Learning the lesson with leaving packages in yellow envelopes unopened Andy opened it straight away.
“Lou.”
Louise, who had just sent off the first text message of the day, came around the cubicle wall. “What?”
“It’s another ‘Cartier’ box and note”
“Really, God. Whoever this admirer is, if you don’t want him can I have him?”
Louise laughed, she wouldn’t mind having Andy’s admirer who most certainly wasn’t a man.
She had been worried when she was first approached to be the ‘spy’ by Andy’s admirer that Andy might not be receptive to the idea of dating a woman but upon remembering the way Andy had spoken of her days at ‘Runway’ she reconsidered. Andy had always spoken of one particular person in one particular way, and it definitely wasn’t with malice laced through her voice.
She wasn’t kidding when she'd told Andy that Andy wasn’t interested she just meant that Andy wasn’t interested in her.
“…Louise Barker, come in Louise Barker.” Louise looked back at Andy and shrugged. “I asked you if I should open it.”
“What and you can’t make your own decisions Sachs? Of course you should open it.”
Andy opened the box first as she did with the last one. Inside on the same white velvet lay a platinum diamond bracelet probably worth just as much as the pendant necklace. Andy sighed, she didn’t like receiving expensive jewellery from secret admirers. Immediately locking the bracelet in her desk drawer, she picked up the note. Again written in the same handwriting was another poem and more instructions.
‘If only you could see the real me,
If only I’d let you.
If only you could know the real me,
If only I’d let you.
If only you could feel the real me,
If only I’d let you.
If only you could love the real me,
And I’d let you.
Wear this, Saturday night to La Bernadin; 7 pm, a car will be waiting at your apartment. More instructions to come.’
“Wow, whoever he is he’s a poet. Andy I want to cry that was so nice.”
Andy didn’t say anything she just kept staring at the note in her hands. That was an incredible poem like Louise said but something about the wording struck at Andy, the sense of masks slipping really captured her attention. It was as if the writer was trying to tell Andy that they’d worn a mask for so long that they were willing to let her see past it.
Louise, in the meantime, saw the look on Andy’s face and knew that was her cue to slip back to her desk unnoticed and began typing out another text message. ‘Gift received and opened. A.S deep in thought after poem.’
~~DWP~~
Same Day
12:45 pm
“So Sachs, Lou tells me you’ve been gettin’ strange gifts.”
“Did you have to tell Mike? Now it’s going to be all over the office!”
“Of course I had to tell him” Louise explained. “He was asking me why you looked so deep in thought all morning. Andy that bracelet and necklace are gorgeous. Wonder what he’ll send you tomorrow.”
“Oooh can I be there for that one? Man I gotta know who this guy is.”
“Mike” Andy laughed at him. “You are not stealing any of my potential boyfriends okay, including this one.”
The three friends were once again sitting in the café down the block from ‘The Mirror’. Andy hadn’t much felt like eating and had declined the offer to let Mike pay for it. Louise and Mike were both finishing off their salads when Andy’s phone rang.
“Andy Sachs”
“Andy there’s an awfully expensive looking garment bag sitting on your desk.” Agatha the receptionist informed her.
“Thanks Aggie I’ll be back soon to put it away.” Closing her phone she said to the other two “I gotta go, apparently there’s ‘an awfully expensive garment bag sitting on my desk’ “
“Two gifts in one day my, oh my, we’re popular today” Mike taunted her.
Getting back to the office Andy found the garment bag and ran straight to the ladies restroom to look at it. Opening the bag she found a midnight blue shoestring strap vintage Dior.
“That is so beautiful Andy.”
“Thanks Aggie.” As Aggie was walking out of the restroom Andy called her back. “Could you tell Lou to come in here please, I need to show her.”
“Sure.”
“My God, Aggie wasn’t kidding it really is gorgeous. When did it get here, I wonder. Ooh, ooh was there a note?” Louise asked excited.
“I didn’t see one. I guess I have to wear it Saturday night and more instructions will follow.” Andy laughed, she was actually quite disappointed that no poem had accompanied this gift.
“I’ll leave you to admire it some more” Louise turned and stopped at the door. “Andy?”
“Yeah?”
“Whoever it is, they’re lucky.” With that she left.
Arriving back at her desk she fired off the next message. ‘Dress is beautiful, M has great taste.’
