"Mom!"

"What is it darling?"

"Mom, Cassidy and I are heading out to the freshman mixer. We'll be staying at the dorm tonight, so don't worry when we don't come home."

"Caroline, I would appreciate a phone call, or at least a text when you get in for the night."

"Yeah, I figured. We'll probably text so we don't wake you."

"Wow, mom. You look really gorgeous tonight. What's up?"

"I am going out for dinner, Cassidy. Thank you for your appraisal."

"Who are you going out with?"

"I have a dinner date with Andréa."

"Oh, great. Tell her we said 'hi'."

"Of course, darling. You two have a good time tonight. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok. Goodnight, mom."

"They're at a freshman mixer? Wow. Hard to believe it's actually happened. The babes are flying on their own."

"Must you twist that knife, Andréa?"

"I'm sorry, Miranda. Here, this pinot gris is quite nice, give it a try."

"Thank you. I must say, I was rather taken aback when you showed up on my doorstep with a bag of groceries. I thought we were going out."

"So I gathered, considering your attire. Although, when I said I owed you dinner, I did not qualify that as shelling out for a restaurant."

"Have you always been so cheap?"

"Yes, actually. Besides, I may be better off than I was but I still am nowhere near your financial status. And, I'm a pretty good cook, if I do say so myself."

"Well, at least your taste in wine has improved."

"My taste in many things has improved. My friends being one of them."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"I'm distracted with cooking, cut me some slack."

"Only if it proves to be edible."

"Ouch. And she buries it to the hilt."

"You are being over sensitive this evening. PMS?"

"Nope."

"A problem brewing?"

"Not really."

"Fighting with family?"

"How do you always know where to go?"

"A gift. What is the issue?"

"I mentioned your name the last time I called home. It went over like a lead balloon. Words were spoken that should have been buried. I got hot and defensive. Now we aren't speaking."

"You have stopped speaking to your family because they said mean things about me?"

"Um… yes?"

"And since when do words effect me?"

"They weren't spoken to you, they were spoken about you, to me. I'm sorry if my knee jerk reaction is to defend your honor."

"My hero."

"Oh, shut up."

"So, what was said?"

"Nothing I want to repeat."

"Something along the lines of 'how can you deign to give any time to that bitch?' Or maybe, 'I thought you got away from that heartless dragon, why is she back?'"

"Ok, you are just too creepy."

"Again, a gift. Andréa, I do not care a whit what your family members think of me. Nothing they say can harm me, simply because I don't care. I appreciate your desire to defend me, but you do not need to ruin your relationship with your family on my account."

"It's not just you. They are minimizing my own feelings, thoughts, opinions, everything about me when they carry on like that."

"You are a strong, opinionated, intelligent, successful, beautiful woman. I don't believe your parents have the power to alter any of that. Andréa, you have come into your own. It is up to you what kind of relationship you choose to have with your family. I simply do not want to be a pawn in the match. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Miranda. I will never blame you for any rift that may develop between me and my family. I promise."

"Thank you. Now, when are we going to eat?"

"In five minutes. Will you top off the wine?"

"Of course."

"I can not understand how, after twenty years, the general incompetence of the Runway staff still astounds me. My god, they just get more insipid with each graduating class from every one of those supposed schools for the arts. How are we to remain at the top of the field if the only positively artistic offering is a rehash of the 1972 June edition?"

"Careful, you'll spill your wine and merlot does not like to come out of couture."

"Andréa, I don't think I have ever been more frustrated than I am at this moment."

"How many did you fire?"

"One… from each department."

"Ouch"

"And there may be more if tomorrow's meeting does not go well."

"Have you ever considered getting out? That it just isn't worth the stress and disappointment anymore?… Miranda?"

"I heard you. I am actually considering your question. Assuming you are not asking in jest, I shall try to answer honestly. I don't think I would know what to do with myself if I did not have Runway. I can't imagine retiring from the workforce. Perhaps, some day I will feel I have accomplished all I could and will be able to step down without regret. But now, I feel there is so much still to do. I know there is new, inspiring talent out there. I just need to find where and how to tap it."

"Always hopeful"

"As I told you before, Andréa, I live on it."

"Well, maybe fashion week will bring you the spark you need."

"Or it will be a week of torture."

"Andréa, I don't see why you feel you must travel to the other side of the world in search of news. Isn't there enough going on here in New York to keep you busy?"

"Miranda, this is an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine. They requested I go to Australia to cover the kick off concert of this tour. You can't ask me to turn it down."

"I am doing no such thing. I just don't see why they can't wait for the tour to hit our fair city."

