Title: Like Family
Pairing: Miranda/Andy
Archive: Sure, if you want it... just tell me where you put it
Rating - this one would probably be NC-17?.... not always.. but... just to be safe.  LOL
Disclaimer- This is a fan fic, so I obviously don't own anything...except my deep and abiding love of the pair... oh.. and Pava... and Chad are my characters, ;)

A/N - This is the second story in the 'Like' series.  It's not as much a 'story' as Like Andrea, just a continuation of that universe.

A/N - Thanks and everlasting gratitude to my all knowing Beta reader Kamouraskan.  My stories are always better with Kam's input.

A/N - I took some liberties with this one.  The biggest of which would be Macy's closing time.  I have totally no idea what their store or corporate policy is on that... I think I've been in Macy's about 3 times in my life... just go with it okay?   Thanks so much. :)

 

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“Andy?”

 

“Yeah?”  Andy put down the huge knife she was using to split watermelons in two. “What’s up?”

 

“Can we go play basketball with Uh… Chad?”  Cassidy blushed slightly; she knew she’d just caught herself from saying ‘Uncle Chad’. 

 

Caroline added. “We’ll try not to get dirty.”

 

“Don’t worry about getting dirty.”  Andy grinned at them “I brought a change of clothes for all of us.  That’s what’s in the pack, just in case...”  She laughed at their expressions. “Well you know what a slob I am!”  Winking, she waved them away. “G’wan now… have fun!”

 

Dark eyes twinkled as the girls ran off towards the driveway.

 

“Why did they ask you?”  Dorothy was giving the potato salad a last stir. “Shouldn’t they ask their mother?”

 

Andy shook her head and gestured with her left hand toward the older women present. “Miranda is talking to Gram, they wouldn’t interrupt that.”  Pressing her lips together as her mother grunted surprise at that, Andy picked up the knife and continued to halve the melons.  It was a bit disconcerting because the ring on her finger was quite distinctive, yet her mother had either failed to notice it, or didn’t want to acknowledge it.  Either way, Andy wasn’t going to be the one to bring up the subject.

 

“I wonder what they are talking about?”  Dorothy looked over at the white-haired woman and her mother-in-law and commented casually, “They seem to be enjoying each other’s company.”

 

Andy smiled.  The comment that would have once totally engulfed her in jealousy, now just made her chuckle. “They’re probably talking about fashion.”  When she’d taken the women drinks earlier she thought she’d heard ‘De La Renta’ as she’d walked toward them. “And yes, they do seem to enjoy each other’s company… good for them, I’m glad Miranda found at least one person here to talk to.”  Andy sighed as a falsely jovial voice spoke up behind her.

 

“So…”  The man spoke overly loud, slapping Andy on the shoulder with one hand, holding a beer bottle in the other. “The long lost daughter…”

 

Andy rolled her eyes, watched her Mom turn and walk toward the house, and smiled a wide faux smile at her relative.  “Hello, Uncle Jim.”

 

He grinned at his only niece. “So…what have you been doing in the big city?”

 

“Oh a little of this and that.”  Andy continued setting out the food and pouring drinks.  She kept an eye on Miranda as she went on with the conversation.  “I’m a reporter, work at a newspaper.” 

 

“Ah… crap job eh?  Better than the last one you had, I guess.”  He nudged her with his shoulder. “Got a guy yet?”

 

Andy licked her lips and held Miranda in the corner of her eye. “No, no guy.”  She picked up a steak knife and began slicing tomatoes.

 

He pointed his beer bottle at the table where Miranda and Pava sat talking.  “Be careful.”  He laughed. “You’ll end up like them, old and lonely, with no one to talk to but other old lonely chicks.”

 

Andy gripped the knife she was holding tightly.  She’d been busy helping her Mom all afternoon and honestly she suspected the woman was trying to keep her and Miranda apart.  Dropping the knife, Andy took her uncle by the arm. “C’mon, let’s go find you another drink.”  She hoped he was far enough along to pass out soon. 

 

As they passed into the house, Andy heard her Mom talking to her Aunt Dawn.

 

“So where’d Gram find her hot girlfriend?”  Dawn laughed and grabbed a beer from the fridge.

 

“I wouldn’t know… she just showed up.  They do seem to get along though.”  Dorothy sighed as Andy and Jim entered the room and knew from the look in Andy’s eye she’d heard the comment. “Dawn…could you ask Richard to get a few more chairs from the garage?”

 

“Sure Dot.”

 

It turned out the gesture was unnecessary, Andy had no intention of getting into a fight with her mother just now.  With a fresh beer for Uncle Jim and another one for her, Andy clinked bottles with her Uncle and they laughed as they left Dorothy alone in the kitchen.