~~DWP~~
“Emily”
“Yes Miranda?”
“Update?”
“Dress got there safe and sound apparently you have great taste. Louise also said that you need to make her aware that it isn’t a male.”
“Mmm yes. That’s all.”
~~DWP~~
The rest of the day passed quickly for Andy even with the secret admirer stuff on her mind.
Letting herself into her apartment she placed her bag on the floor and walked through to her closet. Hanging the garment bag over the door she began looking for a pair of dark blue Manolo’s she was sure she’d kept from her time at ‘Runway’.
~~DWP~~
Friday 13th February 2009
7 am
(The day before Valentine’s Day)
“This is becoming a bad habit I don’t want you having” Louise grabbed her wrist as she walked past.
“I know Lou, I couldn’t sleep last night any more than I tried the night before.”
“Andy you seriously need to stop worrying. It will all be fine.” She let go of Andy’s wrist. “Hey, by the way, there’s another gift for you on your desk.” She held up her hands when Andy turned a suspicious glare in her direction. “It was there when I got here I swear!!!”
At that moment Louise’s phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling it out she read ‘has gift arrived?’
Despite being surprised; she was the one to send the messages and that was the first one she’d received, she typed back ‘yes gift here before me, A.S just arrived will advise of results.’ ‘Now I sound like a covert operative’ Louise thought to herself.
“Oh My God!” was suddenly heard from the other side of the cubicle.
Louise’s response was immediate. “What, what is it?” She asked worried.
“That scarf was in the envelope.”
“So?” Louise asked curious.
“It’s a woman? My admirer is a woman.” The shock was still evident in Andy’s voice.
“How do you know?”
“Read it” Andy handed over the note that accompanied this gift.
‘My feelings for you are only the start,
Your memory is deep in my heart.
Here beneath my breast,
I’ll only give you the best.
Husbands, I’ve had,
Lovers, I’ve had.
The only one for me,
Is Andy.
Wear the dress Saturday, bring the scarf, I’ll be wearing it once you give it back. Do not be late!’
“Andy, Andy, ANDREA!”
“What? Lou, don’t shout.” Andy looked up at her.
“How do you feel about this being a woman? I mean have you ever dated a woman before?” She asked waving the letter around.
“No, I mean, before Nate, I experimented in college but that’s it. As to how I feel about it, I don’t know. I’m kind of scared, you know, I have this huge feeling I’m going to be a disappointment and I don’t know why.”
“Disappointment, how? Like, in bed?”
“No, I feel like I’ll be a disappointment in the girlfriend department. As in having one, I don’t really know how I feel besides confused.”
“That’s expected. Go to dinner tomorrow night, meet this woman; obviously it’s someone you already know, and have a good time. Don’t worry.”
For the next little while they discussed the possibility of Andy being with a woman. Before they went back to work, they’d ascertained that Andy found it quite appealing.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
11:45 am
Just before they left for the café and for lunch Louise typed up an email, she had much more to say than you should say in a text message.
From: [email protected]
Re: Relationships with women.
A.S is quite sure that a relationship with you or any woman wouldn’t bother her but she feels a bit, okay a lot, confused. She definitely knows that it’s a woman. The scarf left no doubt about that. She may even have an inkling on who you are. The poems have been a nice touch. I want to add that I hope you treat her right, if not, I’m coming after you. Miranda Priestly or not!
“Hey Lou” Andy came to stand beside her as she hit send “ready for lunch?”
“Yep, I just sent out my last email of the morning, time to have some food then I have to send some more. I seem to be doing nothing but emails today.”
“Yeah. I had a few but none worth replying to. MIKE!” Andy shouted at him.
“WHAT?”
“LUNCH”
Every few days Mike and Andy would have a shout/discussion across the bullpen, only about trivial things like lunch of course.
“Must you two do that?”
“Do what?” Andy and Mike asked at the same time.
“Shout across the room like children. Greg probably already thinks you are.”
“No he doesn’t Barker. You three have a good lunch” Greg said from behind Louise.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
1 pm
When Andy got back to her desk there was a tiny box sitting on her keyboard. “Lou, there’s another one.”
Mike and Louise came over. “Open it Andy.” Mike said eagerly “I wanna see what this dude spends on you.”
