Chapter 17: Respite

Andy hid under the fluffy duvet in the guest bedroom bed. She tucked her knees against her chest and clutched the pillow tightly. The tears had dried up on her cheeks and her body no longer shook with sobs, but with a dreadful frost that settled on the pit of her stomach.

The girls were ok. When Miranda couldn't reach the brunette, she called her housemaid Cara instead, to let her know that Roy would pick up the twins early from school. The editor didn't need a crystal ball to know the press had no qualms about  pestering children to get under their parents' skin, it had happened when the news of her second divorce broke and this wouldn't be the exception.

The front door slamming shut and the stampede of two pairs of familiar feet starttled Andrea. The girls were home, the were ok. She sighed and cuddled farther into que warmth of her cocoon. She didn't feel like seing them, she didn't want to see the annoyance in their eyes, reproaching her about her needy stupidity.

There were a few muffled whispers and the door to the guest room creaked quietly. The twins observed the protruding bulge on the bed that was the chrysalis form of a very despondent species of Andrea Sachs. They approached and carefully climbed on each side of the bed, the brunette felt the bed dip with both weights but refused to leave her haven.

-"Andy?" - Cassidy tried - 

-"Uhm?" - Andrea growled from under the sheets - 

-"You okay?" - Caroline queried - 

-"Y-yes, I'm fine. Cara made some snacks for you, in case you were hungry" - 

-"Oh, uhm, okay. Thanks" - Caroline eyed her sister to find her as puzzled as herself- 

-"Andy" - Cassidy tried again - 

-"Yes, Cassidy?" - over time, Andrea had become widely aware of the blatant differences between both girls (their voices were no exception) to the point where she could easily tell them apart even if they were trying to confuse her.

-"You sure everything's fine?" - Cassidy sounded sincerely concerned. Andy didn't want to face them now but she didn't mean to distress them unnecessarily (more than she already had). The brunette pulled off the sheets and sat upright, both girls looked at her with an expectant confusion.

-"Yes, girls. I'm fine, really" - she tentatively extended her hand to caress Cassidy's hair but quickly retracted it - "You should go eat something, I know Cara baked something delicious for you both" - she strove to smile

-"Andy, why are you sad?" -Caroline queried and the brunette felt tears stinging her eyes again -

-"I'm not..."

-"Were the reporters bad to you? We know they can be nasty" - Cassidy observed, incredibly unswayed - 

-"Yeah, those idiots are bunch of vultures" - Caroline added, truly displeased - 

-"No, I... I haven't left the house today. I guess I'am overwhelmed with all this attention from the press" - the brunette admitted, pulling her fingers nervously - 

-"You won't leave, will you?" - Caroline interjected, her eyes wide with worry - 

-"You can't leave! They'll go away, we promiss. It's a matter of time" - her sister continued - 

-"Yeah, that's right. They'll grow bored and go chase some other news. You can't leave, Andy" - the coordinated pout was simply adorable, there was no way Andrea Sachs would ever be able to deny anything to this lovely girls. But what truly amazed her was how much like Miranda the twins were. Those lustrous blue eyes held so much fierceness and love towards those who they cared about. If the eyes were really the window of the soul Andrea had no doubt all the Priestly women had the most wondrous souls she had ever seen.

-"No, sweety, I won't leave. I guess I was... afraid"

-"They can't enter the house" - Caroline observed - 

-"Yeah, mom will have their heads in a silver plate first thing in the morning if they set a foot within the property" - Cassidy stated confidently, crossing her arms over her chest to reinforce her point-

-"No, I mean... I was afraid you wouldn't want me here" - both twins arched their eyebrows - "I made things unnecessarily difficult for you, all because I wanted to go to the Museum. I was careless... and selfish"

-"Woah, stop! We suggested to go in the first place, remember?" - Caroline pointed out - "Aaaand we'd do it again"

-"Yeah, plus it's not like we've never dealt with these nitwits" - Cassidy shrugged -