 

-----------------

 

Miranda had not realized how time had flown, she was a bit stiff since once they’d sat down at the outdoor table they hadn’t needed to move. Treated like invalids just as Pava predicted.  Drinks were brought to them and replenished when needed, filled plates were brought to them for lunch and taken away when they were finished. Even when other people had started to arrive, no one bothered them.  Pava apparently inspired as much awe in this family as Miranda did at Runway. Now the editor looked around unable to see her fiancé. “Where is Andrea?”

 

“Hmmm…”  Pava looked around and shrugged. “I don’t actually know.”  Dark eyes twinkled. “I know a fun way to get her here though.”  The older woman chuckled. “She has kept an eye on you the whole time you’ve been here.”  One long lanky arm reached out and traced down Miranda’s arm, from elbow to wrist.  It only took a few seconds of holding Miranda’s hand before a grin formed on Pava’s face and an amused voice spoke up behind her.

 

“You aren’t putting the moves on my girl, are you Gram?”  Andy’s twinkling eyes held Miranda’s shocked ones for a few seconds.   Pava’s laugh broke their gaze.

 

“See… told you I could get her here.”

 

Miranda chuckled and stood to stretch, then looked down at the older seated woman.  “You are trouble.”  Miranda winked, “But so am I.”  With two steps to close the distance between herself and Andrea, Miranda slid her arms around Andy’s waist and pulled her close. “I’ve missed you.”

 

Blocking out everything around her, Andy bent her head slightly and kissed the love of her life. “Mmmm…”  She pulled back a little and brushed back the one lovely lock of hair that always fell across Miranda’s eye. “Missed you too.”

 

“Now that is a lovely sight to see.”  Pava rested her head on her hand and watched the couple closely. “I’m not sure ‘your girl’ is the proper term though.”  The older woman’s eyes gleamed as she spoke to her grand-daughter. “I’m thinking… fiancé?” The women in the embrace froze and Pava laughed. “That is quite a lovely ring you are wearing, my dear…”  She turned to the woman in her grand-daughter’s arms. “…and that is a lovely shade of pink on your cheeks.” 

 

Keeping her right hand around Miranda, Andy held her left hand out to her smiling Gram. “She gave it to me this morning.”

 

“Mmmm…”  Pava examined the ring closely. “Round center stone…pear shaped side stones… I’d say…what?  Two carats?”  She grinned as Miranda hesitated, then nodded. “Very nice.”  She chuckled. “Happy Birthday to you.”  Grinning slyly, Pava asked. “Your Mom seen it yet?”

 

Two carats?!  I didn’t even think about… She shook the thought out of her head. “Oh, has Mom seen it… I um…don’t know.”  Andy squeezed Miranda closer to her. “If she has, she hasn’t mentioned it.”

 

“Stubborn thing.”  Pava sighed and shook her head. She smiled and tapped Andy’s cheek with her fingertips. “Don’t let her get to you, child.  You know your own mind.  It’s a gift you have always possessed. It’s what makes you special.”

 

Miranda agreed.  “We cannot let anyone get to us.”  Wrapping both arms around Andrea’s waist, Miranda leaned into the warmth of her future wife. “We know we are good together, Andrea.” 

 

“We are that.”  Andy kissed the top of Miranda’s head.  She chuckled, “We are also attracting someone’s attention.”  She tilted her head toward her Mother.

 

“Mmmm…”  Miranda’s eyes gleamed. “Two choices, stop what we are doing, or continue.”

 

“Continue.”  Andy said immediately and bent to capture Miranda’s lips for a brief moment. “Most definitely continue.”  Explain this to Aunt Dawn, mother. They kissed for several long moments before Andy heard her mom’s strangled voice calling to her.  She smiled at Miranda and wiped a bit of lipstick smear from the corner of the older woman’s mouth with her thumb. “Don’t forget where we left off.”

 

Blue eyes watched Andy walk away. Not a chance. In fact… Miranda found her cell phone and dialed, keeping her eyes on Andrea the whole time she was speaking to the person on the other end of the line.

 

---------------------------

 

The expression on her mother’s face reminded her of the many, many times she’d been reprimanded as a child for doing one thing or another wrong. “Yes Mom?”  Andy was very casual in her tone, because the fact was; she hadn’t been doing anything wrong, at all.

 

“Why do you insist on making a scene?!” 