Sure enough when she opened the bright red paper that was wrapped around the box the ‘Cartier’ logo was visible. Andy sighed, would it be a ring or earrings? Since she didn’t have her ears pierced she hoped it was the former. When she opened the lid on the red box a platinum diamond ring sat between the white velvet.
“Oh God is that an engagement ring or what?” Mike whispered.
“I don’t know. I remember seeing this ring when I Googled that necklace the other night but I can’t remember. Besides apparently my admirer is a woman we can’t get married.”
“Oh really? Shit!” Mike laughed. “Must be your turn to come out then Andy.”
“I didn’t know until this morning”
“Was there a note?” Louise asked patiently.
“Yep. Sorry this one’s private guys. It’s actually addressed to me.”
“We know when we’re not wanted, hey Lou.”
“Wait Andy. It’s got a note on the back of the note.” Louise took the note. “Do not read until Valentine’s Day. Awe Andy.” She handed the piece of paper back to Andy and sat at her desk. Typing a text message before she even sat down. ‘Beautiful ring. Engagement ring? A.S loved it!’
~~DWP~~
Same Day
9:45 pm
“Andrea, you can’t possibly be thinking about it. A woman? One that you don’t even know for Gods sake.” A feminine voice shouted at her from the other end of the phone.
“Mom, I have a feeling I know who it is and she’s no stranger to me I can tell you that. Mom if it is who I suspect then I’m quite willing to be with her. I hope that you’ll respect my decision.”
“Honey,” Andy’s dad intercepted before his wife “we want you to be happy, but there are ramifications to being with another woman, we don’t want you hurt because someone doesn’t like the idea of two women being together.”
“And I’ll be careful. I know that you’re only objecting because you’re looking out for me mom but, really, this woman is nice and I could spend a lot of time talking about her but I won’t. All you need to know is I want to do this.”
“It’s your decision ultimately sweetie, but please be careful.” Andy’s mom said much more softly.
“Mom I know you think I don’t know what I’m doing but I do.”
“So long as you’re sure. Sweetheart we have to go. Love you.”
“Love you too. Dad I’ll see you again soon I hope.”
She hung then. She hadn’t been lying when she said she had a feeling that she knew who it was but nor had she been telling the truth. Her biggest guess was Louise but Louise had denied everything and if it wasn’t Louise then she had no idea who it’d be.
~~DWP~~
Saturday 14th February 2009
7:45 am
(Valentines Day)
“Emily”
“Good morning Miranda” Emily answered the phone, at least it wasn’t five am.
“Remember to confirm my dinner reservations. Do we have an update?”
“No Miranda, Louise hasn’t reported anything about the letter attached to the ring. She did however ask if it was an engagement ring? Is i…” Emily trailed off remembering her number one, golden rule.
“Of course not. Do not assume things Emily.”
“Yes Miranda.”
“Oh and Emily? Do remember to pay the young woman assisting us.”
“I already have. She should receive it this morning.”
“Mmm, that’s all.” Miranda hung up.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
7:55 am
“Who was that?” A groggy voice asked from beside Emily.
“Miranda. Welcome to the world of the first assistant to the Devil herself.”
“Oh c’mon it can’t be that bad.”
“Oh please you have no idea.” Emily sighed in exasperation.
“Emily Charlton I see you exaggerate. I agreed to help get Andy and Miranda together so that she’d get off your back a bit. Obviously that didn’t happen.”
“Louise…” Emily sighed laying back down in the bed “we wont know the results of this little match up for another few days. I’m actually surprised that she agreed to let us help her get what she wants in exchange for a few days off.”
“That actually surprised me too. What’s the time?”
“Five to eight, why?”
“I might call Andy and see if she’s read the letter yet.” Louise said as she shifted on the bed.
“I hope she recognises Miranda’s handwriting since Miranda insisted on writing this one herself.”
~~DWP~~
Same Day
7:57 am
“’lo”
“Andy?”
“Lou, wass up?”
Louise laughed. “Were you still asleep? Girl I thought you’d have been up readin' that letter by now." Louise turned and smirked at Emily who just rolled her eyes.
"Some of us require sleep before we start an important day. Is that all you called for? To ask me if I’ve read the letter? I'm sorry Louise but I have better things to do. Besides the fact that it's eight am in the morning and I like to sleep in on Saturdays since I can. Bye Lou."
"Andy wait. I wanna hear details Monday, ya hear me!!"