-"Anyway, I'm sorry" 

-"There's nothing to apologise for, Andrea" - the editor's smooth voice travelled calmly from the doorstep - "Girls, Cara is waiting downstairs. She said something about hot chocolate" - Miranda continued - 

-"Cool!" - they responded in unison -

-"We'll bring you one later, Andy" - Caroline assured - 

-"Yup, don't worry" - Cassidy added, making clear she didn't mean just the hot beverage. Both girls hurried downstairs, as attested the stomps on the stairs -

-"Sometimes I think a herd of elephants are quieter" - Miranda quipped and a smile tugged at the corners of Andrea's lips upwards - 

-"They're quite the feisty type, aren't they?" - the brunette looked down and fiddled with her sleeves nervously- "You're early"

-"Yes, I wanted to check on you. The media attention can be quite daunting" - Miranda said, approaching the bed and climbing on it - "How are you?" - she placed a hand on Andrea's to stop the fiddling - 

-"F-fine, I'm fin-e. Ugh, God" - the brunette sighed tiredly -

-"Darling?" - Miranda inquired concernedly. Andrea took a deep breath and continued-

-"I-it's my stammering. I hav-... haven't had t-to dealt with it f-for quite a while now" - she admitted shyly-

-"I didn't know you stammered" - she rubbed her thumb in soothing circled on the younger woman's hand - 

-"I've b-been deal-ing with it s-since I was eight. I-it's a nuisance b-but it's almost gone. Onl-y c-comes out when I'am under too much stress o a-about to have a panic attack" - Miranda's eyes widened and she grasped Andy's hand - "Don't worry, I won't be having one n-now" - she assured a bit more calmly, taking steady breaths -

-"I'm sorry you have to go through this. But rest assured, darling, their interest will soon wane" - she ensconced on the bed, pressing her body against Andrea's and put an arm around her waist - 

-"I should be the one apologising" - she stated, calmer in Miranda's arm - "I've been nothing but troubles to you, my stupidity also affected the girls. I'm sorry" - she rested her head on the editor's shoulder while battling the tears that had been forming in her eyes for some time - "I feel like I'm a burden, you've only treated me with nothing but kindness and yet here I'am, an unemployed, stammering, wanna-be journalist who's only good at messing up" - a silent tear rolled down her cheek - 

-"Andrea, look at me" - Miranda retreated a bit to give room for the brunette to raise her head. Andrea shook her head, hiding her face against the silver-haired woman's chest - "Darling, please" - she gently coaxed her to look at her by cupping her face - "That's it" - she smiled and wiped the stray tear - "Listen, the only problem you'll create is the one you'll put yourself into if I ever hear such self-deprecatory speech again, are we clear?" - she pecked her chastely - 

-"But I'm still unemployed, I mean I do have an interview at the New York Mirror but it's not sure they'll take me. And you're still you in all your glory and I'am just t..." - Miranda placed a finger on her lips to stop the oncoming rambbling - 

-"Darling, though I must admit this whole ordeal wasn't according to plan, I want to make our relationship public in an official manner" -

-"Was there a plan?" - Andy asked a bit amused - 

-"Oh yes, for example, the first steps for snatching the craddle have been completed" - Andrea giggled and Miranda smirked- "Now, what I need to do is claim said craddle in front of the whole State of New York" 

-"What?" - the brunette asked, bewildered-

-"What you heard, darling. Would you be my plus-one at the Elias-Clarke ball this year?" 

-"Wh-what?!"

-"That, be my date, beautiful" - she closed the distance between both and gave a sensuous lick on Andrea's lips. The brunette short-circuited - 

-"But I.. you want me to..." - another long lick - "Oh god, you'll be the death of me, Miranda" 

-"Just say yes, darling" - she kissed the corners of her lips playfully - 

-"Oh god, yes, yes!" - she laughed before capturing Miranda's lips in a passionate kiss-