To Caroline and Cassidy!

You're Invited to come and help us celebrate Alicia's 12th Birthday! Come dressed up as your favourite Disney movie character! Prizes will be awarded to the best costumes so come dressed to impress!

6.00pm Saturday August 10 at the Johnson family residence!

P.S Miranda and Andy we would love to catch up with you, it's been far too long! Remember to come dressed for the occasion!

"What are we going to go as?"
"It has to be Disney."
"We cannot go as disney princesses -"
"ew, no. That's way lame"
"- exactly, we wouldn't stand out"
"What about brave though? I'm sure no one would dress up as merida"
"Yeah but then what will you go as? You could always go as the horse … I mean you do look uncannily alike - ow!"
"I thought we agreed no disney princesses anyway!"
"Well then what are we gonna do Cass?"

Sighing the two girl flopped down on the couch either side of Andy and leant a head on each shoulder. Closing her book in her lap and kissing each forehead she asked, "Well what movies did you girls love when you were little?"

"We loved cinderella and Beauty and the Beast but we don't want to go as princesses, Andy." sighed Cassidy.
"Yeah everyone and their dog is going to come dressed up as cinderella and aurora and we want to be different." Caroline explained.

Chuckling Andy conceded "Fair call munchkins, how about you two have a think about it while you set the dinner table and I make dinner before your mum gets home?"

Hanging her coat up and mercifully slipping out of her heels, Miranda sighed contentedly at the sound of her families laughing voices from down the hall. Walking down the hall into the den she listened as Cassidy and Andy debated over the pros and cons of ... being stuck as a frog for eternity?
"Dare I ask?" she smiled as she walked into the kitchen, giving her wife a greeting kiss before turning to her daughters, eyebrow raised questioningly.

"It's Alicia's birthday on saturday and it's a dress up party -"
"A disney dress up party"
"- but we don't want to go as princesses." Cassidy and Caroline explained.

"Ah, so naturally the only alternative is to be stuck as an amphibian for eternity?" Miranda asked, confused.

Laughing Cassidy explained they had been discussing going as characters from the princess and the frog before getting sidetracked.
"You two are coming by the way, so this conversation is just as important for you as it is for us." Caroline said looking at Miranda pointedly as she handed her mother the invitation.
Leaning over her wife's shoulder Andy read the invite, "Oh we haven't caught up with Jane and Dave for ages, we will be able to make it, won't we Miranda?"
"Of course dear, although I don't know about dressing up" Miranda grimaced.
"Oh come on, it's Alicia's birthday party and the invite clearly says mandatory. You have no say in the matter so I suggest if you want a say in your costume start coming up with ideas with us now."

By the end of dinner Caroline and Cassidy were no closer to deciding on a costume and most of Miranda and Andys disney character knowledge had been exhausted.

"Oh! What about Toy Story?" Andy said looking excitedly between the two girls. "There's definitely no princesses in that and you could do some awesome costumes!"

"Oh yeah! I forgot about Toy Story! Caro and I love that movie! That could actually be really cool! And I doubt anyone else would have thought of it either!" Cassidy looked at her sister her eyes growing wide with ideas. "Caro. I want to go as Buzz Lightyear. Imagine how awesome that costume would be."

Caroline looked unsure, "Well what would I be? I don't want to be a cowgirl, I still want to look pretty."

"Well you could always go as Bo Peep or even Barbie" Andy spoke up, "You don't have to go as Jessie."

"Oh yeah! I want to go as Bo Peep! Mum what will you and Andy go as?"

Stacking the dishes into the dishwasher, Miranda only vaguely commented "Oh i'm sure I can manage to find a Toy Story costume."

"Well how about we go as Jessie and Woody? You girls seem to be under the impression i'm a cow girl because I grew up in Ohio anyway." she laughed, "We could even find a bullseye costume for Patricia! Im sure she would love it."

Giggling, the twins dragged Andy into the den to search for their costumes online.

Yawning as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, Andy wondered where Miranda had gotten to. She had been oddly quiet about costume decisions tonight and had disappeared upstairs shortly after dinner to work on The Book. Not seeing anyone in the study Andy padded down to the master bedroom, quietly opening the door. Miranda was sitting up in bed, book forgotten beside her, watching something on her phone screen intently.

"Hey you, whatcha watching?"

Jumping, Miranda's head snapped up and she quickly closed the app she was on before resuming editing The Book. "Oh nothing of importance."