"Yes, bye Lou!"
~~DWP~~
Same Day
9:30 am
Since Louise woke her up Andy decided that she would in fact get up. After showering and having breakfast Andy sat down on her couch to check her emails.
She knew she was procrastinating in regards to reading the letter but she felt that if she read the letter now she’d lose all sense of surprise. She’d decided that she would take the letter into the car with her and read it on the way to the restaurant.
With nothing else to do, she started cleaning the apartment. After that proved to be stopping time flying she sat down to start typing up a piece she had been working on, on the side. No-one knew that Andy had been working on an industrial relations piece, and that included her editor but she’d wanted to do some real journalism and the things she was currently writing were nowhere near what she wanted to be doing.
Andy spent nearly the whole morning working on her secret article. The time became apparent to her when her stomach rumbled at around noon. Given that she’d spent nearly an hour and a half looking at her computer screen she thought that a walk might help clear her head.
~~DWP~~
Same Day
5:30 pm
Having already done her hair and make up all that was left for Andy to do was slide into the dress and put all the jewellery on. The thought of wearing a vintage Dior away from a ‘Runway’ benefit was actually quite daunting. The dress was way too expensive for her but she loved it. Ten minutes later she was sliding into the dress and shoes. The dress fit her perfectly and showed just the right curves. Finishing off her ensemble with the shoes and jewellery Andy looked like a princess. With almost a hundred thousand dollars worth with the jewellery, shoes and dress she almost was one.
Walking through the living room her eyes caught the clock on the wall, it was 5:45 and she was certain that the car would be waiting for her by now, picking up the letter she closed and locked the door to her apartment.
The driver greeted Andy as she stepped out of the building and held the door to the black Mercedes town car, which should have been the second clue as to who her admirer was, the first being the expensive ensemble she was wearing.
As she settled into the back seat she opened the letter.
My dearest Andrea,
For three years my life has not been the same, no-one can come close to the way you changed my life and the way I do things.
I wasn’t lying that day in Paris, I do see a lot of myself in you, the parts of myself that I had misplaced over the years. You see, Andrea, you opened my eyes. I see now that I was wrong. I can be successful and still have a personal life. I can trust and not get hurt, although you did hurt me that day and I trusted you.
Before you discover my motives I need to explain a few things. That day in Paris, I was going to do something that I have not done before. I was going to promote you above Emily. You were my greatest achievement but you fast became my biggest disappointment. You were to be my number one and Emily, I could care less. Don’t get me wrong I would have given her a suitable position within Runway.
The night before you left you proved to me that I could in fact lower my shields and trust, no not trust, confide in you. You destroyed that the moment you walked away.
I looked for you after you left, did you know? I called nearly every hotel in Paris, myself, looking for you. I did not want things to end like that. The day I got that phone call for a recommendation was the first day that I’d heard that you were okay. I didn’t know what had happened to you.
I should explain my intentions for this day. I, Miranda Priestly; simply put, am in love with you. For three years Andrea I have not been the same, I have been much more harsh and have had a very short temper at times. It is I who has been writing those poems, though Emily did rewrite them so that my handwriting would not be recognised, it is I who has given you the jewellery. Please enjoy it and do not worry about the expense, you know that I can afford it.
I have one more gift for you Andrea. It should be waiting in the car for you. Paul, the driver will have it, ask him for it.
You now own my heart and trust Andrea,
Your’s, Miranda.'
“Excuse me, are you Paul?”
“Yes ma’am, here is your gift from Ms. Priestly.” He handed the bunch of cream coloured lilies to her.
“Thank you.” Sticking out of the middle of the bunch was a black box two inches wide and the customary note. Opening the note she read...
‘Oh how I want you to be mine,
Say you’ll be my Valentine.
On this day, forever more,
Won’t you be the one I look for.
I pray you’ll be mine,
Please say you’ll be my Valentine.
Every good reporter needs a good writing instrument, keep it safe. '
Putting the note into her bag, she opened the box. Sitting inside on a bed of black silk lay a black resin and platinum Montblanc Bohème rollerball with a blue sapphire on the clip.
Shortly after putting the pen into her bag the car pulled up at the restaurant. She could see that the restaurant wasn’t full yet. It was just on 6:45 when she entered the establishment.
As she expected, after discovering that Miranda was her admirer, Miranda was already waiting for her when she got there.
