Chapter 53: Painfully Close
Author: TheLadyHoll
Pairing: Andy/Miranda
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Yes, they are mine. I own them. Come to me my pretties and dance, DANCE I SAY. Or, more truthfully, not...
Anybody still out there? We're getting close now, I promise! - xo, TLH
A week later and Andrea was asking the same question of the older woman, but she wasn’t satisfied with the reply.
“I can’t, Andrea!”
“Oh honey,” Andy brought her hands to rest on either side of the bump. “There’s just no room left in this belly is there? What do you think you can eat?” Andy asked softly, rubbing the sides of the bump as she held Miranda’s gaze. But Miranda just shook her head absently, wanting nothing more than the continued feel of Andrea’s hands on her as the only thing that gave her any comfort or relief at this stage of the pregnancy.
Andy fed Miranda spoonfuls of the dessert, kissing her between bites with dual purpose. If Miranda wasn’t thinking about it, Andy hoped she wouldn’t notice what she was eating and maybe succeed her mind into thinking it wasn’t really full. Because she wasn’t, she needed to eat, especially now the babies were seemingly going through another growth spurt - but her organs were so compressed and squished together that she had no appetite at all, feeling uncomfortable and bloated after only a few bites. If they didn’t figure something out soon, Andy was going to insist the pregnant woman start drinking those meal replacement or supplemental drinks with every meal so that she was getting all, or at least most, of the vitamins and nutrients the growing babies leached from her body, weakening her when she needed her strength more than ever. How she was going to get Miranda to drink them was another matter entirely, during the worst of her morning sickness Andy had tried to make the older woman drink the NutriSure liquid with little success, Miranda all but convinced (because of hormones, Andy was sure) that Andrea was trying to poison her with what she called ‘that vile concoction’. The only thing Andy could think of that would persuade the stubborn woman was Dr. Jansen’s threat to put Miranda on IV fluids to bump her vitamins and iron back up to acceptable levels.
“Much as this tactic is working at the moment, however unorthodox, I’m not entirely sure it’s a suitable long term solution.”
“I know, and I know you hate the taste of the supplement drinks so I’ve been trying to find recipes for smoothies and shakes we can incorporate meal replacement powder in, and hopefully the extra ingredients will hide the taste.”
The press that hung about them like circling vultures didn’t make the later weeks of Miranda’s pregnancy any easier either. A ‘bumpwatch’ had been started that featured running commentary on Miranda’s size and outfit choices that were needing more and more creativity to pull off.
Miranda loathed the fact that she had actually begun to recognize the prying scum, although she staunchly refused to hear their names or their read their content, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of attracting ‘La Priestly’s’ notice.
Coming home one evening, it took all of Miranda’s willpower not to use the railing to steady her as she made her way from the car to the front door. She knew, watching somewhere was a lowly paparazzi whip, ready with their phones to capture a grainy shot of her using the rail and call her out on being a frail old woman who had no business being pregnant at her age and whose reign over the fashion world was being called into question with all the drama that had distracted her from her usual demand for perfection in her magazine. The last several issues were passable, Miranda would never have let them go to print if they weren’t, but they lacked the genius and the spark that had become Miranda’s signature for Elias Clarke’s top publication and only in the most private of settings with the most select people would Miranda ever admit it.
Drained, even from the short journey up the stairs in front of the townhouse, Miranda winced slightly, moving one hand to cradle the under-curve of her belly and the other to the small of her back.
“Miranda?” Andy dropped the dishtowel she was holding and walked swiftly over to Miranda, studying her face for any more signs of pain as her hands moved to cover Miranda’s.
“Braxton Hicks,” Miranda managed with a grimace, moving her hand in large circles over her even larger belly. “They’ve been increasing in intensity this last week.”
“Sweetheart, I can feel them from the outside.” Worried, Andy’s hand replaced Miranda’s and continued the gentle massage.
“It’s to be expected; I remember not feeling well with the girls for the entire last month or so before they were born.”
“Did you want to go sit in the chair with a heating pack or do you want me to run you a warm bath?”
Smiling tiredly, Miranda patted the younger woman’s cheek gently as she moved out of her embrace. “I think perhaps I’ll just take a shower and lie down before dinner, but thank you for the thought my darling.”