Staring suspiciously at her wife she watched a light blush settle across high cheekbones and an attempted innocent smile cross her partners face. "Okay… are you sure? It certainly looks like I've interrupted something here."
Eyes widening, Miranda glanced up at Andy's raised eyebrows, not quite catching her eye before blushing deeper and replying, "Of course not, what a silly notion."

"Hmm… well the blush and the fidgeting tells a different story Miranda."

Sighing, Miranda covered her face with her hands, "You'll laugh at me."

Even more confused Andy crossed the room to sit next to her wife, "Why would I laugh at you?" The editor took a deep breath before mumbling into her hands, "IwaswatchingToyStory.."

"You were watching Tolstoy? What?"

"I was watching Toy Story. I haven't seen it and I didn't know who you were talking about but I wanted to make the girls happy so I figured if I watched it, for research purposes, I would be able to give my advice on costumes."

Opening her phone, Andy saw that Miranda was half way through the Disney Movie. Smiling softly, Andy gave her wife a kiss before climbing under the covers and pulling the editor down beside her before resuming the movie.
"Well lets finish it and decide who to go as together."

"I still think we should go as Woody and Jessie" Andy said as the credits started to roll.

"Well you would definitely be Jessie … But I don't know how I feel about going as Woody. He isn't really my type." Miranda sniffed.

"It's just a costume, it doesn't mean you are like Woody. Plus I've always wanted to see you in a cow boy outfit" Andy giggled as she turned off the lights and pulled Miranda closer.

A week later, Caroline and Cassidy stood in the foyer ready to go. Cassidy wearing a fully functional Buzz Lightyear costume, extendable wings included, whilst Caroline was wrangling a pink bonnet onto her head while trying to not knock over anything with her rather voluminous skirts.

"MUUUUMM! ANNDDYYYY! HURRY UP WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" Cassidy yelled up the stairs.

"No need to yell girl I'm right here" said Andy walking out from the den into the foyer adjusting her red and white Cow Girl hat.

"Andy you look great! We knew you were really born a cow girl." Caroline laughed as she finally managed to tie on her bonnet.

"Hilarious," Andy deadpanned, "I'm going to see what's keeping your mum."

Walking into their room Andy saw Miranda standing in the closet searching through a rack of shirts.

"Well howdy partner, what's the hold up?"

Miranda shot a glare over her shoulder and continued to rifle through various racks of clothing, "I forgot to organise a costume and now I can't find anything to wear."

"Oh, I would have thought you would get your assistants to organise it."

"Yes, usually, but then those photos went missing from the Art Department and the photo shoot got washed out thanks to bad weather and it completely slipped my mind and now the girls will be disappointed if I can't find an outfit that somewhat resembles that idiotic animated toy. and how is it that I don't own a single plaid shirt?" Miranda had now opened several draws and was frantically rummaging through them in a frenzy as she vented at Andy.

"Woooaah. Miranda stop. Look at me." Andy stopped Miranda's frenzied search, taking hold of her wifes shoulders, "Take a deep breath - just relax. You're the queen of fashion. I'm sure we can find something in this house that will make a passable Woody costume."

Twenty minutes later they had managed to find a pair of jeans and a buttercup yellow button down blouse and some dark leather boots. "So no vest, but you're in luck. I do have a spare Cow Girl hat."

Miranda sighed looking at her reflection, they had managed to pull together a passable Woody costume, even if she had been reduced to wearing a pair of Andy's jeans. She couldn't remember the last time she had worn jeans, it would be years. If Nigel saw her he'd probably have a stroke, she chuckled at the thought. Turning as she saw Andy walk back into the closet holding the promised hat she smiled, "ah brilliant, ok that should do it. We should get going we don't want to keep the girls waiting."

"Oh I have just one more thing" Andy grinned as she led Miranda to sit on the edge of the bed before kneeling in front of her.

"Andrea what are you doing? We're going to be late." Miranda questioned.

"I just wanted to add one final piece to your costume, don't worry it won't take long" she said taking one booted foot in her hand before uncapping a permanent marker with a grin.

"What?- Andrea do you have any idea how much these boots cost?" Miranda gasped.

"There. Now you're costume is fully complete and everyone will know exactly who you belong to" Andy grinned before stealing a quick kiss and standing up.

Looking down at her shoe, Miranda grinned at the name written there.

"Yes Andy, I suppose do belong to you."