Stepping up to the Maitre’d she didn’t need to wait, “miss, follow me.”
“Andrea,” Miranda stood to greet her as they approached the table.
“Miranda. I...” Miranda held up a hand to forestall her.
“Sit first. Lets enjoy a meal before we get into this discussion. I trust you’ve read the letter.”
“I... yes” Andy didn’t trust her voice, deciding to keep her answers short until she felt a little more comfortable.
“Andrea, you have to understand that I will not pressure you into anything you don’t want. I will be a different person than the one you are used to seeing. I cannot promise you enough. I will not let you leave me again.”
“I have to be honest, you’re not the one I expected to be sitting there. I didn’t read the letter until I was in the car on my way here. Until then I had no idea it was you.” she pulled the scarf out of her purse. “Here’s your Hermes back.”
Miranda laughed, really laughed. “Thank you Andrea. You didn’t even suspect it was me, especially after the scarf?”
“Not for one second. You really surprised me. Did you write all of those poems?”
“Yes, I know a few of them weren’t all that good...”
Andy cut her off “they were all perfect. Each one affected me in one way or another.” She pulled the note that she had just tucked away in her purse back out. “Especially this one. And for the record yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, I’ll be your Valentine.”
“I think it may be a little early for you to say that.”
“I don’t. You said you trust me, trust me with this decision.”
“Very well. I have already ordered for both of us. I wanted to be uninterrupted as much as possible. I hope that we can talk as much as possible during this time.”
“Okay. I’m gonna break Emily’s golden rule. When did you first realise?”
“That you meant more to me than an assistant?” Andy nodded. “Before I made the decision to take you to Paris. I wanted to be the one to show you the city.”
“I’m sorry we didn’t get the chance to experience that then. Am I going to have to apologise all night?” Andy looked up at Miranda from beneath her lashes.
“No my darling, I already forgave you. I understand why you did it.” Miranda reached out and took Andy’s hand in hers. “Andrea look at me, Andrea.” she coaxed gently. “This is going to take a bit to get used to I know but you need to understand something, I let my husbands walk away from me, they can think what they want to now, but I will not let you walk away from me again and I will not let you think the worst of me. This will not be a fling between us, I am irrevocably in love with you but remember I will not push you.”
Andy looked up into Miranda’s eyes and saw the sincerity in those blue eyes. “I believe you, God Miranda I actually believe you.” Andy breathed out, Miranda was going to have a habit of making her breathless, Andy could tell.
“Good, I want you to believe me Andrea. I have told the girls, they had noticed that I have not been the same since you left.”
“Are they okay with the idea?” She was worried that she would not be well received with the twins especially after they nearly got her fired.
“Yes Andrea, they like you. Though they did nearly get you fired I admit. If it wasn’t for the Harry Potter book you would have been.”
“I know. It’s lucky I had a friend in publishing.” Andy smirked.
“Oh really, this is a story you will have to tell me. Not tonight, tonight I want you to see me as a woman not as the Dragon Lady.”
Their meal arrived, no entrée, just main course. It was unusual that they weren’t serving entrée’s but Andy guessed that was the way Miranda had organised it. They ate silently with only conversation revolving around ‘Runway’.
“Miranda?”
“Yes my darling?”
“Why me?” Andy asked after their meal was finished.
“I don’t know. The heart will love who it wants. I don’t know if your heart will love me but that is a chance that I am willing to take. Can you believe it? Miranda Priestly is willing to take a chance on you, on love.” Miranda smiled. “Do you have all of your gift from the car?”
Andy nodded “except for the lilies.”
“Then come with me.” Miranda grabbed her hand and led the way out of the restaurant. Spotting Roy waiting in the Silver Mercedes across the street she pulled Andy to the car. “I want to talk and I cannot do that freely in the restaurant."
~~DWP~~
Same Day
9: 30 pm
The car ride from the restaurant to Miranda’s townhouse was silent, both ladies trying to collect their thoughts.
"Would you care for a drink Andrea?"
"Ah... no, thanks" Andy looked around the room Miranda had shown her to. It was sparsely decorated but what was displayed in the room was tastefully done. There were photographs, both colour and black and white, of Miranda and the twins. Andy could tell that every photograph ranged from birth to their current age of thirteen. "Miranda? Why am I here?"