Andy kissed the fingertips on the hand she moved away from her face as she wrapped an arm around Miranda’s waist and the pair headed slowly towards the stairs. Normally Miranda would have protested Andy’s ‘fussing’ and over-vigilance, but she was so tired, she thought to herself as she let herself be guided up the stairs and into the master bedroom.
Now it was Andy’s turn to grimace, looking out the large bay windows at the front of the house as she steadied her lover on the stairs. The storm was so loud now that Andy was barely able to hear the soft grunt Miranda made as her belly hardened once more.
“Baby, please let me call Dr. Jansen before the storm gets too bad, it’s getting too close to your due date to be taking chances.”
“Andrea, I have more than a month more that I plan to carry these babies. If I was in labour, I would know it - it may have been 10 years since my last, but I do remember how it feels.”
“Please Miranda, we’ve come so far…you can talk to her first and tell her what you’re feeling. Then you or she can make an informed decision based on that.”
Miranda nodded and sighed as Andrea paused on the landing and pulled her phone out of her back pocket, speed-dialing Miranda’s OB/GYN.
“No answer at the office, I’m going to try her cell.”
“Andrea, that number was given to us for emergencies.”
“Since when has Miranda Priestly paid attention to what boundaries or restrictions have been placed upon her?”
Feeling ill and fatigued, Miranda snapped back at Andy’s joking comment. “I do believe you’ll find that I spent more than a month, collectively, on bed rest, as per doctors orders.”
Just then a rolling clap of thunder shook the townhouse, making the chandelier in the foyer clink as the icy rain continued to pour down in thick sheets against the house. Miranda sighed and leaned heavily on the banister with one elbow as her other hand soothed the restless babies that rolled and kicked inside her suddenly, reacting to the booming thunder.
“I know, Miranda, I’m sorry too. I know you’re not feeling well and you have every right to be on edge. But you must understand that I would rather lose you because of an argument than you losing your life.” Andrea continued.
As always, Miranda was amazed by the care Andrea took with her - as though she were something precious or delicate, even when the younger woman was angry with her.
Andy’s voice broke through her soliloquy as the call was finally put through and Dr. Jansen answered.
“Hi, yes Dr. Jansen, I’m so sorry to bother you at home but Miranda’s feeling unusually uncomfortable. Mmhm, yes. They’re irregular, anywhere from 5-20 minutes apart and at completely differing intervals. Yes, alright. One moment, please.”
Andrea covered the mouthpiece of the phone which she held out to Miranda, “Dr. Jansen wants to talk to you. Be honest!” Andy whispered fiercely as she passed the phone over to Miranda before guiding the weary woman to an armchair with a hand at the small of her back.
“I’m simply not feeling very well - and I’m positive there isn’t anything you will be able to do about it save scheduling an immediate caesarean…Tight like a drum, and achy. Mmhm, yes, you can feel them from the outside. Just general malaise and fatigue…
Miranda passed the phone back after another long moment.
“Andy, New York’s just been placed under an extreme weather warning. I don’t think she’s in actual labour, and the stress of bringing her in for monitoring might start the real thing. Try and keep her as quiet and still as possible, frequent light meals - you know the drill.”
“Got it, doc.”
A chuckle came across the phone. “Godspeed Andy. Call me if she gets worse.”
“Will do.” Andy slid her phone back into her pocket and walked back over to Miranda and crouched in front of her, sliding her hands up and down the older woman’s thighs as she spoke.
“She’s not making us come in?” Miranda queried as she rubbed a hand across her face, anticipating the answer with a growing feeling of dread.
“Mmm, nope. But you’re going to have to cancel the evening of club-hopping you had planned,” Andy teased. “It’s a quiet night in for you; pajamas, no Book, lots of rest and making sure you stay hydrated.”
Miranda nodded, too tired even to fight the doctor’s directive over her job, which was generally an area in her life she allowed no one to dictate but her.
“Easy loves,” Andy’s hand slipped under Miranda’s where she had pressed it to her stomach with a hiss of pain. “You need to take it easy on mommy.” She kissed Miranda and squeezed her hand, “get ready for bed and then come downstairs, okay? We’re going to try something different.”