 

Andy blinked and looked around the backyard. “Uh… no one else even noticed.”  She pointed out the happily partying people, some playing horseshoes, some messing with the grill…a few just drinking beer and razzing the people playing horseshoes.  Her eyes caught Chad’s and she saw him nod before she turned back toward their mother.  “You’re the one making a big deal out of it.”

 

Miranda saw Chad urging people into the house and walked up to stand next to Andy. “I fail to see what is so surprising about Andrea and me kissing.”  Blue eyes scanned the now empty backyard and Miranda said. “There was a couple playing horseshoes that kissed every time they threw a shoe whether they made a point or not. And a younger couple that were doing nothing less than making out over there on that bench.  She pinned Dorothy with a glance. “What’s the difference?”

 

Dorothy knew who Miranda was talking about. “The couple that was playing horseshoes is married.  And the younger couple is engaged.”   

 

Miranda raised her eyebrows and Andy grinned. “Um…Mom?”  Raising her left hand she wiggled her fingers. “We’re engaged too.”

 

“Yes,” Miranda’s lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile. “Thank you for the engagement party.”

 

“This is Andy’s birthday party!”  Dottie kept her voice low. “You cannot be ‘engaged’ you can’t get married, it’s illegal.”

 

Miranda nodded. “In this state, yes, and New York as well, for now.”

 

Andy thought she heard Miranda mumble to herself, “I need to speak to the governor.”

 

The white-haired woman wrapped her arm around Andy’s waist. “I called the staff on Martha’s Vineyard.  They are going to open the house there.  We can go after we leave here.”

 

“You want to get married so soon?”  Andy was surprised, Miranda wasn’t usually that impulsive.

 

“Only if you wish…”  The older woman smiled. “I thought we could at least inspect the venues… see what kind of accommodations there are available… caterers and florists…things like that.” 

 

“Sure.”  Andy laughed. “I’ve never been there… it will be nice to see.”

 

“We’ll go more often this summer.  The girls love the beach and it is lovely even if the water is quite cold more often than not.”  Miranda promised. “We’ll try to make it one weekend a month at least.”

 

“Wait…”  Dorothy realized. “You said ‘open up the house’.  You have a house there too?”

 

Nodding, Miranda confirmed that. “I have several houses scattered throughout the world, though I mainly stay in New York.”

 

“Throughout the world…”  Dorothy echoed. 

 

“Mmmm… I wonder if you would be so opposed to our relationship if I were an older…gentleman…”  Miranda watched the play of emotions on Dorothy’s face and understood that was not the problem.  “...interesting.” 

 

“S’okay Mom…”  Andy sighed. “A lot of people have a tough time with the gay thing.”

 

“It’s not that…”  Dorothy shook her head. “It’s…”

 

Miranda filled in the thought. “She doesn’t have a problem with that.  What she has a problem with is that other people have a problem with it.”  Miranda saw the shock in Dottie’s eyes and, almost, smiled.

 

“You don’t like me being with Miranda because of what other people think…of you?”  Andy was astonished at that.

 

“No, Andrea that is just one thing she’s dealing with.  Mostly your mother doesn’t like me because I’m rich.”  Miranda stated. “I get to do things other people can’t.  I get to stay late at Macy’s, I get private planes and chauffeured limousines…clothing made just for me…”  Miranda’s voice became soft and a little musical. “I get aaannnything I want.” Miranda looked at Andrea. “And now so do you.”  Miranda smiled. “Your mother is trying to reconcile her prejudice toward my money with the fact that she loves you.”  She turned back to Dorothy but continued to talk to Andy as she watched the other woman closely. “It is your father, Andrea, who has personal problems with… ‘the gay thing’.”

 

Andy was amazed at that observation then realized that Miranda was probably better than anyone she’d ever met at reading body language; she’d have to be, dealing with board room executives, moody models and diva photographers as well as she did. “What about my brother?”

 

“He has a problem with my age.” Miranda exhaled slowly. “On that, I may have to agree with him.”  She waved off Andrea’s immediate protest. “Later.”  She gestured for Dorothy to speak. “You have something to say?”

 

“How can you?”  She looked from her beautiful daughter to the white-haired woman. “How can you get her accustomed to such a life and then just toss her out into the street?”

 

Miranda blinked at that. “I won’t do any such thing.”  Where did that come from?

 

“Yes you will!  You are all alike… you get what you want and move on… Vultures… using people, it’s like a game to you.  You buy them expensive coats and give them shiny expensive rings… Wow them with trips and other luxuries… then when you have had your fun you just toss them aside.”  Dorothy was full of wrathful vengeance. “Well, you won’t do it to my daughter, do you hear me?  I won’t let you!”