"We need to discuss this. I... I think that we need to familiarise ourselves with each other. I believe you call it 'getting to know one another better'" Miranda grinned at the look of shock on Andy's face. "I'm not that old you know."
Andy tried to mask her laugh but failed. "I know. Are you sure?"
"Hmm, sure of what my dear?"
"That you're in love with me?" Andy asked shyly.
"Of course I'm sure Andrea. Do you think you are not worthy of that love?"
"What I think is that this is too good to be true. Miranda, we haven't seen each other for three years and now you're telling me that you're in love with me and I don't know what to say or how to act. God, for nearly a year you were someone I feared then you were just someone I had to put up with because working with you meant that I could get a job anywhere after a year of working for you. And oh god I'm babbling."
"Andrea. Sit" Miranda pointed to the single chair sitting by the window and Andy did as asked. "I do not care what you thought of me then, I only care what you think of me now. I only want to be given the chance to get you to love me. I want to be able to persuade you that you should be here with me. I am not going to let you go easily Andrea and I want to make this work. Please let me show you, let me prove to you that I am not the woman you once worked for."
"But how can you be so sure that it's me you're in love with? How can you be so certain that after three years of having a life that I would just walk back into your clutches? I have lived freely for those entire three years and I'm not likely to give up that freedom easily."
"Really, Andrea, did you think that I would keep you locked in a dungeon? You will have the freedom to do whatever it is that you want to do, within reason, I will not have you running through Central Park nude but you will have all the freedom that you have now. I am not as heartless as people believe me to be." Miranda said the last part with a sad look in her eyes.
"God Miranda I didn't mean it like that. When I worked for you I barely had a moment to myself, now I have all the time to myself that I want, that's what I meant."
"And you will have that. I will not be the same person that you worked for, in fact I am quite the opposite when I am at home. You will be witness to that difference on many occasions and perhaps then you will believe me." Miranda sighed "that is if you think that you could love me."
Andy turned her back on Miranda to look out of the window. "I don't need to think it." She sighed heavily "I know, after the last few days, that I can love you, not could but can."
"Very well." Miranda said matter-of-factly draining the rest of her drink.
"I do have some ground rules though." Andy looked hesitantly at Miranda. She saw Miranda nod in acknowledgement. Had Miranda known that Andy would have some rules? "No more outrageously expensive gifts. Don't get me wrong, I love the jewellery but it's way more expensive than I'd like to think about."
"Agreed though I did want to show you that you mean more to me than money. Andrea I do not spend money lightly, you know that."
"I know, expensive jewellery isn't my style though and everyone who knows me knows that. I'll keep the jewellery that you gave me, but in future nothing too expensive."
"Then how much is too expensive?" Miranda asked trying to hide a smirk.
"Something over two thousand dollars is too expensive especially if it's something you want me to wear during the day. Second rule; I will not be kept, I will pay my share of the bill at dinner. Third; you will not treat me as you would treat an assistant. Fourthly; you will acknowledge that I am an adult and can make my own choices."
"Completely understood. I agree to your terms. Will you agree to mine, I wonder?"
"Which are?" Suddenly Andy was feeling a lot braver.
"That you will allow me to pay for a dinner when I say I will and not argue about it in the restaurant. I will not tolerate public humiliation, with or without me present and you will be respectful to my children."
"That's easy enough. I accept." She paused. "So where to from here?"
"From here you go home, you think this over and you talk to your friends. You make a decision, you inform your parents of that decision and then you tell me. From there WE go to dinner, WE have family dinners here with the girls, WE participate in family activities and generally be with each other. There will come a point in this relationship where we will discuss things in more detail but at this point I am content to take you out to dinner and spend some time getting to know the Andrea Sachs that I didn't have the chance to get to know."
"And I'll be getting to know the Miranda Priestly no-one knows." Andy giggled quietly.
"Exactly. I hope you'll find that I am in fact human and fallible, that I do make mistakes and I hope that you will accept it."
"Of course. Miranda I don't perceive you as superhuman. No doubt this relationship will have its ups and downs and with our personalities there are likely to be a fair few downs but we will make it through."
"Yes, Andrea, we will." Miranda walked over to stand right in front of Andy, placed her hands on either side of Andy's face and kissed her sweetly on the mouth. "I certainly believe we will make it through anything."
~~DWP~~
~The End~