Chapter Text
Richard straightened his bow tie, looking in the mirror, “Today is the day, Ben.” He pat his best friend on the shoulder and smiled nervously. “I still can’t believe she said yes!”
Ben Reed rolled his eyes at his lifelong friend, everyone knew from the moment they saw Rich and Cathrine together they were going to live together forever and a day. “You’re an idiot, Cath is so in love with you it’s disgusting.”
“She’s just the most beautiful woman in the world, Ben. She means everything to me, and after today she’s mine!” He laughed happily again before rolling his eyes at himself, “Okay well not mine, she’s not an object… But ya’ know”
A knock sounded at the door of Rich and his groomsmen’s dressing room. “Richard, it’s Kevin.” The short man peered around the door, a kind of blank look on his face as he stepped around it. “Could we talk for a second?”
Richard felt his palms begin to sweat as he nodded, “Uh, yah.. Guys could you give us the room?” His groomsmen nodded and each clapped him on the shoulder as they left the room.
“How are you, Kevin?” He shrugged a little, rubbing the back of his neck as his future father-in-law came in and sat in one of the leather armchairs.
“Fine fine Richard, but that’s not why we’re here, is it?” He smirked and looked down to his hands pulling at his fingers slightly before shaking his head. “I just wanted to have a chat with you, before I walked my daughter down the aisle to you.” He chuckled. “Anyway Cathrine is my pride and joy, as you know and I am so…” His voice trails off as he reaches up to flick a stray tear. “I’m glad she has you Rich. I am proud of the man you are and I can tell you’ll be the husband I always dreamed of for my girl.”
Richard shook himself out of his memories as he opened the front door, momentarily stunned at the woman standing confidently in front of him. In her dress she certainly looked younger than her supposed 32 years, thin with smooth pale skin, bright saphires for eyes and some of the whitest hair the man had ever seen. Richard cleared his throat, “Miranda I presume?” He asks her, a gentle and welcoming smile on his face. No need to fully terrify her- yet. He’d see how Andrea acted when she returned, if she looked serious about this woman… Well he’d cross that bridge when he came to it. “Please come in.”
Miranda locked eyes with the tall and intimidating man even though he was giving her a welcoming smile she was suddenly worried once again, maybe she could back out now feigning illness. “Thank you Mr. Sachs.” Miranda could tell her voice was clipped as he gestured her inside their lovely home.
As they walked through the entryway Miranda couldn’t help but focus on the photos of their smiling family that lined the tastefully decorated walls. “Miranda, this is my wife Cathrine, Cath this is Miranda Priestly.” He smiled at the two women who were silently sizing each other up.
“Rich, my love why don’t you tell Andrea her guest is here.” She waved him away, not taking her eyes off Miranda. He shot the Editor a look of caution before moving up the stairs to his only child’s room.
“Mrs. Sachs, lovely to meet you.” Miranda gave her most polite smile as she sat in the armchair across from the both kind and also strangely terrifying woman. “How are you today?” She watched the slightly older woman look her up and down, smoldering emerald eyes squinted in concentration.
“Well, thank you.” Cathrine crossed one leg over the other, keeping her all knowing eyes trained on the younger woman, “So my Andy huh?” She knew quite a bit about the silver haired beauty across from her. She had been in the papers in magazine for the past three years, rising as the youngest EDIC in all of Runway’s history- including the foreign spin offs. “And what exactly about her seems to be so interesting to a notorious comitmentphobe?”
To be fair, she probably should have expected this question, but for some reason it took her by complete surprise, all of the carefully rehearsed responses and idle conversation topics failing her. “Oh” Miranda sucked her teeth, a gesture which she hadn’t done since her time in college and stared directly into the brunette’s eyes as she let her heart lead her mouth. “Your daughter, Andrea, seems to be the kindest and most loving woman in all of the universe.” She cleared her throat. “I’m sure you think me mad, never having met her or spoken with her, but Nadia is my very close friend and the moment she meant Andrea she knew that we were destined, and that woman while infuriating, is rarely wrong.”