 

“Mom!”  Andy released Miranda and put her hands on her Mother’s shoulders shaking the woman slightly. “Snap out of it.  Miranda’s not using me, okay?  This is totally a mutual thing.”

 

“Really?”  Miranda smirked at her young fiancé. “I thought you were just using me for sex.”

 

Andy glared back at her lover. “Not helping!”

 

“Mom…”  Andy tried a calming tone. “It really is okay.  I’m going to be fine.”  She caught her mother’s eyes. “I do have a job and income of my own, you know?”  She pulled the woman to her and hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry to spring it on you like this… but I really am all grown up.”  She felt the arms around her tighten.

 

“You’re my baby.”

 

“I was your baby.” Andy pulled away from the embrace and flashed a little smile. “Now I’m your grown up, completely happy, soon-to-be-married-to-the-woman-of-her-dreams, daughter.”

 

“I don’t want you to get hurt.” Dorothy leaned into her daughter, realizing her head only just reached the girl’s shoulder, and sighed. “It’s so hard to let go.”

 

“I know…”  Andy bent down and kissed her mother’s cheek. “But it really is okay, I’ll be okay.” Grinning, Andy winked. “You guys did a great job raising me.”

 

Dorothy took a deep breath and tried not to cry. “We did, didn’t we…”

 

Andy laughed. “Yep.”  She wrapped one arm around her Mom’s shoulders and one around Miranda’s. “C’mon, let’s go see what Chad lured everyone into the house with.”  She tilted her head toward her Mom. “As if we didn’t know.”

 

Dorothy moaned. “Oh no.”

 

Miranda had the ‘tell-me-what-I’m-in-for-now’ look on her face and Andy squeezed the white-haired woman’s shoulders. “You’re gonna love it.”

 

Miranda exhaled slowly. “You are fifty-fifty on that statement, Andrea.”  She had a smile hiding just under the twitching lips and gamely accompanied the Sachs women into the house.

 

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Caroline and Cassidy were standing next to the door when Dorothy, Andy and Miranda entered the room.  Caroline was nearly jumping up and down with excitement. “Look Mom… Karaoke!”

 

“Mmmm…”  Miranda glanced at Andy.  She and Cassidy both winced and exchanged glances as ‘Aunt Dawn’ hit a particularly sour note. Miranda spoke dryly, “So I hear.”

 

For what seemed like hours, Miranda suffered through the wailings and gyrations of Andrea’s various family members. One of the few bright spots had been when the twins actually got into the act and sang a duet.  Everyone loved their performance and even Dottie was grudgingly impressed at their vocal abilities.  Surprisingly, Pava took a turn at the microphone and Miranda raised her eyebrows at the smooth tones the woman produced. Miranda had really liked the song, even if it was classified as ‘country’.  The lyrics went right to her heart. ‘You can’t choose who you love, love chooses you’. When Richard had taken his place at the microphone he hadn’t demonstrated any such ability. It must skip a generation, Miranda thought and was not surprised that the entire family began to pester Andy for a song. Andrea does have a beautiful voice.  What did surprise Miranda was when her fiancé turned and urged:

 

“C’mon… let’s do a duet.”

 

Miranda’s eyes widened and she shook her head.  “I don’t think so.”  She prayed that Andrea wouldn’t turn those doe-eyes on her, she couldn’t resist ‘The Look’ and they both knew it.  She really didn’t want to put herself any more ‘out there’ than she already had with Andrea’s family.

 

Andy hesitated, she knew if she pushed just a little Miranda would give in, but she didn’t want to do that.  Miranda had already spent a great deal of time without the Goddess mask she normally wore at Runway.  She was almost angry with her parents for not appreciating the honor.  With a tiny understanding smile, Andy grinned and turned to the twins. “C’mon girls… let’s show ‘em how it’s done.”

 

Miranda watched every person in the world she loved, peruse the song list.  They all looked so happy and it made her heart beat faster seeing how well they all interacted with each other.  They really always have, she thought. Ever since that first family dinner together and Andy could tell them apart.

 

“It’s a good looking family.  They obviously love each other.”  Pava gestured Miranda to sit next to her. “It’s right that you are proud of them.”

 

The fast-paced music started and everyone watched as the trio worked so well together they actually seemed to be choreographed.  Andy sang the lead and the girls chimed in on the backup parts of the chorus.

 

All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know
If they move too quick (oh whey oh)
They're falling down like a domino…

 

Everyone in the audience clapped and cheered. By the end of the song, some of them were actually up out of their seats, walking like an Egyptian.

On to Part 13
http://akasarahsmom.livejournal.com/10107.html