An Unexpected Request

Chapter 21

Cassidy and Caroline would soon enter an important and heavy phase of their treatment, and the girls' private clinic at the townhouse needed to be set up quickly.

Not to draw attention, Miranda had agreed with the companies that provided the equipment to wrap them in furniture boxes, and that everything would be delivered by trucks and discreet staff. To the paparazzi or anyone else snooping around, Miranda Priestly would apparently just be touching up her decor.

However, the delivery of the clinical materials had shaken Andy more than she could have imagined.

Watching the men put things in the third-floor rooms was still bearable. Seeing them open the boxes, and the technicians set up the strange and intimidating medical apparatus, began to bother Andy immensely. It got worse, when they tested the life support machine. The noises and all the lights made her nauseous, and the young woman ran to the nearest bathroom, to throw away her breakfast.

Andy returned a few minutes later, still somewhat unsteady. Glad she managed to convince the girls not to leave their studies downstairs to curiously watch the delivery of materials. Andy did not want them to see her like that.

"Miss Sachs..."

"What now!?" She asked at the technician in charge a bit sharply.

Andy then sighed, trying to calm down. She knew the guy was not to blame for any of the situation. He did his job, and judging by what she saw, very well. But Andy could not help it. She could not help but feel their presence there like an intrusion, like an announcement of sad, turbulent times.

"Uh...Miss," he babbled awkwardly. "Well...everything is set up and working perfectly. We placed all material and machinery in the rooms, as requested. Please make sure everything is all right, and then sign the papers so my people and I can leave you alone," the young man tried to joke, but his smile immediately withered in Andy's glare.

Miranda would have been proud!

"Right..." She just said.

They divided the third floor into six rooms. Two would be for the medical team, one for the doctors' rotation, and the other, for the nurses. The remaining four were separated into one for storage of medical material and clinical analysis, another would be the examination room, and next to the doctors' dormitory, there was the bedroom that the girls would use during treatment. In the last space—which most unnerved Andy—a real ICU was set up. For all that was holy, she hoped it was not necessary.

* * * *

Seeing Andrea Sachs step out of the elevator that afternoon and barge into Runway's reception, did not give Emily Charlton the same sense of outrage as before. Maybe because she imagined why Andrea was there, and even more, why her face was so downcast.

"Hi, Em," Andy greeted with a smile that lacked its usual glow.

"Andrea," Emily replied in the warmest tone she could muster. There was a time for everything, and this was one of the rare occasions when Emily needed to be truly human. "Are you okay, Andy?"

At the nickname, the other woman smiled more convincingly. Then, she bit her bottom lip, sighing heavily.

"To be honest, I'm not, Em...But I have to bear it, I have to..."

"Emily, call..." Miranda started to demand as she suddenly left her office, but stopped when she noticed Andrea in the reception area. "I'm glad you're here, Dear," she said with a small smile, which quickly faded as she took in the younger woman's face. "Come on, I'm almost done here, then we can go," Miranda clarified, and when Andrea came to her side, she patted her arm comfortingly. The editor gently led her with a hand on her back to the office, and closed the door.