Andy wiped the small amount of lipstick off her teeth as she looked closely in the mirror. It’s fine, totally fine, not at all an insanely imposing date with an insanely imposing woman or anything. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, one of many traits she had gotten from her father.
“Andy?” Rich peeked around the door, smiling at the vision his daughter was, when did she grow up again? “Hi Daddy” his not-so-little girl looked over her shoulder at him, her hair twisted up beautifully with a clip encrusted in real emeralds, a gift from her Grandpa Richard, it had been his late wife’s.
“You look beautiful baby.” Rich clenched one fist, not wanting to start crying on a day that should hold only joy and hope of what’s to come. “Your date is here…” He smirks then as Andy shoots up like a lightning bolt, “Oh dang it, where did I put my purse?” Andrea groaned, seeming to forget her father was even in the room.
“This one?” He held up the deep green clutch in his hand, chuckling as the girl nodded furiously and snatched it from his hand. “Dad, will you go down first, so it’s not creepy like you’re giving me away at my wedding on the first date.” She bumped his shoulder playfully and he just chuckled, “Sure princess.” He pecked her forehead before disappearing around the door jam once more.
Miriam Louise Priestly was not necessarily known for being a warm woman, she worked hard, rarely smiled, and never seemed to be able to spend more than a few seconds in conversation with any one person. Miranda Victoria Priestly was shaping up to be much the same, through her eyes held joy when she saw a well tailored suit, or a finely hemmed skirt.
Miranda loved fashion, the way fabrics draped over the human silhouette, the feel of expensive velvets under her fingers, the shine of rosy silks and dark leathers. Miranda broke apart from her mother in a blaze of dark eyeliner, glittering hair, homemade denim jackets and six inch heels. Miranda allowed herself to fall into fashion, to fall in love.
Miranda turned towards the staircase as her vision descended the stairs, breath caught in her throat as she watched Andrea move gracefully in 4 inch heels, a feat not everyone could manage. “Hello, Andrea.” Miranda realized now she probably should have brought flowers.
“Miranda” Andy whispered into the air around them, her dark eyes staring down towards the other worldly beauty standing at the bottom of her staircase. Once she reached the hardwood flooring it’s as if a spell had been broken and she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, looking up at the older woman through long lashes. “Hello”
To say getting out of the house was a long and arduous process would be much too kind. “Here let me.” Miranda pulled open the passenger side door, watching to make sure she was safely encased in the car before shutting the door and moving over to the driver’s side of her silver BMW.
“Sorry about them.” A flush bloomed over Andy’s cheeks as she looked shyly over at the beautiful woman in the driver’s seat. “They can be a little overbearing sometimes.”
Miranda just shook her head, “Please don’t apologize for having parents who love you.” Miranda turned to fully look at the young woman across from her before reaching across to push that strand of hair that kept escaping from her up do behind her ear. “You look very beautiful today Andrea, I’m bemoaning the fact I didn’t bring you flowers.”
Staring at the editor the young woman could scarcely believe her ears. How on Earth did her date, this wonderfully beautiful woman believe she could mess a single thing up on this date. “Oh no, please don’t say that. I get uncomfortable with gifts so I inevitably would have made a fool of myself.”
Miranda just nodded and turned her attention to the road before pulling out of the driveway and starting down the street to Italia, the Editor’s favorite Italian cafe which was hidden in a small offset of an up and coming neighborhood. “I hope you like Italian, this place is my favorite, all of their pasta and sauces are homemade and they use organic locally sourced produce, and grass raised beef. It’s really an incredible little place.” Miranda found herself rambling, which was pretty uncommon for her, they’d known each other for less than an hour but already she felt as if she’d known her forever and a day.
From the outside the restaurant looked like any other rundown brick building, a heavily rusted metal door was the only difference, Andy looked over at Miranda with a heavy dose of skepticism, she couldn’t believe someone this glamorous had ever been to a place like this.
“I know what you’re thinking.” The editor chuckled as Andy looped her arm through her own, “But I found Italia when I was your age, it became a safe haven for me, quiet and unknown is nice when you’re attempting to be a public figure.”