"It wouldn't be the kick off concert. Come on Miranda, it's not like I'm going to Afganistan. I'll be back in two weeks."

"Yes, two weeks. And then I will be leaving for Paris. That will be almost a month."

"I'm sorry about the timing, Miranda, but I am not sorry about the assignment. This is a huge opportunity for me. You'll just have to suck it up."

"Very well. I will indeed 'suck it up', but you will be present and available for dinner the very evening I return. I am sure I will need to decompress and I seem to be able to best accomplish that when I have your ear to bend."

"Deal. I'll even prepare chicken cordon bleu for you."

"That will be acceptable."

"Hey Andy, are you going to see mom this weekend?"

"I believe we have a standing appointment."

"Excellent."

"Why are you asking, Cass?"

"Caroline and I are going on a ski trip this weekend and we wont be home at all. It makes us feel better to know mom wont be alone since it's her first weekend back from fashion week"

"Cassidy, did you and Caroline originally push us together so your mom would have someone to be there for her, so she wouldn't have to be alone?"

"Well, kind of."

"That is really sweet. I am so going to tell your mom."

"No, don't!. She'd kill us."

"She would not."

"Please don't tell."

"Alright, but I think you owe me something now."

"Will you take cash?"

"Not so easy. I need your help."

"What with?"

"Are you free now?"

"Yeah, I'm done for the day."

"Come with me?"

"Sure. Where to?"

"Just come along."

"Andy, why are we here?"

"I'm looking for a ring."

"What kind of ring?"

"Something that says 'you mean more to me than I ever would have imagined'."

"Not 'will you marry me'?"

"No!, oh no. No way."

"Just checking. You don't have to have a cow."

"So this is what I was thinking."

"Oh, that's nice. The sapphires will go real well with her eyes."

"That's what I was thinking. So you think she'll like it?"

"Yeah. You gonna save it for Christmas or birthday?"

"Neither. I was going to present it this weekend."

"Why?"

"Sort of an anniversary."

"What? What anniversary?"

"It's been eight years now since I walked away from your mom and the job."

"Not exactly something to celebrate."

"No, but it's sort of a full circle recognition."

"You know best. Good thing it's a real nice ring."

"Yeah."

"Andréa, what are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Cassidy gave me her key."

"And why would she do that?"

"Because I told her your request for me to be here tonight. And I told her it would be optimal for me to be here actually waiting for you so I can better assist you."

"Assist me?"

"Bags, luggage, last minute errands, dinner preparation. You know, things you don't really want to have to deal with alone."

"I had no idea you knew me so well."

"Yes, well, there's tea waiting for you in the kitchen and Clarissa has already been advised to contact you only if Runway is burning down. I just began dinner preparations so it will be a while, so if your hungry you can have an appetizer. I'll make your luggage disappear while your unwinding from the trip. And then we'll catch up."

"I guess you do know me."

"So, what happened while I was away?"

"Work, errands, lunch dates with Cassidy and Caroline… you know, the usual."

"Mmm. So what has you buzzing in your seat like a bee hive?"

"I sort of went on a shopping excursion while you were gone."

"Do tell."

"And I bought something… a gift… for you."

"For me? Whatever for?"

"Well, I planned on something a little different for presentation, but, as usual, you ferreted it out of me too soon."

"Oh, am I ruining your moment?"

"I'll get over it. Miranda?"

"Yes, Andréa?"

"These past few months have meant more to me than I think you understand."

"What…"

"No, let me finish. Since the camping trip fiasco, you have managed to blow the doors off my hinges. I have been opened to sights, feelings, emotions that I never would have, nor could have imagined before you. You knocked me off my axis and then helped right me again. You have become a touch stone in my life. You are my truest friend and the most telling mirror. I have found myself in you. So I want to give you this symbol of all I feel for you and all you mean to me. Will you accept it?"

"Andréa, this is beautiful. Will you help me with it?"

"Um, yeah. It's measured to your right hand. Here."

"It is lovely, thank you."

"Mmmmm… Miranda? Am I correct in thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What would that be?"

"That that kiss was the start of us taking things to a whole new level?"

"Come back here and I will answer you properly."

"Hello?"

"Andy?"

"Yeah Cass?"

"Are you still at the house?"

"Yeah."

"Did you stay over?"

"Yeah"

"Andréa, please keep it down. I'm trying to catch up on my sleep."

"Sorry Miranda. Cass, can I call you back later."

"Holy shit. Don't call me before tomorrow. Congrats."

"Bye, Cass"

"By Andy."