She had tried to make the recliner as comfortable as possible for Miranda to sleep in. A 1400 count feather pillow would cradle her head just as the firm cushions of the chair would cradle her aching body. Andy had placed a heating pad for Miranda’s back, and a thinner pillow to tuck underneath her stomach to support the weight. A lightweight comforter completed the makeshift bed and Andy hoped the luxurious additions would make for a more peaceful slumber than Miranda had been getting.
As though summoned by Andy’s thoughts, Miranda came through the double doors of the living room with the soft rustle of satin from her dressing gown.
“This is it then?” Miranda eyed the set-up suspiciously, but her posture & the slight sag of her shoulders were a better tell of her true feelings.
Andy came up to her and gently pressed her lips to the slightly pursed ones, and she ran her hand down Miranda’s shoulder to the middle of her chest before coming to rest on the prominent bulge under the silk that she could feel was so tight, and most certainly uncomfortable for Miranda. She cupped the swell with two hands, letting the warmth seep through the thin fabric and Miranda’s jawline relaxed as the muscles eased.
“You need the sleep so badly, just try for me. I feel so helpless when you’re not feeling well & there’s nothing I can do.”
“You do everything and more, Andrea. Never doubt that. I doubt myself that I will never know all that you do for me.”
Andy kissed the lips again, this time for silence. “Then try the chair for me. You and I both know you fall asleep faster in this chair than anywhere else, including our bed.”
Inclining a snowy head in acquiescence, Miranda lowered herself into the plush recliner, unable to keep from resting her head against the pillowy softness of the down and sighing as she felt the warmth of the heating pad against her back. Andy made sure Miranda’s stomach was propped up by the thinner pillow and draped a light comforter over the resting form.
Entwining her fingers with Miranda’s, Andy knelt beside the recliner and ran her hand down the older woman’s arm. “Is that any better?”
Not having been this comfortable in months, Miranda simply nodded, trying in vain to keep her eyes closed as a headache throbbed behind them.
“Thank you,” Andy whispered, squeezing Miranda’s fist and bringing her palm to her mouth as she kissed it.
“What on earth for?”
“For everything you’re doing for these babies, and for the girls, and for our family.”
But their tender moment was interrupted by little footsteps and a voice that followed soon after.
“Are you gonna come up and say goodnight?”
Miranda focused her gaze on Cassidy and her shoulders sagged slightly and Andy knew she was feeling guilty.
“Darling, I’m sorry but mommy’s not feeling very well.”
“Are you sick?”
Miranda had closed her eyes though, and her lips were thinned in a faint grimace as Andy felt the belly under her hand tighten with another Braxton Hicks contraction and so the younger woman answered for her, massaging the tight womb under her hand until she felt it soften once more and Miranda exhale in relief.
“No sweetheart, not sick per say, but there are two babies growing in there fighting for room and there isn’t a whole lot left, so when they’re stretching and kicking a lot it makes her tummy hurt.”
“Are you gonna sleep down here?” Cassidy wrinkled her nose and tilted her head as she asked the question. Her mom NEVER slept anywhere but her bedroom, and whenever she and Caro had fallen asleep watching movies, her mom ALWAYS woke them up to go to upstairs to bed, saying that was the appropriate place to sleep.
“Fine,” the little girl grumbled dramatically and turned to stomp back up the stairs.
“I’m so tired, Andrea.”
“I know,” Andy knew she was talking about more than just tonight as she brushed her thumb across the older woman’s cheek, wiping away a single tear that had escaped and rolled down Miranda’s cheek, borne more out of exhaustion and frustration than anything else.
“We’re so close now, Miranda. We’re so close to being able to hold our babies in our arms.”
“I’ll not have you sleeping on the couch, Andrea. The bedroom is the proper place to sleep,” Miranda insisted, although a rueful smile softened her lips in the next moment. “At least if one isn’t carrying two vigorous infants in an overstretched womb.”
“Stubborn,” Andy growled playfully even as she reached out for the hand Miranda had extended towards her, curling it around her fingers and kissing the knuckles.
“But I’m staying until you fall asleep and I don’t want to hear any arguments.”
“Yes, Andrea.”
Adjusting the blanket and tucking it around the pregnant form, Andy watched the beloved face at rest before heading upstairs to bed.